The N.C. Black Rep appoints artistic director
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The North Carolina Black Repertory
Company's Board of Directors has
announced the appointment of award-win
ning director, playwright, actor, and novel
ist Jackie Alexander as the Theatre's new
Artistic Director. He succeeds Mabel
Robinson who retired in December 2013.
Alexander's relationship with NCBRC
began in 2003 when he directed John
Shdvin Foster's "Plenty of Tune" at The
National Black Theatre Festival. He went
on to direct productions at the 2009,2011,
and 2013 festivals, as well as directing and
producing his play, the "High Priestess of
Dark Alley," for NCBRC in 2010.
Alexander served as Artistic Director for
the legendary Billie Holiday Theatre in
New York from 2013-2015. During his
tenure, BHT was awarded a prestigious
Mellon Grant, the first private funding
awarded to the theatre in over 30 years,
and was nominated for an astounding 17
AUDELCO awards for excellence in
Black Theatre, taking home the top prize
nine times.
The author of six {days, Alexander's
work has been produced off-Broadway
and regionally throughout the country. The
Billie Holiday Theatre dedicated an entire
season to his work by commissioning him
to write three new plays for their 2010
2011 season, the only playwright in the
Theatre's 44-year histoiy to receive such
an honor. As a filmmaker, Alexander's
debut film "Joy" was honored with a Best
Feature Film Award by The Black
Filmmakers Hall of Fame, and his debut
novel, "Our Daily Bread," was published
an Artistic Director, playwright, author,
actor and filmmaker. We look forward to
Mr. Alexander continuing the excellent
artistic reputation for which the company
is nationally noted."
by Turner
Publishing in the
fall of 2012.
Board
President Sylvia
Sprinkle
Hamlin is
thrilled to have
Alexander on
board, stating:
"Mr. Alexander
brings a wealth
of experience as
As Artistic Director, Alexander will
focus on expanding programming at
NCBRC with work that is both artistically
challenging and socially conscious, while
building upon the rich legacy of the com
pany's world renowned National Black
Theatre Festival. Alexander will also look
to widen NCBRC's audience base by pro
ducing work that cuts across cultural, eco
nomic, and generational divides. He notes,
"Winston-Salem has a large faith-based
community, and is The City of Arts and
Innovation. With our 2016-2017 season,
NCBRC hopes to find common ground
between these two bedrocks."
NCBRC's 2016-2017 theatre season
will be announced July 15,2016.
\le x under
CDI director leaving post for
teaching position at WSSU
Pamela L. Jennings will
be tenured professor of
innovation and entrepre
neurship
i, ?
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Pamela L. Jennings, Director of
t the Center for Design Innovation
(CDI), will step down from her post
on July IS to transition to her role as
a full-time, tenured professor at
Winston-Salem State University
(WSSU) while officials review future
opportunities and direction for the
research center.
"Pamela has brought us to a criti
cal juncture in the future of CDI, and
we are grateful for her leadership and
service," said David English, Interim
Provost at the University of North
Carolina School of the Arts
(UNCSA).
"Now is the time to move forward
to more fully integrate the center with
the curricula of
I its partner insti
tutions and to
explore strategic
partnerships for
the center in the
design and tech
nology indus
tries," English
added.
Jennings,
who has been
director of CDI since Oct. 1, 2014,
will become Professor of Innovation
and Entrepreneurship in the Faculty
of Business in the College of Arts,
Sciences, Business and Education at
WSSU on July 16. She also will
retain an appointment as an affiliated
faculty member of CDI.
"We look forward to Pamela join
ing WSSU, where she will be another
nationally recognized member of our
faculty," said Corey Walker, Dean of
the College of Arts, Sciences,
Business and Education at WSSU. "A
distinguished scholar and innovator,
she brings an impressive body of
work from academe and industry to
our university."
Walker and English will jointly
head a task force that is being estab
lished to examine the future direction
of CDI. The task force will include
representatives from UNCSA,
WSSU, Forsyth Technical
Community College (FTCC), Wake
Forest Innovation Quarter, and other
educational and community organiza
tions.
The Center for Design Innovation
was established in 2005 as a multi
campus research center of the
University of North Carolina system,
the result of a partnership between
UNCSA and WSSU, campuses of the
UNC system, and FTCC, a campus of
the N.C. Community College system.
CDI's primary goal is to be a catalyst
in the economic transformation of the
Piedmont Triad through design
focused activity based on advanced
digital technologies
Jennings
Phoio by Timothy Ramsey
At a nearby home, residents and sympathetic citizens give away water, snacks, and fruit to the residents of
the Rolling Hills apartment community who need assistance because of the poor quality of water in their
homes.
