SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In honor of California’s eighth annual United Against Hate Week, Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement Monday spotlighting statewide efforts by communities and nonprofits to combat hate.
Despite the Trump administration’s defunding and discontinuance of similar programs at the federal level, California has continued to fight against the growing prevalence of hate crimes.
According to an Axios analysis of FBI data, hate crimes in the United States last year reached their second-highest total since the FBI began keeping records.
With this reality in mind, many Americans are feeling apprehensive about the future. Renée Williams, CEO of the National Center for Victims of Crime, told The Guardian that when her organization “lost three grants [due to the Trump administration’s budget cuts], including one for a victim’s hotline that the Justice Department had been funding for 10 years,” it felt “like a slap in the face.”
Amid the cuts, anti-hate programs have continued to thrive in California. One example is California vs Hate, which Newsom founded in 2023. The initiative is described as “California’s first-ever multilingual statewide hotline and resource network that provides a safe, anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate.”
Last year alone, California vs Hate received nearly 1,200 reports of hate crimes, underscoring its necessity. A recent survey also identified ongoing underreporting of hate crimes and incidents, with roughly 3.1 million Californians experiencing hate in 2024. Officials say that shows “this work remains critical.”
“While the federal government tries to build division among neighbors and communities, I’m proud of the people all across California who are joining together to stand united against hate,” Newsom said. “From millions in public safety funding to nation-leading programs like CA vs Hate, we’ll keep doing the work to make sure every Californian feels welcome and safe in our state.”
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Categories: Breaking News Civil Rights State of California Tags: California California vs Hate Civil Rights Gavin Newsom Governor Gavin Newsom Hate Crimes Trump Administration United Against Hate Week