Community
Calendar
Locals to discuss Africa
Tom LaRock of Safari
Professionals will discuss his
travels to Africa on Saturday,
Feb. 19 from 2-5 p.m. at the
Central Library, MM) W. 5th
St. State Rep. Larry Womble
and Wake Forest Professor
Mary Martin Niepold will
also share their information
about their travels to the con
tinent. The event is spon
sored by VINTAGE '04, a
community based non-profit
organization founded by
Bobby Ray Wilson. For more
information, contact Wilson
at 336-406-5138.
Frederick Douglass
Oratorical Contest
The St. Philips African
American Complex in Old
Salem is sponsoring its first
Frederick Douglass
Oratorical Contest. The con
test is designed to encourage
intellectual thought about
Black History among stu
dents in grades 7-12. The
event will be held Sunday,
Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. Students
will speak on assigned topics
based on grade level. Cash
prizes and certificates will be
awarded. Students who are
interested in entering the
contest may call 336-721
7399 or email cdharry@old
salem.org.
Black women needed for
weight loss study
Wake Forest University
School of Health Sciences is
conducting a three-month
weight loss trial for pre
menopausal African
American women between
the ages of 20-50.
Participants must have a BMI
greater than 30 kg/m2 and a
waist measurement greater
than 35 inches. Participants
will not be eligible if: they
have diabetes; are currently
part of another weight loss
program or weigh more than
350 pounds. Weight loss will
be medically supervised with
a tailored weight loss pro
gram just for each person.
Financial compensation will
be provided for participation.
Call 336-713-7253 or email
divastudy@wfubmc.edu for
more information.
Health and wellness
program
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority,
Inc. will present 'Healthy
Emotions for Total Wellness"
on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 1
p.m. at the Southside Library,
3185 Buchanan St. Dr.
Cherry Chevy Hairston.
director of Psychiatric
Services Center for Child
and Family Health in
Durham, will speak.
WSSU production
The Winston-Salem State
University Theatre
Department will present
"Strange Relationship" on
Feb. 20 at 4:30 p.m. and 7
p.m^on Feb. 21, 22, and 23
in the K.R. Williams
Auditorium on the school's
campus. Andre Minkins
directs the play, which is
written by George Darden.
Tickets are $3 for students,
$4 for faculty, $5 for senior
citizens and $7 for the gener
al public. Proceeds will help
WSSU attend an arts confer
ence in Dallas. Texas next
month.
Photos by Todd Luck
Attendees sort through books at the Isaiah Dejohn Brooks Memorial Book Fair on Saturday.
REMEMBERING ISAIAH
Memory of young murder victim
lives on through book fair
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE '
The life of Isaiah DeJohn Brooks, a 13 year-old whose
2006 murder remains unsolved, was honored Saturday with
a book fair at LaDeara Crest Apartments.
Tracey Maxwell, who helped organize the book fair, said
Isaiah was an avid reader, so a book fair was appropriate to
honor him. The fair also draws attention to the fact that his
killer has yet to be found. Isaiah was fatally shot on Feb. 9,
2006, near the intersection of 25th and
Machine streets.
"It's about public safety, it's about
justice and it's about children,"
Maxwell said of the fair. "It's about the
right to grow up-lsaiah had the right to
grow up."
Maxwell is co-director of Vigils for
Healing, a local nonprofit that holds
vigils for people who are killed in
Winston-Salem. Vigils for Healing has
partnered with Isaiah's family on sev
eral occasions, hosting vigils to draw
attention to his case.
This newest effort was also led by
Vigils for Healing and Isaiah's family,
with help from Winston-Salem State
University's Community Resources
class. Alpha and Omega Church of
Faith and Mt Sinai Full Gospel
Deliverance Church. More than 40 vol
unteers worked before and during the
fair to make it happen. A tremendous
amount of children's books were col
lected from the community to be given
Black
Maxwell
away at the fair.
"We really thought 500 (books) would be a miracle,"
said Maxwell. "...And, really, we're up to 2.500."
The books filled table after table at LaDeara Crest
Community Center. Most of their covers still shone like new
as they were arranged to let each of their colorful covers be
seen. Maxwell said attendees were encouraged to take 10
books each and estimates 1000 books were given away dur
See Book Fair on B2
Barbara Stephenson stands beside a photo of her son, Isaiah
Pat " Mardia " Stepney tells an African fable to an audience of children.
Jenessa Stevenson chats with Officers Richard Workman and C.E. McCoy.
A volunteer mans one of the many tables covered with books at the fair.
Left: Isaiah's
sister, Alice
Stevenson ,
and her
daughter,
Tiara Jordan.
Right: Raja
Huntley reads
a story to
other chil
dren.
FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS (ALL (336) 722-8624
MASTERCARD, VISA AND A M ERIC A N EXPRESS ACCEPT FD