Donna
Vanhook
for
MAYOR
Making a shift in Burlington.
EXPERIENCE
2021-Present
Social Justice Fellow
NC Black Alliance Faith Engagement Team Fellow
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Coordinate efforts for social justice in Alamance County.
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Assist with strategizing for democracy within the state.
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Write womanist articles for the newsletter.
2016 - Present
Associate Pastor
Associate Pastor and Womanist Community Organizer
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Ordained ministry in full standing at Union Chapel United Church of Christ. Lead worship and occasionally preach when needed. Coordinator of the community partnership with Elon University (including grassroots organization Alamance Resiliency Coalition) for more than four consecutive semesters.
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Lead community outreach in Burlington around violence prevention, notably as Womanist Community Organizer formerly with grassroots organization Morrow Town Task Force (now a 501c3 non-profit). Currently, connecting communities with resources by building community resilience through Alamance Resiliency Coalition.
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Developed programming for ministry to older adults, co-organizing a series of three events with the COAACH program at North Carolina A&T University, which circulated - 2 - local resources and services for older adults. The third of these was virtual, circulated online due to the pandemic crisis.
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Community partner and co-educator with Elon University faculty and students, including guest lectures in classes, mentoring undergraduates. Coordinated and assisted with the production of a podcast, Learning, Lifting, Leading: Social Equity for and by Black and Brown Girls and Women, in collaboration with Elon University, Shaw University Divinity School, and the Raleigh-Apex NAACP.
2006 - 2013
Associate Minister
Associate Minister, Elon First Baptist Church of Morgan Place
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One of the first four women ordained by the Guilford Educational & Missionary Baptist Association at Elon First Baptist Church.
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Established, taught and wrote curricula for Contemporary African American Young Adult Sunday School.
2012 - 2014
Program Coordinator
GED Program Coordinator and Instructor, Men's Empowering Resource Center, Inc.
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Coordinated and facilitated off campus GED classes for male and female clients through Alamance Community College.
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Supported students in their efforts to successfully complete GED requirements. Four clients graduated through the program.
2000 - 2002
Founder and President
Founder and President, Triad Therapeutic Foster Parent Association
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Organized to provide support to specialized foster care parents and caregivers of youth with special needs and/or Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
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Facilitated meetings to equip caregivers of youth with special needs and to share resources.
2000 - 2005
Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer
Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer, Alamance County Courts
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Investigated instances of child abuse and neglect by court order. Advocated for the wellbeing of youth in the court proceedings.
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Referred families to appropriate community agencies and organizations to meet treatment and support needs, including shelters, legal resources and educational programs.
EDUCATION
2015
Master's Degree in Non-profit Management
HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY
MA in Nonprofit Management at Norcross Graduate School with courses in advocacy, executive leadership, strategic planning, fundraising.
2010
Master of Divinity Degree
SHAW UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL
Graduate level studies in theology, preaching, pastoral care to African American families, womanism (Black woman's lived experience in the nation), disenfranchised and marginalized populations, Strong Black Woman and Strong Black Man ideologies.
2007
ELON UNIVERSITY
Bachelor's Degree
BA in Religious Studies and Minor in Human Services with courses in groups and communities
1991 and 1994
Associate of Applied Science Degrees
ALAMANCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AAS in Criminal Justice/Corrections and AAS in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement
1995
Basic Law Enforcement Training
DURHAM TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Basic Law Enforcement Training-Police Academy
ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS
Zoom/Facebook Live: A Critical Roundtable with Black Women and Women of Color Bible Scholars and Clergy
Facilitated focus group discussion on education equity in Alamance County for LatinxEd and recently elected NC State Representative Ricky Hurtado
SHAW UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL
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Discussion Panelist about Womanist Community Work for Women’s History Month and 60th Anniversary of Ella Baker organizing and leadership in forming the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
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34th Annual Women’s Conference “Becoming: Souls of Black & Brown Girls/Women Rising” panel discussion of the podcast project with Elon University Professor Carmen Monico and students.
ELON UNIVERSITY
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ALANAM (Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Alaskan Native and Multiracial) Women’s Institute workshop presentation – From A Womanist Perspective: A Woman of Color’s Lens for 21st Century Community Work.
ZOOM
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AME Church Women in Ministry Western NC Conference – “Traveling Safely”
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Facilitated discussion on: History of Green Book Travels, Race & Law Enforcement in NC - 3 - Best Practices for Women Traveling Safely in NC
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33rd Annual Women’s Conference “The Souls of Black and Brown Girls: Learning, Lifting, Leading” Workshop Co-facilitator, Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children - Child Sexual Abuse Prevention, with Elon University Professor Carmen Monico and Julie Budd, Crossroads Sexual Assault and Resource Center.
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32nd Annual Women’s Conference, “The Souls of Black and Brown Girls.” The first of three consecutive years as co-educator and coordinator of community partnership of Elon University with Shaw University Divinity School and local branch of the NAACP.
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Alumni Preacher at 44th Annual Alexander/Pegues Ministers’ Conference, Sermon Topic: Numbers 27: 1-5 “Hope in Community.”
AWARDS AND HONORS
Sarah Tupper Award at Shaw University Divinity School 34th Annual Women’s Conference
Elon University Delegate for Inauguration of Shaw University President Paulette Dillard
Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service – Morrow Town Task Force
Phenomenal Women of Alamance County by African American Cultural Arts and History Center
Distinguished Alumni Preacher at Shaw University Divinity School 41st Annual Alexander/Pegues Minister’s
Norcross Graduate School Movers & Shakers at High Point University
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Sojourners & Howard University School of Divinity: Theology and Racialized Policing nationwide virtual cohort
Chatham Organizing Racial Equity – Race and Trauma
Alamance Racial Equity Collaborative (ACRE Colab) – selected to participate in first cohort for institutional change in systems
North Carolina Industrial Areas Foundation (NC IAF) Training
Vision | Power | Solutions: Essential Elements of Community Driven Planning – year long training for environmental and racial equity
The King Center Nonviolence365: Understanding and Applying Nonviolence
University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center and the North Carolina Division of Public Health Injury and Violence Prevention Branch Injury-Free NC - 5 - Academy
Racial Equity Institute – Groundwater Presentation and Phase I
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University – Center for Alzheimer’s, Aging and Community Outreach (COAACH) Caregiver College; coordinated workshops for Union Chapel UCC
African American Pulpit 21st Century Preaching Institute, Instructor: Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas
Princeton Theological Seminary Black Theology and Leadership Institute
Community Resilience Model © Training
Society of Biblical Literature Membership
Community Based Participatory Research Training in community partnership with Elon University
The King Center #Be Love Campaign Inaugural Training
VOLUNTEER WORK
Elon University Advisory Board for Black Student Spiritual Support Member
Alamance Health Equity/Community Health Improvement Plan Collaborative
Appointed to Minimum Housing Commission by City of Burlington City Council
Selected to serve on Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS) Superintendent’s Equity, Diversity, and Opportunity Committee
Alamance County Elder Justice Project
Alamance Food Collaborative
Alamance Community Collaborative (System of Care) with Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies
Alamance County Womanist Community Organizer