Tempest Kayne Smith

September 16, 1988 – February 20, 2001

Join us in proposing February 20th as Tempest Smith Day.

Tempest Smith was 12 years old when she committed suicide, due to bullying and persecution, on the 20th February 2001.  The behavior she was subjected to began when she was in the second grade and increased with intensity until Tempest could no longer dispel the torment through nonviolent reaction. She left written words indicating her decision.

A Detroit, Michigan schoolgirl, Tempest was continually harassed by her classmates, including bombardment with Christian hymns to ridicule her Wiccan beliefs.

Tempest hung herself on February 20, 2001, with her own leopard-print scarf.

In September 2002, after more than a year of meditation and inner contemplation, Tempest’s mother Denessa Smith, stepped out into the community with a mission and a message. In January 2003, the Tempest Smith Foundation legally began. The debut of TSF was at the Tempest Smith Memorial Ritual held at ConVocation. The ritual was performed by several prominent figures of the Pagan community to honor Tempest, ensuring that her convictions would not go unnoticed.

No parent should have to find their child dead because of Christian harassment. No teenager should have to face religious discrimination and hatred so great that suicide seems to be the only option.

Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.
~ Rabindranath Tagore

The majority of this text is from http://teenwitch.com/religiousfreedom/tempestsmith.html, along with the image of Tempest.