Citizens Take Action

PROFILE OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY'S CAMPAIGN TO END HATE

A television series sparks a movement.

Hundreds of cities and towns nationwide have joined the Not In Our Town movement to speak out and act against hate crimes. A cross burning on a neighbor's lawn, vandalism of a church or synagogue, violence or homicide committed against someone because of their sexual orientation -- these are among the serious hate-based attacks that have mobilized communities. But in 2001 when Walnut Creek, California, residents Barbara and Ed Tonningsen helped form Not In Our Town, Contra Costa County, they wanted to "get to the problem, before the problem got to us," says Ed, a retired school psychologist.

The Tonningsens had been meeting for years with a small group of area residents to discuss race and diversity in their community. Longtime peace activists, the couple decided to help start a focused dialogue after hearing reports from some neighbors and friends of color, who said they experienced both subtle and significant racial discrimination living in predominantly white Walnut Creek.

Then, channel surfing one night, the Tonningsens discovered the KQED broadcast of Not In Our Town II, including stories of six communities from around the country who organized to respond to hate. (This second installment of the Not In Our Town series followed the original 1995 documentary which told the story of how the residents of Billings, Montana, joined together when their neighbors were threatened by white supremacists.) Inspired by the featured communities, Barbara and Ed shared the documentary with their diversity dialogue group, and, together, the members decided to expand their efforts to reach out to the broader community. "This business of ordinary people [featured in Not In Our Town II] saying, 'You can't do this' and 'You are not going to do this in our town' really moved us into action," says Barbara Tonningsen.

The couple helped organize a communitywide screening of Not In Our Town II and a moderated public discussion to follow. Local government officials supported the effort. More than 30 area organizations signed on as sponsors, and 250 community members attended the screening on Superbowl Sunday, when all had anticipated a poor showing.

Since that screening back in 2001, Not In Our Town, Contra Costa County has continued to meet every month. Participants say it gives them the strength to be more vocal when confronted with racism in their daily lives. More than one member describes the group as their "beloved community."

"There is a deep sense of understanding among us," says Mollie Fujioka. "I feel free to talk about things that I don't even divulge to my church group or my Japanese-American friends. A lot of people talk about racism, but this is a group that practices what it says."

Now, when acts of hate occur, members of the group serve as an ad hoc community response team and are some of the first people to arrive on the scene. For example, in the backlash after September 11 against Muslims and people perceived to be Muslim, an Islamic mosque in Concord was attacked by two hooded vandals, who threw rocks through the windows. The Tonningsens and other group members left phone messages of support for worshippers. "We wanted them to know that we were saddened and that the [attackers] didn't represent all of us," says Barbara. Members of Not In Our Town, Contra Costa County later attended services at the invitation of the mosque leadership.

"That human-to-human connection, that's very powerful," says member Susan Hedgpeth, "and I think that's how we change things."

Learn about other Not In Our Town initiatives across the country. (at pbs.org/niot)