Claudia Whitworth and her quiet excellence in the slow lane

Several weeks ago, Mayor Nelson Harris named Claudia Whitworth, owner of The Roanoke Tribune, Roanoke Citizen of the Year. The honor was well-deserved. Ms. Whitworth’s legacy of entrepreneurship, humanitarianism and philosophy of life are a living testimony to a rich life lived with passion, devotion and purpose. We can all learn vicariously, through her example, to live with such joy and fulfillment.

She is probably best known to the broader Roanoke community as the publisher of The Roanoke Tribune. The paper, started in 1939 by her father, is one of the longest surviving black community newspapers in the United States. Her business skills in keeping the paper relevant and profitable could easily be a case study for MBA students studying entrepreneurship at UVa’s Darden School or Virginia Tech’s Pamplin School of Business.

The Tribune’s business strategy is unique -- it keeps generations of far-flung black Roanokers linked through its weekly publication. A recent Roanoke Times article reported that there are 6,000 subscribers to the paper. These subscribers form, in contemporary business language, a “network.” Much like Bill Gates’ Windows operating systems, you literally can’t communicate or interface the social and cultural life of black Roanoke (or black Roanokers living elsewhere) without belonging to the Tribune network.

Ms. Whitworth has also deftly maintained the paper’s brand. The publication is delivered on-time, has weekly commentary ranging from conservative Roanoke’s congressman, Bob Goodlatte, to the more liberal Bernice Powell Jackson, and covers the sports scene of historically black colleges. Each edition lives up the paper’s motto of “Making and recording black history since 1939.”

Claudia Whitworth’s other passion is her humanitarian work. She has taken care of ill relatives and worked in leadership positions with the League of Older Americans and the Bradley Free Clinic while publishing the paper. Her motivations come from a spiritual worldview shaped by a father who was a Baptist minister, primary and secondary education in Quaker schools, and a strong belief in the Baha’I faith. She sees “One God and One Creation” and makes no distinctions in dealing with humanity based on race, gender, religion or socioeconomic class. Because of her religious foundation, helping others is simply being used as an “instrument” by God. For her, these humanitarian activities essentially constitute a religious duty.

Thus, she is truly uncomfortable with public recognition of her humanitarian work. She believes the praise should go to a merciful Creator who allows people like her to assist those less fortunate. Ms. Whitworth simply would prefer a thank-you for her “quiet excellence” in helping others.

My favorite part of The Roanoke Tribune is the weekly column she writes titled Turtle Tracs. As one who studies organizations, I am always fascinated by the use of metaphors to describe deeper contextual meanings of human activity. Ms. Whitworth’s use of “turtle” in the column title opens the door to multiple interpretations of The Tribune’s, and her, life story.

A number of scholars have interpreted John Steinbeck’s use of “turtle” in his classic “The Grapes of Wrath” as a metaphor for the struggles and stories of working class farmers that are outlined in the book. Here, the turtle plods along dutifully but is consistently confronted with dangers and setbacks. Significantly, the dangers posed to Steinbeck’s turtle are from big business and commerce.

The Roanoke Tribune has faced similar challenges under both Ms. Whitworth’s and her father’s tenure. Like Steinbeck’s turtle, the paper only wishes to survive and complete its mission. In the story, the turtle is hit by a truck and is knocked on its back. Yet, the turtle is able to right itself and continue its journey.

The paper has had its trials, tribulations and knock-downs during its nearly 70 years, but has always been able to right itself and continue with its purpose for existing. The paper’s history and evolution can only truly be appreciated by understanding how it has overcome nearly insurmountable obstacles and left its detractors in its “Turtle Tracs.”

In the French documentary “To Have and To Be,” the writer uses the turtle metaphor to describe the hero’s behavior: in a world of instant change, the teacher keeps everything at an even pace, has time to get involved in purposeful projects, and is extremely patient with people. It is the teacher’s values and priorities that create this space. Indeed, he is the architect of this space and his calm attitude has a positive effect of the highly energetic children who enter the classroom.

The same is true with the Turtle Tracs column. Claudia Whitworth reminds us weekly that there is a divine rhythm to life and that we are all works-in-progress. Human growth takes a long time so one has to be patient with fellow travelers along life’s journey. It is best to be patient with those we disagree with while simultaneously taking the time to be thankful for blessings big and small.

For a fast-paced guy like me, the column is always a good reminder to slow down and be grateful.

Claudia Whitworth is simply a wonderful human being. All Roanokers should be proud of her personal and business accomplishments. In my humble opinion, there could not have been a better choice for Roanoke’s Citizen of the Year award.