Forum
Give a Gift of Self -Esteem
Each year when schools open, I get feelings
of nostalgic excitement. I remember how seri
ously my parents took this major development in
my life, and how we sat around the dinner table
weeks in advance exchanging ideas about the
fun I was going to have and the exciting things
that I was going to learn from my new teacher.
After taking me to school for first-day
the United Way of Forsyth County, is sponsor
ing a program called "Project: School Buddies,"
designed to help economically disadvantaged
students with their back-to- school needs.
"Project: School Buddies" is designed to
assist about 1,000 children in Forsyth County
with such basic items as underwear, socks, shoes
and school supplies. The children have been
enrollment, my mother
and I would make our
annual first-day pil
grimage to downtown
Winston-Salem, where"
we would shop for my
school supplies, includ
ing as many pencils as I.
wanted and always a
GUEST COLUMNIST
By DONNA OLDHAM
6
new book bag and lunch box. Afterward, we
would have lunch at Walgreen's, and she would
tell me how proud she and my father were of me
and what a good school year I was going to
have. As simple as all of this sounds now, my
parents' efforts truly fortified me for not only
that school year, but every one that followed,
including this August, as I watch our community
children follow in my footsteps.
For most students in the Winston
Salem/Forsyth County school system, the 1993
94 school year begins on Monday, Aug. 23. The
beginning of 9chool for many of our 38,000 stu
dents evokes those same thoughts that I had 20
years ago: of new beginnings, excitement about
new things to learn, new schools, teachers and
grade changes, new school supplies, and of
course, as many pencils as they want.
For some students in our system, however,
Aug. 23 could be a time for hardship, embarrass
ment and fear of alienation. These are students
who, because of difficult family and economic
situations, will begin their school year without
the most basic essentials and more important
feeling of self-confidence and self-worth that
everyone must have if they are to succeed.
To help these students, our school system,
in conjunction with Hanes Mall, WSJS radio and
chosen by the 9chool system's social workers.
The program works like this: cards are
available with information about the student and
the student's specific needs, such as "boy's jeans
- size 6." The items can be purchased at any
Hanes Mall store and taken to the "Project:
School Buddies'* displays located on the lower
level. Items will be distributed to students at the
conclusion of the drive. Last year, 600 children
from Forsyth County were assisted by your
donations of over $20,000.
If you would like to help a child, you can
visit one of the two displays for "Project: School
Buddies" at Hanes Mall through Sunday, Aug.
29. For more information about this project, con
tact Lucy Lancaster, social work specialist, at
784-9454.
We all realize that a new pair of shoes and
lots of new pencils won't solve the mysteries of
mathematics and science or master spelling and
English composition. They might, however,
encourage a child to come that first day of
school with hope and a little self-esteem. Please
help us to help our community's children.
Donna E. Oldham is axornmunications spe
cialist for the W inston-Saiem/ForSyth County
Schools.
Kendra Alexander: Freedom Fighter
One of America's foremost advocates for
human equality, social justice and peace,
Kendra Alexander, died tragically on May 23.
Alexander was lulled in a terrible fire which
destroyed her home in Berkeley, California. For
the thousands of political activists and progres
sives whose lives she touched across the United
States and throughout the world, her unexpected
death evoked deep and profound sadness.
Alexander was bom in 1946, and raised in
Los Angeles. Her involvement in the black lib
eration movement began in 1965, when she
joined the Congress of Racial Equality to regis
ter African- American voters in Louisiana.
Enrolling in Los Angeles State College, the
young militant then joined the W.E.B. Du Bo is
Clubs, a multiracial socialist youth organization.
Like Angela Davis, Alexander's commitment to
activism led her to become a member of the
grew within the party, Alexander became identi
fied with demands for greater democracy and
freedom of political expression. Because of her
strong opposition, she was removed from her
leadership position.
Last year, hundreds of Northern California
activists resigned in protest from the Communist
Party, along with Alexander and Angela Davis.
