PURPLE & BLACK
All roads lead to Winston-Salem for a “Marvetastic” time as the city rolls out the purple carpet for the 18th Biennial International Black Theatre Festival, formally known as the National Black Theater Festival from July 29- August 3, 2024.
3 The International Civil Rights Center & Museum held its 2024 Fundraising Gala themed THE ROAD TO EQUALITY on Saturday night at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center.
4 There were high hopes for PHANTOMS, the 1998 chiller based on the best-selling 1983 novel by Dean R. Koontz, who wrote the screenplay himself, having been vocal in his displeasure about previous adaptations, including Watchers (1988) and Hideaway (1995).
6 Concurrently other media pundits were floating names of candidates who could get the Democratic nomination if Biden dropped out and, now that Kamala is the odds-on favorite to take the top spot, those same pundits are floating those same names as POSSIBLE RUNNING MATES FOR HARRIS
7 Don’t let the title dissuade you: ODDITY, the latest film from writer/director Damian McCarthy, is superior scare fare that gives heart to those die-hard horror bu s who thus far this year have already su ered through such innocuous outings as Lisa Frankenstein, The Strangers, and Tarot, to name but a few.
11 As more people began SHELTERING INSIDE THE IRC or on its grounds, nearby (and some not so nearby) business owners and developers began pressuring the city to do something about crime, vandalism, and littering on East Washington Street and environs, with several alleging that IRC clients were defecating or urinating on their property.
12 Greensboro hip-hop artist, cameraman, and Cre8tiv Soul, TRAVIS “SIR PLUS” CARR, is in the running to be “America’s Next Top Hitmaker,” and is looking to the community to help him get there.
visions
Museum honors Civil Rights leaders at annual Gala
The International Civil Rights Center & Museum held its 2024 Fundraising Gala themed The Road to Equality on Saturday night at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center. This annual fundraiser honored six contributors to the civil and human rights movement: Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.; William V. Bell; Heather Booth; Dorothy “Dot” Kendall Kearns; Yvonne Lyons Cooper-Revell; and Frankie T. Jones, Jr.
Bell, who is the former mayor of the City of Durham, received the museum’s 2024 Trailblazer Award. He was elected to the Durham County Board of Commissioners in 1972, where he served for 26 years before he was elected mayor of Durham in 2001, serving for eight terms until 2017. Currently, he serves as the president and CEO of the UDI Community Development Corporation in Durham. He has been recognized with numerous awards including the North Carolina Leadership Award and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
“When we did a tour of the museum it just brought back old memories because I’m old enough, but young enough, to understand what went on. I know what it took to be where we are today.”
Booth, an activist and strategist dedicated to racial and women’s equality, received the 2024 Unsung Hero Award. She’s been a member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Chicago Women’s Liberation Union (CWLU), JANE, and in organizing Freedom Schools in Chicago’s South Side. She has received several awards including the Thomas- Debs Award from the Democratic Socialists of America, the Raphael Lemkin Human Rights Awards from T’ruah, the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and her story is chronicled in the documentary Heather Booth: Changing the World.
“When we organize, we change the world,” Booth said. “We know that when we organize with love at the center we have changed this world, and we will change this world to make this a more just and free world.”
the NAACP, NCNW, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., NARFE, and the Dudley High School National Alumni Association.
Kearns received the 2024 Lifetime Community Service Award. She was the first woman member and chair of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. She promoted the merger of the three school systems in Guilford County, worked to ensure a safe drinking water supply to all citizens, served on the Board of Education, and advocated for the Smart Start program. She’s received several awards including the Outstanding Service Award from the North Carolina League of Women Voters and the Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
“What a magnificent site to stand here and see all the many, many friends and people who have supported greater equality in Guilford County,” said Kearns.
“I’m so thankful that I live in an era where our leadership knows that we are a better nation when we are a nation of equality.”
Jones, received the 2024 Keeper of the Flame Award. He is correctly a member of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners serving District 7 and is an attorney. He has served on the Guilford County Planning Board, the Greensboro Planning and Zoning Commissions, the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority, and the Greensboro ABC. Jones said that it was an honor to go from an attendee as a young boy to an honoree.
“It is an incredible honor to be standing here before you tonight,” he said in his opening remarks. “It’s surreal for me to have sat out there, crawling under the table and not paying attention to now being here. I did pay attention enough to know that I was able to have heroes… that have the most responsibility for the freedoms that we have today.”
Cooper-Revell received the 2024 Sit-In Participant Award as she was a participant from Bennett College who participated in the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins at the Greensboro Woolworth’s building. She had a 37-year tenure in education, earning Teacher of the Year twice in her career, and is a longstanding member of
“It was so frightening. I don’t think anybody can imagine how frightening it really was. There were many times my sister and I had taken our five dollars and gone shopping in Woolworths, passed that counter but could not get a drink. But they took my money. I knew then that something was going to happen,” she told the crowd. “For all of those people who helped us in this movement, we are so grateful.”
Chavis was the keynote speaker for the gala and is an educator, theologian, civil rights leader, and syndicated columnist. He is also the former director and CEO of the NAACP, currently serves as the president of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and is the 2024 Environmental Justice and Racial Equity Fellow at Duke University.
