Charlotte is growing fast — adding jobs, people and new development at a dizzying pace — but for all its momentum, the city still struggles to answer a basic question: what, exactly, is Charlotte?

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Steve Dunn talks with Michael Graff, founder of The Charlotte Optimist, about the city’s evolving identity and whether it even needs one. Their conversation is sparked by Graff’s reflections on "Charlotte: Searching for Soul in a Booming Southern City" by Robert FitzPatrick — a book that questions whether Charlotte’s rapid growth has come at the expense of its soul.

Graff shares why he launched a storytelling platform and how hundreds of conversations with locals have shaped his view of the city as a place defined less by tradition and more by possibility. Together, he and Dunn explore the tension between growth and belonging, the challenges facing Charlotte’s middle class, and why the same forces that make the city feel hard to define may also be what draws people in. In a city that often feels like it’s still becoming itself, Graff offers a different perspective: maybe Charlotte’s “undefined space” isn’t a weakness — maybe it’s exactly the point.

Today’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc. Looking for child care? Our team provides guidance every step of the way! Search online at www.FindChildCareNC.org or call 1-888-600-1685 for live assistance and free, customized referrals.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks. For more information on The Charlotte Ledger, go to TheCharlotteLedger.com.