By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
The Covenant Community Connection doesnít shy away from discussing controversial issues, including immigration.
The organization will offer a public forum on immigration reform at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Meet Your Neighbor event, held at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
Dr. Mark Sills, director of Faith Action International House in Greensboro, will speak, and audience members will have a chance to interact with him and each other.
ěWe know how volatile this issue can be,î said Mark Ritchie, a Covenant Community Connection member who will facilitate the forum. ěWe are not trying to make any political statement.î
The purpose of the forum, Ritchie said, is to foster a caring environment for all who live here.
ěWe know there are people in our community who have immigrated, and not all legally,î he said. ěWe are just trying to build a sense of community that is caring for everyone.î
The Covenant Community Connection will not advocate for a certain political position on immigration, Ritchie said. The group chose immigration as a topic for the forum to help clear up misinformation surrounding the issue, he said.
ěGiving a more correct perspective can always lead to better understanding,î he said.
A subgroup of the Salisbury Rowan Human Relations Council, the Covenant Community Connection offers two public forums each year, one in the spring and another in the fall.
Tuesdayís event will take place in the RCCC teaching auditorium. Attendees should park in the lot nearest to I-85 and look for signs.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.