CM Krishnan questions OPHC on data-driven approach to identifying hate
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.
You said you have to go where you think they're happening, and you mentioned, I think, a Roosevelt Island example just there.
How are you figuring out where they're happening?
We were listening.
Data-driven?
Are there– well, is it by data reporting or just anecdotally?
you're hearing of it or how does that work?
Right.
So the fact that we know, let's underscore that question by saying not all hate crimes are reported.
So if we go by the data alone, we're missing half of the whole picture.
So we go with the data of reporting and saying where the hate crimes happen.
Mostly the hate crimes happen for the LGBTQIA plus community is on the trains.
A lot of times we see them in public transportation, and we have programs across the city that we are in the trains, we are in the streets, but we also see them in schools as well.
So part of the youth program that we have is working with the communities in the school to share about diversity, inclusion, equity, but also, too, we are also listening to the community.
So we have programs in schools.
We have programs in senior centers.
Just this past week, actually, we have a member who called us and asked us, hey, I'm part of the LGBTQ community.
How can I support your office?
We are seeing hate crimes.
And I'm proud to see my two interns who are here today.
They are working with him directly to plan a Breaking Bread Building Bonds initiative in July.
So the point is that we listen to the community, to what they tell us, and we go to where they need us to be in the city.