Author and Activist Judy Shepard Shares Her Story with Facing History in Denver

“Educate, educate, educate,” Shepard emphasized. “We all have to start telling our stories. No one will know how to help you, unless you tell your story.”

Over 350 people filled the Sherman Street Event Center in Denver to hear activist and best-selling author Judy Shepard speak at a Community Conversation, sponsored by Facing History and Ourselves and The Allstate Foundation.

Judy Shepard spoke about her new book, The Meaning of Matthew: My Son’s Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed. The work provides a glimpse into Shepard’s life following a traumatic event: the brutal murder of her son, Matthew—a crime motivated by anti-gay hate. Since his death, she has been a leading activist on the national equal rights movement.

Shepard’s message to the audience of students, educators, and community members, was for people to speak up and get involved in issues that matter. “Educate, educate, educate,” Shepard emphasized to the audience. “We all have to start telling our stories. No one will know how to help you unless you tell your story.” An example she shared was that after more than a decade of advocacy, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) was signed into law by President Obama on October 28, 2009.

She concluded her talk by adding that organizations such as Facing History and Ourselves are important because they give students a safe place to share their ideas and talk about difficult topics.

Community partners for this event included the ADL, GLSEN Colorado, Pushkin Public Relations, Matthew Shepard Foundation, PFLAG, the Conflict Center, and Rocky Mountain PBS.

A Facing History teacher wrote “The Matthew Shepard Event was amazing! I learned so much and Judy Shepard is wonderful. Every Facing History and Ourselves event or workshop is so well organized and thought provoking.”