[We All Belong Anti-Hate Initiative News Conference]
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I AM A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE HERE AT AUSTIN CITY HALL.
AND WELCOME TO THE WE ALL BELONG PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVE, ANNOUNCEMENT NEWS CONFERENCE.
WE'RE SO GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US TODAY.
UM, HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE FIVE SPEAKERS WHO WILL SPEAK WITH YOU, WHO WILL SHARE REMARKS, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR A BRIEF Q AND A AT THE END OF THOSE REMARKS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, VERONICA SENIO.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD, THE WORDS OF OUR MAYOR.
WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY TO BE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I AM AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UH, I'M PART OF THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
TODAY I'M PLEASED TO STAND WITH LEADERS REPRESENTING THE CITY, THE COUNTY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF THE WE ALL BELONG ANTI HATE INITIATIVE, AND INVITE EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE ACTION TO KEEP AUSTIN A SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACE.
WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE WE ALL BELONG ANTI HATE INITIATIVE, THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE WE'D LIKE TO CONVEY THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
IF YOU SEE OR EXPERIENCE AN ACT OF HATE, REPORT IT AS AN IMMEDIATE CRIME OR THREAT AND CALL 9 1 1.
IF IT IS A NON-EMERGENCY, VISIT AUSTIN.TEXAS.GOV/AGAINST THE HATE TO FILE A POLICE REPORT OR AN INCIDENT REPORT WITH ADL AUSTIN INCIDENTS ARE THINGS THAT AREN'T QUITE A CRIME BUT STILL OF CONCERN, SUCH AS BULLYING.
WE ALL BELONG AS MUCH MORE THAN A SLOGAN.
IT IS A BOLD AND CLEAR AFFIRMATION THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT AUSTIN REMAINS A PLACE WHERE DIVERSITY IS CELEBRATED AND HATE IS NOT TOLERATED.
NO ONE SHOULD LIVE IN FEAR OF BEING A TARGET OF HATEFUL ACTS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE.
THAT IS NOT A CULTURE WE ACCEPT IN AUSTIN.
WHILE TODAY MARKS THE LAUNCH OF A PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN, THIS INITIATIVE STARTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
WE SURVEYED A DIVERSE CROSS CROSS-SECTION OF AUSTINITES TO FIND OUT HOW BIAS MOTIVATED ACTS OF HATE IMPACT, HOW SAFE PEOPLE FEEL IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, HOW OFTEN PEOPLE FEEL THEY'VE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED A CRIME OR INCIDENT, COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF WAYS TO REPORT HATE CRIMES AND INCIDENTS AS WELL, AND HOW WILLING THEY ARE TO REPORT ACTS OF HATE.
WE ALSO ASKED YOU TO TELL US HOW WE'RE DOING WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING YOU FEEL.
WE TAKE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT HATE VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE LEARNED IN GENERAL PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, BUT THERE ARE DISPARITIES ACROSS DISTRICTS AND DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS WITH SOME FEELING LESS THAN OTHERS.
AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE WILLING TO REPORT HATE CRIMES AND INCIDENTS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO AWARENESS OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO DO SO, THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME WORK TO DO TO INCREASE YOUR LEVEL OF TRUST IN OUR COMMITMENT AS A CITY TO NOT ONLY RESPOND TO ACTS OF HATE, BUT CREATING A CULTURE THAT STOPS HATE BEFORE IT STARTS.
THE WE ALL BELONG INITIATIVE IS A STEP TOWARDS BUILDING THAT SENSE OF TRUST.
WE DE WE DESIGNED THE INITIATIVE WEBSITE AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/AGAINST HATE WITH PUBLIC FEEDBACK IN MIND.
IN ADDITION TO THE STREAMLINED ACCESS TO HATE CRIME AND INCIDENT REPORTING RESOURCES, IT PROVIDES AN INTERACTIVE DATA EXPERIENCE THAT OFF OFFERS A LOOK AT WHERE HATE CRIMES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN AUSTIN, THE LAST THREE YEARS, TYPES OF BIAS MOTIVATING THOSE CRIMES AND COMMUNITY SENTIMENT ABOUT HATE CRIMES THAT EXPLORE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS I SPOKE ABOUT MOMENTS AGO.
DIGITAL TOOLKITS AVAILABLE IN NINE LANGUAGES AGAINST, EXCUSE ME, AGAINST TO HELP THE, THE SPREAD THE WORD ON YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK NETWORK.