He received the Alston/Jones Award, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum’s highest award which honors
significant contributors to the advancement of civil rights.
“We’ve been through a lot of trouble for freedom, justice, and equality. Quite frankly, tonight in 2024, we’re still going through a lot of trouble for freedom, justice, and equality. I said earlier today if we ever needed a civil rights movement, it’s now,” Chavis said in his opening remarks. “Every time I come to Greensboro and go to the museum I say a little prayer, ‘Lord, help us to get more people with the courage of the Greensboro Four.” It took courage to do what they did 64 years ago. I think we should learn from our history, not necessarily repeat it. We have the power to decide if we are going to be on the road to freedom, justice, and equality”
For more information on the gala, honorees, or the museum, visit www. sitinmovement.org. !
CHANEL DAVIS is the current editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2024
DOORS @ 6:30PM // SHOW @ 7:30PM
It’s time to experience Lee Greenwood’s performance of heartfelt lyrics that have captured the hearts of Americans for the past 40 years. “God Bless the USA” went far beyond what Greenwood expected when he wrote it in the back of his tour bus in 1983. It was also #1 on the pop charts after 9/11. In addition, CBS News voted “God Bless The USA” the most recognizable patriotic song in America. This is an event for families and friends to join and sing along to favorite patriotic and country tunes. Get ready for this special opportunity to enjoy a live event that celebrates the unity and pride in America. heartfelt
Cooper-Revell receiving the 2024 Sit-In Participant Award
Chanel R. Davis
Editor
Fearful memories of Phantoms
There were high hopes for Phantoms, the 1998 chiller based on the best-selling 1983 novel by Dean R. Koontz, who wrote the screenplay himself, having been vocal in his displeasure about previous adaptations, includ-
ing Watchers (1988) and Hideaway (1995), which he so disliked he requested his name be removed from the film’s advertising (!). With a cast of fast-rising stars and headed by the legendary Peter O’Toole, Phantoms was directed by Joe Chappelle, fresh from Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1996), and the cinematographer was Richard Clabaugh, coming o the surprise success of The Prophecy (1995). Both of those films were distributed by
Miramax/Dimension Films, which had scored a massive success with Scream (1996) and was now financing Phantoms Phantoms details the horrific goings-on in the resort town of Snowfield, Colo., with sisters Joanna Going and Rose McGowan discovering the town completely deserted except for a few dead bodies. Local lawmen Ben A eck, Liev Schreiber, and Nicky Katt are soon on the scene but are complete- ly ba ed. The U.S. government dispatches both a crack military unit and an “expert” in the form of Timothy Flyte (O’Toole), a once-celebrated scientist disgraced for his outlandish theories — which may not be so outlandish after all — to Snowfield, where things quickly spiral out of control.
the film, Clabaugh admitted that they never quite achieved it. Executive Producer Bob Weinstein ordered reshoots — more than once — which then extended to other scenes. This served only to increase the film’s budget and continually delay its release. Inevitably, rumors swirled that Phantoms was in trouble, which did not bode well for its critical or financial prospects.
Clabaugh, who dutifully returned for the majority of reshoots, found that the more he came back, the less e ective he thought the movie was becoming. “Some of the endings we came up with were pretty good,” he o ered, “but Miramax didn’t use those.”
“The Prophecy is probably my best film, but Phantoms was my biggest,” said Clabaugh, who came to teach at the UNCSA School of Filmmaking shortly after making his directorial debut in 2000 with the Syfy perennial Python. (Truth in disclosure: Richard Clabaugh is a good friend of yours truly.)
Now, a quarter of a century later, Phantoms has returned — in a Scream Factory/ Shout! Factory “collector’s edition” 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.98 retail) that includes exclusive interviews with Clabaugh and producer Joel Soisson (an old friend of Clabaugh’s whom he worked with several times), theatrical trailer, and TV spot. Director Chappelle, however, opted not to participate, either in an interview or an audio commentary.
Clabaugh can’t speak for Chappelle, “but I don’t think he wanted to revisit it,” he said. “I don’t think it was a happy experience for him.”
On the other hand, for Clabaugh it was. “I’m really proud of it from a technical standpoint,” he said. “I did some of my best work in Phantoms. I loved the people I was working with, and I loved the experience.”
In addition to working again with Soisson and e ects maestros Robert Kurtzman, Greg Nicotero, and Howard Berger at KNB EFX Group, Clabaugh also enjoyed the cast, and not surprisingly the highlight was working with O’Toole, an actor he had long revered, with My Favorite Year (1982) a personal favorite.
“He was fantastic,” Clabaugh said. “An absolute gentleman, a real gem.”
One dilemma that bedeviled the filmmakers was coming up with a spectacular climax, and as much as he liked making
When it came time to reveal the film’s inhuman antagonist — known as the “Ancient Enemy” — the studio commissioned a well-known conceptual artist to design something never-before-seen on screen. Indeed, it never was. He came up with two concepts, both for a significant sum of money, then summarily rejected both. More money. More reshoots.
“It had to be something that created a visceral reaction,” Clabaugh recalled. Instead, it wound up being “an amorphous blob … and amorphous blobs just aren’t frightening.”
