In Our 20th Year Issue No. 1914
April 2003
www.theacphoenix.com
Associate Consultants Serving the Triad FREE
A WOMAN FOR ALL
SEASONS
B y John Raye
It would not be an exaggeration
to refer to Irene R Hairston as
Superwoman for she has indeed
blazed a trail, touched so many
lives, racked up so many honors,
awards and accomplishments, and
pioneered so many efforts on so
many fronts, that you leave her
presence in a state of profound
awe and amazement.
More than anything else,
Hairston is one amazing woman,
an all-weather woman... a woman
for all season. She is, as they say,
a sister with no-excuses.
Hairston first cut her teeth in the
education arena. Born, raised and
educated in the Winston-Salem/
Irene P. Hairston
Forsyth county public school
systems, Hairston earned Bachelor’s
and Master’s degrees from
Winston-Salem State University
and North Carolina A & T State
University, respectively.
Continued on Page 26
CHARLOTTE’S REV. ALEXANDER AND
DURHAM’S MACED SLOAN WILL GIVE
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES AT DLACK ISSUES
SUMMIT IN WINSTON-SALEM
(Winston-Salem, NC) — The
Rev. Claude R. Alexander Jr.,
pastor of University Park Baptist
Church in Charlotte, and Maceo K.
Sloan, chairman and chief
executive officer of Sloan Financial
Group and NCM Capital
Management Group, both in
Durham, will serve as keynote
speakers of the 2003 State of
Black North Carolina Conference
in Winston-Salem in May.
Alexander was recently named
one of the top 40 leaders under 40
by the Charlotte Business Journal.
Known for his insightful and
visionary style of oratory,
Alexander said he hopes to bring a
MERCEDES MILLER:
EMERGING
SPEAKER AND
WRITER
The AC Phoenix interviewed this
very talented lady:
WHO IS MERCEDES MILLER?
Mercedes (Mur sa dus) Miller is
an individual passionate about
using her gifts and talents to
maximize her own life and impact
the lives of others. Leader of
International organization, young
woman perpetuates peace and power,
personally and professionally.
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE
message of unity that will inspire
conference attendees to work
together in order to uplift blacks,
black businesses and black com
munities.
“This conference will be an
excellent opportunity for black
leaders to come together from all
corners of North Carolina to not
only address problems plaguing
our communities, but also to begin
taking action to improve these
problems,” Alexander said.
Alexander’s 2 p.m. address on
May 4th, will kick off the first State
of Black North Carolina
Conference, which will be for two
days at the M.C. Benton Jr.
Richard L. Williams
Convention and Civic Center and
the Adam’s Mark Winston Plaza
Hotel. Following the opening
session will be several seminars
that focus on faith, family and
Continued on Page 8
\ ^ ^
Mercedes Miller
MAXIMIZING YOUR GIFTS AND
TALENTS FOR YOURSELF AND
OTHERS?
Several years ago I developed a
mission and vision statement for
my life. I use them as a litmus test
Continued on Page 33
INSIDE.
Salisbury Welcomes
New Ford
Lincoln Mercury
Dealership Owner ...... 3
Are Our
Churches
Doing Enough .4
US Still
Divided On
Affirmative Action 14
I Minority Programs
I Keep Us Fighting
I Over 15 Percent .
.15
Will Your Coion or
Liver Kili You? ..
.18