Not In Our School Making The Elementary Grade

Normal's Unit 5 and Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal continue to plant the seed of inclusivity and security in area elementary schools.

Fox Creek Elementary School has joined Glenn Elementary in flying the Not In Our School banner pledging efforts to stop bullying and bigotry.

Fox Creek Principal Dennis Larson recently presided over a school assembly introducing students to the NIOS program, which has also taken hold in Twin Cities junior high and high schools. Larson also has helped facilitate an effort with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois, Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal, and Promise Council to recruit added adult mentors, particularly men, to help at-risk students who need assistance with their school work.

Unit 5 officials and NIOTBN's Education Subcommittee are looking to bring additional schools into the NIOS program.

Hindu Temple to Host March 19 Open House

Hindu Temple of Bloomington Normal, is hosting a March 19 community event for all Bloomington-Normal residents, to help promote Not in our Town: Bloomington/Normal faith and outreach efforts.  

"Attendees will have the opportunity to see the temple sanctum, learn about Sanatana Dharma – Hinduism -- and get a better sense about Hindus," temple President Chetan Desai said. The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at 1815 Tullamore Avenue, Bloomington.

As seating is limited, visitors are asked to RSVP at http://goo.gl/forms/qEZtKioea1
We hope that you can join us. 

The open house follows on the heels of a similar event at the Masjid Ibrahim mosque, and will include:
 

3–3:20 p.m.: Welcome address; Vedic chant in Sanskritam

3:20–4:15 p.m.: Overview, Philosophy, and Modern-Day Context of Sanatana Dharma

4:20–4:40 p.m.: Q&A

4:40–5 p.m.: Refreshments

Tricia: Downtown Collaborative Mural to 'Articulate Emotion'

Tricia Stiller, Executive Director

Downtown Bloomington Association

As seen in this preliminary design conception, the downtown mural will be based on NIOTBN's "quilt" design created in November 2014.

It's been a challenge for me to find just the right words for this essay. I've started and re-started more times than I'm willing to admit. I think the stumbling block lies in the fact that I'm genuinely excited about this collaboration, and to articulate emotion into plain text is not always an easy task. That's the beauty of this planned mural project - Art speaks for us when words can't. 
 
The evolution of this idea, in my mind, is a wonderful illustration of what makes ours a great community. We are a city that actively seeks opportunities to expand our understanding of one another. We passionately stand against all discrimination, through the efforts of NOT IN OUR TOWN (NOIT), and we ignite the spark of compassion in our future leaders by providing students with opportunities to meet and interact with those who live differently through the McLEAN COUNTY DIVERSITY PROJECT. And those are just two examples.

Bloomington/Normal is full of extraordinary people doing amazing things. 
 
When I was first approached about the idea of creating something lasting that would speak to this community's heart, I didn't hesitate. Though my previous explorations with the Diversity Project have been theatrical, I was especially pleased that I was asked about a mural, for that is something the Downtown Bloomington Association is quite passionate about. Through our Public Art Committee, we have added 4 murals to the downtown landscape in the last five years. We envision a city with art on every corner!

With this mural collaboration, scholars from the Diversity Project will be depicting the mission statement of NOT IN OUR TOWN on a prominent wall in our community. I am still awaiting confirmation on the exact location, but if things go as I hope, it will be stellar! 
 
The scholars will participate in a series of workshops that will incorporate conversation and creation, and I may even throw some theatre scenes at them, to help solidify our understanding of what our efforts mean - to us, to this community, and to the generations that follow.

In addition to the mural, original music, inspired by the message, will be composed by a couple of scholars, and those recordings will be added to the NOIT website.

Great things really do happen when we all work together. 

I am honored to be working on this project, and look forward to taking every step with these wonderful students.

NIOTBN's Becker Named Peace Prize Recipient

Kelley Becker, associate minister with Bloomington First Christian Church and chairman of the Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal Faith and Outreach Subcommittee, is 2016 recipient of the Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize.

Becker will honored at an April 24 awards reception.

The Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize recognizes individual achievements in peacemaking, leadership, community service, and activism. The award recipient will be presented with a plaque at a reception in the spring of 2016, and a gift of $250 will be made to an established program or scholarship at ISU selected by the recipient.

