Chicago Latino Community Leader/Alumnus Leads 'Do Good' Program

Doing good is "about now, not later," .MacArthur Fellow and Illinois Wesleyan University alumnus Juan Salgado maintained during last week's Student Senate’s annual “Do Good” lecture at Illinois Wesleyan University.

"While you have that energy and enthusiasm and vitality, while you have everything to give and absolutely nothing to lose," said Salgado, president and CEO of Instituto del Progreso Latino, which creates educational and workforce opportunities for Latino communities in Chicago.  "When you are doing action research or volunteerism or opening the doors for others, you're really opening the doors for yourself in so many different ways."

Salgado was recognized as a 2011 White House Champion for Change for Social Innovation. In 2010, he was the recipient of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund Excellence in Community Service Award.

Based on his leadership on the educational, political and economic advancement of the Latino community, Salgado was named one of 24 MacArthur Fellows in 2015. Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the so-called “genius grants” award each recipient $625,000, paid over five years with no strings attached, as an investment in the recipient’s originality, insight and potential. MacArthur Fellows are recognized for their extraordinary originality and dedication in their individual creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.

Salgado is a 1991 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan with a major in economics. He won a graduate fellowship to study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a master’s degree in urban planning. Illinois Wesleyan granted Salgado an honorary doctor of humane letters degree at Commencement in 2013.

Illinois Wesleyan’s Student Senate sponsors the “Do Good” speaker series. The “Do Good” title refers to President Minor Myers, Jr., who concluded each Commencement ceremony admonishing graduates to “go forth in the world and do well, but more importantly, do good.”

Salgado’s presentation, entitled “The World Needs You,” will be held in the Hansen Student Center and is free and open to the public. It is part of the events and activities surrounding the inauguration of President Eric Jensen on April 2. 

Second Law Enforcement Summit April 19

Join local law enforcement agencies for the 2nd Annual Law Enforcement Educational Summit, April 19, 2016 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Illinois State University’s Horton Field House, 180 N. Adelaide St., Normal.

The event is open to the public -- those 16 and over will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of training simulations (see map below).

Last year's inaugural summit in Bloomington offered residents the opportunity to learn how officers are trained to interact with civilians in common law enforcement situations, and for local police agencies to gain insight into community perspectives.

The event and others followed on the February 2015 Breaking Barriers police-community dialogue in Bloomington, co-sponsored by Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal.

 

2016 Asia Film Festival Offers Quartet of Acclaimed Works

The 2016 AsiaConnect Film Festival kicks off April 14 with four nights of acclaimed international hits examining life and struggles in Korea, India, Japan, and China.

Here are this year's offerings:

April 14, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Treeless Mountain

Jin (Hee Yeon Kim) and her younger sister, Bin (Song Hee Kim), are left by their mother (Soo Ah Lee) with Big Aunt (Mi Hyang Kim). The girls' mother is trying to hunt down their father. She gives them a piggy bank, telling her daughters that when it is full of coins she will return. Big Aunt is an alcoholic who neglects to look after the children. By selling roasted grasshoppers, the two girls manage to take care of themselves over the summer, waiting all the while for their mother's return. Unrated / 89 min. In Korean with English subtitles.

April 15, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Queen

A young Delhi woman from a traditional family goes on a solo honeymoon when her wedding is canceled in this Bollywood coming of age hit. Unrated / 146 min.

April 16, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Departures

Soon after buying an expensive cello, Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) learns that his orchestra is disbanding. Daigo and his wife move back to his hometown in northern Japan, where he answers an ad for what he thinks is a travel agency but is, in actuality, a mortuary. As he learns and carries out the rituals used in preparing the dead for their final rest, Daigo finds his true calling in life. PG-13 / 131 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.

April 17, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Coming Home

A former political prisoner (Chen Daoming) tries to help his wife (Gong Li) regain her memory and rediscover their love for each other. PG-13 / 109 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles.

For details, visit http://www.normaltheater.com/index.aspx.

