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1 HE CHRQN it:
Vol.XXXVIII No.46 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, July 12,2012
Black YW
employees
unhappy
with changes
African Americans taking
backseat under new YWCA
leadership, some say
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
The YWCA of Winston-Salem is well
known for its mission of "Eliminating Racism,
Empowering Women," but some African
American employees say that the agency has
stopped practicing what it preaches.
Respess
Corpening
C I !.'
Since longtime CEO
Florence Corpening, one
of two black women who
have led the agency,
retired last month and
was replaced by Christy
Respess, The Chronicle
has received a barrage of
complaints about
changes at the YW.
A series of anony
mous letters sent to the
paper claim that Respess,
a city native and former
member of the YWCA
Board of Directors, is
systematically stripping
African American
employees of their
authority in favor of
white male employees
with much less seniority.
"It's very racially
tense. Lines are being
drawn; camps are being
i i:i 4L..> i :?
lumicu. 11 s never, ever oeen iixc inai, anu u
can't be with the mission that we have," said
one employee, who spoke to The Chronicle on
the condition of anonymity.
Respess admitted that the organization
"shifted some responsibilities," but said the
changes were made in an effort to further the
agency's mission and reach. She claims the
changes were recommended by an external
third-party assessment that was conducted more
than a year before she was hired.
"There were no promotions, no demotions,
no changes in levels or salary. It was truly just
aligning ourselves for growth," said the former
Hanesbrands executive. "...There are a couple
See YWCA on A8
Carver has new strict dress code
BY LAYLAGARMS
THE CHRONICLE .
Carver High School students will spend less time deciding what to
wear this coming school year.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board
of Education voted last month to approve
school leaders' request to adopt a Standard
Mode of Dress for all students, making Carver
and Atkins the only two local public high
schools with such a dress code.
Students will be required to wear khaki or
black slacks, shorts or knee length skirts (form
fitting skirts are prohibited) at the hipbone
with a belt and with a gold, royal blue, white,
black or khaki knit polo or golf shirt. Logos
are prohibited, except for clothing bearing the
Travis
school s insignia. Similar restrictions apply to coats, jackets and other I
outerwear.
Assistant Principal Robin Willard began advocating for a dress I
code shortly after joining the school's administrative team last fall.
See Ctfrver on A8
l
Photo b\ Layla Farmer
The sign outside of Carver High informs students and others of the
impending dress code changes.
ALL JMEM(Oi\K? FAMILY
Phow? by La\ la Ganm
Affina Sedjro (third from the left) proudly displays a certificate declaring her an American citizen. Also pictured are her husband
Koffi Lougou (second from left), their children Solomon Lougou, 13, Blessing Lougou, 4, Delali, 16, and Eli, 25, daughter-in-law
Sierra Rondon (second from right) and granddaugher Alexia.
Democrats returning to polls for Second Primary
BY LAYLAGARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Two Democrats are facing off in a Second
Primary for the chance to challenge N.C.
Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry in
November.
John C. Brooks and Marlowe Foster were
the top two finishers in the three-man primary
election in May. The second primary is allowed
because neither Brooks nor Foster garnered at
least 40 percent of the vote, explained Lamar
Joyner, deputy director of the Forsyth County
Board of Elections. Only Democratic and unaf
filiated voters who voted in the Democratic pri
mary in May are eligible to vote this primary,
which will be on Tuesday, July 17. Early voting
is going on now at the Forsyth County
John Brooks
Marlowe Foster
Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St., where
the Board of Elections is housed, and will con
clude Saturday - the only weekend voting day
of the Second Primary. On July 17, voters can
cast ballots at their regular precincts.
Brooks and Foster are the only names on
the Democratic ballot. Republican voters will
decide runoff races for Lieutenant Governor.
Commissioner of Insurance. Secretary of State
and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Joyner said. Only Republican or unaffiliated
voters who voted using the GOP primary ballot
are eligible to vote in those races.
Foster, director of Government Affairs for
Pfizer Inc., said he requested the runoff because
the race was so close. He trailed Brooks, a
native of Greenville, by about 35,000 votes
after the primary; about 780.000 N.C. residents
voted in that race.
"We got 33 percent of the vote the first time
out. That is incredible," said Foster, a native of
See Labor on A8
Push to drive business out of politics draws attention
Photos by Todd Luck
Occupy
Winston
Salem's
Thomas
Line bach (left)
and Tom
Garner (right)
and Debra
Demske and
Tony Ndege (in
picture to the
far right) hold
signs along
Fourth Street.
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Democracy North Carolina took aim at the influence that money
has in politics last Friday in Downtown Winston-Salem.
The organization - which bills itself as a non-partisan body that
advocates for issues like public campaign finance reform and early
voting - kicked off its "We the People: Truth Tour" at Civic Plaza,
which sits at the intersection of Fourth and Trade streets. The event
was held in conjunction with the Occupy Winston-Salem movement
in response to the controversial U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United
ruling that reaffirmed the rights of corporations to spend unlimited ,
amounts of money in political campaigns. The Court based its ruling
on the idea that corporations are people and to restrict their political ,
expenditures would deny them their First Amendment right to polit
ical speech. Critics say the ruling gives corporations even more
Sec Tour on A3 |
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