New Paltz Women in Black and more than 30 community organizations are sponsoring a rally and march, Honor Diversity– Defeat White Supremacy, to be held this Saturday, November 2 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the New Paltz Peace Park at Plattekill and Hasbrouck avenues. The rally will lead to a march down Main Street and people are encouraged to make signs for it. The Tin Horn Uprising Brass Band, The Resisterhood Choir and the Redwing Blackbird Puppet Theater will be performing.
“We are standing in public to say no to racism, sexism and bigotry against religious minorities and the LGBTQ community,” said Donna Goodman, one of the organizers.
Goodman spoke of the many reasons Women in Black felt compelled to take this action.
“We have a travel ban against Muslims, while immigrants are held in prisons that resemble concentration camps. Congresswomen of color have been insulted and threatened, programs and laws that protect minorities have been weakened, synagogues have been attacked and mass shootings have killed nearly 300 people this year. Many of these shootings are carried out by white supremacists, who often have a history of domestic violence.
“Our goal is to show that our community strongly opposes racism and bigotry and we invite all anti-racist individuals and groups to stand with us,” said Ingrid Hughes, the other organizer of the event.
On October 23, the Village of New Paltz Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution in support of this action and to commend the One Book, One New Paltz committee for choosing Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow as this year’s selection. The resolution also said, “New Paltz values inclusivity and respect for people, and given that so many are facing hatred, discrimination, and violence, we feel it is crucial to create awareness and fight back against white supremacy while providing support and solidarity for all.”
For more information and to sign up, go to the Facebook event page, Honor Diversity — Defeat White Supremacy https://www.facebook.com/events/2395079924090591/
“We’re hoping for a large turnout to say hatred and bigotry are not welcome here,” said Hughes.
The cosponsors for the event are: AJ Williams-Myers African Roots Center, American Association of University Women Kingston, Amnesty International Mid-Hudson, Concerned Parents of New Paltz, De Facto Community Center, Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance, End the New Jim Crow Action Network (E.N.J.A.N), Extinction Rebellion New Paltz, Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Church Kingston, Hudson Valley Humanists, Hudson Valley Lesbians Organizing for Change, IndivisibleUlster, Jewish Voice for Peace, Kingston Women in Black, Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program at SUNY New Paltz, March On Hudson Valley, Maya Gold Foundation, Mid-Hudson Jews for Racial Justice, Middle East Crisis Response, Move Forward New York, New Paltz Climate Action Coalition, New Paltz Food Not Bombs, New Paltz Socialists, SUNY New Paltz Spanish Club, NYPIRG, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Resisterhood, Rondout Valley High School Human Rights Club, Saugerties Democratic Committee, SUNY New Paltz Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Take Back the Night, Tin Horn Uprising, U-Act, Ulster Immigrant Defense Network and Vassar Students for Justice in Palestine.
Join the family! 