Illinois State University AsiaConnect is an association of faculty and staff members who work together in the interest of the Asian community. Its purpose is to:

• Promote the various cultures of the Asian community to Illinois State and the Bloomington/Normal community
• Represent the interests, needs, and concerns of Asian faculty, staff, and students
• Promote communication and support among the Asian community
• Develop cooperative relationships in the academic community and with student organizations
• Assist the University with the recruitment and retention of Asian faculty, staff, and students

Taste of the West Tasty Display of Local Diversity

The West Bloomington Revitalization Project's Taste of the West event wasn't fooling around April 1.

Local culinary lights brought their multicultural best to Bloomington First Christian Church to benefit the services the Project brings to the west side.

Jessica Chacko Jackson and local students (below) represented Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal at the Taste. Fifty-seven individuals signed the NIOT/NIOS pledge at the event.

Taste of the West featured dishes by Romelia Aza, Annie Foster, Selina Gunn, Reve Jackson III (Jackson's Soul), Chef Jose (Rosy's Grill), and Kelly Mathy (Kelly's Bakery & Cafe).

NIOTBN Production Becomes Mission for Student Filmmaker

It may be no major motion picture. But to an Illinois State University student team currently working to bring Not in Our Town: Bloomington/Normal’s story to the screen, the project’s significance is “huge.”  

ISU senior and mass media major Cory Herman is helming a documentary about NIOTBN’s efforts toward building awareness and helping affect change in the Twin Cities. The yet-untitled project is an end-of-the-year production for his team’s Non-TV Production course, focusing on local non-profit  activity.

The team currently is interviewing NIOTBN leaders and volunteers and compiling footage from recent NIOTBN-involved events including the December interfaith vigil in downtown Bloomington, NIOTBN’s participation at the Bloomington Donald Trump visit, last spring’s Breaking Barriers police/community dialogue, and the summer vigil for the Charlestown church shooting victims.

The film – and Herman -- were inspired by a meeting between students and NIOTBN Education Chairman Camille Taylor.  As Taylor “passionately” outline the group’s community efforts and Not In Our School’s reach into elementary, junior high, and high school classrooms, Herman and his colleagues quickly realized that the project was “bigger than just ourselves; bigger than a grade,” he related.

“Listening to (NIOTBN’s) vision and its values, it really became a mission to show what Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal has done and the positive impact, the positive message that it stands for,” the Metamora student said. “We all looked at each other and said, ‘Wow, this is huge.’

“We want to make sure our film does justice for the organization – to make sure we’re doing everything we can to honor what they’re doing and the people who give the time to make sure that everybody feels safe, that no one feels afraid of being discriminated against or being persecuted for anything.”

The film is set to premiere in a late April screening for the NIOTBN Steering Committee before being submitted for the group to use in its activities. Herman’s production team also includes students David Hohulin, Kyle Bartolini, Sophia Hart, and Kristen Koukol, under the faculty direction of School of Communications Prof. Brent Simonds.

Herman’s own vision and values were forged in part by his parents – his father was a long-time youth pastor, his mother an active community volunteer. The family traveled extensively from church to church, “and my parents told me always to judge people based on who they are – how they act around you, how they act around adults – and to always have the capacity to forgive and to understand,” Herman said.

The Hermans lived for five years in a community a half-hour outside Charleston, S.C., where, according to the student documentarian, many of the residents “were very sweet and truly were looking for change” but others had clung to a “begrudging mentality” with roots in the Civil War era. Herman enjoyed a diverse circle of friends, but the population was divided somewhat by a largely white prep school and a predominantly black public school as well as lingering social sentiments.

“I didn’t realize until looking back, years later, that, wow, what I believed in – what my dad and my mom stood for -- wasn’t necessarily going along with the popular current,” said Herman, whose family returned to the Peoria area 14 years ago. “We never got harassed for it; nothing bad ever came from it. It’s just sobering, looking back and seeing that mentality.”

Herman is slated for a summer internship with a small production studio in Los Angeles. He hopes ultimately to use film, fictional  or documentary, not only to entertain but to push his audience to learn and “question” – to challenge previous social perceptions or recognize societal issues and concerns.

“I want to come back and be able to film in Peoria, in Bloomington-Normal,” Herman maintained, however.

Black Life That Matters To Illuminate #BlackLivesMatter issues

The hashtag/concept #BlackLivesMatter was created in 2012 after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s killer, Florida armed suburban patrol volunteer George Zimmerman, was acquitted.