The prize is named for Joseph L. Grabill and Gerlof D. Homan, Illinois State University emeritus professors of history, who helped establish the interdisciplinary Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies Program.

Becker helps oversee an outreach program that has included FCC’s now 17-year-old, multi-church Westside Block Party and construction and promotion of the Tiny House, a modular mini-home that could prove a key solution in transitioning people who currently are homeless into a socially and economically sustainable life. She has reached out to local people who are homeless on a personal level as well as through the church, and helped communicate with local police authorities and highlight the plight of homeless persons following last spring’s eviction of individuals from an outdoor encampment on Bloomington’s Market Street.

Becker has traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border, witnessed federal deportation “show trials” in the Southwest, and through photos, stories, and sermons helped illuminate complex issues of immigration, border security, and human rights. At a time when events in Ferguson, Baltimore, and Chicago underline concerns about police-community relations particularly along racial lines, Becker continues to communicate regularly with law enforcement officials, to affect greater understanding of community needs and police perceptions.

In the pulpit and in the community, she has worked for inclusivity of the LGBT community – she helped organize First Christian’s new One and All progressive service, which provides a worship opportunity for those who may not have felt welcome or accepted at other area churches.

Becker's Faith and Outreach Subcommittee is devoted to fostering interfaith understanding and aiding area churches in efforts to address bigotry and attain social justice for all Twin Citians. She played a key role with local Jewish and Islamic leaders in a December interfaith community solidarity event at the Old Courthouse in downtown Bloomington aimed at countering anti-Islamic sentiments.

Heartland Drama Examines Neighborhood and Race

Heartland Theatre Company's Clybourne Park, an examination of race relations and discrimination, continues through Feb. 25-27.

Clybourne Park, written by Bruce Norris and directed by Rhys Lovell, encompasses two acts set fifty years apart. Act One takes place in 1959, as nervous (white) community leaders anxiously try to stop the sale of a home to a black family. Act Two is set in the same house in the present day, as the now predominantly African-American neighborhood battles to hold its ground in the face of gentrification.

Clybourne Park is winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It includes mature themes and language. The local production is sponsored by Cindy and Mike Kerber.

Shows are Thursday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. General Admission is $15, with a senior discount (over 65) of $12 and a student discount of $5. To make a reservation, call the Heartland Theatre Box Office at 309-452-8709309-452-8709 or email boxoffice@heartlandtheatre.org

Rebecca: In Interfaith Relations, Trust is a MUST

Rabbi Rebecca L. Dubowe  

A few weeks ago, the local Muslim community in Bloomington/ Normal offered an Open House to invite others to learn about their Islam faith. In fact, there was an overwhelming response from the community, which actually led to many people being turned away at the event only because the mosque could not fit everyone. Now this is what I call a good problem!

Rabbi Dubowe at December's NIOTBN-sponsored interfaith rally at the old courthouse in downtown Bloomington.

I know all about what happened at the event because our synagogue, Moses Montefiore Congregation, as the only Jewish community in Bloomington, was going to arrange for a group to visit the Open House. And then we were informed that there was no room! It was until then we all agreed that there should be another open house because of the outpouring positive response and interest for the greater Bloomington/Normal community to get to know their interfaith neighbors.  

According to the Pew, Muslims make up less than 1 percent of Americans. About 1.8 million are adults, and if Muslims of all ages are counted, the total Muslim population in the United States comes to about 2.75 million. These small numbers may mean that most Americans will never come across a Muslim in their day-to-day life, and therefore, they may sometimes make biased assumptions about the entire community. This also means that approximately 8% of Americans may have met a Muslim when it should be 100%.  

Here in the Bloomington/Normal, our chances of meeting a Muslim is far greater than 8% because we have indicated the essential value of knowing our neighbors. When people get to know each other and are willing to listen with open hearts, they are more likely to understand and discover how much they have in common. The efforts for inter- community dialogue are one of the most effective ways to break down stereotypes about race and religion. And this is how trust is built!

