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Our attention has been focused on the acts of racist violence and hate crimes
that continue to plague our country. It is important that we all stand up against racism,
hatred, and violence.
While we make it clear that these crimes, fueled by ignorance and hatred, will not be tolerated, we must also examine the unintentional and unconscious ways in which good and well-meaning people contribute to a society where racism thrives.
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In the first 9 months of 1998 fifty-nine hate crimes were reported in
Tucson and Pima County
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What You Can Do to Combat Racism
Learn about your family's ethnic background.
Find out if your family name was ever changed.
Notice what ethnic groups are missing from your workplace, your neighborhood, church, and social groups.
Become aware of what assumptions you may have about other ethnic groups. Make a list of them and commit yourself to counteract or unlearn them.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"
Martin Luther King
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Speak up when you hear someone make a racist remark.
Get to know co-workers of different ethnic groups.
Form a lunch group at work that meets on a regular schedule to take about racism.
Read magazines that are directed at ethnic groups other than your own.
Read books written about race and ethnicity in our country to broaden your understanding.
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Learn about the histories of other ethnic groups in the United States.
Think about why people find it so difficult to talk about racism in an ethnically mixed group. Discuss this with others of your own ethnicity and those who are ethnically different.
Notice how people avoid talking about differences. Think about what this avoidance creates. What does it mean to be different in your community. Talk to others about this.
Find others who are taking active steps to combat racism and become their ally.
The YWCA of Tucson
What is a Hate Crime?
Hate crimes are just that---crimes!
A hate crime is a crime committed against a person or property which is motivated by an individual's dislike of a race, religion, ethnic/national origin, group, or sexual orientation.
Hate crimes need to be reported to law enforcement. If it has happened to you, it has probably happened to others. The only way to stop hate crimes is to report them.
Examples of hate crimes include:
Graffiti
Arson
Theft
Physical or Verbal Assault
Intimidation
Ritualistic Abuse
Sex Crimes
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Unlearn Racism!
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We hope that you will participate in an Unlearning Racism Workshop featuring the film, "The Color of Fear," offered regularly by the YWCA of Tucson. This workshop helps us feel the pain of racism, understand how it has impacted all of our lives, and that we must make a personal commitment to eliminate racism.
Call the YWCA of Tucson for times and dates of upcoming Unlearning Racism Workshops at
884-7810.
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With a report from you, law enforcement can track trends, make arrests, and alert
neighborhood groups about what is occurring in their community.
El Hogar de la Paz, Tucson Police Department, Tucson/Pima County Anti-Hate Crimes Task
Force.
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