Not In Our Town, a movement to prevent and address intolerance and discrimination, held its second annual Peace March along the streets of Bowling Green and the University’s campus on Friday. Students, faculty and staff of the University and members of the community marched together in a show of support for inclusion and diversity from Main Street to the Union Oval. President Mary Ellen Mazey, Bowling Green Mayor Richard Edwards, City Council candidate and academic advisor at the University Holly Cipriani, Councilwoman Sandy Rowland and others carried a sign full of the signatures of many residents and students during the march.
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Several Falcons came out to support the mission of Not In Our Town. Students Tanner Gray-Duvall and Eli Smith took time out of their day to join the Peace March and show love for those within the Bowling Green community.
“Right now in our country there’s a lot of racism; there’s just a lot of hate going around… And I feel like seeing our community come together and try to fight against that just in our bubble here is good… I hope (people who saw the march) see that the community cares,” Gray-Duvall said.
“This is like my home now because of college, so it’s just really good to see the community come together… It’s just really good to be included in that and be supportive of the issues that are being presented… I bet (people who saw the march) saw the love. I didn’t know anybody in the march except for Tanner, but everybody was talking and having a good time and everybody was included… I hope everyone else saw that too,” Smith said.
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Advocates from the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities also joined the Peace March, carrying signs to show support of building “our best BG” and to promote inclusion for people with disabilities in the community. Mark Foster, the president of People First, held a sign for the self-advocacy group for individuals with disabilities during the march.
“There are so many problems in the world today, and it’s important. We need to help each other and be there for one another,” Foster said.
“It’s a fun thing that we’re doing this march for our diversity of our community,” another member of the group commented in regard to the benefits of the march.
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Faculty members of the University participated in the march as well, showing their support for the acceptance and tolerance of their fellow community members and students. Jorge Chavez, a sociology professor, marched against racism and hate.
“I think it’s an important issue; it’s still present today in our society and needs to be addressed… There are people who care in this community and that they’re interested in making things for everybody,” Chavez said.
He mentioned multiple ways to continue supporting inclusivity through Not In Our Town such as signing a card pledging to fight against discrimination and joining committees to put the mission of Not In Our Town into action.