The commandment—the obligation to establish relationships with our fellow Muslim neighbors along with our Christian neighbors— is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition. In the Torah, the Jews are taught to accept others without prejudice or bias. The Torah states, "You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your kinsman, but incur no guilt because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the Eternal.” In order to wholeheartedly embrace the Biblical teaching of loving one’s neighbor, trust must be taught and shared among us.

As we eagerly proceed with the goal of increased dialogue and interaction with our neighbors, I believe that these principles of Interreligious Dialogue would be a valuable source for us to consider.   Principles for Interreligious Dialogue (Adapted from Leonard Swidler, “The Dialogue Decalogue,” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 20/1:1-4).

1. Enter into dialogue so that you can learn and grow, not to change the other.

2. Be conscious of the need to allow people the space to enter the discussion. Some people are less assertive about offering their thoughts, but will be encouraged to do so if more outspoken persons avoid dominating the exchange.

3. Be honest and sincere, even if that means revealing discomforts with your own tradition or that of the other. Assume that everyone else is being equally honest and sincere.

4. Everyone must be permitted to define their own religious experience and identity, and this must be respected by others.

5. Proselytizing or seeking to “convert” the conversation partner is not permitted in an interreligious dialogue setting. Participants should feel free to express their own faith traditions and beliefs, but not try to persuade others to assent to them.

6. Don’t feel that you are the spokesperson for your entire faith tradition or that you ought somehow to know everything there is to know about it. Admit any confusion or uncertainty you might have if a puzzling question arises.

7. Don’t assume in advance where points of agreement or disagreement will exist.

8. Everyone should be willing to be self-critical.

9. All should strive to experience the other’s faith “from within” and be prepared to view themselves differently as a result of an “outside” perspective.

10. Trust is a must. Trust is a must and may we, as the Bloomington/Normal community, look forward to many more Open Houses filled with celebration of diversity, respect, and love.

Rabbi Rebecca L. Dubowe currently serves as the Interim Rabbi for Moses Montefiore Congregation in Bloomington.

BPD Testing for New Officers; March 3 Deadline

The Bloomington Police Department is testing for new officers in late March, and BPD Chief Brendan Heffner hopes soon to see new and diverse faces serving the community.

Cut-off date to apply is March 3. 

"Please spread the word, as it's time step it up for diversity," stressed Heffner, who stepped up efforts to recruit new officers, including minority patrol officers, roughly a year ago following a local Breaking Barriers police-community dialogue.

People can go to www.cityblm.org to apply online.

Operation Beautiful Offers Affirmation to NCHS Students

Normal Community High School students Thursday found something different in the school's hallways -- positive affirmation, courtesy of an NCHS' Not In Our School project Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal (NIOTBN) Education Subcommittee Chairman Camille Taylor deemed "seed planting."

"This afternoon, Not in Our School put compliments on about 2000 lockers at Normal Community!" student Aishwarya Shekara recounted. "But it wasn't just NIOS students from NCHS who helped.

"(Normal Community West High School Project Oz coordinator) Jessica Jackson and students from Normal West's NIOS and Hype club came to Normal Community after school to help us accomplish this task! Working together was so much fun, and though the rivalry between both schools is strong, it was put aside for friendship. Students from Culture Club and Future Business Leaders of America took part as well, and we finished around 4. I expected us to take three hours, but we did it in one! All of our clubs worked in unity today and it was beautiful to watch! Thank you all so much for your time and support. I can honestly say that I am blessed to go to Normal Community. Thank you for everything!"

Shekara is the daughter of Illinois State University arts instructor Archana Shekara, a member of the NIOTBN Steering Committee.

Karen: Local Women Affirm 'Common Pursuit of Peace and Prosperity'

Karen Fleming

The 20th Annual International Women’s Breakfast is March 5 at Eastland Suites in Bloomington. 

“On this day in the Twin Cities, we affirm our support for women around the world in our common pursuit of peace and prosperity, and come together to learn from each other.”  Soroptimist International of Bloomington-Normal, League of Women Voters, and McLean County India Association co-sponsor this annual event that was started 20 years ago by the American Association of University Women.  Over the years, various women’s groups have participated in the planning and we welcome every women’s group in town to participate.  We are pleased to once again have corporate sponsorship from COUNTRY Insurance. 