In the meantime, the actors were making entire movies in the interims between reshoots. Schreiber appeared in Scream 2 (1997), which was actually released before Phantoms, and A eck — soon to win an Oscar for his Good Will unting screenplay with Matt Damon — filmed Armageddon (1998).
Phantoms was released in January 1998 to a withering reception and was actually bested at the box o ce by the aforementioned Scream 2, Miramax having created its own competition. No one, it seemed, was particularly pleased with the end result, although like so many genre films — especially one with so high-profile a cast — it retains a cult following.
“It’s two-thirds a great movie,” Clabaugh said with a laugh. “I’m glad it’s coming out on 4K and that there’s a demand for it, and I’m glad people are still interested in it. I think it’s the best-looking movie I ever shot, and I loved the experience.”
Richard Clabaugh’s o cial website is https://rclabaugh.com/. !
Mark Burger
Contributor
[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] CREATIVE WELLNESS COMMUNITY DAY IS THIS SATURDAY, JULY 27!
BY ARTS FOR EVERYBODY
Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is one of 18 communities across the United States selected to be part of a national initiative called Arts For EveryBody. The initiative, announced in September 2023 and designed to bring together artists, civic leaders and community health providers to foster healthier communities, will hold events in all 18 communities on Saturday, July 27.
Led by local arts and health leaders, Winston-Salem and Forsyth County’s July 27 event will be held at United Health Centers, located at 2101 Peters Creek Parkway in the Marketplace Mall, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The local July 27 event is called “Creative Wellness Community Day” and will include traditional West African dance and djembe drumming, interactive creative spaces for youth and families, food trucks, and live performances highlighting local artists in a variety of disciplines. Free health screenings will be provided in addition to various health resource vendors, all in celebration of Winston-Salem’s commitment to health and wellness through the arts.
“Arts For EveryBody marks a true breakthrough moment in the relationship between the arts and health in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County and in the other 17 participating communities,” Winston-Salem and Forsyth County’s Arts For EveryBody Program Manager of Events and Production
Stephanie Hurt said. “Three inaugural neighborhoods in our area were identified to participate in the Arts for EveryBody initiative—Happy Hill, Boston Thurmond, and Cleveland Avenue.”
Hurt said Arts for EveryBody identified mental wellbeing as the Winston-Salem and Forsyth County focus, because many in our community experience barriers to accessing physical and behavioral health providers. The July 27 event in Winston-Salem will serve as springboard for future activities focused on mental health and wellness.
Programs in all 18 communities are
being led by local artists, municipal o cials and community health leaders, who are working together to create large-scale participatory arts projects that advance health, equity and community connections. In Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, the key collaborating organizations include five entities: Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County, City of Winston-Salem Neighborhood Services, Forsyth County Health and Human Services, Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and United Health Centers.
“At a moment in time when Americans face acute challenges to their individual and collective wellbeing, Arts For EveryBody will prove how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities,” Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Arts For EveryBody Program Manager for Strategic Planning and Research Issis Kelly Pumarol, MD said. “Arts for EveryBody is a celebration of unity and diversity through the arts. From Winston-Salem to Seattle, from Providence to Honolulu and all across America, the July 27 events will be an outpouring of local joy that brings together people and communities to foster wellbeing and health.”
In addition to Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, other communities that are part of the Arts For EveryBody cohort are Chicago; Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), Chicago; Edinburg, Texas; Gainesville, Fla.; Harlan County, Ky.; Hawai’i Island, Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii; Kansas City, Mo.; Oakland, Calif.; Phillips County, Ark.; Providence, R.I.; Rhinelander, Wis.; Seattle, Wash.; The Bronx, N.Y.; Tucson, Ariz.; Utica, Miss. and Washington, D.C.
Arts For EveryBody is led by One Nation/One Project, a national arts and health initiative designed to activate the power of the arts to help repair the social fabric of America and heal the country’s communities. Participating in the arts reduces stress and loneliness, which are risk factors for a wide range of ailments, including hypertension and heart disease. !
voices Vice President Roy Cooper?
At about 1:45 p.m. this past Sunday, Joe Biden released a statement on social media in which he announced that he was not seeking reelection. A half-hour later he followed his first post with a second one in which he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him. All of this was the result of Biden’s now infamous debate debacle, which raised questions about his mental and physical fitness to serve. And it came after nearly three dozen Democratic lawmakers called for him to get out of the race. Perhaps the final straw was former Speaker Nancy Pelosi telling Uncle Joe that the polls showed he couldn’t beat Trump and that he would hurt down-
ballot candidates in the process.
Biden’s weekend announcement took some folks by surprise, while others wondered why he took so long to bow out, especially with the Democratic Convention less than a month away and the election less than four months away. Now Party leaders and delegates are scrambling to get behind Harris and figure out who their ticket will be. All of this drama could have been avoided if politicians and donors had paid heed to David Ignatius.
and strongly suggested that neither Biden nor Harris could beat Trump. Concurrently other media pundits were floating names of candidates who could get the Democratic nomination if Biden dropped out and, now that Kamala is the odds-on favorite to take the top spot, those same pundits are floating those same names as possible running mates for Harris. Among them are Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina.
orders when he should have sought consensus from his council of state o cers. The lengthy shutdown threw students way behind and caused thousands of small businesses to go out of business, the e ect of which we are still feeling today. And for you Law and Order fans, Cooper shockingly pardoned a number of murderers, including a woman who burned up her grandparents’ house with them in it. On the plus side, some Democrats think a swing state governor like Cooper could help Harris overcome Trump’s current 6-point lead in North Carolina, but don’t bet on it.
