Monday, May 4, 2015

Fun Afternoon with Walk and Roll in Downtown Winston-Salem


Walk and Roll was a delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  This event, which takes place during National Bike Month, started at  Research Parkway and Third Street. In it's third year, traffic was closed on Research Parkway and people were able to walk, cycle, skateboard or skate in the street.

There was a bounce castle, hula hoops, bike decorating, face painting, performers and more. Free helmets were given to the children and they were asked to say a pledge to always wear it. We're always happy when Kona Ice is available and Camel City Grill, a local food truck, was in attendance.


Looking down Research Parkway toward Third

Bike Rodeo

As we entered the festival
Face painting by Girls, Inc.    #ROAR

Hula hooping

Sporting the free bag and helmet


Sunday, May 3, 2015

Bailey Park in Downtown Winston-Salem



Downtown Winston-Salem has another great place to hang out. Bailey Park, located on Patterson Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Street is located in the Innovation Quarter. We found this park to have soft, luscious green grass in an urban green space oasis. 

Bailey Park is 1.6 acres of publicly available space. There is a large grassy area with fun mural on the wall that acts as the base to the stage and patio area. 

Bailey Park has a covered stage, restroom facilities, and food truck court, in addition to the big grassy area. There are brightly colored tables and chairs in the stage area. A few tables have large umbrellas. There is a comfortable decline on the lawn and the kids rolled down a few times. There is also flat area.

Parking seems easy, with lots of spots directly in front. There is additional street parking and there are parking decks close by. There is a bike rack. 

There is still a lot of renovation taking place around Bailey Park. It is within walking distance of the Arts District with retail and restaurants very close by. The park is 5 minutes from both Business 40 and 52.

This park is great to bring a blanket and a book, a soccer ball or frisbee, or a picnic lunch. This is a wonderful space in our up and coming downtown.







We love the 525@Vine building (our family just calls it the "at" building.)  Our home is 10 minutes from downtown, and the "at" building is a cool thing to pass as we head home, especially at night.   

















 View directly across the street from Bailey Park
There is still lots of renovation taking place, as you can see in the gutted buildings behind the park.
There is a sign stating that this building, located between the two smokestacks, is soon going to house restaurant and retail. 

What's your favorite "new" place in Downtown Winston-Salem.  Please leave a comment!



All photos by Jessica st Lewis.
Do not reproduce.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Winston-Salem Fun Fly-In

Fund-raiser/can-raiser for the Maple Springs Food Pantry!  Free food and helicopter tours of Winston-Salem.   Bring a friend.  

Saturday,  May 9.   10am-2pm

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

The One You’re With

By Carly Pete
In Loving Memory of
MaryLynn Conrad
11/4/55 - 2/16/15


I don’t like too many complications or too much expense when it comes to my hair, so I still choose natural styles.

Recently, I had a conversation with some of you about whether I should let my hair go gray because I was getting tired of coloring it, especially with locs because it damages them. Now, if I could end up with beautiful silver locks like Toni Morrison – that could be worth it – going gray, I mean. But, no, gray hair is just not for me, not yet, as my hair is more like salt and pepper steel wool at this age.

Of course, I colored it. Because I realized the real issue I feel and the one that’s really been on my mind more lately, again, and which ends where all roads must end for us all, is aging.

Since I was six years old, aging and death have played out a beautifully tragic consciousness in my life: The only way I’ve ever learned to cope with death is by turning aging into living, to live ‘til I die, sometimes moment by moment, as gracefully and gratefully as I can – but first, to live, as most things in life are choices, and all choices have risks.
Tammy Hardin (l) with Jessie Mabe
 Go Red Event, Salem College

Friday afternoon February 13, 2015 on the eve of Valentine’s Day, Tammy Hardin, a friend, and not-for-profit management major at Salem College, hosted a Go Red event attended by faculty, staff, and alumnae in Huber Theater of the college’s new student activity center. February is American Heart Month, and Tammy was recently diagnosed with heart disease. My own mother, Abbie Peterson, died from rheumatic heart disease, non-hereditary illness, complicated by diabetes, which I inherited and have managed for the last 14 years.

“Nine out of ten women, that’s 90%, suffer from heart disease or stroke at some point in their lives,” Tammy informed us. “One in three women dies, more than all cancers combined,” she said. “But, the good news is, eighty percent of these deaths are preventable.”

