Bishop to Address King Awards Luncheon Jan. 17

In February 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pondered the progress of U.S. race relations during an address at Illinois Wesleyan University. Next month will provide an opportunity for the Twin Cities to revisit that question and celebrate those who've helped improve human relations in the community.

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie

Consider joining the Human Relations Commissions of Bloomington and Normal for the 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Luncheon from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, January 17. The event will be held at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center and tickets to the event are $20 per ticket or $200 for a reserved table (maximum of 10 per table).

This year's speaker will be Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie who, in 2000, became the first female elected as bishop in the 200-year history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination. Among her other accomplishments Bishop McKenzie is an author and served as a advisor to President Obama on faith-based and neighborhood initiatives. In addition, she is a lifetime member of the NAACP and former National Chaplain for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

In addition, the Human Relations Commissions will award one student and one adult for contributions to the cause of bettering human relations in the community at the luncheon.

Tickets for the January 17 luncheon are on sale at Bloomington City Hall (call 309-434-2468 and Normal City Hall (call 309-434-9503). 

Meanwhile, listen to King's 1966 speech (courtesy of WJBC), or read its text, at https://www.iwu.edu/news/2006/KingSpeech1.html.

Portals to the Communities 1: Conexiones Latinas

Conexiones Latinas de McLean County (formerly Hispanic Families Work Group) is a non-profit organization consisting of volunteers who share a passion for improving and creating opportunities for Latino families in Bloomington-Normal and McLean County, Illinois. Conexiones Latinas is open to the public and members include  representatives from local businesses, non-profits, churches, and educational institutions.

"We focus on creating community through intercultural collaboration and we have been connecting and bringing together Latinos in Central Illinois since 2004," the group's website states. "We are your place to find out what is going on in the Latino community in Bloomington-Normal and McLean County."

Among other projects, Conexiones Latinas board members read bilingual books and spreading helpful information at Saturday's business-labor Christmas party for the unemployed, with the goal of "working with all local unions and the Chamber of Commerce to provide happiness in the holiday season to everyone!" The group also has contributed to the cause of dual language education in the Twin Cities.

For more information on Conexiones Latinas' latest activities, visit its Facebook page.

Police Reviewing Responses to Protests, Poverty

As the City of Bloomington and Bloomington Police officials prepare to ramp up efforts to improve community relations, police departments across the nation are taking alternate tacks to addressing protests and community concerns in the wake of recent law enforcement-related incidents.

Following a grand jury's decision not to indict Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson in the recent shooting death of Michael Brown, protesters in Nashville, Tennessee, decided to block a highway, as protesters did in cities across the U.S. that night. Rather than responding with arrests or an armed presence, Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson shut down Interstate 24 to allow demonstrators to safely stage their protest.

“In Nashville, if you want to come to a public forum and express your thoughts, even if they’re against the government, you’re going to get your First Amendment protection, and you’re going to be treated fairly by the police officers involved," Anderson said. "That’s what we do here in Nashville."

In Richmond, California, Chief Chris Magnus actually joined protesters this week. When about 100 demonstrators assembled downtown on Tuesday, Magnus stood with them, in full police gear, carrying a sign reading #BlackLivesMatter.

"I spoke with my command staff, and we agreed it would be nice to convey our commitment to peaceful protest and that black and brown lives do matter," Magnus related. Deputy Police Chief Allwyn Brown described the protests as "an opportunity for all police departments, including ours, to look inward and examine our approaches and get better."

Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner and Assistant Chief Gary Sutherland attended Tuesday’s relaunch of the Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal anti-bigotry/anti-bullying campaign at the McLean County YWCA, while mingling with residents, students, and community leaders. Heffner and Sutherland had attended a recent NIOT summit at the University of Illinois-Chicago to learn about developing civil rights and related matters

"It's important for our residents to know that we are vested in communicating with the public so that we can all live in a safe community ... where we talk to each other and not at each other," Heffner stressed.

Meanwhile, when Tarrant, Alabama, Officer William Stacy was called to a Dollar General store on a shoplifting complaint, he responded with an act of kindness to Helen Johnson, 47, who’d been caught attempting to steal eggs for her niece, daughter, and two grandchildren who’d gone two days without food. Johnson reportedly was short 50 cents for a dozen eggs, and after hearing about her situation, Stacy made a deal with Johnson that if he bought the eggs, she won't shoplift again. Johnson hugged the officer in response.

