Morgan Hill officials and volunteers are encouraging residents, businesses, organizations and others to join the city in observing United Against Hate week Nov. 13-19.
The city’s Library, Culture and Arts Commission is leading the citywide call to stop hate and implicit bias in the community, in partnership with other local organizations. Representatives of Congregation Emeth—the Morgan Hill-based Jewish congregation that serves all of South Valley—presented the idea to participate in the nationwide campaign at a recent LCAC meeting.
United Against Hate Week started in 2017 with a poster campaign in Bay Area cities in response to white supremacist rallies that took place in San Francisco and Berkeley that year, according to the website unitedagainsthateweek.org. Since then, more than 200 communities in California and across the U.S. have joined United Against Hate Week.
“Hate incidents and crimes involve evidence that bias, hatred or prejudice have occurred based on the victim’s real or perceived race/ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation,” says the United Against Hate Week website.
Efforts to stamp out hate and bias during United Against Hate Week include educational events and an ongoing poster campaign. In Morgan Hill, the city and volunteers are distributing posters that local homes, businesses and others can display in observation of the week. The posters read, “Morgan Hill Stands United Against Hate,” and electronic versions are available to print out for free on the city’s website at https://tinyurl.com/5xmdeb7b.
Also in Morgan Hill, a free United Against Hate Week kickoff event will take place Nov. 13 at the Morgan Hill Library, 660 West Main Ave., from 2-3pm. The event will feature a short musical and cultural event with songs, dance, poetry and short speeches, says a press release from the City of Morgan Hill. There will also be coloring pages and crayons for kids and grownups to share a fun activity while attending the event.
“Morgan Hill is an incredibly caring community, and it is important that we share this message to all of our residents that we stand against any form of hate,” said Suman Ganapathy, Morgan Hill Library Culture and Arts Commissioner.
Additional local partners in United Against Hate Week are the Interfaith Council of South County, Morgan Hill Police Department and many other community members, Ganapathy said.
“We invite our wonderful Morgan Hill community to participate all week and attend the library event,” Ganapathy added. “I know our town is full of wonderful people to whom this will really speak!”
