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New York City Council
Oversight - Community-based Prevention and Response to Hate and Bias
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council staff announces the hearing of the Committee to Combat Hate, instructs attendees on testimony submission, and reminds everyone to silence electronic devices and not approach the dais.
Chair Yusef Salaam introduces himself as chair of the Committee to Combat Hate, thanks attendees, and notes that today's oversight hearing examines the role of community engagement in preventing and responding to hate and bias.
Chair Salaam discusses how NYC's diversity is its greatest strength and how hate crimes seek to divide communities, targeting not just individuals but entire faith, race, gender identity, and background groups, with harm that reverberates across generations.
Chair Salaam reports that NYC recorded a 20% citywide reduction in hate crime complaints in 2025, with decreases across all four major bias categories: religion, race/ethnicity, gender/sexual orientation, and age. He attributes progress to sustained investments in prevention and community outreach.
Chair Salaam notes that despite overall progress, Buddhist communities saw dramatic increases in reported hate crimes and anti-female crimes rose as well. He emphasizes that aggregate data can obscure real challenges and that no community should be left behind.
Chair Salaam discusses how hate crimes are chronically underreported as many turn to community organizations rather than government. He introduces the three testifying offices: OPHC, the Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism, and the Mayor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships.
Committee counsel administers the oath to the administration panel, who swear to tell the truth before the committee.
Vijay Ramjatin, Executive Director of OPHC, thanks Mayor Mamdani and Deputy Mayor Francois for elevating hate prevention as central to public safety. He describes OPHC's move to the Office of Community Safety as a clear statement that preventing hate is not peripheral to public safety.
Ramjatin details the Mamdani administration's unprecedented $26 million funding increase to OPHC, an 800% increase, calling it an investment worthy of the most diverse city in the world. He says the funding will expand programming, deepen partnerships, hire staff, and build a city prevention infrastructure.
Ramjatin describes the Partners Against the Hate Initiative (PATH), OPHC's backbone prevention infrastructure with six anchor organizations and 40+ sub-vendors providing culturally responsive programming in 20+ languages across all five boroughs. In FY2025, PATH conducted nearly 700 events engaging 62,000+ participants.
Ramjatin names PATH's six anchor partners including the 67th Precinct Clergy Council, JCRC, NY Anti-Violence Project, Arab American Association, Asian American Federation, and Hispanic Federation. He explains how trusted community organizations help prevent conflict escalation and build resilience against hate.
Ramjatin describes the 7 on 7 initiative along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, created during heightened community tension over street vending and quality of life concerns. The program brought together East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ communities connected by the 7 train corridor to build unity and belonging.
Ramjatin presents YALP, launched October 2025 in partnership with NYC Public Schools, empowering youth ages 8-18 as ambassadors of inclusion. Participants receive training in leadership, civic engagement, public speaking, and restorative practices, then return to schools to lead projects and facilitate discussions.
Ramjatin summarizes OPHC's programming including interfaith engagement, youth art projects, community dialogues, and victim support. He outlines plans to deepen engagement in emerging communities, broaden culturally responsive programming, and expand PATH, YALP, and community project grants with the new funding.
Phylisa Wisdom, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism (MOCA), describes a five-borough listening tour finding that nearly every visibly Jewish person has personally experienced an antisemitic incident. She notes Jewish hate crimes make up over 50% of total hate crimes despite overall declines.
Wisdom explains that MOCA was a six-month-old office with a single employee when the Mamdani administration entered. She has revitalized the interagency task force on antisemitism, meeting individually with nearly every member agency, and maintains strong communication with NYPD, OPHC, CCHR, and other partners.
Wisdom describes developing what may be the first municipal strategy to combat antisemitism in the US, tracking for release by end of summer. She also launched a new website for public contact, noting the previous office had no website or way to be reached without existing connections.
Wisdom highlights the massive influx of OPHC funding from $3M to $29M annually (886% increase) and emphasizes close communication with OPHC on how to best use the increased funding to combat antisemitism alongside all other forms of hate.
Chair Salaam asks about OPHC's long-standing partnerships and selection process. Ramjatin explains the six anchor organizations identified since the office's 2019 founding, chosen for their bandwidth to deliver grassroots programming citywide across all five boroughs.