Last October I reported on various sources that were calling for President Biden not to run for re-election. Chief among them was Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, who is said to have been one of Biden’s favorite journalists. Ignatius cited early polling
True, Cooper has proven he can win elections, but only by a razor-thin margin the first time around because he threw Pat McCrory under the bus for creating the “Bathroom Bill.” The problem is that McCrory didn’t create the bill and even tried to derail it, but never mind the facts. Cooper also gained both praise and criticism for his handling of the Covid pandemic. Supporters say Cooper helped save lives by closing schools, issuing a stay-at-home order, requiring vaccinations and masks, and enforcing socially distant public gatherings. But the governor acted unilaterally in extending those
With apologies to my own governor, if the Democrats really want to give Trump a run for his money, I think Harris should tap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as her running mate. Whitmer is a capable leader, and she could actually deliver her home state for the Dems. Moreover, an all-female ticket might encourage higher voter turnout at a time when Trump and Vance propose to trample on women’s rights.
Biden did the right thing by stepping aside. Whether his decision bears fruit in November remains to be seen. !
JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.
An urgent call comes to my church phone. It’s from yet another Greensboro resident who’s struggling to make rent. They’re contacting me because they know that we’ll send what we’ve got.
I’m not unique. Clergy all over Greensboro receive these calls.
Greensboro is in a housing crisis. Even if you are personally secure in your housing, it is so natural to su er when your neighbors su er.
The Interactive Resource Center (IRC) has recently expanded from its day-use operations to 24/7 shelter and resources for unhoused people. But our city council is considering delayed or diminished funding due to concerns about trash and other issues.
This would be a terrible mistake.
As people of faith, we are called to love our neighbors. We do so by supporting the IRC with our volunteer e orts
and financial contributions. We will not be an excuse to divert funding from this critical resource in our community. Hear us, and the cries of all those who call our congregations in desperation. The IRC provides crucial support and needs full funding to respond to the suffering that they witness firsthand. Let us love our neighbors. All of them.
Submitted By
• Rev. Sadie Lansdale, Senior Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro
• Rabbi Grace Gleason, Senior Rabbi, Beth David Synagogue
• Rev. Matt Canni -Kesecker, Senior Pastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
• Dr. Daran H. Mitchell, Senior Pastor, Trinity AME Zion Church
• Rev. Wesley Morris, Senior Pastor, Faith Community Church
Jim Longworth
Governor Roy Cooper
Oddity is
stylish shocker well worth seeking out
Don’t let the title dissuade
you: Oddity , the latest film from writer/director Damian McCarthy, is superior scare fare that gives heart to those die-hard horror buffs who thus far this year have already suffered through such innocuous outings as Lisa Frankenstein, The Strangers, and Tarot , to name but a few. It’s an impressive work that puts a nice, refreshing chill on what has been a disappointing summer movie season. Cult status — and likely more — is assured.
Much of the film takes place in a rustic, remote English mansion — what would horror films be without them? — where a year earlier a murder took place. The victim was Dani (Carolyn Bracken), the wife of Ted (Gwilym Lee), an ambitious young psychologist who works at a conveniently nearby asylum. Indeed, the official story is that one of the inmates committed the brutal crime before being convicted and meeting an equally grim fate shortly thereafter.
This hasn’t dissuaded Ted from continuing to live there, more recently with new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton), but with the unexpected arrival of Dani’s twin sister Darcy (also played by Bracken), the terror of the past is about to rear its head again. Darcy, who was rendered sightless by a bout with brain cancer, is the proprietor of an occult bookstore called Odello’s Oddities, and although blind she is clairvoyant, and she is certain that there was more to Dani’s death — much more.
The film’s title derives from a bizarre family heirloom that Darcy has brought with her, a life-sized wooden mannequin that she claims will lead her to the solution. For Ted and Yana, the mere presence of this “item” — whose facial expression appears to have been inspired by Hieronymus Bosch — is unnerving, to say the least. Rest as-
sured, things are only going to get more unnerving, as McCarthy crafts his twisty narrative with assurance and flair, augmented by Colm Hogan’s suitably atmospheric cinematography.
Bracken displays her versatility in her dual role here, crafting two distinctly different personalities in Dani and Darcy. It’s the sort of performance that bodes well for her future and is bound to boost her profile. The characters played by Lee and Menton (in her feature debut) are initially more complex than they appear, and each has the sort of arc that an actor can’t help but thrive on. There’s more to them than meets the eye.
In addition to some real jolts, there are a lot of subtle, seemingly insignificant details in Oddity that add up to something quite impressive, but to divulge them in their entirety would hardly do the film justice. Suffice it to say that the whodunit component and supernatural touches are expertly combined. Oddity is scary, spooky, well acted, and ends with one of the most memorable last shots in any film (in any genre) this year. Just step inside and enjoy the ride. It’s one worth taking. !
