Returning to Billings, MT, 20 Years Later
Last month, Not In Our Town CEO Patrice O’Neill and Senior Producer Rhian Miller visited Billings, MT to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the origins of Not In Our Town. During their visit, they met with community activists and institutional leaders to discuss the actions that led up to the events featured in the acclaimed PBS special Not In Our Town and what the community has been doing since to create an inclusive community.
To celebrate the 8th night of Hanukkah, Billings hosted a screening of the original Not In Our Town film about those community actions in 1993. NIOT Billings leader Eran Thompson introduced Mayor Thomas Hanel, who presented a proclamation from the City of Billings, declaring Dec. 5 as Not In Our Town Day. Rabbi Barbara Block shared a prayer as she lit the Hanukkah candles. Events this December are leading up to the Not In Our Town National Gathering in Billings from June 20-22, 2014. Former Mayor Chuck Tooley is chairing a powerful local steering committee, which is working with NIOT Billings, to organize events and raise support for the gathering. Click here to learn more about the National Gathering.
On the Ground at Oakland High After Hate Crime
Not in Our School Director Becki Cohn-Vargas and Oakland High School have been actively working to start a Not In Our School Campaign at Oakland High since last year. The goal is to open the dialogue of acceptance within their school community.
Last month, the Oakland and Berkeley communities were both shaken when 18-year-old Sasha, an agender youth wearing a skirt, was set on fire by a 16-year-old Oakland High student. Since the event, the Oakland High community has been working even harder on issues of building bridges of understanding. Becki has been working with them on developing assemblies and activities, including a basketball game where the players wore No H8 T-shirts in support of Sasha.
Meeting with Changemakers in California, Ohio & Michigan
Not In Our Town Director of Community Engagement Michelle Gahee Kloss visited Shasta County, CA in October to welcome the Shasta County Concerned Citizens Against Racism (SCCAR) organization as a Not In Our Town Anchor Group. Michelle also visited Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Bowling Green, OH to interview and film the activities put on by the campus and city chapters of NIOT during Not In Our Town week. Both the BGSU University police chief and the city police chief carried NIOT banners in the parade and walked along with BGSU student, staff and faculty and the local community members. Michelle and NIOT CEO Patrice O’Neill also hosted a workshop on hate crimes for more than 200 law enforcement officers, civic and community leaders at the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crimes annual conference.
Add new comment