Common to speak
at commencement
for WSSU grads
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONiri F
Award-winning recording artist and
actor Common will be the speaker for
Winston-Salem State University's 2015
commencement on Friday, May 15, at 9:45
ajn. in Bowman Gray Stadium.
"We are extremely fortunate to have
Common as our commencement speaker
considering his recent accomplishments,
both as a musician and an actor," said
Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson. "While
he has been performing for more than 20
years, he certainly has hit another level in
his career. More importantly, he continues
to strive to inspire young people to take
advantage of all the opportunities they are
presented and to work diligently to fulfill
their individual potential.
I know he will have a message that will
have a positive impact on our graduates
and I also know how excited they are to
have him be a part of their commencement
ceremony."
A two-time Grammy Award winner.
Common won the 2015 Academy Award
and the 2015 Golden Globe Award for best
original song for his work with John leg
end on "Glory" from the film "Selma," in
which he co-starred as 1960s civil rights
movement leader James Bevel.
Also one of the country's leading hip -
hop artists, he debuted in 1992 with the
album "Can I Borrow a Dollar" and gained
notable mainstream success through his
work with the Soulquarians.
Common earned his first Grammy
Award in 2003 for best R&B song for
"Love of My Life" with Erykah Badu and
his second Grammy for best rap perform
ance by a duo or group for "Southside"
which featured Kanye West.
In addition to his recent appearance in
" S e 1 m a ,"
Common will
star in the
soon-to-be- J
released!
"Run All I
Night" with I
Liam Neeson. I
He made his I
major movie I
debut in 2007 I
as villainous ?
mob enforcer
Common
Sir Ivy in "Smokin' Aces" and appeared
alongside Denzel Washington in
"American Gangster." His other film
credits include "Wanted." "Street Kings,"
'Terminator Salvation" and the comedy
"Date Night."
Common is the founder of the
Common Ground Foundation, a nonprofit
that exposes underservedTnner-city young
people to new opportunity through the cre
ative arts.
Over the past 12 years, the organiza
tion has broadened its focus also to include
mentoring, a summer camp and creating
job-training experiences for youth
throughout the City of Chicago,
Common's hometown. Last year, the
Foundation hosted its inaugural Spring
Youth Business Conference to provide stu
dents with job readiness skills.
Also launched in 2014 was the
AAHH! FEST hosted by Common, a one
day community-wide musical celebration
that also provides a variety of job-related
experiences for students.
The Common Ground Foundation has
been recognized by CNN Heroes and BET
Hip Hop Awards as a philanthropic organ
ization doing great work in urban commu
nities.
Pictured in the photo from left to right: Dan Ozimek, Emergency Services
Director; Daren Ziglar; Brent Motsinger; Amelia Griffin; Mark Johnson;
Christopher Davis; Timothy Whicker; Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry;
Herbert Swaim; and Russell Gentry.
Forsyth County fire and EMS receive
distinguished SHARP awards from N.C.
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
N.C. Labor
Commissioner Cherie
Berry presented the presti
gious SHARP award to the
Emergency Services divi
sions at the County
Commissioners meeting
Thursday, March 12.
The SHARP award
(Safety & Health
Achievement Recognition
Program) recognizes
employers with exemplary
safety and health programs
and who have maintained
injury/illness rates below
the national average.
The SHARP award is
an exceptional achieve
ment for these employees
who perform some of the
most difficult and chal
lenging work there is, said
Commissioner Berry.
Forsyth County Fire and
EMS have joined an elite
group of public sector
employers. Our EMS
Department is the first in
North Carolina to achieve
this status and the Fire
Department is one of only
six others in the state.
Commissioner Berry
praised the Emergency
Services Department for itf
exceptional public service
and recognized them as a
model public sector agency
in North Carolina.
The Commissioner
presented SHARP plaques
to the Fire Division, EMS
Station 8, EMS Station 6,
and the EMS stations in
Clemmons and
Kernersville. She also
presented the SHARP Flag
to the two divisions.
Mayor seeks applicants for boards and commissions
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Mayor Allen Joines is accepting applications from city residents interested in serving
on the following boards and commissions:
?Human Relations Commission (1 opening)
? Public Assembly Facilities Commission (5 openings)
?Zoning Board of Adjustment (3 openings)
Applications must be received by April 10.
The application form, along with descriptions of the boards, is available through the
Boards and Commissions link at Mayor.CityofWS.org, or by calling the Mayor's Office
at 336-727-2058.
Applications may be faxed to the Mayor's Office at 336-748-3241 or mailed to P.O.
Box 2511, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102. For more information call the Mayor's Office.
Winston-Salem promotes 'Everyone Matters Day'
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The city Human Relations Commission is joining with local advocacy groups
to promote "Everyone Matters Day" in Winston-Salem on Thursday, April 2.
Members of the commission, along with representatives of the Hispanic League,
Interfaith WS, Equality Winston-Salem, the Winston-Salem Youth Advisory Council,
North Star LGBT Community Center, the College Advisory Board, Winston-Salem
Urban League Young Professionals and Winston Under 40 will be distributing locally
designed "Everyone Matters" stickers to promote inclusiveness and acceptance.
Everyone Matters Day is a worldwide movement founded by journalist and
social entrepreneur Heath Cliff Rothman that seeks to bring together local governments,
celebrities and the public at large in order to help people embrace inclusiveness and tol
erance.
George Catlin's American Buffalo is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum in collaboration with
the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Generous support for the exhibition has been
provided by Mary Anne and Richard W. Cree, and Lynn and Foster Friess. Additional support for the exhibition
and the publication was provided by the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment Fund and the Smithsonian Council
for American Art. Support for Treasures to Go, the Museums traveling exhibition program, comes from The C.F.
Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia.
8 FIRST Reynolda House is grateful for the generous support of George Catlin's American Buffalo
TENNESSEE from Major Sponsor First Tennessee Bank.
Detail: George Catlin, Buffalo Bull, Grazing on the Prairie, 1832-1833, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American
Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
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