Another Dollar General customer posted video of the encounter to Facebook. "All across the U.S., law enforcement officers do stuff like this on a daily basis," Stacy said. "I felt like it was the right thing to do."

Since then, the Tarrant Police have received food and household donations from strangers for Johnson's family and others in need.

Activist-Journalist Keynotes Black History Month Dinner

University Housing Services is pleased to welcome activist, journalist, and television personality Dr. Marc Lamont Hill for the Black History Month Cultural Dinner Monday, February 2 at 5 p.m. in the Brown Ballroom at the Bone Student Center. His keynote will address college affordability, with a focus on the impact of the African-American community

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is one of the leading hip-hop generation intellectuals in the country: He covers topics in culture, politics, and education. Many have seen him provide commentary for CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, in addition to his hosting responsibilities on HuffPost Live and BET News. An award-winning writer, Dr. Hill is also a columnist and editor-at-large for the Philadelphia Daily News.

His interest in social justice led him to help organize My5th, a nonprofit organization devoted to educating youth about their legal rights and responsibilities. Dr. Hill also started a literacy project that uses hip-hop culture to increase school engagement and reading skills among high school students.

When he is not giving insights through media or organizing a new project, Dr. Hill teaches at Morehouse College as a Distinguished Professor of African-American Studies. He has also published several books, including his newest, The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations of Black Life in America.

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Entertainment for the night will come from DeShawn Williams, a singer with smooth baritone vocals and music influenced by the sounds of Michael Jackson and Earth Wind & Fire.

Tickets are $20 and  can be purchased online at Housing.IllinoisState.edu from January 5-28. Tickets will not be available at the door. For more information, contact (309) 438-5399.

This event is sponsored by University Housing Services and co-sponsored by Illinois State Campus Dining Services, Association of Residence Halls, Hewett-Manchester Student Association, East Campus Diversity Coalition and MECCPAC (A Dean of StudentsDiversity Initiative).

For special accommodations to fully participate in this event, please contact University Housing Services at (309) 438-5399. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.

Celebrating the Season4Reason: The Relaunch

Photo by Nia Gilbert

Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner tapped into Tuesday’s official awareness-building “relaunch” of Not In Our Town-Bloomington/Normal to spearhead a fresh look at local police practices and community relations.

Renner was one of dozens signing pledges to fight bigotry and bullying at NIOT-B/N’s relaunch event at the McLean County YWCA. As the community anti-hate initiative unveiled its “Season4Reason” awareness/information campaign, the mayor reported that "going forward, I'm calling for the city to review and assess our current training programs and community policing practices, and I'm asking the Human Relations Commission to begin a dialogue on race relations and make recommendations for the future."

The Bloomington Police Department is a charter member of the Minority and Police Partnership of McLean County, and Chief Brendan Heffner holds regular focus meetings with the public.

"I want to be sure and lead on this rather that be reactive," Renner told The Pantagraph. "Whether it's like Ferguson, Mo., or Staten Island, N.Y., we in Bloomington are going to make it clear that this will not happen in our town."

Tuesday's event featured NIOT’s new billboard and bus ad designs, as well as a Not In Our Town-Bloomington/Normal Quilt produced by Normal-based Sew Memorable, whose owner, Lisa Feeney, was in attendance. NIOT-Bloomington/Normal Steering Committee member Camille Taylor noted the event was attended by a “standing room only” crowd topping 125, including community officials and leaders, law enforcement representatives, educators, students, and residents on hand to pledge their support.

“I was overwhelmed to see not only the large number who came out, but also the variety of leadership and everyday folks from our community,” Taylor said. “The young people there were heartwarming as well, because they are the future leaders in Bloomington-Normal.”

As Renner pledged an overview of community relations, school officials from across the Twin Cities stressed the need to embrace NIOT’s anti-bullying message.

"It's very important for me to make sure that all of our students are included. Even though we're a large building and we've got 2,000 students we want to make sure that everybody has a place," said Dave Bollmann, Normal Community High School principal.