Mark Burger
Contributor
[WEEKLY SUDOKU]
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES & MORAVIANS
A Celebration of Cultures
Learn about the Catawba Nation by attending “Catawba History 101.” e program will be presented by members of the Catawba Nation at 2 p.m. and will be followed by a brief cultural dance and song performance. Other activities include a display of North Carolina Native American artifacts from the Lam Museum of Anthropology and informative tours relating to Moravians and their Native American neighbors.
ACROSS
Abolished
Helical shape 16 — Tzu (toy dog)
“General Hospital,” for one
Pre-euro Spanish currency 22 Joking Jay
Marcels hit sung by members of an old German kingdom? 25 “Frozen” heroine
NBC hit since ‘75
Gallery stu
Further down
Bing Crosby hit sung by a skeleton?
“One L” novelist Scott
Munch on
Lift up
Enzyme su x
And the like: Abbr.
[KING CROSSWORD]
It’s all about the Purple and Black: The International Black Theatre Festival descends on the Triad
All roads lead to WinstonSalem for a “Marvetastic” time as the city rolls out the purple carpet for the 18th Biennial International Black Theatre Festival, formally known as the National Black Theater Festival from July 29 - August 3, 2024. The festival
brings more than 130 performances to Winston-Salem’s venues and more than 65,000 theater fans to town and includes a star-studded celebrity gala, a fashion show, theater workshops, film festivals, a midnight poetry slam, and an international vendors market.
The Opening Night Gala will kick o this year’s event with a parade of African drummers and dancers of Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble followed by a procession of more than 25 celebrities of stage, television, and film. According to the organization, a selection of new works, world premiers, and Black classics will be performed by national and international
professional Black theater companies at multiple venues throughout WinstonSalem.
This year the theater will focus heavily on the community with numerous free and family-friendly events throughout the city. There will be free shows focusing on social issues, stage readings, a voter registration drive, historical exhibits, a youth talent showcase, a block party, and more.
“Winston-Salem truly is the city of arts and innovation, not to mention one of the best places to live on the face of the planet,” said Jackie Alexander, artistic director and producer of the IBTF at a June press conference.
“As we planned this first International Black Theater Festival, we actually wanted to turn the focus on community. We partnered with Wake Forest School of Divinity and the Wake The Arts Initiative with generous support from the Henry Luce Foundation to create the Finding Holy Ground Project. We commissioned two shows that examine race, religion, and justice in America — Heritage, and I Am…a Shepherdess. But we also have a week of special events.”
Heritage is written by JuCoby Johnson and directed by H. Adam Harris. The
Chanel R. Davis
Editor
film takes place in the world of a small storefront church in a rapidly changing neighborhood facing the threat of demolition after their beloved pastor/patriarch dies suddenly. After being away for many years, Mahalia (the preacher’s daughter) returns, reopening old wounds and asking a timeless question: “Can you ever really escape your past?” The soundtrack of the film fuses Black gospel hymns and punk rock music.
I Am…a Shepherdess is written by Eljon Wardally and directed by Bianca LaVerne Jones. The film is based at a wedding rehearsal and explores how four women navigate the trials and tribulations of being Black women in America while finding humor and solace within the bonds of their sisterhood. Threatened by an outside incident, they must confront what haunts them in order to heal each other.
The Sportscenter Athletic Club is a private membership club dedicated to providing the ultimate athletic and recreational facilities for our members of all ages. Conveniently located in High Point, we provide a wide variety of activities for our members. We’re designed to incorporate the total fitness concept for maximum benefits and total enjoyment. We cordially invite all of you to be a part of our athletic facility, while enjoying the membership savings we offer our established corporate accounts. FROM PAGE 9
Other city events include the IBTF Film Fest, the city’s Old School Block Party, and the TeenTastic Initiative.
The Old School Block Party will be hosted by comedian Tyrone Davis, August 1-3 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Corpening Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem during the festival. Triad residents can enjoy three nights of free, live entertainment, and a variety of food trucks.
The Teentastic event will be held August 2 and 3 at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. The family-friendly event will feature a variety of activities and entertainment including a fashion show, plays, dancers, a DJ, and games. Events begin at 7 p.m. each night and there will be food options on site. All ages are welcome.
The IBTF Film Festival will be held at a/ perture Cinema, located at 311 W. 4th St., during festival week. The film festival celebrates independent filmmakers of color for their contributions to the industry.
There will be films ranging from documentaries to dramas playing that week. Attendance is free.
Grant Minnix, director of operations at the Benton Convention Center, said that it is exciting to see the community come together.
“The festival may have a new name, may have a new logo, but it’s all about bringing Black theater to everyone. In 56 days, the Benton will host the starstudded opening night gala that kicks o a very busy week of activity here at the Benton,” he told the room. “We all come together on Black Holy Ground. We all are all surrounded by others, attendees all wearing purple and black, whose eyes are all lit with excitement and anticipation for the week ahead.”
Stephanie Pace-Brown, president of Visit Winston Salem, shared her enthusiasm for the festival’s return as an
estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people are expected to come to the city for the event.
“We’re so fortunate that this celebration of art and creativity and community takes place here in Winston-Salem. Visitors will enjoy the festival. They’ll stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and visit our attractions. When the festival concludes, they will have left millions of dollars behind in our local businesses,” she said. “In addition to the dollars that are pumped into our community by visitors, this festival puts us on the national stage and increases our reputation as a destination for the arts.”
