‘Black love is Black history’

Denise “DD” Adams’ journey is deeply rooted in the legacy of Black leadership, resilience, and community empowerment. Born and raised in Winston-Salem — a city with its own rich African American history — Adams grew up witnessing the struggles and triumphs of Black communities during the civil rights movement and in the present day. This historical backdrop shaped Adams’ passion for public service and advocacy.  “Black love is Black history,” Adams said in an interview with The Chronicle. “Black history is making sure that everybody is reached out to, and no Black person is left behind. That’s Black love; that’s Black history.”  Adams has fought for marginalized and underserved people since she was a young girl in segregated schools. She recalled a moment when she stood up for another student who was being singled out by a teacher for being darker than the other Black children.  “As a little six-year-old, I jumped up and said, ‘You can’t treat her like that. It’s not right … you’re not right!’” At that time, Adams’ outrage was aimed at a Black teacher. “We don’t understand that it wasn’t just the system or white people traumatizing us, we also did a lot of trauma...