Photo by Nia Gilbert

Sandy Whisker/Sweet Memories Photography

The Not In Our Town Quilt: Joining the parts of our whole

 As part of the relaunch, NIOT has joined with Bloomington's First Christian Church and Normal's Sew Memorable Quilt design/production studio to unveil the Not In Our Town Quilt.

 The 37-inch square quilt features eight new Not In Our Town logos focusing on various segments of the community, including schools, emergency services, and the retail and corporate sectors. The logoed patches are sewn on a background employing the original black-white-and-yellow Not In Our Town palette, overlaid with pattern stitching depicting joined hands.

 "We're seeking new ways to communicate a very fundamental message -- the need for a safer, more inclusive neighborhood," NIOT communications coordinator Martin Ross said. "The quilt is a great metaphor for security, comfort, the diverse parts joined into a harmonious whole.

p"That's our objective for the Twin Cities -- to bring our diverse religious, cultural, and economic communities together for the mutual benefit of the entire community."

 The quilt was made possible through a $250 donation from First Christian Church as part of it's continuing community outreach campaign. The downtown-area church annually hosts a summer block party for west side families, and in 2015, it will introduce a new Sunday service aimed in part at serving the LGBT community and others who, according to FCC Associate Minister Kelley Becker, "don't currently have a church home."

 Sew Memorable owner Lisa Feeney, a former corporate trainer, specializes in commemorative, special occasion, or organizational quilts often fashioned from T-shirts.

Bloomington police chat with community leaders at the event. Photo by Nia Gilbert

 "Sew Memorable Quilts grew out of my basement hobby," Feeney noted. "I have sewn all my life -- I worked in a ballet shoe factory in college; I made my own wedding gown (10 foot train, hand-beaded 22,000 beads and 9,000 pearls onto galloon lace!!); and made draperies when my kids were small."

Kelley: Church affirms commitment to One and All

Rev. Kelley Becker

Associate Minister, Bloomington First Christian Church

Bloomington's First Christian Church takes seriously God’s call to welcome everyone to the Table. In our faith community, the Table is the communion table, but we believe this welcome extends to all tables in all places.

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Our involvement in the NIOT campaign is a natural extension of that call. We are overjoyed to be the sponsors of the new NIOT quilt and to be part of this community-wide group that stands with our brothers and sisters who have been excluded from community; from a sense of belonging.

Our desire is to reach out to our neighbors in Bloomington-Normal and to be a safe, inclusive, compassionate place of service and worship. To that end, beginning in January, we are starting a new, progressive worship service. The service is called One and All. It will be at 10:15 a.m. on Sundays. The service will feature radical hospitality, inclusive language and social justice themes. We invite anyone who is searching for a place to belong to join us.

Everyone is welcome at First Christian Church, where All Means All.

Twin City Not In Our Town sponsors anti-hate initiative

The PANTAGRAPH/December 7

by Maria Nagle

mnagle@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON — Against the backdrop of the deaths of an unarmed black man in Ferguson, Mo., and now New York City, and accompanying nationwide protests, Bloomington-Normal's "Not In Our Town" is sponsoring a new anti-hate initiative.

More than 100 political, community and educational leaders have been invited to show their support in fighting hatred and discrimination at an awareness-building event from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the YWCA McLean County, 1201 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington.

"Not In Our Town has always had a step in place for residents to show their support — the pledge card," said local NIOT member Marc Miller.

NIOT will unveil a newly-redesigned pledge card at a ceremonial signing of the first cards by community leaders to set an example for other residents, Miller said.

"Not In Our Town is a national movement that began right here in Bloomington," said Mayor Tari Renner. "I am honored to do whatever I can to help promote this cause so that people understand the best part of humanity and avoid our worst instincts."

A PBS "Not In Our Town" documentary, which explored how Billings, Mont., responded to a series of hate crimes, inspired the 1995 formation of an organization with the same name in Bloomington, making it the first city in the country to adopt the NIOT anti-hate, anti-discrimination program. 

Anyone who wants to come out and sign a pledge card Tuesday is welcome.

The latest campaign also includes placing NIOT's anti-hate, anti-discrimination message on electronic billboards, including one along Veterans Parkway at Lincoln Avenue, and posters on Connect Transit buses.

