The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act provides $30 million to community groups for engagement, empowerment and education in order to address the rise in hate and violence
Community-based organizations and civil rights groups can use the funds for:
- Implementing and facilitating educational classes and community services for defendants convicted of hate crimes (directly related to the community harmed by the offensive).
- Culturally competent and linguistically appropriate public education campaigns on the collection of data and public reporting of hate crimes.
- Safety ambassadors to escort vulnerable community members in public places.
- In-language support for victims and/or surviving families of hate crimes including mental health support.
- Providing bystander, de-escalation trainings in multiple languages.
- Other community-based strategies deemed appropriate for communities of color and other vulnerable and historically disadvantaged communities.
“Community-based organizations are the heartbeat of our communities,” said Congresswoman Meng. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, they have been on the front lines standing against the rise in bigotry and attacks. They’ve worked tirelessly to help victims and stop this spike in discrimination and intolerance, and they have done all this under-resourced. As my COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act addresses the problem, we must be certain that community groups have the resources they need to carry out parts of the new law. I am so proud of the new $30 million grant program that would advance community-based approaches to addressing hate crimes. This vital funding would reinforce and expand the critical ground work that these community groups have been doing; it would help them scale up and expand out. I look forward to this funding being approved by the full House and passed by the Senate – so that our neighbors can live free from hate and violence.”
Once concern that Neighborhood Safety Companions has is for funds to be available to provide DIRECT financial support to victims and their families who have been often subjected to great financial burden due to the inequalities faced by many in the current healthcare system. Many of the victims and their families have had to rely upon GoFundMe pages to offset the horrific costs of medical care. Neighborhood Safety Companions and their partners will be seeking meetings with Government officials to determine how victims and families can be supported by this new legislation.
Letter to the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus, Congresswoman Judy Chu:
English 
Korean