In March, we brought the inspiring story of Oak Creek, WI's unity in the aftermath of a hate crime to three Midwestern cities.
We returned to Oak Creek, WI to premiere our 30-minute documentary, Waking in Oak Creek, on March 13; traveled on March 25 to Bloomington-Normal, IL, a city that first sparked Not In Our Town activities in their community 18 years ago; and finally to executive producer Patrice O’Neill’s hometown of St. Louis, MO on March 27 for a screening and discussion. The response has been overwhelmingly positive in each of these towns.
These three events are the first of hundreds to follow. Follow the lead of these Not In Our Town communities and bring Waking in Oak Creek to your town. Click here to request the DVD and discussion guides.
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Milwaukee’s FOX6 covered the March premiere.
Blog
April 7, 2014 - 4:07pm
By Becki Cohn-Vargas, Not In Our School Director
Schools love to do anti-bullying assemblies to motivate the student body. Students may learn in motivational assemblies, but change can only happen when assemblies are part of a long-term plan with students in the driver’s seat.
Not In Our School designed a model for a student-led assembly that can be carried out in any school, youth group, or community. The assembly incorporates the Not In Our School Core Principles with students taking the lead in addressing bullying and intolerance. Students learn to be upstanders and work toward an accepting and identity safe school environment with the support of the larger community.
April 4, 2014 - 12:55pm
Smartphone app combats hate crimes
Victims and bystanders can anonymously report cyberbullying and hate crimes with the CombatHate App, available now for iOS and Android, according to CSNChicago.
Users can report hate crime incidents to law enforcement, and are referred to stopbullying.gov for information and advice on coping with bullying. The app was developed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Los Angeles based human rights organization.
Superior Court Judge David Wesley and Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Michael Downing released the app along with representatives from the Wiesenthal center in February 2014.
April 2, 2014 - 4:41pm
Tracy Maier attends an awards ceremony for daughter Hanna, as she receives the Upstander of the Week award from The Bully Project.
Tracy Maier is a Pennsylvania mom who moved into action after her child was bullied. She contacted Not In Our School to help not only her daughter, but all the children in her area who have been bullied and asked for help in getting things started in her community.
Since that time, we have been in touch as both Tracy and her daughter Hanna have become leaders, taking risks, speaking with civic leaders, and organizing campaigns—all things that they never had done before. It is an example of how anyone can step up. Photos of Tracy and her daughter’s activities are featured in the Not In Our School Parent Guide.
March 27, 2014 - 10:59am
Caroline Tu Farley is a founding member of the Ft. Collins Not In Our Town Alliance (NIOTA). Since the founding in 2005 she has worked in several capacities with the organization, continuing to promote diversity and inclusion in the Ft. Collins community. She started the NIOTA book club in 2009, which is a monthly community group that reads and discusses books from a diversity angle. Caroline serves on the NIOTA Council as Prevention Team Leader and was instrumental in the selection of NIOTA as the best nonprofit in Colorado working with diversity from the Colorado Gay & Lesbian Fund.