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GMAD Mentors and Mentees Visit Hezekiah Alexander Museum

To kickoff 2019 on MLK Jr. Day, the mentors and mentees of WIE GMAD program visited the museum and homesite of Hezekiah Alexander.  This Revolutionary War-era home is located on the grounds of the Charlotte Museum of History. Built in 1774, this two-story stone house is the oldest surviving structure in Mecklenburg County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

2018-2019 GMAD Program

The Women’s Inter-Cultural Exchange (WIE) piloted the Garinger Mentoring Across Difference (GMAD) program in partnership with Garinger High School (GHS) in the school year of 2017-18.

The goal of the program was to offer 15 diverse students the tools needed to build trust across generation, race, culture and socio-economics, leading them on a path of success in the global economy.  Cultivated graduates are more-likely to have a greater positive impact economically, socially and financially as they continue their education via universities, technical schools (career readiness) and become successful community members. Therefore, WIE agrees that the collaboration with GHS was a success in its pilot year and has chosen to expand the GMAD program.  WIE has added an additional 18 girls that have been recommended by the Garinger administration from the top students with a GPA of 4.0+ - 3.65 in the sophomore class. The mentees and mentors from school year 2017-18 would play a vital role in building trust across the newly selected students to help in building trust across race and culture

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Cross Cultural Conversations

Cross-Cultural Conversations are small, intentionally selected groups of 8-12 individuals from varying backgrounds (e.g., race, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, age, religion and/or neighborhood) that are convened to tackle issues of race and inclusion, dismantle stereotypes and bridge differences through facilitated conversation.  

CCCs are held in the home of a host and begin with a central and vital feature of the program: sharing a meal together.

“Across cultures and time, food sharing is an almost universal medium for expressing fellowship; it embodies values of hospitality, duty, gratitude, sacrifice and compassion. The shared meal is an opportunity not only to eat, but also to talk, to create and strengthen bonds of attachment and friendship, to teach and learn. 

The goal of the program is to create a safe environment to bridge differences and open a pathway to see and treat one another as human beings and not as "other."  The group meets four times over a 4-month period and, through their conversations and sharing of experiences, the participants delve deep into the ways in which race and other differences have manifested in one another's lives and how they have created barriers to genuine trust and authentic relationship...one conversation at a time.

If you would like more information, contact the CCC Committee Chairs at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  If you are ready to sign up today to join a CCC group, please fill out and submit the CCC Interest Form here.   READ MORE...

2018 Garinger MAD Year-End Celebration

On May 22, WIE held a Year End Celebration for the young ladies from Garinger High School in the WIE Mentoring Across Difference (GMAD) program.  The event was held at Altersgate Retirement Community on Shamrock Drive.  Thanks to Aldersgate for hosting and sponsoring this event.

Garinger Mentees & Mentors Attend Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe

The Women's Inter-Cultural Exchange (WIE) mentees from Garinger High School and their mentors experienced the thrill of a lifetime on February 27th when they visited the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe perform.  When asked what they liked about the performance, one mentee replied, "When they were dancing about freedom it reminded me of when I was getting away from the war in Kenya for freedom".  Another stated "I loved the choreography and the uniforms and how everything matched the mood of the dance and the colors how the vibrancy and dullness each complimented each other beautifully".  They also saw the Broadway musical "Finding Neverland" along with their several mentors and friends in October.

Before the performance, the mentees and mentors had dinner together at Cantina 1511  sponsored by Mentor Alyshia Osborne of the Charlotte Center City Partners.  Additional thanks to the Joan Zimmerman and the Blumenthal Performance Arts Center for sponsoring this event.

The WIE Mentoring Across Difference program was developed to complement the students' leadership and development skills and allow them to be more visible to senior level people, both in businesses and the community.  It's an opportunity for these students to receive guidance from leaders they may normally not have access to. This program ensures promising students are nurtured by others who are willing to share their time, experiences and formulas for success in a global society.