The first annual Community Relations Forum was held on July 22, 2004 and was designed to create a pathway to improving community relations among the citizens of South Carolina.  The Commission proposed seven key areas of the South Carolina human relations identified as: business/work environment, law enforcement, government, religion, education, media and neighborhoods

South Carolina State Human Affairs Commission

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South Carolina Human Affairs Commission

South Carolina State Documents Depository

THE STATEWIDE COMMUNITY RELATIONS  
CENTRAL FORUM 
 
 
 
 
 
RECORD OF THE FIRST ANNUAL COMMUNITY RELATIONS FORUM 
 
The first annual Community Relations Forum was held on July 22, 2004.  The 
groundbreaking event, sponsored by the South Carolina State Human Affairs 
Commission, was designed to create a pathway to improving community relations among 
the citizens of South Carolina.   The means of pursuing this objective was the 
establishment of a mutually acceptable mission statement and targeting key segments of 
South Carolina’s social institutions.  
 
Over 180 individuals from across the state of South Carolina attended the forum. 
Improving the status of human relations in the state was the common goal.  Also in 
attendance were members of several established Community Relations Councils, 
organizations formed under the auspices of the State Human Affairs Commission as 
vehicles to promote better human relations in their respective communities.  
 
The concept of institutionalizing human relations was introduced by the Commission as a 
means of building an infrastructure for securing the future of healthy, productive, and 
sustaining community relationships among South Carolinians.  All South Carolinians are 
considered stakeholders in the process of building relationships sequentially through: 
 
1. name recognition, (who am I),  
2. association (who am I, or we, to each other),  
3. what do we have in common (mutual  interests)  
4. interacting (establishing dialogue), and 
5. identifying major issues (acquiring synergy to address the “big picture”) 
 
This formal structure was considered the most effective means of establishing rapport to 
build relationships that would facilitate accomplishing the mission as envisioned. 
 
Many participants provided constructive suggestions to improve upon the following 
statement that was recommended by the Commission: 
 
“We, the people of South Carolina, commit ourselves to put into practice the 
principles of justice and equality, and promote mutual respect and understanding 
among South Carolina communities.” 
 
Adopted changes considered that all people of South Carolina were in fact not 
represented at the meeting.  Another suggested revision which facilitated consensus was 
to emphasize “what” was to be accomplished rather than “by whom.”  The participants 
thought that the statement should reflect a written pledge of the organization or entity that 
buys into the concept. The theory was that if any entity were to support a statement 
designed to promote positive community relations, it would be considered by others as 
the entity’s privilege to do so.         
 
The means by which the consensus would be achieved was through an individual entity’s 
voluntary adoption of a uniform statement of precepts rather than a claim of unofficial 
representation of the people by the parties present.  The following statement resulted: 
 
“We commit ourselves to put into practice the principles of justice and equality to 
promote mutual respect and understanding among all people in South Carolina in 
order to ensure healthy communities.” 
 
After the attendees determined how the statement should be published, the Commission 
proposed that the statement display certain standard characteristics, such as framing, 
typesetting and conspicuous placement by the subscribing entity.   This would serve to 
recognize the active status of the entity and its collaborative status with other entities 
across the State that shares the common goal.  This would also increase visibility within 
the community and position the statement to become one of the most familiar documents 
in the state. 
 
The Commission proposed seven key areas of the South Carolina human relations 
environment that should be targeted for planting the seeds to accomplish the mission 
statement.  The seven key areas, dubbed “stepping stones,” were identified as: 
 
• Business/Work Environment 
• Law Enforcement 
• Government 
• Religion 
• Education 
• Media 
• Neighborhoods 
 
Under the Business/Work Environment area, Commissioner Washington proposed and 
discussed his ideas about “A Time To Talk” program in the workplace.  He explained 
that he has had experience facilitating town meeting discussions with groups and was the 
moderator for a series on ETV that encouraged community members to discuss issues 
and values that insure healthy and harmonious communities.  The “Time to Talk” concept 
would encourage employees who work together to talk together; to meet, formally or 
informally, and talk about social issues that may divide our communities; and, to devise 
strategies to bridge that divide. 
 
Commissioner Washington suggested that the “Time to Talk” concept could be 
successfully used in any or all of the seven key areas. 
 
It was the general consensus of the meeting participants that the law enforcement 
community needs to re-emphasize its role as a friend and protector of the community’s 
welfare rather than making its presence known primarily when crime occurs.    This is 
particularly true with respect to establishing its image with the community’s youth 
population. 
 
Concern was expressed about the significant ability of the media to influence the 
community relations mission.    Participants were asked to spend some quality time on 
this subject with the suggestion that someone from the community media serve as a 
representative on, or as a liaison with, the local community relations program.  
 
In addition to the seven key areas that were proposed by the Commission, two more areas 
were introduced by attendees. They were Health and Senior Citizens.   
 
The remaining topics were left up to the attendees to discuss on their own after 
adjournment with suggested approaches made by the Commission.   Attendees were 
charged with the “homework” of developing plans of actions for addressing the nine 
areas mentioned, or any additional areas they believe should be identified and targeted, 
and return their respective responses to the Commission.   The Commission would then 
in turn compile the responses and publicize them on its website.  The Commission further 
pledged to enhance the use of its website in establishing a central forum for 
communications via internet between councils and other entities who desire to support 
the building of community relations in South Carolina. 


The statewide community relations central forum

https://dc.statelibrary.sc.gov/bitstream/10827/12962/1/HAC_Record_of_the_First_Annual_Community_2004.pdf

The statewide community relations central forum

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