In July, 1992, many of these activists joined
forces with independent progressives, trade
unionists, feminists, black and Latino leaders to
create a new organization ? the Committees of
Correspondence. Alexander and I were both
elected as national co-chairs of this formation.
Over the next year, I came to admire and
respect Alexander. Within the national leader
ship of the Committees of Correspondence, she
was clearly the most argumentative, insistent
and challenging member of our group. She was
Communist Party, _
USA. -During these
years, she also met and
married Franklin
Delano Alexander,
another respected
African-American
activist
Throughout the
1970s and 1980s,
ALONG THE COLOR LINE
MANNING MARABLE
Alexander acquired a national and international
reputation as one of this country's.? ost influen
tial progressives. She was a key leader in the
defense of the life of Angela Davis, after her
unjust imprisonment. She was active in peace,
labor, and anti-racist organizations. Most out
standing perhaps was Alexander's extensive
work in the anti-apartheid movement. She
helped to establish the Bay Area Free South
Africa movement, and successfully supported
San Francisco dock workers who refused to
unload South African cargo in 1984. The late
South African liberation fighter Chris Hani was
a friend and trusted acquaintance of the Alexan
der family.
I first heard of Kendra Alexander during
these years, long before we became friends.
Like many other African-American leaders
before here ? such as W.E.B. DuBois, Paul
Robeson, and Benjamin Davis ? she had
become attracted to the politics of socialism.
Alexander understood that racial discrimination
and the fundamental inequalities suffered by
African-Americans and other people of color
were inextricably linked to the institutions of
power, privilege, and private property within
our society. To take a stand against racism, and
to affirm the equality of all human beings,
Alexander believed, also meant an opposition to
the economic exploitation of all working people.
Alexander rose in the national leadership of
the Communist Party, and was elected to that
body's Central Committee. As disagreements
intelligent, dedicated and always humorous. She
never hesitated to let you know what she
thought, or where she stood politically. And like
many other strong black women I have known,
she always argued the most with those whom
she loved most deeply.
At the time of her death, Alexander was
employed as a legislative aide to Berkeley City
Council member Maudelle Shirek. She was
instrumental in bringing together people from a
wide range of political traditions and experi
ences into a unified organization. But the central
reality of Alexander's entire public career was
her strong love for black people, and her deep
desire to serve all of humanity. She hated
poverty, and wanted to end it. She despised
racism, and sought to uproot it She witnessed
hunger and homelessness, and wanted to abolish
it.
Kendra Alexander's politics were guided by
real feelings of love ? for the children in her
neighborhood, for the rights of all workers, for
African-American people fighting: for equality,
and for all who continue to sacrifice and strug
gle for democracy everywhere. Black America
has lost a great defender and powerful political
advocate, a breve and gifted woman who per
sonified the willingness to take a stand for free
dom. And for those of ns who were Alexander's
closest friends and associates, we shall always
remember the love . which she so tirelessly gave
to all of us.
Doonsbeny
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VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY
The 1993 National Black Theatre Festival, which concluded the week's activities Saturday night, attracted thou
sands of people from across the country. The Chronicle asked residents what impact they think the festival had on Win
ston-Salem. Here are their responses:
I w 1
Lee Cox, 49
N.C. Black Repertory Co.
I
Kdward Bullard, 50
of Trumbull, Conn.
Charles Henry, 53
N.C. Baptist Hospital
fry ""VI
Gwendolyn Hargrove, 45
of Dallas, Texas
"We're exposing the
while and black community
to a unique aspect of black
history. In a city where we
argued about problems of
being an All-Amcrican City,
we're getting people to sit
down together in theater to
hear the heartaches and the
joys of black culture."
1'H-biings.iLlLflI _ih?
national actors together, and
it's an economic improve
ment for the city."
"It has a great impact
on the city. I haven't been
to any of the shows, bur I
wish we had it every year.
From what I have read in
the newspaper, we're lucky
to have it here."
"Stars come in and get
a chance to give back to the
community that they have
come from. It's a great
experience, especially for
the community people here,
to rub noses with the actors
and actresses."