For more information, visit https:// ncblackrep.org. !
A scene from the 2022 National Black Theatre Festival play “The Eve of Jackie (The Last Time)” at Stevens Center.
PHOTO BY OWENS DANIELS
IRC remains open, but funding is uncertain
“We’ve got people coming here from all over North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida because Greensboro has become known as an easy place to be homeless and get services,” said District 5 representative Tammi Thurm at the July 16 meeting of Greensboro City Council. “Part of that easiness is because of us, meaning the community and the IRC, not enforcing rules.”
Thurm was speaking of the Interactive Resource Center, founded in 2008 as a weekday facility where those experiencing houselessness could relax in the community room, shower, do their laundry, receive mail, use the internet, and have access to medical and social services. Earlier this year, it expanded its hours to become a 24/7 drop-in center. While intended as a temporary measure, this made the IRC, a de facto night shelter despite having no beds or being intended for permanent supportive housing.
It occurred in a year when the city’s unhoused population has increased 67%; a ballyhooed plan to turn the former Regency Inn into permanent supportive housing collapsed into a $3 million boondoggle; and Mayor Nancy Vaughan has accused Greensboro Urban Ministry of “not using all their beds” in their emergency shelter.
As more people began sheltering inside the IRC or on its grounds, nearby (and some not so nearby) business owners and developers began pressuring the city to do something about crime, vandalism, and littering on East Washington Street and environs, with several alleging that IRC clients were defecating or urinating on their property. When YES! Weekly visited the IRC in May, most of the stalls and urinals in the men’s restroom were not working.
The reason for this, said Vaughan in June, was that “the IRC has become swamped by more people than they can be expected to handle, and I don’t think they can be blamed for that.”
During the July 16 council meeting, IRC Board Chair Jim King said “Come Monday, we will be closing our doors.” While King later walked back that statement, and those doors remain open, the meeting ended with Council not voting on the agenda item of $300,000 in Nussbaum Housing Partnership funds that city sta
recommended to keep the facility open 24/7.
“Why am I voting to give 300,000?” said District 1’s Sharon Hightower. “There are people, yes, that are homeless, that need help, but there has to be rules and requirements for people coming there. You’re homeless, but that doesn’t mean you have to be nasty, that doesn’t mean you should go to somebody’s business and pee on their building. I don’t want them arrested, but I want them to know you’ve got to be respectful.”
Vaughan replied that the $300,000 was to keep the 24/7 drop-in program going.
“What are they doing with that program?” replied Hightower. “Those added hours should be calm sleep, but if you ride over there, you know it’s not, it is chaos, it’s music blasting.”
“If folk don’t follow the rules, they have to su er the consequences,” said District 2’s Goldie Wells.
Vaughan, Hightower, and At-Large Representative Hugh Holston all denounced what they described as an implied threat by King to close the IRC if the Council did not vote on funding at that session. Vaughan emphasized that the “one simple thing” Council asked his organization to provide was an estimate on the cost of armed security. That estimate, said Vaughan, “was going to be Friday, it was going to be Monday, and we still don’t have it today.”
Vaughan also said “I think we need to reach out to our religious community — pre-Covid, they had lots of space, we’re not seeing that now. We need to get our faith community back at the table. But right now, I don’t think we can just continue to throw good money after bad.”
Before the funding vote was postponed to August 5, activists Del Stone and Luis Medina of the Working-Class & Houseless Organizing Alliance (WHOA) voiced support for the IRC and condemned Council for what they described as only being willing to fund surveillance and armed security.
IRC critics speaking at the meeting included Johnny Freeman, senior pastor of United Institutional Baptist Church at 802 E. Market St.
“The businesses community that includes the churches and other organizations, we live here,” said Freeman. “We do business here; we pay taxes here. We have to find a way to co-exist in a way that everyone is lifted and empowered and we feel safe.”
The meeting ended with King acknowledging the IRC would not close this month and with the Council voting 8-0 to
postpone further discussion of either the $300,000 in IRC funding that was on the agenda.
“I would expect that you will find a way to keep doors open until the 25th [of July],” said Vaughan to King. “On the 23rd, I would expect a 30-60-90-day plan of action. Not a programmatic plan, but what you are going to do about security, trash, and behavior inside and outside the building.”
In her closing remarks, Vaughan also said “I have requested that we do not release funding to Greensboro Urban Ministries until they find a way to fill all the beds that they have.”
On July 18, the IRC Board of Directors voted to maintain 24/7 operations as a short-term plan until Greensboro City Council votes on funding on August 5th. In a media release, the board stated: “Without robust City funding, the future remains uncertain regarding the IRC’s ability to remain a 24/7 Drop-In Center. The IRC’s funding requests ensure the organization can continue providing 24/7 services at a time the IRC is experiencing recordbreaking need in the community. It served 8,520 people during 2023-2024 fiscal year, a 67 percent increase from the previous 12 months. This is partially due to a loss of shelter beds and hotel funding.”
According to the release, IRC trustees have:
“. . . reviewed a draft of an IRC 30-60-90 Day Plan that addresses safety and trash issues. The organization is also evaluating updated behavior protocols for guests who receive services at the city’s only lowbarrier resource center. The IRC will submit documents to City Council before Tuesday, July 23rd. The IRC expects to continue to partner with the City of Greensboro to support the city’s most vulnerable population.”
