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75 cents W1N [0N iftl tMHl ?*iiinG 30 YEARS OF COMMUNITY JOUR from this library Vol. XXX No. 36
THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2
wssu
honors its
athletes at
banquet
- See Page Bl
Housing
fair
fulfills
dreams
- See Page A3
For now,
Womble
happy
in House
- See Page AlO
Winners
honored
for essays
and art
-See Page CI
Schools
land big
names for
o
o
ceremonies
Everyone from entertainers to
history-makers will speak at
area graduations this month
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Actor and director Forest Whitaker is the last
name added to a stellar lineup of high achievers
who will speak at commencement exercises for
local college and universities this month. Whitak
er, whose acting credits include films as diverse as
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "The Crying
Game" and "Panic Room," will speak to N.C.
acnooi or tne
Arts college
graduates on
May 29.
English
stage and
screen actress
Rosemary Har
ris will speak to
NCSA high
school gradu
ates during their
commencement
exercises on
that same day.
Perhaps best
known for her
role as Aunt
KRT Phoio
Forest Whitaker made his
directorial debut with the
film "Waiting to Exhale
May in "Spi
der-Man." Har
ris is the moth
er of Tony-win
ning actress
Jennifer Ehle,
who is an alum of NCSA. ,
"What a double hill we have for our graduat
ing students and their families," NCSA Chancellor
Wade Hobgood said in statement. "Forest Whitak
er is a dynamic young actor who has had remark
able success directing and producing. Rosemary
Harris is the epitome of all that is a star' of stage
and screen. We are delighted to have them with us
on our special day."
Whitaker, a Texas native, made his directorial
debut in 1995 with the highly popular film version
of the Terry McMillan book "Waiting to Exhale."
He also directed the film "Hope Floats." He has
produced films such as "Green Dragon" and
"Chasing Papi" and is currently in post-produc
tion with "First Daughter." a film he directed and
executive produced.
Whitaker starred in and co-produced 1 99 I s
"A Rage in Harlem," which was associate pro
duced by Ron Stacker Thompson, a faculty mem
ber in the NCSA School of Filmmaking.
' ? See Speakers on A10
PhcHos by Kevin Walker
Melissa Dunlap (from right) Tiffany Smith, Kim Brooks , Chiquita Funderburk and Kiyhrea Robbins finished
their CNA training last v/eek at the Astor Park Community Center.
Beyond the Bricks
HOPE VI community provides
residents with free CNA training
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
This week, five Astor Park residents are look
ing to put the skills they learned in a certified
nursing assistant class to use. The residents were
applauded by friends and family members last
Friday during an informal graduation ceremony
that marked the completion of the two-week CNA
training class that was offered at the Astor Park
Community Center.
The class is the first of many job-training pro
grams and classes that will be offered in the com
munity. The training will be funded with money
from the federal HOPE VI grant the Housing
Authority of Winston-Salem received several
years ago to construct Astor Park, a sprawling
community of new town homes that sit on the site
of the former Kimberly Park Terrace housing
projects. HOPE VI, a program of the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development,
stipulates that grants not only be used for brick
and mortar projects but also on programs that
promote self-sufficiency and self-empowerment
among residents of the revitalized communities.
Faye Brice. a HOPE VI case manager at Astor
Park, said the CNA class was proposed because
there was a great demand among residents for rel
evant job training programs.
"Our residents were unemployed, and we
tried to think of a field to try to help fill a void,"
See CNA on A10
Lee Washington presents Melissa Dunlap with her certificate
of completion for the training class. r-\
Minority
women in
business
c
honored
Honorees have made
mines for themselves
in many different areas
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE
Lenora Fluitt is what you
would call a busy woman.
Between her three jobs, she is
still a wife, mother, grandmother
and
great
gra nd -
mother.
F I u i 1 1
also is an
active
member
of St.
Stephen
Mission
ary Bap
t i s t
Church,
Burke
a member ot the National Coun
cil of Negro Women and the
queen mother of the Midtown
Red Hat Society.
She was one of nearly a
dozen active local business
women honored last Thursday at
the 2004 Outstanding Women in
Business Leaders reception for
their significant contributions to
the community. Southern Com
munity Bank and Trust along
with the city of Winston-Salem
and the Winston-Salem Conven
tion & Visitors Bureau spon
sored the event. Mayor Pro Tem
pore Vivian Burke, who has
worked to open doors for female
and minority business owners in
the city, hosted the awards
reception.
Fluitt says she is inspired by
her grandchildren, whom she
hopes to leave a legacy to. She
also encourages young women
to go after their dreams in life no
matter what obstacles may come
their way.
. "It was a shock. 1 really was
surprised. I'm busy but I didn't
know that anybody noticed. I
enjoy what I do and 1 just con
tinue to do it. I am honored. I'm
very honored," said Fluitt,
owner and operator of The Hat
Sec Honorees on AS
Personal Chef (Hat)
Photo by Kevin Walker
A young girl puts her own special touch on a chef's hat over the weekend at an
event held to kick off a series of Charles the Chef storybooks. Several young
people took part in activities at the event Saturday. See story on A5.
Gregory inspires laughter,
thought at NAACP banquet
BYT KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
Dick Gregory told a crowd of several hundred
last Friday that the countless opportunities made
possible by the Civil Rights Movement are often
taken for granted-today by young people not old
enough to remember what it was like before and
old folks who simply choose to forget.
Four decades ago. there were no African
American flight attendants, police chiefs, presi
dential cabinet members, and Black History
Month - even though it's the shortest month of
the year - was unheard of. Gregory said. He
spoke to a packed house at the Adam's Mark
Grand Pavilion for the local NAACP's 2004
Freedom Fund Gala.
Gregory told the crowd that freedom was not
free. It was paid for with the blood and sweat of
Pholo b> Kevin Walker
Sec Gregory on A9 Pick Gregory talks with fans after his speech.
In Grateful Memory of Our
Founders,
Florrie S. Russell and
Carl H. Russell, Sr.
" Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better "
ffiuggcll fflmtgral Motnt
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support
822 Carl Russell Ave.
(at Martin Luther King Dr.)
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 722-3459
Fax (336) 631-8268
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