A Naperville resident has taken it upon herself to help spread a message of peace throughout town.
After seeing a similar campaign on the north side of Chicago, Mimi Qunell began the local chapter of “Hate Has No Home Here,” a nationwide project that invites residents, businesses, and congregations to declare their places as a safe space where everyone is welcomed and valued.
Through a Go Fund Me page, Mimi was able to raise over $2,800 in just 21 days to print about 700 “Hate Has No Home Here” signs, each featuring the words in six different languages.
“We have to remember that even if we have differing opinions we can still have civil discourse. We need to be continuing to invest in building bridges and keeping those relationships going because we have to be in this together even if we speak differently,” said Qunell.
About 300 of the signs will be handed out to those who donated and the rest will be given to the general public. While the nationwide project was sparked by the recent political climate, Mimi says the message is simply to love your neighbor.
“For me this is just a reminder that as much as I may want to yell at you for your views, I’m not going to, I’m committing myself to stay civil and to listen because there’s something for me to learn in this too,” added Qunell.
She also hopes the signs will spark communication when times get uncomfortable.
For more information about the local chapter, visit the “Hate Has No Home Here Naperville” Facebook page.
Naperville News 17’s Alyssa Bochenek reports.