AND Y'ALL ALSO FIND LINKS TO CONNECT THE TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS WORKING TO END HATE IN AUSTIN.
ANOTHER GOAL OF THIS CAMPAIGN IS TO BUILD EVEN STRONGER BARRIERS AGAINST HATE BY FOSTERING DEEPER TIES BETWEEN CITY AND COMMUNITY WE SERVE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROUD TO OPEN THE DOORS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
THE PLAZA AND THE AMPHITHEATER, WHICH BELONGED TO AUSTINITES THE PUBLIC IS ENJOIN, IS INVITED TO JOIN US AT THE CITY ON AUGUST SATURDAY, AUGUST 12TH FOR THE PARTY OF THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
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IT IS AN EVENT TO CELEBRATE BELONGING AND UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYONE BEING AN ALLY AGAINST HATE AND AUSTIN ENJOY AN ECLECTIC MIX OF FOOD, MUSIC, AND ENTERTAINMENT WHILE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE WE ALL BELONG INITIATIVE.THAT SAME SATURDAY IS IS PRIDE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY.
SO WE BELIEVE THIS IS A PRE PRIDE PARTY.
PLEASE JOIN US HERE AND THEN ENJOY PRIDE IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH LOCAL HOMEGROWN AUSTIN ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING AN EVENT TO LIFE AT A T X KIND, A D L AUSTIN AND EVENT COORDINATING LOGISTICAL PARTNER ORIGIN STUDIO HOUSE.
WE'LL SHARE MORE DETAILS AS WE GET CLOSER TO AUGUST 12TH.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO OUR CHAMPION FOR THIS EFFORT.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ZENIO.
I'M AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, AND I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL AND OF THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE.
I'M PROUD TO JOIN EACH OF YOU THIS MORNING AT CITY HALL.
SAY LOUDLY AND CLEARLY THAT WE ALL BELONG.
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR HATE IN AUSTIN.
I REPRESENT DISTRICT 10 CENTRAL NORTHWEST AUSTIN, WHERE MANY ACTS OF HATE HAVE OCCURRED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AS A MOTHER, I'VE HAD TO PAUSE AND REF AND REFLECT AND WHAT IT MEANS THAT WHITE SUPREMACIST VANDALISM OCCURRED IN THE PARK WHERE MY CHILDREN PLAY, AND THE TEMPLE WHERE THEY CELEBRATED THEIR BAR AND BAT MITZVAHS IN ONE OF THESE ACTS OF HATE.
IN OCTOBER OF 2021, AN 18 YEAR OLD MEMBER OF THE TEXAS STATE GUARD DELIBERATELY SET MY SET FIRE TO MY TEMPLE CONGREGATION, BETH ISRAEL.
THE SANCTUARY TILL THIS DAY REMAINS UNUSABLE AND WE LIKELY WILL NOT RETURN TO WORSHIPING AND CELEBRATING LIFE'S MILESTONES THERE FOR YEARS TO COME.
THE ARSON ATTACK CAME AMIDST A SERIES OF ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS THAT CONTINUED WELL INTO 2022.
THEY INCLUDED ANTI-SEMITIC BANNERS HUNG OVER MOPAC NEAR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER GRAFFITI IN ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL'S PARKING LOT RACIST AND ANTI-SEMITIC STICKERS POSTED AROUND CITY PARKS AND ON CARS HATEFUL FLYERS THROWN IN DRIVEWAYS AND MORE.
I REMEMBER THE SHOCK THAT RIPPLED THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED THESE INCIDENCES OF HATE.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT THESE BELIEFS ARE ALIVE IN AUSTIN.
WE HAVE A HISTORY OF ACTS OF HATE AGAINST MANY OF THE DIVERSE MEMBERS AND GROUPS THAT MAKE UP OUR CITY.
HOWEVER, I ALSO REMEMBER THE RESPONSE FROM OUR COMMUNITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ARSON, HOW QUICKLY WE CAME TOGETHER TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT AUSTIN STANDS FOR.
I AM PROUD TO BE PART OF A CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS SPOKEN LOUDLY AND CLEARLY AGAINST HATE DIRECTED AT ANY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE STOOD AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE TARGETED OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY, OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY, AND AUSTINITES OF COLOR, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE SOUGHT TO CHALLENGE OUR DEMOCRACY MORE BROADLY.
