GALLERY: Adams, McKissick Honored At Durham Committee Annual Founders’ Day Banquet
DURHAM, NC – “We’ve Got Work To Do” was the theme of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People (DCABP) 88th Annual Founders’ Day Banquet. The event was held on August 12 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel with Karen Clark, FOXY 107/104 Midday On-Air Personality, as the Mistress of Ceremony. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper was the keynote speaker. Dr. E. Lavonia Allison received the Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’s honorees were Stella Adams and Commissioner Floyd McKissick, Jr., and the youth honorees were Harmony Fairley and Bryson Mittman. DCABP awarded scholarships to two deserving students. (Photos by Jerry Head from the Banquet are below)
Governor Cooper highlighted the achievements of his office and praised the Biden-Harris administration for their successes. He focused on the work yet to be done in the state with broadband expansion, drug pricing stabilization, and childcare, along with investments in rail, public transportation, roads, bridges, and most importantly, public education.
“In North Carolina, through my executive orders, through my appointment powers, through my Cabinet agencies, and even with some legislation, we have continued to work hard to take head-on the systemic racism and prejudices that we know still exist. Not only in North Carolina but across this country and the world,” said Gov. Cooper. “We’ve had some successes. But we know that storm clouds are on the horizon. I’m deeply concerned about public education in North Carolina. So concerned, that I declared a state of emergency for public education because we need to invest from cradle to career. It is the most important thing we can do to make sure that everybody has an opportunity.”
The DCABP Interim 1st Vice Chair and former NC Secretary of Veterans and Military Affairs Attorney Larry Hall thanked the Governor ‘for the words of encouragement and the challenge to be greater than ourselves.’ Hall presented Gov. Cooper with an award recognizing him as the keynote speaker.
Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal presented Dr. E. Lavonia Allison with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Allison was the first female elected to serve as DCABP Chair. In her acceptance speech, she emphasized that the DCABP is not a political organization. “We [DCABP] are social, civil, educational, housing…we cover the waterfront on what makes people whole,” said Dr. Allison.
Dr. Allison went on to say, “There are two things, regarding politics, I want you to remember; human resources and fiscal resources. We can’t ever get more money than people who have had generations of wealth. But you know what, human resources…everybody in this room has a part to play. You don’t have to have all that big money that they have up there for the man who is running for the third time as a criminal. The Durham Committee does not need any other organizations, we have the human resources.” She ended with a quote from Marcus Garvey “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.”
The award to Honoree Floyd McKissick, Jr. was presented by former Durham Mayor William ‘Bill’ Bell. McKissick has committed his life to leadership and public service in Durham and across North Carolina. McKissick served for eight years on Durham’s City Council before going on to serve in the North Carolina Senate, during which he became the Deputy Minority Leader and the Chair of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. Currently, McKissick is a member of the North Carolina Utilities Commission.
NC State Rep. Zack Hawkins presented the award to Honoree Stella Adams. Adams is a lifelong civil servant specialist who has brought attention to predatory lending practices, equitable credit access, and fair housing. Her extraordinary work and expertise resulted in Bank of America making a #100 million commitment to communities in North Carolina and the passage of one of the toughest anti-predatory lending bills nationwide in the North Carolina General Assembly. Adams continues to work tirelessly to educate communities about fair housing and fair lending issues.
Youth Honorees:
- Harmony Fairley: a recent graduate of The School of Creative Studies in Durham Public School District who will be attending the University of North Carolina – Greensboro in the Lloyd International Honors College to double major in Political Science and Criminal Justice with a concentration in Pre-Law; she serves as a youth minister, junior coach of her cheer and dance studio, mentoring program ambassador, teen court ambassador, and volunteers with the NC Food Bank
- Bryson Mittman: a 7th-grade honor student at Shepard IB Magnet Middle School; he serves as a Shepard IB Ambassador, selected as a finalist in the Black & Belonging Black History video challenge, plays football for Oak Grove Athletic Association, and runs track for the Durham Striders. Learning at age 6 that his grandfather had a blood cancer, he refused presents for his birthday and instead requested that family and friends donate to UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to bring awareness of terminal cancer that disproportionately impacts African Americans. He continues to support this cause annually.
Scholarship Recipients:
- Jordan Vereen: a graduate of Durham School of Technology High School (formerly Hillside New Tech) where he served as the 2022-23 Student Body President and as a Durham Office of Youth representative for the Durham City-County Racial Equity Commission; he is attending the University of North Carolina – Greensboro in the Lloyd International Honors College with a major in Communications Studies and double minoring in Sociology and Political Science with a Civic Engagement and Leadership concentration.
- Kaelin Cadlett: a graduate of Durham School of Technology with community college credits earned at Durham Technical Community College; participated in National Technical Honor Society, concert/marching band/drum line (section leader), captain of the men’s basketball team, and several service projects; he is attending North Carolina Central University majoring in Information Technology with a minor in music.
Walter A. Jackson is the Chair of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People. Angelique Stallings, Civic Committee Chair, and Rosa Anderson, Civic Committee Vice Chair, were the organizers of the Banquet. Frederick X. Ravin III is the Chairman of the Board of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, Inc. For more information on The DCABP, visit www.dcabp.org.
Highlights of DCABP 88th Annual Founder’s Day Banquet (Photos: Jerry Head)
