*A gathering of the California Civic Media Program Advisory Board was briefly disrupted final month when an unknown participant hijacked the Zoom chat and repeatedly posted the racial slur “I HATE N**GERS!” earlier than moderators eliminated the messages. The incident underscored a troubling actuality highlighted in a brand new statewide report: anti-Black hate stays persistent in California, and Black residents proceed to expertise the very best charges of hate incidents.
Days later, the California Fee on the State of Hate launched its 2024–2025 Annual Report on Feb. 24, warning that hate exercise stays elevated statewide and that Black Californians proceed to face disproportionate hurt.
The findings come as California prepares to shut its Cease the Hate program on June 30, 2026, after investing $250 million in public consciousness, prevention and, grassroots anti-hate work.
Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) says combating hate throughout the state requires cross-community alliances, significantly for Black Californians who expertise the very best variety of hate incidents.
“One of many crucial issues about hate is that in lots of instances, when hate arises in opposition to one group, that group is usually left by itself to prepare and defend itself. They’re left attempting to fend off the assaults and educate others about their very own humanity,” stated Jackson, who spoke at a Feb. 24 informational listening to titled “State of Hate in California: Progress on Addressing Hate in California.”
Lawmakers organized that occasion simply someday after the report’s launch.
“We all know that the most effective safety in opposition to hate — one of the simplest ways to struggle it — is solidarity,” Jackson continued. “It’s particularly essential for teams who usually are not being focused at that second to talk up for individuals who are.”
For practically 5 years, California’s Cease the Hate program has funded group organizations throughout the state to stop and reply to hate incidents and crimes. They’ve additionally supported the state’s non-emergency 2-1-1 community for the previous 3 years to coordinate care by California vs Hate, a multilingual hotline and on-line reporting system designed to help victims of bias and discrimination.
“California vs Hate has been a lifeline for Californians focused by bias and discrimination,” stated Maribel Marín, Govt Director of 211LA. “This system was initially funded with limited-term {dollars} and isn’t at present slated for renewal. With out motion throughout the funds course of, this system may sundown on June 30, 2026.”
Marín stated the necessity for the service stays pressing. Information from the UCLA Middle for Well being Coverage Analysis present practically 3.1 million Californians skilled a hate act final 12 months, and lots of reported unmet help wants — which means they needed assist however didn’t know the place to show.
Via California vs Hate, 2-1-1 operators present a protected, confidential place for folks to report incidents and join them with companies comparable to authorized support, counseling and monetary help. In 2024, this system acquired practically 1,200 stories, with about two-thirds of callers requesting ongoing help.
“If eradicated, victims would lose a trusted place to show, and California would lose a precious software for monitoring hate developments — at a crucial time when hate continues to rise throughout the state,” Marín stated.
The report consists of up to date pattern evaluation, implementation progress and 23 interim coverage suggestions geared toward strengthening California’s anti-hate infrastructure. Whereas it doesn’t embody a brand new statewide prevalence survey this 12 months, commissioners reaffirm that the newest consultant information present about 14% of Black adults in California skilled not less than one act of hate inside a one-year interval — practically double the statewide common.
Brian Levin, chair of the California Fee on the State of Hate, says hate has risen dramatically over the past decade, however California is main the nation in responding to the surge.
“Our state has constructed up native help networks, we’re investing in elevated security for nonprofits, and we’re bringing collectively specialists from all walks of life to assist us put a cease to hate,” Levin stated.
Key suggestions within the report embody sustained funding for community-based organizations offering culturally competent sufferer companies, requiring regulation enforcement companies to designate hate crime coordinators, increasing culturally responsive psychological well being companies, strengthening college curricula addressing on-line hate and bullying, and rising public consciousness campaigns forward of main occasions comparable to elections.
“This report supplies an essential roadmap for a way we are able to proceed to meaningfully take motion in opposition to hate,” stated Civil Rights Division Director Kevin Kish.
The Civil Rights Division supplies administrative and technical help to the Fee and operates the state’s hate reporting hotline and useful resource community.
“Individuals throughout California proceed to come back collectively to help their neighbors and assist construct a state the place everybody feels protected and welcome,” Kish added.
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