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Queens in the Queen City
It’s no surprise, Charlotte’s crown jewel continues to attract more queens to the Queen City. In fact, according to data from the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, nearly 113 people move to Charlotte every day. That’s more than 41,000 new people coming to the region a year.
“This city is affordable, for now, and growing exponentially so it makes sense that people want to move here,” said Alisa Anthon, a Bronx, New York native who has lived in Charlotte for nearly
a year and a half.
Beyond the numbers are the individuals who help make Charlotte a city filled with unique stories worth sharing. Whether you’re a unicorn who has called Charlotte home your entire life,
or one of the thousands of transplants—new and old. Charlotte PinC wanted to know what’s life like for black and brown queens in the Queen City?
Demographic data shows about 32% of Charlotte’s population is made up of Black and Hispanic individuals, and oftentimes finding a “tribe” of like-minded individuals isn’t always so easy. For Anthon, meeting people at the gym who enjoyed yoga just as much as she did was the spark she needed to make friends and build her business, Nah Imma Stay. “I understood that Charlotte was going to be my home for the foreseeable future, and
beginning my yoga classes was a way to build community around me,” Anthon said. “Nah Imma Stay has blossomed into a mission to help spread peace and prosperity to those who need it.”
Anthon represents the more than 5% of Black-owned businesses owners in Charlotte according to U.S Census data. Even fewer
of those businesses are owned by Black women. With the statistics seemingly stacked against them, fellow entrepreneurs like Mariah Brown, founder of Mariah’s Taco Spot, still finds ways to thrive both personally and professionally since moving to Charlotte in 2014. “I am a girl’s girl always,” Brown said. “I love connecting withother women in business so we can motivate one another and share ideas.”
Brown adds she looks forward to opening a brick & mortar in Charlotte this winter with the help
of her broker and interior designer—both who are women.
Ke’Juana Ford shares a similar Queen City experience after she left her hometown in Dayton,
Ohio in 2019 in search of more. Charlotte is where she moved to reestablish her business, Brows by Keke, and despite being away from family and friends she quickly realized she wasn’t
alone.
“The influx of new women moving to Charlotte is a positive development that brings fresh energy, ideas, and diversity to our community,” Ford said.
Whether that means joining a club or activity, attending events or being open to new experiences and seeking connections– there’s space for it all. “Being a woman of color in Charlotte has come with its unique set of challenges, but it has also provided me with a platform to inspire and uplift others in my community who look just like me,” Ford said. “I have been able to rebuild my business, meet new people, and achieve higher success than ever before.”
Yet in a growing city like Charlotte, the common theme that all three of these women shared was the need for more resources to help minorities, women, business owners and more all feel
supported and connected in an all new way.
“I love all things that are centered around women empowerment,” Brown said. “I definitely think the city needs more female focused networking groups. We all need each other.”
