07/22/2026
THE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT FROM COMMISSIONER GRAHAM by e.graham
I must say, I LOVE BEING YOUR COMMISSIONER, and I LOVE SERVING the greater good of Duplin County. It has been a productive month for me.
First, we would like to thank Onesti Gonzalez, a student at James Kenan High School, and President of Angel Impact, an organization founded by Cynthia Swann-Brinson, who is the daughter of Joyce Ann Swann, a member of the Magnolia Advisory Committee, whose purpose is to inspire, equip, and empower the youth and community through SERVICE,, for committing herself to helping others and participating in their First Annual Fundraiser along with all the other kids on Saturday, June 27.
Angel Impact's next service project takes them to Atlanta, Georgia, where they will volunteer their efforts at the Atlanta Community FOOD BANK, a major distribution center in East Point, Atlanta that partners with over 700 local organizations providing food to those facing hunger, where they distribute over 1 million meals annually through pantries, community kitchens, and other programs.
Onesti is a part of my LET THEM LEAD THE WAY YOUTH , along with JOURDAN JOE, a recent graduate of James Kenan High School, which I had the honor to interview, who after hitting over .500 this season, earned a scholarship to Elizabeth City State University to play softball this fall. I hope to bring Ms. Joe back to mentor and talk with some young ladies in the community in the future, because she is a truly a GOAL-MODEL to be looked up to.
In discussing MENTORSHIP, I attended the Men's Day Service at First Missionary Baptist Church of Magnolia, who are under the stewardship of Pastor Rickie Houston, who along with his church duties, is also the Chief Program Officer of A CALL FOR Men, which I attended their Annual Father's Day Celebration.
So, I would like to say Happy Father's Day to all the fathers. The Great Great father, grandfathers, old dads, young fathers, single dads, deceased fathers, uncles, who sometimes step in the roles of absent fathers, along with men, who are role models, teachers, preachers, elected officals and coaches that some look up to as father-figures.
As Onesti said, here in Magnolia, "WE ATTACK THE PROBLEM NOT THE P'ERSON." And, we have been classified as a "FOOD DESERT," here. Now, a food desert is a geographic area, flooded with convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, but lack a mainstream grocery store, which severely impact the health of the community.
So, what was the SOLUTION......Myself along with assistance of Dupllin Coalition or Health Coordinator MAURY CASTILLO collaborated with RIPE FOR REVIVAL, who operators a fleet of retrofitted buses that function as a pay-what you can MOBILE MARKET.
In the art of SERVICE, we are still continuing our SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM designed for children 18 ages and under, which we provide healthy meals and food boxes with the assistance of the Duplin County Schools Child Nutrition Department.
With that stated, we would like to THANK Mrs. Jane Johnson and Mrs. Betty Culberth, who have been volunteering their service and time, showing us a TRUE EXAMPLE of what LOVE & CHARITY looks like.
Matter of fact, Johnson and Culbeth inspired me to create a GOOD NEIGHBORS AWARD, which will be a monthly award, given to a resident of our SMALL TOWN due their small acts of kindness, which goest to Mrs. Janet Green and Charrie Pine.
For, according to Matthew 22:36-40, the two greatest commandments are: "Love the Lord with all your heart and Love your neighbor like yourself.
So, I borrowed a statement from the All 'Soul Episcopal Church of Washington, DC, which says, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR who doesn't
LOOK like you. THINK like you. LOVE like you. SPEAK like you. PRAY like you. VOTE like you. (LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR) NO EXCEPTIONS.
Keeping with the theme, of GOOD NEIGHBORS, I also had the pleasure to attend Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department's WELLNESS DAY on June 27, which was an event featured healthcare providers from Faith Medical Center (Charlotte, NC), The People's Herbs (Greensboro, NC), Strive Liver Health Study from NC State along with The Black American United Memory and Aging Project, an examination of cognitive decline of mid-life and Black adults, out of North Carolina A &T, which attempts to find a cure to Alzheimer's Disease.
From Well's Day, I traveled to Kenansville, NC in order to attend THE BRIDGE THE GAP CLOSING THE GAP ON MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CONFERENCE at James Sprunt Community College, which featured panels, discussions, breakout sessions, and youth focused wellness space, where I ran into Michael James, from Magnolia, a former employee of Dollar General, who is a doctoral student in Counseling Education at THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
So, we are proud to announce that we have another PH.D from Magnolia in our ranks.
And, like, I always say, SMALL TOWNS produce the "GREATEST" people.
In discussing, GREATNESS, Jaalen Best, the son of Vanessa Canady, who is the daughter of Diane Raines, the wife of our Commissioner Perry Raines, will be starring in the role of Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali in the highly anticipated Prime Video limited series entitled the GREATEST, which is a series about the late boxer, activist, and humanitarian's life, which will be executive produced by Ali’s widow Lonnie & Michael B. Jordan. of (The Creed franchise).
THE GREATEST is scheduled to PREMIERE ON NOVEMBER 4, 2026, and features a star-studded ensemble cast, in full collaboration with Muhammad Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali.
And, as I come to my conclusion, let me discuss the TOPIC OF COMPLAINING.
So, before one complains. Ask yourself, if you want to simply vent or if you are trying to achieve a specific goal.
So, while vocalizing your concerns, not complains, cause language is important here in Magnolia, offer at least 3 positive things. And remember, TALK TO PEOPLE NOT AT PEOPLE, with goal-oriented concerns to the people, who actually attack and; possibly. fix the problem.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
AND, WELCOME TO THE TOWN OF MAGNOLIA.
Note to reader: The is the written version of the report given by Commissioner Graham, edited for Facebook purposes. However, his oral presentation of the report slightly different, which was given at Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, July 14th.
