This past Friday, I attended a press conference sponsored by LA vs. Hate as it kicked off its Seventh Annual United Against Hate Week (Sept. 21-27). As you may remember, I am a commissioner of the LA County Commission on Human Relations. Sitting at the press conference, next to a couple of my fellow commissioners, and surrounded by so many others who care passionately about eradicating hate in LA County, I felt a sense of calm and optimism that I have not always felt.

You see, I think we sometimes forget, as we hear about the rise of hate, some of us even experiencing it firsthand, that we are not alone in facing it. Yes, the Jewish community has dealt with more than its fair share of this hatred, including the antisemitic tropes shared by former President Donald Trump when he spoke at the Israeli American Council’s annual conference and said that if he were not elected President in November, it would be because of the Jewish community. And while some people strongly denounced this rhetoric, many others just brushed it aside and tried to rationalize his words.

Right now, because of its prevalence and the attention it is currently getting, antisemitic incidents are occurring far more often than other forms of hate. The FBI just announced that antisemitic incidents increased by 63% between 2022 and 2023, with the Jewish community being targeted more often than any other religious group. In light of these horrifying statistics, we need to remember that we are not cornering the market on hate. Hate has no boundaries, and it touches and targets many different groups of people - LGBTQIA+, Asian, Black, Latino, Arab, and any other number of groups (including now Haitians) face hate.

Efforts like United Against Hate Week, which is now a statewide initiative being promoted by CA vs. Hate, provide us an opportunity to stand with other marginalized groups and shout in one unified voice that HATE HAS NO PLACE IN OUR SOCIETY!

It is important to note that while United Against Hate Week normally takes place in November, it was moved up in an effort to minimize and reduce the current climate of hate surrounding the upcoming election.

During Friday’s event, it was also announced that LA vs. Hate was launching a new initiative called Vote Against Hate. The purpose of this campaign is to encourage people “to consider voting for people and policies that strengthen our diverse communities and protect them against hate and discrimination. Everyone should remember voting is a human right and a tool in the fight against hate and discrimination. When we work together against hate, we can restore civil discourse, embrace the strength of diversity, and build inclusive and equitable communities for all.” (lavshate.org/vote)

Between now and September 27, please see what you can do to participate in United Against Hate Week. Check out www.unitedagainsthateweek.org and learn how to get involved and do your part, even just by posting about it on social media, to help reduce hate in and around our community. I promise you, it will feel good knowing that you are doing what you can to help.