Turning Pages: Whitney Mestelle reads from The Last Stop on Market Street

From Turning Pages: Whitney Mestelle, a DEI strategist, speaker, social entrepreneur and the Co-Founder & Executive Director of Inclusive Idaho, reads from The Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Inclusive Idaho is focused on building inclusion and belonging for underrepresented, underserved and minoritized Idahoans. In addition to helping build Inclusive Idaho Whitney is the co-owner of Equity Candle Co, a small batch candle company with a
mission to provide quality candles while elevating & building equity in Idaho and beyond.

Her previous work includes non-profit leadership, professional athletics management, higher education, marketing, and track & field coaching. Whitney earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees from Missouri Southern State University in Mass Communication & Public Relations, is certified in DEI, Gender & Sexuality, and Anti-Racism. She also spent a year in legal education at the University of Idaho School of Law.

“I’m telling you who I am”: Cherie Buckner-Webb

The City of Boise’s Department of Arts and History featured singer, activist and former state legislator Cherie Buckner-Webb in its Creator’s Makers and Doer’s series.

From the city’s website: “Cherie welcomed us to her kitchen table where we talked surprisingly little about awards and accomplishments and more about how to ask questions in an unfamiliar environment, how Cherie’s experience is uniquely her own—AND. SO. MUCH. MORE: entrée, civil disobedience, She, digging up messy stuff, the man with one leg, Black Lives Matter, tempering justice with caring, and Black homeownership and generational wealth, or lack thereof. The woman is on fire.”

Turning Pages: Life Ilunga reads from The Day You Begin

From Turning Pages:

Life Ilunga, administrative assistant for the vice president of finance at Boise State University and board member of the International Health and Peace Initiative, shares: The Day You Begin, by Jaqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

Life migrated to Boise from the D.R. of Congo in 2000. She graduated from Boise State with a Bachelors in Health Science.

Turning Pages: Sonya Rosario reads from Just Ask! Be Brave, Be Different, Be You

From Turning Pages: Sonya Rosario reads from Just Ask! Be Brave, Be Different, Be You, by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

Sonya founded the Women of Color Alliance, a social justice organization for girls and women living in rural Idaho. An award-winning filmmaker, her films give voice to the change makers, and their life-experiences and stories. Sonya founded, A-SonGlo Foundation for Women Artists, a Creative Artist Retreat in McCall.

Turning Pages: David “Eleven” Maxwell reads from Iggie’s House

From Turning Pages: David “Eleven” Maxwell, musician, writer and teacher, reads from Iggie’s House, by Judy Blume.

Raised in East San Diego, David grew up playing multiple sports, reading literature, and writing. In college he played basketball and ran track and field. He graduated with a BS in Journalism/Writing and an MA in cross cultural education, and became a teacher in 2000. He he teaches at St. Joseph’s in Boise.

Turning Pages: Carmen Pemsler Reads From She Persisted Around the World

From Turning Pages: Carmen Pemsler, who is graduating from Boise State University with degrees in civil engineering and math, reads from She Persisted Around the World, by Chelsea Clinton.

Originally from Guatemala, Carmen hopes to use her degree and experiences to integrate sustainable design in buildings all over the world.

City Club of Boise Forum: The Long, Continuing, and Always-Evolving Fight for Human Rights in Idaho

WHAT: City Club of Boise’s 4th Annual Marilyn Shuler Human Rights Forum
WHEN: 12-1 p.m. May 5, 2021
VENUE: Online
COST: Free
REGISTER: At cityclubofboise.org

From the City Club:

More than 20 years ago, Idaho celebrated a major victory for human rights when a lawsuit finally bankrupted Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler and he lost the compound he began when he first moved to the state some 27 years earlier.

It was a hopeful time, with the construction of the world’s only memorial to Anne Frank and human rights and the foundation of the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, inspired by the former priest who helped lead the fight against the North Idaho white supremacists. When Bill Wassmuth died, then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, a Republican, praised Wassmuth’s bravery and said that “because of his efforts, Idaho today is no longer home to groups that espouse hatred and violence.”

In the two decades that have followed, however, it has become clear that victory was for just one battle. The war is far from over.

At the City Club of Boise’s Fourth Annual Marilyn Shuler Forum on Human Rights, we will hear from Dan Prinzing, executive director of the Wassmuth Center, which has been at the center of this work for many years, but we will also feature two new and emerging voices in Idaho’s push for human rights, equality and inclusion: Whitney Mestelle, one of the young founders and leaders of the BIPOC-led Inclusive Idaho, and Estefania Mondragon, executive director of PODER Idaho, which stands for Protecting our Dreams and Empowering Our Resilience. The conversation will be moderated by City Club Vice President Mike Satz.

City Club of Boise will also honor a local high school student at the start of this program with a certificate of recognition awarded to a student whose character and work exemplify the spirit of Marilyn Shuler’s commitment to human rights, civil discourse, and informed civic engagement.

About the Panel:

Whitney Mestelle, Co- Founder & Executive Director, Inclusive Idaho

Whitney believes that inclusivity and belonging are critical to an individual’s ability to thrive in their community. Her background is in non-profit work, higher education, and athletics. She is passionate about child advocacy, fitness, travel with her husband, and the importance of mentorship for teens and young adults. A chai latte is the only “coffee” she drinks and her love for all things track and field is endless.

