WARSAW — On Tuesday, Oct. 30, David C. Kolbe will moderate a panel discussion entitled “Beyond Race and Color in Our Tribal Times.”

The event will take place at the Warsaw Community Public Library from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The panelists are Cliff Dent, a descendant of South Carolina slaves from Phoenix, Ariz.; and Don Zolman, a local farmer and entrepreneur living in the Warsaw area, a descendant of slave owners from South Carolina. Each will discuss their respective family histories, views, and experiences on race in our present era. There will be time for public questions at the end of the presentation.

Dent was born in 1958 in Washington, D.C., where he resided until age 15. He matriculated as a sophomore at St. George’s School, a preparatory school near Newport, R.I.

After graduating as 1976 class salutatorian from St. George’s, Dent attended Harvard University, Arizona State University (B.A. 1982) and Princeton University (M.A. 1985).

Dent worked most of his adult life as a teacher, teaching as a college instructor, elementary and middle school teacher, and substitute teacher for all grade levels from kindergarten to post-doctoral.

Among Dent’s publications are translations, short stories, poems, magazine articles, and a book in progress. Publication titles include “Time and Water,” “The Browning Brothers,” “The Condensed Bell Curve,” and “11 Poems For 9/11.”

His academic honor societies include Golden Key, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa.

Dent now resides in Phoenix, Ariz., and is currently employed as a teacher, writer, and rideshare driver. He looks to expand his career to include public speaking.

Dent’s hobbies include reading, writing, learning languages, social media, and watching old movies.

Zolman is a Warsaw area farmer and entrepreneur. He is a graduate of Purdue University in 1976 with a B.S. in General Agriculture focusing on agronomy, agriculture economics, and entomology.

As a Purdue student, Zolman traveled to 12 different countries as a member of a Big Ten agricultural program. Zolman was later chosen as an adviser to the Pinney Purdue Research Farm near Wanatah.

Zolman is a member of the Agricultural Leadership Program sponsored by the Indiana Institute of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition. As a member, Zolman traveled to Brazil with 30 agriculturalists where he fully experienced Brazilian agriculture and swam in the Amazon River.

Zolman later became chairman of the Livestock and Poultry committee, treasurer, and chairman of IIAFN.

He has also served as an advisor to the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a founding member of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, served on state agricultural committees under Republican and Democratic administrations, local, area, and state boards of the Association of Soil and Water Conservation. He has written for Farm Fitness magazine. He and his wife, Darci, were named 2016 “Master Farmers” by Prairie Magazine.

He currently serves as president of Zolman Farms, Inc.; CFO of Tranzstar, Inc.; Tranzstar Warehouse, LLC; president of Valley View AG, LLC; and Zemp, LLC.

The public is welcome. Questions may be sent in advance to [email protected].