Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
EMS briefing on Jan 17 shared perspectives from the California Civil Rights Department, activists, and community leaders on how different ethnic minorities may experience hate in these rural areas, and how the state’s anti-hate initiatives can offer direct support to vulnerable populations.
In some parts of predominantly white rural California, ethnic minorities experience racism as an everyday fact of life – from hate speech and school yard bullying to facing discrimination in the workplace, housing, and more. Many report feeling too isolated from and distrustful of the local government to report it. Launched in May 2023, the state’s anti-hate hotline and resource network — CA vs Hate — is a new initiative providing a direct response to these concerns and the rise in recent years of reported hate crimes in California, which state data shows have nearly doubled since 2019.
Kevin Kish, Director of the CA Civil Rights Department emphasized the unique role of the hotline. “For the first time in California’s history, we are launching a statewide tool to connect individuals experiencing hate with culturally competent resources”.
He said the hotline provides legal assistance, counseling, financial support and access to communities across California. Kish said “CA vs Hate” was created in response to this alarming trend and generally reported hate crimes, and would be particularly beneficial to rural areas. In California, in countries like Del Norte and Mariposa, many community members feel too isolated to seek help from the government. Since the hotline was launched, more and more people have begun to use it, and it has received more than 1,000 reports, covering nearly 80% of California counties. “Our mission is to create a California where everyone feels safe, respected and can thrive.”
Chairwoman Regina Cuellar, Chairwoman of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and Commissioner on the CA State of Hate represents the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, shared efforts to combat hate through education and communication in conservative areas like El Dorado County. “We’ve made some progress in telling the truth about aboriginal experiences, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” she said.
Gaonou Vang, Communications and Narrative Manager, at Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) emphasized the importance of initiatives like CA vs Hate in raising the visibility of community issues in Southeast Asia. “Our community has long faced hate and discrimination, but resources like this hotline are slowly bringing more attention to these issues,” she said.
If you want to use the “CA vs Hate” service, you can call the hotline 833-866-4283 or visit the official website which supports call services in more than 200 languages and reports in 15 written languages. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and accepts anonymous reports to ensure that all California residents, including undocumented immigrants and residents of tribal areas, can receive help.
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
