Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Nov. 25, 1999, edition 1 / Page 3
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? ?: .?? i Urban League youths celebrate power of ancestors Willard Tanner of the Urban League lighted the tint candle in honor of elders 80 years old and above. The youths passed the candles on and formed a circle around their elders. BY FELECIA P. MCMILLAN COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT There was standing room only last Thursday when the youths of Winston-Salem paid homage to their elders. The event, sponsored by the Urban League as part of its cele bration of Equal Opportunity Day, gave youths a chance to showcase their talents for a group that included their grandparents and seniors from the local commu nity. For each elder 80 years old and ; above the watoto - children - light ed a candle and called the elder by name. Afterward, the children formed a circle and sang "We are March ing in the Light of God." The group then recited the poem "Minute by Minute," which affirms the need to save African American culture's history and tra ditions. The idea for the ceremony came from Delores J. "D" Smith, president/CEO of the Winston ; Salem Urban League. ;* "Our seniors and our children ? jlon't have the benefit of being in . the space of our elders to experi ence their power," said Smith. * ?i "Our elders need to know that there is a tradition that we can hold them high by our youth hon oring them. When we get these two factions together, they form a powerful cord that is not easily broken." Natalie Taylor, chairperson of 1999 Equal Opportunity Day Steering Committee, said the event offered a chance to celebrate the lives of seniors and youths. "We are pleased that you could join us as we honor our past and celebrate our future," said Taylor. "This is a time to honor the oldest members of our community. May this evening be filled with fond memories." Larry Leon Hamlin, founder/artistic ..director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company; was master of cere monies for the program, which included music, poetry, drama and dance. Hamlin said he respected the elders. "We are standing on your shoulders, so you should know how important you are," Hamlin said. "The Urban League is a fami ly," Hamlin said. "The vision the Urban League has carried out under the direction of Ms. Smith is such a wonderful gift to our com munity." Drama performances were one of the highlights of the program. One of the best was "Aunt Rudele s Family Reunion," a colorful one person comedy written by and starring Nate Jacobs. Developed and directed by Larry Leon Hamlin, the play will be presented in February by the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. Jacobs stars as a feisty, unorthodox woman who takes a trip to her family reunion. The Eagles of Praise, a choir from Union Baptist Church, also performed during the event. One of the highlights of the show was a performance by Bish op John Heath. Heath brought the crowd to its feet with a stirring ren dition of "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord." Heath received a standing ovation for "Lord, You Brought Me From a Mighty Long Way." Another popular performer was Vergie Collins, who sang "I See Youths on A8 Photos by Felecia P. McMillan , A youth presented celebration buttons to the elders during the youth/elderly recognition program held [ at The Urban League. r ' ? ' ' ' I i U rban League raises $60,000 at EOD BY FELECIA MCMILLAN COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT As the soulful sounds of the Manhattans wafted through the ballroom at Adam's Mark Hotel, hundreds gathered to celebrate the work of the Urban League. The Urban League capped off a month-long celebration of equal opportunity with the annual Equal Opportunity Day Founders' Black and White Gala. The event was called "Cele brating the New Millennium and our Corporate Partners." The gross amount raised was more than $60,000, according tct Mona Covington, director of finance. More than 400 joined the throng of people who crowded the dance floor to listen the sounds of the Manhattans. The grouping some of their best loved hits, including "Kiss and Say Good bye" and "Shining Star." Wanda Starke, an anchor at NewsChannel 12 WXII, was the mistress of ceremonies. Starke reminded the audience of the mission of the Urban League. "The Urban League has been serving this community for 51 years," she said. "They have been sponsoring workshops, youth pro grams, Reading Olympiad, Special events such as Kwanzaa; present ing adult, family and senior pro grams and bridging the gaps in race relations. Thank you for join ing us for fun and fellowship," Starke said. Richard Williams, chairman of the Urban League Board of Direc tors, thanked the corporate spon sors who assisted recently with the RJR-UL Empowerment Confer ence. "Without your support, the Urban League would not be able to help young men after their release from incarceration. We See Urban League on A11 Dolores "D" Smith, president/CEO of the Urban League, praised the many contributions Marie Williamson, Ph.D., has made to youths in the community. Williamson received the Maxie S. Woodruff Achieve ment Award at the gala. Richard Williams, president of the UL Board of Directors, congratulated Williamson. We've Lowered OutPrices TnwiniPBB[*MiiL^ \ SB TIMBERLAND Eurohiker J69 Was $89 _ \ H I I ^b 1 ? | I 1 I ' I I v ^k 1^2 I ^1 ? ? ??? ? i r .
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