Not In Our Town producer says WV should stand up against hate
November 2, 2009 ·
How can West Virginia fight hate crimes and become a more inclusive state?
Video explaining the "Not In Our Town" project
That’s the subject of three talks this week by filmmaker
Patrice O’Neill, producer of the award-winning PBS documentary “Not In Our
Town.”
She will talk about creative, community-based approaches to
intolerance. She also plans to show short films and other features from a new
Web site, NIOT.org, which provides tools and social networking to stop hate
crimes and build inclusive communities.
News director Scott Finn spoke with O’Neill about how West
Virginia can deal with crimes such as the rape and
torture of Megan Williams, who is black, by several white assailants in 2007.
Williams recently said the abuse did not take place, but the
prosecutor said the physical evidence and the fact that all those accused pleaded
guilty show the crimes against her did take place.
O’Neill said community leaders must take responsibility for
what happened, and not deny it. She said they must vow to educate the public
and open a dialog so such crimes will never happen again.
O’Neill is scheduled to speak Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at WVU’s
Mountainlair in Morgantown;
Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the Charleston Area Alliance, 1116
Smith St. in Charleston,
and Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Charleston YWCA, 1114
Quarrier St. in Charleston.