WomenHeart of the Piedmont Triad hosts a monthly support group for women living with heart disease. Meetings are held every second Wednesday at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro. Lunch is provided. No registration is required. For more information, please contact womenheart@conehealth.com.

Ladies, you’re the one who is always with you and the one you should always love and take care of first. Please, if you’re 50 or older, get the pneumonia vaccine; I got mine yesterday.

Happy Valentine’s Day. 



Thanks for listening.


Carly Pete


About Carly Pete: Carly, a 2013 graduate of Salem College, earned B.A. degrees in Communication and Creative Writing. She resides in Winston-Salem, where she works as a communication consultant, lyricist and writer.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Hump Day Funk at Ziggy's

By Stephanie Barclay

Ladies and gentlemen, come get your funk on at Hump Day Funk, a weekly Wednesday night affair at Ziggy's Tavern in Winston Salem! Cass Copsey, Ashley Sutton, Scott Lewis, Andrew Lazare, Joshua Shelton and Stephanie Barclay, along with a rotating cast of sit-ins, serve you a musical experience you won't have anywhere else in the Piedmont Triad.  Show starts at  9:30 and it's free to walk in the door. So put on your dancing shoes, bring your friends, and get some funk on!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Who Really Lost Super Bowl 49

By Carly Pete

Super Bowl XLIX (49) Will Be Played In Arizona, And The Opening Favorites Are The Denver BroncosI had no distractions, no quantities of snacks to prepare, no college homework. For the first time ever, I watched the whole Super Bowl at home alone, without male commentary in the house, yet understanding the plays because of having raised sons whose lives for lengthy periods of time while growing up revolved around football, both playing and watching. Football in our testosterone filled home had always been an occasion for celebration. And, the Super Bowl? If another family member or friend wasn’t throwing a Super Bowl party, it was because our family was hosting one that year. Even those of us, mostly women and girls, who neglected to follow along religiously through the whole season became fully conscious by the Super Bowl and knew which teams were playing and who we wanted to win.

Personally, I liked the community the game built across teams, even nations, through a display of sportsmanship, fairness and reward – the one goal one bowl of it all. Over the years, I saw the Super Bowl as a worldwide event that millions of people, including couples, families and friends, watched together – the cooking equivalent of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s Day for a foodie like me.

By game time I was all set – with tuna salad, red-skinned potato kale cheese soup, and homemade buttermilk cornbread – leftovers from my grandchildren’s sleepover the night before. I watched Super Bowl 49, from start to finish, contentedly alone, for the very first time…yet knowing my people near and far would be watching, too.

The game was spectacular throughout, until the last minute.

The next day, my brother said the losing play call came from the owners’ box, not the Seahawks’ coach. One son said, “bleh,” he had been busy with his family and had only half-watched the game. One said the outcome was Russell’s fault! The third son and I didn’t get a chance to talk until Tuesday night (although I’d seen a Facebook post from him Sunday after the game referencing slantgate, haha). He elicited a different issue: Christopher informed me that Pete Carroll formerly coached the Patriots, previous to Belichick. Whaaaaaaat? I did not know that…

So, had only one owner won? Had everyone else lost, in addition to Pete, like the 2000 US Presidential Election, which, in my opinion, was ultimately decided by a single vote among the five/four majority on the Supreme Court, possibly Clarence Thomas’s decision? Or, had one of these coach frenemies simply lost a bet, like in the movie Trading Places? Did Pete Carroll lose a bet and have no choice but to call that slant play? Therefore, were we – fans, quarterbacks, teams, coaches – all of us, merely pawns in their high stakes power play?

Whoever was responsible for the bad call during Super Bowl 49, that person had no meaningful relationship with the Seahawks Team and is not a winner. That part is clear.

My son, Lawrence, a football enthusiast from way back, presented an even more complex scenario to me. He pondered what might have been had the quarterback defied the powers-that-be and run the ball that last yard himself. Whew! Now, that’s real leadership, the caliber of a man who knows under which circumstances – for the people he loves and when it’s the right thing to do – to break the rules.

I give my heartfelt congratulations to Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch, and Russell Wilson, in that order…also, Malcolm Butler.

Overall, it’s irrelevant that Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick coached the Patriots in consecutive years. But, for pete’s sake – Pete, your love/hate relationship with Bill was pathetically apparent by the play you called. And, if the owner of your team or another of your coaches is responsible for that play, neither of you has a substantive relationship, understanding, nor respect enough for the Seahawks.

