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OTHER NEWS STORIES - 408 different ZIP codes, all under one roof - SCC student joins in tuition increases fight - You pay 'em, but do you know what your fees pay for? - Then and now - The Ebbtide analyzes pop culture - News Briefs Rather than grieve, Judy Shepard speaks Mbedha Kiboigo Ebbtide Reporter Judy Shepard's (above) son, Matthew Shepard, was murdered in a hate crime. Photo courtesy of www.matthewsplace.com Shoreline Community College is among one of the locations on the Judy Shepard tour designed to promote the ideology of respect and dignity for everyone. Shepard's 21-year-old son, Matthew Shepard, was killed in October 1998 in an anti-gay crime in Laramie, Wyoming. He was drawn into a pickup truck, brutally beaten and tied to a fence on a deserted hilltop. While this hate crime shocked the nation and inspired vigils throughout the country, it has allowed society to acknowledge the issue of intolerance of diversity. In December 1998, Dennis and Judy Shepard established the Matthew Shepard Foundation. On their web site, the organization states, "our goal is to educate and replace hate with understanding, acceptance and compassion." As the executive director for this organization, Judy Shepard strives to raise awareness of issues pertaining to diversity and discrimination through the programs support of educational activities, documentaries and projects. Many of which are funded through the donations received and the speaking engagements that Shepard participates in at colleges, in communities and corporate organizations. SCC will be hosting "Hate Crimes and Social Justice" on Wednesday, Jan. 29, in the SCC Gymnasium at 7:30 p.m. General admission will be $10; $7 for seniors; SCC faculty and staff; and $5 for children 14 and under and SCC students with college ID. © 2003 Shoreline Community College™