San Diego launches inaugural ‘United Against Hate Week’
By Carl Samson
California’s San Diego County is holding its first United Against Hate (UAH) Week starting today.
UAH, which started in 2017 in Bay Area cities, aims to “empower local residents and communities to stand against racism and alter the course of growing intolerance.” The local campaign is led by the San Diego Regional Anti-Hate Crime Coalition and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of California.
San Diego’s UAH Week will consist of both in-person and virtual events.
The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) will offer two virtual trainings in English and Spanish. Monday and Tuesday trainings will focus on the “Art of Inclusive Communication,” while Wednesday and Thursday trainings will focus on the “Bystander Challenge” – that is, how bystanders can intervene when they notice microaggressions preceding hate incidents.
Other trainings, seminars and discussions will be offered by the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, Anti-Defamation League of San Diego, Somali Bantu Association, North County LGBTQ Resource Center and the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. On Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association will host an awards ceremony for students who participated in recent poster and essay contests.
San Diego saw its hate crimes spike from 26 in 2020 to 46 in 2021. The majority of those cases were racially motivated, the San Diego Union-Tribune noted.
“When cities and residents work together against hate, we can restore respect, embrace the strength of diversity and build inclusive and equitable communities for all,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in its recent statement.
Community members are encouraged to organize and host their own anti-hate events as well. These include film screenings, unity walks, tribute concerts, art exhibits and community potlucks, to name a few.
People can also help amplify the campaign online using the hashtag #SDUnitedAgainstHate. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has released templates for social media posts.
Featured Image via U.S. Attorney’s Office of Southern District of California
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