By Heidi Cenac
Georgia Bureau
September 11, 2004

If the world were a village of 100 people, 22 would speak a Chinese dialect, 20 would earn less than a dollar a day, 17 would not be able to read or write, 60 would always be hungry and 24 would have a television in their home.

Examples like David Smith’s "If the World Were a Village" put differences in perspective for Anderson County residents Saturday morning at "Be the Link for Diversity," a free workshop at the library.

On the third anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack, there were few topics more pertinent for discussion, said keynote speaker Rebecca Stevens, a diversity educator at the University of South Carolina-Upstate.

"There is great diversity in the United States, South Carolina and across the world. Yet there is so much that is universal," she said, which unfortunately includes uncontrollable tragedy.

Juana Slade, diversity director at AnMed, started her job Sept. 10, 2001. Her first task was attending a networking conference Sept. 11.

"I saw Katie Couric and I heard urgency in her voice," Mrs. Slade said. "And I saw this plane fly into a skyscraper."
Like many others, she went home to family and stayed glued to the television. Although she didn’t know anyone involved, Mrs. Slade said she felt personally violated by the attacks.

"I hope for some of us this is a defining moment," she said before breaking the crowd of about 50 into small groups for discussion. "I hope to have enough defining moments in this community and around the world so that we never experience another tragedy like we did Sept. 11, 2001."

The discussion topics, which were catered to children, teenagers and adults, gave people the opportunity to talk in a safe environment, said participant Carl Sharperson Jr.

The group ranged from businessmen like Mr. Sharperson to teachers to members of sponsor agencies and teens from New Foundation.

"It was wonderful. It really was," said Gail Marion, of the Alzheimer’s Association. "It’s just an overall good thing to have people of different ages and races talk about what they see now and what they’d like to see in the future."

Anderson County Community relations director Michelle Strange said she hopes the message carries on and in the future they are able to hold longer events so people can attend multiple discussions.

In the meantime, Anderson residents can see participants’ ideas for the area’s future in a peace chain made from their wishes. The chain will travel through the city and end at the Festival of Trees, she said.

Heidi Cenac can be reached at
(800) 859-6397 ext. 324 or by e-mail at
cenache@IndependentMail.com.