Estefania Mondragon, Executive Director, PODER of Idaho

“I change myself, I change the world.” -Gloria Anzaldua. Estefania is a daughter of immigrant parents from Tarandacuao, Guanajuato, Mexico. She brings awareness, both of her languages, heart, and imagination to her work. She wholeheartedly believes that change starts from the inside out and is passionate about building power within the intersections. She hopes to raise community consciousness, shift culture, and bringing an anti-oppression lens to the conversation. She imagines a world where everyone is honored and every living being thrives.

Dan Prinzing, Ph.D., Executive Director, Wassmuth Center for Human Rights

Dr. Dan Prinzing is the executive director of the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, builder and home of the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. The Center’s mission is “to promote respect for human dignity and diversity through education and to foster individual responsibility to work for peace and justice.” As a career educator, his work has taken him from the classroom to state government to countries around the globe as a teacher, coordinator and trainer in human rights education. Dr. Prinzing holds a B.A. in History Secondary Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, an MA in History and Government, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.


Turning Pages: Leta Harris Neustaeder reads from Hair Love

From Turning Pages:

Leta Harris Neustaedter is an arts educator, performer, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and community organizer. She owns Metamorphosis Performing Arts Studio where she maintains a private practice and teaches lessons. She contracts with schools and organizations to create and facilitate arts-based curriculums and is a certified Change Leader through the Idaho Commission of the Arts. She is the creator/host of the radio show The Lovely Afro on Radio Boise.

Turning Pages is a collaborative effort featuring twelve local Boise BIPoC leaders, reading and discussing children’s books that hold deep meaning and importance to them. Each ten-minute episode includes the reader’s introduction of their personal journey, examples of overcoming barriers, celebrating who they are, and how each selected book has enriched, inspired, and encouraged them.

Turning Pages was created to center BIPoC voices and role models, while elevating the importance of reading and literacy. Each episode seeks to engage K-6th grade learners, teachers, and parents in discussion and awareness of the diversity of experience and expertise found in our community. Most episodes were filmed on location in Boise, ID where each leader works or makes their space.

Turning Pages: David Thomas reads from Exceptional Black Men in History


From Turning Pages:

Detective Dave Thomas has been with the Boise Police department for the last 19 1/2 years, and his current position is a school resource officer assigned to Timberline HS. He has also been assigned to the motor unit, night step and patrol team. He’s also retired from the United States Air Force, where he was assigned to the security forces unit, and worked as a combat arms instructor and flight chief. He has a B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland. He is married with three children; two boys and one girl!

Turning Pages is a collaborative effort featuring twelve local Boise BIPoC leaders, reading and discussing children’s books that hold deep meaning and importance to them. Each ten-minute episode includes the reader’s introduction of their personal journey, examples of overcoming barriers, celebrating who they are, and how each selected book has enriched, inspired, and encouraged them.

Turning Pages was created to center BIPoC voices and role models, while elevating the importance of reading and literacy. Each episode seeks to engage K-6th grade learners, teachers, and parents in discussion and awareness of the diversity of experience and expertise found in our community. Most episodes were filmed on location in Boise, ID where each leader works or makes their space.

City Club of Boise: What Can Arts, Culture and History Organizations do to Confront a Legacy of Racism?

From the City Club:

In one of the most divisive and isolating years in modern American history, a large group of Boise arts, cultural and history organizations did something unexpected: They came together.

It happened in the aftermath of the high-profile police killings of Black Americans including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, when millions of Americans of all backgrounds and identities joined the existing efforts of antiracism activists by taking to the to the streets, to city and statehouse halls, and to social media to call for an end to the dismantling of racist systems and practices that continue to persist. Locally, individual artists, staff members and leaders of organizations of all sizes started gathering via Zoom to confront the continued legacies that isolate, tokenize and exclude Black creativity, voices and art, and to explore how they, as nearly all white Idahoans, could do something beyond the lip service and “performative allyship” that may serve to tamp down immediate tensions but does little to make the deep and systemic changes needed to make a real difference.

After months of discussions, the group agreed on a first step — a statement that made clear their shared beliefs: “Our Coalition of arts, culture and history organizations is committed to dismantling systemic racism in our arts community. This includes the oppressive impacts of segregation, mass incarceration, and educational, economic and environmental discrimination; all of which are born from slavery. The arts and culture community has perpetuated white supremacy through appropriation and tokenization, such as recruiting Black people for shows, exhibits and performances without integrating them into positions of sustained leadership. Although there has never been a time in America when Black art wasn’t a driving cultural force, we have used a white lens to define quality and influence. This must end. We believe Idahoans will benefit from holding each other accountable to create an equitable and inclusive community where Black art matters.”

Panelists:

Leta Harris Neustaedter is an arts educator, musician, actor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and community organizer. She earned her BA in psychology from Occidental College and her Master of Social Work degree from Boise State university. She owns Metamorphosis Performing Arts Studio, LLC, where she maintains a private counseling practice and weaves life skills into music, acting and public speaking lessons. She contracts with schools and organizations throughout the Treasure Valley to create curriculums and facilitate arts-based programs. She is a member of the Western States Arts Federation Emerging Leaders of Color Professional Development program and is a Certified Change Leader through Idaho Commission of the Arts. She has been performing on stages throughout the valley for over 30 years.

John Michael Schert launched his artistic career in dance, eventually coming to Boise with the Trey McIntyre Project, which he co-founded and helped lead as executive director. He is the founder of JMS & Company, a consulting firm that translates the creative process across disciplines, and an executive producer of the Treefort Music Fest. He has been a Visiting Artist and Social Entrepreneur at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, an Associate Fellow with the NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts, and a 2019 USA Eisenhower Fellow. He earned a master’s in public administration from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Moderator: Greg Hahn, City Club board member.