On November 30, as part of its LA vs. Hate campaign, the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission launched its celebration of United Against Hate Week to “not just raise awareness about the dangers of hate and the need for respect and civil discourse, but to help community members build stronger connections and foster deeper engagement.”
Since its inception in August of this year, LA vs. Hate has worked to bring diverse voices together to put an end to bigotry and discrimination on behalf of all residents of Los Angeles County, which happens to be the most populous county in the United States. The campaign promotes the important message that, united, we can build resilient communities and make respect a reality.
In its 2019 Hate Crime Report released in October, the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission analyzed and presented crime data submitted by law enforcement, community-based organizations and educational institutions, which together revealed that violent hate crime last year reached a 10-year high in L.A. County—with religious hate crimes rising 11 percent.
“Hate is hate, and so regardless of which group they’re coming against … we all need to stand up against hate because hate anywhere is hate everywhere,” said Capri Maddox, Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Department of Civil and Human Rights. “And we are not going to tolerate hate in Los Angeles.”