It since has fostered both a rallying cry for racial justice and a degree of social backlash. Twin Citians will join at 7 p.m. April 26 to try to clarify what #BlackLivesMatter means and how it impacts the community.

Diversity Trainer Art Taylor will moderate "Black Life That Matters" in the Normal Public Library Community Room. The panel discussion is co-sponsored by Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal, YWCA McLean County, The League of Women Voters, Bloomington First Christian Church, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal.

The public event is presented by the B-N Humanist Group. 

NIOTBN Gets Facebook Lift

Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal PAGE is moving to the Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal GROUP. If you like this page, we invite you to like the group. We will be encouraging people to move over to our group over the next few weeks. Thanks for your friendship and support!

Capitol Forum to Offer Global Perspective on Human Rights

ISU's Bone Student Center will host the April 14 Illinois Capitol Forum on America's Future, a year-long civic education program for Illinois high school students promoting "informed discussion about and active participation in human-rights policy issues."

Capitol Forum supports teachers in their classrooms and focuses on human rights concerns worldwide. Collaboration with Illinois State University's History Department allows teachers and students opportunity to benefit from the resources and campus of the University. Illinois Humanities invites high schools – public and private, in upstate and downstate Illinois – to apply for the program.

This year's local participants include Bloomington High School Megan Bozarth and Normal Community High School's Kelly Keogh, as well as ISU Coordinator Richard Hughes.

Keynoting the event will be ISU history Prof. Issam Nassar, who will address the current situation in Syria. Follow-up sessions will address civil rights, military intervention for human rights, sexual exploitation, children's and health rights, and international justice. A series of human rights simulations will complete the day's activities.

Meet Your Muslim Neighbors Pt. 2 April 16

The Twin Cities' Muslim community is sponsoring a second open house to help area residents of all cultures learn about Islam.

The open house is 4-6 p.m. April 16 at the Islamic Center of Bloomington/Normal, 2911 Gill St., Suite 6, Bloomington. Based on the recent open house at Bloomington's Masjid Ibriham mosque, seats will fill quickly, so to reserve a space, RSVP to events@usicbn.org.

"If you didn't get a chance to visit the mosque during the last open house, now is your chance," suggests Kelley Becker, associate minister with Bloomington First Christian Church and Faith and Outreach chair with Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal. "Our Muslim brothers and sisters will welcome you warmly!"

See program on attached invitation.

Share Your Concerns About Bigotry in New Survey

Dear NIOT community members,

Not In Our Town - Bloomington-Normal is interested in hearing your feedback through Facebook or an anonymous survey.  

Some of us face very overt forms of discrimination or bullying. There are also subtle, persistent words or activities that can put us on edge, causing confusion or hurt.  

If you have experienced something like this in our community recently, would you mind sharing it on the Not In Our Town Facebook page, to begin an open community dialog?  Not In Our Town is trying to gather information on the currents and sub-currents of our experiences, to help us build a safe and inclusive community.

Coming soon: Requests for your stories of how respect and love win.

U-High Students Stage Black Lives Matter Demonstration

A sizeable percentage of students at University High School in Normal recently dressed all in black for a day to mark the Black Lives Matter movement.

There was some contention as other students dressed all in white as part of an All Lives Matter response. WGLT's Charlie Schlenker talked with two organizers of the Black Lives Matter effort, Juniors Seba Nassar and Nia Gilbert.

School administrators took care to encourage respectful dialogue on racial issues, though some posters were torn down. Two University High School teachers also publicized their classrooms as safe spaces to discuss racial and cultural issues connected to Black Lives Matter.

To listen to Schlenker's interview, visit http://wglt.org/post/u-high-students-hold-black-lives-matter-protest#stream/0 or listen below

Aishwarya: The Realities of Racism

Aishwarya Shekara

Not In Our School

Normal Community High School

The black smoke that engulfed us was thick and dirty. I instinctively held by breath while identifying the deep pain in my mother’s eyes. The driver sped off, quickly leaving us in the smoke.

I needed a moment to register what had just happened. This man, another human being, my fellow countrymen, had done this on purpose. His goal, like many others, was to get a rise from us: Make us want to put our anti-racism signs and Not In Our Town banner down. He wanted to divert us with his insult. He wanted to send us home; little did he know that we were already home. Bloomington is my town, my haven, my home, and no one has the right to take that away from me.

