Dennis Reed Jr.
• – • NASCAR Hall of Fame
part of a series on Create (cre·ate) | Create
About the speaker
Dennis Reed is an award-winning songwriter, recording artist, and CEO of Inspire the Fire Inc., a nonprofit that has empowered hundreds of youth in the Carolinas. His leadership in the arts and commitment to mentoring young people have made him a driving force in both music and community service.
Reed has collaborated with top industry figures, including music director Adam Blackstone, and performed with Justin Timberlake at the Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. He also led his Sainted Trap Choir to the finals of America's Got Talent: Fantasy League under Simon Cowell’s mentorship, captivating audiences with their unique fusion of gospel and trap music.
Reed has performed on prestigious stages like Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas and the TIME 100 Gala, where he arranged a performance for Fantasia. His group, Dennis Reed & GAP, contributed to the GRAMMY® Award-winning project Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Musical Celebration.
For his decade-long dedication to youth empowerment, Reed was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from President Obama. His nonprofit, Inspire the Fire, has earned national recognition and a dedicated "Inspire the Fire Day" in Charlotte. With a career rooted in innovation, collaboration, and service, Dennis Reed continues to push boundaries in music and community impact.
Local partners
UNC Charlotte is the Charlotte region’s only R1 university, empowering more than 32,000 students in the state’s largest city. The University drives discovery, fuels industry and strengthens the region’s workforce. With more than 300 degree programs and unmatched access to research, internships and real-world learning, UNC Charlotte delivers the talent, ideas and innovation that move Charlotte and North Carolina forward — the Difference is Charlotte.
With studios in Charlotte & Miami, Star Room is a full-service video production & digital marketing agency dedicated to the highest quality short-form content production services, and serving select partners with our comprehensive strategy-driven retainer solution: WideShot Social Media Management. We specialize in human-centric brand storytelling, corporate, promotional, and ad content. Our WideShot package integrates in-house creative, brand strategy, a full mix of original content (video, stills, newsletters/blogs, 2D&3D animation), and social media execution as an end-to-end solution to support in-house marketing teams. Our team has one goal in mind - draw trackable results and demonstrate clear ROI. We’re experts in creating meaningful stories that enhance brand image and set you apart from the competition. Let’s elevate your brand, together.
Established in 2012, Enderly Coffee exists to provide OPPORTUNITY through RELATIONSHIPS in order to ADD VALUE to Enderly Park and Charlotte. They seek to encourage and inspire others to live for others. Co-owners Becky and Tony Santoro focus on business to business relationships, distributing freshly roasted coffee daily around Charlotte.
CCSC provides Workforce Development training and job placement assistance in the food service industry for adults who face barriers gaining long-term successful employment. Their vision is to transform the lives of their students and their families and positively impact our community.
Boingo Graphics is a full service commercial and digital printing company serving the Charlotte business community for over 35 years. Boingo helps their clients communicate creatively and effectively with their intended audience – from brand management to all of your marketing and print solutions needs. Their 24,000 square foot facility is located just minutes from Uptown.
Charlotte Is Creative has become our city’s creative connectors, conveners, and collaborators. We spark surprising and engaging connections between Charlotte’s artists, creative entrepreneurs, and established business community to help them boost opportunity, livability, and success by working together. Follow us on Instagram at @cltiscreative
Location
Hosted at
NASCAR Hall of Fame
400 East Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
Charlotte, North Carolina United States 28202
When
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Videographer Levin Chaskey