Building Bridges
Urbcm League program seeks to foster better understanding among racial groups
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHKONKT I
"I left my family crying,
hoping to find a new life. I am
disappointed because 1 only
find discrimination."
Those are the words of
Mexico-born Yesica A hare a,
w ho came to the United States
as a teenager Abarca. now 26
and a mother of three, shared
several poems she has penned
about her experience as an
American immigrant Tuesday,
during the late morning ses
sion of Bridging the Gaps in
Racial Relations, a diversity
training seminar the Urban
League offers in conjunction
with Forsyth County several
times a year.
The Bridging the Gaps
program, which has been in
existence for more than a
decade, is geared toward coun
ty employees. but open to the
general public. Cher a two
day period, participants hear
from speakers and share expe
riences from their own lives in
hopes of gaining a greater
understanding of those around
them.
Libraty Assistant Amy
Jarvis said her four children
were the motivation for her to
take part in Bridging the Gaps
"I'm always trying to teach
them to accept everybody, and
1 thought this would be a good
way for me to be more knowl
edgeable." she related. "I con
sider myself to be pretty open
minded, but there's always
new things to leam about other
Pauline Morris
people and about \ourselt ."
Bill Bailey. director of
Programming for the Urban
League, has led the session*,
along with consultant and
motivational speaker Ralph
Mitchell, for the past four
years.
"Some people don't w;mt
to change, but oftentimes, peo
ple are here because they
knou the> have these issues
and they're looking for tools to
change." Bailey explained.
The program, which drew
roughly' 15 people this session,
has seen its share of success
stories, he added. Facilitators
push participants beyond their
comfort /ones, in hopes of fos
tering personal grow th through
honest dialogue and introspec
tive assessment. he said.
Those present at the 1 1
a.m. session were forced to re
evaluate their ow n perceptions
of the world right from the
start.
"1 always like saying this.
Let tine introduce you to an
African American." Mitchell
said, gesturing to a fair haired
Caucasian woman standing
Mill Bailey
beside him. "Do you believe
me?"
Pauline Morris, the speak
er for the session, is a native of
Africa. But she has long ago '
realized that people in
America are not accustomed to
v iewing her as an African.
"People look at me and
they think I think like a white
person," related Morris, who
works at the International
Center at Forsyth Technical
Community College, "but
because I'm not from here. I
really don't."
Putting a human face on
the issues, like those of
Morris. Abarca. and Evelyne
Joseph, a Haitan national who
also spoke, is one of the chief
aims of the program. Bailey
said.
"It's life changing." he said
of Bridging the Gaps:" "A lot
?of people come in here with
baggage. Just because" you're
black doesn't mean you don't
have prejudices."
Community. member
Thomas Burton was undaunt
ed by the faces of the Voung
women before him. He voiced
his concerns about the influx
of Hispanics in the area any
way.
"A lot of the jobs are gone
because of Hispanics," he said.
"That's why the unemploy
ment rate for African
(Americans) and whites is so
high.""
While some in the group
bristled at Burton's assessment
of the problem. Bailey said
allowing input from divergent
parties is all part of the
process .
"We welcome the honesty.
We get raw," he said.
Although those present are
encouraged to -share their
views, whatever they may he.
Bailey says the group is care
ful to offer facts and hard evi
dence that may dissuade some
of the uninformed opinions
people have.
Angel Shoats found the
training so helpful when she
took it in 2004 that she decid
ed to come back for another
dose.
"I'm always trying to help
other people: I'm always try
ing to give back in different
ways," said Shoats, who
serves as a clerical worker in
the Department of Public
Health. "It's a lot of different
cultures out there, and I'm just
trying to better understand
them so I can speak to .them in
a better way
The Urban League offers
specialized diversity training
for area businesses as well..
For more information , contact
Bailey, at. (3$6) 725-5614.
Films
from page AS .
2007 film that takes place in
the future as a crippled
world stumbles toward eco
nomic ruin directed by Matt
Frink. who graduated with a
BFA in directing in 2008.
On June 20. "B is For
Beekeeper," a 2007 docu
mentary about . North
Carolina beekeeper Bill
Waddell directed by UNCSA
alumnus Thomas O'Keefe,
will be screened, along with
the documentary. "The
Sheriff."
The 2007 film tells the
story of Eugene Alexander,
an albino African-American
from the mountains of North
Carolina. Alexander was 70
when the documentary was
shot. The film shows him at
work at W i nstotv-S atem -
based Industries For The
Blind in North Carolina,
where he helps visually
impaired individuals manu
facture mattresses that are
rnnD cuuncsj 01 Jen uioraano
Eugene Alexander with Director Jeff Giordano.
sold to North Carolina col
leges . prisons, and the
United States military.
Alexander's spirituality and
encounters with death are
also detailed in the film.
Jeff Giordano directed
"The Sheriff." The
Williamstowri. N.J., native
says the film has a special
place- in his heart.
