Hundreds honor voice to the voiceless
Earline Parmon's
funeral attracts
wide range of
people
PY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Hundreds of residents
from across the city and
state filed into Emmanuel
Baptist Church Monday
afternoon to celebrate the
life of the first black state
senator to represent
Forsyth County.
Former N.C. lawmaker
and social justice warrior
Earline Parmon, 72, who
was the director of out
reach for U.S. Rep. Alma
Adams, passed away from
complications of a brief ill
ness last week at Novant
Forsyth Medical Center.
Before joining Adams,
Parmon had a long career
as an elected official.
"Earline Parmon gave a
voice to the voiceless," ?
Adams said during the
funeral service.
Parmon served for 12
years on the Forsyth
County Board of
Commissioners. She also
served in the N.C. House of
Representatives for 12
years, where she represent
ed the 72nd District.
In 2012, she was elect
ed to the N.C. Senate, rep
resenting the 32nd District.
While serving in the state
senate, Parmon most
notably sponsored legisla
tion that kick-started the
Silver Alert system for
missing senior citizens and
measures that have helped
improve the state's high
school graduation rate.
Parmon was an educa
tor and school principal as
well. She founded the now
defunct LIFT Academy, a
charter school that is cred
ited with graduating youth
who had been written off
by the public school sys
tem. .
She was first vice pres
ident of the Winston-Salem
Branch of the NAACP, and
was a veteran and a minis
ter.
During the memorial
service, Adams said that
Parmon had a special gift
of connecting with people.
Adams also mentioned she
spoke with Parmon three
times before she died on
Tuesday, March 15.
"She was honest,
courageous, straightfor
ward and compassionate,
committed to the people
and concerned about their
welfare," continued
Adams. "Earline Parmon
gave a voice to the voice
less. We are all much better
as a result."
Winston-Salem Mayor
Allen Joines said Parmon
was a crusader for the
rights of the less fortunate
across the state of N.C.
Joines mentioned she also
had pride in her heritage
and often honored her men
tors and those she worked
with in the past.
"She learned from
women like Velma
Hopkins, and Maize
Woodruff," said Joines.
"She then in turn gave back
to the young-up and com
ing leaders in this commu
nity."
Joines mentioned that
although Parmon was a
sweet lady, she was also a
fighter and a warrior who
believed in getting things
done. During the celebra
tion of life, Joines issued a
proclamation declaring 30
days of mourning and
remembrance for Parmon.
"We will truly miss her
but we will never forget
her," Joines noted.
For nearly three hours,
former colleagues of
Parmon from Raleigh,
Washington and the local
area echoed the thoughts of
Adams and Joines.
Others who spoke dur
ing the ceremony included
U.S. Sen. Thorn Tillis, who
worked with Parmon in the
General Assembly; Rep.
Garland E. Pierce; state
Sen. Paul Lowe, who
replaced Parmon in the
state Senate. Dozens more
discussed Parmon's deter
mination to stand up for the
disadvantaged.
According to Judge
Denise Hartsfield, the fam
ily received more than two
dozen letters of condo
lences as well. The family
is expected to receive a let
ter from President Barack
Obama later this week.
A number of family
members and close friends
?ave those who attended a
?limpse into what the for
ner senator was like out
iide of politics. Parmon
was a minister at Exodus
Jnited Baptist Church,
'astor Alvin Carlisle said,
'Parmon was a force to be
eckoned with. She may
lave been small in stature,
jut she was a powerhouse
who loved The Lord."
?Parmon's granddaugh
er Shalonda Ingram, said
Parmon helped set the tone
or her life. Ingram meri
ioned that while growing
lp, when she didn't know
what to do next, all she had
to do was look to her
grandmother.
"Everything that she
ever taught us, told usTynd
every expectation she Tiad
in us were seeds," Ingram
said. "Every person in this
room is a product of a seed
that she planted.
"Earline isn't gone.
Every person in here has a
piece of her inside them,"
she continued. "So whatev
er it is that she inspired you
to do, continue to do that,
because she is still watch
ing."
Wife of NBA superstar
Chris Paul, Jada
Crawley Paul, presents a
lucky student with a gift
certificate to Firebirds
during the Prom Dress
Giveaway on Saturday,
March 19.
Photo by Tevin Stinson
Ear line Parmon's granddaughter, Shalonda Ingram talks about the impact her grandmother had on her life
during a memorial service on Monday, March 21.
Photo* by Tevin Stinson
Atkins High School senior Twylah Gathings shows off her prom dress during
the Prom Dress Giveaway event on Saturday, March 19. The event was spon
sored by the Chris Paul Family Foundation.
Foundation sponsors
2nd annual Prom
Dress Giveaway
BY TEVIN ST1NSON
THE CHRONICLE
Prom season is a spe
cial time for many teens,
but for those whose fami
lies cannot afford the costly
price of
a prom
dress.it
can
also be
very
stress
ful. For
the sec
o n d
year in
a row,
the
r? ;t__
cnns raui ramuy
Foundation has helped jun
iors and seniors from local
high schools remove some
of that stress with their
Prom Dress Giveaway.
On Saturday, March 19,
a conference room inside
the Hawthorne Inn located
in downtown Winston
Salem was filled with girls
searching through racks of
dresses, trying on shoes
and even getting make-up
tips to use on the big night.
The event also featured
a fashion show with mod
els from the Scarlet Lace
dance team from Winston
Salem State University,
which was hosted by Roxie
from 102 JAMZ 3 Live
Crew morning show.
The Prom Dress
Giveaway included a prize
giveaway as well. A num
ber of girls received gift
certificates to popular
restaurants in the area, lim
ousines and tuxedo rentals
for dates, just to name a
few.
Wife of Los Angeles
Clippers superstar point
guard Chris Paul, Jada
Crawley Paul, said she
decided to bring the Prom
Dress Giveaway to her
hometown because she is a
firm believer in giving
back.
In years past the foun
dation held similar give
aways in Los Angeles.
"Prom is a very big
deal. It will be something
they remember forever,"
she said. "We wanted to
make it easier on mom and
the girls to ensure they
have fun and enjoy their
night."
According to Paul, with
help from the Winston
Salem Forsyth County
School System, this year's
V
event was the biggest so
far. More than 75 girls left
the giveaway with a dress,
shoes, jewelry and hand
bag. Last year around 50
girls participated in the
giveaway.
"The event seems to
grow every year," said
Paul. "We hope to help
even more families next
year."
Kayla Allen's mother,
Michelle Smith, applauded
Jada and the Chris Paul
Family Foundation for put
ting on the event.
"This event is just
excellent," said Smith. "It's
great that she is reaching
back into her community to
make a difference."
Atkins High School
senior Twylah Gathings
said tlje Prom Dress
Giveaway was exciting and
memorable.
"I think this event was
very special because a lot
of people don't do things
like this for Winston
Salem." said Gathings. "As
a little girl growing up,
prom is something you
dream about and as a sen
ior, I'm ready to enjoy my
last one."
\
Paul
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