WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

“Years ago I lived in a women’s shelter with my four young children, and I promised God that if he delivered me out of my situation, I would live the rest of my life helping others.”

God answered Weomie Beale’s prayer and delivered her from an abusive seven-year marriage. Beale kept her promise and began making a difference in the lives of hundreds of youth and adults in the Winston-Salem area. She’s a motivational speaker.

About four years ago, Beale started a dollar store for the homeless, and most recently a youth talent showcase called Kids Got Talent. “I work with a lot of kids with tough challenges and a lot of them are homeless, and I noticed they’re so talented and have so much love to give,” Beale said. “I decided to create an opportunity for kids to show their talents. This gives them a way to focus on something positive and make them feel like they have a purpose in this world.”

Beale said the main purpose is to boost their self-esteem. She’s a mother of four now-adult children, but remembers how important it was to have support. “Raising kids isn’t an easy task. There’s no manual for being a single mother or father, and I believe my purpose is to be that support system to our parents and their children,” she said.

Beale’s bishop at The Uncompromising Word of Truth put her in charge of having support for the women and children to help build stronger families. “I started thinking, we have a community close to the church and a lot of times we need to go to them, so that’s what I do, and it’s how I meet so many talented, smart, and loving children,” Beale said.

Kids Got Talent also gives the children a platform to share their inner feelings through a song. “There are so many issues that are really stressing our children, things you don’t normally talk about, and music is a way for them to release that stress,” Beale said.

She provides food and drinks for the children as well, and I look forward to making a financial donation to this very worthy cause myself. Beale said, “When our children share and open up, they become better citizens, because having something positive to do helps them realize that they are beautiful and that they do matter.” She experienced abuse, bullying and low self-esteem as a child, she said, “So I want to teach our youth the importance of doing what I’m doing, because it really does take a village to raise our children.”

If you would like for your children to participate in Kids Got Talent, or you would like to volunteer, call Weomi Beale at (336) 995-3144. Anyone between the ages of 5-16 can participate. The event is free and will be held this Friday, Feb. 2 at The Uncompromising Word of truth Praise and Worship Center 3071 Waughtown St. in Winston-Salem, at 7:30 p.m.