The media release also included the following statement from IRC Executive Director Kristina Singleton: “There is no
current alternative to the resources we provide, and a reduction in services would be a significant loss for those who rely on our most basic fundamental services.”
On July 19, Cecile Crawford, program director at American Friends Service Committee of the Carolinas and organizer with the anti-eviction movement Keep Gate City Housed, released a statement criticizing city council for not voting on funding until the IRC board provides a 90-day plan for safety and trash, as “holding funds back as a bargaining chip may have negative consequences and result in reduction of sta , loss of certain needed services, and actual loss of lives.”
The statement concluded by asking community members to contact Vaughan and city council and voice their support for the IRC.
Crawford also sent YES! Weekly a statement addressing Thurm’s claim Greensboro’s unhoused population has increased due to an influx of people from out of town and out of state.
“Yearly, 16,000 Guilford County residents have faced eviction. I and other observers witnessed in sessions of small claims court, 80 or so eviction cases and only a quarter to a third will appear. (There has been a decrease as of late due to moving to ecourts) If you don’t show up, you’re evicted. Show up without a lawyer, high probability of eviction. This idea that the bulk of our homeless are from somewhere else is not tracking for me. The IRC is our only lowbarrier facility that anyone can show up and get immediate assistance.”
The vote on whether to further fund the IRC will be at the 5:30 p.m. meeting on Monday, August 5. !
IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.
Ian McDowell
Contributor
IRC Board Chair Jim King
Tammi Thurm
Sir Plus calls on creatives to be “America’s Next Top Hitmaker”
Greensboro hip-hop artist, cameraman, and Cre8tiv Soul, Travis “Sir Plus” Carr, is in the running to be “America’s Next Top Hitmaker,” and is looking to the community to help him get there.
“It’s a competition that highlights great songwriters across the nation powered by Colossal and Rolling Stone,” Carr explained. “Each artist has to gather their army of core fans to vote once a day — or more than once if they choose to donate. Each dollar counts as one vote. I’ve been number one in the group I’m a part of since the competition started.”
Should his streak continue, Carr will land a $10,000 prize; a feature in Rolling Stone Magazine; a performance slot at Rolling Stone’s “Future of Music Showcase” during the 2025 SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas; and a mentorship led by Busta Rhymes.
Seeing the competition as “an awesome opportunity to show the planet that Greensboro, and North Carolina as a whole, has some of the best talent there is,” Carr hopes to extend his winnings as a means to “springboard and fast track everything my colleagues and I have been working so hard to do all this time for the state of North Carolina.”
“I’m beyond grateful to have so many people believe in me and openly support me,” he continued. “I thank each and every single person who has stuck with me throughout this contest and want to see me win.”
Seeing his work as an element of community — and himself an agent of creative community — “I truly believe I was born to be a creative spirited person, and I wanted to represent for everyone out there who feels the same way,” he said, reflecting on his background growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.
“Brooklyn is where I fell in love with hip hop as just a fan when I was a child,” Carr explained. “My uncles were in a group called ‘A Lost Tribe,’ I‘d watch them practice and listen to their records, not knowing that one day I’d also aspire to be an artist.”
Drawing on ways those aspirations developed as he grew up — and his family moved to Hollister, North Carolina — Carr’s experiences helped formulate a sense of versatility and an a nity for going against the grain. “I’ve always felt as an artist that I didn’t fit in, so to speak,” he said. “It’s been an ongoing driving force of my artistry. Being from Brooklyn, and then growing up in a small Southern town has left me in a rather peculiar gray area where I pretty much experienced the best of both worlds; being that they’re drastically di erent. It armed me with the comfort and confidence to be able to resonate with everyday people.”
Building o the dichotomy of his upbringing, Carr considers his move to the Gate City after high school as opening his gateway to music. “While I started writing as a teenager,
Photo by EyeNi Visions
it was here in Greensboro where I started to take my craft more seriously, and my career as a lyricist truly began,” he explained. “I didn’t have a producer or anywhere to record, so I’d have to make my own beats and memorize my songs, so I could perform every week at any open mic I could find around the city.”
Fueled by a hunger for success, Carr describes both his drive and styles as “boundless, or like water,” he said. “Extremely versatile. With years of training, I’ve learned how to stay in the pocket, no matter the subject or genre. I enjoy meshing across styles in my own unique way. Even as a lyricist, staying outside of the box has always been the driving factor for me as an artist.”
Seeing his penchant for versatility as a defining feature, Carr’s catalog o ers a look into his evolution across his releases: “The Takeover Begins NOW!!!,” “Bongwater - The Mixtape,” the “Stay Tuned” EP, “You Are What You Listen To” LP, and the “Not For Nothing” EP.
“They’re timestamps of where I was as an artist in my life and skillset at that time,” he explained. “They were the training periods needed to get me to the point I am in the present day, as a songwriter. Each project is a step up and a new layer of Sir Plus as I became a more polished and experienced writer.”
O ering “Gems” as an example of his more recent work, “the track highlights the knowledge I like to incorporate in my songs. Not only do I want to entertain my fans, but I also like to leave tidbits of information — or gems — that’ll help anyone listening to navigate through life without sounding too ‘preachy.’”
