The California state government is poised to end its funding for hate crime prevention campaigns that it has been running in collaboration with minority media outlets. This comes as incidents of hate crimes are on the rise across the state, prompting calls from minority media groups for the continuation of the program.
Asian American Media reported on January 2 that the California government will not renew its funding for the “Stop The Hate” program for the 2025 fiscal year, which has supported anti-hate crime efforts with minority media outlets over the past two years.
The state government launched a proactive response in 2020 after a surge in hate crimes targeting the Asian community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom allocated $156 million to address hate crimes, with a focus on preventing incidents in the Asian American community, as well as supporting mental health services and educational campaigns. The funding was to be used over the following three years for victim assistance, prevention, and policy development.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has worked closely with minority media outlets, including Korean-American media, to raise awareness about hate crimes.
Over the past two years, $10 million has been allocated for the campaign. These media outlets have used the funds to highlight the scope of hate crimes and share personal stories from affected community members.
In 2023, the Korea Daily conducted an investigative project funded by the program, covering cities like Florida, San Francisco, and Detroit to examine the impact of anti-Asian hate crimes.
In response to the funding cut, minority media organizations are urging the state not to discontinue the support for hate crime prevention and outreach efforts.
Mireya Olivera, director and founder of the weekly newspaper Impulso, a weekly publication serving the indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec communities in the Los Angeles area, expressed concern, saying, “With Trump’s arrival in the White House, things are going to get worse for all ethnic communities. Funds are of the utmost importance so that we can keep the community informed if they are victims of this type of crime”
Fatmeh Bhakit, editor of Al Enteshar Newspaper, a media outlet for the Southern California Muslim community, stated, “It makes no sense to get support for one year to get people involved to know what to do in case of a hate crime, and suddenly not to continue. People will be surprised to see that we cover this issue much less than before. They will be more afraid, while the hate continues.”
According to the Los Angeles County government, 1,350 hate crimes were reported in 2023, marking a 45% increase from the previous year. Hate crimes against Asians rose by 31%, with 80 reported incidents. California prosecutors reported that hate crimes in the state reached 2,120 in 2022, representing a 20% increase from the previous year.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
