HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The attacks of 9/11 marked a shift in the U.S., changing the way Americans looked at the world and bringing concerns about national security to the forefront of people’s minds.
The United Women of Color hosted a gathering on Thursday, where remembrance was also an opportunity for education.
When we take time to remember September 11, there are two types of people in the room: those who remember where they were and what they were doing, and those who are too young to know what it felt like to watch the horrors of that day.
At Thursday’s event, the United Women of Color welcomed both of those groups, hoping people would leave a little better informed than when they arrived.
“We’ve all been impacted in our day-to-day life because of the global changes and also the national changes that occurred as a result of 9/11, so it was very important to have this commemoration,” said Angela Curry, the Executive Director of the United Women of Color.
The featured speaker, Asha Castleberry-Hernandez, served overseas in Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan. She has worked as a national security advisor, specializing in Middle Eastern and North African affairs.
The United Women of Color invited her to speak about her experience. She discussed potential global threats and the changing dynamics between Russia, China, and the U.S. While these issues may feel like they are playing out in faraway nations, Castleberry-Hernandez explained how we feel the effects locally.
“You look at China, who is our enduring competitor,” Castleberry-Hernandez said. “China dominates in many areas like supply chains, like in terms of our trade policy as well as our renewable energy. That takes into a part when it comes to our global economy and also impacts small businesses. So that matters, right?”
She emphasized the importance of education so people can play active roles as Americans.
“People seem to think that civic engagement is just voting,” Curry said. “United Women of Color works to demonstrate and also provide opportunities where people can learn about civic engagement and see that voting is just one piece of the pie.”
The post United Women of Color host event promoting 9/11 remembrance and national security education appeared first on WHNT.