“People from the neighborhoods and conditions similar to the ones I grew up in, often are faced with many ob-
stacles and hurdles in life unfortunately,” he continued. “I like to take my own experiences and turn them into learning points for others. I tell my son TJ and my daughter Milany, that when I’m old and gray and my time on Earth has expired, they can always go back and listen to my music as a guide when it comes to dealing with life’s di culties, and the di erent types of people they’ll encounter later in life as they venture through adulthood.”
Expounding on that notion — and o ering a rallying point for hardship — Carr points to the single “Crumblin” as a cornerstone of his work. “I know many people going through various issues in life, outside of myself. This song is my way of speaking to each of them all at the same time, and reassuring them that no matter what they’re currently going through — no matter how dark it may seem — better days will always await in the near future.”
“It’s important to not succumb to inner turmoil or negative energy and stay positive,” he added, turning to his recent single “Provolone Cheese” as a more upbeat o ering to accompany those moments “when you unexpectedly encounter something incredibly dope and refreshing; and your face can’t help but express your instant approval as your ears are pleasantly gratified.”
Serving as an intro to Carr’s upcoming “Cre8tiv Soul” project, “Provolone Cheese” also marks his first release with Diamond Factory Collective. “We strive to build the camaraderie and community in the Greensboro area promoting togetherness and working as a team,” he explained. “You’re much more likely to become the artist you strive to be through working with other creative minds versus moving as a single unit.“
Carrying that notion of teamwork and community, Carr is keeping his eyes on the prize of being “America’s Next Top Hitmaker,” while also using his other skills — and EyeNi Visions video production company — to help put eyes on creative minds and causes around Greensboro.
“You can catch me filming the third-annual ‘Back to School Community Bash’ on August 17 in LeBauer Park,” he said, praising the work of the Jay Mack Community Foundation, a Greensboro nonprofit helping alleviate burdens of poverty for area families. “Three hundred students will be given book bags filled with school supplies. They’ll also be doing haircuts and hosting giveaways; along with entertainment, games, and much more.”
“I’ve been capturing the event since 2022,” Carr continued. “It’s my way of helping give back to the community and helping provide the less fortunate families with the necessary items and positive energy needed to start o the school year.”
Hoping to help promote communities “where all creatives can thrive,” Carr is also hoping those creatives will help vote for Sir Plus as “America’s Next Top Hitmaker.” The next round of voting closes at 10 p.m. EST on July 25. You can vote at https://tophitmaker.org/2024/sir-plus !
KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.
Katei Cranford
Contributor
Natalie Garcia
last call [SALOME’S STARS]
Week of July 29, 2024
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A misunderstanding tests the temperament of the sometimes headstrong Aries. But instead of blowing your top, take time for a pleasant diversion while things cool down.
comed, but some demands for change could cause problems. Be ready to defend your choices.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A workplace problem could make the divine Bovine see red. But talk it out before you consider walking out. Some surprising facts emerge that can change your earlier focus.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You face a choice between ignoring your uneasy feelings about your relationship with a special person and demanding explanations. A close friend o ers wise counsel.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A change you’d been hoping for carries an unexpected complication. Stay the course, and things will work themselves out. Be sure to make time for family and friends.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Aspects favor spending time with loved ones. On the job, new ideas are generally wel-
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Good news: A workplace problem is close to being resolved with results that should please everyone. Take time o to indulge in your love of fun and games.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Most of the time, you are the most unflappable person around. But be ready to be thrown o -balance in the nicest way when Cupid takes aim in your direction.
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) It’s not often that someone tries to “sting” the sharp-witted Scorpion, but it can happen. Continue to be skeptical about anything that seems too good to be true.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your strong sense of selfesteem helps you serve as a role model for someone who needs personal reassurances. Meanwhile, your e orts pay o in an unexpected way.
[1. TELEVISION: What is the longestrunning talk show on television?
[2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: In terms of letter count, what is the longest month of the year?
[3. MOVIES: Which famous action movie is set on Amity Island?
[4. SCIENCE: What is heliocentrism?
[5. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What kind of horses are featured in Budweiser beer ads?
[6. U.S. STATES: Which state’s nickname is “The Land of 10,000 Lakes”
[7. FOOD & DRINK: How many goodies are in a baker’s dozen?
[8. INVENTIONS: Who invented the battery?
[9. LANGUAGE: What does an ampersand symbol signify?
[10. GEOGRAPHY: In which desert is Las Vegas, Nevada, located?
[cAPrIcorN (December 22 to January 19) Someone close considers revealing a painful secret. Withhold any judgment. Instead, open your generous heart, and offer dollops of your love and understanding.
[AQuArIus (January 20 to February 18) Your talents as a peacemaker are called upon once more as an old problem reemerges with new complications. Move cautiously in order to avoid falling into hidden traps.
[PIsces (February 19 to March 20) The artistic side of yourself is enhanced with the reception given to your new project. Use this success as encouragement toward fulfilling your larger goals.
[BorN THIs week: Your natural sense of leadership is combined with a deep sense of responsibility. People trust you to give them both guidance and understanding.
© 2024 by King Features Syndicate
answers
[crossword] crossword on page 9
[weekly sudoku] sudoku on page 9
