Feb 05, 2013

COLUMBIA STATE HOSTS ANTI-VIOLENCE SEMINAR, "NOT IN OUR TOWN"

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Feb. 29, 2012) - - - The goal of shaping a community that is free of hate, racism and violence shape the discussion surrounding the showing of the popular PBS showing of Not in Our Town: Light in the Darkness at Columbia State Community College's March 14 seminar. The seminar will begin at 11 a.m. in the Napier room in the Jones Student Center on the Columbia campus. The film documents the 2008 attacks by a group of seven local teenagers against Latino residents on the Long Island, New York town of Patchogue. The attacks culminated in the killing of 37-year-old Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant, who had resided in the community for more than 13 years.

Patrice O'Neill, executive producer and director of Light in the Darkness and founder of The Working Group, the group fostering the discussion groups that follow each screening of the film, said "As the country becomes increasingly divided about immigration, we hope this film sparks constructive discussions that separate policy differences from human issues and community safety, so that what happened in Patchogue will never happen again."

The seminar begins with registration at 11:00 a.m., with the screening of Not in Our Town: Light in the Darkness at 11:45 a.m. A discussion group will follow the screening from 12:30-1:30 p.m. From 1:45-2:15 p.m. the discussion will turn to the subject of bullying, wrapping with an hour-long session on strategies for creating a kind community.

Seminar panelists include:
Daoud Abudiab, president of the Islamic Center of Columbia, TN
Kathy Edson, NPT (Nashville Public Television)
Frank Guzman, Tennessee Human Rights Commission, Nashville
Jerry martin, U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle Tennessee district
Peace in Action, Columbia Central High School, Columbia, TN
Chaz Molder, local attorney and Columbia State Foundation board member
Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

# # #