Complex
from page A]
agement called the police
and accused him of inciting
a riot. Allen said that the
landlord, Jeremy Cox,
decided to involve law
enforcement after Allen
refused to give him water
and food that was intended
for the residents.
But Allen wouldn't let
that stop him. Instead of
giving up, Allen moved
just outside the entrance,
where a homeowner agreed
to let the organization con
tinue their service to those
in need.
Although the landlord
and representatives from
apartment complex owner
Aspen Companies declined
to comment on the inci
dent, Allen said he would
not let negativity stop him.
"We're not going to let
them stop us," said Allen.
"We just want justice.
These people need help."
Today, the Winston
Salem Federal Credit
Union is also scheduled to
drop off items to families
in need. According to a
social media post, along
with food and water, the
bank also donated towels,
bedding and sanitary items.
During a media confer
ence with the Ministers'
Conference of Winston
Salem and Vicinity
(MCWSV) last week, city
officials announced that
Aspen Companies could
face fines up to $350 per
day, per unit if repairs
aren't made in a timely
manner.
"These are unaccept
able conditions that you
wouldn't want your family
to be involved in," said
Mayor Allen Joines as he
stood behind a podium
inside the City Council
Chamber.
"This is an area that we
are very serious about," he
said. "If the property own
as don't do what they need
to be doing, we are pre
pared to take the legal
action."
Joines also noted that
they have had issues with
management in the past. In
February the city issued a
nuisance abatement com
plaint against property
owners citing numerous
housing code violations
and law enforcement
issues.
As of today, Thursday,
July 14, owners of the
Rolling Hills Apartments
Complex, located on
Ferrell Court just off New
Walkertown Road, have 13
days to make improve
ments to living units or
vacate the property.
Outside of the
Minsters' Conference,
other faith-based organiza
tions and churches have
joined the effort to help
residents as well, including
St. Paul United Methodist
Church, which is located
less than a mile from the
complex. 4
The Rev. Omar Dykes,
MSWSV member and pas
tor of St. John C.M.E.
Church, said the confer
ence is pleased with the
efforts of city officials and
residents.
Third Vice President
the Rev. Alvin Carlisle
noted that anyone who is
looking to help with dona
tions can contact the
Ministers' Conference by
calling 336-422-6066. He
mentioned that although
the giving has been gener
ous so far, families are still
in need.
"We want the commu
nity to know that we are
aware of this situation and
we are doing everything in
our power to help those in
need," Carlisle said.
? PtS^BSBK
Longtime community advocate Dave Moore holds a
plaque for the Earline Parmon & Dave Moore
Scholarship. Moore, a longtime community advocatt
and founder of Southside Rides, said Parmon a for
mer N.C. lawmaker, was his mentor to whom he
often went for advice.
Parmon
from page Al
going to college but have a criminal history or don't have
the resources to do so.
Moore, who was born in Winston-Salem, said he
always looked to Parmon for advice. He mentioned that
when he was in prison before opening the shop in 2004,
Parmon would accept calls and offer him words of
encouragement.
"Just like so many others in this community, she was
my mentor," said Moore. "Even though she was busy, she
would take the time and talk to me. That was the type of
person she was. Always willing to help those in need."
As he sat in front of her picture posted on the wall
inside the shop, Moore said, "Parmon played a major role
in this becoming a reality.
"I told her I wanted to open a auto body shop while I
was in prison, and she supported me all the way," he said.
"There aren't many people like her around. She was a
real asset to this city."
The city was shaken to its core earlier this year when
the former N.C. lawmaker passed away following a brief
illness. While she is mostly known for her stint on the
Forsyth County Board of Commissioners and for repre
senting the 72nd District in the N.C. House of
Representatives, Parmon was also a champion for educa
tion. Before exploding onto the political scene, Parmon
founded the now defunct LIFT Academy, a charter school
that is credited with graduating youth who had been writ
ten off by the public school system.
Just days before passing, Parmon was with -Moore .
working out the logistics for the scholarship program. As
he reminisced on the good times he spent with his men
tor, Moore said he can still hear her voice.
"I can hear her now: 'Dave you better not forget
me,"' he laughed. "That's what this is all about, making
sure her legacy is never forgotten. That's why I put her
name first."
"Although she wore many hats and did a lot of differ
ent things, more than anything she cared about the well
being of the youth in this community. I want to make sure
that lives on forever."
For more information on the Earline Parmon & Dave
Moore Scholarship, contact Dave Moore by phone at
336-995-2809.
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