Triangle Tribune

SPORTS Durham Bulls YouthAthletic League VOLUME 13 NO. 19 WEEK OF MAY 1, 2011 ONE DOLLAR THE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE Obama launches black outreach program THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS The Obama administration will reach out to African- Americans in coming months in a campaign to tell blacks about what he is doing for them. A week after announcing his 2012 campaign, Obama sent black senior White House advisors into African- American communities across the U.S. to share stories about how the administration is working to enhance their quality of life. “We’re taking the White House on the road,” Michael Blake, Obama’s director of African- American Outreach, told BlackAmericaWeb. “There are a lot of positive and transforma- tional initiatives to help the African-American community that people are not aware of.” Through the program, the administration looks to reach more than 1 million African- Americans and hold 100 events in black communities across the country throughout the rest of 2011. A new Web site detailing the president’s outreach to these communities has also been created. Blake has already appeared atObama Spelman College and Clark Rodney Ellis (center), vice president of the N.C. Association of Educators, was one of Atlanta University in Atlanta and in black communities in Philadelphia. He also plans to travel to San Jose, Calif., several speakers at a rally Monday in downtown Durham. The group urged citizens to and Chicago. “We’re crisscrossing the country and tak- attend the One Voice rally for public education May 3 at 4 p.m. at the Legislative Building, ing our stories directly to people about how the African- American community is benefiting from the Obama ad- 16 W. Jones St. 'A lot of people don't realize what's going on in the Legislature,' Ellis ministration,” he said. “We’re literally going to people’s said. 'They don't realize the number of jobs that may be cut, the larger classrooms and homes and have direct conversations. We’re getting out of D.C. and approaching our efforts from a community the cut in benefits to teachers. It's getting ugly folks. The legislators haven't made any fi- level.” nal decisions yet, so we must fight for public education.' The outreach comes at a time when unemployment re- See OBAMA./2A Author salutes black men By Sommer Brokaw THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE DURHAM - Black men are often depicted in the media as thugs and absentee fathers. Lori Gibbs is telling a more positive story. Gibbs, married 30 years to Kenneth Gibbs, wrote the book “Yes, I Would Marry Him Again . Wives Salute Their African American Husbands,” a compilation of tributes to strong black men who love their wives and take care of their families. Though her main job is at Genworth Financial in the Triangle as vice president of affordable housing/in- dustry affairs, she said she wrote the book, which was released this year, because she was sick of seeing negative stereotypes of black men in the media. “I’m so tired of the negative, the brother bashing,” she said. “We’ve forgotten the black man who by far loves his wife. We’re starting to believe it ourselves as a people that there aren’t any good black men. I think we have to create a national conversation, and the only people that are going to change it are black people - starting with black women.” The 172-page book contains over 30 tributes and ex- amines the “Keys to the Marriage Covenant,” which Gibbs refers to as “the three C’s - communication, com- panionship and compatibility” - to demonstrate why love and marriage matter. “Being a black male, it’s awfully nice to read something that’s more positive than the negative, and that’s not to say, individually, that there are no problems,” Kenneth Gibbs said. “But it’s also nice to see so many wives talk about their husbands in such a way, even after years of marriage and ups and downs, if I had to do it over again I would.” A section called “Because You Loved Me . Gone But Not Forgotten,” highlights Taren Washington’s tribute PHOTO/CRAIG ELSTAK to her deceased husband, Robert. The high school sweethearts were married 30-plus years. Members of the Shaw football team help remove some of the debris called by tornado “I still believe there are great men out there, but you damage. The university was forced to cancel classes. have to be willing to find them, and, in the process, See AUTHOR/2A Neighbors aid tornado-hit HBCUs By Sommer Brokaw ganized the event. touched me.” campus very close to ours, and they were affected by THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE “While the administration Wanda Goodman, volun- is trying to do what they teer coordinator and assis- the tornado and we were can, they have so much else tant to dean of students, spared, so we saw an oppor- RALEIGH - A tornado that tunity to help out there,” swept through Shaw to focus on, and if you can helped coordinate the event. get someone else to help “I’m an alumni of Shaw. It said senior Chandler University, wreaking havoc was an overwhelming expe- Thompson, NC State’s stu- to the point classes were clean up, that’s a plus,” Scott said. “I wanted to let stu- rience for me how the com- dent body president. canceled for the remainder Marc Newman, St. Aug’s of the semester, has past. dents know that, yes, school munity came together and is over, but that doesn’t helped in our time of need,” vice president for institu- Now, the cleanup begins. tional advancement, and Five days after the torna- mean the works stops.” she said. A construction crew Mechanics & Farmers Bank President Dianne Boardley do hit Shaw’s campus, hun- Suber were driving back dreds of people from across chopped down trees and has set up a disaster relief volunteers cleaned away fund. Tax-deductible contri- from the funeral of alumnus the state came together for Charles Mosee in a Shaw University Clean-Up campus debris for three butions can be sent to: Shaw hours. University, Disaster Relief Washington, D.C., when they Day. found out about the torna- “What we’ve seen so far, “It was definitely heart- Fund, Mechanics & Farmers warming to see so many Bank, 13 E. Hargett St., do. especially because it’s so “We got here about 9 close to home, students are people who love Shaw Raleigh, NC 27601. University,” Scott continued. Shaw sustained the heavi- o’clock, and it just looked just really passionate about like a jungle. It was like you doing something to heal “I’ve been at this school for est damage in comparison three years now, mostly to nearby N.C. State and were riding into the their community,” said Saint Augustine’s College, Amazon,” Newman said. “It PHOTO/GIBBS Ethan Harrelson, president meeting other students from Shaw, but to see people which have since resumed was pitch black. Pulling in of N.C. State University’s front of the driveway, all Student Senate. from the community who classes. Kenneth and Lori Gibbs have been married know about Shaw who cared “We decided to support Courtney Scott, Miss Shaw See COMMUNITY/2A for over 30 years. University Elect 2011-12, or- enough to come out, it them because it’s a college Former Indianapolis coach Tony Call us: 919-688-9408 or fax 919-688-2740 Index E-mail: [email protected] Dungy says ‘faith’is an action word. Editorial 4A Sports 1B Focus 6A Classifieds 5B www.triangletribune.com Arts & Life 5B Religion 6B Remember to recycle 2A NEWS/ThThee Triangle Tribune May 1, 2011 Community aids tornado-struck HBCU’s Continued from 1A With downed historic trees Bank, 4270 The Circle at fundraiser to raise $10,000 our campus and, sadly, Raleigh is a community, and up to 200 years old, dam- before the end of N.C. some of our neighboring it’s important that we re- you could see is downed North Hills, Raleigh, NC aged buildings with original 27609. Gifts may also be State’s exams in mid-May. universities were heavily im- spond as one in our efforts trees and glass and wires. slate roofing and damage to The money will go towards pacted by the tornado,” jun- to rebuild.” “We got hit hard. In some sent to the Office of the stained glass in the Institutional Advancement the university’s students, ior Arialle Crabtree said in For more information on circles we were criticized chapel, the college is work- faculty and staff directly af- an emailed response. the campaign, visit for coming back and open- and Development, 1315 ing on restoring the campus Oakwood Avenue, Raleigh, fected by the tornado, as “‘Universities United: http://students.ncsu.edu/u ing on the next Tuesday, but to its historic beauty. well as the relief efforts at Supporting Our State’ was niversitiesunited/. I think it showed wherewith- NC 27610. Those interested in giving Thompson said over the Shaw and St. Augustine’s. formed with the intention al of a small HBCU to kind to its Recovery and “N.C. State students real- that it would unite students of dust itself off, and get up next three weeks they will Restoration Fund may send be running an Exam Cram ize how truly fortunate we from Shaw, St. Augustine’s and fight back.” donations to: North State were to escape damage to and State in this relief effort.

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