Music filled the air on the 1800 block of West Ohio on Thursday, where last week a hate-filled letter showed up telling a local mom and her family, among other things, to fire her black nanny.
Instead she, the beloved nanny, and other moms turned the negative around. They created this all ages play date called “Stand Up to Hate” that drew a huge crowd.
"Positivity and love wins," Heather Dejonker, the mother who received the racist letter said.
"If we’re silent its almost like accepting," said local mom Maria Ippolito.
"As I was watching kids make the poster," nanny Ferrai Pickett said. "[It] almost brought me to tears!"
In fact they created this all ages play date called “Stand Up to Hate” that drew a huge crowd.
Even the planned activities symbolized the colorful neighborhood and its residents taking a stand against hate.
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"We don't tolerate it, we reject it," said Ald. Joe Moreno, referring to the racism represented by the anonymous letter. "We don’t want it in our ward."
Pickett said she feels appreciative of the outpouring of support in the wake of the letter.
"It breaks my heart and makes me happy," she said.
