Mineral School is a school in name only. It was purchased, used as an event center and sold to Jane Hodges, who opened an art residency program and successfully operated this venue.
She opened the doors to many other issues over the years. Over the 50-plus years I have lived here, there have always been gay, transgender, racially ethnic people who were either born here or moved to this town, have family, friends, jobs, and contributed to local community forums. I have known Jane Hodges for over 10 years and have worked to help with her endeavor to have a successful art residency.
Being from Seattle, I know there is a mindset that city dwellers have that we country folks are homophobic, xenophobic, racially biased, and the list goes on. When recently asked by Jane how many people of color we have in Mineral, I could not tell her, as I do not see my neighbors and friends as color, racial makeup, or sexual orientation but as beloved friends and neighbors and I do not keep a head count. We are judged by a few yard signs that the community puts out of not supporting uncontrolled growth within this community and a certain president. There are those in town who certainly fit that bill; however, most Mineral citizens are well educated, diverse in culture, sexual orientation, and so on.
I suggest Mrs. Hodges and associates get involved in local things to understand the real diversity that dwells within and not ask locals to serve as her advocate. I applaud her having the prom and send well wishes on future endeavors. And as for the flier being circulated, this was the work of outsiders wanting to stir the pot. I could be wrong here, but do not believe so. We have no room for that sort of deviousness here.
Thank you for your coverage of the prom event. See you next year.
Dora Hale
Mineral
