On March 19, 2024, the LA County Board of Supervisors adopted a motion focused on Combatting Identity-Based Hate in Los Angeles County through a Comprehensive, Proactive, and Equitable Strategy . The motion highlights the meaningful steps the County has taken towards addressing hate crimes across diverse communities, while raising an alarm regarding rising cases of discrimination and targeted violence in recent years.
To ensure the County confronts this crisis with a holistic, proactive, and equitable strategy, the Board has directed the Chief Executive Office, through the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative, to lead coordination and partnership across various County departments and entities to meet several directives, including:
To meet this call to action, ARDI is partnering and consulting with the County’s Human Relations Commission, Department of Public Health Office of Violence Prevention, CEO Office of Emergency Management, Department of Mental Health, Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney’s Office, County Counsel, and other relevant County entities and community stakeholders.
LA vs HATE – LA County Campaign. Photo credit: Los Angeles County
Lunar New Year Celebration at Potrero Heights Community and Senior Center. Photo credit: Mayra Beltran Vasquez/Los Angeles County
On April 6, 2021, the Board adopted a motion responding to a national and local increase in targeted violence against Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. The motion elevated the need to increase the County’s ongoing commitment to fighting racism in all its dimensions and promote unity and solidarity within and among communities to stop and further prevent identity-based violence.
Per the motion, ARDI collaborated with the County’s Human Relations Commission, Department of Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention, Department of Arts and Culture, and other community partners to take action, including:
ARDI submitted a report and recommendations for a spending plan for the Equity Fund created in consultation with internal departments and principally informed though various stakeholder outreach efforts. The plan was adopted by the Board on March 7, 2023, and divides the funding into priority areas, including:
Funding will be released to support programs in several of these areas. Check back soon for more information or sign up here to receive notifications.
On November 7, 2023, the Board adopted a motion entitled, Response to Increase in Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Incidents Across Los Angeles , which calls attention to a disturbing rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate throughout the state and nation, including book bans, acts of violence, online harassment, protests, threats, and other aggressive and organized actions.
In LA County, these tactics manifested in a very real, very dangerous way at a Drag Storytime event scheduled with the San Fernando Branch of the Los Angeles County Library as part of the County’s celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month. Despite the presence of local law enforcement, numerous anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-drag protestors blocked and pounded on doors and verbally harassed County staff and attendees, leading to an impromptu cancellation of the event due to safety concerns 1 .
In adopting this motion, the Board reaffirmed its commitment to fostering an LA County where all residents, including transgender, queer, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized communities, can live safely and free from intimidation or violence.
The motion directed the Chief Executive Officer, through ARDI, to collaborate with the Sheriff’s Department, Public Library, and Human Relations Commission and consult with various partners, including Equality California, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, the TransLatin@ Coalition, ONE Institute, San Fernando Valley LGBTQ Center, LA vs. Hate, Somos Familia Valle, GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society, the Williams Institute, the Anti-Defamation League, the City of Los Angeles, the City of West Hollywood, and the City of Fernando, to report on the following:
Since the adoption of the motion, ARDI has engaged in activities to address the Board’s directive such as stakeholder collaboration and consultation, quantitative and qualitative analysis of incidents and crimes, and development of the community site safety blueprint. ARDI continues to convene stakeholders to finalize the development of recommendations for the County to address anti-LGBTQ+ hate and violence. For more information, the full report can be viewed here .
Progress Pride flag at LA County Lifeguard at Will Roger State Beach. Photo credit: Mayra Beltran Vasquez/Los Angeles County
