LA County kicks off “L.A. vs. Hate” initiative to report and end hate by calling 2-1-1

LOS ANGELES —  The County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, the LA County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS), and the Commission on Human Relations, Aug. 27, jointly announced the launch of the “L.A. vs Hate” initiative to report and end incidents of hate and hate crimes in LA County. This announcement comes as 211-LA continues to receive reports of hate – from January through July 2020, 256 total calls reporting hate, including 27 calls as a result of COVID-19 – and is part of a multi-year mission by the Board of Supervisors to end acts of hate in the County.

For more information on the “L.A. vs Hate” initiative, including shareable community-centric graphics ready-made for social media, please click here.

The “L.A. vs Hate” campaign has three components:

1. a marketing campaign to provide awareness of the dangers of hate and the importance of reporting hate;
2. the ability to report acts of hate and bias motivated bullying, and to connect victims with needed resources via case managers, by calling 211-LA; and
3. a network of agencies to provide assistance and prevention strategies to prevent hate.

By inviting artists and their communities to participate in art interventions inspired by the principles of “L.A. vs Hate,” the campaign uses art and community organizing to reach county residents in an authentic and meaningful way. Through this virtual medium, the campaign builds understanding within individual, diverse communities about what constitutes hate and how to report it.

The strategies and programs offered by the network partner agencies reflect deep experience in serving a wide range of diverse county residents, including those vulnerable communities who are particularly targeted for hate acts in the largest number of 211 calls: youth of color, immigrants, disabled youth, and since COVID-19 related backlash, Asian-Americans. Some of the network partner agencies include the Anti-Defamation League; Antelope Valley Partners for Health; Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A. (CHIRLA); Hate Violence Prevention Partnership of L.A. (includes Bienestar, Brotherhood Crusade, California Conference for Equality & Justice, and Muslim Public Affairs Council); Not In Our Town; and San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center, Inc.

Individuals reporting to 211-LA may choose to report anonymously. Callers are also offered the option to be referred to follow up services including legal aid, trauma counseling, and advocacy support. In the first six months of this year, 87% of residents calling 211-LA to report hate requested follow up services.

For over 70 years, the LA County Commission on Human Relations has worked to inform, support, train, and mobilize county residents to transform prejudice into acceptance, tranquility into justice, and hostility into peace.