Chair Salaam asks how OPHC allocates funds and whether certain neighborhoods are prioritized. Ramjatin explains each anchor organization receives equal funding from the $3M base and sub-grants to vendors citywide, noting prior funding could not reach every community but the 800% increase will expand reach.
Chair Salaam asks which Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan areas were targeted and whether Staten Island and the Bronx are covered. Ramjatin reports programming in all five boroughs, including Community Project Grants of $10,000 each and seed grants for rapid response, such as Central Queens Against Hate for Forest Hills and Rego Park.
Chair Salaam asks about the 7 on 7 series feedback and replication plans. Ramjatin reports positive community feedback, with six of seven events completed and a culminating event planned. He envisions expanding to other transit lines (5 on the 1s, 10 on the A's) and bus routes across all boroughs.
Chair Salaam asks about successful youth programs and feedback. Ramjatin describes NYC Youth Moving Forward Against Hate, launched January 2025, working with 4th-5th graders through high school and colleges. Post-surveys show 35%+ of students now know the difference between hate, bias, and discrimination.
Chair Salaam asks how OPHC tracks school impacts like bullying and hateful graffiti. Ramjatin explains OPHC receives monthly reports from NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force on schools with increased bias incidents, then proactively reaches out. He notes they also work beyond NYC public schools, including an imam training school.
Chair Salaam asks what MOCA covers, then raises the scholarly point that Arabs and Muslims are also Semitic. He questions whether anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate should be included under antisemitism, noting these groups are often miscategorized into broader hate-based incidents.
Chair Salaam pushes for NYC to lead in expanding the definition of antisemitism to include all Semitic peoples. Wisdom responds that the term is widely understood as anti-Jewish hatred and that the administration combats all forms of hate across offices, with no form privileged above another. Salaam suggests more inclusion is needed.
Chair Salaam asks about MOCA staffing and expansion plans. Wisdom reports two current staff growing to three or four, a 300-400% expansion. On outreach, she describes the ongoing listening tour across five boroughs and interfaith cooperation as central to the Mamdani administration's approach.
Chair Salaam asks about MOCA's work increasing dialogue among different Jewish communities. Wisdom acknowledges the Jewish community is divided and explains MOCA's role is ensuring every group has a seat at the table with the administration and their experiences as Jews are seen as legitimate.
Chair Salaam asks about MOCA's restorative justice work, interagency collaboration, and startup challenges. Wisdom reports MOCA has not yet done restorative justice work but supports partner agencies doing so. She describes convening the interagency task force and sees building the new office as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
Chair Salaam notes OFCP's website was minimal and recently taken down, asking how the office engages without a public website. Executive Director Ali Atif explains OFCP operates under the Office of Mass Engagement and the public can contact them through OME's website.
Chair Salaam asks for examples of OFCP's policies and programs. Atif describes working with congregations and nonprofits across all five boroughs, including distributing 30,000 Know Your Rights flyers with MOIA, hosting an interfaith breakfast for 400 faith leaders, and coordinating cooling center partnerships with NYCEM.
Chair Salaam asks whether OFCP engages with the nearly one-third of New Yorkers who are religiously unaffiliated. Atif says faith leaders are defined broadly and they welcome anyone leveraging faith-based values for social good. He also describes an ongoing listening tour across houses of worship citywide.
Chair Salaam asks about OFCP's structure, staff size, and hiring. Atif reports four staff including himself, planning a fifth hire, and expresses excitement about being part of the Office of Mass Engagement with the mayor's prioritization of faith partnerships.
CM Darlene Mealy asks whether Christians and African American clergy experience hate crimes, noting bishops face harassment on social media. Ramjatin responds about the 67th Precinct Clergy Council (God Squad) as a PATH partner and describes the Interfaith Council on Words and Symbols of Peace and Hate.
CM Mealy challenges OPHC's claim of coverage in her district covering Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, and Crown Heights, saying the God Squad only holds one or two meetings there. Ramjatin clarifies the six anchor organizations and their sub-vendors operate citywide, with significant Brooklyn programming.
CM Mealy asks about the hate crime notification system required under Local Law 49 of 2020, noting she only learns of hate crimes from precinct texts. Ramjatin says notifications go to community boards, CBOs, and elected officials within 24 hours of NYPD notification and promises to verify Mealy is on the list.
