Stop the Hate: Unity Jam rally marches toward a brighter future

By Christeen Savinovich
Contributing Writer

Students, faculty and staff marched to Lewisburg’s Hufnagel Park and joined community members for the 10th annual “Unity Jam: Stop the Hate Rally,” Monday night. 

 Many students represented their groups and affiliations equipped with banners.

Following the march, participants gathered to listen to Lewisburg Mayor Judy Wagner, several prominent figures in the community and University representatives speak about diversity and acceptance.

This year’s keynote speaker was Quay Hanna, a Strasburg, Pa. native who has a lot of experience with racists. According to his Web site, QuayHanna.com, “he was forced to confont his own racist and predjudiced beliefs.”

Hanna’s hope is to use his life-changing experiences to challenge racist and biased beliefs he once held. His experiences highlight another objective of the rally: to make people more conscious of the everyday ways they contribute to hatred. 

“[I] liked that he reminded us how important it is not to respond to hate with hate; that we need to understand those who hate and instead of ostracizing them, we need to change their hearts through love,” said Kim Daubman, associate professor of psychology.

Language is often the main culprit in misunderstandings and the advancement of bigotry, Hanna said.
The mission to create change was a uniting force at the rally, and acceptance of all differences will keep that unity strong.

The Stop the Hate Rally raises awareness in the community about hate crimes. This event stems from the murder of Matthew Shepard. In 1988, Shepard, a gay college student, was beaten to death in Wyoming.

Ten years later people are still marching to take a stand against hate and prejudice. The walk not only supports diversity of sexual orientation but brings people together to show support for tolerance and understanding and to fight hate and bigotry.