Page A^2.-Winston-Salem ehronicle ThUrsday' September 9. 1993,.
Opinion
Winston-Salem Chronicle
Ernest H. Pnr, Publisher/Co-founder NdUBISI EgEMONYE, Co-Founder
Richard L. Williams, Managing Editor
Elaine Pnr, Director of Community Relations
Michael A. Pitt, Advertising Manager MeL WHITE, Circulation Manager
ViPAPORN RaTANATANINCHERI, Office Manager
Editorials
Our Muted Black Youth
The planning of a most significant event like the
African-American Summit is tantamount to addressing
key issues that ill-effect the African-African commu
nity here. But one key element was missing that would
have made a good planning session a great one: the
presence and the voice and of African-American youth.
Perhaps one of the most pressing issues facing
African Americans is not the many struggles for eco
nomic development that we as adults have counte
nanced in the past or continue to face today. It is how
to equip well enough a generation — our beloved and
innocent children — to deal with the struggles they
face and will likely continue to face as they grow older
and mature.
All children — especially African-Ameri
can males — are crying out to be heard.
And if we continue to mute their cry, we all
suffer in the long run.
Although most of the people at the Aug. 28 summit
planning session have good-paying jobs and live in
nice homes, they don't have all the answers to why
black students might have low self-esteem or might
feel inferior to other students or might resort to violent
behavior. If the issue is to be addressed how to best
serve the needs of the next generation, it would be wise
to first uncover what some of those needs are. The
best way to do that is through dialogue — not among
adults but with black teen-agers.
That's why it is imperative that the planners of the
African-American Summit include in their planning
sessions the very ones they spend a great deal of time
discussing.
African-American youth have a voice and they
must be heard. They are literally dying to be heard!
And theiis is a story that needs to be told. And if the
planners, for whatever reason have decided that it
wouki be inappropriate for the youths to attend these
pkinriing sessions (and we can't fathom that thought),
then they should plan an African-American Teen Sum
mit.
Because all children — especially African-Ameri
can males — are crying (and dying) out to be heard.
And if we continue to mute their cry, we all suffer in
the long run.
Credo of the Black Press i..
The Black Press believes that America can
best lead the world away from antagonisms
when it accords to every person - regardless
of race Creed—full human and legal rights.
Hating no person, the Black Press strives to
help every person, in the firm belief that all
are hurt as long anyone is held back.
How To Reach Us
722-8624
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Circulation
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Business Office
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Advertising
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Pfass As$oo*t«>n Pubiishofs Associalion
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Commending LIFT Academy's Efforts
To the Editor:
It is imperative that I take time
out fro~) my day-to-day activities
and express my sincere “thank
you’s^ for all that your academy has
done toward the positive develop
ment of my son, Anthony Ricucci.
During my initial interview, I
was told that the LIFT Academy
takes a holistic approach to educat
ing young people who may be
deemed “at risk” for crime and/or
“high risk” for substance abuse. At
this point I must confess that I had
some serious doubts about the capa
bility of such a compact staff with
limited resources to accomplish the
seemingly overwhelming task of
embracing, uplifting and redirecting
young people who have been sus
pended, excluded or expelled from
the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
School System, The idea of so few
accomplishing so much, with so lit
tle in such a short period of time
made me quite skeptical. The win
ning thought which gave me confi
dence to accept LIFT Academy for
my son is the devotion of your
motto: “Learning is a requirement
and not an elective.” This thought
swung me over to your side.
Anthony entered the LIFT
academy — a 6-foot-1-inch, 210-
pound senior with a major chip on
his shoulder and a horrible attitude
toward your school. To use his ver
nacular, “I hate LIFT, I hate the
South and I hate what school has
done to me. I’m ready to quit and go
back to New York. This sucks!” I
must also add that in addition to
being overweight, my son also had a
complex about his inability to mas
ter any particular sport. This had a
major impact on my son’s self-con
fidence and his overall feeling of
self-worth.
The love and professionalism
that is in abundance within the LIFT
Academy manifested in my son
accomplishing the following;
• Bronze Award - “Most
Improved” LIFT Academy sports
extra weightlifting team (middle
weight division).
• Red Ribbon Week Campaign
- 2nd place, Forsyth County, for his
essay, “Why I am Drug Free and
Proud.”
• Sergeant at Arms - Student
Government Association, an elected
position voted upon by the student
body.
• Student Representative - to
speak on behalf of the youth in
Forsyth County, live broadcast on
radio station 102.1 FM, “Let’s Stop
the Violence Now!”
• High School Diploma - Hon
ors graduate (3.425 GPA).
Thank you, LIFT Academy
from the bottom of my heart. I
entrusted you with the greatest gift
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Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102.
bestowed upon me, my son. You
enrolled an overweight, disgruntled,
bad attitude, low self-esteem adoles
cent, and you molded and shaped
him into a trim (165 lb.) positive-
minded, clear-thinking, self-assured,
assertive honors graduate. A young
man “ready-for-the-now,” looking
forward to college life at Bronx
Community College in New York.
