A cold, snowy February evening didn’t stop over 250 Illinois State University students from marching together at a unity rally in response to hate literature found in their community. The students were joined by over 50 members of Laborers Local 362, who wore their hard hats and carried union banners in support.
After the march, students and community members rallied at the University Student Union, where ISU Campus president Dr. Al Bowman spoke about the university’s ongoing commitment to diversity, and Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal leader Mike Matejka encouraged the marchers to keep the spirit going, and to speak up against everyday acts of intolerance. Watch the Pantagraph News video about the ISU march.
Blog
March 9, 2008 - 9:00pm
Patrice’s presentation highlighted excerpts of The Working Group’s films that have inspired communities around the country to respond to hate crimes in meaningful and constructive ways.
In February, Executive Producer Patrice O’Neill led a conversation on “Film as a Tool For Social Change” at the Boston Public Library as part of Facing History and Ourselves‘ Choosing to Participate exhibit. Choosing to Participate is an interactive multimedia exhibition that tackles issues such as violence, racism and hate crimes while profiling the compelling stories of individuals and communities who have confronted these challenges and had to make choices.
February 12, 2008 - 9:00pm
On February 12, 15-year-old Lawrence “Larry” King was shot in the computer lab of his school by a fellow student at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, California. Larry died three days later.
According to friends, Larry was perceived to be gay and gender non-conforming, and had been bullied at school. The suspect, a fourteen-year-old student, has been charged with first degree murder, and the case is being prosecuted as a hate crime.