Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/tag/not-in-our-town/)
Voices from the Valley is an occasional series of conversations between Sherri Cornett and Billings-area leaders who are committed to creating a vibrant community for all.
As a master’s of education student at MSU Billings, Taylor Tellez’s main message is to be unapologetically yourself. He and I talked about identities and labels and the growing number of circles in Billings that support such discussions. (more…) Continue Reading →
The Billings Gazette is seeking reader input on a symbol to demonstrate the community’s opposition to hate-filled messages left on a church and on buildings around town. The idea is to replace the menorah symbol, which was adopted to show rejection of anti-Semitic activities in Billings a quarter of a century ago. The menorah, which was printed on a full page in the Gazette and placed in windows all over town, drew national attention and helped spark the Not in Our Town movement. (more…) Continue Reading →
Billings Police Chief Rich St. John and longtime activist Eran Thompson agree on one thing: Billings needs more cops. They both see true community policing, which gives cops a chance to interact in a meaningful way with the people they serve, as the best way to close the divisions separating communities and police departments across the country. And good community policing takes more cops on the street than Billings has. (more…) Continue Reading →
At St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Billings, and in four other cities across Montana Tuesday night, people gathered to offer the world’s refugees some hope—and the possibility of refuge. “Generosity is a virtue,” said Fitzgerald Clark, once an immigrant and now an American citizen. “Generosity and community are what make us great.” (more…) Continue Reading →
On Saturday, Dec. 12, about 150 people gathered in Pioneer Park in Billings for an event called We Are All Sisters. The idea was to show our support for the Muslim community in Billings after some of the people within that community had been harassed. (more…) Continue Reading →
When my youngest daughter was in junior high or high school, I said something to her about a major episode of World War II. I was surprised that she hadn’t heard of it. “They never taught us about the war,” she said. “All we heard about was the Holocaust.” (more…) Continue Reading →
A new display at the Western Heritage Center and a three-day “Not In Our Town National Leadership Gathering” are two ways Billings residents are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the town’s stand against prejudice and hate. (more…) Continue Reading →
Opponents of a non-discrimination ordinance are so eager to continue discriminating against certain people that they couldn’t even wait for the proposed ordinance to be drafted. That’s why they showed up last week when the City Council heard a request for a $25,000 donation to help fund a national conference that will be held in Billings this summer to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Not In Our Town movement. (more…) Continue Reading →