Hell, I think I could have coached that last minute better than you, and I’m just a girl called Pete. That last minute, as Lawrence would say, “Was crucial.”

Thanks for listening.

Carly Pete

About Carly Pete: Carly, a 2013 graduate of Salem College, earned B.A. degrees in Communication and Creative Writing. She resides in Winston-Salem, where she works as a communication consultant, lyricist and writer.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Triad Solarize Launch Party



TRIAD SOLARIZE LAUNCH PARTY
THURS JAN 29 (6:30-8:30p)

FINNIGAN'S WAKE RESTAURANT
620 N. TRADE ST.
WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Please come if you're interested in getting a FREE Solar or Energy Efficiency Assessment on your home, you want solar and/or EE done to your house or you want to volunteer to help bring these to others in the Triad at a discounted price. Up to 65% tax credits are available for 2015. Plus, we'll have free food, a presentation and reliable installers who can answer your questions, 

SIGN UP FOR FREE ASSESSMENTS AT
 SOLARIZE-NC.ORG OR COME SEE US THIS THURS!
 Email Porterkim7@gmail.com if you have questions.


Tuesday, January 27, 2015

We Are They by Carly Pete

By Carly Pete


So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 2Kings 6:16, New American Standard Bible.

The above scripture was the theme for the C.H.A.N.G.E. 
https://www.facebook.com/CHANGEIAF meeting I attended on January 20, 2015 at First Baptist Church on Highland Avenue. It is a much needed reminder as we continue to strive together to build
Dr. King’s Dream into the 21st Century.

A reckoning has come
A hurt to be undone
Tomorrow has begun
Who have we become?

A tender voice is heard
A legacy in words
Emboldened loud to speak
Until our hearts can reach in black and white and gray.

                                 Excerpt from Gray©2012, CBWilliams, all rights reserved.

We are the aftermath of Selma, a ragtag coalition of dreamers who are changing the world. This righteous struggle has always been about us – what we feel is most important, who we are becoming…day by day. We, who have been wounded by injustices from the past, especially those perpetrated on our watch – we, who have had the privilege of spending time together, intentionally, across isms.

We walk together, with dignity for all. We are they. Glory!


About Carly Pete: Carly, a 2013 graduate of Salem College, earned B.A. degrees in Communication and Creative Writing. She resides in Winston-Salem, where she works as a communication consultant, lyricist and writer.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

#MeetupMonday with Piedmont Triad Living

By Jessica Thomas Lewis


We're starting the conversation with #MeetupMonday.  Let's get together and talk about our neighborhoods and our nation.

In recent months our nation's need for community has become clearer than ever.  We want to ensure every American can be part of a strong community that will let their voice be heard.  That's why #MeetupMonday was launched.

Who:  Open to the public, please bring a friend.  Well mannered children are welcome.
What:  A guided discussion designed to bring the community together by fostering greater understanding, empathy and respect.  Tell your story.  Meetup with neighbors.  Be heard.
When:  The second and fourth Monday of each month.  7:00-8:00 PM
Where: The Cokesbury Room in Craven Hall, Maple Springs UMC, 2569 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem
Why: To create a sense of shared destiny and common purpose

#MeetupMonday Community Guidelines

#MeetupMonday seeks to promote a forum for community engagement, civic discourse, and open dialogue about local and national issues.

#MeetupMonday supports members that are trustworthy, honest, and respectful of their fellow members and the mission of #MeetupMonday at large. 

Each #MeetupMonday event should meet the following requirements: 
  • Promote civic and social responsibility
  • Support #MeetupMonday mission with integrity 
  • Build local community 

#MeetupMonday Discussion Guide
Created by Citizen University

Goals

These Monday conversations, launching Martin Luther King Jr. Day, are made possible by Meetup and facilitated by partners like Citizen University and others.

Our hope is for participants to:
  • see and hear each other more fully
  • build trust and empathy
  • create a sense of shared destiny and common purpose
Rules

We’ll follow a simple 60-minute “talking circle” format. Form circles of 6-8 people. Agree on a timekeeper to guide the process. 

Participants introduce themselves by answering, in 3 minutes or less, a simple question: Why did you show up today?

