Initiative
frompaftXl ~
mentary students who lack
funds.
Hyman mentioned they
will be holding listening
sessions and other events
to ensure they are address
ing the real issues. Hyman
also said they will look to
partner with the local col
leges and universities in
the New Year.
"We want to build our
partnerships with Wake
Forest, Winston-Salem
State and Salem College to
make sure our students
know about philanthropy
work and how important it
is because they are the
future," he said. "There has
to be someone to carry on
this work."
When discussing the
future of the initiative,
Sabrina Slade, Winston
Salem Foundation director
of strategic initiatives, said
she was proud to see what
the new board chair is
looking to accomplish in
the new year.
A native to Winston
Salem, Slade mentioned
often times, nonprofits
Message
from page A1
James Perry, president of
the Urban League, deliv
ered the message on the
principle of Umoja, or
unity. ?- .
Each nigju of Kwanzaa "
is represented by a different 7
principle. The other princi
ples are Kujichagulia (Self
Determination), Ujima
(Collective Work and
Responsibility), Ujamaa
(Cooperative Economics),
Nia (Purpose), Kuumba
(Creativity) and Imani
(Faith).
In his address to the
nearly 100 people. Perry
discussed issues that create
a glass ceiling in black
communities, including
poverty.
"Poverty is a systemic
issue," said Perry.
"Systems are failing our
people and failing our com
munities. Sometimes these
systems are designed to
make sure people are poor,
and as African-Americans,
we are front and center in
every single one of those
systems."
As a solution to tne
growing issue, Perry sug
gested that the community
practice other spending
habits. While many believe
the money just isn't there,
or that blacks aren't willing
to support each other, Perry
mentioned cooperative
economics is happening in
our community but often
times it goes unnoticed.
As an example, Perry
showed a slide show of
money donated to the black
church.
"As CEO of the Urban
League, I hear it all the
- time: 'Why aren't black
folks pooling our money
together?' But here's the
interesting thing: I think we
do practice cooperative
economics and unity,"
Perry said.
"Think about black
church revenue. In 201S,
black church revenue in
North Carolina reached
$20 million. The budget to
run the entire state is $21
million. The money we put
into the black church is
enough money to run our
own state."
According to Perry,
since 1980 African
Americans have donated
$420 billion to the black
church.
"I want to be clear that
I'm not beating up on the
African-American church
because we would not be
here today if it was not for
the black church, but my
point is that there is no lack
of funds in the community
and there is no lack in
cooperative economics
because we have money
and we are pooling that
money."
Perry said the real ques
don't take the time to listen
to what the people want.
"It excites me that we're
doing this the right way,"
continued Slade. "We all
have good intentions, but
sometimes we don't take
the time to listen. There are
too many people who don't
have a voice at the table, so
this means we have to go to
the people. We aren't going
to start any new initiative
without asking the people
'What do you think about
it?"'
She said, "When I look
around the room at our
meetings, I don't see any
one who lives in low
income housing communi
ties. It could be because of
the time, it could be
because they haven't been
invited, but we want to
change that; we want to lis
ten."
Earlier this month, BPI
also extended its endow
ment agreement with First
Tennessee Bank (FTB),
which has a local branch
on West First Street. Five
years ago, First Tennessee
helped BPI start an endow
ment for the organization,
providing an annual
tion is, what is the next step
for the black church? He
said the community must
look at poverty as a Civil
Rights issue as well as a
systematic problem. He
mentioned in order to over
come the racial wealth gap
that has13 existed .since the
beginning of time, Macks
'must change their way of
thinking.
Perry' alS&'mentioned
the community should stop
relying on what the govern
ment and other systems
provide.
"We have smart kids,
we're creative but we
aren't getting there by rely
ing on the school system
and the assets that are pro
vided to us. We may be
enjoying them, but we
aren't benefiting from
them. If we don't rethink
our approach, nothing will
change."
During the opening
night ceremony at the
Enterprise Center, longtime
theatre director and library
director Sylvia Sprinkle
Hamlin was honored for
her hard work and dedica
tion to uplift the communi
ty and bring people togeth
er. As the executive pro
ducer of the National Black
Theatre Festival, which is
produced by the N.C.
Black Repertory Theatre
Co., every two years
Sprinkle-Hamlin plays an
important role in showing
blacks and the greater com
munity what can happen
when we all work together.
Every two years the
festival of black theatre
brings over $100,000 to the
area. . ,
After accepting her'<.
award, ^Sprinkle-Hairpin ,
thanked those in attendance
for support over1!H6 years.
"All the things I do here
in Winston-Salem would
not be possible without
you," said Sprinkle-Hamlin
as she stood before the
crowded room. "In order
for us to grow as a commu
nity, we have to work
together, and I am thankful
that I have had your sup
port."
Local educator and
minister the Rev. Dr.
Felicia Piggott-Long said
Kwanzaa's 50th birthday
couldn't have come at a
better time. She said with
everything going on in the
country today, Kwanzaa
should be a time when we
recommit ourselves to the
fight to build strong, sus
tainable communities.
"This is about our col
lective emancipation, our
collective liberation, and us
coming together in order to
move forward," said
Piggott-Long. "It's exciting
to see Kwanzaa reach this
milestone, but we still have
a lot of work to do in the
African-American commu
nity."
$10,000 match if the
organization could .raise
$10,000 of its own. So far
the annual match has
helped what would have
been $60/)00 grow to
$107/100, according to a
news release.
John Fox, chairman of
First Tennessee's Mid
Atlantic region, said the
bank, which is headquar
tered in 'Memphis, has
always looked to invest in
initiatives that uplift the
community.
"We know how to do
business in these commu
nities and take the role of
corporate citizen in these
communities and do the
things we need to do," said
Fox. "I think BPI is one of
the organizations that is
central to those types of
efforts here in Winston
Salem."
FTB's community
development manager
Angie Murphey said she
felt good about the partner
ship with BPI because she
felt confident in the efforts
they were leading in the
African-American commu
nity.
'BPI saw potential in
people that they didn't even
see in themselves," she
said. "BPI plays the role of
thought leader when it
comes to sharing what's
really going on in the
African-American commu
nity."
When discussing the
endowment, Slade said that
with the help from FTB
and other local organiza
tions, she feels confident
that BFI will continue to
grow and make an impact
in the community. She said
far too often black philan
thropy organizations disap
pear without any warning.
"We see it all the time
here in Winston-Salem:
For whatever reason, a lot
of nonprofit organizations
close their doors before
they make a real impact,
but I don't see that happen
ing with BPI. This initia
tive is here to stay."
For more information
on how to submit an appli
cation or on the BPI listen
ing sessions, visit the
Winston-Salem
Foundation website at
wsfoundation.org. The ini
tiative is listed under the
community leadership tab.
_ . , , i , Photo by Ttvin Sanson
Teens from Authoring Action perform during the Black Philanthropy Initiative
gala in October.
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