(Campaign Lauch. Credit: City of London)
The City of London’s Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Division has unveiled a new initiative to combat the rising hate incidents in the city named the “Stop Tolerhating” campaign. “Our goal is that the website that we’ve created and the campaign materials can raise awareness about the impact of hate, empower residents with strategies to address discrimination and build a safer and more inclusive London,” said Zahra Khawaja, anti-hate coordinator in the division.
A steering committee has played a key role in shaping the campaign, contributing their insights and expertise. “A lot of them are local institutions that have a really big reach, so they service or employ or interact with every Londoner in some way,” Khawaja added. By including organizations from education, health care, transit and law enforcement, the initiative aims to extend its message through each institution’s network and reach citizens from multiple angles.
To learn more about this campaign, look at the following excerpt from the interview that 106.9 The X conducted with Zahra Khawaja:
(Credit: City of London)
The campaign uses a tailored approach to highlight specific forms of discrimination faced by different communities: Muslim, Jewish, 2SLGBTQIA+, East Asian, Black, and Indigenous people, along with Persons with Disabilities. Resources on london.ca/stoptolerhating address unique trials or obstacles, including mental health support, reporting tools for hate crimes and guidance for bystanders on how to intervene. “Immediately after an incident, you can call the crisis hotline provided on our website. We have specific numbers for different groups,” said the campaign coordinator.
According to Zahra Khawaja, a lot of these equity-denied communities have their own challenges and a lot of them also intersect. “For example, one group may face more online hate and another may have more systemic challenges like health care or topics in the classroom.”
(Credit: City of London)
“If you’ve experienced something, the most important thing is to tell someone because this helps with reporting and understanding the numbers behind these incidents. You can’t effect change if you’re unaware of what’s happening. Some excellent community organizations have created resources to guide you on self-care and how to handle conversations with your children if they encounter such experiences,” she emphasized.
Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Division plans to continue expanding the initiative by adding new strategies and material as needs emerge. “Whether you’ve experienced a hate crime or an incident of racism or you’ve witnessed it, go to our website; that is the first step. It can give you resources and further learning to be a better ally,“ Khawaja concluded.
