Category Archives: Authors

Authors, Book, Social Issues, Wingate University

Registrar Maria Taylor introduces the One Month Book Club to faculty and staff

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Aleah Cady, Staff Writer

At the suggestion of Registrar Maria Taylor, faculty and staff at Wingate University have been participating in the new “One-Month Book Club.”

The club meets twice a week, on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. in the Cornwell Room at the Ethel K. Smith Library and at noon Fridays in the McGee Center conference room.  It’s open to all faculty and staff.

Taylor suggested the idea for the book club to the vice provost, Nancy Randall, after reading the 2017 Christian literature book, “A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community,” written by North Carolina pastor, John Pavlovitz.

johnMosaicHeadshot
Photo Credit: Pavlovitz site

The book, which focuses on inclusivity and diversity in the church as well as other settings, inspired Maria, and she wanted to share John’s message with others. “The book teaches a very agenda-free, inclusive, authentic method of inclusivity.” Maria says. “He speaks about radical hospitality, and making people of all backgrounds feel at home.”

According to the summary on Google Books, Pastor John Pavlovitz of North Raleigh Community Church tackles topics “the Christian community has been earnestly wrestling with… LGBT inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions, and global concerns.”

The book has received mixed reviews, due to its progressive, and arguably controversial style. As a pastor of over 20 years, John has been devoted to social justice, and breaking down “walls” between people of different faiths, religions, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, genders, etc. On his website, he describes himself as “a 20-year ministry veteran trying to figure out how to love people well and to live-out the red letters of Jesus.”

“I thought this would be a great book to open up discussion, and talk with faculty and staff about something other than work. Our student body is very diverse, so I feel that as faculty, it’s important to have open discussions about the differences in students, and ourselves.” Maria said.

She is open to students being a part of the club in the future, and encourages them to read Pavlovitz’ book as well. She is very interested in the idea of  the club continuing next year.

On February 21st, Pastor Pavlovitz will be on campus. He will be eating lunch with members of The One-Month Book Club and discussing the book. That evening at 7 p.m., he will be the speaker for a faith lyceum in the McGee Theater, which is open to faculty, staff, and students.

The required attire for attendance is business casual. He will speak about his book, and his beliefs on “building a bigger table.” All are welcome to attend, and hear John’s message.

A Bigger Table is available for purchase from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Target, and his personal website. He has a new book being released this year.

Edited by: Brea Childs

Authors, Uncategorized

Digging into your past may help to find long lost relatives

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Change of Career leads to Relatives

Kendall Sienon, Staff Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stuart Watson was once known as an investigative reporter digging into the lives of others. After an unexpected career change, Watson changed course and started digging into his own past creating a documentary as he goes. He tells his story and the journey of discovery to the Charlotte Chapter of Society of Professional Journalists.

Watson was adopted at 4 months of age to his current mother and father. Because of his experience as an investigative reporter, Watson knew he could obtain a “non-identifiable information” document on his birth parents.

In 2003, he received eight-single spaced pages full of information. Watson figured out that his birth father was a white, lawyer, from Atlanta. After further investigation he figured out his birth mother was from Augusta, G.A. and her name is Helen. After more research Watson got an address for his birth mother. He decided to send her a confidential, two-page letter simply saying “thank you” and to let her know how he turned out.

Watson heard back from Helen and went down to Georgia to meet her. He learned that his father’s name was Henry Scott Schmidt. He was a World War II vet wounded in action. Henry and Helen met at a mental hospital.

She was a nurse while he was a recovering alcoholic. Helen and Henry were remarried twice again and had 2 other children. Watson himself is an alcoholic in addition to his father and in addition to his two biological siblings. Today, Watson and his biological family have a great relationship. He realized that alcoholism and mental illness is hard to deal with.

Watson continues his efforts to finish the documentary on his life. He has great information and wants the story to be less about himself and more about Helen. Watson wishes he had more information on his biological father but hopes to discover more about his experiences. Stuart Watson’s journey has a bigger message and he hopes to display it through his documentary still untitled.

Edited by: Sara Gunter

 

 

Authors, Lyceum, Wingate University

‘Enrique’s Journey’ author speaks on immigration issues

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Courtney Bailey – Staff Writer

nazarioWelcoming refugees, reforming foreign policy, and extending a helping hand to those in need are only the beginning of award-winning author and journalist Sonia Nazario’s ideas for solving the hardships and horrors of immigration to the United States. On the evening of Oct. 27, the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Enrique’s Journey spoke to an audience of nearly 500 students about the migration struggles of a young boy from Honduras and thousands like him. From violent beatings to gang rape, Nazario made the audience explicitly aware of the overwhelming difficulties immigrants face trying to cross the border.

Wingate University’s Austin Auditorium was alive with excitement and anticipation, hushing to an attentive silence as Nazario took the stage. Though she was of average height, the stature of Nazario’s character, and passion for the topics on which she spoke commanded the room, instantly drawing the attention of both students and other locals in the community.

“It’s an important issue,” Nazario began as she introduced the topic of her speech. “And a local issue. It’s a story of migrating to North Carolina.”

Nazario recounted the highlights of Enrique’s Journey to the audience, sharing how this 11 year-old boy traveled all the way from Honduras to Cary, North Carolina, to find his mother while riding freight trains, enduring beatings, and battling a drug addiction. Enrique is but one example of thousands like him who face such horrific circumstances in their home country that they are willing to make the dangerous journey to the United States, only to be inflicted with yet another trauma: the U.S. judicial system.

Nazario told how living in Argentina during the “Dirty War” in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s shaped her into the advocate she is today. After she saw two journalists killed in the streets of Buenos Aires for trying to tell the truth about the war, Nazario decided she, too, wanted to be a journalist and make the world aware of the tragedies happening in Central America.

“I saw the power of words that day—the power of storytelling,” Nazario said. “I wanted to be a truth-teller. I want to grab my readers by the throat and take them for a ride through worlds they might not have otherwise known.”

Nazario continues to place herself in the shoes of these immigrants to better tell their stories, urged the audience to do “the right thing” and look at America’s immigration issue not as a political issue, but rather as a humanity issue.

“I hope everyone will join me in being a voice for refugee children,” Nazario said as she came to a close. “Increase foreign aid. Lobby to increase the number of refugees we take in. I know that if we push with the determination I saw on top of that train, we can slowly, surely change things in Central America.This is a true test for our great country. Are we going to rise to the level of humanity that is required of us?”

Several audience members gave Nazario a standing ovation at the end of her speech as loud applause filled the auditorium, showcasing the poignant impact and inspiration Nazario had evoked in the crowd.

“Overall, the Lyceum was amazing,” freshman student Aji Njie said. “We were all amazed by the things she had to endure, and everyone was touched, honestly. My biggest take-away is not to take things for granted.”

Edited by Brooke Griffin