CM Mealy questions why only Roosevelt Avenue was chosen for the 7 on 7 series, asking about the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, and C train lines with similar issues. Ramjatin explains the program was piloted due to heightened community division on Roosevelt Avenue and plans to expand to all train lines and bus routes with new funding.
CM Mealy asks how to find out who received seed grants and requests examples in Brooklyn. Ramjatin names grantees including Julia Keto, Red Lotus, and Christina Blackin, all African American individuals in Brooklyn. He notes applications increased 300% and offers info sessions to help organizations navigate the application process.
CM Shekar Krishnan asks OPHC to elaborate on efforts combating hate in the LGBTQ community. Ramjatin describes working with the Anti-Violence Project, seed grants for LGBTQ organizations, and the 7 on 7 initiative highlighting the trans community on Roosevelt Avenue where profiling was occurring.
CM Krishnan asks how OPHC determines where hate is happening. Ramjatin explains they combine NYPD data with community listening, noting not all hate crimes are reported. He says LGBTQ hate crimes often occur on trains and in schools, and OPHC responds to both data and community requests.
CM Krishnan asks how OPHC addresses homophobia and transphobia that manifests in people's homes among family members. Ramjatin acknowledges they cannot know about home incidents unless reported, then works with AVP and Voces Latina to provide culturally responsive outreach and support.
CM Krishnan asks about collaboration with the Mayor's new Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs. Ramjatin describes the Unity Grants program, where the LGBTQIA+ office identifies seven groups receiving $20,000 each through OPHC, a program ongoing for three to four years.
Chair Salaam asks which OPHC programs would be prioritized for scaling with the proposed FY2027 budget increase. Ramjatin identifies PATH as the top priority for expanding trusted partners beyond the current 60 organizations, plus youth initiatives and restorative justice programming for justice-involved individuals.
Chair Salaam asks how OPHC responds to spikes in specific communities like anti-Buddhist and anti-female hate crimes. Ramjatin describes using seed grants for rapid response, including working with Bridging Cultures Group led by Dr. Debbie Almontaser to bring diverse women together after Islamophobic incidents against women.
Chair Salaam asks about OPHC's recent relocation from the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice to the Office of Community Safety. Ramjatin says there is no shift in approach, but the move enables a more holistic citywide approach with four additional partner agencies and better governance over resource allocation.
Chair Salaam asks how often the Interagency Committee meets and what topics are addressed. Ramjatin reports quarterly meetings with 20+ agencies discussing hate, bias, discrimination trends and coordinated city responses. He notes commissioners and mayoral staff attend meetings.
Chair Salaam asks about OPHC staff titles, expansion plans, and who sits on the Interagency Committee. Ramjatin reports three staff (Executive Director, Deputy Director, Senior Programs Manager), plans for borough-based liaisons, and that all OPHC staff participate in the Interagency Committee meetings.
CM Mealy asks how OPHC works with schools and NYPD when bullying incidents occur, sharing a personal story of staff children being bullied. She questions whether principals should be mandated to report incidents and asks about coordination with the Department of Education to ensure reporting compliance.
CM Mealy raises tensions between long-term residents and gentrifiers, asking if OPHC has considered hate or bias stemming from displacement fears. Ramjatin says OPHC listens to community concerns and will provide resources and support wherever called upon, and offers to meet with Mealy's office.
Chair Salaam notes Councilmember Pierina Sanchez has joined, thanks the three administration witnesses for their informative testimony, and transitions to the public testimony portion of the hearing.
Chair Salaam announces rules for public testimony: three minutes per speaker, no video recording from the witness table, written testimony may be submitted to the sergeant at arms or via email within 72 hours. He calls the first panel of three witnesses.
Scott Richman of ADL reports 2025 was the third highest year for antisemitic incidents since 1979, with NYC recording 1,160 incidents (74% within the five boroughs). He urges the Council to promote community-based education programs like ADL's No Place for Hate initiative and ADL Aura, an AI-powered education assistant for K-12 educators.
Julio Cesar Herrera of Hispanic Federation describes HF's role as a PATH anchor organization since 2021, reaching millions of New Yorkers through sub-grantees providing anti-bias education across five boroughs. He warns that without sustained investment, many CBOs will be forced to scale back or suspend services.
