In leading a cultural diversity workshop set for Thursday, André Cheek is hoping to pick up where Mary Parks left off.

“I’m doing this in memory of her, because this was definitely something she wanted to see happen,” Cheek said, speaking of the event, set for 9-11 a.m. at the United Way of Hall County, 527 Oak St., Gainesville.

The Hall County Grants Group, an affiliate of Hall County Family Connection Network, is sponsoring the event, “Mixing It Up! Breaking Down Barriers.”

The workshop’s purpose is “to build community by understanding culture diversity, overcome stereotypes and develop a holistic approach to change,” according to the organization.

Parks, a longtime Hall County educator who went on to help found the Family Connection Network, also directed the grants group, which holds monthly workshops and teaches about grants writing.

She was working with Cheek and David Smith, executive director of Center Point, a youth development agency, on the diversity effort before she died of cancer in January.

“I have gotten to the point now to where I can move forward ... to where I can think about that again,” Cheek said. “We had spent so much time together putting all the materials together.”

Parks had envisioned seeing “several agencies coming together and where we could collectively write a grant” toward improving cultural diversity.

“Our target (groups) are education and public service — different agencies in the community, as well as different leaders,” Cheek said.

Cheek, a former director of minority affairs and multicultural programs at Gainesville State College, will be the sole presenter at the event, which is open to the public at no charge.

“When you look at different (organizations) or at people that are making major decisions, there is a lack of diversity in those positions,” she said. “And it doesn’t mirror the demographic of Hall County.

“We’ve got to start talking about how we can start targeting, recruiting and hiring a more diverse group of individuals, and until we start having conversations around that, (lack of diversity) will possibly continue.”

A similar grant was awarded to a group in Missouri, Cheek said.

“The grant they received did training and paid for a position for an individual to run the facility, identify needs in the community and train people in leadership on how to work with diverse cultures,” she added.