91 McCormick Junior High Alumni Pen Open Letter To Students

91 former McCormick Junior HIgh students published an open letter on the Wyoming Equality Facebook page today, in response to the racist, homophobic flyer that was distributed at the school this week and allegations that a substitute teacher was fired for reporting it.

An Open Letter to McCormick Junior High School's LGBTQ Students and Students of Color

March 29, 2019

Dear friends,

Like you, we were students at McCormick Junior High. Some of us are gay; some of us are straight allies. We are black and white and Asian; we are Native American and Latinx. Some of us have stayed in town; others are scattered across the world, but most of us still consider Cheyenne our hometown. And ALL of us were horrified to see the racist, homophobic posters that appeared in your school this week. We can only imagine how angry, scared, and isolated that made you feel.

We want you to know that you are not alone. There are people in this world who care about you -- people you've never met! -- and believe that your school should be a safe place where you are not bullied for any reason, especially not your race, gender, identity, or religious affiliation. Some of those people are right there in your very school, working to protect you and make a difference.

We know you're tempted to see that hate-filled act as nothing but negative. But you know what? That negative act will spark a positive one. Tons of them, actually. Because you will protect each other. You will speak out for LGBTQ and civil rights. You will report bullying to the authorities and, if those authorities ignore it or don't believe you, you will keep reporting until someone does something about it. You will gain allies like you've never had before. You will spread love and acceptance like sunshine. You will create a school -- and a world -- in which hate has no home. And we'll help.

You can't see us, but we are here, standing proudly beside you, listening to your voices.

With love and solidarity,

1. Allison Wedell Schumacher, McCormick Class of 1989, St. Paul, MN
2. Nick Frazee, 1988, Greeley, CO
3. Jeff Snyder, 1988, Casper, WY
4. Jennifer Wilson, 1986, Rowlett, TX
5. Brian Monk, 1990, New Orleans, LA
6. Kate Blanchard Shiroff, 1990, Denver, CO
7. Nikki Drake Mutch, 1987, Storrs, CT
8. Lori Stinchcomb Tuley, 1989, Perkins, OK
9. Gwendolyn E. Davis, 1990, Los Angeles, CA
10. Derek M. Koch, 1989, Beaverton, OR
11. JoLynn Seipp Eckhardt, Cheyenne, WY
12. Beverly Martin-Jones, 1986, Phoenix, AZ
13. Jenny Sue Woodard, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
14. Jenny Irlbeck, 1989, Omaha, NE
15. Kristen Jenkins Everitt, 1988 Groveland, FL
16. Lee Everitt, 1987 Groveland, FL
17. Rustin Woolsey, 1989, Austin, TX
18. Kate Kaetzer-Hodson, 1988, Abuja, Nigeria
19. Stacy Hines, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
20. Katheryn Goodrich, 2012, Laramie, WY
21. Kim Ayers, 1989, Longmont, CO
22. Brian Giannini-Upton, 1988, Mercer Island, WA
23. Caroline Hoover, Richmond, VA
24. Chris Titus, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
25. Rocky Case, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
26. Liz Schneider, 1989, Scottsbluff, NE
27. Bonnie Burge Lybrook, 1988, Erie, CO
28. Jered Tucker, 1989, Minneapolis, MN
29. Elizabeth Robblee, 1988, Granbury, TX
30. Patricia Robblee, 1985, Jacksonville, NC
31. Jeff Tish, Cheyenne, WY
32. Jen Hendrickson, 1989, Los Angeles, CA
33. Megan Riske Cormier, 1988, Denver, CO
34. Scott Goins, 1989, Sheridan, WY
35. Bridget Kersey Freedman, 1989, Bedford, TX
36. Brian Scott, 1988, Orange, CA
37. Nikki Jagusch, 1988, Bend, OR
38. Machelle Allman, Seattle, WA
39. Gretchen Schmid Schuck, 1984, Red Lodge, MT
40. Jason Huff, 1986, Fort Irwin, CA
41. Barbara L. Seniawski, 1988, New York, NY
42. Larissa Stanton, Denver, CO
43. Alisha Jump, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
44. Kelly Scott Kenworthy, 1986, Cheyenne, WY
45. Christina Emmons Hayes, 1990, Cheyenne, WY
46. Chara Everett Murray, 1986, Kernersville, NC
47. Chava Breen Case, 1992, Cheyenne, WY
48. Katie Davis-Crawford, 1985, Denver, CO
49. Jennifer Peterson, 1988, Lompoc, CA
50. Jared Green, 1989, Lehi, UT
51. Victoria Nelson, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
52. Mindi Dancliff Pryce, 1990, Wellington, CO
53. Jason Cook, 1988, Cheyenne, WY
54. Adam McGee, 1988, Cheyenne, WY
55. Stephanie, Welch, 1989, Lincoln, NE
56. Eddie Coomes, 1989, Casper, WY
57. Jennie Harvat, 1987, Jefferson City, MO
58. Angelique Blackwell, 1988, Aurora, CO
59. Heath Eustler, 1988, Buckeye, AZ
60. Tobi Curless Anderson, 1989, Highlands Ranch, CO
61. Stephanie Morris, 1987, Denver, CO
62. John Carmen, 1989, Amelia, OH
63. Zach Bruns, 1989, San Francisco, CA
64. Kris Harris, 1987, Arvada, CO
65. Kimberly Whitehead Wagner, 1989, Scott City, KS
66. Judy Flett Hinkle, 1955, Cheyenne, WY
67. Erica Smith, 1990, Cheyenne, WY
68. Butch Gladstone, 1980, Temecula, CA
69. Rob Gaulke, 1986, Cheyenne, WY
70. Todd Dereemer, 1981, Cheyenne, WY
71. Julie Ullery Sorensen, 1990, Logan, UT
72. Wendy Volk, Cheyenne, WY
73. Chris Harp, 1989, Loveland, CO
74. Sophia Barre, 1986, Hillsboro, OR
75. Judy Agee Case, 1964, Cheyenne, WY
76. Ken Trowbridge, Cheyenne, WY
77. Victoria Howard Lesher, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
78. Tiffany Case Thomson, 1986, Cheyenne, WY
79. Todd Reynolds, 1990, Cheyenne, WY
80. Erin Averill, 1991, Cheyenne, WY
81. Lorrinda Christensen, 1986, West Jordan, UT
82. Karen Ose Rogers, 1988, Cheyenne, WY
83. Chris Sturdevant, 1989, Billings, MT
84. Rev. Dr. Darrel Cory, Pastor, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN
85. Jamie Trujillo Spezzano, 1989, Cheyenne, WY
86. Travis Hopkins, 1986, Seattle, WA
87. Josh Fritchie, 1991, Westlake Village, CA
88. Kendra Dix Risinger, 1990, Taos, NM
89. Michelle Mitchell, 1989, Millbrook, AL
90. Stacy Bishop, 1989, Brisbane, Australia
91. Kristin White Dulany, 1986, Wellington, CO

P.S. If you need someone to talk to and there’s no one around, these folks can help:
• It Gets Better Project: itgetsbetter.org
• National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 800-273-8255
• Anti-Defamation League: www.adl.org