The September 21 PBS broadcast premiere of [1]Light in the Darkness [1] is fast approaching, and the Not In Our Town team is working hard to get the film and supporting resources into the hands of people around the country who will use it as a tool to prevent and respond to hate.
Over 100 Light in the Darkness screenings are being planned in communities across the nation — with 30 new screenings added in just the past two days! Not In Our Town chapters in Bloomington, Illinois [2] and Princeton, New Jersey [3]; libraries in Washington, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, and Arizona; police departments in over 14 states; and a broad range of local organizations are all using Light in the Darkness to sustain long-term action in their communities. Most screening events are scheduled for the Not In Our Town National Week of Action [4], September 18-24, and throughout the fall.
The campaign to use the film to inspire positive action is enjoying tremendous support from some 25 national partners, including the Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services [5], the American Federation of Teachers [6], Facing History and Ourselves [7], National Council of La Raza [8], The Media Consortium [9], Welcoming America [10], and The [11]September Projec [11]t [11].
Nearly 20 regional public media outlets have also partnered with Not In Our Town to engage their communities in local Light in the Darkness activities. For example, Nashville Public Television [12] is working with area groups to organize ten days of action, from the tenth anniversary of September 11 through the premiere of the film on September 21, International Human Rights Day. Nashville’s events include a candlelight prayer vigil for peace, campus discussions, an Islamic Center-sponsored “fast-a-thon,” gang awareness programs, immigrant and refugee soccer tournaments, a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce screening, and a Peace Corps potluck. What makes the work in Nashville such a powerful example of the Not In Our Town model is that it brings different sectors of society—schools, law enforcement, faith, Islamic, Latino/Hispanic, and local government-—together in ways that link common experiences and issues, so that no one is excluded or left vulnerable to hate.
To get involved in the campaign, visit the Light in the Darkness page on NIOT.org [1]. Sign up to host a screening [13], and download new campaign resources [14], including discussion guides, screening kits, sample newsletters, press releases, email announcements, book club reading lists, Week of Action activity ideas, and more.
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