HAPPY NE?j^QP7|g The Chronicle Volume43,Number 17 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, December 29, 2016 Initiative changing approach in 2017 BY TEV1N STINSON THE CHRONICLE In the New Year, the Black Philanthropy Initiative (BPI) will take a new approach when decid ing which charitable organ izations will be awarded grants to expand education and engagement in the black community. An advisory board makes the decisions on the initiative's spending. According to newly appointed advisory board Chairman Roger Hyman, it's time for a change. Hyman said in 2016, the foundation hired a team of experts to help the initia tive look at its strategic plan and prepare for the future. He said after looking at the results from Forsyth Futures, a local data recov ery service, to ensure the initiative is around for the next decade BPI has to engage the entire commu nity. "When I look at the future, BPI has to put a foot on the ground, get into the community and let them know we are here. At the same time, we have to engage the greater commu nity so everyone is work ing together," Hyman said. Since 2008 BPI, which is a branch of the Winston Salem Foundation, has awarded nearly $150,000 in funding to various non profit organizations that focus on issues that impact the black community. In 2015 the initiative awarded over $17,000 to Hanes Magnet School, Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts, the local branch of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, and Authoring Action. On Feb. 21, 2017, BPI will announce the grant winners for 2016. The application process will reopen in August of next year for 2017 nominees. Catholic Charities, a young parents' support program, and Authoring Action, which provides multimedia workshops for students, both received $5,000 last year. Hanes Magnet School rfd'eived $4,933 to go toward ilj^,*? Girls of Distinction after-"" school program, while Delta Fine Arts received $2,500 to support an inter active art program for ele See Initiative on A5 Hyman KWANZAA 2016 Photo by Tevin Stinson An African drummer with the Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble performs during the opening night of Kwanzaa on Monday, Dec. 26, at the Enterprise Center. James Perry, president and CEO of the Winston Salem Urban League, is shown behind him. W-S Urban League leader delivers powerful message on opening day of Kwanzaa BYTEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE This week, African-American communities across the country are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kwanzaa. Created by well-known activist and professor Maulana Kargenga at the height of the Black Power Movement, the weeklong holiday gives African-Americans a chance to celebrate their culture. While a lot has changed since 1966 in the African American community, the harsh reality is that the same issues that plagued blacks then are still major problems today: police brutality,tack of jobs, bigotry, to name a few. During the opening ceremony, hosted by the Winston Salem Urban League on Monday night, Dec. 26, after the traditional parade of African drummers and dancers, See Message on A5 POLITICS Lawmakers blast HB 2 repeal failure BY CASH MICHAELS FOR THE CHRONICLE Some are calling it "the failure heard around the world," and as rhetorical as that seems, the N.C. General Assembly's inability to follow through on an apparent deal to repeal the infamous House Bill 2 "bathroom" law during a pie-Christmas Special Session has reverberated well beyond North Carolina's borders. "Failure to repeal 'bathroom bill' ensures North Carolina politics will remain deeply divided in 2017," bel lowed the headline in The Los Angeles Times. "North Carolina lawmakers fail to repeal HB 2 'bathroom bill,' reported ABC News. The New York Times called the legislative debacle "a cul ture war," seemingly between rural and city state lawmakers, not to mention Democrats and Republicans. The N.C. NAACP announced that it will formally ask its national board for per mission to call for a statewide boycott of North Carolina in the new year. Better known as "HB 2 - th< bathroom bill" since its passage last March, Republicans in the GOP-led state House and Senate mutinied against their leadership when they convened Dec. 21. many refus ing to repeal the measure which, among other things, pro hibited transgender people from using public bathroom facilities contrary to the sex indicated on their birth certifi cates. Democrat Gov.-elect Roy Cooper was livid after Republican leaders not only blamed him and Democratic lawmakers for the failure, but also appeared to use the Charlotte City Council's belated repeal of their original city ordinance protecting LGBT rights as an excuse. Black Democrat state lawmakers joined Cooper in their denouncements. "North Carolina House and Senate Republicans are unbelievable," said outgoing House Minority Leader Rep. Larry Hall (D-Durham). "Their behavior is shameful. In the nine months since Republicans passed HB 2, our state has lost millions of dollars and thousands of jobs due to this discriminatory legislation. "Working families, the unemployed, small businesses, sports and entertainment - North Carolina got Scrooged again by the North Carolina GOFs failure to repeal HB See HB 2 on A4 Governor-elect Cooper VO mm pN ?I"? ? # u 1 | zL c* u o -= u 3 2 ^ w g 5N 41 S? j(^| Tu I W^jTh 1 Nr | Si | New BiMfioutes i EpySS?!!! assured^#* e ^I ZZjifi'* STORAGE ijippfl B 1 of Winston-Salem, LLC HHfflBBSElKiBBSii *? , ? i k

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