Never Accept Hate Campaign Launches

The NAH Collective has announced the official launch of the “Never Accept Hate (NAH)” campaign to combat rising incidents of hate in British Columbia. The campaign, including community calls to action, is a grass-roots initiative to effectively engage British Columbians in making hate unacceptable.

“In response to the hateful incidents that we have witnessed over the course of the pandemic, communities across B.C. have rallied to support one another,” said Kasari Govender, B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner. “The Never Accept Hate campaign carries a clear message: we are not powerless in the face of hate. In our increasingly polarized world, it is important to take these opportunities to stand together against bigotry and violence.”

“Broadcasters in B.C. have been reporting on the dramatic rise of acts of hate in our province,” said Rob Germain, President, the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. “Many of our journalists have themselves been targeted, especially those who face discrimination in their public roles because of their ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s why private radio and television broadcasters are supporting the Never Accept Hate campaign by donating $2.5 million in airtime over 12 months. The message could not be more timely or important.”

Debuting in March 2022 with TV and radio spots, the NAH campaign was developed to encourage a vocal stance against acts and speech of hate. From anti-Asian hate to hate directed at the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to violence and aggression directed at healthcare workers, hate crimes nearly doubled in Vancouver in 2020 from the previous year.1 And since the start of the pandemic, one in four people in B.C. have either experienced or witnessed a hate incident.2 These staggering numbers inspired the creation of the NAH campaign, encouraging members of the community to call out and/or report acts of hate rather than simply being bystanders.

CALLS TO ACTION

• Do More. The grass-roots initiative encourages involvement through research, dialogue and allyship. While not an exhaustive list, NeverAcceptHate.ca provides some actionable resources as part of community learning of how to stand up against hate.
• Speak Up. To help stop the spread of hate speech, the NAH collective is encouraging individuals, businesses and other members of the community to showcase strength in numbers by adding their voice as an ally on social media. Community members are encouraged to share a personal message using the hashtag #NAH.
• Never Accept Hate.

For business and organizations looking at how to get involved with the NAH campaign, please contact nahcollective2022@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE NAH COLLECTIVE: The NAH Collective was formed to develop and support a pro-bono public information campaign to raise awareness about the need to combat hate incidents in B.C. The NAH collective is comprised of 5 agencies, Broadcasters of British Columbia, British Columbia’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Wasserman Partners Advertising, 123 West, Rethink, Spring, Ps&Co. and Kirk& Co. Consulting Ltd.