Community Efforts and Projects

Walking Steven Home

“Walking Steven Home,” by playwright Gregory HInton is a curated assembly of impact statements from the family of Steven Nelson, at the April 10th, 2017, District Court hearing of his confessed killer. Steven Nelson worked at Boise State. He was the victim of a hate crime and was murdered in 2016 for being gay.

Award-winning playwright, Gregory Hinton, was deeply moved by the impact statements read by Steven’s family at the sentencing of his murderer. Reflecting on the “eloquence of their grief,” Gregory interwoven these accounts to share with the world. Gregory has worked closely with The American Heritage Center in its mission to more fully reflect the complete range of lived experiences of those who have been oppressed or suppressed because of the realities and perceptions of the West as an inhospitable place for LGBTQIA+. The archive welcomes collections from eight Rocky Mountain States: Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. Listen to an interview of Gregory Hinton with Gemma Gaudette on Idaho Matters.

Special thanks to the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights for collaborating to bring this special event to Boise, keeping with its mission “to promote respect for human dignity and diversity through education and to foster individual responsibility to work for peace and justice.” 

Photograph taken by Roberta Zenker

Artwork donated by Julie Clemons

This rendition of goatheads was inspired by Edgar Nelson’s description of Steven’s difficult walk from where he was attacked to find help. Edgar imagines Steven looking upwards in the starry sky for hope even as goat heads littering the path, contributed to the pain he was already experiencing.

Make a Difference and Donate
Donate to Boise State’s Steven Nelson Memorial Fund to support LGBTQ students who may need assistance. Tax info donations to Boise State’s Steven Nelson Fund

Boise State Students Can Apply for Assistance
If you know an LGBTQ student at Boise State who needs support they may apply for assistance at Boise State’s Steven Nelson Memorial Fund that was created by students to provide support and an ongoing legacy.

Recognizing a WWII Veteran: The Vernon Baker Memorial

On July 20, 2021, Building 930, a residential barracks at Gowen Field, was named after First Lt. Vernon Baker, a distinguished Black WW2 Veteran who lived in St Mary’s, Idaho until his death in 2010. Baker was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997 by President Bill Clinton for his heroism in battle.

Jerome Mapp, D19 constituent pictured here, contacted me to help find a way to celebrate life in the midst of so much conflict in our country. General Garshak and his staff worked with us to dedicate this building in Baker’s honor. This is a great story of how a citizen can make a difference; Baker’s service will be memorialized for generations to come.

Creating Pathways to Successful Re-entry

I worked with the Idaho Department of Corrections and Idaho Transportation Department to install portal photo ID stations in correctional facilities so when people re-enter a community they have necessary credentials to get employment and housing. I started working on this after Jodi Peterson, executive director of the Interfaith Sanctuary in Boise, shared how difficult it had been for a homeless man she knew to obtain a photo ID. Read about more news coverage.

Newborn Screening

I worked with a constituent in the community who lost her baby to a rare disease and with the Department of Health and Welfare we got a new screening added to the newborn screening list to identify Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Taking Steps for Local Schools

Thank you Blue Cross of Idaho for supporting our schools! I averaged 10K steps a day for a month and they acknowledged good health practices by donating $1000 to the school of my choice.

This year, I contributed that check to Roosevelt Elementary school. I visited the teachers and principal last year in the heart of the pandemic; I was moved to tears listening to what they were doing to support our students. I hope this little contribution continues to support our studnets.