SPECIAL EDITION
Bridge Builders Foundation (BBF), a 501c3 non-profit, is a “community influencers” that currently serves over 500 youth of color annually through one of three Dedicated Programs (STEM, Mentor, and Scholars) and and underrepresented communities within Greater Los Angeles through their targeted initiatives on healthcare awareness and financial literacy.
PUT AN END TO
Hate
Hate, racism, oppression, and racial violence persistently afflict marginalized communities. Nationally, incidents of violence are primarily driven by biases related to race/ethnicity and ancestry, accounting for over 64% of cases. Shockingly, in Los Angeles County in 2022, Black individuals were significantly overrepresented. Despite constituting only 9% of the County’s residents, they made up 46% of the victims of racially motivated crimes. In fact, in Los Angeles, the number of race-based hate crimes against Blacks surpasses the combined totals of the next three highest affected groups. Sadly, these occurrences within the Black community have become so commonplace that they are normalized and often dismissed as routine, leading to significant underreporting.
BBF is a social impact organization leveraging relationships of its network of communitybased organizations and stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of smaller grassroots organizations. www.bridgebuildersLA.org /BridgeBuilders #BuildingExcellence
Bridge Builders Foundation, through its various programs and initiatives, impacts the lives of several thousand youth and community members each year. Rather than solely focusing on quantifying incidents, our mission is to educate and empower individuals about the underlying mindsets, beliefs, and perceptions that shape policies and foster sanctioned systems and structures within our society. We aim to educate, inform, empower, and advocate to put an end to hate and the prejudiced ideologies that give rise to, support, and perpetuate hatred. To report a hate crime, please visit LAvshate.org or call: 1-833-8NO-HATE. Sincerely,
JamesBreedlove
James Breedlove President, Bridge Builders Foundation
What is a Hate Crime? According to California state law, hate crime charges may be filed when there is evidence that bias, hatred, or prejudice based on the victim’s real or perceived race/ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation is a substantial factor in the commission of the offense.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? Hate speech is a criminal offense when the perpetrator has threatened violence with spoken or written words against a specific person or group of people. However, when derogatory words or epithets are directed against a member of a protected class, but no violence is threatened, the act is not a criminal offense. Such language is protected by free speech rights set forth in the California and U.S. constitutions.
WORDS CAN HURT Graffiti is a hate crime when it takes the form of vandalism that is disparaging to a class of people protected by hate crime laws. This is most often indicated by the use of epithets or hate group symbols or slogans. To be a hate crime, graffiti must be directed at a specific target. For example, racial graffiti on a freeway overpass that does not address itself to a particular person is vandalism, and therefore illegal, but probably not considered a hate crime. Vandalism of a house of worship or of an ethnic, religious, or gay and lesbian organization may be investigated as a hate crime in the absence of evidence of other motives.
”People must LEARN to HATE, and if they can learn to hate, they can be
TAUGHT to LOVE.”
— BARACK OBAMA
2 | BRIDGE BUILDERS NEWSLETTER • SPECIAL EDITION
racial violence and Hate crimes in Los Angeles County (2022) hate racism & oppression: Nationwide
of violence incidents are driven by race/ethnicit y and ancestry biases
in Los Angeles C s l a ou du nt vi i y d ): 22 (20
esentation of B epr la r ck er v In O
64%
LA County
Black residents make up only
9%
of the count y's population.
Black individuals account for
Number of hate crimes against Black individuals surpasses the combined totals of the next three most affected groups.
stop oppression
46%
of racially motivated crime victims.
p sto m is rac
stop hate
Underreporting:
Hate crimes within the Black communit y are normalized and often underreported. BRIDGE BUILDERS NEWSLETTER
SUMMER 2023 | 3
BUILDING INCLUSIVITY: Addressing Racial Disparities in Hate Crimes in LA County Hate, racism, and oppression have a damaging impact on our society, leading to serious consequences. Instances of hate crimes are increasing across ALL COMMUNITIES. Leaders at local and state levels nationwide are acknowledging racism as a pressing public health crisis. While this recognition is a crucial first step towards promoting racial equity and justice, it must be backed by the allocation of resources and strategic initiatives. Our combined efforts should focus on dismantling ignorance, indifference, and, most importantly, hate. The essential initial step is to promote tolerance, understanding, and respect for our diversities. BY WORKING TOGETHER, we can create a society where people can work, live, pray, and play in peace, free from fear and harm. To comprehensively address the issue, collaborative efforts are necessary, involving law enforcement, community leaders, education, and policy changes. Bridge Builders Foundation is committed to creating a more equitable and inclusive society through initiatives like the “Stop The Hate” program, actively combating hate crimes and promoting respect and understanding for everyone. As part of this effort, they’ve also introduced a special T-shirt design to raise awareness and encourage unity in the fight against hate.
HATE CANNOT DRIVE OUT HATE, ONLY LOVE CAN DO THAT.”
30%
Increase in the number of anti-black crimes.
67%
Surge in the number of crimes targeting Asians.
74%
of Religious motivated hate crimes were against Jews
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
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