Afro-American Cultural Center Says Fond Farewell To Long-term Staffer

As the Afro-American Cultural Center prepares to cross another milestone in its thirty-year tenure as a multi-disciplinary epicenter celebrating the triumphant spirit of the African-American experience, it bids farewell to one who many consider “the face” of the Center.  Victoria “Vikkii” Beckwith Graham, who has directed the Education and Cultural Outreach programs for over a decade, will retire and move to Chicago in February, 2008. 

Deon Bradley, President & CEO of AACC, acknowledges, “Vikkii leaves big footsteps to be filled, as she moves on to the next chapter in her life in the Windy City”.  Graham’s husband, Tony, recently joined the video ministry at Life Changers International Church in Hoffman Estates, IL and the couple is relocating. 

During her ten-plus years, Graham is most proud of her roles as leader of AACC’s Teaching Artists Roundtable Professional Development Program, a program she founded in 2000 to expand the cultural capacity of the Center’s education and community programming, and as creator of the Center’s Multicultural Marketplace at the annual Festival In The Park.  For 7 years, the marketplace showcased the performing and visual art forms of ethnic cultures in the Charlotte community.  While working at AACC, Graham has also produced the Cultural Center’s Griot newsletter; acquired grants; curated exhibits; helped with marketing and graphic design; and has graciously served as the Center’s liaison to numerous community organizations. 

Many see Graham as an enduring fixture at this Arts & Science Council Affiliate that celebrates the creative process.  In truth, she has been involved with this building for more than a half-century in its current and former life as Little Rock AME Zion Church. 

Graham was led to her artistic community work at the Afro-American Cultural Center after founding and serving as Director of “K.i.d.s. ‘n Play” a neighborhood-based, grassroots initiative which reached over 500 school-aged community youth.  Through her leadership “K.i.d.s. ‘n Play”, in partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Park & Recreation Department, received community recognition and awards.  This enterprise reawakened Graham’s artistic side after successful careers in Real Estate Management and Sales, Broadcast Production and Sales, and Retail Sales.

“This opportunity is bittersweet,” Graham says.  Not only will AACC lose her, but she will relinquish her participation in a number of community efforts:  as an Election Judge for the Board of Elections, member of the Charlotte Area Transit System’s Arts-In-Transit Advisory Taskforce, Historic Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, Lakeview Landing Property Owners Association, Nation’s Ford Community Church’s’ video ministry and Hampton University Alumni.  In recent years she has served as a  member of the Bobcat Arena Public Arts Panel; the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Citizens Cable Oversight Advisory Committee; the Beatties Ford Rd. Corridor Project Out-of-School Time Taskforce; the ML King Memorial Observance Steering Committee; and on the Boards of Directors of Leadership Charlotte and Actors Theater of Charlotte. 

However, she adds, she will now have the time to “properly” spoil her new granddaughter Bella, who lives in Auckland, New Zealand with parents Margaret and Jason Brott.  “I have tried to live my life based on my conviction that ‘… the world may be better, because I was important in the life of a child”.  Graham--(affectionately dubbed “Mama Vikkii” by the Artists Roundtable participants and others in the city--) has always remembered that there is a child in all of us waiting to be nurtured.