""The Sheriff is a per
sonal film for me because,
like Eugene Alexander. I too
have dealt with family
tragedy at a young age,"
Giordano, who earned a
directing degree in 2007,
states on his Web site. "The
goal of "The Sheriff is to
inspire all human beings to
overcome life's physical and
emotional hardships and
hopefully, find one's place
in the world."
Giordano says that he is
currently developing "The
Sheriff into a feature-length
documentary.
On June 27, "The Golf
War" will air. The film is
about a boy who falsely
believes that his soldier
father is going to play "golf
instead of going to The Gulf
(The Persian Gulf) to fight
in a war. It is written and
directed by Winston-Salem
native Scott Kyger, who
earned a directing degree in
2007.
NBTF
from pave A I
McLaughlin is among
the dedicated group of
NBTF officials that have
worked to bring the event to
fruition for years. The group
started under the tutelage of
Hamlin and has continued
his work, partly as a tribute
to him and his vision.
Monday at the downtown
Marriott, they took turns
announcing highlights of the
2009 NBTF - which will be
from Aug. 3 - 8 - at the tra
ditional kick-off news con
ference. That task was a one
man show when Flamlin was
alive. He'd take to the podi
um decked from head to toe
in purple - Hamlin's and the
NBTF's signature color -
and work the crowd into a
frenzy by merely describing
what the Upcoming festival
woufd offer.
His team did its best to
bring some of that razzle
dazzle. Hamlin's widow,
Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin, and
his mother. Annie Hamlin
Johnson, took part in a skit
that spotlighted some of the
40 productions that will be
staged during the upcoming
festival. They include some
returning favorites like
"Black Man Rising." which
was especially popular with
ladies in 2007 'Because of its
cast of well-developed
actors: and the "Miles Long
and Friends Experience,"
which will feature the musi
cal stylings of former Cosby
kid Malcolm-Jama! Warner.
Other notable performers
are also slated to bring pro
ductions to this year's event.
Kim Wayans of the well
know comcdic family will
star in "A Handsome Woman
Retreats;" Wendy Raquel
Photos by Kevin Walker
Lawrence Evans, Annie Hamlin Johnson. Mabel Robinson and Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin
announce festival highlights.
Robinson, one of the
celebrity co-chairs of the
2009 NBTF, will be seen in
"Extremities," alongside
"Moesha" actor Dorien
Wilson: John Amos and Ella
Joyce will bring shows as
well. Among the new offer
ings this year is a series ded
icated to the memory of
Hamlin that will feature sev
eral one-person plays about
historical figures.
"I want our community
to come out and support this
festival like never before,"
said Mayor Allen Joines,
who was joined at Monday 's
event by Mayor Pro
Tempore Vivian Burke, a
longtime, ardent NBTF- sup
porter,
Burke said the festival
has earned the right to be
supported by corporate and
public dollars and by the
public - those of all races
and backgrounds.
"It can't be denied that
Larry Leon Hamlin helped
to put this city on the map
around the world." said
Burke, who added thai the
millions in revenue the event
brings to the city is reason
enough to support and
embrace it.
"The end results makes
the cash registers jingle, jin
gle, jingle," she said.
Ted Lange. best known
for his role on "The Love
Boat," will be this year's
other celebrity co-chair. He
was on hand for Monday's
rollout. (Robinson was film
ing and unable to attend).
Lange said he attended his
first festival nearly 20 years
ago and has been hooked
ever since.
"'I fell in love with
Winston-Salem because it
was all about theater," he
said.
Lang:e - who is a giant in
the world of black theater
having won awards writing
and directing several plays -
said the fact that the festival
draws black talent from
around the country and
world is its drawing card.
"If you can't get to New
York, if you can't get to LA,
it all comes here," he said.
Soap opera stars Kim
Brockington, who will bring
her one-woman show about
Zora Neale Hurston to the
festival; and Nathan Purdee
joined Lange in singing the
NBTF's praises. Purdee,
who stars on "One Life to
Live," even credits the 2005
event for steering his now
17-year-old son into the act
ing profession.
This is a landmark year
for the NBTF and the N.C.
Black Repertory Co., which
Hamlin also founded. This is
the Theatre Festival's 20th
anniversary and the Black
Rep's 30th anniversary.
Organizers have billed this
as the 30/20 Vision year.
By next week, a full list
of productions, information
about volunteer opportuni
ties and tickets for shows
will all be available online
at www.nbtf.orff .
' ? ?- . V - Photosby l-ayla Farmer
Evelyne Joseph tells her story.
PTA Phrto
Cece Periston with Matthew and Tina Knowles, parents of
lieyonce and Solange, at a recent PTA gala.
PTA
front fxige AS
Reflections Gallery opening
in February.
The PTA's message of
parent involvement- and stu
dent success is captured in
the song's chorus:
'We are the shoulders
you can stand on. when you
reach for something higher.
These are the arms that
you can count on, when your
dreams have been delayed.
We are the parents, we
arc the teachers, you are the
eagles that fly above hori
zons. Young conqueror;
You're never alone."
"Above Horizons " cost
$1 per download, or three
re-mixes of the song are
available for $2.25.
Ringtones of each mix are
available for $2.49.
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