Preventing and Addressing Bullying, Racism and Intolerance

Becki Cohn-Vargas, EdD, spent over 35 years as a teacher, principal, curriculum director, and superintendent in rural, urban, and suburban districts. In each setting, she focused on educational equity and effective strategies for diverse populations. Becki is the co-author of three books on identity safe schools, including the best-selling book “Identity Safe Classrooms: Places to Belong and Learn.” In addition, she served as the director of Not In Our School, teaching students to become upstanders who stand up racism, bullying, and all forms of bias. She was hosted at the White House by President Obama’s education staff and has worked in over 150 schools across the U.S. Dr. Cohn-Vargas is currently an independent consultant and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Patrice O’Neill is a filmmaker and CEO of the Oakland-based non-profit strategic media company, The Working Group and leader of Not In Our Town.  Her film Not In Our Town began as a half-hour PBS special and turned into a dynamic movement to stop hate and build inclusion in communities across the U.S. and around the world. For twenty years, O'Neill has fostered a network of “Not In Our Town” activists and helped lead screenings and town hall meetings to launch sustainable hate response and prevention efforts. Recognized as a pioneer in impact media producing, O’Neill has focused on stories about people in local communities working together for change.

O’Neill’s team launched  NIOT.org a social media resource and film site that provides free tools and guidance to communities about how to prevent hate and Not In Our School which includes anti bullying campaign resources for teachers and students.

O’Neill has presented her films and the Not In Our Town model, sparking anti hate action in Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary and Slovakia.

She is currently completing production on Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life.