Mayor De Blasio Creates Coalition of Six Ethnic Organizations to Fight Hate in Solidarity

By Yehudit Garamise

     Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the New York City’s $3 million investment in a new initiave in which community organizations will work together and stand in solidarity to fight hate crimes.

     Participating in the program, which is called P.A.T.H. Forward: Partners against the Hate are the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), the Asian-American Federation, the Hispanic Federation, the Anti-Violence Project, and the Arab-American Association of New York, and from the 67^th Precinct Clergy Council.

    “This is a perfect New York City rainbow of people who are coming together in a common cause,” the mayor said. “They are going to ensure that people see and feel the presence of forces of good, of community groups that want to foster understanding and mutual support. This is all about fighting back the hate.”

    In particular, multi-ethnic local community patrols will be coming together for a common cause, report any acts of bias, and break down negative stereotypes, the mayor said.

    “Hate crimes and bias goes against everything we believe as New Yorkers,” said Mayor De Blasio, who mentioned that the NYPD has arrested many perpetrators of anti-Semitic hate crimes on recent week. “Our whole history and identity as New Yorkers: This is the greatest coming-together place in the world. The most diverse place on earth.

   “We are successful because of [the many different kinds of people we have here].

    “Hatred has no place here.”

     In describing his plans “to redouble our efforts to fight hate and work with outstanding community organizations to reach deep into the grassroots,” the mayor said, “We will educate people. We will show solidarity. We will have community-based efforts. We will have efforts in our schools, and we will also ensure there are consequences for anyone who commits a hate crime.”

    In fact, the mayor pointed out that in recent days the NYPD arrested the perpetrators of the anti-Semitic attacks that took place in Brooklyn over Shabbos.

    “I heard the pain, fear, and the sense of insecurity they felt,” said the mayor, who spoke with two of the victims of the attacks. “We cannot have that in New York City. The NYPD is going to play a crucial role.

   “But we can’t just [fight hate] with policing; We have to do it with the community.”

    The Partners Against Hate, the mayor said, “will come together, show solidarity, and get hate out of our lives and move forward.”

    A group of New Yorkers of different ethnicities stood behind the mayor, who said about his coalition, “This group looks like the best of New York City.

    “We are coming together for a common cause. This is a New York story: how we stand together in solidarity. We need partners who are going to make a difference on the ground.

   “We are going to make sure people see and feel the presence of people who want to foster feeling of community support.”

     Rabbi Robert Kaplan, JCRC’s executive director for community leadership said that while, “Hate is once again rearing its ugly and destructive visage, and we are really excited to work with this extraordinary team of community and faith-based organizations and their leadership.”

    “[Fighting hate] is the responsibility of all New Yorkers to stand together and to make a statement by their actions and their words that hate is utterly unacceptable.

     Rabbi Kaplan also said that he is looking forward to partnering with New Yorkers to defeat the societal epidemic, age-old scourge of anti-Semitism.

     “We have to step forward to defeat this destructive force of hate that tears the very fabric of safety and our social contract,” said Rabbi Kaplan. “We are truly better together.”

      “We look forward to the day when we have gotten hate out of New York City for once and for all,” said the mayor. “Our safety comes from us working together."

 Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.