Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 26, 1989, edition 1 / Page 44
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'I Afro-American Arts Larry Leon Hamlin: A 'marvtastic' enthusiasm for the theatre He's a man with artistic vision, whose favorite word is "marvtastic" and who would rather engage you in a conversa -??'liHr ston-Salem in 1979 when family obligations brought him home. It didn't take him long to real ize that what the Twin City sorely His seed did not immediately take root, and Hamlin confidently waited for three years for his the ater company to take hold in the 1 "In the beginning, the goal was just to put blacks in Winston-Salem in touch with theater. But I think we did that in three years. ...This (the festival) is it. This is the pinnacle of the contribu tions that I can make to black theater. I don't know if I can do any more than this. This is the type of contribution all of us wish we could make." lion about the black theater than do just about anything else. Larry Leon Hamlin, whom the Chronicle has selected as last year's Curator of Afro-American Arts and Culture, returned to Win ? Larry Leon Hamlin needed was a vehicle for exposing city-and-the surroundingarea. Afro- Americans to the black the- Since that time, Hamlin has ater. developed the NCBRC to the Thus, the North Carolina point that it enjoys a reputation as Black Repertory Company was the leading Afro-American theater born. company in the country. The company was the first "For Colored Girls Who Have Afro-American organization to be Considered Suicide/When the funded by the Arts Council of Rainbow is Enuf," "Home," "Mas Winston-Salem. ter Harold and the Boys/' "Sizwe Photo by Charmane Delaverson Hamlin has directed more Bansi is Dead" and "The Amen than 100 productions including Comer." In 1986, he was chosen to appear in the Home Box Office premiere movie, MFlorW*^S traits," which also starred Geraldine Page, Gary Busey and Antonio Busey. Hamlin played a Cuban rene gade in the picture. Under his guidance, the NCBRC was selected to partici pate in the North Carolina Touring Program of the North Carolina State Arts Council and the Tour ing Program of the Southern Arts Federation. # In August, Hamlin and the Black Repertory Co. will under take their largest venture yet as hosts and producers of the nation al Black Theater Festival, which will bring more than 200 black theater companies to the city for the six-day event. "In the beginning, the goal was just to put blacks in Winston Salem in touch with theater. But I think we did that in three years," Hamlin said recently. "I do have to have challenges. I've never been more excited than now. Around the country there is an excitement going on about the festival. " ...This (the festival) is it. This is the pinnaclrtrf the contri-' burtons, that I can make to black theater. I don't know if I can do any more than this. This is the type of contribution all of us wish we could make." V 1988 Drug Awareness Award. A w WfHis Miller: 15 years or Helping" addicts get-over their problem By ANGELA WRIGHT Chronica Managing Editor After nearly 15 years of counsel - ing addicts, -Willis Miller still gets a gleam in his eye when he speaks of his work. He gets excited when he talks about the healing process for substance abusers. I He readily admits that his is not ~ an easy task. Addicts often don't want to admit they have a problem. Even when they will admit to a problem, it's still extremely difficult for them to overcome it. That's where Miller comes in; he sees them through the difficult stage. A clinical drug counselor for the Step One drug abuse program, Miller has been with the program since its inception as the Council on Drug Abuse 15 years ago, He started vol unteering for the program one sum mer while a student at Wake Forest University. Because he was a Winston Salem native "from the other side of the tracks," Miller says he was able to help the program reach out to addicts. "I started out working the streets, going into drug houses, clubs and bars," said Miller. He sought addicts to tell them about the new drug treat ment program that had begun in the city. It was not long before Miller was offered a permanent part-time position. "My first case was a guy I grew up with," said Miller. "I talked massaged the cramps out of his stom ach - some of them were as big as* my fist. Here was someone that I grew up with and used to hang around with. The only thing that sep arated us was college." A graduate of Atkins. High School, Miller went to Wake Forest University on a football scholarship. He majored in psychology and minored in religion. He is the third of seven children and, .although he has never had a drug or alcohol problem, his dedication to the treatment of add icts comes from a lifeti me of watching such abuse. "fe g mm ipi ? m i IjfctoaA? infested by alcoholics," said Miller. "My father also had a drinking prob Photo by Charmane Doiaverson lem. It took me a while to come to accept the fact that his problem was not my problem." Miller says it's personal gratifi cationtftat keeps him involved in an effort that pays little and offers few success stories. "If I have one out of ten clients make it, I feel good," he said. "In the past year there have probably been seven or eight people "that I've seen "We have this notion that all addicts steal or look a cer tain way, but you can't tell who is an addict. It might be someone you work with every day." -- Willis Miller who have gotten their lives back together, ana I've probably seen a hundred people or more last year." Miller often spends his week ends counseling children and some of his clients outside of his office. It's something he says he does because he feels he owes something to his community. He says he believes the problem of drug addiction could be helped along more rapidly if area churches got involved. "We have over 200 churches in Winston-Salem," he said. "Imagine if they would just sponsor the treatment of one addict each, we can go far in solving the problem." Miller says it takes patiemce to work in his field and a genuine admi ration for people. "Most people come in during a crisis - there is no more money or a family member pressured them into treatment," said Miller. "What usually helps a client get bet ter is achieving a balance in life - that spiritual aspect. Once they figure out that spirituality part, they realize they don't have to use drugs." Part of the larger problem in cur ing drug addiction, says Miller, is public perception. "We have this notion that all addicts steal or look a certain way, but you can't tell who is an addict. It might be someone you work with every day," he said. "Until we start looking at drug addiction as a dis ease, we can't solve the problem." 1988 Student Journalist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest winners feat 1 Laura Wingo, First Place Our first place winner is Laura | Wingo, an 18-year-old senior at 1 Parkland High School. She is the | daughter of Chiri Wingo of Win I ston-Salem. Laura plans to go to | college, but she has not yet decided 1 where or in what she will major. I Her favorite high school courses are I English, Photography and Newspa per. Her hobbies are photography, drawing and traveling. She says she I likes to write Because sometimes I she has a difficult time expressing I her self verbally. "Sometimes it's easier for me to express my emo tions and feelings on paper," she i said. !?' > William Turner, Second Place William Kcnyatta Turner is our second place winner. He is 15 years old, in the 10th grade at Carver High School, and is the son of William Hobert and Vivian Turner. William says he wants to go to college, but he is not sure where. He does know, however, that when he gets there he will major in architecture. His favorite subjects are English and Biology and his hobbies are reading, draw ing and running track. "I like writ ing because I like being creative and being able to put things on paper that you have in your mind," he said. Marlon Milliter, Third Place Our third place winner, Marlon Millner, is IS years old. He is in the 10th grade at Glenn High School and is the son of Harry and Jeanette Millner of Winston-Salem. He plans to go to college, and, although he does not know where, he says it will "probably be a private school/ Marlon plans to major in something concerning science or journalism. He says his favorite high school subjects are chemistry and journal ism. His hobbies are reading, writ ing, weight lifting and playing piano. "I like writing because it's a chance to be creative in expressing yourself," he said.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Jan. 26, 1989, edition 1
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