TH E C H RON IC LE
Volume 45, Number 20
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, January 24, 2019
6 What are you willing to sacrifice?’
Dr. Bellamy delivers MLK Jr. prayer breakfast address, Rev. Covington urges community to put action to words
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
What are you willing to
sacrifice?
That was the question
Dr. Wes Bellamy raised at
the Benton Convention
Center during the annual
Martin Luther King Jr.
Prayer Breakfast on
Monday, Jan. 21.
"I want you to under
stand that we are in very
serious times. We are not in
a time in which we can
play around, mince our
words, or pretend as if
things will be okay if we
keep on keeping on with a
smile on our faces, things
are going to work out. It's
not going to do so if we do
not work," Bellamy contin
ued.
"...So I hope that we are
here with our lunch pails
packed and hard hats on
because it is time to work
not play."
A native of Atlanta, Ga.
a graduate of South
Carolina State University,
and Virginia State
University, where he
earned his masters and
doctorate, those who know
Dr. Bellamy well describe
him as an educator who
works to ensure that young
people have the knowledge
to move forward. As the
youngest person ever elect
ed to the Charlottesville,
Va. City . Council,
Bellamy's primary focus
has been improving the
lives of those who lack
resources through various
programs and
initiatives. He is also cred
ited for helping lead the
City of Charlottesville
through the deadly race
riots in 2017.
The riots broke out on
August 11, 2017, when
white nationalists opposed
to the removal of a
Confederate statue clashed
with counter-protestors.
Bellamy said while
many people thought the
Charlottesville Riots was
an isolated incident, there
are many other places
throughout the country just
like Charlottesville where
individuals are willing to
take extreme measures to
stop change.
As he stood before the
diverse crowd of nearly
1,000 people from all
walks of life during the
annual King Day celebra-
tion hosted
Chronicle
The
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Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.
Ministers’ Conference of
Winston-Salem
and
Vicinity
(MCWSV),
Bellamy challenged every
one to make the necessary
sacrifices to fight for equi
ty in our communities and
ensure Dr. King’s legacy
and message continues.
He said on that August
day, David Duke and mem
bers of the Ku Klux Klan
showed up with guns,
machetes and knives to
fight people holding
posters. He said on that
day, hundreds of counter-
protestors decided to make
a sacrifice and face the
white nationalists without
fear.
“... Because what they
believed was theirs, their
city was changing, they lit
erally drove a vehicle
through a group of peace
ful protestors and killed
someone,” he continued.
“Rest in Power to sister
Heather Heyer. Sacrifice.
She gave her life while
walking and standing up
for what’s right. What will
you give?
“That is only a question
that you can answer.”
After issuing his chal
lenge, Bellamy said while
the fight to bring about
change on a grand scale is
you can play any role, work behind the scenes. I
you’re going to have to wonder what we are will-
Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.
Dr. Wes Bellamy, city councilman in Charlottesville, VA, was the keynote speak
er at the prayer breakfast on Jan. 21.
important, it is equally determine and define what
important that we make
sacrifices to bring about
change in our own lives
and communities. He said
we all have a different role
to play in this movement.
He said, “... But before
you are willing to sacrifice.
... I wonder if some of Pastor Tembila Covington,
us are willing to sacrifice
our names in the paper or
being acknowledged on
Facebook or Twitter or
Instagram to do the real
ing to sacrifice.”
Following his address,
President of the Ministers’
Conference of Winston-
Salem and Vicinity, urged
the community to put
Bellamy’s . words into
action. She said Bellamy’s
address goes hand in hand
with the Ministers’
Conference theme for the
year, “Why We Can’t
Wait.”
“... Why we can’t wait
is because never is not an
option. Why we can’t wait
is because we need to keep
the Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.’s dream
alive. Why we can’t wait is
because we need to keep
our dream alive,” contin
ued Covington. “...Why
we can’t wait is we need to
believe as individuals and
collaboratively that we are
catalyst for change, even in
this day.
' “... As Fannie Lou
Hamer said, we need to
take our power back. Sick
and tired of being sick and
tired is' not enough and so
we do not wait because
never is not an option.”
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