On Sunday, March 13, Donald Trump arrived in Bloomington, IL. on his alleged $100 million dollar private jet. After being shunned from Chicago, Trump must have been looking for a small town, one that would easily be duped by his radical rhetoric and demagoguery. But we would not let that happen. As a member of Not In Our Town in Bloomington, and a starter of my high school’s Not In Our School chapter, I would not allow such a hateful human to enter the realms of my community, my home.

The night before, I had decided to join the peaceful protest with NIOT members to show our community that hatred and bullying have no place in Bloomington. Donald Trump’s constant appeals to the fear and frustrations Americans face have opened doors such as racism and bigotry back in our free world. As a student watching all the mayhem the Republican frontrunner has created, I knew I couldn’t be a bystander. I had to act. My voice had to be heard. Nothing would have prepared me for the experiences and political gander I endured that day.

Braving the rain was a challenge every protester encountered. As my hair stuck to my face and my energy and spirits soared, the cold kept my emotions in check. Around thirty to forty members from Not In Our Town were silently protesting outside Trump’s rally headquarters. The silence was extremely excruciating, but I knew NOIT is nonpartisan and we were there to end hate, not create more.

Time passed as I held my anti-racism poster, and as the traffic started to pick up all the action started. Supporters of our message would honk, give us a thumbs up sign, or talk to us from their windows. Trump’s advocates weren’t as kind. As a sixteen year old American with Indian parents I had never faced this much hate in my young life. As they drove by, middle fingers raised telling us to “go home,” I was deeply shocked by the realities of racism and hatred that exist in today’s world.

When Trump arrived, I was ready to greet him with my message of defiance and protest. An elderly woman that was holding a “Make America Great Again” called my friends the “N-word” out loud. This is evidence that Trump’s campaign is uplifting racism in our country, by allowing strangers to use such evil and derogatory language. Later, I found myself trapped in a huddle of his supports. I knew I was entering a dangerous zone, a place my mother warned me of numerous times the night before. Though I was stuck in their huddle and cheers, I would not stay quiet. I knew if I was passive or ignored their hateful chants I was indirectly accepting their evil, and Trump’s message to our country. Quick to act, I began screaming anti-Trump chants such as, “Dump Trump” and “Love Trumps Hate” as loud as I could. Dazed and confused that a protestor had entered their pack, a man around sixty-years-old shouted, “Go back to your country.” At first, I was shocked to hear such a cruel comment directed towards me. Never in my life has someone had the audacity to say such a racist and hateful thing to my face. My reaction could be considered controversial; I started laughing because the joke was on him. I was born in OSF Saint Joseph Hospital, a mile away from the protest, and here this stranger was trying to tell me to “go back.” The irony of it all was too much for me, so I began laughing to let my anger and frustration out. Another woman nearby heard my obnoxious laughter and tried saying something. Before she could open her mouth I gave the group a dazzling smile and walked away.

Trump later called protesters “thugs” and “Bernie supports,” but we were simply there to exercise our right to peacefully protest to end his tyranny of hate. By appealing to radical voters, Trump has driven a wedge through our country, causing an eruption of discrimination and bigotry on our soil.

While walking back to my car I found a sticker on the ground that said “I love white people.” I love my white brothers and sisters, but loving a single race is baffling. Never had I imagined something this spiteful could be printed as a sticker to wear as a sick sign of pride orhonor. I picked the sticker up off the ground and ripped it to shreds. Something that vile does not belong on the soil of our free nation. It was in that moment I vowed to make a difference, to change something and make my voice heard. My goal as a students is to emphasize how our voice matters, and though some of us can't vote, we need to be heard because we are the next generation.

Twin Citians Explore Hindu Faith, Culture

Twin Citians continued their exploration of area's diverse cultures over the weekend during an open house at the Hindu Temple of Bloomington-Normal.

The event was part of Not In Our Town's efforts to offer Twin City residents ways to learn about different beliefs through local interfaith programs and open houses. NIOTBN Vice Chairman for PR and Marketing Archana Shekara is president of the McLean County Indian Association, and represented MCIA as well at Illinois State University's 45th Annual International Fair.

