The Chron
Vol. XXXVII No. 39 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, May 26, 2011
Atkins
to induct
new HOF
members
-See Page BH
Women
honored
by local
YWCA
-See Pat>e A3
Students
prepare
for trip to
France
?See Page A9
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Wedded Bliss
The crowd cheers as Dr. Sir Walter Mack Jr. takes the hand of his new wife, him Romaine Bush, after their wed
ding ceremony on Saturday at St. Peters Church and World Outreach Center. See more images from the lavish affair
on pages B1 and B2,
Photo by Daryl Shaw
Keith Grandberry pres
ents a vase to Maya
Angelou in appreciation
of her support.
Urban
League
salutes
Angelou
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
The Winston-Salem Urban
League wrapped up an
unprecedented week of events
on May 20 with an elegant
celebration honoring
renowned poet and author Dr.
Maya Angelou and others at
Forsyth Medical Center's
Conference Center.
The "I am the Urban
League Equal Opportunity
Day Celebration." which was
sponsored by the Medical
Center, served as the culmina
tion of the organization's
first-ever Equal Opportunity
Week, which included the rib
bon cutting ceremony for
Quality of Life Institute, the
Urban League's satellite
office, on May 18 and its
Eighth Annual' WSUL Golf
Tournament on May 19.
"It is important to me that
we make a difference," said
Urban League CEO and
See UL on A9
Photo by Lay la Farmer
WFU employees pose for a photo after completing work at Group Homes.
Deacs roll up their sleeves
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
In lieu of a trip to the bowling alley or a trek to a
remote locale, the staff of Wake Forest University's
Athletics Department used its annual team-building
exercise to support of the United Way's Day of
Service.
"We did a strategic plan about a year ago and this
was an idea that came out of a subcommittee,"
explained Mike Odom, assistant athletic director for
Marketing and Special Projects. "We thought it
would be a great opportunity to give back to the com
munity and still accomplish the goal of getting clos
er as a staff."
Four United Way partner agencies benefitted from
the altruistic spirit of the Demon Deacons, who vol
unteered from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on May 18 before
adjourning to Gene Hooks Field, the school's baseball
park, to take part in a departmental cookout and
games. Experiment in Self Reliance, Group Homes
See WFU on A10
?^ARTSW
COUNCIL
Photo by Layla Farmer
Bryant Hernandez is hoping to
change the face of theater in
Winston-Salem.
Entering
Ik Digital
Age
Former technology novices
take home computers
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Graduates of a program that helps those
with little computer skills get more tech
savvy will get a lot more practice with the
refurbished computers that many of them
took home last week.
Connect
Your
Community
(CYC) pro
vides a series
of skills class
es for local
people who
don't own
computers .
The program
is offered
through a
partnership
between
WinstonNet, a
local nonprof
it dedicated to
bridging the
digital divide,
and Winston
Photo by Todd Luck
Louise Patrick-Austin
takes home her desk
top computer.
aaJem/rorsyth Lounty schools. It s fund
ed by a federal Broadband Stimulus
Program grant that also funds CYC's
seven-member staff, which includes five
instructors. CYC's goal is to train and get
1,750 adults online by May 2012. when
the grant ends.
Courses - which are offered at places
such as schools. Goodwill centers and
libraries - cover the basics and even things
such as searching the Internet and using the
online video chat program Skype. Those
who complete the program are offered the
opportunity to buy desktop or laptop com
puters at greatly discounted prices. CYC
also helps graduates find an affordable
Internet provider.
CYC Program Supervisor Cathy
Davidson said bridging the digital divide is
becoming increasingly urgent.
"If you are not connected to the Internet
in five years you're going to be disconnect
ed from society in many ways," said
Davidson.
About 350 people have graduated from
CYC and nearly 100 of them picked up
their computers at the WS/FCS Education
Building on Bethania Station Road last
Friday.
See Computers on A5
A New Voice
Theater company puts focus on Latino community
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Two decades ago, city resident Bryant Hernandez says
theater saved his life. Now, he hopes to pay the good
deed forward to those in the local community, through
Theatre on Common Ground (TOCG), a fledgling profes
sional theater company that seeks to foster understanding
and respect across social and ethnic lines through the art
of drama.
"Theatre on Common Ground pretty much started
because there was nothing (like it) for the Latino com
munity," Hernandez explained. "1 didn't want to create
something that was just for the Latino community, that's
why Theatre on Common Ground is a very multicultural
professional theater company."
Hernandez, a San Diego native and 2010 graduate of
the University of North Carolina School of the Arts,
says his love affair with theater began in high school
when Teatro Meta, a theater outreach program for
Hispanic youth, drew his attention towards the stage and
See TOCG on A 10
Photo by Shelby Panttaia
"C onfessions
" cast mem
bers (top
from left)
Ruth de la
Garza,
Olivia Elias
(bottom)
Jordan
Frazier and
Rocia Terry.
Spend it here.
Keep it here.
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