What started as an opportunity for a small group of local women to learn about mission trips and programs that support women in other countries, has grown to over 200 women of all cultures coming together to learn about each other and discuss how issues that affect us individually usually affect women everywhere.  This year’s panelists include three local women – Senna Abjabeng of Mid Central Community Action’s Neville House; Hansa Jaggi, Realtor/Broker Coldwell Banker; and Stephanie Wong, Attorney at Law, Skelton and Wong. P.C., with Loretta Thirtyacre as moderator.

No matter where we are from, we are a community and try to make this event about finding common ground and common areas of interest through conversation.  For more information about IWDB, please call 309-454-2513 or email kfleming1973@gmail.com.  Tickets are $25 payable in advance – payable to SIBN and mailed to 1416 Godfrey Drive; Normal, IL61761.

Muslims Show Compassion, Share Believes with Community

Julia Evelsizer

The Pantagraph

Stephen Robinson, sociology teacher at Normal Community High School, eagerly accepted a student's invitation to learn about a different religion.

Pantagraph photo by Steve Smedley

Robinson is Buddhist. The student is Muslim. The invitation was for Saturday's open house at Masjid Ibrahim mosque, 2407 E. Washington St.

About 100 Christians, Buddhists and atheists filled the mosque to learn more about the Islamic faith from their Muslim neighbors.

“We hope people will use this event to learn more about Islam personally, rather than to only hear what’s reported in the media,” said mosque president, Mohammed Zaman.

Robinson and his partner, Jaime Breeck, attended with their 2-year-old son, Avram.

“We wanted to support the Muslim community and have a better understanding of their faith,” said Breeck.

“We are conscious of the discriminatory culture we live in," added Robinson. "We brought our son here because we want him to learn about all different people and cultures so he can decide what he wants in life.”

Zaman said one of the event's main goals was to dispel myths about Islam.

“Many think the two words that should come after Muslim are ‘terrorism’ and ‘violence,’ but it is a very peaceful religion,” said Zaman.

Guests were greeted at the door and asked to remove their shoes. The mosque provided lunch and reading materials; visitors could ask questions and watch prayers. Each was offered a copy of the Quran to take home.

Director Sabeel Ahmed of Gain Peace, a non-profit Chicago organization whose goal is to educate the public about Islam, was the main speaker.

“We are all a part of this wonderful country and we hope many will leave this event as friends," said Ahmed.

He explained the basics of Islamic beliefs and how closely the religion is tied to Christianity.

“We believe in one God and we worship him as the creator, not creation itself, just like Christians,” said Ahmed.

During his studies of the bible, Ahmed found most of the scriptures to be the same. Muslims believe in Jesus as a prophet and accept him the same way they accept Mohammed as a prophet. They believe Mohammed to be the last prophet of God, with Jesus before him.

“Powerful is not he who knocks the other down. Indeed powerful is he who controls himself in a fit of anger,” said Ahmed, quoting Mohammed.

Kelley Becker, associate minister at First Christian Church in Bloomington, attended with church members. Becker, who works with Not In Our Town of Bloomington-Normal, said NIOT is working with local Hindu and Jewish temples on more open houses. 

“It’s hard to hate people when you come face to face and listen to their stories,” said Becker. “We all see God similarly and we all want the same things for the world and our families.”

Banner Day for Local Not In Our School Effort

NIOTBN's Education Subcommittee and District 87 and Unit 5 schools have revved up Not In Our School (NIOS) programs led by students and teachers. NIOS banners have been designed for local high schools and junior highs, but now, Now, Normal's Glenn Elementary School has kicked off a grade school-level version of the anti-bullying/anti-bigotry program. The Bloomington Junior High School banner being installed in the video above was based on student input. Listen as Twin Cities students take a firm stance for inclusivity and individual safety and respect.

Response To Mosque Invitation 'Overwhelming'

David Proeber

The Pantagraph

Organizers of an open house at a Bloomington mosque have stopped taking reservations because of "overwhelming" response from people wanting to attend.