A similar open house Feb. 6 at Masjid Ibrahim in Bloomington drew about 100 people wanting to learn more about Islam from their Muslim neighbors.

The International Fair meanwhile provided the Bloomington-Normal community a showcase of food, music, entertainment, and traditional, cultural clothing from around the world. Student groups and community organizations hosted country- and region-specific displays, and booths, which featured a variety of clothing, art, and cultural artifacts.

Performances of traditional music and dance took place on the main stage from student and community performers. Visitors sampled and purchased ethnic foods and snacks prepared by international students, local restaurants, and community members.

April 1 Taste of the West Rustles Up Great Local Grub

The great chefs and eateries of Bloomington's west side will show off their multicultural wares during Taste of the West, Friday, April 1 at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at First Christian Church of Bloomington, 401 W. Jefferson Street.

The free competitive tasting event -- sponsored by the West Bloomington Revitalization Project (WRBP) -- will feature dishes by Romelia Aza, Annie Foster, Selina Gunn, Reve Jackson III (Jackson's Soul), Chef Jose (Rosy's Grill), and Kelly Mathy (Kelly's Bakery & Cafe).

"This is an opportunity to taste the rich diversity in food and cultures in Bloomington -- Not Your Average Chain Restaurant here," Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal Steering Committee member and Bloomington City Councilwoman Karen Schmidt noted. "West Bloomington is where our city started, and it embraces the wonderful diversity of cultures that many Bloomingtonians don't even know exist."

The WRBP Annual Meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the church.

Patricia: Caregiver Scrutiny Crucial to Curbing Elder Abuse

Patricia Marton

Elder abuse prevention advocate

I have been rereading the (McLean County) Mental Health Action Plan, and continue to be impressed by the material and names that are included.  However, there are still questions that I would like to have answered.

They include the effects the plan could have on the elderly, not only in private homes and nursing facilities, but in public facilities that they frequent. Namely are the people running such facilities capable both intellectually and emotionally of handling difficult situations that might arise, and how can we determine this.

For abuse of the elderly continues to be a world wide phenomena.   

What can we do to help?  We must, I believe, continue to tighten and implement hiring procedures, Here we can draw on the police for suggestions and support, for they have detailed procedures that they follow to ensure that their applicants are equipped for the job. This includes not only background checks, but oral interviews before a panel, physical exams, and moreover psychological exams and lie detector tests.  Indeed, one officer that I met at a recent coffee gathering had a degree in psychology from the University of Illinois.

Some of these procedures could and should be interpolated into our hiring programs in public facilities.    For, as many of us already know, such facilities are not always safe places, especially those dealing with people of disparate ages, and we need astute administrations that can both acknowledge and deal with this, and not pretend that it doesn’t exist.

It’s also up to all of you (the City Council), for you are elected to take care both of the city’s institutions, and the people who live here.  And to be aware of our needs and fears, and develop procedures that can protect us, especially those of us who are particularly vulnerable, for the legal penalties against those who harm us are particularly strong.  Many of you are also older citizens, and should be proud of this, which should give you an additional impetus to do this. 

Also, the City of Bloomington is an entity unto itself, though part of a county of towns and villages.  While we should cooperate with our neighbors, we must also make our own decisions as to what is best for ourselves.

Finally, I spoke to both Laura Beavers of the Health Department and Tom Barr of the Center for Human Services— both highly recommend the Mental Health First Aid programs sponsored by a number of community organizations as a mean of identifying the signs and signals of mental illness.  These programs last throughout the whole year. This is another way we can learn to help each other too.

Race and the Campus Environment March 17-18 Mini-Conference Topic

Richard Milner

In an effort to enlighten, educate, and ignite conversation around creating a more racially just campus environment at Illinois State University, the Culturally Responsive Campus Community (CRCC) Committee will hold a two-part mini-conference on Thursday evening, March 17, and Friday morning, March 18.

Faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to register for this event, which features Richard Milner, director of the Center for Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh.

