Report
from paRt' \7
bers in impossible situa
tions," he saiJ/^li actually
incentivi/es cfpmual beha\
ior." j
The Justice Center, the
state's leading progressive
advocacy and research
organization, works to eradi
cate poverty through a vari
ety of avenues. including lit
igation. community educa
tion and advocacy. The
Center is a proponent of the
"Ban the Box" initiative,
which calls on employers to
refrain from inquiring about
a potential candidate's crim
inal history until he or she
has is a finalist for the posi
tion Shaw believes check
ing the box denoting a crim
inal history overshadow s job
seekers' qualifications and
hurls their chances of get
ting an interview where the
potential employer could
evaluate them fully.
"If you check that bo\.
nobody looks at your quali
fixations, nobody looks at
the totality of you as a
human being." he stated.
Helping ex-offenders
find employment would ben
efit the whole community,
by lowering crime rates and
reducing the cost of jailing
offenders, Shaw said.
"The best way to make
criminal activities unattrac
tive is if people have a stake
in the communities they're
returning to." said the
Portland, Ore. -native.
"...We feel like second
chances create better oppor
tunities. A lot of these peo
ple would take that opportu
nity to become productive
members of society."
City native Frankie
Gilliard knows all too well
the challenges having a
criminal record can present.
Gilliard. 43. who completed
a four and a half-year incar
ceration in 1945. says hav
ing a criminal record has
made it difficult for him to
find employment, a critical
step towards the self-suffi
ciency the lather of one says
he desires.
"I've had doors closed in
my lace." he said of the job
hunting process. "I just
wanted to be given a second
chance for employment
because 1 myself have goals
for my future."
A graduate of Second
Harvest Food Bank's Triad
Community Kitchen culi
nary training program,
Gilliard has held several
jobs since his incarceration
but is currently unemployed
and has been for over a year.
He believes he's been large-,
ly overlooked for quality
positions because of his
record.
"Whatever a person did
in his past, it should not
affect the employer's judge
ment on whether or not this
person is qualified or eligi
ble for the position,"
Gilliard declared. "I'm able
and capable of fulfilling that
position and doing that posi
tion better than the next man
because of my skills and
what I'm capable of. I just
want to be able to get my
foot in the door."
Shaw is hopeful the
General Assembly will seri
ously consider the recom
mendations when the
Committee presents them,
which will likely be later
this year. Although partisan
politics have threatened
many important pieces of
legislation, Shaw believes
the Committee's recommen
dations have something for
everyone.
"This is one of those
issues where we feel like we
could find some common
ground between the Left and
the Right." he stated.
"Nobody wants an unsafe
community. Nobody wants
recidivism to skyrocket ... If
legislators can view it
through that lens, then we
think a lot of stuff will get
accomplished this session."
For more information
about the NC Justice Center,
visit www.ncjustice .org .
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Photos b> Todd Luck
From left: Stedman Graham, Alternative Education Director Gwendolyn Johnson-Green, Urban League President Keith
Grandherry and Superintendent Don Martin.
Graham
from /WiU' A /
w ork with students until
they graduate bv providing
leadership training, tutoring,
mentoring and job develop
ment.
lor one eomponent ot
the Institute. Graham will
personally lend a hand by
providing training to
empower both students and
parents. He uses a method
called "identity education"
aimed at helping people find
themselves, identify their
passions, set goals and
achieve them. Identify edu
cation. he said, helps stu
dents understand how
important education and
opportunity is in lite.
"So why do we have all
these (high I drop out rates'.'"
Graham asked last week dur
ing a meeting with local
school administrators and
Winston-Salem Urban
League leaders. "Because
there's no connection
between education and who
you are as a human being,"
Graham, whose family is
from Lake Waccamaw. NC.
is probably best-known for
his longtime relationship
with Oprah Winfrey, but
being \\ i n f re y \ boyfriend is
far from his only claim to
fame. An author, educator
and speaker. Graham isv
chairman and CEO of S.
Graham & Associates, a
management and marketing
consulting firm specializing
in corporate anil educational
markets. He's authored ten
hooks, including two New
York Times bestsellers:
"You Can Make It Happen:
A Nine Step Plan for
Success" and "Teens Can
Make ii Happen: Nine Steps
to Success."
The school systems of
Philadelphia and Houston
have adopted his nine step
"Teens Can Make It
Happen" program, as have
main other schools around
the country,
Graham said his' nine
step programs to help people
find their "core" came from
his own search for identity.
He said most people spend
too much time letting out
ward things define them and
not looking inside them
selves.
" Fhe goal is you can't let
the Outside world define
you. you have to define
yourself." said Graham.
Graham made a presenta
tion about his nine step pro
gram last Friday to Winston
Salem Forsyth County
Schools Superintendent Don
Martin: Alternative
Education Director
Gwendoh n Johnson-Green:
Winston-Salem Urban
League President Keith
Grundberry and others.
Martin said Graham's
? uppnoach made "complete
sense."
"Motivation is a major
issue." said the superintend
ent.
Though the Institute will
start with only 20 students,
the Urban League hopes to
eventually expand it to all
students in alternative
school programs. The main
goal of the Institute is to get
students to graduate, which
is an uphill battle. Those
who enter alternative
schools like Griffith in ninth
grade have only a 10 percent
chance of graduating,
according to school system
statistics. According to
Johnson-Green, the Urban
League's program is the first
to tackle this issue.
"This is one of the most
important initiatives that we
can undertake," said
Grandberry.
Though Graham will
teach the initial leadership
development sessions with
students and parents, he'll
be training others involved
in the Institute to teach his
nine steps. The Institute will
also offer one-on-one men
toring, job development
skills and college visits.
Students will also have skill
assessments performed and
have access to certification
programs at Forsyth
Technical Community
College. Grandberry hopes
the Institute will encourage
students to not just graduate
from high school, but to also
get the necessary higher
education to land a good
career.
"These kids are going
want to be involved in it.
they're going to want to
learn. ..because it's a pro
grain that really cares about
the student," said
Grandberry.
I ? I ? 1
Sledman Graham explains his nine-step process to Superintendent Don Martin (far right)
as VI. President Keith (irandherry listens.
Our budget's on the
wrong track.
We need your input!
Winston-Salem is facing growing budget gaps over the next five years. The
Citizens' Budget Advisory Council is holding community-wide meetings to
gather citizens' thoughts on what to do about it.
? Tell us vyhat city services should or should not be reduced.
? Give us your opinion on various options for balancing future budgets,
and the impact of these options on tax rates and user fees.
Monday, Jan. 24, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Carl H. Russell, Sr. Recreation
Center
3521 Carver School Road
Tuesday, Jan. 25, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Georgia E. Taylor Neighborhood
Recreation Center
1471 W. Clemmonsville Road
Wednesday, Jan. 26, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Old Town Neighborhood Recre- ?
ation Center
4550 Shattalon Drive
Thursday, Jan. 27, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Sedge Garden Neighborhood
Recreation Center
401 Robbins Road
Attend a meeting and [ijj
give us your opinion! vvinstiinSali'm