Internationally-Known
Local imam among speakers at global religious gathering
BY I.AY1.A I AKMtR
I HI CHKONICIJ.
Religious leaders from all over the world
heard from one of Winston-Salem's own last
month.
Imam Khalid Griggs, the longtime leader
of Community Mosque and a well-known
community activist, spoke at the Parliament
of the World's Religions in Melbourne,
Australia.
Griggs made four presentations on vari
ous topics before a crowd of roughly 8,000
attendees during the seven-day conference,
held Dec. 3-9. Established -in the late
1800s, the Parliament's purpose is to pro
mote harmony and understanding amongst
the diverse religions of the world.
"What was firmly reinforced was that we
are all part of one family, and that's the
human family." Griggs said of the conven
tion. "If we are to survive as a species and
if this planet is to survive the abuse that we
have put on it. we need each other ... There
has to be an interdependence that goes
beyond faith traditions."
The 2009 gathering marked the second
time Griggs has been a presenter.
"It's a wonderful feeling," he said of his
participation. "It's a very satisfying and
very humbling experience to be in the pres
ence of the Dalai Lama (a Buddist leader) ...
and some of the most thoughtful religious
leaders on Earth. It's very humbling just to
be among these folks."
Griggs, a Winston-Salem native who was
raised in the Christian faith but embraced
Islam as a college student, has traveled to 26
countries in his lifetime, often to preach the
virtues of his faith.
"I've been very fortunate; it's like it's
been part of my destiny to travel." he relat
ed. "Growing up. my father was very won
derful about exposing myself and my moth
er and my sister to so many states ... and
even Canada That travel germ has just
grown inside Of me."
Griggs sa>s traveling abroad -ts always a
learning experience for hint.
"International travel in part broadens
your perspective on your own life, and the
limits of your own knowledge." he
remarked. "I think that we all are to a large
degree the products of the sum total of our
experiences Because I've been exposed to
such a ' w ide array of people from diverse
backgrounds and cultures, it has helped me
to be much more tolerant ."
Safiya Griggs, who has been married to
?
Photos courtesy of the Grtggscs
A ha I id and Safiya Griggs at the airport in
Indonesia.
the Imam for nearly three decades, accompa
nied her husband on his most fecept excur
sion. Together, the couple traveled to
Singapore to visit friends and to Malaysia.
The two have made Hajj pilgrimages to
Mecca twice, but neither had ever visited
South Pacific the nations like Australia and
Malaysia before.
The couple said they were most enam
ored with Singapore, where they spent a
week with a couple that once lived in
Winston-Salem.
"If there was any place in the world that
I had a chance to live. I would choose
Singapore." Mrs. Griggs related. "It's just
an excellent place - very beautiful.','
Imam Griggs added: "Singapore is a very
interesting country. It is so orderly that, for
the most part, people do not even jaywalk."
The Parliament on World Religions also
made an impression on Safiya Griggs, the
City of Winston-Salem's Adult Recreation
Program supervisor.
"I learned a great deal; I have things that
I plan to do here as a result of w^at I learned
there." she commented. "I'm trying to get
more involved with projects and just serving
people ... 1 think when we do that, it brings
us closer to the Creator."
Huddist monks give a demonstration at the conference.
SSAAH banquet slated for Feb. 12
( HIM INK 1 I SI \ll K1 POR1
The Society for the Study
of Afro-American History in
W i n s t o n - S a I e m / h o r s y t h
County
will have
its annual
banquet
on Friday,
Feb. 12 at
6 p.m. at
t h e
Anderson
Center on
the cam
pus of
Winston
I)r. Parr n I
Saiem Slate University.
The keynote speaker is
Dr. Anthony Parent, a pro
fessor of history at Wake
Forest University and author
of "Foul Means: The
Formation of a Sla\e Society
in Virginia. 1660-1740."
The Society uses a vari
ety of methods of to pre
serve the area's rich and vast
black history, including
maintaining an extensive
archives of photographs,
records and other docu
ments Proceeds from the
banquet helps the Society to
continue its mission of pass
ing ? on the Winston
L *i iirm I nr jlh County's
proud African American his
tory and culture to future
generations.
Tickets are $40 and
available through any
SSAAH Hoard member or bx
^contacting Priscilla Jackson
at 336-830-264H or via e
mail at jpax
on I @ triad. rr.com
F.rk J. Saoiir, DDS
w'l \? H< l)Mf
Nfw patients
Our oTfkc prwvjdcsthc following wrvUts
? < 'Um.'imi-v ? \Vr .vt ii V: ? *.i ?'< r-wn> A HmU-i s ..
