When showing Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness to your Sunday School class or church group, take advantage of this great resource to spark discussion and highlight important themes from the film. The guide features activities, questions, and readings that relate to the film, with three different sets so you can tailor your lesson to either children, youth, or adults.
Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness follows a community in crisis after the fatal attack of a local immigrant resident. Stunned by the violence, diverse community stakeholders openly confront the crime and the divisive atmosphere, and commit to ongoing actions to prevent future hate crimes and intolerance.
Blog
June 26, 2014 - 12:12pm
University of North Dakota students protest offensive T-shirts
American Indian students at the University of North Dakota came together in mid-May to protest offensive T-shirts worn by their peers, according to the Native Sun News.
Students photographed themselves wearing T-shirts that depict an American Indian drinking from a beer bong with the words “Siouxper Drunk” emblazoned on the front. The “Fighting Sioux” logo was retired in 2012 due to impending NCAA sanctions over its controversial depiction of American Indian, according to ESPN.
“The ‘drunken Indian’ caricature is one of the worst stereotypes about Native people that there is,” said Ruth Hopkins, a writer for LastRealIndians.com.
June 18, 2014 - 2:33pm
Our goal is for Bloomington/Normal to revisit and revitalize the efforts started so many years ago by folks like Barb Adkins, Mike Matejka, Marc and Darlene Miller, Rev. McSwain, and Charles and Willie Halbert. It’s interesting to note that our community didn’t experience litigation or smear tactics when an Islamic Center was built here in Bloomington. I would like to think the efforts of our local NIOT movement made a difference.
June 17, 2014 - 5:48pm
Galvanized Souls, an award-winning alternate rock band based in Southern California, uses their melodic harmonies to reach out to young people with a powerful message of hope. Known as a “band that takes a stand”, Galvanized Souls advocates for issues that affect many teenagers today. Their newest music video for their original song, “Carry On,” addresses bullying and the healing power of positivity and community.
“Carry On” was written as an anthem meant to inspire young people to be brave and to take a stand against bullying. The music video for “Carry On” features the story of Colin, a young boy who struggled with bullying in school and felt he had no friends. In February, Colin’s mother created a Facebook page to help celebrate Colin’s 11th birthday.
June 16, 2014 - 4:02pm
Join us this weekend for the National Leadership Gathering in Billings, Montana to engage with active community leaders about making our towns and schools safe and inclusive. Featuring film screenings, workshops, events, and panel discussions, the National Leadership Gathering is a great opportunity to learn positive community action and bring it back to your town!
At our last National Leadership Gathering in 2006, youth leaders came together to share their efforts to make their schools more accepting. Their work and spirit of collaboration embody what it means to be an upstander. Find their discussion in this short video.