I AUTHORED AND SPONSORED TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY COUNCIL CONDEMNING ANTISEMITISM, RACISM AND HATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE IN RESPONSE TO THE RECENT ACTS OF ANTISEMITISM AND ANOTHER IN RESPONSE TO ANTI-ASIAN HATE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.
I ALSO AUTHORED AND SPONSORED THE BUDGET AMENDMENT TO FUND THIS CAMPAIGN.
AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES AND COUNCIL WILL JOIN ME THIS BUDGET CYCLE TO ENSURE THIS FUNDING CONTINUES.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE IS WITH ME.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S OFFICE HERE AS WELL.
UH, THIS MORNING AS WE GATHER TODAY, WE SHOULD REMEMBER AND CELEBRATE THE AUSTINITES WHO'VE LIVED OUT THE VALUES OF THIS CAMPAIGN EVEN BEFORE IT WAS LAUNCHED.
THERE WAS THE STRANGER DRIVING BY MY TEMPLE IN OCTOBER OF 2021, WHO CALLED 9 1 1 AND THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT PUT OUT THAT FIRE.
WE RECALL THE INTERFAITH LEADERS WHO JOINED IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION, WHO QUICKLY CONDEMNED ANTISEMITISM AND VOW TO IMPROVE OUR RESPONSE TO HATE.
WE'RE ALSO JOINED THIS MORNING BY A YOUNG PERSON, FORD MCCRACKEN, WHO HELPED LEAD, LEAD POSITIVE PAINTING, UM, FOR ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL AND MANY OF THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THESE EVENTS.
THERE ARE ALSO ALL OF YOU HERE WHO ARE PARTNERS WHO'VE LONG BEEN A PART OF THE EFFORT TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER AND MORE INCLUSIVE.
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HAVE CONSIDERABLE WORK TO DO TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO HATE, NO MATTER THE GROUP BEING TARGETED.WE MUST CONTINUE TO STREAMLINE OUR REPORTING PROCESS SO THAT EVERY AUSTINITE KNOWS HOW TO REPORT HATE INCIDENTS, AND WE MUST IMPROVE OUR SYSTEMS TO MONITOR AND INTERRUPT PATTERNS OF HATE BEFORE THEY ESCALATE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS MUST BE TRAINED ON HOW TO RESPOND TO THE TACTICS OF HATE GROUPS.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION SO THAT EVERY AUSTINITE FEELS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP THE SPREAD OF HATE AND KNOWS WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER IT.
AND WE NEED EVERY AUSTINITE TO MAKE A REPORT ANYTIME THEY SEE OR EXPERIENCE AN INCIDENT OF HATE.
FINALLY, IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO THANK ALL OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO LABOR TO MAKE THIS LAUNCH POSSIBLE, INCLUDING A T X KIND AND OUR PARTNERS AT THE A D L AUSTIN WHO KEEP OUR HYPE CRIMES TASK FORCE ON TASK AND HARD AT WORK.
I BELIEVE EACH OF US HAS THE ABILITY TO RISE TO THIS CHALLENGE AND WHEN FACED WITH HATE, TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THE JEWISH TEACHINGS OF TO REPAIR THE WORLD AND TAKE ACTIONS TO SPREAD KINDNESS.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER PADRE.
UH, MY NAME IS ZOE CORY, UH, AND I'M HONORED TO REPRESENT DISTRICT NINE, UH, ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AND I'M ALSO VERY HONORED TO SERVE ON THE DIOCESE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WALTER, UH, AND ALSO BE ABLE TO SERVE ON THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE WITH HER.
UH, I'M, I'M PROUD TO BE THE FIRST MUSLIM, UH, SORRY.
I'M PROUD TO BE THE FIRST PERSON, UH, OF SOUTH ASIAN DESCENT AND THE FIRST MUSLIM ELECTED TO SERVE ON THE DIOCESE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND I'M ALSO A PROUD MEMBER, UH, OF NOIS MOSQUE, WHICH IS, UH, WHICH IS IN D NINE AND A MOSQUE THAT I'VE ATTENDED, UH, SINCE MOVING HERE.
UH, WAY BACK WHEN, UH, LIKE MANY MUSLIM AMERICANS, I'VE EXPERIENCED BIGOTRY AND DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF MY FAITH.
UH, I WAS ONLY IN SIXTH GRADE, UH, DURING THE TRAGIC AND TRAUMATIC ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH.