Everyone gets a chance to speak for 3 minutes to the topic you choose (see next section).

Participants respond to each other with questions or reflections.
Each participant commits to a next step, like volunteering or getting involved in local issues or organizing more gatherings.

Here are some ground rules for productive conversations:

  • listen deeply and compassionately – don’t interrupt to disagree or comment
  • respect the circle – turn off devices; don’t speak for more than allotted time
  • everyone gets heard – no one speaks a second time until all have spoken once
  • “yes, and” – don’t respond with “no” or “but”; try to bridge with “yes, and”
  • disagree well – don’t accuse others or be defensive; assume good faith
Topics

Here are a few possible questions that may start and center our conversation. 

  • What is your dream for America now?
  • How can citizens like us build what King called “the beloved community”?
  • How do we convert protest to empowerment?
Each time round the circle, unexpected human connections will emerge. Listen for them. If the conversation drifts, return to the topic. There’s no “correct” outcome—but if everyone commits to sustaining the conversation, you’ll come up with ideas. And you’ll be practicing the kind of citizenship our country needs today.


Saturday, January 17, 2015

FREE GSO: Center City Cinema 2015 Lineup

Center City Cinema

Center City Park has announced it's 2015 Lineup.  
Mark your calendars now!

May 22     The Hunger Games
June 12     Dirty Dancing
June 26     Muppets from Space
July 10     Empire Records
July 24     Journey 2 The Mysterious Island
August 14     Talladega Nights
August 28     The Notebook
September 25     Iron Man

Center City Park, located in the heart of downtown Greensboro, fills the block between North Elm and North Davie Streets and is bordered on the south by West Friendly Avenue and on the north by the Renaissance Tower office building. The Park's main entrance is at 200 North Elm Street.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Free Tax Prep in Winston-Salem and Surrounding 2015

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

I use this service myself.  Once again  this year United Way will be supporting the VITA ( Volunteer Income Tax Assistance ) program. The VITA program, through Forsyth Working Families Partnership,  is designed to help low income families save on tax preparation fees as well as to maximize their refund particularly by utilizing the Earned Income Tax Credit where possible. This program is open to families with incomes of $53000 or less ( $60000 if filing single).

There will be a Launch Party on Thursday, January 22 at The Old Winston Social Club on Burke Street in Winston-Salem to kickoff this year’s program and answer any  questions you might have.  




To see a full listing of sites/times where tax assistance can be secured for free, go here.  This is a program in Forsyth County, NC. 

To see more locations for free tax preparations in the Piedmont Triad, see this blog post from 2013.  The information on that post was accurate as of date written.  There are phone numbers included for most locations; please verify current times and locations on your own.   

You can file your taxes at these locations beginning February 2nd.







Thursday, January 15, 2015

HanesTowne Village Announcement with Links

Here's a line-up of the establishments announced to open at HanesTowne Village, located on Stratford Road in Winston-Salem where the old Hanes Mill Outlet used to sit.  Click on any business name to visit their website.


PDQ
Tijuana Fats
Walmart Neighborhood Market (already open)

There is also proposed Coffee Shop,  Office Building and Retail space.  The map includes a walking path and what appears to be a small pond.

To see a map of the HanesTowne Village shopping center, please click here to see it on journalnow.com


The old Hanes Mill Outlet at Stratford Road and Ricks Drive in Winston-Salem, NC.
HanesTowne Village is now occupying the land where Hanes Mill Outlet stood.

Photograph by Jessica st Lewis

Events: Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. in the Piedmont Triad 2015

FREE, WS: Discussion About "Freedom Riders". Jan. 17, 2pm. Old Salem Museums & Gardens in partnership with Wake Forest will host a discussion based on clips from the movie “Freedom Riders” in the James A. Gray Jr. Auditorium, Old Salem Visitor Center at 2pm. The discussion is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities to screen films from their “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle” series. The film tells the terrifying and moving, story of when white and black students rode a bus into the Deep South to protest segregation and Jim Crow laws. The event is free and open to the public.
 

FREE, GSO:  Jan. 19 Beginning at 10am, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum  will be celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Admission is free, but there is a suggested $5 donation.  There are daylong events.  Please click onto their website for full details and times for each event.