"One of our goals is to make this a safe, inclusive community," said Miller. "I don't see how anybody could say they don't agree with that principle."

While the event was planned seven to eight months ago, its goal to create a safe, inclusive community is all the more critical in light of what has happened in Ferguson, organizers said.

"We're blessed that nothing terrible has happened in Bloomington-Normal. Our goal is to make sure that is always true." Miller said. "We take pride in being proactive rather than reactive."

He also hopes the local anti-hate campaign will be a catalyst for community dialogue and spur renewed interest in the pioneering local movement whose profile has diminished in recent years.

"Inoculation against hate is getting people to talk about what's wrong and help make it right," said Miller. "When we don't talk about things it festers."

Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner and Assistant Chief Gary Sutherland plan to attend the ceremonial signing event. 

"It's important for our residents to know that we are vested in communicating with the public so that we can all live in a safe community ... where we talk to each other and not at each other," Heffner said.

He and Sutherland attended a recent NIOT summit at the University of Illinois-Chicago to learn about developing civil rights issues and other related matters, Heffner said.

The organization is hoping to sponsor public discussions this spring between local law enforcement agencies and residents "to build mutual respect in that process," said Mike Matejka, who has been a Bloomington-Normal NIOT member from its inception.

"We can talk about what goes on in Ferguson. We can talk about what goes on with our police and what happens in our schools," said Matejka, Great Plains Laborers District Council's governmental affairs director. "And we can do it in a way that is respectful and hopefully builds understanding."

"I think the joy of Bloominton-Normal is we don't have events like Ferguson going on," Miller said. "It doesn't mean we don't have problems. It does mean we want to make this community a great place."

"Mary": Curiosity and The Educable Moment

By Camille Taylor

A student at a local school has a part time job at a local restaurant. Let’s call her “Mary.”

“Mary” is African-American and has worked at this restaurant as both a hostess and a waitress. So, she is in constant contact with customers. Mary described how she gets questions from customers about her hair (she wears an afro), her accent (she has a slight British accent), and her name, which is not a typical Anglo-Saxon name.

She didn’t anticipate that these aspects of her life would be an issue for anyone, but has discovered that these are issues she has to contend with while working in a public place in Bloomington/Normal. When I asked her how getting these questions made her feel, she said she used to get irritated, but now she has learned to use their questions as an opportunity to educate them.

“Mary” indicated that she has learned to move on and not hold grudges and that has allowed her to grow as a person. She was bullied, teased, and excluded for being “different” in elementary and middle school. As a high school student she came to understand that it is OK to be who she is, and she is proud of her African heritage. Her self- confidence has allowed her to become a leader in her school and help others who are less fortunate.

Mike: Respect a Two-Way Street on the Streets

By Mike Matejka

for WJBC-AM Forum

The incident in Ferguson, Missouri and the shooting of Michael Brown is one of those cultural divide moments where white and black America look across a chasm at each other from totally different perspectives.

What happened in August in Ferguson will be debated for years.  Was officer Darren Wilson truly justified in shooting Michael Brown?  Did Michael Brown act inappropriately and threaten Darren Wilson?   None of us were there that afternoon and none of us were in the middle of the adrenaline rush that both these young men felt. 

Rather than picking Ferguson apart, I would rather consider our reactions to it.   The friction between young Latino and African-Americans, especially males, and police, creates a pervasive tension.   Parents have to counsel their children on how to respond to police.  The African-American community claims they are being disproportionately targeted, profiled and subject to random attack.   From that perspective, Ferguson and Michael Brown is just another incident in a long line of police confrontations.

Earlier this fall, there was much comparison to the “Pumpkin Riot” in Keene, New Hampshire, where young whites vandalized cars, started fires and attacked police.   The police responded with force and there were arrests, but did those young white people fear that their out of control party would result in deaths?  Probably not, but if there were young African-Americans whose party got out of control, would they fear being shot?  Very possibly.

Respect is the word that I think a lot about after Ferguson. And respect is a two-way street.   Law enforcement deserves respect.  Citizens also deserve respect from law enforcement.   This is more than police being colorblind; police should also appreciate the strong feelings that African-Americans and Latinos have about feeling targeted.

