Tom O’Mara is a longtime activist in his home county of Shasta, California. His community rallied together after a racially motivated shooting and formed the now-Shasta County Citizens Advocating Respect in 1988. In the early 1990s, Tom joined the group, which has been active through three major hate crimes including the murder of a gay couple by white supremacists, profiled in a Not In Our Town film. He now works closely with law enforcement, serving as a bridge between the community and the police.
Not In Our Town Northern California
Not in Our Town Northern California presents four stories that look at five communities dealing with and responding to hate violence. With this Educator Guide, you can build a unit around the entire film or you can focus on one or more of the individual Educator Modules. The modules are eight to 20 minutes long and can easily be incorporated into your classroom curricula. The lesson plans in this Educator Guide are presented in the order that the modules are listed here. The four modules are:
“STAGING A RESPONSE TO HATE,” Newark, Calif., 2002—After a transgender teen is killed by local youth in the suburban community of Newark, high school students, residents and civic leaders struggle with how to deal with a brutal and preventable crime.
“SUMMER OF HATE,” Sacramento and Redding, Calif., 1999—Sacramento mobilizes after the worst anti-Semitic attacks in the California capital’s history; Redding citizens find new strength in diversity after a prominent gay couple is murdered.
“REVERSING VANDALISM,” San Francisco, Calif., 2000—The San Francisco Public Library turns the mutilation of gay-themed books into an opportunity for creative community action.
“WELCOME SIGNS,” Anderson, Calif., 2004—The residents of the Shasta County town of Anderson join forces to make their values clear when a cross is burned on an African American family’s lawn.
A Grandmother Reflects on the Needs and Recovery of her Victimized Granddaughter
By Mae Lois Turner, Shasta County Citizens Against Racism Editor's Note: When an African-American resident of the small Northern California town of Anderson woke one winter morning to an 8-foot-tall burning cross on her lawn, the flames were within feet of the victim's house. If the burning cross had fallen, it would have very likely set her house afire. Mae Lois Turner, the…
A Grandmother Reflects on the Needs and Recovery of her Victimized Granddaughter
By Mae Lois Turner, Shasta County Citizens Against Racism
Editor's Note: When an African-American resident of the small Northern California town of Anderson woke one winter morning to an 8-foot-tall burning cross on her lawn, the flames were within feet of the victim's house. If the burning cross had fallen, it would have very likely set her house afire. Mae Lois Turner, the grandmother of the victim and retired nurse, shares her experiencing supporting her loved one, from turning to the police to relating with the media.