To be sure, hate crime laws are absolutely critical to confronting hate and extremism. But prevention is also key. That must include education and teaching our students the unvarnished and full truth about American history and the many communities that have developed and enriched our nation. Read the article.
Author: NHH
Catholic School Board Rejects Its Own Committee’s Recommendation, Prohibits Flying Pride Flags
As a result, Pflag Canada has declared the school district “unsafe” for 2SLGBTQ+ students. Read the article.
Press Release: All Hamiltonains Invited to Attend Listen Learn Act: A Community Anti-Hate Summit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2021
No Hate in the Hammer/Pas de haine dans le Hammer
https://nohateinthehammer.ca
info@nohateinthehammer.ca
ALL HAMILTONIANS INVITED TO ATTEND LISTEN LEARN ACT:
A COMMUNITY ANTI-HATE SUMMIT
HAMILTON, ON: Today No Hate in the Hammer releases the full program and list of speakers for Listen Learn Act: A Community Anti-Hate Summit (May 19-20) and invites people from across Hamilton to register for this free, innovative online event.
Listen Learn Act is an action-oriented virtual summit that will bring together local leaders, international experts from Southern Poverty Law Centre and Western States Center, and the input of summit participants to build a community response to hate in Hamilton.
With a grant through the Democracy, Diversity and Human Rights Virtual Grant Program from US Embassy & Consulates in Canada, this is a first-of-its-kind experience where Hamiltonains who are ready to take an active role in anti-racism and anti-oppression work can learn about effective anti-hate action from local and international experts working together.
“Hamilton, get ready for Listen Learn and Act — an exciting virtual summit where we will look to combatting racism, oppression and hate,” says Sandi Bell, Chair of No Hate in the Hammer. “It’s time to roll up our sleeves and pull together because no one can do this alone. This event provides a key opportunity for people to map out the Hamilton that we want to see and understand how a community response is the only way to get there.”
Speakers include experts from the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, the City of Hamilton’s Hate Prevention & Mitigation Initiative, McMaster University and the University of Windsor, Beth Jacob Synagogue, Regional Diversity Roundtable, Refuge: Hamilton Centre for Newcomer Health, and GoodBodyFeel, among others.
The summit runs 9am-4pm on Wednesday, May 19th and Thursday, May 20th. Registration at no-hate.ca/summit is required but there is no cost to register. The first 200 registrants will have an opportunity to engage in facilitated small group discussions during the summit.
The summit includes three all-community events that are accessible without registration in the two-day summit main program:
French-language program on Tuesday May 18th at 6pm
Children’s program on Wednesday May 19th at 4pm
Youth-led program ‘The Future is Now!’ on Wednesday May 19th at 6pm
The building of a community response to hate in Hamilton will continue after the summit with a fall speakers series, also funded with support from US Embassy & Consulates in Canada.
About No Hate in the Hammer/Pas de haine dans le Hammer: NHH/PHH is a Hamilton-based coalition of individuals and organizations working together to make Hamilton a truly inclusive city where everyone is free from all forms of hate. We work for social change through education, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and advocacy. We foster relationships built on trust with communities, institutions, and government agencies. We facilitate conversations, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and nurture relationships and allyships. We value transparency and a culture of non-blaming and non-shaming.
About Southern Poverty Law Center: The Southern Poverty Law Center is the premier U.S. organization monitoring the activities of domestic hate groups and other extremists and is celebrating 50 years this August. It was founded in Montgomery Alabama by two civil rights lawyers to ensure that the promise of the Civil Rights movement became a reality for all. The Intelligence Project tracks and exposes the activities of over sixteen hundred hate groups and other domestic extremists including the Ku Klux Klan, white nationalists, the neo-Nazi movement, and anti-government militias.
About Western States Center: The Western States Center is based in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain States and works nationwide to strengthen inclusive democracy so all people can live, love, worship and work free from fear. It does this by: strengthening the organizing capacity of often-marginalized communities; providing training, leadership development, and organizational capacity support to social movements and leaders committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion; convening culture-makers to shift the narrative and use culture as a vehicle for base- and power-building in non-traditional social change spaces; and, assisting communities and civil society to effectively respond to social movements that exploit bigotry and intolerance.
