STAND (Steamboat Team to Disrupt Discrimination)

STAND: Steamboat Team to Disrupt Antisemitism and Discrimination

STAND is a community-led initiative in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, founded in February 2023. The organization was established in response to a September 2022 incident where a swastika was scrawled on a Jewish high school student's car, highlighting the need for a collective effort to combat hate and discrimination in the community.

Mission and Vision

STAND's mission is to disrupt hate and promote anti-discrimination through education, policy change, partnerships, and positively influencing the next generation. The organization's vision is encapsulated in the statement: "Routt won’t STAND for Hate." 

Key Activities and Impact

• Community Convenings: STAND hosts quarterly public convenings addressing various forms of discrimination. Topics have included antisemitism, LGBTQIA2S+ issues, and challenges faced by the Hispanic community. These events have seen increasing participation, with the most recent convening attracting over 140 attendees. 

• Youth Engagement: Collaborating with local schools, STAND has organized initiatives like essay contests and educational assemblies to engage students in discussions about discrimination and empathy. A notable project is the podcast "Breaking the Bubble: How an Idyllic Ski Town is Combatting Hate," created by Steamboat Springs High School students, which aims to spread the message of combating hate beyond the local community. 

• Community Education: STAND organizes events such as film screenings and discussions to educate the public on issues like the Holocaust, antisemitism, and community responses to hate crimes. For instance, a screening of "A Town Called Victoria" was followed by a discussion on community support after a hate crime. 

• Support for Marginalized Communities: The organization has expressed solidarity with the transgender and immigrant/migrant communities in Routt County, emphasizing the importance of unity and support for all individuals facing discrimination. 

Upcoming Events

STAND is actively involved in local events, such as sponsoring Yampa Valley Pride and organizing flash mob rehearsals to promote inclusivity and support for the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and leads convenings on issues that our local community faces. 

Our next convening will lift up black immigrant voices as a part of Martin Luther King Jr Day events in partnership with Steamboat Resort. (RSVP here!)

Contact Information

For more details or to get involved, visit www.standsteamboat.com.