Group Rallies For Diversity
April 24, 2017 at 5:37 p.m.
By David [email protected]
“The purpose of this event is to bring people together, celebrate diversity and recognize people from all walks of life. If a person feels marginalized, this is to show them that there are people who support them,” said co-organizer Gennie Brissette before the event.
“This is the fourth year that we have done this event. It used to be called the Warsaw Diversity Rally, but we decided that rally kind of sounded like it was angry and maybe protesting something, and that’s not what this event is all about. This event is about gathering people regardless of your personal or political belief structure, and getting together and celebrating peoples of all kinds from all walks of life. So from now on we’re going to be calling it Celebrate Diversity,” she said in her opening remarks.
Brian Buchanan, Chief, of the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana, was the first of the seven speakers during the two-hour event. Each speaker had 10 to 20 minutes to talk. Buchanan spoke on what it’s like to be a Native American in the world today.
“I’m going to tell you a little bit about my life, just what I lived through. Nothing comparable to what my father, grandfather and grandmothers lived through,” he said.
He grew up in Speedway, with all the native teachings done at home. He didn’t have long hair until 2002 as a requirement of becoming chief.
“My father always told us that if we talked about being Native American or Miami, we’d get ridiculed, which I believe at this time was probably true,” he said.
He got a degree in electronics. He moved to Dallas for 18 years before returning to Indiana to get back to his roots. He now works in Fort Wayne as an air traffic control development engineer.
While his employer has rules about inclusion, he still finds people who say or do the wrong things regarding Native Americans. His biggest pet peeve is when people do the Indian war whoop.
“I hate that. I can’t stand that. I hear that a lot at the workplace, but I just bite my lip and move on,” he said.
Both of his kids were raised as Miami and were raised by Buchanan the same way his father raised him: to keep being a Miami Indian to themselves.
“And I’m glad they did because in Wabash County, even though it’s right in Miami land, believe it or not, there’s a lot of hatred that’s right ... pretty much in the entire state,” he said before giving examples.
April Slone, Beaman Home, spoke about women’s rights and threats to women’s rights. She detailed much of the women’s rights movement, from Susan B. Anthony to the ratification of the 19th Amendment and today.
Brian Smith, Kosciusko County Democrat Party, spoke about legislation that helped or could threaten the rights of people. Earlier in Brissette’s comments, she reiterated that even though Smith was a member of the Democratic Party, the event was not a political event and no one was being asked to vote one way.
Smith discussed the House bill honoring Martin Luther King Jr., nothing only one Republican co-sponsored it and that was District 22 State. Rep. Curt Nisly.
He said the state legislature failed to pass a hate crime bill, SB 349, and that Indiana is one of six states without a hate crime bill. Smith said Indiana has 26 hate groups, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, with one in Warsaw.
Indiana Senate Bill 423 passed and prevents colleges in the state from implementing sanctuary campus policies which could protect immigrants from federal immigration laws, he said.
Smith concluded his remarks with comments about President Donald Trump’s executive order on illegal immigration and the U.S. Census Department being ordered to stop collecting data on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) families.
Andy Semler discussed LGBTQ issues by starting out with a comment regarding a speaker’s previous statement that there were only two genders, male and female.
“There have never been only two genders,”?he said. “My name is Andy Semler and I’m one of millions around the world today and throughout history who can not be contained by words like woman and man.”
He spoke about transgender rights, his and his transgender wife’s experiences, and how people shouldn’t be afraid of transgender people.
Tammy Cotton, president of the Rose Home board of directors, discussed avoiding stigmas associated with addiction and mental illness.
“I’m here today as a mother of a daughter who was diagnosed with bipolar. Bipolar is a disease. It’s a mental health illness. Mental disorders and substance abuse disorders, both of which are also referred to as behavioral health problems, are common and recurrent,” she said.
Fabiola Holsclaw talked about being a Latina in the community.
“In today’s society, diversity can be powerful. It can encourage us to embrace our differences and challenge us to come together and grow, not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of all,” she said.
In 1986, she was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. Her childhood was filled with a “hardworking and loving family,”?she said. At 6 years old, her family moved to Warsaw, and she found herself as an outsider where diversity was nearly non-existent. She grew up, dreaming of becoming a successful person, staying local and giving back to her community that helped her grow.
Holsclaw was unable to attend college because of an expired visa, but she self-taught herself in the area of sales and marketing and now helps lead a successful sales team.
Her success didn’t keep her away from discrimination. A client from Texas refused to deal with Holsclaw, telling her he moved to Warsaw to get away from Mexicans and he would not be shown the area by someone who was. Holsclaw’s boss asked the Texan to leave.
“I want to educate others on being socially respectful. I would like you to get to know me, but you don’t have to. I just ask that you respect me. I am a hardworking citizen who gives back to our community. But even I get a direct racial comment almost daily. What surprises me the most is that it’s those who are closest to me,” she said, citing examples of derogatory comments she hears like.
She said she also gets comments from the Hispanic population like, “Why did you marry a white guy? Aren’t you a Mexican?”
Closing out the guest speakers, Tammy Stackhouse talked about her organization, Magical Meadows, and their services for people with post traumatic stress disorder and young people who have physical, mental and emotional disabilities.
Marena Moonflower provided music before the start of the event and after the guest speakers. Once she was finished, those who wanted to walked along Detroit and Center streets carrying pro-diversity signs.
Brissette said organizers estimated 100 people turned out for the rally and they raised $155 in donations for the Indiana Civil Liberties Union. The donations were voluntary and ICLU was chosen, Brissette said, because it “protects all people.”
“We were all just tickled. The weather held off. The speakers were phenomenal. We were grateful for the officers being here. We had the largest crowd we’ve ever had. We hope to keep the tradition going and grow it into a celebration every year,” Brissette said.
