Hate Crimes Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Anti-Hate Forum Slated For Tuesday In Huntington

Hate crimes remain a problem in our communities, but a forum in Huntington next week will help attendees understand how to identify it.

The United Against Hate (UAH) Community Outreach Program is a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat unlawful acts of hate. The initiative aims to improve hate crime reporting by teaching community members how to identify, report and help prevent hate crimes, and by building trust between law enforcement and communities.

UAH shares resources to combat hate and encourages discussion between representatives from law enforcement, community organizations and members of the public. The program emphasizes that while some hate-fueled incidents — standing alone — may not be a crime, people should still report those incidents to local law enforcement and the FBI.

U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams along with other community leaders are hosting the event.

“This forum is an excellent opportunity to hear from the community, raise awareness and further education about hate crimes and bias incidents,” Thompson said.

“Huntington is a welcoming community that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion, but there are still individuals who want to tear down the progress we have made,” Williams said. “That’s why I am eager to partner with the U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and engage our community on this important topic.”

The forum will include presentations about United Against Hate and federal and West Virginia hate crime laws as well as a panel session featuring community leaders.

The panel is scheduled to include:

Charles Meyers: past president, Cabell-Huntington NAACP
Hoyt Glazer, J.D.: president, Temple B’nai Sholom
Sue Barazi: vice president, Islamic Association of West Virginia
Ally Layman: president, Huntington Pride
Angela Adams: president and CEO, Mountain State Centers for Independent Living

The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 19 at the Marshall Health Network Arena Convention Center. It is free and open to the public. RSVP is not required.

U.S. DOJ Awards More Than $6 Million To Law Enforcement Across The State

The grants and programs are meant to support law enforcement, bolster forensic science research, as well as prevent and respond to crimes against children.

The U.S. Department of Justice will distribute $5.8 million to 16 law enforcement programs across the state.

The grants and programs are meant to support law enforcement, bolster forensic science research, as well as prevent and respond to crimes against children.

The largest individual award is more than $3 million from the DOJ’s Law Enforcement Transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to Improve Hate Crime Reporting Program to Full Circle Training Solutions, a law enforcement training firm in Morgantown.

The Berkeley County Commission will receive $1 million for school safety from the DOJ STOP School Violence Program, which is designed to assist local and state authorities in improving efforts to reduce violent crime in and around schools.

The DOJ Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes Program awarded West Virginia University more than $500,000 for the development of methods for the identification and analysis of forensic evidence for criminal justice purposes.

Wyoming, Mercer, Randolph, Berkeley and Fayette Counties as well as Clarksburg, Elkins and Morgantown will each receive a DOJ Assistance Grant averaging $15,000.

We're 'Documenting Hate' in West Virginia with ProPublica. Here's How to Help

Following the 2016 election, messages of hate sprung up around the United States, evoking fear in the minds and hearts of many minority groups across the country. Members of the alt-right and white supremacist movement have increasingly found themselves in the national spotlight, holding rallies in communities across the country — even in the heart of Appalachia.

However, there is currently no reliable data on hate-related incidents and crimes in America.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting is teaming with ProPublica’s Documenting Hate project to track hate-related incidents and follow up on them with reporting that seeks to add context to a growing national conversation on the subject.

If you’ve witnessed or have knowledge of a hate-related incident in West Virginia, let us know by filling out the form below. Our reporters will get in touch and follow up on the story.