DATE: Thursday, January 26, 7 p.m.
"Recovering the Panther Legacy of Community Organizing and Activism," moderated by Timothy B. Tyson, author of Blood Done Sign My Name

Love Circles: Defining Family & Community: A Written Documentary

DATE: October 2004
With: Zelda Lockhart

Project Summary

Narrow definitions of the traditional nuclear family have misled the growing population of young people whose family make-up is unique. "Love Circles" explores the beauty and diversity of the individual family and the collective community.

Objective

To strengthen each child's sense of community and family by guiding them through a writing/research project about their "Love Circle," and to enhance each child's writing skills through fulfilling this objective.

Outcome

  ·  Participants benefit from the journey into their own lives to discover "their" meaning of family & community.
  ·  Participants benefit from a tangible example of the effect their writing has on their self-development and on the lives of others.
  ·  Each child and the people of their community (Love Circle) will forever be commemorated and valued in a bound, self-published work.

SpiritHouse Presents:

DATE: January 2005
Choosing Sides: Life or Death in the Black Community
A SpiritHouse Youth Project
Express Yourself and Transform Your Community

Program Summary

Choosing Sides is a multifaceted, violence prevention program targeting adolescent youth at high risk of gang involvement or other juvenile delinquent activities. The major goal of the program is to empower young people with the skills and resources needed to overcome the difficulties of family, peer, school, and neighborhood problems that often lead to violence. Within the context of support and skill building, the program developmentally offers alternatives to the youth. Prevention strategies are coordinated in a partnership context, which includes community organizations, parental involvement, mentors and volunteers.
All activities are enhanced through field trips, life skills training, community service and activism.

Objective

Participants will build positive relationships through group activities and discussions.
Participants will research past and present leaders who have influenced community transformation.
Participants will express themselves through various creative writing and visual arts pieces.

Program Outcomes

  ·  reduce youth arrests
  ·  reduce gang involvement and activity
  ·  increase positive impact on personal development
  ·  increase in hands-on strategies that engage the community
  ·  improve parental involvement with youth
  ·  facilitate programs, activities, and services among community residents
  ·  decrease mental health and Special Ed. labeling.

DATE: Friday, March 19, 2004
TIME:    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
PLACE: The Community Family Life & Recreation
             Center at Lyon Park
             1313 Halley Street, Durham, NC
For more information call: 919-688-8111, Ext. 288

SpiritHouse and Calvary Ministries of the Westend Community, Inc. will host an evening “In Celebration of Black Woman”.

This event will include a Welcoming Tribute to the Women of our Community. The highlight of the evening will be a panel discussion which will consist of representatives from their respective organizations and or community affiliations. Topics will range from raising children, media images, bridging the generational gap, health and legal issues, to educational concerns, and community challenges. Rounding out the evening there will be time for food and reflections by our panel and guest. Katina Rankin, from ABC11, will moderate the panel discussion.

SpiritHouse Presents was established to provide a needed outlet, where both artistic and critical voices can generate a dialogue followed by community action more representative of our lives and challenges. The Series creates exposure to different artistic mediums. While enhancing the entire community, it meets the challenges of building a better future. SpiritHouse Presents builds partnerships to support our youth programs. These partnerships show that poverty, illiteracy, and racism in the community can be reduced by means of stimulating intellectual and creative activities, organized around programs that feature participatory components.

Click here to see the full informational flyer in color.

DATE: Friday, February 20, 2004

LECTURE: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
PLACE: The Community Family Life & Recreation
             Center at Lyon Park
             1313 Halley Street, Durham, NC

WORKSHOP: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
PLACE: John Hope Franklin Center
             2204 Erwin Road, Durham, NC

For more information call: 919-688-8111, Ext. 288

Runoko Rashidi is a historian, research specialist, writer, world traveler, and public lecturer focusing on the African presence globally and the African foundations of world civilizations. He believes that his principle missions in life are to help make Africans proud of themselves, to help change the way Africa is viewed in the world, and to help reunite a family of people that has been separated far too long. As a public lecturer, during the past twenty years, Runoko Rashidi has made major presentations at more than 110 colleges and universities and scores of public and private schools, libraries, book stores, churches and community centers. You can visit his website here.

Click here to see the full informational flyer in color.

DATE:    Friday, January 23, 2004
TIME:    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
PLACE: The Community Family Life & Recreation
Center at Lyon Park
1313 Halley Street, Durham, NC
For more information call: 919-688-8111, Ext. 288

SpiritHouse and Calvary Ministries of the Westend Community, Inc. will host Family Fest to be held at The Community Family Life and Recreation Center at Lyon Park, 1313 Halley Street, Durham, NC.

Delegates from community organizations will table and showcase information and a list of opportunities for the public to participate. Festivities will include performances by dancers, poets, drummers, and hip-hop MC's, in addition to merchandise and food vendors, and live music.

This event is free and open to the public.


Click here to see the full informational flyer in color.

DATE:    Friday, December 19, 2003
TIME:    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
PLACE: The Community Family Life & Recreation
Center at Lyon Park
1313 Halley Street, Durham, NC
For more information call: 919-688-8111, Ext. 288

SpiritHouse Presents, in cooperation with Calvary Ministries of the Westend Community, Inc. will feature an evening of family fun and storytelling with international storyteller, Mama Yaa Asantewa.

For over 16 years Nana Yaa Asantewa, — affectionately known throughout her travels as "Mama Yaa" — has shared her gift of storytelling in the United States, the Virgin Islands, and the African countries of Togo, Ivory coast, Gambia, Senegal, and Gabon. "Mama Yaa" and her stories delight people of all ages. As a "storyteller," presenting in the African oral tradition, she is featured in the prestigious "Gullah Festival" held in Beaufort, South Carolina. Nana Yaa Asantewa is a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers. Her work is inspirational and educational.

This is a treat you and your family don't want to miss!

Click here to see the full informational flyer in color.

DATE: Friday, November 21, 2003
TIME: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
PLACE: The Community Family Life & Recreation
Center at Lyon Park
1313 Halley Street, Durham, NC
For more information call: 919-688-8111, Ext. 288

An advocate of independent Black institutions, Haki R. Madhubuti (Formerly Don L. Lee) is the founder, publisher and editor of Third World Press, founder and current board member of the Institute of Positive Education/New Concept Development Center, and director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center at Chicago State University. Madhubuti is the author of 19 books; emerged on the literary scene in 1967 with the widely read Think Black and Black Pride (1968), and became recognized as one of the critical Black poets of the 60’s with the 1969 publication of Don’t Cry, Scream.

Click here to see the full informational flyer in black and white, or click here for a full color version.

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