August 22, 2006
College group to rally against campus hate crimes with activist Shane Windmeyer
What: Stop the Hate! Rally
When: September 28, 2006 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; keynote speaker 12 p.m.
Where: Outside of and within the Student Union Building at South Puget Sound Community College
Admission: Free
OLYMPIA – South Puget Sound Community College’s Diversity and Equity program will be holding a rally on Sept. 28, 2006 in support of their chapter of a nationwide organization entitled, “Stop the Hate!” The rally will include informational booths set up by various organizations who work towards the safety of minority groups. The event will be held from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., offering food, music and presentations. Keynote speaker Shane Windmeyer, founder of the Stop the Hate organization, will speak at noon.
Stop the Hate is a national program sponsored and created by the Association of College Unions International, the Anti-Defamation League, the National Center for Hate Crime Prevention of Hate Violence, and Tolerance.Org of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The program supports colleges and universities in preventing and combating bias and hate crimes on campuses, as well as fostering the development of community and providing educational resources.
In addition to the Stop the Hate organization, Windmeyer founded and serves as coordinator of CampusPride.Net – National Online Network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Student Leaders. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering work with the Lambda 10 Project – National Clearinghouse for GLBT Fraternity and Sorority Issues. His first book, “Out on Fraternity Row: Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternity,” was published in 1998 and set the stage for his activism on college campuses. He will publish his new book, “The Advocate College Guide for LGBT” this year with Alyson Publications, Inc.
Organizations setting up booths at the event include the Washington Holocaust Resource Center, the State Commission on African American Affairs, and The United Community AIDS Network, among others.
The Diversity and Equity program at South Puget Sound Community College provides advocacy, support and community service referrals to students.
The Sept. 28 rally will be free and open to the public. For more information or to set up a booth, contact Gwendollyn Noble at (360) 596-5383.
For more information on Shane Windmeyer and the Stop the Hate organization, visit www.stophate.org.