It is with great pleasure and excitement, and as a mother, wife, and YWCA Board member, that I write to you about the beginning of a very powerful series of community events that will address critical issues of equality in the Charleston area. The Communities United Against Hate: Not in Our Town forums will kick off this evening, August 5th, from 6-8 p.m. at the Charleston Marriott Town Center. This event is FREE and open to the public.
Many of the important decisions a parent makes are related to the question of where to raise their children. Many a parent, myself included, has asked themselves questions such as: are the schools good, are the neighborhoods safe, who will my children’s peers be? As a mother of two young daughters, I have struggled with these issues.
West Virginia offers a positive environment in which to raise children, but we could be much better.
Tonight’s speaker, Tom "TJ" Leyden, spent more than 15 years of his life as a neo-Nazi white supremacist organizer and recruiter. In 1997, Leyden experienced a profound change of heart, turned his back on the racist movement, and now spends his time helping state and local governments, communities, and organizations understand what creates a culture of hate and what you can do to counteract it. T.J.s transformation was triggered by a concern that any parent can relate to: his children’s future. He realized one day that his children were going to grow up to be just like him, and he wanted something better for them.
There will be a public forum following the presentation and area residents are invited to come together with religious, community, government and business leaders to voice their ideas and raise issues and concerns regarding how we can create a city that embraces and profits from the contributions of all of its citizens.
This evening’s event will allow our community the opportunity to learn from each other and begin a significant dialogue on these issues over the coming months. We know that racism and other types of discrimination exist in our community - this forum allows us to talk about it and address it – get it out in the open and develop an action plan. The YWCA wants to put its passion and resources regarding equality efforts into action for the Charleston area and this forum, future forums, and cooperation with a multitude of area organizations allows for significant inroads towards this end.
Please join this unprecedented collection of individuals, agencies and institutions, including: The YWCA of Charleston, the Charleston Human Rights Commission, the Charleston Area Alliance, The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District for West Virginia, West Virginia Free, Create West Virginia, Covenant House, The West Virginia Hate Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Division, and The West Virginia Chapter of the NAACP, in addressing discrimination in our community.
This is an important opportunity for improving our community for our children, our schools, our businesses, our organizations, and ourselves. Don’t encourage racism and hate by being silent. I want a better environment to raise my children in . . . what motivates you? Find out and come out to the forum. The Charleston community can build inclusiveness and address issues of intolerance – be apart of this event and that process!
Many of the important decisions a parent makes are related to the question of where to raise their children. Many a parent, myself included, has asked themselves questions such as: are the schools good, are the neighborhoods safe, who will my children’s peers be? As a mother of two young daughters, I have struggled with these issues.
West Virginia offers a positive environment in which to raise children, but we could be much better.
Tonight’s speaker, Tom "TJ" Leyden, spent more than 15 years of his life as a neo-Nazi white supremacist organizer and recruiter. In 1997, Leyden experienced a profound change of heart, turned his back on the racist movement, and now spends his time helping state and local governments, communities, and organizations understand what creates a culture of hate and what you can do to counteract it. T.J.s transformation was triggered by a concern that any parent can relate to: his children’s future. He realized one day that his children were going to grow up to be just like him, and he wanted something better for them.
There will be a public forum following the presentation and area residents are invited to come together with religious, community, government and business leaders to voice their ideas and raise issues and concerns regarding how we can create a city that embraces and profits from the contributions of all of its citizens.
This evening’s event will allow our community the opportunity to learn from each other and begin a significant dialogue on these issues over the coming months. We know that racism and other types of discrimination exist in our community - this forum allows us to talk about it and address it – get it out in the open and develop an action plan. The YWCA wants to put its passion and resources regarding equality efforts into action for the Charleston area and this forum, future forums, and cooperation with a multitude of area organizations allows for significant inroads towards this end.
Please join this unprecedented collection of individuals, agencies and institutions, including: The YWCA of Charleston, the Charleston Human Rights Commission, the Charleston Area Alliance, The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District for West Virginia, West Virginia Free, Create West Virginia, Covenant House, The West Virginia Hate Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Division, and The West Virginia Chapter of the NAACP, in addressing discrimination in our community.
This is an important opportunity for improving our community for our children, our schools, our businesses, our organizations, and ourselves. Don’t encourage racism and hate by being silent. I want a better environment to raise my children in . . . what motivates you? Find out and come out to the forum. The Charleston community can build inclusiveness and address issues of intolerance – be apart of this event and that process!
Hallie Chillag Dunlap is the third guest blogger for the YWCA. She is a mother of two beautiful girls, wife, and a devoted YWCA Board member. She serves as the chair of the YWCA's Eliminating Racism Committee.
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