When we have more young African-Americans in jail than in college, that impacts all of us.  Those individuals may never get a decent opportunity in life, branded with a record.    As long as we are spending more on prisons than we are on pre-schools and job training, this social tension will haunt us.   Yes, individuals have to take responsibility for themselves.   But young people growing up in poverty often do not see opportunities that others might think obvious.  Or even if they see the choice, they may not know how to get there.

We can argue who was right or wrong last August in Ferguson.  The conversation I hope we start having is how do we bring our society together and help create opportunity and openings for all.

Mike Matejka is the Governmental Affairs director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, covering 11,000 union Laborers in northern Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. He lives in Bloomington with his wife and daughter and their two dogs. He served on the Bloomington City Council for 18 years, is a past president of the McLean County Historical Society and Vice-President of the Illinois Labor History Society.

Nancy: The Complex View Over Ferguson

By Nancy Cruse

for WJBC-AM Forum

The situation in Ferguson, Missouri, really bothers me.  I’m trying to wrap my head around it from many angles:

1. As a mother who will never, ever see her son again.  I know this pain personally and I feel very badly for Michael Brown’s mother.  On a certain level, it really doesn’t matter how he died.  The point is that Lesley McSpadden will never share another birthday, Thanksgiving, or Christmas with her son.  When something major like that happens to you, you have to decide how you will move forward with your own life.  My personal feeling is that you should try to figure out a way to bring something positive out of the situation so that you can help the next person who finds themselves in a similar circumstance. 
2. As a former small business owner.  My late husband and I owned our own businesses for 27 years here in Bloomington/Normal.  We experienced being broken into and robbed twice, having an employee steal company checks and try to cash them, having a plate glass window broken by vandals and having our business burn due to an electrical fire.  After my husband died I experienced having an employee murdered while trying to stop a robbery.  It’s not the same as having your business looted and burned due to racial tensions obviously.  I can however speak to feeling violated by the actions of other human beings and the pain it causes, as well as to how it feels to watch your livelihood go up in flames.  There is no way any one can convince me that looting and destroying other people’s property or causing someone physical harm helps to solve racial tensions.
3. As a human being.  Not all police officers are bad.  I cannot understand how when we are trying to overcome stereotypical thinking it suddenly becomes ok to classify anyone who is part of a particular profession as a horrible human being.  Isn’t this what we are supposed to be overcoming?

I am very sad that a young man lost his life and I empathize with his mother.  I have great respect for those who have given their lives to protect and serve their communities.  I would like to think if there are those in their ranks who hold biased beliefs and treat people unfairly that it will be addressed and dealt with constructively.  I applaud those who express their concerns and beliefs peacefully.

I am very grateful that I was raised by a man who taught me more through actions than words that all people are created equal and deserve respect.  By looking through my father’s eyes I saw that every person has worth, value, and something to contribute.  I believe the greatest change begins at an individual level.  Examine your thoughts and your actions.  What changes can you make – in yourself, in your parenting, and in your community?

Nancy Cruse has been part of the Bloomington/Normal community for the past almost 30 years. A widow, with five children, along with her late husband was a small business owner in downtown Bloomington. Now employed by State Farm, Nancy is active in the community, writing the Clare House newsletter and maintaining their Facebook page, hosting an annual Fourth of July Food Drive, a team leader and fundraiser for the Pat Nohl Lupus Walk, and a member of Toastmasters International, as well as volunteering in various capacities at Holy Trinity Church and schools. In her spare time, Nancy likes to run, bike, hike, read, sew, and be a vegetarian who occasionally indulges in a Schooners Tenderloin.

Escaping the Labyrinth: Second Chances, New Opportunities

A labyrinth is a complex maze, virtually inescapable without an understanding of the rules and the system. For many women attempting to start anew following incarceration or imprisonment,

Bloomington-based Labyrinth Outreach Services to Women provides support for women in McLean County returning home from prison or the McLean County Jail. It’s the only such resource of its kind for Bloomington-Normal and surrounding communities.  Labyrinth assists women in securing state identification, transportation, employment preparation; housing, food, and clothing resources; medical and prescription assistance; GED, education, and job training linkages;  long-term counseling and case management; family reunification including parenting resources; a spiritual community of their choice; a support system; and special opportunities when available, such as vocational training, art therapy, and holiday gatherings.

