New campaign contest seeks to fight pandemic-based hate in Orange County
As COVID-related discrimination and xenophobia reach an all-time high, Orange County Human Relations Commission (OCHRC) has responded by launching an exciting anti-hate initiative. The “To Know Better” multimedia campaign contest is designed to promote cultural acceptance through the voices of Orange County middle and high schoolers.
In partnership with Orange County Public Schools and The Orange County Department of Education, To Know Better is a call to young people to incite some serious change in their schools and beyond.
“Racism and hatred of others because of their differences is unacceptable,” says Orange County Board of Supervisor, Chairwoman, Michelle Steel. “This campaign is about making people realize they know better than to treat others poorly.”
To participate in the multimedia campaign contest, students will work in teams to submit ideas for short digital videos that promote 1) acceptance and inclusivity, 2) timely calls-to-action like social distancing and wearing a mask. After submitting entries at knowbetter2020.com by November 23, 2020, one winning campaign from each district will be selected by its District Supervisor to be executed in Orange County schools and beyond. Prizes include funding for the winning team’s school toward anti-hate initiatives, professional help in bringing initiatives to life, and the added bonus of clout on college, job and internship applications.
Since 1971, OCHRC has served the community with the mission is to seek out and eliminate the causes of tension, discrimination, and intolerance. It is known and recognized for its ongoing efforts to make Orange County a more accepting and unified community.
The Orange County Human Relations Commission is contracted by the County of Orange to work closely with law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, diverse faith leaders, and community members to respond and track hate crimes and incidents on behalf of the County.
To learn more about services provided by the County through the Human Relations Commission, please visit http://www.occommunityservices.org/human-relations-commission.