How Los Angeles County Is Partnering with Community to Prevent Hate and Violence
Los Angeles County is home to one of the most diverse populations in the nation, and that diversity, also a source of strength, calls for a shared commitment to ensuring all residents feel safe, valued, and respected.
Participants gather for the Equity and Diversity Fund Recipient Award Ceremony on May 12, 2025, to celebrate organizations selected to receive funding through the initiative. Pictured from left to right are Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza, former Executive Director of ARDI; Maral Karaccusian, former Deputy to Supervisor Janice Hahn; Jade Cagalawan, Director of Arts Education & Professional Enrichment at East West Players; Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell; and Aaron Heinsman, Director of Development at East West Players. The event brought together County leaders and community partners whose programs advance prevention, cultural engagement, healing, and community connection across Los Angeles County.
In recent years, rising incidents of hate, violence, and discrimination have highlighted the need for prevention alongside response. Los Angeles County has invested in efforts like LA vs. Hate, which provides reporting, support services, and public education. To build on that work, the County consulted with community members and organizations to better understand what prevention looks like in practice. What emerged was a clear need for programs that increase awareness, strengthen connection, and create opportunities for communities to protect residents and celebrate their cultural contributions.
In response, Los Angeles County launched the Equity and Diversity Fund, a Countywide investment that supports community-based programs and services designed to prevent harm, strengthen relationships, and foster a sense of belonging across communities.
From Urgency to Action
Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, co-sponsor of the motion that led to the creation of the Equity and Diversity Fund, joins Ariana Melton, Chief Operating Officer of We Are R.I.S.E. Inc., at the Equity and Diversity Fund Recipient Award Ceremony on May 12, 2025. Hosted by ARDI and its partners, the event celebrated organizations advancing community-driven approaches to prevention, healing, and cultural engagement throughout Los Angeles County.
In April 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, led by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Holly J. Mitchell, advanced the Los Angeles County Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The motion directed the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative to work with community partners to address rising concerns about hate and violence and to develop recommendations for prevention and response.
What followed was an extensive, community-informed process. ARDI worked with residents, advocates, and organizations across Los Angeles County to better understand community experiences and identify meaningful solutions. As part of this effort, ARDI reported back to the Board of Supervisors between 2021 and 2022, documenting community input, progress, and recommendations that helped shape the Fund’s development, funding priorities, and its alignment with ARDI’s broader Countywide equity strategy.
Through this work, the Board of Supervisors directed the CEO to invest an initial $1 million to support prevention-focused efforts. In September 2024, ARDI, in collaboration with SoCal Grantmakers, launched the Equity and Diversity Fund to support community-based organizations and County departments in preventing and combating hate, bias, discrimination, and xenophobia across Los Angeles County.
A Prevention Strategy Grounded in Culture
A performance of Survivors by the Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble at Burbank High School on February 23, 2026. Supported through the Equity and Diversity Fund, the Holocaust education program uses theatrical storytelling to share the experiences of young Jewish people during World War II, creating opportunities for learning, reflection, and dialogue about the consequences of prejudice and the importance of understanding across communities.
To advance a prevention strategy that focuses on building connections, increasing awareness, and supporting early intervention, the Equity and Diversity Fund supports programs that provide practical tools and meaningful engagement. These programs are delivered through community-based organizations, public agencies, and cultural partners, allowing efforts to reach people in familiar and trusted spaces.
Activities include safety workshops, bystander intervention trainings, healing-centered programs, and arts and cultural initiatives that create space for dialogue, shared understanding, and celebration. As participants engage and share what they learn, these efforts extend beyond individual programs and into broader community networks. While the initial investment is targeted, its impact is intended to grow. By supporting partnerships and community leadership, ARDI is helping expand prevention efforts to reach more people over time.
Lily Tung Crystal, Artistic Director of East West Players, and Kevin Johnson-Sather, Managing Director, provide opening remarks before a performance of Paranormal Inside, which ran from October 9 to November 2, 2025. Supported through the Equity and Diversity Fund, the production brought communities together through storytelling, dialogue, and cultural engagement, reflecting ARDI’s commitment to investing in community-led approaches that foster understanding, connection, and belonging across Los Angeles County.
Storytelling is one way this work reaches communities. The Violence, Hope, and Healing Storytelling Project collects and shares lived experiences from residents across Los Angeles County. These stories help inform programs and policies while also encouraging reflection, connection, and awareness.
Other initiatives supported through the Fund include bystander intervention trainings that equip residents with tools to safely respond to harassment in public spaces, healing-centered mentorship and restorative programming for Black and Latina girls and their families through We Are R.I.S.E. Inc., and arts and cultural programming led by East West Players that uses theater and community dialogue to explore cultural understanding and inter-community solidarity.
Supporting Multiple Communities, Together
Community members gather in Little Tokyo for the Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) Celebration hosted by the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) on May 3, 2026. Supported by the Equity and Diversity Fund, the event brought together thousands of participants to celebrate Japanese and Japanese American culture through arts and cultural activities and intergenerational engagement, creating opportunities for learning, connection, and community participation across Los Angeles County.
A central focus of the Equity and Diversity Fund is to strengthen relationships across communities. Funded efforts create opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning that help build understanding and connection among a wide range of communities across Los Angeles County.
Programs serve Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, Indigenous, immigrant, and refugee communities, as well as youth, older adults, and others, and reflect a range of approaches. Some focus on safety and prevention through workshops and access to resources, while others center on mentorship, healing, leadership development, arts, and cultural engagement.
Together, these efforts reflect a broader understanding that prevention is most effective when communities are connected, supported, and equipped with opportunities to learn from one another. Intergroup initiatives continue to bring people together across communities, while arts and cultural programs create shared experiences that encourage participation and learning.
Responding to Identity-based Hate and Violence
The Equity and Diversity Fund is part of ARDI’s broader work across Los Angeles County government to advance equity and strengthen community well-being. ARDI partners with County departments, community-based organizations, and regional partners to align strategies that prevent discrimination, expand access to resources, and support community engagement. This includes coordinating efforts across initiatives such as LA vs. Hate, community violence prevention programs, and the Countywide cultural policy implementation, which promotes meaningful access to arts and culture and recognizes the role of cultural expression in building connection and understanding.
Within this broader context, the Equity and Diversity Fund complements and strengthens these efforts by supporting programs and services shaped by community input and delivered through trusted partners. By connecting policy, programs, and community experience, ARDI is helping to build a more coordinated approach to respond to identity-based hate and violence throughout Los Angeles County.
Looking Ahead
The Equity and Diversity Fund reflects Los Angeles County’s investment in community-driven strategies to prevent hate and violence.
As programs continue to roll out, the Fund is expected to expand access to resources, strengthen connections across communities, and support ongoing learning and engagement. Through partnerships and community-based approaches, these efforts are positioned to reach broader populations over time.
Residents, community partners, and County departments are invited to stay engaged as this work continues. These programs create opportunities to connect, learn, and contribute to safer and more inclusive communities.
Prevention also means creating the conditions where people feel supported, connected, and able to thrive. Through the Equity and Diversity Fund, Los Angeles County is taking steps to build that future in partnership with the communities it serves.