Following the deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, community leaders urge California to strengthen—not weaken—investments that prevent hate, support survivors, and build safer communities.
Magazine, The Immigrant Experience, Op-ed by By Megan Thomas and Chet P. Hewitt
California communities are once again grappling with the deadly consequences of hate. In May, a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego claimed three lives in a place meant for worship, learning and community.
While this tragedy has deeply impacted our communities, it is not an isolated incident. Hate continues to harm people across identities and communities, whether based on religion, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or other aspects of who they are. When public policies and systems reinforce division, exclusion and othering, they create conditions where hate can take root and flourish. And when systems fail to protect communities, acts of hate become more likely, more frequent and more severe. The shooting in San Diego is a painful reminder that building belonging and understanding for all is not optional for a safe, inclusive society—it’s essential.
Recent data shows both the scale of harm and the growing demand for support. The California Civil Rights Department reported in April that nearly 1,000 acts of hate were reported to the CA vs Hate hotline in 2025, with people from across 46 counties reaching out for help. Since its launch in 2023, the hotline has responded to more than 6,800 requests, connecting Californians to counseling, legal aid and community-based support. These numbers demonstrate a clear truth: people want help and are seeking it out.
Despite how many people have used the hotline, it’s estimated that 66 percent of hate crimes go unreported to law enforcement due to fear, language barriers or distrust of institutions. And even as more people come forward, the resources available to meet that need are not keeping pace. This widening gap leaves too many communities without the support they need to heal and stay safe.
So, how do we prevent and deal with hate crimes and hate incidents?
We must recognize the seeds of hate before they take root and take action before they cause harm. As leaders of organizations committed to community-led social change and two of the regional leads for California’s Stop the Hate program—The Center at Sierra Health Foundation in Northern California and the San Joaquin Valley, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties in the border region—we see firsthand how investing in health, equity and strong social change ecosystems can prevent hate before it escalates. And when hate does occur, those same investments make it possible to deliver timely, culturally competent support that helps individuals and communities respond, heal and rebuild.
Together with our three regional lead partners in other areas of the state, Stop the Hate funds 180 community-based organizations across California and has already reached more than 357,000 Californians through prevention, intervention and direct services.
We are educating communities about the warning signs and impact of hate. We are building bridges across differences and providing services to people who have been harmed or traumatized. We provide training in schools, law enforcement agencies, senior communities and religious institutions. Stop the Hate has done more than fund programs: it has helped build relationships, trust and community infrastructure that make it harder for hate to take root and easier for communities to come together in times of division.
We believe that stronger systems can help stop hate before and after it occurs, from helplines and rapid response networks to culturally competent counseling, legal support and multilingual assistance for affected communities.
Community advocates and legislators have publicly called on the governor to sustain funding for California’s Stop the Hate program in the 2026-2027 State budget, warning that cuts would leave millions of Californians without critical protections and supports. This is not a symbolic expense. It is a practical investment in prevention, healing and public safety.
You can help California be a safer, more inclusive place by contacting your state senator and the governor’s office to urge continued investment in Stop the Hate and in the community organizations that make this work possible.
California has invested in essential infrastructure to prevent hate, support survivors and strengthen communities, and it has made a difference. Now is not the time to walk away from that commitment.
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Co-authored by:
Megan Thomas, President and CEO, Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties
Chet P. Hewitt, President and CEO, Sierra Health Foundation; Founder and CEO, The Center at Sierra Health Foundation
