GRANT: Funding to boost Hate-Free Together campaign

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County, city staff wrote and focused the grant on social justice and community engagement, specifically linking the Hate-Free Together campaign with civic practice art making. The Hate-Free Together campaign is a joint partnership between the city of Davis, UC Davis and Yolo County to provide resources, support and opportunities for action in the community.

With the recent launch of Hate-Free Together, this campaign fits ideally with the level of collaboration, design, expression and impact required in the grant while synergizing with the creative assets and strategies of civic practice in the local art community. The HateFree Together campaign will begin to build, design and host community discussions and workshops around how to condemn hate, create safety and cultivate change in a way that contains a deep respect and nuanced understanding of a community’s historical context and existing cultural norms, connects with strong partners from different sectors and focuses on stewarding a process of relationship-building and co-creation.

“Civic practice is about creating belonging, understanding context and building cultural competence. All of which are necessary to build something lasting and authentic,” said Davis Mayor Will Arnold. “The city has been very busy since the launch of HateFree Together with researching the right approach to engage residents around the tough topic of how to stop hate, and our city staff were innovative and strategic in applying for, and ultimately being awarded, this amazing opportunity.”

“I’m excited to see a funding commitment that further strengthens the partnership between UC Davis, the city of Davis and Yolo County for HateFree Together,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. “Our shared campaign connects people and unifies our collective desire to have a safe place to live and create meaningful change in our community.”

“Art goes beyond visual mediums like paintings or sculptures; it encompasses diverse forms of expression,” said Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs. “Art often serves as a platform for thought, emotion and intuition, making it a powerful tool to promote understanding and explore social change. It provides an effective means to discuss the community’s vision and desire for a hate-free environment.”

In the coming months, staff will assess local resources and needs, developing civic engagement practices and training local artist groups for the Hate-Free Together workshops and discussions to come, including facilitated dialogues, listening sessions, story sharing or community conversations. In addition, local stakeholders will be identified to be invited to this community process.

In addition to the grant being used for the Hate Free Together community engagement, three local performing non-profit arts organizations, Davis Shakespeare Festival, Bike City Theatre Company and the Davis Repertory Theatre Company, will be partnering with the city to provide arts-based civic practice services. The grant will allow the city to pilot an Artist-In-Residence program embedding the three arts partners at the Veterans Memorial Theatre for the duration of the grant. The program aims to encourage closer collaboration while offering key organizational support through capacity building and professional development. While this grant will primarily be focused in Davis, the hope is to expand this model to other cities in Yolo County. Since the start of the year, Hate-Free Together has been pursuing and acquiring funding for the campaign and devising a website strategy. For more information about HateFree Together, visit the UC Davis, Yolo County or city of Davis webpages. For more information about the Capitol Region’s California Creative Corps program, visit: https:// arts.cityofsacramento.org/ Programs/Creative-Corps. For more information about the city of Davis Arts and Cultural Affairs division, visit: www.cityofdavis.org/arts.

Spafford, and they married in August of 1953. The happy couple continued to live in Davis while Lois taught home economics in Winters until her first child was born in 1955. Ed worked at various roles at UC Davis planning the growing campus. He retired in 1987.

Lois is preceded in death by her husband F. Edwin Spafford, her son Stuart F. Spafford, her sister and two brothers. She is survived by two of her children, Susan L. Spafford England (Robert) and Steven S. Spafford (Shelagh), plus grandchildren Ben England, Caralee Spafford Castellino (Erwin), Grant England (Jessie), Stanley Spafford, Scott Spafford, and Kevin Spafford (Sarah).

Lois served on the UCD Alumni Board, was a n UC Davis Gifts Administration, 202 Cousteau Place, Suite 185, Davis, CA 94618 n Arboretum Tribute Fund. https://give.ucdavis. edu/AARB/RDSDONRRMEMO.) By mail: UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, Attn: Judy Hayes, One Shield Ave., Davis, CA 95616. Checks made out to UC Regents and include a note for Lois Spafford Tribute.

Prytanean Alumni, sister in P.E.O, member of the League of Women Voters and a long-time member of the Davis Community Church.

A memorial service will be held on July 29, 2023, at 2 p.m. at the Davis Community Church, 412 C Street, Davis, CA.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the following foundations dear to Lois: n UC Davis Foundation – Ed Spafford Scholarship (Fund #122050).