HRC_Hero_About.jpg

LA vs Hate Anti-Hate Initiative

  2. LA vs Hate Anti-Hate Initiative

On July 17, 2018, the LA County Board of Supervisors passed a motion by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Sheila Kuehl to protect vulnerable communities in LA County from hate crime. Included in the motion was direction for the Commission on Human Relations to create and launch a multi-year public outreach anti-hate campaign. In response, Commission staff designed and implemented the LA vs Hate Anti-Hate Initiative that

  • promotes positive messaging on the importance of building inclusion and respect for all County residents and the need to report hate (bias-motivated hostility),
  • created and manages a reporting infrastructure through 211LA for reporting hate acts, and
  • supports persons targeted by hate with case management services and resources and targets community responses based on where and with whom hate acts are being reported geographically and by social sector.

Messaging to build inclusion and respect is the focus the campaign designed and launched in collaboration with TaskForce, a Los Angeles based creative agency. The campaign is an arts-centered, grass roots approach to promote behavior change for increased reporting of hate acts and acceptance of help in healing from the trauma of hate violence.  Over 280 million hits were registered on the LA vs Hate web site in its first seven months. In the 16 months of operation nearly more than 800 callers to 211LA reported bias-motivated hate acts.  Over 90% of those callers accepted case management services. Case managers assist callers to access support services from a growing network of providers skilled in addressing hate violence and its effects, directed against the diverse communities in LA County, including LGBTQ, Jewish, African-American, immigrant, and youth individuals and groups.

The LA vs Hate Anti Hate Initiative launched the inaugural LA County United Against Hate Week November 30 – December 6, 2020. LA Care Health Plan was a major sponsoring partner in the development and implementation of this weeklong emphasis supported also by the LA Chamber of Commerce, the LA County Office of Education, and the LA City Civil & Human Relations Department. The week featured a “Twitter Mob” with over 200,000 tweets, likes, and shares; a mid-week Flash Mob with over 700,000 Instagram and Facebook photos, likes, and shares; and a “Wall of Unity” art intervention with 88 cities in the County represented.  Website visits to LA vs Hate rose nearly 500% during the week and local, regional, and national media covered the event. Events related to the LA vs Hate United Against Hate Week were held at four high schools (Duarte, Baldwin Park, Bellflower, and Paramount).  The schools added LA vs Hate United Against Hate Week activities on their weekly newsletter to students and parents and a video regarding United Against Hate Week on their social media pages. All 15 CSI high school staff received an email blast with the LA vs Hate United Against Hate Week links and flyers to post on the school’s website, blast to their faculty, and on social media.

The Initiative created and launched a new website, “Explore Justice”, to serve as a repository of thought-provoking pieces relating to gender equity, race, unaddressed history, LGBTQ discrimination, and related topics so that students, parents, and educators can use the material to develop understanding on social justice topics.  The website is housed on the 211LA website.