N .C .'s Barber elected to the National Board of the NAACP I'MKunivM? 3 1 KtTOKT The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president of the N.C. NAACP, won election last week to the civil rights organization's national board The Goldsboro- based pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church Disciples of Christ will join the board Sept. 1 - the same time that Benjamin Jealous, the National NAACP's Executive Director, will start. Barber was up against two others for the Region 5 seat on the national board. He received 177 of the 329 delegate votes for the seat, beating incumbent Madie Robinson, of South Carolina, who received 94 votes. Barber was nominated for the position by fellow North Carolinian Helen Coleman, who already sits on the national board. The election took place dur ing the 99th Annual National NAACP Convention _in n u Cincinnati, Ohio, which was attended by more than 9,000 delegates, alternatives and observers. Barber was buoyed in the election by a passionate, inspir ? x- -l- i ? ing, and visionary speech to the delegates of Region 5, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Mississippi. The Rev. Barber has won praise across the state and the nation for his efforts as the head of the state NAACP as he has fought for justice and equal rights for all North Carolinians. File Photo The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber speaks from the pulpit of a local church during one of his many visits to W i n fa o n - Salem. (Why Cull MKbcU Barack Obama in Winston-Salem earlier this year. Local Ubama Office opens Friday CHRONICLE S I M l R1PORT The Barack Obama for President Campaign will open its Winston-Salem office on Friday, July 25 dunng a grand opening event from 6-9 p.m. The public is invited to attend. The office is downtown in the Loewy Building, 500 W Fourth St. Obama staffers, elect ed officials and members of the local Democratic Party are expected to be on hand cfor the event. Reportedly, the Obama Campaign will launch an aggressive strategy to win North Carolina in the November General Election. Although the state has not been kind to Democrats 10 the past, the cam paign believes it has a shot to steal the Tar Heel Sta? away from Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain. On Tuesday, the campaign announced three new additions to its "North Carolina office: , Susan Lagana, w ho will serve as the campaign's N.C. communi cations director; Deputy Communications Director Paul Cox; arid Kevin Monroe. They will join N.C. Director Marc Farinella and the rest of state's executive staff in the Raleigh office.. Doycoii front page AJ organizers, said employers should be concerned about what their employees know and their on-the-job performances. "It should not be about what you look like," said Hines-Gaither. The Salem College profes sor is extra sensitive to this issue. People often ask Hines Gaither if her waist-length braids ever pose a problem for a icw snaaes aarKer man the color that got Love into hot water. As she held a bright yel low and green sign that read "BOYCOTT THE GRAND." Jones expressed disbelief in the situation that got Love sus pended and pride in her daugh ter for taking a stand. Many of those who protest ed are Salem students who became just as passionate about the issue after Hines Gaither began sharing her frus tration about the situation with anyone who would listen. ner at work. At^alem - the nation's oldest educational institu tion for women - the professor's hair has never been an issue. But it is not as if the campus is without its rules. Hines-Gaither says, she understands and agrees that com panies, agencies and schools should have policies that govern the way they operate. She doesn't, she says, understand a rule like the one used to suspend Love for wearing a hairstyle that is fair ly common. p "When I saw this on the news, I was outraged," Hines Gaither said. Beautician Erricca Cargill was among the protesters urg ing local people to spend their money at other theaters. She doesn't understand how anyone i could have taken issue with Love's hair color. Cargill said burgundy dye is extremely popular among African American women. "I dye the hair of business women all the time," she said. The hair of Tanjela Jones, Hines-Gaither's mother, is just Hints little difference between Love's situation and one in which someone would have an adverse reaction to her hair - or lack thereof. "When you have an issue like this, anything else can come into play," she said. "That's why I am here: to say this isn't OK and it can't be OK." The demonstrators say that many drivers who planned to go to The Grand Saturday, changed their minds after read ing the fliers and protest signs. Still, it was a very brisk busi ness day at the University Parkway theater, as local moviegoers helped the latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight " strike box office gold. I his could have been me. I could have been the one suspend