LA vs Hate and Community Leaders Lift Up Muslim Voices Through Public Art

LOS ANGELES – LA vs Hate joined faith leaders, elected officials, artists, and community members at the Islamic Center of Southern California to celebrate the unveiling of a new mural titled “Sabr at Fajr”, created by Palestinian-American artist Saj Issa. The event, hosted by LA vs Hate in partnership with MPAC, CAIR-LA, is part of LA vs Hate’s Signs of Solidarity campaign. Launched in April, Signs of Solidarity is a grassroots initiative aimed at countering rising hate, hostility, and discrimination by distributing community signage—such as yard signs, posters, and murals—to foster a shared neighborhood identity rooted in inclusion and respect for diversity.

The mural’s title, which means “Patience at Dawn,” depicts a symbolic Sabr (cactus) plant taking root in an ethereal landscape that evokes both Los Angeles and the Middle East, echoing the strength and identity of the Muslim community in LA County. Developed through months of community engagement and MuralColors artist residency program, the placement of the mural could not have come at a better time. In May, the Islamic Center was defaced with hate-motivated graffiti—an attack that galvanized the community and spurred renewed efforts to combat hate in all its forms.

“Over the last 21 months, the American Muslim community and our allies have faced an increase in Islamophobic, xenophobic, and racist hate here at home while watching a U.S.-funded genocide against our communities abroad happen in real-time,” said Dina Chehata, Civil Rights Managing Attorney for CAIR-LA. “But in a time of growing hostility, we gather today not in fear, but in faith and resolve. This mural is more than art on a wall: it is a declaration of presence, belonging, and enduring. It is a statement that we will not be erased; that when our communities are targeted and our mosques defaced, we will not meet hate with silence, but with unity, solidarity, and strength.”

The mural unveiling is part of LA vs Hate’s growing Signs of Solidarity campaign, which aims to combat the sharp rise in hate crimes by reclaiming public space with messages of inclusion. The 2023 Hate Crime Report revealed a 45% increase in hate crimes across LA County, prompting a strategic expansion of efforts to foster visibility, connection, and collective resistance to hate. The campaign has already launched in Westlake, San Pedro, Pico-Robertson, and Koreatown; Signs of Solidarity will launch in Hollywood, Florence, Culver City, Santa Monica, Burbank, and Antelope Valley next.

LA vs Hate provides a free, confidential, and anonymous hotline for victims and witnesses to receive free support via online reporting to LAvsHate.org or by calling 2-1-1 in LA County.

Details: www.lavshate.org/signsofsolidarity.