Obama
from page AI
Obama with helping to keep
small businesses like Caffe
Prada afloat during tumul
tuous economic times.
"When President Obama
took office, across the coun
try, businesses like this were
struggling ... under the dev
astating effects of the reces
sion," Prada said. "He has
worked tirelessly to help us
create good paying jobs right
here at home and to create a
brighter future for our fami
lies and our communities."
' I'ka KiioinAcc/Miinarr
i iiv- uusiutssunu^ia
shared their story during an
outdoor media conference at
Caffe Prada. The event was
organized by Obama for
America. As they spoke, a
small crowd held Obama
campaign signs.
"President Obama is
fighting for small business
owners like Ken and me,"
Prada said. "Supporting
entrepreneurs and small busi
nesses is vital to creating an
economy where ... hard work
pays off and everyone has a
fair shot."
Cameron French, the
North Carolina press secre
tary for Obama for America,
said he believes that Prada's
story of realizing the
American uream, even in a
difficult economic climate
would resonate with voters.
"We were looking for
small business owners who
were supportive of the presi
dent, and Alex's story I think
is perfect," said French. "He
understands the president is
fighting to restore middle
class security."
French says Obama has
been a staunch supporter of
I
small businesses, as is evi
denced by the 18 small busi
ness tax cuts that have gone
into effect during his first
term.
"It's important," French
said of the cuts. "That allows
people to hire, it allows peo
ple to get the economy mov
" _ ??
mg.
Prada, who left his native
country to escape an econo
my that faced hyper inflation
and other major challenges,
says he is proud of Caffe
Prada's legacy of survival
and perseverance. He hopes
its success will inspire others
to step out and begin realiz
nig uivii unu uivaiiio ui
entrepreneurship.
. "When you believe in
something and you have a
dream, you have to share it,"
he declared, "and hopefully,
that will encourage people to
do the same thing."
Mayor Allen Joines was
also on hand. He also praised
the efforts of the Obama
Administration to help revive
local economies to their for
mer glory. Joines said the city
has been able to restore 55
percent of the jobs it lost dur
ing the "Great Recession."
He says having the support of
the federal government has
helped keep the city from
hemorrhaging even more
employment opportunities.
J .11 U.I. ....
vyc nccu an uic liei(j we
can get to continue to grow
this economy," said Joines, a
Democrat. "...We're con
stantly facing battles from
other countries trying to
siphon jobs away from here. I
believe the president is
encouraging those companies
to bring those jobs back to
America."
| Young writers present at Harvard
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Authoring Action (A2) took a group
of local young adults to the campus of
Harvard University in Boston late last
month.
Representatives from A2, a local
nonprofit that engages youth through
writing and the community through
youth, were invited to give a presenta
tion before an audience of 30 students
and faculty members from Harvard
University's Graduate School of
Education on April 28.
"I see this as a step above a mean
ingful life experi
ence," declared 15
year-old Marcus
Lyles, one of eight
A2 authors who
were selected to
make the trip based
upon the pieces they
produced for the
project. "I see this as
the beginning of the
world's opportuni
ties, and a chance to
prove to myself what I'm capable of. In
the future, it could propel me to reach a
realm beyond my own, which includes
career choices and exploring fields
where persuasive communication is
needed."
The group was invited by Terryl
Dozier, a former A2 program director
and current grad student at Harvard.
"Our trip to Harvard was eye open
ing," said A2 author Willie Holmes II, a
student at North Carolina A&T State
University. "It was an experience that I
will hold with me for the rest of my
life."
Each of the A2 authors presented
selected works during the presentation.
A2 Founder Nathan Ross Freeman
explained the group's process and chal
lenged the authors to create new pieces
on the soot.
Holmes wrote about the achievement
gap and the emphasis the education sys
tem puts on test scores. He said he was
emboldened by the Ivy League audi
ence's response to his message.
"This experience has shown me that
my words can be used to reach outside
of the community I live in and make a
difference," commented the 20 year-old.
"It has given me the confidence to keep
voicing my opinions, even if it goes
against the popular agenda."
Lyles, a sophomore at Winston
Salem Preparatory Academy, also .felt
the audience was receptive to the
authors' message.
"Harvard's overall response was
energetic, and positive. They received
each of us together and individually, and
were open-minded to our comments and
answers," he remarked. "Their feedback
was sincere inquiry, and it allowed us to
answer their questions with great levels
of honesty and enthusiasm. They were
interested in a few of our personal expe
riences, and each of them had different
levels of retrospection toward our initial
statements."
f icciiiaii 5<tiu auivcya tuiupicicu uy
audience members revealed that
Harvard students and faculty were
"spellbound" by the A2 authors. During
the visit, the organization also unveiled
"Writing to the Senses," a K-12 lesson
plan based upon the organization's sig
nature writing process that has been in
the works for several months.
"We broke new ground," Freeman
declared. "We didn't just go up there
and repeat what we have learned."
Though presenting before a group of
grad school students might be daunting
to some young people. Freeman said the
presentation was in many way? business
as usual for the authors, as educating
others is one of the components A2
leaders stress most. A2 members often
perform before large groups during
events for local nonprofits and other
agencies.
"My students, from the moment that
they come to Authoring Action, are
taught to be teachers - that's real impor
tant," Freeman said. "Our mission is to
do one thing: to reach as many people as
we possibly can and to foster human
development and change and education
reform."
The authors made the most of their
weekend-long trip. The group toured
campuses of both Tufts University and
Harvard, visited the Boston Museunj of
Fine Art, took in the Harvard Art Fest
and visited the shops, street art, restau
rants and cafes of Harvard Square.
Freeman says he plans to continue
A2's relationship with Harvard, and
hopes to bring authors back to visit the
university on an annual basis.
For more information about
Authoring Action, visit
www.authoringaction.'drg.
1
Dozier
Photo by Layla Oarms
Nathan Ross Freeman (back row, center) poses with (from left) A2 authors
Hunter Mcintosh, Dionna Daniel, Marcus Lyles and Willie Holmes, all of whom
presented at Harvard.
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