It may sometimes be hard to spot, but local residents are standing up to hate in the Quad Cities. For the second year, One Human Family is hosting a symposium, this year's theme is Responding to the Many Faces of Hate.
Joanie Demmer, chairperson of the symposium, says this year the event is focusing on the less obvious ways that hate can appear in a community.
"I think a lot of times, we look in the news and see that it [hate] is everywhere. But, in our day to day experience, it's looking pretty good," said Demmer. "Until you talk until some of the people who are marginalized, you don't know exactly how many things, either overt or covert, are going on. They really make you think: 'wow'. We think of the Quad Cities as a wonderful, friendly place to live, but it isn't for everybody that lives here."
The symposium will feature workshops on how to respond to hate based on race, faith, sexual orientation, gender, or immigration status. There will also be musical guests throughout the day and a spoken word performance. Iowa State Senator Zach Wahls from Iowa City will talk about his work as an LGBTQ activist, growing up in a two mom family, and his own experiences with hate.
The symposium will be held from 9 am to 3:30 pm on April 13th at the downtown Davenport campus of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. Registration is available online or at the door.