Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium
Training Our Students for a Future of Equity
The Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium (CRJC) is an unprecedented partnership of five academic institutions — Queens University of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales University Charlotte, and UNC Charlotte — working together to equip a diverse body of students within the region to address social and economic justice issues, advocate for racial equity and strengthen democracy.
The CRJC vision is a Charlotte community that understands its history of race and racism, embraces a more comprehensive narrative on race, eliminates a hierarchy of human value, and develops faculty, staff, and student leaders who advocate across our five campuses and the community for truth, justice, racial healing, and systemic transformation.
Charlotte Racial Justice Student Fellows: Four to six students from each campus participate in a year-long reflection of Charlotte's history of racism and its connection to each university/college, while exploring racial equity and developing leadership skills.
Voting Rights: Each year, our Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium fellows select a local impact project. In the years leading up to the 2024 Presidential election, the Consortium is working toward expanding voting rights.
Racial Healing Circles: Our Racial Justice fellows are also trained in leading Racial Healing Circles, which are group interventions designed to share personal truths and experiences and use storytelling to promote racial equity and healing.
The Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium will be holding a Charlotte Community Racial Healing Circle on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at Queens University from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. For more information, contact Judy Schindler, schindlerj@queens.edu.
Our Alumni
2020-2021 Racial Justice Fellows & Leadership
- CPCC Fellows: Jennifer Colindres, Emma Hoff, Diya Patel, Diante Solano, Charles Stone, Leaders: Kelvin Chege, Jesse Bennett, Justin Knoll, David Mahatha
- Johnson & Wales Fellows: Precious Bracey, Chris Johnson, Zria Paris, Chrysten Pickney, Leaders: Lisa Kendall and Trudi Lacey
- Johnson C. Smith Fellows: Kofi Asafu-Asante, Theodore Castro, Kenneth “K2” Hagler, Nadia Johnson, Darlene Parker, Isys Seward, Leaders: Melvin Herring, Cindy Kistenberg
- Queens Fellows: Matthew Brown, Terrell Cambell, Rosa Ramirez, Sydney Stepney, Leaders: LeAnna Rice & Judy Schindler
- UNCC Fellows: Octavia Burch, Sara Castillo, Kennedy Cooper, Annie Burchill, Leaders: Tehia Glass, Susan McCarter
2021-2022 Racial Justice Fellows & Leadership
- CPCC Fellows: Heather Carter, Fernanda Moreno, Dev Patel, Dallas Pike, Raedeja Sawyer, Leaders: Jesse Bennett, Kimberly Miller
- Johnson & Wales Fellows - Sija Hedrick and Darius Moore, Leaders: Lisa Kendall and Trudi Lacey
- Johnson C. Smith Fellows: Jayla DeBoles, Evangeline Eure, Kayla Jenkins, Justin Nixon, Leaders: Melvin Herring, Cindy Kistenberg
- Queens Fellows: Farris Hamzeh, Destiny Kasubaski, Ngoc Le, Leaders: Dean LeAnna Rice, Anita McGill, Judy Schindler
- UNCC Fellows: Kate Griffin, Keshawn Mathews, Megan Ochoa-Lagos, Amya Richardson, Judith Vanboven, Leaders: Susan McCarter, Janique Sanders
2022-2023 Racial Justice Fellows & Leadership
- CPCC Fellows: Ariana Farley, Jessica Johnson, Pragya Pandya, Jermaine Sawyer, Kellie Williams, Leaders: Jesse Bennett, Kimberly Miller
- Johnson & Wales Fellows: Grace Conner, Whitley Jones, Leaders: Lisa Kendall and Trudi Lacey
- Johnson C. Smith Fellows: Cierra Carter, Krajani Kelley, Constrance McKinley, Kyndall Ragins, Lashae Smith, Leaders: Melvin Herring, Cindy Kistenberg
- Queens Fellows: Ashlyn Osborne, Christian Dodd, Evely Reyes, Jalie Albrecht-Reed, Leaders: Anita McGill & Rabbi Judy Schindler
- UNCC Fellows: Breze Ervin, Anacarolyna Harris, Justice Silver, Paris Ward, Leaders: Susan McCarter, Matthew Mills
Information for our 2023-2024 Racial Justice Consortium
Application – Are you a full-time student at Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales University Charlotte, Queens University of Charlotte, or UNC Charlotte and interested in applying? The link to the application will be posted here on August 15, 2023.
Information for Current Fellows and 2023-2024 Calendar of Events will be posted on August 15, 2023.
Our CRJC program cannot happen without community engagement and support! Please consider sponsoring a CRJC Fellow ($1K/semester) or sponsoring any part of the Consortium's programming. Click here to donate. To learn more about our program or sponsorship opportunities, contact Judy Schindler, schindlerj@queens.edu.