ed," said Achlai Ernest Wallace. "I get braids. I get weave. I get color." Her classmate, Kezia Bobo, is bald due to a medical condi tion, but she sees The movie is playing on at least two of The Grand's 18 screens. Messages left for the the ater's manager and Love were not returned by press time. The head of New Orleans-based Southern Theatres, which owns The Grand, provided a written statement to The Chronicle in response to an inquiry about the boycott. CEO George Solomon calls allegations that Love was dis criminated against "inaccu rate," and says his company employees a diverse group of people. "As an employer of approx imately 1 .200 throughout -the Southeast, we have and will0 continue to be an Equal Opportunity Employer as we practice fair and ethical prac tices," he said. Solomon emphasized that Love isback at work and that the issue. is in the past. "We have resolved the situ ation, and Meyosha remains employed with us to this day ... I am pleased to report that the situation is resolved," said Solomon. But those who held picket signs and handed out fliers along the busy street in front of the theater already knew that Love's suspension had ended. They say they are concerned about the next person who may be suspended, reprimanded or fired because of his or her appearance - and not just at TTie Grand, but any place of employment. "(Love) was definately a catalyst for this, but this is not about an individual, it is about an issue," Hines-Gaither said. "Meyosha will be going to col lege in a few weeks; what about the next person?" Water Safety from page AS ? children and are doing something else, like talking to another person, reading, eating, or talk ing on the telephone. Among adults, the risk fac tor of alcohol use is involved in many water and boating fatalities. Other risk factors that can occur in children and adults are: ? Not wearing a life vest / life jacket ?. Not practicing safety around recreational watercraft ? Lack of swimming knowledge - The CDC has found in a national study, that African Americans self-report being the most limited with regard to swimming ability ? Seizure disorders - persons with these ill nesses shoufcl be monitored when around bath tubs, poofs .lakes, rivers, the ocean or any open water. How can I reduce my and my family's risk? - NEVER leave children alone in any water - this means bathtubs, pools, or natural water - ALWAYS swim with someone else - at least have someone watching you while you are swim ming in case of emergency - Teach your children not to run, push, or jump over others near the water - Learn the steps of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) - CPR has been shown to save lives, when often it can take a few minutes, for paramedics to arrive. Your local Red Cross offers these classes. - Make sure you and your family always use life vests that are approved by the US Coast Guard - Avoid drinking alcohol before swimming, boating or other water sports. ? Inflatable floats are not designed to keep swimmers safe or save lives. - Make sure that you and your family swim in safe areas of rivers, lakes, and oceans - Take yourself and your family to swimming and water safety classes - Most local swimming pools and YMCAs/YWCAs, as well as some parks, offer these types of classes. - If someone is watching your children, make sure they knows how to swim, know CPR, and File Photo Summer is prime time for water tragedies. have a telephone close by for an emergency. - If you have a pool at your house, make sure that the area is properly protected with locked doors so that children cannot go into the pool without adult supervision. - If you go to the beach, make sure you do not drift away from shore when there is a riptide. - If you do get caught in a riptide, swim paral lel to shore and you will eventually swim out of the riptide, and then you can swim toward shore. - Know the weather conditions before swim ming or boating on lakes, rivers or the ocean Enjoy the North Carolina summers with your family, but do so using common sense and observ ing safety rules so that this beautiful time does not turn into a tragedy! - Contribution by Sarah Langdon, BA For further information, questions or com ments about this article, call toll-free 1-877-530 1824. Or, for more information about the Maya Angelou Research Center on Minority Health, visit http://www.wfubmc .eduJminorityhealth . Photos provided (> Protestors gather after what they called a successful campaign. EXPLORE the historic 1917 home of tobacco baron R.J. Reynolds DISCOVER masterpieces of American art EXPERIENCE the shops and gardens of the Reynolda Mile SUMMER SPECIAL Bring this ad to receive one free adult admission to the Museum with one ptid adult general admission through August 31. 2008. children under 18 always free REYNOLPA HOUSE MUSEUM of AMERICAN ART Open I'uesdav Sunday | 2230 Rcynnlda Road, Winston Salem K.X8.6M.1 1 I1) reynoldahouse.org

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