The Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation (SCNTR) and the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) held a Unite and Build Workshop on Saturday at the Selma Center.

The event, entitled “Beyond Divide and Conquer,” qualified its attendees to get consideration for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation regranting and Design teams.

SCNTR Executive Director Ainka Jackson encouraged the group to show their emotions and be honest.

“Whatever you think and how you feel, it’s okay,” Jackson said. “We’ll love you for it and meet you halfway.”

The workshop had several group sessions, which the audience rotated around the room. Among the questions posed were: “How does racism keep you isolated and separate from others” and “What is your greatest fear about someone from a different race might do to you?”

Boys Scouts District Executive Leith Wilson and Mark Martin both had different responses.

“The greatest fear question was easy to answer, but it’s sad to see what’s happening in America,” Martin said.

Wilson said the greatest fear question connected to his family.

“It’ll hold my children back because they had nothing to do with what my ancestors did,” Wilson said. “We’re all one group. We need to live together and work together. We’re different in some parts, but we have things in common.”

Stephanie Wright said the Queen City has a better effort trying to handle racial tension than her hometown, Meridian, Mississippi.

“Selma’s far more advanced than Meridian because people here are speaking about racial relations,” Wright said. “Nobody in Meridian speaks about it.”

SCNTR Senior Community Organizer/Grantwriter Brendan O’Conner said there’s a rhythm and art to the training as well as having deep roots.