Safety, Acceptance, Inclusion
The Not In Our Town Story
Power of Story
Ancient Fear Arises Anew
What are the current narratives?
• Stories of past conflict fuel
present hatred and division
• Blame others to create a
sense of worth for yourself
Pretty crazy…
• If being born ________ (white, male,
Hungarian, American etc.) is the best thing
you have ever done, that’s pretty sad.
• Isn’t it more important what you DO with your
heritage?
• Others have also experienced pain, not just
your country/family/group.
Norway
Core Principles of
Not In Our Town Narrative
SAFETY, ACCEPTANCE, INCLUSION
• HIGHLIGHT SOLUTIONS / POSITIVE ACTION
• ENGAGE ORDINARY PEOPLE
• FOCUS ON SHARED VALUES
Hate Groups US 1990’s
Hate Groups US 1990’s
• Large number of hate groups
• Few hate crime laws in state
• Anti government extremism plus antiSemitism and Racism
• White supremacist youth activity escalates in
communities
The Billings Story :
A New Narrative for Communities
How NIOT Turned Into a Movement
Finding better narratives
• Hatred? “Not in Our Town.”
• Looking for the positive stories.
• Helping people listen to each other and know
each other better
• Everyone can do something. It can be just a
little thing, like erasing graffiti.
Ordinary People Stand Up
Audrey Arnold/ Liz Halbert
Lesson 1 – Silence is Acceptance
“If a Police Chief doesn't take
a visible and active role, then
there is an assumption that
everything is alright.
And these hate groups have
learned though experience
that if a community doesn't
respond, then the community
accepts. Silence is acceptance
to them.”
– Wayne Inman, Billings Police Chief
Lesson 2 – Make Your Values Visible
Lesson 3 – Change Happens When
We Work Together
Lesson 4 –
“You bite one,
You bite us all”
Lesson 5 – From One Story Comes Many
2007 Ukraine Project Kesher
“Not In Our Town is
not an American
model, it’s a
human model.”
-Karyn Gershon, Project
Kesher
Not In Our Town Gathering
Nalunknem.org
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In Hungary, circles of tolerance
Anti graffiti project
Sports tolerance workshop at CEU
Documentary of NIOT workshops
New documentary of Hungary tolerance
stories
• Media working group
What are the Issues In Your Country?
What are the Warning Signs of Danger?
How Can People Take Action Together?
The Garda
Follow Up Actions
• Host a screening
• Organize a Cross Community Discussion
• Introduce Anti-Bullying Programs in Schools
“
HOPE
IS BEING ABLE TO SEE THERE IS
LIGHT
DESPITE ALL THE DARKNESS.”
-- Bishop Desmond Tutu
www.niot.org
info@niot.org
facebook.com/notinourtown
@notinourtown