Labyrinth’s first vocational training program – Breaking the Cycle of Female Ex-Offender Employment --  was held this summer with six women graduating. The classes explored résumé development, interviewing, financial literacy, explaining a criminal record, and exposed students to careers that are traditionally considered “a man’s job” but can lead to economic stability and successful careers. As a result, Labyrinth clients could find solid, well-paying work as electricians or welders or in landscaping, carpentry, sheet metal, plumbing, farming, construction, or maintenance.

But despite advanced opportunities and community-based support, Labyrinth Program coordinator and case manager Kristin Manzi notes continued wariness of or prejudice toward even long-released ex-offenders. In the following interview excerpt, Manzi  stressed ex-offenders will continue to live in the community “regardless of whether we make opportunities better,”  and pled a second chance for individuals who could prove an asset to an employer. Check out Labyrinth at http://www.labyrinthoutreach.org/, and listen to the entire interview at www.integrityhelps.org.

Absalom Jones: Thanks in a Thankless Time?

This season, Americans of all cultures struggled with Thanksgiving feelings of gratitude and celebration while watching the continuing frustration, heartbreak, and anger in Ferguson. For Absalom Jones, an African-American abolitionist and clergyman in the late 18th and early 19th century, thankfulness and charity were key to keeping hope alive for those who had little reason for hope, and he pushed for a day of thanksgiving decades ahead of President Lincoln's 1863 holiday proclamation.

After founding a black congregation in 1794, Jones was the first African American ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church of the United States, in 1804. He is listed on the Episcopal calendar of saints and blessed under the date of his death, February 13, in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as "Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818."

Jones was born into slavery in Sussex County, Delaware, in 1746. When he was sixteen, he was sold to a storeowner in Philadelphia, Pa., and one of the store's clerks taught him to write. While still a slave, he married Mary King on January 4, 1770, and by 1778, Jones had purchased his wife's freedom so that their children would be free. In another seven years he was able to purchase his own freedom.

In 1772, while at St. George's Methodist Church, Absalom Jones and other black members were told that they could not join the rest of the congregation in seating and kneeling on the first floor and instead had to be segregated first sitting against the wall and then on the balcony. After completing their prayer, Jones and the church's black members got up and walked out. He co-founded the Free African Society, a non-denominational mutual aid society, to help newly freed slaves in Philadelphia.

In 1808, preaching in Philadelphia, Jones urged a national day of thanksgiving. He proposed reserving Jan. 1, for the special celebration, because Jan. 1, 1808, was the day Congress banned the further importation of slaves. On that day of remembrance, Jones maintained, "the history of the sufferings of our brethren" should survive down "to the remotest generations."

Living history: Enlight at the Museum

The McLean County Museum of History, on Bloomington's old courthouse square, has become far more than a repository for Central Illinois' relics and stories -- it is today a gateway to understanding and appreciating the contributions of the diverse cultures that enliven the Twin Cities.

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For example, ¡Fiesta! A Celebration of Mexican Popular Art, open through Jan. 16,  features more than 150 pieces of art made by the people of Mexico, including ceramics, textiles, papier maché, lacquerware, basketry, carved wood, leather, glass, and more from every region of the country. Visitors to the exhibit are invited to travel through time to learn about the history of Mexico's folk arts and how, as these arts became popular in the U.S., they were incorporated into the decorative arts north of the Mexican border.  

In the exhibit, visitors can stop at the museum's time travel agency where they will learn about travel to Mexico in the 1930s.

In another gallery, you'll find The Greening of the Prairie: Irish Immigration and Settlement in McLean County (open through Jan. 16, 2016), which outlines early cultural contributions to the region. The exhibit examines why emigrants left Ireland, the challenges they faced once they arrived, their successes and failures, and the impact their presence has had on our community. The exhibit features historic objects, photographs, and maps detailing the saga of Irish-Catholic famine immigrants who came to this area in the early 1850s as industrial and farming pioneers.

And The Asian Indian Experience in McLean County illuminates another key influence on Twin Cities culture and everyday life. Asian Indian immigrants began arriving in McLean County in the 1960s, seeking jobs and a better life. This installation in the People gallery of the permanent exhibit Encounter on the Prairie explores the challenges they faced and reveals the efforts made to maintain important traditions and practices while, at the same time, embracing American culture. The installation's open through May 1.

