Lili Romann ’19

Vibrant red and blue coloration on posters and car magnets consume the spirited curbsides of Westport’s main roads and residences. Hate Has No Home Here, a project implemented in America from North Park, Chicago, has developed into a vast, nationwide movement. Who are the leaders of the Westport division? The Westport School District’s very own teachers and students.

“It’s so important that we have a sign supporting this movement outside of our house in Westport because it shows that we’re a hate-free household,” Jack Sharkey ’18 said. “My mother saw them around town and immediately decided we should participate.”

Hate Has No Home Here attempts to prompt a dialogue in communities around the United States regarding hate speech and discriminatory behavior. The slogan “Hate Has No Home Here” was initially envisioned by a kindergartener and a third grader from Chicago. The posters, car magnets, signs and flags state their message in six languages.

“When neighbors of different races, religions, and nationalities move past indifference to investment in one another, we knock out the underpinnings of racism and intolerance, and make possible a better future for our communities,” the organization’s website states.

Teacher Kerstin Rao at Bedford Middle School was galvanized to give this movement a proper home in Westport after the Charlottesville riots that advocated for white supremacy. Rao spent her past summer in Evanston, Illinois visiting family and observing these signs for the first time. She takes pride in her biracial marriage with her Indian husband and believed it was important to finally emphasize this notion of acceptance and togetherness.

“The rise in bigotry and hate crimes in our country will not go away if people avoid it,” Rao said. “On the contrary, there is encouragement in seeing your neighbors take a stand that they will not support hatred. This simple, non-partisan, non-denominational sign of welcome that moved my heart in Illinois is a way for us to put our values out for all to see. These are the American ideals that are beacons to the world – it’s up to each of us to keep those beacons burning brightly.”

Signs can be found at many residences throughout town as well as many public places including stores, schools, restaurants and churches. Earlier this summer, someone angrily took down a Black Lives Matter sign that was placed in front of The Unitarian church. In it’s place, a Hate Has No Home Here sign has been put up. However, not everybody finds good reason in putting these signs in Westport.

“I think these signs are completely unnecessary and it is a waste of time to put them up,” Calum Gordon ’19 said. “In Westport, we live in a bubble where there is barely any crime, and the children and teens are extremely privileged and have to face no difficulties in life. There is not hate. Hate has no home here and will never have a home.”

Implementation of these signs has also been in effect in the Staples library, and some students and teachers find it an absolutely necessary installation.

“It seems like the library’s a good place to have it, because it is a central location that so many students come through throughout the day,” Librarian Tamara Weinberg said. “It seemed like a good idea to have that kind of a message being portrayed, because we want people to feel like this is a safe place that doesn’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”