Never Forgotten: Reflecting on 9/11 By State Representative Doreen Carter

🕊️ Never Forgotten: Reflecting on 9/11

By State Representative Doreen Carter

September 11, 2001.

A day that changed everything.

A day we will never forget.

I remember exactly where I was.

I was in my office at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where I served as the Director of Stewardship. That morning, I was on the phone with a young woman who was in the middle of a financial crisis. We were discussing how sometimes, when life gets overwhelming, it’s okay to go home—back to your parents, back to your roots—and start over.

At the time, we thought the world was crashing down around her.

Then we heard the news.

A plane had hit the World Trade Center.

In that instant, the personal conversation shifted into something greater. Something deeper. Something none of us could have ever imagined.

Suddenly, the whole nation was in crisis. And all I could think about were my own family and friends. Were they safe? Where were they? What was happening?

🇺🇸 In Tragedy, We Found Unity

What followed was unimaginable loss, but also unshakable unity.

We came together as neighbors.

We stood in lines to donate blood.

We prayed in church pews and city halls.

We hugged tighter, listened longer, and loved harder.

That’s what I carry with me most.

Not just the pain, but the power of people to rise in moments of darkness.

🙏🏾 A Word for Today

“Weeping may endure for a night,

but joy comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:5

As we reflect on 9/11, let us remember not only what we lost—but also who we became.

Let’s be people who love our neighbor, lead with kindness, and never take one moment for granted.

With remembrance and resolve,

– State Representative Doreen Carter

Georgia House District 93