Stop the Hate

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, California experienced a troubling rise in hate crimes, many of which were directed at Asian Americans. Stop the Hate (STH) was launched in partnership with the California Department of Social Services to protect Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities from hate crimes, and today it continues to support that work while expanding into a comprehensive initiative addressing systemic biases and hate across other communities facing discrimination, including BIPOC, 2S/LGBTQ+, Muslim, Jewish, and differently abled individuals. The program partners with community-based organizations (CBOs) that have deep grassroots connections, empowering them to prevent and respond to hate incidents effectively.

Stop the Hate Partner Convening

We recently convened in Merced, CA with our 35 funded partners from across the state. We left our time in Merced together feeling more inspired and ready to support our communities. It was a special day made even brighter by the declaration of Merced Hmong American Day by the Merced City Council Board of Supervisors. Congratulations again to the Hlub Hmong Center for pioneering the way and inviting us to honor this incredible marking alongside our Stop the Hate partner convening. Our next convening takes place in late October 2024.

Pictured: The Center and CDSS logos

Partner Organizations

The Center’s Stop the Hate program directs grants to qualified organizations to provide support and services to hate crime victims and survivors and their families. Importantly, the grants also equip organizations to facilitate hate incident and hate crime prevention measures. The California Department of Social Services and The Center have selected a total of 35 organizations to partner in this work through 2026. These organizations are the heart of Stop the Hate, working with their respective communities in culturally relevant and meaningful ways.

Actions You Can Take

  1. Speak out against hate and intolerance.
  2. Report AAPI and other hate crimes and incidents to Stop AAPI Hate.
  3. Offer support to victims and organizations assisting victims.
  4. Have community rallies to give victims a platform and voice.
  5. Ask public officials to speak out against hate crimes.
  6. Establish a local hate crime network that includes law enforcement, local government, schools, religious organizations and community organizations. Ask them to respond to hate crimes immediately when they happen and to promote prevention and awareness.

What We Are Doing

In March 2022, the California Department of Social Services chose The Center to serve as a regional lead for the Stop the Hate program. In this role, The Center directs grants to qualified organizations to provide support and services to hate crime victims and survivors and their families. The grants also equip organizations to facilitate hate incident and hate crime prevention measures.

Pictured:  Cover of Two Years and Thousands of Voices report

Stop AAPI Hate

Stop AAPI Hate released a report, Two Years and Thousands of Voices, which provides insight into the racism and discrimination the AAPI community has faced since the start of the pandemic.

  • 11,500 hate incidents were reported between March 19, 2020, and March 31, 2022.
  • Harrassment is a major problem. Approximately 67 percent of incidents involved harassment, such as verbal or written hate speech or inappropriate gestures.
  • AAPI individuals who are also female, non-binary, LGBTQIA+ and/or elderly experienced hate incidents that targeted them for more than one of their identities at once.