FREE, HP:  Jan. 19, 10:30am.  MLK Annual Balloon Launch.  In honor and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 86th birthday, 86 balloons will be released by attendees.  Join us for this uplifting family event, which will also feature a speakr, dance groups and light refreshments.  Washington Terrace Park & Community Center, 101 Gordon St, High Point.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will be held on Monday, January 19, 2015 beginning at 11:00am. Held on Martin Luther King Drive in Greensboro, this annual celebration honors the immeasurable contributions of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as pays homage to others that continue his legacy.

FREE, WS: MLK Noon Hour Commemoration. Jan. 19, 12pm. The 35th Annual observance of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Sir Walter Mack, Jr.. The MLK Dare to Make A Difference Award will be presented to NC Senator Earline Parmon. The Twin City Choristers are musical guests. The Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Noon Hour Commemoration founded and organized by Mutter D. Evans is the city’s longest on-going local observance. Free and open to the public.

FREE, WS: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Concert. Jan. 19, 4pm. The Presbyterian Men of Grace Presbyterian Church will sponsor the `Twin City Choristers` in concert, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthdaY on the above date. The Choristers are directed by Dr. Fred D. Tanner. The general public is cordially invited to attend. Edward Allen is moderator of the Grace Men’s ministry. Rev. Toure’ C. Marshall is the senior pastor. Willie C. Gray is the vice moderator and program committee chairman. Free Concert, offerings will be accepted

FREE, GSO: Jan.19, 6pm.  MLK Day Candlelight Vigil at the ICRCM.  

FREE, WS: On Common Ground: If Not Now, When? Tuesday, Jan. 20. 7pm Social activist, author and comedian, Richard Claxton “Dick” Gregory will present the 15th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day keynote speech at 7 pm in K.R. Williams Auditorium at Winston-Salem State University. In conjunction with Wake Forest University. The event is free and open to the public.

FREE, WS: MLK Young Dreamers Award. Jan. 20, 7pm. Each year, the Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission awards one male and one female the Martin Luther King, Jr. Young Dreamer Award in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.The Young Dreamers Award is given to citizens between the ages of 18 and 40 who have made a tangible difference in the lives of others which include fostering positive race relations, vocalizing or acting against an injustice, leading inclusiveness amongst individuals, embracing those who are perceived as different, and celebrating religious diversity. Free and open to the public.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

You So Crazy








 




Advice for the Disney World Traveller

By Ray Fleckles

Winter has its icy grip upon us and many families are starting to plan their Spring and Summer vacations.  This time of year many people’s thoughts turn to Florida, the warm weather, sandy beaches and of course Walt Disney World.
If you’ve been paying attention lately you may have noticed that something has changed in the Magic Kingdom.  No, not the new attractions.  Not the refurbishment of several of the resorts.  I’m talking about Disney’s new MyMagic+ system.  As I look over the posts from several Disney World Facebook posts I’m met with confusion and consternation as people try to figure out this new system.  No longer do you wait until you get to the parks to book your Fastpasses.  No longer do you show up at a restaurant and just sit down for a meal.  Now Disney World requires planning!
Restaurant reservations are now made up to 180 days before your visit.  Restaurants such as Cinderella’s Royal Table (and most character meals for that matter) may require persistence and luck to secure a table.  Ride Fastpasses can be booked up to 60 days in advance, but only up to three per day.  After you’ve used all three you can get another Fastpass, but only one at a time and only at kiosks in the parks.
There’s even an app now (Android and iOS) that you can use to keep track of your reservations and Fastpasses.  You can even make additional reservations (if available).
Also gone are the wandering characters, barring a very few.  They now have fixed locations and of course the attendant long lines.  Of course, you can get Fastpasses for those now too.  If your little ones really want to meet the princesses, or Anna and Elsa make sure you book those Fastpasses early as they do run out!  The same holds true for some of the newer or more popular rides. 
Disney World has gone from one of the simplest vacations for a person to book, to one of the most involved.  Rivalling even some international travel for its complexity and frustration. 
Of course, all is not lost.  Because of this newfound complexity many travel agencies are offering their services for free to assist people with their planning if you book through them.
Raymond Fleckles
Vacation Specialist

Kernersville, NC
T: (336)992-0167
E: rfleckles@cruiseone.com
 
Sign Up for Exclusive Offers & Promotions
 
Website:www.CruiseOne.com/rfleckles
Family Cruises:www.family-cruises.net/rfleckles
Luxury Cruises:www.SeaLuxe.com/rfleckles
 
Each CruiseOne Franchise is independently Owned and Operated

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

The Night We Became King

(As we remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1/15/29 – 4/4/68), whose powerful words continue to embolden us to speak and to act to end racial injustice into the 21st Century, I share the following true event from the life of my family which happened on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 1996. In the aftermath of Ferguson, et al, the point of my sharing this story, again, is to show how any city in America could potentially be or have been a Ferguson, even Winston-Salem.)

