DlacffChild Development
InstiiuiG Stands Up For Children
SATURDAY, CECEK2EB 4, 1S32-TKE CA.'
LTJA TT":5-1J
V.
By Eddie Davis
Samuel (not his real
name), II, has lived in
foster homes for ten .
years. Primarily because
of v his age, . but -.also
because he'sjblack, odds,
were that Samuel would
never be. adopted. . v-,:
- But ' .he ' vs-, being
: adopted and much of ,
, the credit for .this , and,
other adoptions, can. be,
traced io efforts " by
groups such as, the Black
CWld pevetoproent In-
, Ctittlf . , , - i. ' j
Launched in. Durham ,
last year as the local af
filiate of the National
Black , Child Develop
ment Institute, this
organization , has
dedicated itself to ad
vocating for a better
quality, of life for black ,
.children, The national
group was started . 12
years ago and is head
quartered , jn
Washington; D.C.,
BCDI advocacy takes
many directions, such as
workshops, public
awareness projects and
research. These are all to
help show the problems
facing black children in
North Carolina, and to
encourage action to solve
those problems, accor
ding to the group's presi
dent. Mrs. Nellie Riley.
One of the most recent
projects was a public
awareness program last
month -i when - CDl
rrferribers manned booths
at:;;arcd'Sp
adopted children. ,V .
' "My boys and I have
an excellent home life,"
Joyner explained. "As in
every family, there are
.ups and downs, but we
arc alfle to talk out our
problems and enjoy the
great times we share."
- In each case, accor
ding to Joyner, there has
been - some initial
uneasiness in the rela
tionships.' "The children and I
had to warm up to each
other," he said, "but
after the initial
uneasiness, we all
became comfortable,
with each .other."
On questions from the
children about their
natural parents and
relatives, Joyner says: "1
am completely . honest
with them i. If questions
arise, 1 answer them to
the best of my ability and
then we move on."
But working in the
area of adoptions is not
the only way BCDI ad
vocates the cause of
black children. ' , 4 "
The . ; organization
recently " published a
research report on "The
Status of Our Children"
The report covered areas
such as i child health,
child care, child welfare
and education. Accor
ding to Mrs. Riley, the
information in the report
is the basis upon which
the organization adopted
certain goals and objec
tives. - ' ,
"We have sponsored a
mini-career day for sixth
grade students at Fayet
teville Street School,"
Mrs. Riley continued, "a
conference entitled
'Black Survival Into the
21st Century'; a calendar
of black children and
National Adoption
Month."
- The group is also in
terested in pushing
legislation favorable to
improving the conditions
for black children in the
state. Therefore, at the
group's December
meeting' next week they,
will .. discuss legislative
concerns with -' State
Representative Kenneth
Spaulding. . '.,-,
;t The ' meeting .is
, scheduled for ,7:30 p.m.
Tuesday in the third
floor conference room of ;
the Durham County
Library, on Roxboro
Street. Anyone in
terested in learning more
about the organization is
invited to attend the
meeting. For additional
'information, contact'
Mrs. Riley after 6 p.m.
at 493-3277. -
The local organization
now has 28 members, ac-,
cording to Mrs, Riley.
Membership dues are as
follows: individual, $15;
student, $10; organiza
tions, $25; and sustain
ing, $50.
For more information
on adoptions, contact
Mrs. Ann Lockman at
the Durham County
Department of Social
Services at 683-3500.
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(.CTTIN(; INFO Ms. Minnie Locked, Rets in
formation on adoptions from members of the
Durham chapter of the Black Child Developpmenl
Institute, an affiliate of the national oranialion
b the same name. BCDI members manning the in
formation booth at the Northgale Mall are: Mrs.
Nellie Riley (left) and her daughter. Jrnelle: and
Mrs. Lottie Sneed- (Ph...h MarMn
Durham County 4-H Council
Elects Officers
The Durham County
4-H Council recently
elected its 1983 council
officers. Serving the
council in 1983 will be
James Cousins, 15 years
old, of Russell Hot Shots
senior 4-H club as presi-
These youths will have
the task of governing the
4-H'ers in Durham
County by giving leader
ship to the council which
consists of all 4-H
members in the county.
The council is active in
planning and conducting
-:..!- . - ;if,o.. :.eni, Bryan i-iuoDeu win
O lrvfe-vice . president.-: county ; 4-H . events.
She .-wilL be the 1983 Council delegates im
'&yr&-'?-:';!-i.2.i::.- -iiwin. nrnve knowledce an(
pB0tm&t informatioh mcT!i
secretary. The treasurer prove knowieoge anq
ukw)i-' L i a trVT , W III Ui iVIUM LflVIM .111 OIMH-J l .... w.-
working cooperatively in
groups personal relar
; tions with . others,
Representing the interests
of others, solving pro-
: days: w; ovemoer :w ThJt
Ritssell Hot Shots, ,'
ihODDtne mails.
: "Jnadditiontothein
formation " "we
dispensed' ; Mrs. Riley. '
said.' . Vtwenty-five oeo-,.1
' Pier cOmoletcd f.aPDlicwuJ.wK.i J
UVM Ktu gci aw uiuuno ) nr.
fortnation , on how to
aaopt cnuaren, , '
. It fa not dear exactly
how .many black children
there are in the state like,
Samuel who" are usually
. s& ym &td ftd i)lJer V
youtiger cpuoren:..'Mr,5..v
paresrus ave ween rtui;: ... . . :
.;tat thc;Jder ; '
cWldrw; .and; ; thus ' , "
organizations such as .
BCDI -work to 'erase
whatever stigma exists
either concerning the
children themselves, or
the difficulty of the
adoptive process.
"We hope to raise the
awareness levels in the
minds of people on the
issue," Mrs. Riley said.
"Perhaps we can be the
incentive for people who
have been thinking about
adopting. At least they
can get their questions
on the subject
answered."
According to Ms. Lot
tie Sneed, another
member of BCDI,
"Adoptive parents are
just regular people. They
are people who can give
the child a Jovingf home ,
ana prwviuc uiny w , , ,
yfrnmcRt One does not ' ; '
' have, to meet M tradl
- uonaj , Meiwiyt'c
' adoptive parents." -,
Ms, Sneed went on the
say that many single peo
ple adopt, and that age is
not as much of a factor
as it used to be.
"One lady who is in
her 60s," Ms. Sneed
said, "and who is single,
has adopted and raised
several children and con
tinues to do so, Adoptive
parents also do not have
to be rich. The key ele
ment is the ability to pro
vide an adequate home
life for the child."
A case in point is Jay
Joyner, a single parent.
Joyner, a public school
teactier, has adopted two (
boys arid, is completing
the process to adopt a
third child. He Is one of
a relatively small group
of single black men in
1 the country who have
blems, and . accepting
responsiblity.
They also volunteer
time and effort to ex
plain and promote the
4-H program, help raise
funds to support pro
gram' activities, conduct
4-H activities , and help
. others'. One :of the coun
cil's projects' wUl be in-
vblytiment ' in the State
4H project:. Safety .
.. 4-H is a component of
the Agricultural. Exten
sion service. serving
youth ages 6-19 arid
adult volunteers: The
program develops career
skills;; citizenship; ; and
leadership ability in
Durham- County for
youth and adults.
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Next November, receive a check for your
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shoppers enjoying their holiday savings
next year.
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