Triangle Tribune’S 2012 Mother of the Year
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Black vote helps marriage amendment pass By Sommer Brokaw likely to know somebody who is gay, more likely to be against the hands of the state. It sets a precedent, unheard of in North [email protected] the amendment. In the much more rural areas, more socially con- Carolina, to allow a majority to vote to curtail the rights of a mi- servative people turned out at a higher rate and voted in favor of nority.” RALEIGH – A referendum to pass a constitutional amendment it.” “The interesting thing was the state NAACP worked against the on marriage in North Carolina that garnered national attention Cobb also said the black vote was instrumental in helping the amendment, while African-Americans on average were in favor got the votes it needed on May 8 to become law. amendment pass. “African-Americans are socially conservative of it,” Cobb said. “It didn’t necessarily impact how African- Thirty states already passed similar amendments banning gay on a lot of issues despite voting majority democratic,” he said. “I Americans overall were perceiving the amendment in the state.” marriage. The vote makes North Carolina the last state in the doubt turnout among black voters was particularly high. It just N.C. Central political science professor Jarvis Hall agrees. “I can South to pass a constitutional amendment of this type. fell in line with being in favor of the amendment.” only speculate, but there appears to be a strong tide in the black Voters statewide showed their support by a margin of 61 per- However, the state NAACP released this statement: “We expand- community in favor of this amendment and for biblical slash cent to 39 percent, clashing with the majority of the Triangle area ed the right to vote for freed slaves, for women, for young peo- moral reasons, and I would argue not looking at other implica- and Mecklenburg County voters who voted against the amend- ple. This is the first such discriminatory amendment to be passed tions of this amendment,” he said. “But being from the south- ment. in the N.C. Constitution except for an amendment in 1875 that eastern part of the state and rural part of the state, I certainly un- “I don’t think anything about this vote overall is surprising,” outlawed interracial marriage. But this trick Amendment revers- derstand the sentiments people expressed through their convic- said Michael Cobb, a political science professor at N.C. State. “The es the noble trend of constitutional amendments. It curtails fam- areas that are more urban, more socially liberal, people are more ily rights. It places a matter of conscience and personal belief in See BLACK/2A SPORTS Black Knights de- feat Lyons Park in Little League play. VOLUME 14 NO. 22 WEEK OF MAY 13, 2012 $1.00 THE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE Logan ECDI reaches appointed implement phase Hillside’s By Sommer Brokaw [email protected] new DURHAM – East Durham Children’s Initiative, a pipeline of serv- ices established to assist children in a 120-block area in east Durham, began full implementation this year. principal “We’ve been in the planning phase for about three years now,” Director David Reese said. “In that phase, we’ve been planning and strategizing with the east Durham community as well as a whole host of other providers. We have 20 different partners, By Sommer Brokaw about 40 different interventions, but the short of it is we work [email protected] with families with kids as well as community, and use our high- DURHAM-WilliamLogan,afor- quality, evidenced-based interventions to move along their jour- mer principal of Hillside New ney to college and career.” Tech, officially became the new The EDCI launched in 2009 and is modeled after the Harlem permanent principal of Hillside Children’s Zone’s program that offers a continuum of services to High earlier this month. Logan support children on their path to post-secondary education. had been Hillside’s interim prin- Jan Williams, program director for the Center for Child and Family Health, said they started getting families for the Healthy cipal since early February. He re- PHOTO/BONITTABEST placed Hans Lassiter who as- Families Durham project in January. “The program has been sumed the position of interim Elder Blanche Lyons (holding plaque) with members of her extended family, l-r: Zyhiel, around about 17 years in Durham, but this is the first time we’ve principal on special assignment. Frances, Barbara (white), Eric, Samantha and Dayvion, at the Strengthening the Black ever targeted a neighborhood like we’re targeting now, which is Superintendent Eric Becoats Family luncheon. only 120 blocks, so it’s really a very