Edina Anti-Bullying Event Set for April 26

In December, Patch reported on a . Proposed by Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission’s Meg Newell and Lisa Finsness, the idea for the event was first presented during a Commission meeting at the end of November.

Titled Reflections on Bullying, the event is on and it’s set for April 26 at ’s Fick Auditorium. Details are still being ironed out, but the current plan is for the event to begin at 6 p.m. with light supper offerings from local food vendors and a public viewing of submissions from Edina residents, including EdinaSecrets posts.

Inspired by the popular ongoing community mail art project PostSecret, EdinaSecrets are anonymous postcards sent from Edina residents with personal reflections on bullying. The inclusion of EdinaSecrets was proposed “so that people would be able to comfortably talk about their experiences” with bullying, commission student member Daria Brosius explained. 

Also exhibited will be other original reflections on bullying in the forms of artwork, poetry, song, video or any medium the contributor finds fitting.

“It could even be dancing; it could be a performance,” Finsness said.

Finsness confirmed that Mayor Jim Hovland will kick off the formal program at 7 p.m. There will be a screening of Southern Poverty Law Center’s Bullied, a documentary about Wisconsin high school student Jamie Nobozny who was victimized for being gay, and the film that inspired Meg Newell and Lisa Finsness to arrange the event in Edina.

A dialogue moderated by WCCO's Liz Collin and led by a panel of local experts will round out the evening. The discussion is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and audience participation is encouraged. 

There are also rumors of a possible celebrity appearance at the event. Stay tuned. 

Commission student member Zack Antar has been working with other students at on an anti-bullying outreach public service announcement that will be shown at the event.

“There’s a level of severity that needs to be brought to the attention of the public,” Antar said.  

A city-wide dialogue and exhibit, Reflections on Bullying is part of a larger effort by the Commission to combat bullying and raise awareness in Edina. 

“Anti-bullying is the theme for this year and this is just one piece of it,” Commission Chair Jessi Kingston said.

Community involvement in the event is welcomed and encouraged. Submissions for Reflections on Bullying are being accepted through April 18. EdinaSecrets postcards may be mailed to (4801 West 50th Street, Edina MN 55424). Also look for postcard drop off sites at schools and other locations around Edina. Visit the Human Rights & Relation Commission's Events page for information on submitting original artwork.

Reflections on Bullying is co-sponsored by the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina Community Foundation, Connecting with Kids, Edina High School Gay Straight Alliance, Edina Resource Center and Edina Chamber of Commerce.