For years, Alliance San Diego has taught workshops to youth about human rights and advocacy. Somali Family Service, another local group, created a documentary about the harmful effects of hate crimes on communities. And the Union of Pan Asian Communities built a program designed to support people who have been targeted by hate crimes and reduce stigma around mental health care.
The work of each nonprofit was made possible through the Stop the Hate program, a state grant initiative launched in 2021 to help organizations provide services for communities affected by hate crimes and support preventative programming. More than $100 million was distributed to 180 nonprofits across California over two funding rounds — with about $13 million going to 27 San Diego groups.
But future Stop the Hate funding is now uncertain. State legislators included just $30 million for the program in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year they adopted Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t include any funding for it at all in his proposed budget. Negotiations are underway and a final state budget will be released by June 30…
…Hate crimes investigated by law enforcement in California have been trending downward since they hit a peak in 2022, but the rates are still high, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The most recent statewide survey in 2024 found that one in 11 Californians experienced hate that year, though this may represent only a fraction of the full picture, since many victims don’t report hate crimes out of fear of retaliation…
…Losing state funding like Stop the Hate, he says, especially as communities like his face growing harassment, only makes the situation worse.