Littleton – It is a budding friendship that can, if nothing else, be called unique.
Twelve-year-old Unique Irvin’s initial encounter with Tory Beyer, 14, was cold and painful. When she enrolled at Ken Caryl Middle School last January, she was not only the new kid, she also was one of the few African-American children in the predominantly white school. Tory was among a handful of students who welcomed her with a litany of racial slurs – including the N-word – that, over time, sent her running to the bathroom to hide her tears.
Tory was disciplined at school but kept up the harassment. Eventually, he was arrested and led away from school in handcuffs, and the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office filed harassment charges.
Yet, through one child’s forgiveness and the other’s remorse, the two are forging an unusual partnership. Tory, who says he feels ashamed about how he treated Unique, is awaiting sentencing this month on the harassment charges. But he has agreed to participate in HOPE, an organization Unique and her mother, LaTonya Irvin, launched last month. The acronym stands for Helping Others Recognize Me as a Person Through Education.
Although Unique and Tory have talked, they are still in the initial stages of a friendship. It is the parents who are encouraging them to continue to interact through HOPE, which is LaTonya’s brainchild. LaTonya Irvin is HOPE’s chief executive – and Tory’s mother, T’Anna Rossen, enthusiastically encourages her son to take part.
LaTonya Irvin hopes to use community activities – such as dance workshops, a community garden and yoga classes – to teach people about other cultures in a nonthreatening manner. She also hopes to offer peer counseling.
Tory, who is white, will help HOPE educate others as a student advocate, Irvin said. His treatment of Unique resulted from a “lack of education and not knowing what he did was so offensive,” LaTonya Irvin said.
“What better person to use?” Irvin said. “Tory is the one that can stand up and say, ‘Because of what I did, these are the consequences.”‘
On Friday, Tory – his head held down – agreed. If he sees another kid harassing a peer, he’ll be quick to tell them: “Don’t do it. It could get you in a lot of trouble.”
Irvin said she knows Tory’s attitude has changed. Shortly after his arrest, Unique received a letter from Tory apologizing for his behavior.
“He’s not trying to use hate as a way to get his self-esteem off the pain of other people,” Irvin said.
Unique’s relationship with Tory began to mend after her mother read an article in which Tory’s parents said their son needed to be held accountable for his actions. She called Tory’s mother and told her that Tory was forgiven. Then she shared her idea of starting an organization to teach kids how to respect others who are different. Rossen enthusiastically agreed to participate.
“I think it would be a good education for him to learn about other cultures,” Rossen said Friday.
Rossen, who witnessed her son being led away in handcuffs, said she didn’t believe the punishment was too harsh. He could get a year of probation and be required to take anger-management classes and do community service, Rossen said.
“We’ve all been going through the growing process,” she said.
So far, Tory has been the only student charged with harassment, though Unique reported being antagonized by a few other students, including girls who had spit in her lunch and on her.
Unique – a tall, chatty girl who enjoys poetry – decided she will return to Ken Caryl this fall. Forgiving Tory was simple, she said Friday.
“It’s better to forgive somebody for even the worst thing in the world than to put hate to them,” she said. “I don’t feel comfortable being mad at people.”
The Irvins hope to begin their first project, the community garden, in August. The owner of a plot of land adjacent to the Irvin home has donated it for neighbors to plant tomatoes, flowers and other crops.
HOPE’s budget is expected to be about $57,000 for six months, Irvin said. She hopes to raise that money through golf tournaments, bake sales and other fundraisers. Tory helped Unique in a carwash last month that raised $250 toward the project.
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at krouse@denverpost.com or 303-824-1684.
