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2710
2755
THURSDAY, February 5, 2009
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Historic Bishop: erase isms'
Hines keynotes celebration of African heritage
Photo by Lay la Farmer
Bishop Mildred Hines speaks from the pulpit in Wait Chapel.
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
On the heels of a celebratory
January, where the
Inauguration of the
nation's first black
president and the birth
day of one of its best
known Civil Rights
heroes were marked
with ' innumerable
occasions and affairs,
the Wake Forest
University School of
Divinity took time to
look back on a period
to honor the struggle of African
slaves in America and the legacy
they left behind.
The observance, held at Wait
Chapel, was led by the
Akoni student group,
which means "valiant
ancestors" in Yoruba.
The group was
formed in response to
then-Divinity School
faculty member Brad
Braxton's transforma
tive trip tolienin, West
Africa. Braxton, who
now serves as senior
minister of New York
Leonard
in American history that isn't so
fondly regarded by most.
A diverse assemblage of stu
dents. alumni and faculty mem
bers from the Divinity School
came together with members of
the community Tuesday morning.
City's famous Riverside Church,
was so moved by what he had
seen in Africa that he implored
the African American students to
find a meaningful way to honor
See Bishop on A4
T win City Idols compete
FOR MEAC STARDOM
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Local singers and per
formers had a chance to
show their stuff Saturday, at
the M.C. Benton Convention
Center.
More than 40 individuals
and groups participated in
the "Got Talent?" auditions,
vying for a chance to per
form at the ME AC (Mid
Eastern Athletic
Competition) Basketball
Tournament next month.
The tournament is slated
to make its Winston-Salem
debut March 10-14 at the
Lawrence Joel Veterans
Memorial Coliseum. The
NCAA Division I tourna
ment is expected to remain
in the Twin City through
2011.
Talented ball players are.
a given when it comes to the
MEAC. says Sonja Stills,
assistant commissioner for
Administration and
Compliance. She wants the
entertainment to be equally
captivating.
"We have a great basket
ball tournament but we also
want to bring that (great)
entertainment into it," she
commented. "We're looking
' C/hwSI)
condj
^-sports. con]
Photo by Layla Farmer
Kennisha Williams sings her heart out before a panel of judges.
for the best of the best."
MEAC officials have
sought out local talent in
nearly all the cities where
the tournament has been
held.
"It's a good way for
somebody to ... get their
name out there and it's a
good way for the ME AC to
bring the community into the
tournament itself," she
explained.
Stills was impressed by
the quantity and the quality
of those who auditioned.
"It's been very well
received ... Winston-Salem
See Talent on A7
I
Mama
Power
Group vows to speak
out against injustice
in the city
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
An attempt to reach out to
Kalvin Michael Smith's fami
ly has turned into a crusade to
help all collateral victims of
crime, with the formation of
the group Mothers for Justice.
Mothers founder and chair
Lyn Warmath-Boyd said it all
began when she saw Sheija
LaGrande, Smith's mother,
speaking on television about
her incarcerated son, who was
convicted of the beating of
i 1 1
Marker,
Smith, has
served
nearly 12
years for
the crime
that he,
and many
in the
communi
ty, say he
d i d n ' t
Warmath -Boyd
commit.
Warmath-Boyd said she
sympathized with LaGrande's
frustration and contacted her.
The two women talked.
Warmath-Boyd, who was an
early board member of the
Darryl Hunt Project for
Freedom and Justice, got
some inspiration on what to
do next from Hunt himself.
Hunt spfent 20 years in jail
for a murder he didn't commit
and now helps ex-offenders
and the wrongly accused
through his Project. He sug
gested that Warmath-Boyd
form a group of women to
champion justice because he
says men have a hard time
looking a woman in the eye if
they're doing something
wrong.
"As mothers, there is a
natural accountability that a
lot of people feel (to us) and
we just began to use that, not
in a confrontational way but
in constructive way," said
-Warmath-Boyd.
The mission of Mothers
for Justice, now just over year
old, is to help the collateral
victims of crime - the fami
lies that suffer when they lose
See Mothers on A 7
1
Film prompts talk about Bible, sexuality
Photo by Layla Farmer
The Rev. David Poteat, Pastor Roger Hayes and the Rev. Carlton
Eversley sit on the panel.
BY LAYLA F ARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Homosexuality and the Bible.
They are two things that many believe have no place
in the same sentence, let alone the same life. But many
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people
beg to differ, maintaining that their sexual preference
has nothing to do with their religious beliefs.
Winston-Salem State University's GSSA (Gay /
Straight Student Alliance) examined the issue head-on
last week with a screening of "The Bible TellvMe So."
Founded late last year, the GSSA student organization
is home to more than 100 members.
"The Bible Tells Me So," which premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival in 2007, explores the perceived
dichotomy between homosexuality and Christianity.
The documentary chronicles the experiences of five
American families as they struggle to come to terms
Sec Film on A12 |_
USHtKINu IN lMt IfcAK
Amaria Walls wails patiently as a volunteer at the
weekend New Year celebration writes her name in
Chinese. Read more about the event on BS.
ir
1
In Memory of
Charlene
Russell Brown
" Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better"
lluasetl Jf utter al Home
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support
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