"We are overwhelmed,"  said Mohammed Zaman, president of Masjid Ibrahim, which has been serving the Twin City Muslim community since 2007. "We are astounded by the response from the community, the support."

The community's interest is prompting the mosque to hold another open mosque day at a future date to be determined.

"Because we are just starting to see the overwhelming response, we need to sit down and figure out another date," Zaman said Wednesday. "We definitely will keep everyone posted as soon we have that new date."

Residents wanting to attend the event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday were asked to RSVP, and by Wednesday morning more than 200 people had responded, Zaman said.

But because of the mosque's size, attendance was limited to 100 people.

"We don't have a lot of room in the mosque," said Zaman. "It's not a very huge place, but we are trying our best to accommodate as many as possible."

The mosque already had 60 people signed up to attend the open house prior to a Pantagraph story on Tuesday about the event.

"The morning the story came out, within an hour we had 20 more people sign up," said Zaman.

At a Dec. 16 interfaith community solidarity event in Bloomington, spearheaded by Not In Our Town, Zaman promised to invite the public to an open mosque day.

More than 250 people attended the rally that was held to show support for the local Muslim community in response to anti-Islamic rhetoric that surfaced in the United States, especially after the terror attack in San Bernardino, Calif.

In return, local Muslims decided to open the mosque to the public for an event to show their hospitality and give non-Muslims an opportunity to better understand the Islamic faith.

"For us, we pray in the mosque without any chairs," said Zaman. "We sit on the carpeted floor, but for the guests coming in we are bringing in chairs so they will be comfortable.

"Although the space in the mosque is small, there is a lot of space in our hearts that we can open up." 

NIOTBN, Renner on Hand for Legacy Wall Arrival

Victor Salvo, the founder and executive director of the Legacy Project, shared remarks at the opening reception for the Legacy Wall, a traveling exhibit featuring stories of LGBT individuals who have made a significant impact in the world on display at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Other speakers included IWU Provost Jonathan Green, Equality Illinois Field Fellow Marcus Fogliano, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, and Rev. Kelley Becker, associate pastor of First Christian Church, Bloomington, representing Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal, one of the sponsors of the exhibit. The Wall will be available at IWU through Feb. 13.

Mayor Tari Renner eyes the exhibit.

The Legacy Wall is a one-of-a-kind traveling exhibit that features "mini-biographies" of LGBT people from every walk of life. Its digitally interactive content is international and multicultural, and has been substantially vetted and sourced.

This exhibit raises awareness of the roles LGBT people have played in shared human history – information which helps to boost the self-esteem of LGBT youth who are raised without the benefit of historically significant role-models. It has also been shown to lessen the incidence of all forms of bullying in our schools by encouraging a culture of mutual respect and tolerance. The goal of the Legacy Wall is to use the powerful lessons of history to spark conversations about this information’s ability to promote a feeling of safety and belonging in the classroom -– giving our children hope by improving their outlook on life.       

The Legacy Project was inspired the first time the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was shown at the National March on Washington for LGBT Civil Rights in 1987. At that time, there was no way for gay individuals to know about those who came before them and what they accomplished and The Quilt only seemed to magnify that. 

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

The Legacy Wall will move to Illinois State University's Milner Library from February 15 through 28.

At that same March LGBT persons celebrated the first "National Coming-Out Day" -- October 11, 1987. 

In 1991, the City of Chicago instituted the only Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in the world to recognize the contributions of its LGBT citizens both to the city as a whole and the LGBT community. Several years later Chicago once again chose to celebrate LGBT people by installing the first-of-its-kind "Rainbow Pylon" streetscape on North Halsted Street. The combination of Chicago's annual Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame inductions and the 1998 dedication of the "Northalsted Corridor" as the nexus of the LGBT Community helped to crystallize the concept of The Legacy Walk; for finally there existed a place where the contributions of LGBT people from all over the world could be put on public display in the heart of an international city that had opened its arms to its LGBT sons and daughters.

NIOT:B/N Co-Sponsored Legacy Wall Comes to IWU

The Legacy Wall, a traveling exhibit featuring stories of LGBT individuals who have made a significant impact in the world, opened this week at The Ames Library at Illinois Wesleyan University. The exhibit will be at the university through Feb. 13.

