LaTasha "Pink" Carter moved to Charlotte from Long Beach, Calif., to get to know her extended family and pursue a career in property management. While living the champagne life and soaking up all she could of the city's upscale social scene, Carter noticed something was missing — something sexy. Fast-forward two-and-a-half years and the oh-so-creative promoter is now running her own promotion company and putting on one of the sexiest events — showcasing erotic poets and smooth jazz — in town.
Creative Loafing: How did Pink Diamond Promotions come to life?
LaTasha "Pink" Carter: It started off as a research company. Friends of mine in the entertainment industry were interested in bringing events here but were timid. Charlotte can be a promoter's nightmare and many deem the city to be a fickle market. After much observation, we learned that Charlotte has a lot to offer and is home to some phenomenal talent, but often great events fail to shine due to improper marketing. So, we started off doing research and consultations and eventually began marketing and promoting our own events.
One of your most popular events is "Ssshh"; describe the event and what you think makes it special.
Ssshh has been our longest-running and most well-known event. It combines sensual poetry, jazz, edibles and giveaways, offering our guests a sexy atmosphere that's different from your typical nightlife scene. We set the mood and from there the experience begins. The thought and preparation we put into our events sets us apart because, for us, it's more than just an event. It's a production. We've also set ourselves apart by offering a platform for poets and believe very strongly that everyone, at some point in their life, should have the opportunity to express themselves on stage. A lot of the poets you see in Charlotte today got their start at our events.
You've seen a lot of what the city has to offer; describe the perfect night out in Charlotte.
For most 25 and up individuals, the perfect night out would have to justify you leaving the comfort of your home, possibly getting a baby-sitter, and making up for your lack of sleep the next day. It would definitely have to be at a safe and fun venue and would probably consist of more than just a DJ and a cash bar. It would be an event. Most events charge, but if you're asking for my money, you have to give me an experience, so much so that I want to tell someone about it.
What motivates you to keep doing this?
From people coming up telling me they enjoy our shows, to seeing the talent for ourselves, my team and I do this because we love this. It's not about the dollar. There have been a lot of times that we've even taken a loss, but we love what we do. Our motto is "love begets love." Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but in due time our recognition will come.
