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GOAT Awards showcase the best of the best

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Greensboro’s most beautiful and talented people gathered at the historic Carolina Theatre on Saturday (Jan. 18) to celebrate the 3rd annual GOAT Awards (Greatest of All Time). This awards ceremony honors talented people deemed the best in their respective professions. Hosts for this year’s awards ceremony were Ivey Ghee and Cory Jones and featured dancers from The Academy of Modeling, Dance and Leadership; music artist Shelby J, and an MJ (Michael Jackson) impersonator.

GOAT nominees and award recipients donned their finest formal attire to celebrate their accomplishments and being nominated. Category selections, nominations, and voting were all conducted by residents throughout Guilford County. The Goat Awards is one of the events which helps foster unity and community cohesion. The annual ceremony was created by Greensboro native Dr. Irish Gaymon-Spencer, radio host of the Wild Irish Show on WNAA, 90.1 FM, North Carolina A&T State University.

“Not only does the ceremony honor people who know how to ‘handle their business,’ it galvanizes the community to help combat violent crime and support families that have lost loved ones to gun violence,” said Gaymon-Spencer.

The months of January through February have been deemed cease-fire months across Greensboro and Guilford County, as proclamations were provided during the ceremony by At-Large City Councilperson and Mayor Pro Tempore Marikay Abuzuaiter and Guilford County Commissioner Frankie Jones Jr. (District 7).

Although homicides in Greensboro declined by 42 percent in 2024, 43 people lost their lives in homicides. GPD lost one of its own officers to violent crime on Dec. 23, two days before Christmas. Officer Michael Horan was shot and killed during a struggle with a suspect at a Food Lion grocery store in Northwest Greensboro. Horan was laid to rest on January 9 and received a traditional police ceremony with military honors, having served in the U.S. Coast Guard.

The first two weeks of 2025 saw six homicides committed in the city. The police department, led by Chief John Thompson, has continued its community outreach efforts by holding town halls at recreation centers and other venues across Greensboro to expand community partnerships and help solve crimes.

“We must stop this violence. Everyone must be violence interrupters,” proclaimed Gaymon-Spencer during the awards ceremony.

Gaymon-Spencer and her late husband, William Spencer, also founded the nonprofit organization Families Against Senseless Killings (FASK) when they lost their son to gun violence. Gaymon-Spencer said, “FASK provides education, peer support, facilitation of services and donations for families dealing with the aftermath of violence.” FASK also connects families to resources as they navigate the trauma of losing a child or loved one to violence. The organization hosts events, such as the GOAT Awards, along with education summits to bring awareness, community support and conflict intervention training to Guilford County residents.

Anyone with information on the recent homicides that have occurred in Greensboro or crimes in Guilford County, contact Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000 or ggcrimestoppers.com. All tips remain anonymous.