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Don Tassie cheers after the non-discrimination ordinance passed at the Jackson City Council meeting held at the Michigan Theatre, 124 N. Mechanic St., on Tuesday, February 7, 2017. The council was hearing comment and voting on a proposed non-discrimination ordinance. The ordinance passed by a 5-2 vote after over five hours of public comment. (Emily Mesner | Mlive.com)

JACKSON, MI -- Some people quoted the word of God during public comment at the Jackson City Council's Tuesday, Feb. 7 meeting, while others told personal stories of dealing with LGBT discrimination.

Former da Vinci Institute Superintendent Donald Tassie, 81, did neither. But he did make a trip to the lectern.

Well, sort of -- he went up to it, snatched the microphone, walked in front of the crowd, and started rapping wearing a bright yellow T-shirt saying "Be More Kind."

"I didn't intend to do that when I came," Tassie said. "I had a whole speech prepared. We got started and people said things I was going to say. There was a part of me that thought it was time for something different, I said, 'Let's try another thing.'"

Tassie created the "Be More Kind" rap about three years ago, he said. It's part of a program he started at the end of his long career in education with the goal of spreading kindness throughout the community.

Michelle Dubois, a fifth-grade teacher at Michigan Center's Keicher Elementary School, actually took Tassie's program a step further this year, teaching Jackson County kids to spread and acknowledge kindness at their schools.

The City Council meeting started at 6:34 p.m. and ended five hours and 50 minutes later at 12:24 a.m., Feb. 8.

The council voted in favor of a non-discrimination ordinance, 5-2. The ordinance prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.

"I thought it would be closer than that," Tassie said. "We got people's human rights protected. This is not a religion thing.

"There will be moments of feeling really good for those in favor and moments of disappointment for those opposed, but I think everyone will respect the others' opinion. Let's work together to make it work for everyone."

Tassie says he became increasingly involved in the Jackson LGBT community after two unlikely people reached out to him in his time of need when his wife, Tuey, died in 2001.

(If you see him around town wearing a diamond-studded earring in his left ear, that was Tuey's. Their daughter wears her other earring.)

Tassie received support from family, he said. But the people who made him feel the best throughout his loss was a lesbian couple, Iris and Dianne.

"They are my dearest best friends after that," Tassie said. "How could I deny them, my friends, the same rights that I have?"

After the meeting, as the Michigan Theatre's lights were dimmed and patrons finished up throwing out their trash, a young man walked passed Tassie, shook his hand and said, "You're amazing."

Tassie responded: "We're all amazing. Be more kind."