In an effort to combat hate crimes in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) Executive Director Deborah Lauter announced a new initiative that is meant to let the community help in these matters.
Called Partners Against the Hate (P.A.T.H.) Forward, the program will provide funding and support to six anchor organizations to promote community-based approaches to reduce hate crimes as well as expanding hate crime reporting and services for victims.
“In New York City, we do not tolerate hate, violence, or bigotry in any form,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “As we drive a recovery for all of us, we must lift up the community leaders standing up against America’s hate epidemic. We are taking action to make sure the hate in our beloved city is eliminated—once and for all.”
The P.A.T.H. Forward program will include $3 million in funding for distribution to the following organizations selected by the city: the Anti-Violence Project, the Arab American Association of New York, the Asian American Federation, the Hispanic Federation, the Jewish Community Relations Council, and the 67th Precinct Clergy Council. These organizations will work closely with the OPHC and other city agencies to create a comprehensive, community-based approach to combat and preventing hate crimes in the city.
The anchors of the initiative will also be judges in awarding OPHC Hate Crime Prevention Innovation Grants, which will be distributed on a revolving basis throughout the year in an effort to encourage individuals, organizations, and academic institutions to use their entrepreneurial skills to develop projects that aim to reduce hate violence and promote community respect.
“There is not one way to stop hate: it takes a multi-pronged approach that includes strong laws and their enforcement, education to stop biases that fuel hate violence, and healthy community relations,” said Lauter. “Through the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes’s P.A.T.H Forward initiative, New York City is committing significant resources to support the diverse communities that are the most vulnerable to acts of hate. We are optimistic that this initiative will have a significant, long-term impact that ensures all New Yorkers feel respected and safe.”