Visit www.mchistory.org to explore educational and entertainment opportunities at the Museum.

Ferguson and the Future

As Ferguson, Missouri, and the rest of the nation await a grand jury decision in the Aug. 9 police shooting of Michael Brown this week, Not In Our Town Bloomington-Normal released the following response:

"The events in Ferguson reflect a great disconnect between the government, the police, and the people of the community. We must always work toward understanding and respecting everyone in our community, creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive community in the hopes that we can never have that happen here."

"Breaking A Bully's Grip"

"Bullying is a problem that transcends generations. The devastating effects have forced victims into isolation and pushed some to suicide. Every story of bullying gone too far sparks a firestorm of frustration and outrage. Parents, teachers, and society as a whole are blamed. Along with the accusations come demands for action. Despite calls for legislation, programs, or harsh punishment for bullying, there is no simple solution.

"Yet the situation is not hopeless. As the largest preparer of Illinois teachers, Illinois State University faculty, staff, and students are taking a stand against bullying through research, curricula, and programming."

So writes Steven Barcus, copy editor with Illinois State's University Marketing and Communications Department, in the recent article "Breaking A Bully's Grip." Barcus outlines the steps taken after ISU School of Communications Administrative Aide Patty Franz discovered the severity of the bullying problem faced by her granddaughter and others in her junior high.

"(My granddaughter) threw her backpack in the back seat, jumped in the car, rolled up the window, and told her grandma to drive," Franz recounted. "She said, ‘Get out of here right away, grandma. Some girls are going to beat me up.’

“I asked why. She said, ‘I don’t know. I guess they don’t like me.’”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines bullying as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.” Bullying has long been an unfortunate fixture in scholastic life, but social networking, increased media bombardment, and growing diversity in the classroom have added troubling, sometimes dangerous new dimensions to an age-old issue. Franz already had seen reports of children bullied to the point of mental breakdown, or in extreme cases, suicide. She decided to take action.

Four Communications grad students who had their own dealings with bullying volunteered to help Franz. One student was a mother of a child who had been bullied at the same school, one had a sister that bullied students at that junior high, one had been bullied, and another had a friend who had committed suicide as a result of bullying.

The group named itself Transformers and partnered with teachers and administrators at Parkside Junior High School to deliver lesson plans promoting positive social behavior. When word spread, the group of four students grew to 20.

Read Barcus' account of the progress the Transformers and their mentor, School of Communications Professor Cheri Simonds have fostered and learn more about the psychology and dynamics of bullying at http://stories.illinoisstate.edu/magazine/illinois-state/features/whats-required-break-bullys-grip/

 

Angelique: Arts and the Humanity

Angelique Racki

Breaking Chains & Advancing Increase/School of Arts

Bloomington-based BCAI School of Arts is positioning itself to be able to provide maximum cultural experience through the arts. We are undertaking an Indian Arts branch, Hispanic/Latino Arts branch, and expanding our Asian Arts and Urban Arts branches.

In this way, not only can each culture have an outlet, a platform, and a voice, but if we can cross-culturally train each individual, how much MORE understanding and how much LESS false judgment would there be?

Here at BCAI, our prime focus is not to teach art. It is to use the training itself and the atmosphere provided to increase wisdom, teamwork, accountability, responsibility, and most importantly, self-value. We are open to all races, ages, social statuses, and cultures. We do cater to those who may not otherwise be able to afford such a necessary outlet. 

One of our teens perhaps summarizes the personal value of the BCAI experience best: "BCAI's afterschool program helped me feel more 'me' and understand the people who get bullied."

BCAI is located at 510 East Washington Street. For information, call (309) 532-4272, or visit www.bcaidance.com/.

"Arlene": On Race and Retail

Call me "Arlene." I am a white woman with a son who is mixed race/black. He is a teenager at BHS - a good kid, thoughtful and smart.

One day, not long after the Trayvon Martin shooting, I took him to help me pick up some items from a business in Bloomington. I went inside to talk to the manager while my son parked the car. I was having a happy pleasant conversation with the manager, Michelle.  My son walked into the business, dressed in the usual high school hoodie, and walked up to us. 

