Plugged In
Plugged In was a community event I organized in partnership with the City of Charlotte that blended car culture, sustainability, and digital art.
Plugged In: EV Cars & Coffee
In Charlotte, car culture has always been a powerful connector—something that brings people together across generations and neighborhoods. With Plugged In: EV Cars & Coffee, I wanted to see what would happen if we took that same energy and steered it toward the future: electric vehicles, sustainability, and digital creativity.
A New Spin on Car Culture
Plugged In wasn’t your typical Cars & Coffee meet-up. Yes, there were EVs lined up—sleek Teslas, experimental builds, and everyday commuters showing off their battery-powered rides. But right alongside them were digital cars: 3D modeled designs I created in collaboration with Sir Will the Artist. Displayed as augmented visuals, they sparked conversations about how technology can reshape not only the vehicles we drive but also the ways we imagine them.
Community Meets Innovation
The event was a partnership with the City of Charlotte, blending civic goals for sustainability with grassroots creativity. People came not just to admire cars but to connect—sharing knowledge, asking questions, and building relationships. Some wanted to learn about the technical side of EV ownership, while others were excited to see how digital art could transform the way we engage with design.
More Than a Showcase
For me, Plugged In was an experiment in community storytelling through technology. Car culture became a familiar entry point, but the real story was about possibility. How do we imagine cities where technology and creativity move together? How do we give people tools to not just consume innovation but participate in shaping it?
Looking Ahead
Events like Plugged In are reminders that the future is not only electric—it’s creative. By merging cars, community, and culture, we created a space where technology felt less like a distant concept and more like something people could touch, remix, and make their own.