CALIFORNIA, USA — The number of reported anti-Asian hate crimes in California has dropped. New numbers from the state show crime events dropped 43%.
Experts say it's an encouraging sign that millions of dollars in funding meant to help stop hate crimes is working. However, there are still alarming trends that impact safety.
"We know that API's have always have been targets of discrimination in the past," said Cirian Villavicencio, a political science professor at San Joaquin Delta College. "This all didn't necessarily start with a pandemic, but it exacerbated during the global pandemic."
That prompted Asian American Pacific Islander leaders and lawmakers to address the issue, which ultimately led to the API equity budget. It's a more than $186 million direct investment by California to deal with anti-Asian hate.
The funding appears to be working. The new hate crimes report from the California Department of Justice shows the number of reported anti-Asian hate crimes dropped from 247 to 140 from 2021 to 2022.
"In a way, funding is part of it. But we also know education within our communities are also very important for us to reduce these hate crimes and hate incidences in the future," said Villavicencio.
That's where community groups come in. Included in the API equity budget are what's called "block grants" that were given to the California Department of Social Services.
"Our commission was tasked to provide coordination for these grants to community-based organizations around the state to tackle, again, these hate crimes," said Villavicencio.
Ultimately, more than 170 community-based organizations were initially back in 2021. Now, more groups have been added in the second round of funding, which totals more than $91 million.
"The funds themselves were expanded to cover all forms of hate that target other minorities and other minoritized groups," said Villavicencio.
Those include organizations in the Sacramento area like My Sister's House, the Black Youth Leadership Project and the Dolores Huerta Foundation.
"We know trust is such an important factor. And there are champions within these community based organizations that allow them to be efficient, and using these funds to directly help victims of hate crimes and hate incidences throughout the state," said Villavicencio.
The number of reported anti-LGBTQ hate crimes spike 31% in the same time span from 404 to 528.
"This is difficult work, and this is challenging work. And this is going to take some time," said Villavicencio.
For the full crime report, click HERE.
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