Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Nilsa Carter said the most "overt" racism she's ever seen was 20 years ago when she was engaged to her husband, who is black.
"On the evening of my wedding shower, I received a call that his car was stolen. When it was found, it was completely destroyed, smashed to smithereens, and in the back seats were carved swastikas and the N-word," said Carter, Salt Lake County's human resources equal employment opportunity manager.
"You can only imagine how I felt that day," she continued. "It hit me personally, and I had a sick feeling in my stomach, wondering what will my children face one day."
Carter was one of several Salt Lake County officials who spoke Friday at the county's fourth annual Stand Against Racism event to celebrate diversity and the importance of respecting others.
Today, Carter said she still sees racism, not only in her line of work, but also in her personal life. She said she and her husband were coaching her daughter's soccer team, but another player's parents pulled their child from their team when they met her husband.
"At school, the kids told my daughter they could no longer play because their mom and dad didn't like coach because he was black," Carter said. "(Racism) continues. We need to put an end to it."
Utah was one of 36 states that participated in Friday's event, which was sponsored by local and national branches of the YWCA.
"Thanks to the YWCA for reminding all of us that racism and bigotry have no place in our hearts, in our schools or in our workplaces," said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. "We have made immense progress as a country and as a state in overcoming racism over the last several decades, and this is a chance to celebrate that, but it's also a time to recognize that overt, ugly forms of racism still exist in our community."
The mayor called Friday's event an opportunity for community members to "renew our commitment to tolerance and inclusion."
"Racism in Utah, it exists. It exists in all corners of the world," said Emma Houston, the county's director of diversity and inclusion. "But what we are doing is embracing our differences, celebrating them and getting to know one another."
About 50 county employees and community members gathered at the Salt Lake County Government Center to attend the event, which included traditional Peruvian, Mexican and Columbian dance performances.
Volunteers who serve on the county's Council of Diversity Affairs took the Stand Against Racism pledge in their native languages, which included Vietnamese, Tongan, Swahili, Bulgarian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi and Cantonese.
"The fabric of our community is made up of many languages, religions and traditions, yet we are all part of the Salt Lake County family," McAdams said. "We value that diversity as something that enriches our lives and makes (the community) a better place to live."
