T&D News March 22, 2016 Claflin honors governor Gov. Nikki Haley was presented with the First Lady's Visionary Award for her accomplishments during the First Lady's Hats and Gloves Scholarship Tea at Claflin University. An array of hats of all colors, shapes and sizes, decorated in feathers and bows, filled the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center on Tuesday as woman took their seats in their finest threads. Over the last 10 years, the scholarship tea has grown from 30 women to well over 480 women and men. All funds from the event go toward scholarships for students. "We're all from various walks of life, but underneath the one thing that unites the eclectic group of women is our tremendous ability to stay firm and hold it all together," said Alice Carson Tisdale, first lady of Claflin University. "No matter the situation, we always find the strength and wisdom to hold on together, push on, carry on, lead on," Tisdale added. The program, held during Women's History Month, had the theme "Dream Weavers: Shaping the Future." Women's History Month 2016 focuses on honoring women who have shaped America's history and future through public service and government leadership. "It is most fitting that we honor a woman who is the theme, our very own Nikki Randhawa Haley," Tisdale said. Tisdale called Haley a courageous woman who has had to overcome exceptional odds. Haley, a Bamberg native, is the first female and first minority to serve as governor of South Carolina. She is serving her second term. "Your strength was shown in your deliberate efforts to put politics aside and help our state heal and unite in the wake of the Emanuel 9 Massacre, leading the effort to bring down that symbol of hate flying over the state capitol," Tisdale said. Tisdale highlighted Haley's task of leading the recovery for victims of October's flooding. "You followed your own instincts and heart and with passion, courage and conviction, served the best interests of the people of the state of South Carolina," Tisdale said. Tisdale referenced a song called "Believe in Yourself" sung by Diana Ross in the movie, "The Wiz." "The message of the song is a charge to all of us to always believe in yourself and the powers that you and you alone possess," she said. Tisdale presented Haley with a small embroidered pillow that says, "Believe in Yourself" with two sparkly ruby slippers on top, similar to Dorothy's in the "Wizard of Oz." Haley said she has amazing respect for Claflin University President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale and First Lady Tisdale. "There's no place that they will go that I won't follow," Haley said. Haley spoke of the courage of the 12 people who walked into Mother Emanuel on June 17 for a Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Nine of the churchgoers were fatally shot. "On that night, they welcomed someone else in - someone that didn't look like them, someone that didn't sound like them, someone that didn't act like them," Haley said. They didn't call law enforcement. They pulled up a chair and prayed with him for an hour. "That's courage," Haley said. "We lost nine amazing souls that night." Haley asked the audience to pray for the three survivors that have to live with the memory of what took place in the church. She also spoke of the removal of the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds after the massacre. "When you think of 2015 and you think of courage, love and acceptance, think of those Emanuel 12 and think of the people of South Carolina who said, 'It's time," Haley said. Also during the program: The Hats & Gloves Scholarship Tea Committee presented a $10,000 check to benefit scholarships. The following students were awarded a $1,500 scholarship and a laptop, donated by Moses and Emma Harvin: Jordan N. Barnes of Rock Hill, a junior biology major with a minor in chemistry; Ivah E. Levy of Sumter, a junior elementary education major and Erica B. Scriven of Hopkins, a freshman middle-level education major. Entertainment was provided by Ron and Natalie Daise who are writers, actors, educators, speakers and internationally known television performers. Contact the writer: princess.williams@timesanddemocrat.com or (803) 533-5516 SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-592-4820 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.