The interactive Legacy Wall features biographies of people who have made contributions in a number of fields. Some of the individuals featured include author Oscar Wilde, U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, British mathematician Alan Turing, and Father Mychal Judge, a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department who was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

The Legacy Wall exhibit was created by the Legacy Project, a Chicago-based nonprofit intended to inform, inspire, enlighten and foster an appreciation for the role LGBT people have played in the advancement of world history and culture. Victor Salvo, the founder and executive director of the Legacy Project, presents remarks at Sunday's opening reception. Other speakers include IWU Provost Jonathan Green, Equality Illinois Field Fellow Marcus Fogliano, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, and Rev. Kelley Becker, associate pastor of First Christian Church, Bloomington, representing Not in Our Town, one of the sponsors of the exhibit.

The Legacy Wall is brought to Illinois Wesleyan as part of the “Queer Lives” Speaker and Performer Series at IWU funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Other Illinois Wesleyan sponsors include the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, IWU Pride Alliance, and The Ames Library. Organizers said awareness of the roles LGBT people have played in shared human history helps boost the self-esteem of LGBTQ youth who are raised without the benefit of historically significant role models. The goal of the Legacy Wall exhibit is to use the lessons of history to spark conversations and to promote a feeling of safety and belonging in the classroom. The exhibit includes data linking the teaching of LGBT-related content in schools with lowered incidences of bullying between students.  

The exhibit may be viewed on the entry-level floor of Ames, which is open Sundays 12 noon to 1:30 a.m.; Monday through Thursday 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.; Friday 7:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

'Middle Sexualities' Topic for Thursday IWU Program

On Middle Sexualities and Resisting Labels, a program examining gender and sexual identity, is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Thursday, February 4, at Illinois Wesleyan's Memorial Center Davidson Room.

Matthew Damschroder, assistant dean of students for campus life, will present the discussion.

"Some argue students today resist labels associated with sexual and gender identity," an IWU release on the program notes. "This is maybe a simplistic response to the increasingly complex ways that students identify as somewhere in the middle of gay/straight and male/female.

"If you have questions about what it means when students use terms like bi/pansexual, non-binary, queer, genderqueer and fluid, this is a safe space to learn more, get answers and become equipped to support students fully in pursuit of communities of respect and inclusion."

The discussion is sponsored by IWU Safe Zone with the support of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Novelist/Poet To Give Reading Wednesday on Campus

Celebrated author and scholar Percival Everett will give a reading of his work at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

There will also be a Q&A session at 2 p.m. in Stevenson Hall, room 401.

Everett is a distinguished professor at the University of Southern California, and an internationally renown author of more than 25 novels and collections of poetry. His works include the award-winning Erasure, and I Am Not Sidney Poitier.

He is the recipient of the Pen Center Award for Fiction, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, the Academy Award in Literature, the Dos Passos Prize, and the New American Writing Award, among others. Everett’s most recent work are Assumption: A Novel, Percival Everett by Virgil Russell: A Novel, and a collection of short fiction titled Half an Inch of Water.

The event is free, open to the public, and sponsored by Illinois State’s Creative Writing Program, Department of English, the Harold K. Sage Foundation, and the Illinois State University Foundation.

Actor-Director Esposito to Keynote ISU Black History Cultural Dinner

Award-winning actor, director, and education advocate Giancarlo Esposito will be the guest speaker at the Black History Cultural Dinner at 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 24, in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center.

Tickets for the dinner are available online. Tickets are $20, or one swipe of a meal plan for Illinois State students. Tickets are available online only, and will not be sold at the door.

During the dinner, Esposito will share his journey as an actor and an artist with a will to succeed despite the hurdles many people of color face while trying to break into “the industry.”

The event is sponsored by Illinois State’s University Housing Services, Campus Dining Services, the Association of Residence Halls, Hewett-Manchester Student Association, East Campus Diversity Coalition, and MECCPAC, a Dean of Students’ Diversity Initiative.