Michelle immediately stiffened and said loudly, "What do you want?" 

There was a moment of silence, as my son and I looked at each other.

"Michelle," I said, "please meet my son. He is here to help me."

She recovered quickly and shook his hand. 

That moment will linger forever in my heart as I saw my beautiful, loving son judged by the color of his skin and the clothing he wore that day. It was not the first time, and it will not be the last.  He knows that, and so do I.  But for me as a mom, it was one of the most painful experiences, knowing that I can no longer protect him from the realities of our society.

Camille: Recongregate, Communicate, and Inoculate

By Camille Taylor

Educator/Not In Our Town Steering Committee

WJBC-AM Forum/Monday, November 17

Nineteen years ago a grassroots group of citizens in Bloomington-Normal began a movement called “Not In Our Town.” The movement began with goals to establish a community standard that rejects discriminatory words and deeds, to inoculate our community through education and dialogue against the social evils that follow complacency, and to be proactive against hate and intolerance by addressing injustice and inequity in our community. The inspiration for Not In Our Town came from Billings, Montana, where a rock was thrown into a little boy’s window that displayed a menorah. A PBS film about the incident was viewed in our community followed by adult/youth discussion panels. It was also used as a training tool by the Bloomington Police Department. Over the last 19 years, Not In Our Town has held marches, rallies, pledge card drives in local schools, stood against East Peoria’s white supremacist Matt Hale, who came to Bloomington to spread his messages of hate, and the Rev. Fred Phelps from the Westboro Baptist Church, who came to our town with hate filled anti-gay demonstrations. After a few years of less activity, Not In Our Town is relaunching new efforts. On December 9, the Not In Our Town campaign will be launched with a media event at the YWCA, community leaders, electronic billboards, signage on Connect Transit busses, pledge cards, and a fundraising campaign. The theme, “The Season4Reason,” sends the message that it’s time to fight bigotry and bullying and that there’s no room for this in our community. The vision is to have a safe and inclusive community. Our work will be ongoing. Most movements take at least 50 years to accomplish goals. When will this vision be achieved? When every person in our community, no matter their gender, race, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, address, or whatever, feels safe and included.  We know our community is not a Ferguson, Missouri, but we don’t want to become one either. Sometimes it’s easy to wear blinders and not notice that some members of our community are less safe/ included than others. So, here’s my personal challenge. As we approach the holidays, observe how open we are as a community to all perspectives, different observances, those who are able, and those who are not in the mainstream. Let’s make it a Season4Reason and do our part to wipe out hate, bullying, and bigotry on every level. I’m Camille Taylor for the WJBC Forum.

A Season4Reason: A time to regroup

As Bloomington-Normal’s landmark Not In Our Town anti-racism campaign approaches its third decade with an expanded mission and a new grassroots focus, this seems the ideal time to call for a Season4Reason across the Twin Cities.

December is a time of multicultural celebration -- Christian traditions of Christmas, Hanukkah observances by the Jewish community, Bodhi Day commemorating the enlightenment of the original Buddha, and Kwanzaa, as celebrated by many African-Americans. In October, Hindus communitywide celebrated Diwali, the Indian fall festival of lights, and January marks the Muslim observance of the prophet Muhammad’s birth.

This is also a potential season of discontent. Individuals and families address serious and divisive holiday-related economic and domestic issues; late-semester academic pressures can escalate into bullying, addiction, crime, and cross-cultural conflict; and the differences between the haves and the have-nots often come crisply and raggedly into focus. Recent elections, U.S. and world events, and ongoing debate about immigration, domestic security, and community-police relations have generated conflict and alienation where commonality and appreciation should flourish. 

It’s a season when compassion, empathy, tolerance, and, indeed, reason must prevail among Twin Citians of all races, faith communities, cultures, and lifestyles. We want the same things – family security, individual opportunity, acceptance or at least respect from our peers, the American right to live and love as we choose. We want a safe, inclusive community where everyone has a place at the table, in society and the economy, in the classroom.

As Not In Our Town embarks on a new phase of education, enlightenment, and growth, we’re asking our friends, families, neighbors, classmates, and community leaders to embrace a new winter celebration – a celebration of each other. A season where old hatreds, smoldering resentments, and fear of the merely different fall away in the face of reason.