Panelists Announced for Racial Reconciliation Forum

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue will host his second Racial Reconciliation Forum in Columbus, GA, tomorrow, Thursday, November 13, 2003, at the Fort Benning Officers' Club, Main Dining Hall. Forum panelists will include Governor Perdue; Colonel Promoteable Stephen R. Layfield, Deputy Commanding General/Assistant Commandant, U.S. Army Infantry Center and School, Fort Benning; Juanita Baranco, COO and Co-Owner of the Baranco Automotive Group, former member of the Board of Regents; Charles Richardson, Columnist and Editorial Writer, Macon Telegraph; and Dr. Portia Shields, President, Albany State College.

"I look forward to an insightful discussion with these panelists on the current state of race relations in Georgia," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "By sharing differing perspectives and experiences on this issue, I hope to broaden the dialogue on diversity issues throughout the state."

Stephanie Ray, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Diversity Issues at Georgia Institute of Technology, will lead the discussion. Panelists will take questions and comments from audience members for approximately one hour during the program.

Media credentials will be issued for this event. All media that plan to attend must be credentialed by the Governor's Press Office by 5:00 p.m. today. Please call the Governor's Office at 404-651-7774. Media that have not pre-registered with the Governor's Office will not be admitted to the base. The Governor will take questions from the media after the event.