? R ib .s ( omplrti 1 Vtitiu. . *j)un(<4
Wf iHirpi uh>m iiwunnu
Saiurdav j^nrmrnts mailable
(336) 744-1300
e mail t-<tadlet?*ins(l.rr:(om
3H01 I ml mi i.i \vrnur
\N inston -N.ilrm NC 2, 10)
Jessie Draft & Associates LLC
Jessie Draft/Broker
CRS, GRI, REALTOR
RNJDRAFT @MSN COM
3750 Beeson Dairy Rd
Winston-Salem. NC 27105
(336) 403-1254 Business
(336) 748-0871 Fax
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News
Clips
Business 40 will dost- for
two years
for improvements
The N.C. Department of
Transportation - has selected
the two-year closure option
for the Business 40 improve
ment project in downtown
Winston-Salem.
"The voice of the people
helped us make this important
decision," Transportation
Division 9 Engineer Fat Ivey
said. "We surveyed thousands
of residents, business owners
and commuters, and 70 per
cent of them told us they sup
ported the two-year option."
NCDOT says it conducted
an unprecedented public out
reach campaign in 2008 to
inform citizens that it planned
to make major improvements
to Business 4() from east of
Church Street to west of
Fourth Street. The department
also asked citizens to choose
; which construction timetable
\they preferred for the one
mile section of road. The first
option was completely clos
ing Business 40 for up to two
years. The second option was
partially closing the road for
up to six years, with onlv one
lane of traffic open in each
direction and some entrance
and exit ramps accessible.
Extensive surveying showed
the public overwhelmingly
favored the two-year option.
The Business 40 improve
ment project involves remov
ing the existing pavement and
replacing it w ith new concrete
pavement. The project will
modernize the entrance and
exit ramps, and replace most
of the bridges on and over
Business 40 with new bridges
that meet current traffic
demands and modern design
specifications. NCDOT says
the project will create a safer,
longer lasting roadway that
will help drivers get where
they i iced to go more effi
ciently
NCDOT has not yet
seUxt$>i a start date tor con
striction as the project is still
ml the design and planning
stages
To read more about the
project and the department's
public involvement efforts,
visit www.business40nc.com.
Scott finishes military
training
Air Force Airman Andrew
S Scott graduated from basic
military training at Lackland
Air Force Base. San Antonio,
Iexas.
The air
man com
pleted an
intensive,
eight-week
program
that includ
ed training
in military
discipline
and studies.
Air Force
Scull
CHIC \aiUUS, |>I1YSK.II IllIICSS,
and basic warfare principles
and skills.
Airmen who complete
basic training earn four cred
its toward an associate in
applied science degree
through the Community
College of the Air Force.
He is the son of Cindy and
Andy Scott and a 2(X)9 gradu
ate of West Forsyth High
School in Clemmons.
AAU tryouts
The Winston Lake Lakers
9U AAU Boys Basketball
team will hold tryouts on
Sunday. Feb. 7 from 2-3
p.m.: tryouts for the I2U
AAU Boys Basketball team
will be from 3:30 - 5 p.m. at
the Winston Lake Family
YMCA. 901 Waterworks
Road, l or more information,
contact Fd Plowden via e
mail at plow
dened@yahoo.com or 336
416-0077.
'Race or Ride BBQ'
The Childress Institute for
Pediatric Trauma at Wake
Forest University Baptist
Medical Center will be a ben
eficiary of donations made
during the "Race or Ride
BBQ." presented by the
Professional Bull Riders Inc.
(PBR) and Richard Childress
Racing (RCR)
The event, which is free
and open to the public, will he
held on Thursday, Feb. 4.
from 6 to X p.m. at the RCR
Museum in Welcome. It
serves as a prelude to the
2010 PBR Winston-Salem
Invitational and the 2010
NASCAR season
Highlights will include
autograph signings by PBR
World Finals Champion J.B
Mauney; NASCAR legend
Junior Johnson and his son,
race driver. Robert Johnson.
Lexington barbecue prov ided
by the RCR Museum; a wine
tasting hosted by Childress
Vineyards: and country music
and giveaways provided by
104. 1 -FM WTQR
Although the event is free
and open to the public, in
recognition of RCR \ famous
No. 3 car. fans can donate $33
and receive V IF access to the
event for 33 special guests.
Donations will benefit the
Childress Institute and the
Garth Brooks Teammates for
Kids charity YIP access is
limited and must be reserved
in advance by contacting Kara
Thompson at kthomp
son C'i RCR rac i ng com or
(336) 731-3334. Ext. 3260.
Pancake Jamboree
The Twin City Kiwanis
Club will host its 53rd annual
Pancake Jamboree fundraiser
on Friday, Feb. 12 from 6:30
a.m. - 8 p.m. at the Benton
Convention Center. This char
ity event has become one of
the most treasured fundrais
ing efforts in Winston-Salem-,
with its proceeds going to
support over 20 worthwhile
youth programs across our
community. Tickets are S6 for
adults and S3 for children
under 12.
The meal also includes
Pepsi soft drinks, coffee, milk
and orange drink. Take out
service will be available The
morning >hift - (?> 10 a.m.
will be broadcast live on
WSJS. and at mxin there will
be a Celebrity Pancake Fating
Contest.
Give your savings a lift.
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o
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