By Leah Wojtach
On Nov. 19 and 20, Lane students filled the fourth floor hallway during ninth period. All wore white shirts. Duct tape and paint were passed around as eager photographers awaited students in room 428. They were all there to participate in the NO HATE Campaign, whose mission is to promote marriage, gender, and human equality through education and advocacy.
Mr. Fine and Ms. Coleman helped organize the NO HATE Campaign event at Lane. To show their support, students had their pictures taken.
Participants in the event were photographed wearing white shirts, duct tape covering their mouths, and “NOHATE” written on their faces. It was a visual protest against all the hate and discrimination evident in today’s society.
Coleman was inspired to put on the event by one of the posters in Fine’s classroom that reads HATE FREE ZONE and she approached Fine about starting the NO HATE Campaign at Lane.
“Lane is one of the most diverse schools in the state,” Coleman said. “We not only need to be leaders in academics and sports, but we also need to be intellectual leaders. Others can see us have a NO HATE Campaign and send a positive message to them. The world should see we have no tolerance for- isms like sexism, racism, and the others.”
“We wanted to create a hate free zone within the school,” Fine said.
Many students believe this will be very beneficial for Lane and for them.
“[Bullying] is a really big issue and Ms. Coleman recognized we needed this. I still get bullied by my appearance and the way I talk,” said Kailah Preston-Harris, Div. 472.
“There is a lot of prejudice in the world with sexuality, religion, and race. We have to embrace [all people]. We have to cherish the 4,000 kids here, not berate them,” said Kailee Kuropas, Div. 657.
With the help of the Smile You’re Beautiful club (SYB), the NO HATE Campaign took three weeks to organize at Lane.
Thalia Ruiz, Div. 673, treasurer of SYB, was overjoyed with the turnout. Over 200 portraits of students, teachers, and groups were taken.
“It was quite successful. We didn’t really think that this many students would show up. Smile You’re Beautiful club is so proud,” Ruiz said.
Coleman also enlisted some of her students as photographers or helpers.
Nate Haynes, Div. 464, one of Coleman’s World Literature students volunteered to be a photographer for the event.
“I think it’s important that the school has this and I think it is well worth my time to make sure this succeeds,” Haynes said.
A few teachers like Mr. Beal and Mr. Logalbo also came to support the organization and the message Fine, Coleman, and SYB were trying to communicate. Beal said he had bullied others early on in his high school years.
“I didn’t realize the impact it could really cause,” he said.
Beal made amends with his victims and he now advocates strongly against the epidemic of bullying in schools.
“There is a big difference between sarcasm and bullying,” Beal said.
Logalbo came to support with the Varsity Basketball Team.
“I think bullying is a big problem in this day and age. Athletes need to be leaders and take a stand against bullying,” Logalbo said. “There’s a stigma against athletes and bullying and I think it’s really different at Lane. We wanted to come out as a group to show our support.”
Hispanic/Latino clubs like OLAS and ABC came to support the campaign on the second day.
“[OLAS] is a club that likes to have fun and accept everyone,” said Yarelly Velezquez, Div. 469.
“We have a lot of diverse people and wanted everyone’s voice to be heard,” said ABC member Grisel Medina, Div. 472.
Fine and Coleman plan to place pictures from the event on the second and third floor hallways.
“Seeing a photograph is going to make you feel you have a support system. It will foster an environment against bullying,” Coleman said.
Coleman and Fine hope to make the NO HATE campaign an annual event at Lane.
“Change comes about in a million tiny steps in the right direction,” Fine said.