Esposito is a celebrated television, film, and stage actor, whose career spans decades and includes more than 60 films. Television audiences know him best for his iconic portrayal of drug kingpin Gustavo “Gus” Fring in AMC’s award-winning series Breaking Bad, for which he won the 2012 Critics Choice Award and earned a 2012 Emmy nomination. Other notable roles include Spike Lee films such as School Daze and Do The Right Thing, as well as Rabbit Hole, The Usual Suspects, Smoke, and The Last Holiday.

In 2007, through his production company, Quiet Hand Productions, Esposito made his feature directorial debut with the film Gospel Hill. He also co-starred with Danny Glover, Angela Bassett, Julia Stiles, Taylor Kitsch, and Samuel L. Jackson. Quiet Hand Productions aspires to make “conscious content” films that focus on the inspirational.

For additional information, contact Michelle Halpin at 309-438-8611.

Glenn Elementary Launches Not In Our School

Not In Our School kicked off at Normal's Glenn Elementary School Friday in an effort by the Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal program to reach children at an earlier stage.

Glenn Elementary held an assembly to kick off “Kindness Month,” during which students will be rewarded for acts of kindness, including defending against bullying. WJBC was on hand to interview participants in the program, which previously established a base in Twin Cities junior high and high schools.

"Just like anything else, the earlier you start the better!" NIOT:B/N Education Chairman Camille Taylor related. "The mission of Not In Our School is to stop hate, address bullying, and create a safe, inclusive community. Children at the elementary level, from kindergarten through fifth grade, can learn specific skills to be an upstander when they witness bullying.

"They can also learn the importance of speaking up and speaking out to make their learning environment safer. Students will become accustomed to this and expect/demand that their school environment be like this as they progress through middle and high school."

Jan Meadows, a retired teacher who according to Taylor helped NIOS "make the Glenn connection," stressed kindergarten is "the beginning of outside the family socialization."

"We start at the beginning," Meadows said. "That is where we start. When we expect high schoolers to succeed in algebra, we forget that once they didn't know any numbers. The same applies for social skills. When we teach the littlest child the language and the actions of inclusion, they accept it, they practice it, we reward and recognize their efforts and they will use it. "

"We often don't recognize that our brains are wired to search out danger in all settings, anything that looks or sounds different sets off internal alarms. But just like other biological responses the brain learns to accept and ignore these alarm triggers through practice and knowledge. These are skills we can and must teach our children."

Taylor reported Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 superintendents have given "100 percent support" to NIOS developing elementary-level programs on a school-by-school basis.

Kelley: Legacy Wall About Tearing Down Walls

Rev. Kelley Becker

Bloomington First Christian Church

Very soon, Bloomington-Normal will welcome the Legacy Wall to our community. I am honored to have been asked to speak, on behalf of NIOT, at the Opening Reception at 4 p.m. January 31 at Ames Library on Illinois Wesleyan’s campus. Other speakers will include IWU Provost Jonathan Green, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, Victor Salvo, and Marcus Fogliano.

The Legacy Wall is a traveling exhibit that features "mini-biographies" of LGBT people from all over the world. Its digitally interactive content is international and multicultural, and has been substantially vetted and sourced. This meaningful and useful exhibit raises awareness of the roles LGBT people have played in shared human history – information which helps to boost the self-esteem of LGBTQ youth who are raised without the benefit of historically significant role-models. The goal of the Legacy Wall is to use the lessons of history to spark conversations and promote a feeling of safety and belonging in the classroom – giving our children hope.

As the chairperson of the Faith and Outreach Committee for NIOTBN and an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the arrival of this exhibit gives me great hope. I hope that in the future we recognize that teaching our children to tolerate other people is not enough. We must teach them to embrace one another.  I believe this exhibit brings us closer to that goal. The more we know about people, the easier it is to appreciate and value their contributions and their unique gifts. The Christian faith tradition teaches that God created all human beings and declared them “very good.” We have different skin colors, faith traditions, gifts, intelligences, gender and sexual orientations, but we were each created on purpose for a purpose. I believe that purpose is to bring about a world where everyone has a place to belong and contribute...a place where everyone can be whole.

I hope you will join me on January 31, to welcome The Legacy Wall to our community and to celebrate and give thanks for our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ community.