The catalyst that is spurring the success of Atkins CDC
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
In 2001 Carol Davis was
chosen to lead an up-and-com
ing community development
cooperation that was geared to
ward pumping new life into the
neighborhoods that border Win
ston-Salem State University, the
S.G. Atkins Community Devel
opment Corporation. While a lot
has changed over the years, the
mission of S.G. Atkins CDC has
remained the same and Davis
has been the catalyst behind it.
Davis said before taking the
reins of the CDC, she and her
husband ran an organization
called COBI (Coalition of Black
Investors), where they traveled
the country hosting financial
literacy conferences. She said
the goal of the organization was
to teach minority communities
how to invest.
“My husband is a financial
planner so through his work we
got excited about helping people
save and invest,” Davis said.
“We held a conference in D.C.
and we had a lot of the big in
vestors come and talk and it was
really exciting, so we started do
ing more. We went to Atlanta,
Houston ... we did one in Chi
cago, Milwaukee. I really en
joyed doing it and we were able
to get the support of mutual fund
companies and some publically
traded companies who wanted to
get the word out.”
After hearing about the suc
cess of COBI, Bill Turner, who
was serving as the CEO of S.G.
Submitted photo
Carol Davis
Atkins at that time, reached out
to Davis and asked if she would
be interested in the position. A
few weeks later Turner intro
duced Davis to former WSSU
Chancellor Dr. Harold Martin
and the rest is history. “I was in
terim at first until they finished
the search and I was chosen to
stay,” David continued.
“We immediately started
working on a strategic plan
and laying the groundwork for
what we have today. And the
first money we got was to build
houses on Excelsior Street near
Union Station. We built four
new homes on that street and re
habbed three on that street, and
all for homeownership.”
In 2005, Davis led the way
for homes to be built on 10th
Street. Just before the housing
crisis in 2008, they were able
to invest in Ridgewood Place,
where they have built nearly 30
homes. When all 130 lots are
completed, Ridgewood Place
is expected to generate a yearly
property tax of $500,000.
Davis was also the catalyst
for The Enterprise Center, which
offers start-up and emerging
companies office space and ex
ceptional level of support from
the business professionals and
organizations, as well as faculty
from WSSU.
Today the Enterprise Center
is home to S.G. Atkins’ Cen
ter for Home Ownership, the
Shared Use Kitchen, community
gardening space, and more than
40 minority-owned businesses.
The Enterprise Center also has
space that can be rented to host
events and programs.
Davis said at times it has
been hard, but helping people
reach their homeownership and
entrepreneurial goals has been
worth the risk and time invest
ment.
“I’ve come to realize this
type of work takes time because
everything has to align just right
before something happens,” she
said. “It’s hard sometimes to
take the risks. You just have to
be aggressive, step out and take
some chances.”
She said just the possibil
ity of being able to help some
one reach their goals keeps her
coming back every day. “That is
motivating enough ... trying to
close the gap on those disparities
is what motivates me.
“As I’ve said before, when
you ride downtown you can see
where investment has come. You
ride through old neighborhoods
like Ardmore, an old neighbor
hood, but the houses are in good
shape and it’s all about that
money flowing through and I
just love the challenge of trying
to do that work in our communi
ties as well.”
When discussing the future
of S.G. Atkins, Davis said they
are currently laying the ground
work for several new projects
including the construction of
new homes in the East Winston
community near Forsyth Sea-
food, expansion of the mixed
use Shared Use Kitchen, new
business education courses, and
a new co-working space that
will allow business owners to
rent space inside the Enterprise
Center at a cheaper rate than the
private offices.
“We’re trying to listen, be
responsive, and try to attract
investment,” Davis said. “Five
years from now we’d love to see
some storefronts and possibly
revamp the East Winston Shop
ping Center with local busi
nesses and investors. I’d like to
see more local ownership of the
properties in East Winston rather
than have outside investors own
ing so much of the neighbor
hood, because then they’re not
responsive and they don’t have
the same commitment.”
For more information on the
S.G. Atkins Community Devel
opment Cooperation visit http://
www.sgacdc.org/about.html.
NFL hires first Black woman referee
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
Maia Chaka knows well that Women’s History
Month is all about commemorating, observing, and cel
ebrating the vital role of the fairer sex in American folk-
lore.
She just didn’t know she would become a part of that
history.
After years of officiating games in the Pac-12,
Conference USA, and the NFL’s Officiating Develop
ment Program, Chaka will head to the NFL in the fall.
When she takes the field in September, the Norfolk State
University graduate and health and physical education
teacher will do so as the first Black woman to work as a
referee in the NFL.
She’ll also be just the second woman to wear the
zebra stripes. Sarah Thomas, who worked last month’s
Super Bowl, is the other.
“This is a funny thing. I was actually at home and I
was playing NBA2K with my nephew online because
that’s what I like to do at night,” Chaka told NNPA
Newswire just hours after an appearance on NBC’s “To
day” show.
“Then, I received a phone call at around 9:15 p.m.
[March 4], and I just dropped everything I was doing.
The next thing I know, I’m getting told ‘Welcome to the
National Football League,’” Chaka exclaimed.
Did she think it was for real?
“I just jumped up and threw everything off my lap. I
thought I was being punked because I didn’t believe it at
the time. But it was true,” she remarked.
Troy Vincent, an African American and the NFL’s
second-in-command behind Commissioner Roger
Goodell, celebrated Chaka’s appointment.
“Maia’s years of hard work, dedication, and perse
verance - including as par to the NFL Officiating Devel
opment Program - have earned her a position as an NFL
official,” Vincent declared. “As we celebrate Women’s
History Month, Maia is a trailblazer as the first Black fe
male official and inspires us toward normalizing women
on the football field,” Vincent concluded.
Chaka told NNPA Newswire that she expects coach
es and players to treat her the same as any other official.
“I think the coaches just want a good official who is
going to get the play right,” Chaka stated. “And I think
MAM CHAKA
• unE)UDG£ . .
First African-American female official in NFL
x Officiating since 2007
. High School teacher for at-risk youth
they just want consistency. I hope they do not hold us to
a different standard [than men] because we are all offi
cials at the end of the day. It does not matter what gender
we are. We are all wearing the same uniform.”
The importance of her historic promotion isn’t lost
on Chaka.
“It’s an honor to join the National Football League,”
commented Chaka, who works with at-risk girls in Vir
ginia. “I just want young girls of color - young women
- to know that if you have a drive for something, don’t
let anything hold you back just because you think some
thing may give you some limitations. Work hard and fol
low your dreams.”
Her promotion to the big league also demonstrates
to women of color that they can work and succeed in a
male-dominated field, Chaka said.
“As long as you put in the work and you are funda
mentally sound in anything that you do, you know you
will reach your goal,” Chaka offered.
“I think it’s important that they see the representation
in these fields.”
Asked if she would switch from playing NBA2K
with her nephew and challenge him to Madden Football,
Chaka demurred.
“No, he couldn’t handle me on Madden,” she re
torted.
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