“The purpose of this event is to bring people together, celebrate diversity and recognize people from all walks of life. If a person feels marginalized, this is to show them that there are people who support them,” said co-organizer Gennie Brissette before the event.
“This is the fourth year that we have done this event. It used to be called the Warsaw Diversity Rally, but we decided that rally kind of sounded like it was angry and maybe protesting something, and that’s not what this event is all about. This event is about gathering people regardless of your personal or political belief structure, and getting together and celebrating peoples of all kinds from all walks of life. So from now on we’re going to be calling it Celebrate Diversity,” she said in her opening remarks.
Brian Buchanan, Chief, of the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana, was the first of the seven speakers during the two-hour event. Each speaker had 10 to 20 minutes to talk. Buchanan spoke on what it’s like to be a Native American in the world today.
“I’m going to tell you a little bit about my life, just what I lived through. Nothing comparable to what my father, grandfather and grandmothers lived through,” he said.
He grew up in Speedway, with all the native teachings done at home. He didn’t have long hair until 2002 as a requirement of becoming chief.
“My father always told us that if we talked about being Native American or Miami, we’d get ridiculed, which I believe at this time was probably true,” he said.
He got a degree in electronics. He moved to Dallas for 18 years before returning to Indiana to get back to his roots. He now works in Fort Wayne as an air traffic control development engineer.
While his employer has rules about inclusion, he still finds people who say or do the wrong things regarding Native Americans. His biggest pet peeve is when people do the Indian war whoop.
“I hate that. I can’t stand that. I hear that a lot at the workplace, but I just bite my lip and move on,” he said.
Both of his kids were raised as Miami and were raised by Buchanan the same way his father raised him: to keep being a Miami Indian to themselves.
“And I’m glad they did because in Wabash County, even though it’s right in Miami land, believe it or not, there’s a lot of hatred that’s right ... pretty much in the entire state,” he said before giving examples.
April Slone, Beaman Home, spoke about women’s rights and threats to women’s rights. She detailed much of the women’s rights movement, from Susan B. Anthony to the ratification of the 19th Amendment and today.
Brian Smith, Kosciusko County Democrat Party, spoke about legislation that helped or could threaten the rights of people. Earlier in Brissette’s comments, she reiterated that even though Smith was a member of the Democratic Party, the event was not a political event and no one was being asked to vote one way.
Smith discussed the House bill honoring Martin Luther King Jr., nothing only one Republican co-sponsored it and that was District 22 State. Rep. Curt Nisly.
He said the state legislature failed to pass a hate crime bill, SB 349, and that Indiana is one of six states without a hate crime bill. Smith said Indiana has 26 hate groups, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, with one in Warsaw.
Indiana Senate Bill 423 passed and prevents colleges in the state from implementing sanctuary campus policies which could protect immigrants from federal immigration laws, he said.
Smith concluded his remarks with comments about President Donald Trump’s executive order on illegal immigration and the U.S. Census Department being ordered to stop collecting data on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) families.
Andy Semler discussed LGBTQ issues by starting out with a comment regarding a speaker’s previous statement that there were only two genders, male and female.
“There have never been only two genders,”?he said. “My name is Andy Semler and I’m one of millions around the world today and throughout history who can not be contained by words like woman and man.”
He spoke about transgender rights, his and his transgender wife’s experiences, and how people shouldn’t be afraid of transgender people.
Tammy Cotton, president of the Rose Home board of directors, discussed avoiding stigmas associated with addiction and mental illness.
“I’m here today as a mother of a daughter who was diagnosed with bipolar. Bipolar is a disease. It’s a mental health illness. Mental disorders and substance abuse disorders, both of which are also referred to as behavioral health problems, are common and recurrent,” she said.
Fabiola Holsclaw talked about being a Latina in the community.
“In today’s society, diversity can be powerful. It can encourage us to embrace our differences and challenge us to come together and grow, not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of all,” she said.
In 1986, she was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. Her childhood was filled with a “hardworking and loving family,”?she said. At 6 years old, her family moved to Warsaw, and she found herself as an outsider where diversity was nearly non-existent. She grew up, dreaming of becoming a successful person, staying local and giving back to her community that helped her grow.
Holsclaw was unable to attend college because of an expired visa, but she self-taught herself in the area of sales and marketing and now helps lead a successful sales team.
Her success didn’t keep her away from discrimination. A client from Texas refused to deal with Holsclaw, telling her he moved to Warsaw to get away from Mexicans and he would not be shown the area by someone who was. Holsclaw’s boss asked the Texan to leave.
“I want to educate others on being socially respectful. I would like you to get to know me, but you don’t have to. I just ask that you respect me. I am a hardworking citizen who gives back to our community. But even I get a direct racial comment almost daily. What surprises me the most is that it’s those who are closest to me,” she said, citing examples of derogatory comments she hears like.
She said she also gets comments from the Hispanic population like, “Why did you marry a white guy? Aren’t you a Mexican?”
Closing out the guest speakers, Tammy Stackhouse talked about her organization, Magical Meadows, and their services for people with post traumatic stress disorder and young people who have physical, mental and emotional disabilities.
Marena Moonflower provided music before the start of the event and after the guest speakers. Once she was finished, those who wanted to walked along Detroit and Center streets carrying pro-diversity signs.
Brissette said organizers estimated 100 people turned out for the rally and they raised $155 in donations for the Indiana Civil Liberties Union. The donations were voluntary and ICLU was chosen, Brissette said, because it “protects all people.”
“We were all just tickled. The weather held off. The speakers were phenomenal. We were grateful for the officers being here. We had the largest crowd we’ve ever had. We hope to keep the tradition going and grow it into a celebration every year,” Brissette said.
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