I recently had the opportunity to exclusively interview Christine Edwards to learn five random facts about herself and what inspired her to get involved with your local government. Check out my interview with Christine below:
Loryn: How has the pandemic changed you?
Christine: Other than not standing next to people in line anymore and being totally comfortable wearing a mask in crowded places like airports and stadiums, I can say that, after seeing how quickly life can change, I definitely appreciate slowing down and enjoying each day. I am more aware of my decision-making and have adopted the advice of "sleep on it" more often and really try to take advantage of each hour in the day by being more reflective at the end of the day and week.
Loryn: What inspired you to get involved with your local government?
Christine: I was inspired at an early age when my family relocated to a neighborhood in East Charlotte from my hometown in Norfolk, Virginia and I realized every trip to the grocery store and every trip to buy school clothes took place in another part of the city, not our neighborhood. I didn't know what that meant at the time, but I was very aware of our place and our home and the lifestyle it afforded us, and the conveniences that others had that we were not privileged to have. It wasn't until my internship with an affordable housing Non-profit in college that I realized I wanted to work in local government. I wanted to have a greater impact on the policies that shape our communities and allow for people to have access to whatever home they desire. I started an internship with the City of Charlotte Housing and Neighborhood Service Department shortly after graduation.
Loryn: What changes do you hope come to fruition within your community in 2022?
Christine: I hope to see a change in the number of successful small businesses thriving in the aftermath of the pandemic. I hope that our national leadership listens more to people and applies the type of changes that people are calling for in their local communities such as support for more affordable housing, broadband in rural areas, and access to capital for small businesses to thrive.
Loryn: How would you sum up your company's success overall this year?
Christine: My company was driven by the word "change" this year. Not only did we see an increase in our financial standing, but we also were able to serve more clients and to hire more talented people to carry forth our mission to help communities grow with dignity. This year, change defined our attitude towards strategic thinking, pivoting from a coaching and training model to taking on bigger consulting contracts and taking greater risks in our hiring decisions.
Loryn: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Christine: In 2018, I had an incredible opportunity to officiate my brother’s wedding. I obtained a marriage license from the City of Washington DC to officiate his wedding. I accepted his request before he could even get the full sentence out. I was incredibly honored to officiate my older brother's wedding and it's definitely one of the highlights of my life.
Be sure to stay updated with Christine Edwards by checking out her company website: https://www.amplifycharlotte.com/