focused program, ” she said. moved Logan over to Hillside af- Healthy Families Durham is part of a national program provid- ter three input sessions with fac- ing voluntary weekly home visits for parents who are either preg- ulty,staff,parents,residentsand nant or have a baby under 3 months old. Williams said many of students. Garner mother takes the families they serve have financial stresses, which have got- Logan,wholastschoolyearled ten worse in the last few years. Hillside New Tech to a 100 per- “We’re really providing them with the support and education cent graduation rate, said he is they need so that they have a safety net underneath them, so they looking forward to leading can both be good parents and continue on with their own goals,” in brother’s children she said. “I think when you see parents that are enjoying parent- Hillside High. “I think me having served as ing and you see a positive parent-child interaction form, and then an assistant principal here has By Sommer Brokaw They were trying their best so that they could you see the child developing on a really healthy trajectory, all of helped out tremendously prior [email protected] take care of them once they get better. those things come together. It’s very satisfying to see families de- to me going to New Tech, and “I wanted them to understand that their par- veloping in a healthy way.” me working the interim position GARNER - Elder Blanche Lyons is honored to be ents loved them and wanted to make sure they The money to focus the home visiting program in east Durham here helped with the transition The Triangle Tribune’s 2012 Mother of the Year. were well enough that they could take care of is part of a $2.2 million federal grant to the N.C. Division of Public aswell,soitwasn’tlikeIwasjust “It means a lot to me,” Lyons said. “It lets me them.” Health to implement the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood thrown in,” he said. “I’m excited know that the work that I’ve done has not gone Lyons said her brother has been clean now for Home Visiting Program. “And we’re just fortunate Durham was about the opportunities that it unappreciated, and sometimes it’s good to know a year and a half and stays in contact with his one of the funded programs in North Carolina,” Williams said. “I presents for the school commu- that people think highly of you.” children. “Right now, he’s feeling more think we got the grant really because of the high needs in this nity as a whole.” Lyons, who has a son, took in her comfortable to sort of resolve some 120 block area in east Durham.” Logan said his first short-term brother’sfourdaughtersasheand oftheissuesthathehaswiththem The East Durham Children’s Initiative has also identified three goal is to become familiar with his wife struggled with addic- mentally so he can have a re- target schools in the 120-block area, including Y.E. Smith the students, teachers and par- tion. Social workers had re- ally solid relationship,” she Elementary that feeds into Neal Middle School, and then Southern ents, and to build those relation- ceived some complaints, said. “He knows it’s not go- High School. ships. Second, he wants to be- and the children were in ingtobeadaddyrelation- At the beginning of the school year, the EDCI started its parent danger of going into fos- come more acclimated towards ship, but he knows he See ECDI/2A what’s actually going on at the ter care. has to befriend them. school. And third, he plans to “I called and talked He must be strong comb through the data to create with the social worker enoughtostandonhis long-term goals. inTennesseeandtold own, and he’ll know “One thing I know is a long- them rather than the that it’s time.” Scholars bemoan term goal already is working on statetakingthemand Lyons received a our instructional practices,” he splittingthemupand Bachelor of Arts de- said. “Another would be trans- wedidn’tknowwhere gree from Shaw forming our school’s culture. they were, that I University, and has ‘unconscious bias’ “I just think it’s important that would come and just been involved in the we work diligently in creating an get them,” Lyons said. church and communi- academically stimulating envi- Whenhernieceswere ty for many years. in the U.S. ronment that challenges all stu- 10 months to 4 years While she was raising dents to rise to their potential, old, Lyons became their herchildren,shewasalso SPECIAL TO THE NNPA changing demographics are and within that same kind of en- guardian and reared them worked and traveled for causing tension and fear among vironmenthelpsourchildrenbe- alongwithherson,whowas the N.C. Hunger Coalition. NEWORLEANS–Leadingsocial themajority.“There’sanelement come as well rounded as possi- 8 at the time.