A group of more than 100 people gathered on Saturday for a Stomp Out the Hate rally on the stage outside of Winona State University’s Kryzsko Commons. The purpose of the event was to help create and support an atmosphere of tolerance on Winona State’s campus. The event consisted of guest speakers, free food, dances, an open microphone, and a candlelit march around campus.
Connie Gores, vice president of student life and development at Winona State, was one of the opening speakers at the rally.
“Today we’re having a sesquicentennial celebration for Winona State,” said Gores. “For 150 years Winona State has stood for the values and principles that we’re here for today: Equality, learning, tolerance, and doing the right thing.”
Students from Winona Senior High School also attended the event. Some of these students were members of a group called FORTITUDE, whose mission is to bring high school students, especially those that are disadvantageous and colored and bring students together to stop fighting. The group has had tremendous success. Five girls from FORTITUDE performed a dance routine for the crowd.
“Even though there’s not a lot of people here, we’re planting the seeds for the future,” said Sara Hans, one of the high school members of FORTITUDE. “We’re trying to be the change we want to see in others.”
The dance team performed a routine at the event and the athletic department showed its support through speakers like Jonte Flowers. Flowers read a heartfelt passage about people who hurt and take advantage of others.
An open microphone allowed people to come forward and to tell their stories about hate and what they feel should be done.
One college student said that when he was little an adult told him not to play with children of a different color. Two young girls also described an experience where they were discriminated against in a Winona store.
“Aversion is synonymous with hate,” said one Winona State senior. “Avoidance breeds ignorance, which leads to ill will.”
Jed Olson, faculty advisor for the diversity club at Winona senior high, told about going to a reading by Elie Wiesel, author of the book Night. Wiesel’s response to a question about how to stop hate was “do not stand idly by.”
Dr. Chuck Ripley and Dr. Stace Rierson of Winona State recommended involvement in the Winona Human Rights Commission and Winona Unified if you are concerned about intolerance and hate.
Alex Hines, director of inclusion and diversity at Winona State, said that many problems with hate come out of a failure to connect with others.
“We fail to tell our stories,” said Hines. “We all bring our own stories and we forget to talk about our commonalities.”
The event was put together by James Reidy, assistant professor of Physical Education and Recreation at Winona State, and his Recreational Leadership class. Reidy came to Winona State in 2000, and noticed that although intolerance was talked about, nothing was really done to actively prevent it.
“Hate is a learned behavior,” said Reidy. “How can we allow fear to be on this campus? This is supposed to be a safe place to be.”

Contact Greg at GJEichte1670@winona.edu