J Citywide
Kwanzaa
from page CI
during the Middle Passage, but in
spite of this travesty. Griffin said
she is happy to be the descendant
' of such strong people. She said,
"My ancestors shed a lot of blood
to make it possible for me to be
free." Griffin's fiance' Alan
Doorasamy, from Durbon, South
Africa, also addressed the audi
ence.
Jonathan Sadler played a
piano selection, and Cassaundra
McCloud, of the Burke Singers,
was ine guest soloist. Tori
Richardson performed an African
dance.
The Winston-Salem Chapter
of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
sponsored the night o^Ujima
(collective work and responsibili
ty) Dec. 28. It was held at the
William C. Sims Recreation
Center. The elders for the
evening were'Kwanzaa Guru
Tim Jackson, from the East
. Winston Library, and Luci
2; Vaughn. Jackson traced the local
2; Kwanzaa observance back to
-Z' 1978, when Dwayne and Rachel
v; Jackson saw a celebration on the
v; campus of North Carolina A&T
v State University and then brought
the idea back to Winston-Salem.
I* Margaret Allen was then the
> Branch Manager of the East
? Winston Library, and in 1984
? Tim Jackson came on board.
- 0
Z- Jackson and many other commu
Z- nity persons have continued the
? tradition. It has since gone
~ beyond a one-night celebration to
a full seven-day observance.
Alderman Joycelyn Johnson
~ was the speaker for the evening.
Z She said, "If we work together in
? America and all be responsible to
the community, I believe we can
; fly." Johnson then led the audi
ence in a recitation of R. Kelley's
SI song from the "Space Jam"
Z- soundtrack called "I Believe I
s Can Fly."
The students from the
.?? William C. Sims Recreation
Center/Learning Center, The
> Forsyth County Public Library,
? QEI volunteers, Luci Vaughn and
? other community business per
? sons and volunteers came for
r ward to sponsor the night dedi
^ cated to the principle of Ujamaa
X (cooperative economics).
^ Students from the Afrocentric
2 kindergarten class made a pre
? sentation. Momma J. commented
? that this group is the "only
Afrocentric kindergarten class in
a public school setting in North
t
Carolina." The First Angels
Choir sang several gospel songs.
Known for her business
savvy. Dr. Virginia Newell was
the keynote speaker. She encour
aged the parents in the audience
to demand excellence of their
children, especially in the area of
mathematics. She admonished
them to be wary of the calculator,
because, she said, it can be con
fusing to so many youths who
have not mastered the basics of
math.
The East Winston
Community Development
Corporation (EWCDC) spon
sored a village gathering to cele
brate the principle of Nia (pur
pose). It was held at the Winston
Salem Urban League Dec. 30.
The Otesha Drummers and the
staff and friends of the EWCDC
participated in the processional.
Special guest performers were
members of Montage Ensemble
who presented ? "Ciphered
Innocence," a play written and
directed by Sharon Agnew. The
group received a standing ova
tion after their performance.
LeShea Agnew was the featured
performer. James R. Grace, exec
utive director of EWCDC, led the
libation while members of the
staff served as the four winds and
gathered around him.
Friends of the East Winston
Library, Winston Lake Family
YMCA, and the Arts Council of
Winston-Salem and Forsyth
County sponsored a night of
Kuumba (creativity) at the
Winston Lake Family YMCA. It
was held Dec. 31. Marcelette
Orange, executive director of the
Winston Lake Family YMCA,
welcomed the guests. Cheryl
Harry, director of community
outreach for the Arts Council,
recognized the distinguished
guests and elders. The Otesha
Dancers and Drummers set the
stage for the evening. Various
performing groups participated.
The Signs of the Times sign lan
guage choir from EphesuS
Seventh Day Adventist Church,
as well as Chris Brinson and the
Freddie B. Marshall Ensemble,
performed. Children from the
William C. Sims
Recreation/Learning Center per
formed the seven principles from
an original composition by
Courtney Daniel. The Rev.
Carlton Eversley led the audience
in partaking of die unity cup.
The final night of Imani was
sponsored by four churches:
Emmanuel Baptist Church, St.
Benedict the Moor Catholic
Church, Dellabrook Presbyterian
Church, and St. Paul United
Methodist Church. The celebra
tion was held at St. Benedict's
Church. The Inspirational Choir
of St. Paul provided the music for
the evening. Youth from the four
churches shared the Nguzo Saba.
Eversley and the Rev. Donald
Members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Sims Learning Center and the
East Winston Ubrary participate in the Ujima processional Dec. 28 at
the Sims Center.
* The Signs of the Times sign language choir interprets gospel music dur
. > ing the Kuumba celebration on Dec. 31.
Community leaders showed their support during the night of Imani: Left to right are State Rep. Larry
' Womble, the Rev. Father Lawrence J. Hunt, S.J., the Rev. Donald Jenhins, the Rev. Carlton Eversley, Dr.
'? Alton Pollard and Alderman Joycelyn Johnson.
The audience joined in the Umoja circle to bless the Karamu Dec. 30.
( ?
Members and supporters of the East Winston CDC were the sponsors of the principle of Nia on Dec. 30 at tki
Winston-Salem Urban League. * ?*'
' <U " . -
Jenkins led the audience in a
community discussion on the
topic "How Can Faith Help
Neighborhood Problems."
Several ideas were shared
during the discussion. Following
are Examples of what some said
people should do:
?Help people cross denomi
national lines and realize people
need each other.
?Look beyond the outside of
a person and see the good in him
or her.
?Have the coufage to attack
community problems without
fear.
?Help youth deal with peer
r~r~. ?
pressure.
?Give their talents and
resources to help others.
?Have courage to stand up
for what they believe.,.
?Remember that God is on
their side.
?Do the impossible.
Fleming El Amin challenged
each church in Winston Salem to
donate to the scholarship fund
sponsored by the Winston
Salem/Forsyth County
Emancipation Association.
Ravonda Rann performed an
original poem about faith. She
expressed unquestioning belief
that although her mother "sleeps
m -
with the angels," she said, whgn
she wants to feel the presence pf
her mother, she calls her name. "I
have faith that she is with jne-,"
she said. v
Eversley and Dr. Alton
Pollard led the audience in the
libation, and the partaking of the
.v
unity cup with the roll call of the
ancestors. Rev. Father Lawrehce
J. Hunt, S.J., offered closing
remarks. Hunt expressed how
much he had been enriched from
the experience of Kwanzaa. 'He
said he feels at home in the
African-American community,
and he congratulated the leaders
of the celebration for such, an
inspiring service. ??
itl
_ a,
The First Angels Choir were guests performers for the Ujamaa evening, Dec. 29. at the Sims Center.
f"tavvK? Owi, Say
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7 J ~~
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