Amol Aulakh of the Sikh Coalition describes how Sikhs remain the third most targeted religious group per FBI data. He urges support for community-based reporting pathways, multilingual materials, anti-bias education accurately reflecting Sikh communities, and rapid response support for targeted gurdwaras, businesses, and families.
Chair Salaam thanks all three panelists and gives a special shout-out to Hispanic Federation for their partnership at a Bodega Festival event over the weekend, emphasizing the importance of bringing positive community events to neighborhoods.
CM Krishnan asks about HF's experience reducing underreporting. Herrera describes a multi-pronged approach including CBO-led anti-bias education, bilingual PSA campaigns, and radio mentions. A 2023 survey of 10,000 New Yorkers found 31% didn't know what legally constituted a hate crime and 78% who had experienced one never reported it.
CM Krishnan asks all three panelists about challenges working across language communities. Herrera describes relying on diverse coalition partners like La Voz de Unidas and NICE. Aulakh emphasizes bilingual materials for Punjabi-speaking gurdwara communities. Richman discusses hiring Orthodox community members who speak Yiddish to build trust and improve reporting.
Hilary Stuchin of UJA Federation describes supporting nearly 100 nonprofit partners serving New Yorkers of all backgrounds. She urges the city to invest the proposed $29M for OPHC in effective programming, improve reporting systems in multiple languages, and invest in educator preparedness as an essential prevention strategy.
Sophia Tobia Gage of CAIR NY reports a 130% national rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes between 2020-2025. CAIR's data shows 64% of Muslims experienced hate crimes or bias incidents, yet only 4% reported to law enforcement. She notes NYPD recorded only 43 anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2024 while CAIR received significantly more reports.
CM Krishnan asks CAIR to clarify the 130% increase timeframe and whether there is NYC-specific data. Gage confirms the figure covers 2020-2025 nationally and that CAIR's state-level data reflects the gap between official NYPD numbers and actual community reports, with detailed case files available for follow-up.
CM Krishnan asks both panelists about language barrier experiences. Stuchin highlights Yiddish-speaking and Russian-speaking communities in Brooklyn needing resources in their languages. Gage notes CAIR's bilingual Arabic-English staff and use of partner translators when needed.
CM Krishnan asks whether any data exists on hate against Black Jewish communities and people from the African diaspora in his Harlem district. Both panelists offer to follow up with specific data, with Gage noting African and African American Muslim communities are a large portion of CAIR's constituents.
Madison Mountie of the Simon Wiesenthal Center describes two initiatives: Combating Hate in Digital Spaces workshops for grades 7-12 covering digital identity, AI, and algorithm manipulation, and Mobile Museums of Tolerance bringing immersive human rights education directly to schools and communities across NYC.
Marissa Sabarak of AJC New York provides historical context that the term 'antisemitism' was invented in 1879 specifically for anti-Jewish hatred. She cites AJC data showing 56% of Jewish New Yorkers changed their behavior out of fear, and urges focus on the AJC's Combating Antisemitism Playbook priorities including education and intergovernmental coordination.
CM Krishnan asks SWC about their experience combating online hate. Mountie describes updating workshops to cover algorithm influence, helping students recognize hate speech and bias online, and teaching them how their interactions perpetuate harmful content. SWC plans to expand programming to elementary and college levels.
Chair Salaam, noting his 10 children, asks about experiences reaching younger children exposed to hate on digital platforms like YouTube. Mountie describes developing age-appropriate curriculum for third graders. Sabarak emphasizes the need for honest parent-child conversations and holding social media companies accountable for platform hate.
Chair Salaam asks what more the panelists want to see from intergovernmental coordination. Sabarak urges more coordination on prevention, policy, and education between the mayoral administration and City Council. Mountie highlights SWC's partnerships through the City Council for classroom programs and through the state for mobile museums.
Leslie Claire Allen of the NYC Anti-Violence Project, a PATH partner, testifies remotely about AVP's 24/7 crisis hotline for survivors of hate violence. She reports hotline calls up 35% and an extensive legal services waitlist, urging investment in organizations like AVP to meet rising needs amid national anti-LGBTQ sentiment, especially against trans communities and LGBTQ immigrants.
Chair Salaam calls a final Zoom panel of three individuals who do not appear. He offers a last call for in-person testimony, and seeing none, concludes the hearing and thanks all who testified.