LOS ANGELES — The chain link fence may face an empty lot, but to Robin S. Toma, it’s the perfect blank canvas in a high traffic area to announce LA vs. Hate, a new social media campaign to fight against bias.
“It is about becoming part of all these different communities' fight against hate and to help to unify us,” said Toma. “Not just leave it for any one community or group to defend themselves, but to stand together against hate.”
A former civil rights attorney, Toma used to sue the county for civil rights violations, but now works as the executive director of L.A. County’s Commission on Human Relations, which recently released its annual review of reported hate crimes. Unfortunately, incidents are rising.
“Good morning everyone! Buenos dias!” greeted Toma to visitors at a recent LA Vs Hate pop-up event.
Concerned with the rise in hate crimes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toma and his team created a series of live art events as well as digital resources folks at home can use on their social media.
“Unfortunately since the pandemic, we have been seeing a rising number of reports of acts of hate. Not just hate crimes, but hate incidents,” said Toma.
A hate incident becomes a hate crime once an act of hostility turns violent.
“We feel this is such an important way to be part of these different communities,” said Toma. “To allow them to adapt the message of hate to their own group culture, their own sensitivities, their own desire for particular messaging.”
Veronica Monjaras is a photographer with Las Fotos Project and a photo of her siblings engaged in a water balloon fight is featured at an LA Vs Hate pop-up event in Boyle Heights.
“To me, it means that it’s against hate because you’re able to experience a moment of joy,” said Monjaras. “Instead of being bombarded by hate, you’re bombarded by water balloons and I feel like that’s necessary and better.”
But showing depictions of happiness isn’t enough. So Toma has been visiting communities throughout L.A. County to spread the message of reporting hate when it happens.
Artist London Kaye created a mural made of yarn to help share the word in Venice.
“We are doing this today because there is just so much hate going on in the world,” said Kaye. “To add things of beauty and just something to make people smile is what we need right now.”
When hate breaks a community apart, art has a way of bringing them back together. The LA Vs Hate campaign includes downloadable Zoom backgrounds, GIFs, posters, and a coloring book available free to everyone.
“We think art is a powerful way to send a message to help people understand and to express themselves in how we are standing together against hate,” said Toma.
If you experience hate, call 2-1-1.