Over the last year, racial justice protests and demonstrations by college students have unfolded across America. All share a common theme: that many campus environments have not created equitable experiences for students from historically marginalized racial and cultural backgrounds and that racism does, indeed, still permeate academic spaces. Illinois State is committed to being a part of the conversation. The campus community has begun to dismantle these injustices and create a campus community that is inclusive and truly embodies diversity as one of its core institutional values. The mini-conference is designed to further these important goals.

H. Richard Milner IV (also known as Rich) is the Helen Faison Endowed Chair of Urban Education, Professor of Education as well as director of the Center for Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh. He has courtesy professorship appointments in Africana Studies, Sociology and Social Work. His research, teaching, and policy interests concern urban teacher education, African American literature, and the sociology of education.

In particular, Milner’s research examines practices and policies that support teacher effectiveness in urban schools. His research has appeared in numerous journals, and he has published six books. In 2015, Milner received the Division K Award for Innovations in Research on Diversity in Teacher Education from the American Educational Research Association. In 2016, he became a fellow of the American Educational Research Association.  Currently, he is editor-in-chief of Urban Education and co-editor of the Handbook of Urban Education, published with Routledge Press in 2014.

Milner’s visit to campus is made possible through the generous support of the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Student Affairs. He is hosted by the Culturally Responsive Campus Community Task Force/Committee, the College of Education, the Council for Teacher Education, and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology.

Schedule:

Thursday, March 17
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Brown Ballroom, Bone Student Center

An interactive seminar conducted by Richard Milner, educator, author, and director of the Center for Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh. Light refreshments will be served.

Friday, March 18
9 to 11:30 a.m.
Brown Ballroom, Bone Student Center

A community round-table discussion will follow up on Dr. Milner’s Thursday night seminar. Donuts and coffee will be served.

NIOTBN Trumpets Message at B/N Trump Rally

Today's appearance of a controversial presidential candidate in the Twin Cities afforded Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal the opportunity to amplify its message of inclusiveness.

During Republican candidate Donald Trump's campaign rally at Central Illinois Regional Airport, several individuals and community organizations concerned about some of Trump's campaign comments. NIOTBN representatives gathered at the site according to Steering Committee Member Mike Matejka "not to challenge Donald Trump, but to affirm our values of a safe, inclusive community."

The group pledged "solidarity with all who struggle for justice and equality in a non-violent way and to affirm the value of all people in our community, regardless of their economic class, race, ability, gender or sexual orientation."

"I was so proud of Bloomington-Normal today with the Trump Rally," said NIOTBN charter member Marc Miller, who participated in the group's presentation. "It was peaceful throughout. Those of us who turned out for Not In Our Town stood diligently and testified with our silence and our present for our non-partisan message of stopping hate, addressing bullying, and creating a safe community for all."

The Pantagraph, WMBD-TV, and the international Reuters wire service interviewed NIOTBN representatives at the rally site. NIOTBN's post regarding the rally and community response by late afternoon had been viewed by 3,500 people, garnering 142 likes and 20 shares.

The Twin Cities rally followed Trump's cancellation of a planned rally in Chicago in the wake of major protests by a variety of groups.

"Today’s rally has concluded and the crowd is clearing peacefully. No significant issues were reported, and no arrests have been made," the Bloomington Police Department said in a Sunday statement. "Thank you to all the law enforcement agencies in attendance for their hard work and dedication protecting public safety and free speech."

Sara: Coffee With a Cop Refreshes Community Trust

Officer Sara Mayer

Public Relations

Bloomington Police Department

Engaging our community is a top priority for the Bloomington Police Department. We share the community’s concerns and make every effort to address them. Coffee with a Cop has done wonders for community trust and partnership building.

One of the keys to Coffee with a Cop’s success is that is removes the physical barriers that routinely exist between police officers and community members, allowing for the relaxed, one-on-one interactions which are the necessary foundation of partnerships.

Our thanks goes out to the Coffee Hound for hosting (the March 4) Coffee with a Cop, providing free coffee, and staying open late for the event. The event provided a friendly atmosphere and helped strengthen relationships between police officers and the members of our community.

Open House/Open Schools

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.

