The city of Davis, Yolo County and UC Davis have partnered to create Hate-Free Together, a communitywide framework to combat the recent string of local hate incidents and prioritize the well-being and safety of all residents.

Officials unveiled the project Wednesday night (Nov. 30) during the annual meeting of two representatives each from the city, county and university, informally known as a 2X2X2 committee.

Just as Davis, Yolo County and UC Davis successfully came together for Healthy Davis Together and Healthy Yolo Together, they are now advancing Hate-Free Together. Starting in 2023, the campaign will invite the entire community to help condemn hate, create safety and cultivate change, and encourage an environment that promotes inclusiveness, celebrates diversity and rejects hate and bias in all forms. 

“We are all deeply troubled by the rise in high profile local hate incidents,” Yolo County Supervisor Don Saylor said. “We are inviting the community to help us identify specific actions within the Hate-Free Together framework. Hate incidents affect us all and we all have a role to play in this fight.” 

Chancellor Gary S. May said: “The partnerships we harnessed to great effect during the pandemic taught us that we are all stronger together. In this case, rather than COVID-19 being the virus, hate is the virus we’re trying to eradicate. We intend to use our collective power to condemn violence and bigotry in all forms.”

Davis Mayor Lucas Frerichs added: “Hate is a cycle that can be broken if we cultivate change, prioritize education and stand up together. We ask the entire community to join us in this fight and learn how we can all work to become Hate-Free Together.”

The campaign will include three spheres, or audiences: individuals, public agencies and businesses. These spheres will include schools, religious institutions, nonprofits and many other groups. Each sphere will be invited to community workshops to share what change they would like to see in the community and target key actions. In addition, a website is forthcoming with local training, educational resources and instructions on how to report hate crimes across jurisdictions. Additional details on the framework and outcomes will be shared at a future date.