Helena Organizes in Response to Halloween Incidents

The Helena Human Rights Task Force organized a series of successful events in response to incidents that took place on Halloween evening. That night a group of young people gathered together, including two who were dressed as Ku Klux Klansmen. They had a banner which read "Honk if you hate niggers" and an effigy of an African-American hanging by a rope. In a confrontation with a black teen and his white girlfriend, the youths knocked the young woman down and spit on her.

The following week, over 250 people attended a community meeting at the Myrna Loy Center. Margie MacDonald, Director of the Montana Association of Churches, spoke about how the people of Billings had responded to a series of hate crimes a few years ago and showed the Not in Our Town video about Billings' experience.

On a very cold and snowy night in mid-November, 40 people attended a working meeting to plan the next steps. Most of the meeting was spent in small groups that were focused on specific interests and possible activities.

One task force subcommittee began working on a resolution for local government that would declare Helena a hate-free zone. In December, they presented a draft resolution to Mayor Colleen McCarthy. On January 6, the mayor and the Helena City Commission voted to adopt the resolution. The following morning the Lewis and Clark County Commission also voted to adopt the resolution. The resolution states support for diversity in Helena and "that the citizens of Helena and Lewis and Clark County, Montana, will establish, promote and enforce a policy of zero tolerance for any discrimination against a member of our community based on race, religion, age, color, political beliefs, gender, disability, or sexual orientation."

Another subcommittee organized a "Speak-Up" on harassment and discrimination in Helena on January 14. One hundred people turned out on a sub-zero evening for the event at the Myrna Loy Center. Bill Yellowtail was the moderator and the panel featured Wilmot Collins (from Liberia), Marciana Garay (a Native American), Sandy Hale (executive director of PRIDE!), Ray Howard (an African-American), and Mak Kakuk (Capital High human rights group). Each of the panelists shared their personal experiences and concerns, and then members of the audience had the opportunity to share theirs. The Speak-Up was audio recorded and the comments will be summarized in a report to be distributed to concerned individuals and groups.

A third group organized an essay and poster contest for schoolchildren on "Doing my part to help Martin Luther King's dream come true." This same group organized the Martin Luther King celebration. More than 100 essays and 50 posters were entered in the contest. The winners read their essays and exhibited their posters during the celebration. The program also featured Rev. George Harper reading from King's "I Have A Dream" speech, and musical performances by the Capital High Saturdays Children's Choir and Reggie Adgerson. The evening finished with people dancing to the reggae rhythms of JAH Provide.

Thanks to all the Helena Human Rights Task Force members who worked so hard to make these events a success, and to the Myrna Loy Center for the generous use of their facilities.