UH, BUT EVEN AT THAT YOUNG AGE, I FELT THE WAVE OF ISLAMOPHOBIA THAT SWEPT OVER THIS COUNTRY.
AND WHILE SOME AMONG US FEEL THAT THAT WAS AN ABERRATION OF THE DISTANT PAST, WE CANNOT FORGET HOW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WHIPPED UP ANOTHER WAVE OF ISLAMOPHOBIA DURING HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN IN HIS ADMINISTRATION.
MOSQUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE BURNED, UH, INCLUDING THE MOSQUE THAT I GREW UP IN, UH, IN VICTORIA, TEXAS, AND EVEN HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND MOSQUE WAS TARGETED BY AN ARSONIST WHO THANKFULLY FAILED.
OUR DIVERSITY IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THE CITY IS OUR STRENGTH.
AND I KNOW THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY STANDS AGAINST BIGOTRY AND HATE.
UH, AND, AND AS, AS SOMEONE FROM THE MUSLIM FAITH, AND I'VE SHARED THIS, UH, IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HEARTWARMING WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH, UH, WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH HATRED TO SEE THE COMMUNITY, UH, COME TOGETHER.
AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT VERY SAFE IN THIS COMMUNITY ALMOST AS THOUGH EVERYONE'S PUTTING A A, A SAFETY BLANKET ON, ON THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
AND, AND WHEN, WHEN WE'VE SEEN ATTACKS, UH, ON, ON THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY THAT THAT'S ALWAYS, UH, BY OUR SIDE IS THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, I'M, I'M FOREVER THANKFUL FOR, FOR FOLKS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR US AND ALSO BEING, I GUESS A, A AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS TWO GROUPS THAT ARE OFTEN TARGETED, BEING A MEMBER OF THE A A P I COMMUNITY, UH, SEEING THE HATRED TOWARDS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ASIANS AT THE ONSET OF THIS, OF THIS, OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, AND, AND A LOT OF FOLKS IN IN POWER WHO WERE USING AND SCAPEGOATING, UH, ASIAN AMERICANS AS, AS SOMEHOW BEING OTHERS AND BEING THE REASON FOR, FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON WAS HORRIFIC.
BUT SEEING THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER WAS, WAS VERY HEARTWARMING.
UH, I'M, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THE, THE, THE LAUNCH OF THIS INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL HELP TAP INTO THAT, INTO THAT BRIGHT, WELCOMING SPIRIT THAT UNITES US AS, AS ONE AUSTIN ERADICATING RACISM AND BIGOTRY IS A NOBLE DREAM, BUT IT'S ONE WE CAN MAKE A REALITY THROUGH VIGILANCE, COMMUNICATION, UH, AND UNDERSTANDING.
UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MY FRIEND, AND OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UH, JOSE GARZA.
MY NAME IS JOSE GARSA AND I AM HONORED TO BE THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THERE SIMPLY IS NO PLACE FOR HATE AND BIGOTRY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, OUR DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH, UM, IN THIS COMMUNITY.
HATE CRIMES AND HARASSMENT ROOTED IN BIGOTRY CREATE INSTABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT MAKES ALL OF US LESS SAFE.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, WITH ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS WITH A D L AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, THAT PARTNERSHIP ALLOWS US COLLECTIVELY TO QUICKLY INVESTIGATE
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HATE CRIMES AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHO COMMIT THEM.OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTED HATE CRIMES THAT OCCURRED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
BUT IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING THE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY RICH AND STRONG, WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO IDENTIFY THREATS AND HARASSMENT ROOTED IN BIGOTRY AND HATE, AND TO STOP THOSE THREATS, UM, BEFORE THEY MATERIALIZE.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO JOIN LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY TO MARK THIS IMPORTANT STEP, UM, TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO DO JUST THAT.
THE INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED TODAY WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY AND REPORT INCIDENTS OF HATE.
AND IF WE DO THAT, THAT GIVES, UM, POLICY MAKERS AND, UM, COMMUNITY LEADERS THE INFORMATION AND TOOLS WE NEED, UM, TO CRAFT POLICY INTERVENTIONS TO CRAFT SOLUTIONS.
AND SO I'M EXCITED FOR THE WORK AHEAD.
UM, IF WE KNOW WHEN, WHERE, AND TO WHOM HATE INCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING, WE WILL BE BETTER POSITIONED TO PREVENT THEM.