The Night We Became King by Carly Pete

My then twenty-year-old son, Lawrence, knocked at our bedroom door, then rushed into the darkened room; it was after 1:00 in the morning.

“Turn on the light,” I said.

He flipped the switch on the wall, rushed over to kneel at our bedside and whispered over his sleeping dad to me, “Ma, the police just chased me up the path and I didn’t do nothin’! I promise!” he panted. I sat up in bed, for the moment forgetting about the verbal chastisement I’d planned – how Lawrence was disrespecting our house rules, needed to find a job or go back to school, and should set a better example for his younger brother.

“Chased you? What for?” I said.

Mike, my husband, woke. “What happened?”

“Lawrence just got home.”

There was a knock at the front door.

Lawrence paced the floor, raking his fingers through his inch long dreadlocks, eyes bulging, wide and frightened, “Ma, Daddy-M! I promise you, I didn’t do nothin’!”

Unlike the weed smoking, sometimes disrespecting, high school dropout he’d lately become, this Lawrence standing before me reflected the innocence of young Loncy, his preschool self, the child who exclaimed in a moment of epiphany in the parking lot of his daycare center, “Good grief, today is tomorrow!” when he’d forgotten to bring his toy for show and tell. I believed him; he hadn’t done anything wrong. So, why were the police chasing my son?

“Alright, go upstairs,” I whispered. Quickly, Mike pulled on a pair of jeans, I threw on a robe and we answered the door.

Two uniformed officers, both Caucasians, were standing on our front porch. One of them informed us there had been a robbery at the store a block away on Baux Mountain Road, that the attendant said the two suspects were young Black males, that they had seen a man fitting that description enter our house through the side door. We should  give them permission to search our house.

I said, “No.”

“But, ma’am, do you realize these men could be dangerous and might harm your family?”

Before my garrulous Chicago-born husband could engage the officers in menial chit chat about the details of the robbery, possibly even tell them the person they saw enter our home was our adult son, I interjected calmly, “No one’s here, but our family.” 

I meant no disrespect to my husband, but felt this situation demanded the expertise of a Winston-Salem born Black woman who loved and understood her Black men. I had credentials as a daughter, sister to five brothers, wife, and mother of three sons – Michael, Lawrence and Christopher. I knew firsthand that Black men face many pitfalls in American society simply to grow up undefiled, find decent jobs, and raise a family.

The officers threatened to call headquarters to get a search warrant. We said they needed one. I turned on the television in the living room drowning out the crackling of the police radio. CNN had begun reporting on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., broadcasting excerpts from his “I Have A Dream” speech. The sound of Dr. King’s voice bathed us in a balm of serenity, strengthening our resolve to protect our son and the sanctity of our home. It was King Day for the Banner-Williams Family.

After multiple CNN broadcast loops, the officers returned. When my husband answered, one of them implored Mike to check our house for intruders since we wouldn’t let them do it. Mike obliged; he checked the laundry room area, the adjacent bath and guest room. No, our home was secure from intruders he informed them. He then thanked the officers for their concern, said, “Good night,” and shut and locked the door, rousing ten-year-old Christopher upstairs, who leaned over the banister and asked what was going on. I told him everything was fine, for him to go back to sleep.

Mike and I sat together on the sofa waiting for the officers to return for what seemed a very long time, listlessly awake, while CNN droned over and over again its news reporting interspersed with black and white footage of Blacks and Whites protesting against segregation and for civil rights, the images and commentary spurring us to greater vigilance: We became Civil Rights.

At dawn, the policemen returned and told us they’d found the two suspects hiding under the woodpile of our next-door neighbor’s house. Together, our family had advanced justice, procuring a portion of the Dream, for our sons, for one night.

About Carly Pete: Carly, a 2013 graduate of Salem College, earned B.A. degrees in Communication and Creative Writing. She resides in Winston-Salem, where she works as a communication consultant, lyricist and writer.

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