Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / June 16, 2016, edition 1 / Page 6
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OPINION ? ? The Chronicle I Ernest H. Pitt P Publisher Emeritus 1974 2015 617 N. Liberty Street c^Lbr^ 336-722-8624 * 41 \ WWW.WSCHRONICLE .COM Elaine Pitt Business Manager Donna Rogers Managing Editor wali D. Pitt Digital Manager Our Mission The Chronicle is dedicated to serving the residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County by giving voice to the voiceless, speaking truth to power, standing for integrity and encouraging open communication and lively debate throughout the community. Grantmaking nonprofits can do only so much in system , Recently, some grantmaking nonprofits announced new leadership for their organizations. At least two of the groups have or will have African American leaders. After completing his tenure as superintendent of Guilford County Schools, Maurice "Mo" Green has assumed his role as executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Laura Gerald, a pediatrician and former state health director, will become the new president of Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in July. Both nonprofits serve statewide while being based in Winston-Salem. That's something to cheer if you are keeping track of African-American people in charge of non profits. The question is, what impact can or will they make? Both organizations are dedicated to helping the finahcially disadvantaged in North Carolina, with Z. Smith Reynolds also targeting other areas. What the public needs to remember is that they do that by making grants to organizations, not by giving money directly to individuals. Those grantmaking nonprofits and others like them have to find the organizations they believe will use the money they give them to help the people the grantmaking nonprofits want to help. So the search is on for those organizations. Green issued a public letter that says: "In May 2016, ZSR's Board of Trustees made the decision to begin a year-long strategic assessment to examine and evaluate our current approach to grantmaking and broader work. At the end of this process, by May 2017, ZSR plans to produce a strategic plan that will guide the work of the Foundation moving forward. As part or this assessment, the Foundation launched Mo Wants to Know - a listening and learn ing tour during which myself, along with Trustees and staff will make our way across the state, for sev eral months hearing directly from state leaders, local leaders and community members about trends and challenges, as well as opportunities, successes and ideas they have for making North Carolina a better place. "As part of Mo Wants to Know, ZSR Trustees, staff and I will spend time meeting with smaller, more targeted groups and working alongside experts to understand trends, research best practices and review ways in which the Foundation can make the most impact with the assets it has available. "Because of the time-intensive nature of this entire process. Trustees recently made the decision to suspend grantmaking for the Foundation's Spring 2017 grant cycle, which typically runs from November to May with a Feb. 1 application dead line. As a result, the Foundation will not be review ing grant proposals during that time, as it typically would do. In the end, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation will make grants, not give money to the individuals giving their thoughts. It remains to be seen who will get the money and how they will help those who need help. With North Carolina having a 5.4 percent season ally adjusted unemployment rate in April, it might not look as though people need help. It might look as though things are good economically in North Carolina. But the North Carolina Justice Center says it ain't necessarily so. In its Prosperity Watch Issue 37, No. 2, it says: "The reality of North Carolina's labor market is far less rosy than the recent drop in the state's unem ployment rate suggests. Five years after the end of the Great Recession, there are still too few jobs for those who want to work, and the result is that the state, like the nation, is experiencing a growth in the number of workers missing from the labor market." The nonprofits helping the financially disadvan taged still have plenty of work to do. The question is, in the end, who will they partner with to get the job done and will those partnerships work to achieve their goals? It remains to be seen. < < &Ui,WE | VJoW'T GET 1 THEBLrtCl YE*H,Wfe i lUEVEgPQ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Trump should follow Clinton's example of steadiness To the Editor: Days ago, our country suffered the worst mass shooting in our histo ry, when 49 of our brothers and sis ters were tragically taken in an horrif ic act of terrorism. As Hillary Clinton said yesterday [Monday, June 13], "this is a moment when all Rep. Adams Americans need to stand together' and when Americans from across party lines should rally in common purpose to serve our country and keep us safe." She also laid out a strong and detailed plan to take-on and defeat ISIS and the terrorists who seek to do us harm, both at hoaje and abroad. In contrast to Hillary Clinton's steady, smart approach, Donald Trump responded with the same divi sive, anti-Muslim rhetoric that shows he's temperamentally unfit to be com mander in chief. Whether it was dou bling down on his proposed Muslim ban or accusing President Obama of ISIS sympathies, Donald Trump's unhinged ihetoric won't make anyone safer and will instead divide our country further. This is no time for anyone, let alone someone seeking the highest office in the land, to exploit a terrorist attack on our homeland for a political campaign. ... Donald Trump should follow Hillary Clinton's example, and work to bring people together - not tear the American people apart by condemn ing the rich diversity that has made the United States the greatest country in the world. U.S. Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12) Washington, D.C. Elections board should consider WSSU students when chosing places to vote V To the Editor: Lately, there has been a great deal of frustration over the proposed early voting plans for Forsyth county in November. Last week, we discussed with the Board of Elections about how impor tant it is to create equitable access to polling places come this fall. Specifically we urged them to think of college students in the county and their access to polling sites. Many proposed plans disregard Winston-Salem State University but not Wake Forest, UNCSA, and Salem College. As Wake Forest students, we have the privilege to be able to walk to our location, and WSSU students deserve this as well. There are several locations that would offer easier access, and we hope the Board thoroughly considers these other locations for the sake of WSSU students. David Ajamy and Zachary Bynum Democracy NC Interns Winston-Salem Coalition condemns Orlando massacre To the Editor: The American Coalition For Good Government (ACGG) vehe mently condemns the uncivilized, inhuman acts which resulted in 49 people killed and 53 injured in Orlando, Florida. The person responsible was pre vented from killing other innocent people by the police department returning fire on him. There is no justification for tak ing innocent life. There is no reli gious rationale for this behavior in a civilized society. We extend prayers and condolences to the innocent and their families in Orlando, Florida. Historically, when the advocates foijpuman progress stand up collec Niircly, that force crushes attempts to dehumanize society back into tribal conflicts and savage behavior. Our greatest good is achieved when we recognize and promote our human essence. ACGG entourages all citizens to work collectively to deny these acts 1 of inhumanity to define our common humanity. "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all mankind are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights ... that among these rights are life, lib erty and the pursuit of happiness." Fleming El-Amin Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator ACGG Winston-Salem Thimp's view on healthcare for women is regressive . To the Editor: This letter was prompted by the ' announcement of Trump's campaign stop in Greensboro on June 14. As an advocate of accessible, consis tent, professional health care for women, I felt the need to remind readers of The Chronicle of Trump's positions on Planned Parenthood and of Governor McCrory's endorsement of his candidacy. Candidate Trump's views on women's health care are essentially in agreement with the regressive, discriminatory stance of the ^MPAIGN GOP. In lockstep with his political party, Trump promises to ban access to safe, legal abortion unless the mother's life is threatened. He also promises to nominate "pro-life" jus tices to the U.S. Supreme Court and will suspend all insurance coverage of birth control in keeping with the Hobby Lobby decision. In true Trump form, he asserts he will repeal the Affordable Care Act on his first day in office. Of course, in a Trump administration, Planned Parenthood will be defunded as would be expected. There is little surprise in his pro nouncements if he is to be a candi date for the GOP, and these pro nouncements are consistent with his misogynistic disregard for women. Planned Parenthood has been forced to fight against unfounded attacks, slanderous claims, and fundamentalist ideology unlike any organization in my mem ory. In spite of the barrage of criti cism, it has survived. The survival is due to the importance of its mis sion and the dedication of those who realize our country would suffer grave consequences if it ceased to exist. I am proud to be an advocate of Planned Parenthood. Anne Griffis Wilson Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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June 16, 2016, edition 1
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