AGAIN, I'M GRATEFUL TO TO CITY STAFF, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CADRE AND VELA, BUT I ALSO WANNA SPECIFICALLY THANK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER FOR HER, UM, DETERMINED LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, I'M GRATEFUL TO A D L FOR THEIR WORK, UM, SHEPHERDING AND USHERING THIS WORK THROUGH OVER, UH, DECADES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SPECIFICALLY SAY THANK YOU, UM, TO THE COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS AT A T X KIND, UM, WHO REMIND US SO OFTEN THAT, THAT THE SOLUTIONS WE SEEK, UM, TO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT CONFRONT US CAN BE FOUND, UM, AMONGST OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, AMONGST OUR FRIENDS, AMONGST THOSE OF US WHO ARE COMMITTED TO REALLY SEEING CHANGE HAPPEN IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF YOU.
WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK AHEAD OF US, BUT TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT MARKS AN IMPORTANT BEGINNING, UM, TO ROOTING OUT HATE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS JOURNEY.
UM, IT IS MY, UM, DISTINCT HONOR TO NOW INTRODUCE TO YOU, UM, JACKIE ERENBERG, WHO IS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR, UM, OF A D L.
AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK WITH YOU, UM, SINCE YOU TOOK THIS POSITION.
AND LET ME JUST SAY WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE, UH, TO HAVE YOU LEADING THIS WORK.
ON BEHALF OF THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, SENIO COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER AND AND KADI KADI, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY GARZA, AN A T X KIND FOR THEIR VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING THIS INITIATIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE AT A D L ARE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH ALL OF YOU TO REALIZE THAT VISION BY ENSURING THAT AUSTIN REMAINS THE SAFE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY WE ALL LOVE.
A D L HAS A TWO-PRONGED MISSION TO STOP THE DEFAMATION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND TO ENSURE JUSTICE AND FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN ONE COMMUNITY IS TARGETED WITH HATE OR BIAS, IT IMPACTS ALL OF US.
A D L STRIVES TO COMBAT HATE IN ALL ITS FORMS, AND WE DO SO BY BEING BOTH PROACTIVE AND RESPONSIVE.
PERHAPS OUR MOST PROACTIVE AND VISIBLE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY IS OUR NO PLACE FOR HATE EDUCATION PROGRAM.
A STUDENT DRIVEN ANTI-BIAS INITIATIVE FOR K THROUGH 12 STUDENTS.
AUSTIN HAS 246 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN NO PLACE FOR HATE, MAKING US ONE OF THE LARGEST ANTI-BULLYING, ANTI HATE STUDENT COALITIONS IN THE NATION.
ADL'S PROACTIVE WORK ALSO INCLUDES TRACKING HATE INCIDENTS AND EXTREMIST ACTIVITY, COLLECTING CRITICAL DATA, AND SHARING IT WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
HERE IN AUSTIN, A D L LEADS THE TRAVIS COUNTY HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE, WHICH CONVENES LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO COORDINATE EFFORTS AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT HATE CRIMES IN OUR REGION.
FINALLY, A D L RESPONDS TO INCIDENTS OF BIAS AND HATE REPORTED TO US BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT WE CAN ONLY RESPOND WHEN PEOPLE REPORT.
THIS CAMPAIGN WILL RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF REPORTING INCIDENTS AND HATE CRIMES AND WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT,
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LIKE OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.A D L IS COMMITTED, COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, FREE OF HATE, AND TO ENSURING THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS AUSTIN HOME, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE, NO MATTER WHERE WE COME FROM, NO MATTER WHAT OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ARE, NO MATTER WHO WE LOVE, WE ALL BELONG.
AND NOW I WILL PASS IT BACK TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, SENIO.
AND CLOSING, JUST WANNA REITERATE, AUSTIN IS NOT A CITY FOR HATE.
IT IS A CITY WHERE WE ALL BELONG.
PLEASE JOIN US ON AUGUST 12TH FOR OUR PRIDE PRE-PARTY HERE IN CITY HALL, WHICH IS, IS THE BUILDING OF THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY.
SO WE WELCOME YOU HERE, AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, NOT EVERYBODY AT ONCE.
I THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR CITY COUNTY COMMUNITY LEADERS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND IF, MAYBE IF FOLKS WANNA COME CLOSER TOGETHER, WE CAN GET A PHOTO ALL TOGETHER.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS, IF THEY WANNA ALSO COME FORWARD.