Words can never totally express
my deepest most sincere gratitude
for all that you have done for me
and my family. Thank you, God
bless each of you and godspeed on
accomplishing your mission’s pur
pose.
Marie and Frank Ricucci
asked also that it be published k
the Chronicle.
Thank you W-S
To the Editor:
Words are poor tools witll
which to fashion what my hean
would convey. But however rente,
dial, they are the only instrumenti
with which I have to say, “Thanl
You!”
May the sun always shine oi
your face; may the winds always bt
at your back; may the love of God
keep each of you. And, may God
richly bless each of you.
Editor’s Note: Marie and Frank
Ricucci sent this letter to LIFT and
Delores “D” Smith
W-S Urban Leagui
CHRONICLE MAILBAG
Our Readers Speak Out
I Know Why Mama Hid the Slavery Books From Us’
Most of us knew Mama was
twenty-five years ahead of herself
when she told us we lived in the
suburbs (acmally we or seven of us
were bom on Yadkin Valley Road
in Davie County about fifteen miles
from Winston-Salem). For a long
time now most people who live on
Yadkin Valley Road worked in
Winston-Salem. Mama would say
keep your property, DON'T SELL
IT. In fact Mama wanted to put in
her will that the property we owned
would never get out of the Kim
brough family. Dad talked her out
of that. He didn't feel that any of the
children wanted to continue to live
there.
is true.
Mama was always busy. She
was never idle and neither were the
children. It was our lot to feed the
horses, mules or cows, put them out
to graze, help collect fruit to sell,
sew, clean the house, wash dishes,
sweep the yard, study your books.
wife.
There were physiology charts
and spelling books in our house,
because the original room was a log
school house where my great uncle,
Edward Kimbrough, taught school,
and Dad was one of his pupils. (We
were told Dad solved the word
problems for Uncle Ed).
Other outstanding blacks who
had achieved were: Booker T.
Washington, Simon O. Atkins,
Mary McCloud Bethume, Maggie
L. Walker, Sojourner Truth, Mary
Church Terrell, Harriet Tubman,
Charlotte Hawkins Brown and J.C.
Price. There was always a conver
sation on the achievements of
blacks, even in our family, the
preachers, the physicians, the teach-
would have had on me as a young
ster growing up in Davie County
with white neighbors.
' It is conceivable that one could
develop some sense of inferiority or
little self-worth. Anyway, my fam
ily was spared and that's why I want
to thank Mama for protecting all of
us at such young years. Even as an
adult it is almost to much too han
dle. I wonder how many scars exist
today in adults who heard about or
Mama and Dad were precep
tive in another way. They valued
education and did what they could
to send as many children as they
could to private school, public
school and college. Mama made
you get homework before you
played, and she checked it, English,
spelling, geography and reading.
Dad checked arithmetic and word
problems.
Mama instilled in each one of
us the value of property, real estate.
That is one reason why I took the
course for a real estate broker.
Mama told us to buy all the prop
erty you could and hold it. No more
land is being made so one day it
will be valuable. Mama's prediction
Most of us after elementary
school had to leave home to attend
our accredited school. We were at
least in high school or mature
enough to be in high school when
Mama told us she hid the slavery
books from us. Mama and Dad
never talked about slavery. Grow
ing up in Davie County was fun and
full of love and laughter. There was
so much love from Mama and Dad,
brothers and sisters, church mem
bers, schoolmates and friendship
from our neighbors, it was accepted
as the norm.
GUEST COLUMNIST
BY VIRGINIA K. NEWELL
ers. The entire atmosphere in our
house was upbeat and positive.
Mama and Dad did talk about
outstanding black men and women
who had achieved. Frederick Dou
glass was a slave child who was
taught to read by the slave master's
Now I know why Mama hid
the slavery books front us. I under
stand why Mama said she would
cry when she read the slavery
books. After recently reading about
the sad tales of degradation and
dehuminization of black slave chil
dren, I was emotionally devastated.
It has been difficult to fathom how
anyone could dehumanize children
so as to make them eat out of a
trough as a horse or a pig.
I wonder what effect that
read the slave stories? I wonder
what effect this has on achieve
ment. The one thing that all of us
can do is to compare the accom
plishment of the blacks in spite of
segregation, discrimination, poor
education and sometimes no educa
tion.
(East Ward Alderman Vir
ginia K. Newell is former chair
man of the Math and Computer
Science Department at WSSU. She
is headmaster of the Math and
Science Academy of Excellence
for Middle School Students.)
Whoe I'm Coming From
By Barbara Brandon
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01993 Barbara Brantlon/Dist. by Univefsal Press Syndicate