Popular writer Malcolm Gladwell said mastery is not born but created, practiced, and executed. To help barbers across the state sharpen their skills last month, The Shave Cave Barber Lounge hosted a Barber Skills and Techniques Class. While having a master barber class is common in bigger cities, it had never been done in Winston-Salem. But Anthony Hamby, owner of The Shave Cave Barber Lounge here in Winston-Salem, and Caleb Cranfield, owner of Support The C Barbershop in Salisbury, changed that.  Hamby, who has been working toward his goal of opening his own barber school for a few years ..read more

By Busta Brown “Happy Hill is the first designated community for formerly enslaved people,” shared Tonya Sheffield. Tonya is the president of Happy Hill Neighborhood Association, who is working hard to preserve the Winston-Salem community’s rich history.  The Happy Hill community has a legacy of artists, doctors, lawyers, teachers, athletes, entertainers and more. “Our goal is to preserve what’s left of it in hopes of building, rebuilding, reclaiming what this community once was. We want people to understand this rich history, their connection to the ancestors that were there and to help ..read more

By Felecia Piggott-Long, Ph.D. More than 400 reading enthusiasts attended the Bookmarks discussion between New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and political leader Stacey Abrams and Dr. Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation. The gathering took place in the sanctuary of the historic First Baptist on Fifth, on Sunday, April 5, at 3 p.m. Pastor Emily Hull McGee observed from the front pew. Abrams served as Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives and was the first African American woman to become gubernatorial nominee for a major party in Un ..read more

After years of being an assistant coach, Mike Russell will finally get his turn as the man in charge as he was recently named head coach of the R.J. Reynolds boys varsity basketball team.   Russell replaces Billy Martin who was head coach for the Demon for nearly two decades. Russell is a 2001 graduate of Reynolds and was a key piece of back-to-back state championship teams in 2000 and 2001. He recently sat down with The Chronicle to talk about taking over the Demons team and his goals for the future. Q: What’s the first order of business for you? A: The first order has been taken ca ..read more

Just as it did 60 years ago, last Saturday the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. echoed throughout Goler Metropolitan AME Zion Church. On April 13, 1964, King made a stop in Winston-Salem and spoke at Goler. And during a special commemoration ceremony held last weekend, a clip of King’s speech was played for the first time.  While speaking in front of a jam-packed crowd at Goler, King talked about the importance of voting and peaceful protest. Although it was hard to make out parts of the King’s speech from the 60-year-old recording, it was clear that King’s voice touched everyone in th ..read more

Dream Kreams Artisanal Creamery offers 30 flavors in both dairy and dairy-free options Five years ago when Kyndra Bell made her first batch of ice cream, it was just something for her twin boys to do during the summer. But once her family members and friends got a taste of her homemade ice cream, it grew into something more. “I just made whatever was in the kitchen at the time and my mom and some of my friends told me I needed to sell it,” Bell explained. After trying a few different flavors, Bell visited a local radio station and from there, business started to take off. “I went to 102 Jamz a ..read more

By Busta Brown This week I was the MC and speaker for Hear Our Youth, youth summit in High Point. The theme was “Reality Check!” And that’s exactly what it was.  The summit is the vision of Mr. Jerry Mingo of High Point. “He always had a passion to help the youth in the community and he would host a youth summit every year,” said Oveter McLean. She’s the founder and CEO for the organization, Not on the Curb.  “He would make sure the youth had teachers in the community and everybody out to help the youth. So, this was dear to his heart. It was a passion that he loved doing every year ..read more

As part of their Blueprint for Success Recruiting Tour, staff, students, university leaders, and alumni from Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) made a stop in Winston-Salem a few weeks ago. The event hosted by ECSU’s Office of Admissions and Recruitment was designed to introduce prospective students and their families to the Viking culture. During the event held at St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church, attendees had the opportunity to engage with current faculty and staff, current students, athletic coaches, residence life team members and alumni. Located in Elizabeth City, ECSU, is one o ..read more

Contest to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month in May By Judie Holcomb-Pack Parents and grandparents, here is an opportunity to encourage your middle schoolers to be creative, sharpen their research and writing skills, and possibly win a prize! The Chronicle and Forsyth Historic Resources Commission Community Engagement Committee are partnering to hold an essay contest for 6th-8th graders in Forsyth County schools to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month in May. Students in the 6th-8th grades are invited to submit an essay about 250-300 words in length on one of these topic ..read more

Are you looking for a fun way to spend time with your grandkids, from tots to teens? Bring them to the Piedmont Earth Day Fair on Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds! The largest Earth Day celebration in North Carolina, it’s packed with family-friendly activities and demonstrations, delicious food, student artwork, and more.  The best thing of all? Attendance and parking are free! The fair is presented by Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA). “Earth Day is a great time for people of all ages to connect with our planet, build community, and take action loca ..read more