VALDOSTA —
Black government officials from all across Georgia responded to Lowndes County Commissioner Joyce Evans’ invitation and convened in Valdosta this weekend for the annual Georgia Association of Black County Officials (GABCO) retreat.
The retreat featured seminars, tours and a rousing speech from the once embattled United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) department head.
Taylor County Commissioner Clinton Perry, President of the Association of County Commissioners, touted the invaluable networking opportunity that the GABCO retreat presents each year to government officials of all races.
“It’s not so much about minority leaders and their accomplishments,” said Perry. “Rather, it’s more about the issues we face that are unique to our race. It’s about discovering what has worked for other minority leaders in their respective communities, and learning how each of us can use them back home.”
Most of the retreat’s activities took place on Saturday, as the group partook in several workshops that focused on methods to enhance leadership skills.
Seminars included “USDA Loans and Other
Resources,” “Small Business Administration,” “Right Questions, Right Answers: Model RFP’s (Request For Proposal),” “Conducting Meetings the Right Way,” and “Tools for Ethical Leadership.”
While the attendees took plenty of notes and engaged each presenter with a slew of questions, many of the retreat’s attendees considered the lunch hour address of Shirley Sherrod to be the apex of Saturday’s agenda.
Sherrod resigned from her appointed position of Georgia Director for the USDA’s Rural Development branch over what White House officials now consider to be an out-of-context quote ripped from Sherrod’s 2010 address to the NAACP (National Association of Colored People).
During her speech, Sherrod recounted the last phone call she fielded on the day she was forced to resign.
“It was the White House — that they wanted me to pull over my car and submit my letter of resignation via my blackberry,” said Sherrod. “The last thing I (told them) was, you haven’t seen the last of me.”
That same year, the White House Press Secretary Rob Gibbs apologized for firing Sherrod and offered a new position. But Sherrod said she declined the position and she now focuses her time and energy on civil activism and racial healing for all races.
After Sherrod’s speech and a few more seminars, retreat attendees logged a few hours of leisure time before heading out to Valdosta State University’s football game against Fort Valley State.
GABCO attendees spent Friday evening taking in the Valdosta High School vs. Brooks County High School football game, before they spent the evening walking the streets of downtown Valdosta and taking in the night life during Valdosta’s monthly First Friday celebration.
Putnam County officials Alma Stokes and Helen Nelson stated that they had no idea just how beautiful Lowndes County is and each said they appreciated the re-purposing of properties around both the city and county.
“I enjoyed the use of the city’s imagination in how it shows what can be done with a simple building,” said Nelson. “Take the downtown lofts and offices buildings for example – you almost take nothing and make it into something really special. I was so glad to participate in First Friday last night and I enjoyed speaking with the owner’s of each shop.”
The GABCO retreat concluded today with an 11 a.m. service at the Saint John AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church in Valdosta.
“I invited the GABCO to come to Lowndes County to see how we work down here and to sit back and enjoy,” said Evans. “North and Middle Georgia hosts a lot of GABCO events, but we’ve got good things going on down here. I’m just so proud of Lowndes County and grateful for an opportunity to show it off.”
Stokes shared Evans’ sentiment about south Georgia and said she hopes to return soon.
“This was my first trip to Valdosta and it won’t be our last – we’re definitely taking a few ideas back home,” said Stokes. “Some downtowns can be a little intimidating, but Valdosta was really open and inviting.”
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