The Loft Leaders Academy (LLA) at The Teen Loft at ImaginOn is designed to equip teens in grades 7-12 with leadership and interpersonal skills to be successful in life, work, college, relationships, and beyond. LLA Cohort 2 had their first regular workshop graciously hosted by the 7th Street Market last week.

Hello!

The weather is warming up, and we are gearing up for a very festive season.

Let’s start with Women’s History Month. I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to all the women past and present who have been the foundation of remarkable libraries including Allegra Westbrooks, the first African American public library supervisor in North Carolina and namesake of the Library’s Beatties Ford Road location.

The former Library trustee and current Foundation board member Jennifer Appleby was recognized in the Women in Business issue of the Charlotte Business Journal with a Lifetime Achievement award — and we could not agree more with the much-deserved honor. I’m quoted in the article but it bears repeating: “she just put her heart and her team into every aspect of the Library.”

Building on this amazing news, Library trustee Tracy Montross was also named a 2023 Women in Business award winner. Congratulations to you both — we are so fortunate to have you as fierce advocates of the Library.

We are ending the month of March with our Carnegie Circle donor event on the 27^th featuring another remarkable woman, Man Booker Prize nominee NoViolet Bulawayo. If you’ve considered joining our Carnegie Circle with a gift of $1,000 or more, this is the time to do it. Ms. Bulawayo’s inspiring voice is not to be missed.

We have so many more things planned for the spring, so I hope you’ll continue to be involved and invested in our Library.

Warmly,

Jenni Gaisbauer, CFRE
Executive Director

P.S. Want to celebrate a dynamic woman in your life? Make a gift in her honor or memory  during the month of March and we will send you a book as a thank you! (A women author, of course!)