By JOSE HERRERA
Ten landmarks in Los Angeles and nearby areas lighted up in a mosaic of colors on Friday night to mark the fourth anniversary of the award-winning hate crime prevention campaign LA For All.
After sunset, landmarks were illuminated to celebrate the area’s diversity, including Los Angeles City Hall, U.S. Bank Tower, Union Station, Los Angeles Zoo, Pasadena City Hall, Port of Los Angeles Clock Tower, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Getty Center, and Anaheim City Hall.
(Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)
During a morning ceremony at Van Nuys City Hall, officials highlighted this year’s theme, “I Belong, You Belong, We Belong,” and outlined efforts to support immigrants and educate Angelenos about their rights.
“We are here and we’re coming together to send a clear message and an urgent message — one that communities desperately need to hear, and that is: We all belong,” said Abigail Marquez, general manager of the Community Investment for Families Department.
“Where some seek to exclude and call our immigrant communities, we are calling them in with compassion, respect and the full backing of our city. ‘We belong’ is more than a campaign. It is a commitment to the city of Los Angeles to stand with our immigrant communities and ensure that every resident knows how to access essential city services regardless of their immigration status,” Marquez added.
Since the start of federal immigration raids began in June, the Civil Rights Department and the Community Investment for Families Department partnered to provide tools, knowledge and support to immigrants in the city. They’ve also partnered with other city departments, launching Know Your Rights campaigns and conducting workshops on topics such as family preparedness plans, housing and tenants rights.
“We’ve heard of so many horrific violations to tenants’ protections. Just last week, one of our service providers — and this is not an exaggeration — a tenant was evicted at gunpoint from their landlord,” Marquez said. “We have heard stories where landlords are creating these fake ICE letterheads, and they’re evicting people. Not knowing their rights is a real challenge because they don’t know what recourses they have.”
City Council members Hugo Soto-Martinez and Adrin Nazarian participated in the event and showed their support for the campaign.
“When we have this slogan that ‘LA is For Everyone,’ I believe that it reflects the spirit of the city itself, and it’s what makes Los Angeles so special and different from many parts of the country,” Soto-Martinez said.
Nazarian added, “We’re all created equal, whether your family came here generations ago or just yesterday. In Los Angeles, everyone is a human being, and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.”
The Civil Rights Department launched its award-winning LA For All initiative in 2021 as a way to address an alarming rise in hate crimes at the time. In June, city officials launched its “Just Say Hello” campaign, the latest phase of the initiative.
Residents and visitors will see signage and other messages throughout city departments, facilities, transit and vehicles promoting compassion and connection.