About Listen Learn Act: A Community Anti-Hate Summit:
No cost to participate. Registration required. Online event.
Program: no-hate.ca/summit-program
Speakers and performers: no-hate.ca/summit-speakers
For further information:
Media Enquiries: info@nohateinthehammer.ca
Twitter: @nohateinthehamr, Instagram @nohateinthehammer
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Statement of Solidarity Condemning Anti-Asian Racism
Hate against Asian communities is not a new issue globally, in Canada and more specifically in Hamilton. Anti-Asian racism can be traced back to the foundation of Canada from the early discriminatory treatment of Chinese railroad workers, the 1942 internment of Japanese Canadians, efforts to curb Indian immigration and many more… Since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a surge in blatant threats, intimidation and assaults against Asians.
The fatal shooting in Atlanta on March 19th, 2021 that left eight dead, six of them being Asian women who worked in spas, is a devastating outcome. We send our heart-filled condolences to friends and family members of Delaina Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Hyun J. Grant, Suncha Kim and Yong Ae Yue. Advancing Justice-Atlanta said in a statement: “The shootings happened under the trauma of increasing violence against Asian Americans nationwide, fuelled by white supremacy and systemic racism.”
In Canada, Anti-Asian hate has also been on the rise. Sources that track these incidents have reported 959 incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes across Canada during the pandemic. In Vancouver, there was a 717 per cent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes from 2019 to 2020. And this is not solely a “West coast issue”. Sadly, these incidents also happen within the Hamilton area, although often underreported. This serves as a reminder of the work that is needed to make Hamilton a truly more inclusive city, free of hate. We need to work together to stand up against all forms of discrimination. To do so, we must actively listen to members of this community, learn and take action to fight against hate.
We at NHH want the Asian community to know that we stand with you now and always.
Below is a link with resources and steps that can be taken to fight against Anti-Asian racism in Canada:
https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/2021/03/10377626/asian-american-canadian-racism-how-to-help-actions
Statement in Solidarity with Hamilton’s Ward 3 Office
We stand in solidarity with victims of hate in Hamilton and call for a thorough investigation into the alarming voicemail messages recently left for the office staff of Ward 3, home to the city’s only racialized councillor. We stand in solidarity with Councillor Nann and the Ward 3 staff.
Continue readingStatement in Solidarity with the Jewish Community
We stand in solidarity with Shaar Hashomayim and members of the Jewish community in denouncing the vile anti-Semitic vandalism against a place of worship.
Continue readingJohn Lewis: Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation
Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/opinion/john-lewis-civil-rights-america.html
While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division. Around the country and the world you set aside race, class, age, language and nationality to demand respect for human dignity.
Continue readingA Year of (re)Commitment
The steering committee for No Hate in the Hammer wants to update you on what we’ve done in the past year, and we’d like to hear from you about the actions you’ve taken since August to combat the spread of hate in Hamilton.
A Year of (re)Commitment, a virtual event
12pm to 1pm on Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Reserve your spot at Eventbrite by clicking this link
We want to highlight what anti-hate work across Hamilton could look like, by sharing how we’ve individually taken up this challenge. Share a short video of your anti-hate work to be played at the virtual event!
Submit a video to the impromptu NHH anti-hate film festival
Statement in Solidarity on National Indigenous Peoples Day
Discriminatory stereotypes about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples permeate contemporary society and disproportionately impact the social, economic, educational, and health outcomes of Indigenous men, women, and children.
Today we share words from Indigenous writers that are helping us better understand this injustice and the work we must take on to develop respectful and just relationships between first peoples and Canada. We invite you to share with us what you’ve been learning during National Indigenous History Month, and to share this learning with friends, family, and colleagues.
Continue readingStatement in Solidarity with the Black Community
Systemic anti-black racism persists in our society. While Canada was founded on racial injustice, we have a long history of denying racism exists in this country.
Despite human rights being protected by federal, provincial and territorial laws, racist and discriminatory stereotypes about people of African Descent permeate contemporary society and disproportionately impact the social, economic, educational, and health outcomes of Black men, women and children. Whether they are descendants of those who were enslaved or recent immigrants, people of African Descent are united by the shared, lived experience with anti-Black racism.
Continue reading