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Friday March 24th

Elevate: Amplifying voices in our community

Elevate is here to do exactly what it says — to give a platform to those whose voices are often silenced. This is a page to celebrate and uplift the underrepresented communities that make up Chapel Hill, who contribute to our culture and daily lives in ways that are often not reported. Elevate adds depth to stories across campus, the town and Orange County.


The page is in part put together and reported by members of the Sharif Durhams Leadership Program, a talent and leadership development course for DTH students from underrepresented groups. Elevate accepts pitches throughout the year for op-eds and letters from members of different groups in our community. Please send submissions to elevate@dailytarheel.com.

Camille Parker, who is from Durham, is carving a space for Black women country artists and fans. Photo courtesy of UNC Media Hub. 

Meet Camille Parker, a beacon for Black women in country music

By Ruth Samuel | Apr. 27, 2021

Raised in Durham, Camille Parker is Bull City bred. It was there that she was introduced to Linda Martell, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Pride, and notably, Rissi Palmer. Now, over a decade later, Parker is a part of Palmer's "Color Me Country Class of 2021" and released her first single called "The Flame" in March 2021.  Despite challenges facing Black women trying to enter country music, Parker has burst on the scene and been embraced by Black women in the industry, such as Grammy-nominated Mickey Guyton.

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Camille Parker, who is from Durham, is carving a space for Black women country artists and fans. Photo courtesy of UNC Media Hub. 

Meet Camille Parker, a beacon for Black women in country music

By Ruth Samuel | Apr. 27, 2021

Raised in Durham, Camille Parker is Bull City bred. It was there that she was introduced to Linda Martell, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Pride, and notably, Rissi Palmer. Now, over a decade later, Parker is a part of Palmer's "Color Me Country Class of 2021" and released her first single called "The Flame" in March 2021.  Despite challenges facing Black women trying to enter country music, Parker has burst on the scene and been embraced by Black women in the industry, such as Grammy-nominated Mickey Guyton.

Read More »
DTH Photo Illustration. The Orange County Health Department recently launched a health equity page designed to be user-friendly and informative.

Orange County Health Department creates community health and racial equity webpage

By Caroline Kelly | Apr. 15, 2021

The webpage, which comes after nearly four years of collaboration and input from the community, features content that is updated with information and resources pertaining to equity work. "It’s not something where you can just read a book or attend a class and you’re done, it’s a lifelong journey," she said. "The equity webpage and all the work we’re doing we see as a continual process that is looked through a racial equity lens." 

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Dr.April Callis is the Assistant Director of the LGBTQ Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.

UNC celebrates LGBTQ+ community through its annual Pride Week Celebration

By Chelsea Ramsey | Apr. 14, 2021

Pride Week this year featured a variety of virtual events, including a Pride baking party, an LGBTQ+ book club meeting, Pride wellness hour, Pride Pictionary and a Pride film screening. These events, held by different organizations around campus, are intended to celebrate the LGBTQ community on UNC’s campus and give students a space to connect with each other within the community. 

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DTH Photo Illustration: Some N.C. senators recently announced the introduction of a Hate Crimes Prevention Act that would require states and local authorities to publish data on hate crimes.

Lawmakers file new bills to increase scope and scale of punishments for hate crimes

By Susie Webb | Apr. 5, 2021

The mirrored bills would expand the definition of a hate crime and increase the scope and scale of punishments for hate crimes.  The introduced Hate Crimes Prevention Acts would also require law enforcement training on how to identify and respond to a hate crime.  Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue said that this act would have impacted his department’s investigation of the 2015 murders of three Muslim students,  Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha. 

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