City of Austin leaders announced the launch of the “We All Belong, powered by Austin Against Hate” education and outreach initiative in a news conference at Austin City Hall Friday.

The goal of the citywide effort is to empower the community to take action to keep Austin a safe and welcoming place with streamlined access to tools to report hate crimes and incidents.   

“We All Belong' is much more than a slogan. It is a bold and clear affirmation that the City is committed to ensuring that Austin remains a place where diversity is celebrated, and hate is not tolerated,” said Assistant City Manager Veronica Briseño.

“The most important message we’d like to convey through this initiative: If you see or experience an act of hate; report it. If you have an immediate emergency or threat, we urge you to call 9-1-1, and we’ve also made it easier for you to file a report for non-emergencies,” said Briseño.

The website austintexas.gov/againsthate is the digital information hub for the campaign. Visitors can report a suspected hate crime to APD and report a hate incident to Anti-Defamation League-Austin.

The site also provides an interactive data experience to better understand bias-motivated incidents and how they impact Austin neighborhoods, ways to connect with organizations focused on preventing a culture of hate from taking root in Austin, and social media content to download and share.

The Initiative is in response to City Council Resolution No. 20211104-064 which directed the City Manager to collaborate with local community groups to identify and implement improvements to the City’s response to hate.

“I am proud to be part of a City Council that has spoken loudly and clearly against hate directed at any part of our community,” said Council Member Alison Alter, who authored the budget amendment funding the program after a string of acts and incidences of hate in her district. “Through this campaign, I hope every Austinite understands their role in stopping the spread of hate and knows what to do when they encounter it.”

Council Member Alter was joined by her colleague Council Member Zohaib “Zo” Qadri who shared why his personal experience, and that of some others in Austin, underscores the importance of the City actively supporting programming and initiatives to counter hate.

“I am all too familiar with the bigotry that too often burdens practicing Muslims across America and here in Austin. I also know that my community is not the only one that has suffered from discrimination, hatred, and even violence, said Qadri. “ The vast majority of this city stands against the poison of intolerance, which is why I’m glad to see the launch of this initiative, which will help tap into the welcoming, inclusive city we all want it to be.”

Travis County District Attorney José Garza, ADL Austin Executive Director Jackie Nirenberg, and
members of the Hate Austin-Travis County Hate Crimes Task Force were among a diverse cross-section of government and community organizations who voiced their support of the We All Belong Initiative that will be promoted on social and local media through September. 

Opportunities to Participate.
In addition to reporting hate crimes and incidents, the public can also get involved in the We All Belong Initiative in the following ways:

• Be an Information Ambassador:  Help get the We All Belong message out to as many people as possible in Austin with a digital toolkit that includes pre-made and customizable graphics that can be shared in newsletters and on social media. Fliers are also available to print and post. The toolkit is available in: English, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese Chinese(simplified), French, Hindi, Korean, Pashto and Vietnamese.  
• Participate in the We All Belong Citywide Event. Building community is a key part of the We All Belong Campaign. The public is invited to visit City Hall “Party at the People’s House” outreach event Saturday, August 12, the celebration kicks off after 5 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m.  The family-friendly event will bring people together for food, fellowship and fun, while highlighting the progress of the We All Belong initiative. Admission is free. Tabling opportunities are available for local community organizations. Groups interested in participating should complete this form by August 1st.