Meanwhile, McLean County Diversity Project Veteran Scholar Aishwarya Shekara -- daughter of Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal Steering Committee member and Hindu community leader/McLean County India Association President Archana Shekara -- shared her experiences working to create a Not In Our School organization at Normal Community High School, in the latest Diversity Project newsletter:

"In case you don’t know me, my name is Aishwarya Shekara, I am sixteen years young, and I am a junior at Normal Community High School. I am sixteen years young. Yes, if you read that correctly, I am not old. I have not experienced life at its fullest, I have not endured heartbreak, struggle, or poverty. But, I have felt hope. Hope so great for our small town, our diverse nation, and our ever changing world.

 In October, tennis season was coming to end, and I was looking forward to binge watching Netflix and catching up with friends. I still hadn’t chosen a project for Diversity and the decision was looming over me. This was the first time since 7th grade I had no project, no ideas, nothing that would get me on the trip! My guess is (Diversity Project Director) Jeff Schwartz used his Ozark/Salem/Ceil witch magic (do we even know what that means?) to decipher my need of a project. He approached me and asked if I had heard of Not In Our School (NIOS). I said yes, because my mom had mentioned it. So, Jeff told me to contact (NIOTBN Education Chairman Camille Taylor), and we all decided to meet at Barnes and Noble. My comrade and fellow Diversity Project Scholar, Kavya, was there as well, and we discussed and brainstormed ways to start a NIOS club in Normal Community. I left the meeting feeling inspired, and hopeful that I could make a change in my high school.

I want to thank Jeff and Camille for sitting down with Kavya and I that day. Without your belief in us, NIOS wouldn’t exist in NCHS. I never would have met so many amazing people from Not in Our Town, and the community. I want to thank you guys so much for all your support and blessings. No thank you will ever be enough;  NIOS has given me hope for students that we can change the world by solving everyday issues at school.

 Starting the club was easier said than done. Kavya and I faced several dilemmas, but we never gave up. We want NCHS to support intolerance, anti- bullying, and end racism. Our goal is to make the school a more inclusive environment that supports the entire student body.

I think we're getting there.

With the help of our esteemed advisor Mr. Kelly Keogh, Normal Community’s Not in Our School had its first official meeting in the first week of February. The very next week we organized an event called Operation Beautiful for Valentine's Day. Operation Beautiful reminds students that they are important through compliments and nice words. Our goal was to write a compliment on a sticky note for every locker. There are approximately 2000 lockers at Normal Community! Through the help of NIOS students from Normal West, Future Business Leaders of America members, and Culture Club, we finished writing and putting up the sticky notes in an hour! I thought it was a miracle we finished at 3:45! I expected to stay until 5:00, but with the help and support from so many amazing people, we made every student smile the next day.

As I strolled down the hallways after all the sticky notes were put up, I took a moment to document this image in my memory. I have volunteered in the past, but this was different. This was something beautiful. I was part of something beautiful, something that would make a stranger smile, something that would remind students that they are loved and cared for at our school. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much in my life or felt true happiness until that day.

So when asked about my life and experiences, I say this: I have faced no real hardships, heartbreak, or pain. But I am lucky to enough to have felt hope and happiness. Serving Not In Our School has given happiness I will never forget, and hope that our future will be a better place if we choose to make it one."

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Paper Tigers Focuses on Traumatized Youth

Illinois State University will host a free public screening of Paper Tigers, a documentary examination of traumatized youth, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, in Bone Student Center Braden Auditorium.

An expert panel discussion will follow the screening. Register online at www.cvent.com/d/qfqw0z. Not In Our Town is partnering in the presentation.

Paper Tigers is an intimate look into the lives of selected students at Lincoln High School, an alternative school that specializes in educating traumatized youth. Set amid the rural community of Walla Walla, Washington, the film closely examines the inspiring promise of trauma informed communities—a program that is showing great promise in healing youth struggling with the dark legacy of adverse childhood experiences. These potentially traumatic childhood events can have lasting effects on later-life health and well-being.

This film is co-hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Illinois Education Association Affiliates Region 14 and Region 62 (IEA), Bloomington Education Association (BEA), Bloomington Education Support Personnel (BESP), Unit Five Education Association (UFEA), Unit Five Support Professionals Association (UFSPA), ISU Non-Tenure Track Faculty Association (ISU NTTFA), ISU’s chapter of the Student Education Association (SEA), and the ISU College of Education.