WS Chronicle

Last week the Young Adult Committee (YAC) of the Winston-Salem NAACP invited Councilman James Taylor to participate in a town hall meeting to discuss some of the concerns from people throughout the community.

The event held on Thursday, May 9, began with a candid conversation between Councilman Taylor, who is the publisher of The Chronicle, and YAC political action chair Ricky Johnson Jr. During his hour-long conversation with the representative for the Southeast Ward, Johnson touched on several important topics, including education, poverty rates, economic growth, the impact social media has on politics, voting, and job growth.

While discussing some of the programs and initiatives he has helped bring to the Southeast Ward, Taylor said it is important that locals and officials work together to make Winston-Salem and Forsyth County a better place for everyone. He said, “It is incumbent upon the members of the General Assembly to also jump in and find ways they can input resources and support. It is also incumbent on the county. I think we all need to be working together.

“We have a responsibility to use our platforms to speak about all types of issues. I think my job is to speak for the people of the city and use my role as a community leader to go down to City Hall and work on issues and things that are going to help move the city forward,” Taylor said.

Before wrapping up the town hall, Johnson allowed those in attendance to ask Councilman Taylor any questions they had. Taylor was asked questions about the grant writing process, the updated bus routes, and his plans for the future.

The Young Adult Committee of the Winston-Salem NAACP is for young professionals between the ages of 25-45 seeking to make a difference in the local community through politics, activism, and economic development. Ultimately the goal of YAC is to cultivate and empower Winston-Salem’s next generation of courageous, talented and intelligent local leadership.