Oversight Hearing on Community-Based Prevention and Response to Hate and Bias
Vijah Ramjattan, Executive Director of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes
“Good afternoon, Chair Salaam, members of the Committee to Combat Hate, and all members of the New York City Council.
My name is Vijah Ramjattan, and I am the Executive Director of the New York City Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC), which, under Mayor Mamdani’s leadership, is now proudly part of the city’s new Office of Community Safety.
Before I begin, I want to thank Mayor Mamdani the Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois, and the Commissioner of the Office of Community Safety, Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey for their bold vision and for making the prevention of hate a genuine priority of this administration.
The decision to bring OPHC into the Office of Community Safety was not a routine reorganization. It was a clear statement of values: that preventing hate before it ever takes hold is not peripheral to public safety, it is central to it. That commitment has finally given offices like ours the mandate, the partners, and the support to do this work at the scale our city deserves.
For too long, hate prevention has often been treated as an afterthought, expected to solve growing challenges without the resources necessary to meet the moment. This administration has made a different choice.
The Mamdani administration has made an unprecedented commitment to hate prevention by increasing funding for OPHC by $26 million, an increase of more than 800%. This historic investment recognizes that preventing hate is not simply about responding after incidents occur; it is about building resilient communities where hate cannot take root in the first place.
For the first time, OPHC is being resourced at a scale that matches both the urgency of its mission and the diversity of the city it serves. That investment will allow us to expand programming, deepen partnerships, reach more communities, hire more staff, and build a citywide prevention infrastructure.
It is an investment worthy of our city, the most diverse city in the world.
That diversity is one of our greatest strengths, but it also requires intentional investments to keep those bonds strong:
- Investments in relationship-building;
- Investments in education;
- Investments in community trust.
Today, I would like to highlight how OPHC, with the backing of the Mamdani administration, fulfills its mission to prevent hate, strengthen communities, and foster belonging across our city.
No New Yorker should ever feel unsafe because of their identity, beliefs, appearance, or background. This administration has made that principle a foundation of its community safety agenda, and OPHC is proud to help carry it forward.
One of the primary ways we accomplish this work is through Partners Against the Hate, or PATH.
PATH is the backbone of New York City’s community-based hate prevention infrastructure. Through six anchor organizations and more than 40 sub-vendors, PATH provides culturally responsive programming in more than 20 languages and reaches communities across all five boroughs.
Because we believe hate prevention is not only about responding after harm occurs, PATH helps build resilient communities by creating opportunities for New Yorkers to connect, learn from one another, and recognize the common humanity that binds us together.
In Fiscal Year 2025 alone, through our PATH Initiative and OPHC-led programming, we conducted nearly 700 events, engaged more than 62,000 participants, and worked alongside over 240 community partners in over 20 different languages. These efforts included anti-hate education, victim support services, conflict de-escalation training, youth programming, and outreach to communities that have historically faced barriers to reporting hate incidents.
What makes PATH successful is that it is led by trusted organizations deeply rooted in the communities they serve. These organizations are often the first places residents turn for support, information, and healing after experiencing bias or hate.
Core PATH partners — including the 67th Precinct Clergy Council, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), the New York City Anti-Violence Project, the Arab American Association of New York, the Asian American Federation, and the Hispanic Federation — work together to combat antisemitism, anti-LGBTQ+ hate, Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, anti-Arab hate, anti-Black racism, and other forms of bias while fostering inclusion, solidarity, and safety for all New Yorkers.
The impact extends beyond any single event. When communities have trusted relationships, know where to seek help, and feel connected to one another, they are better equipped to prevent conflicts from escalating, support victims when incidents occur, and build resilience against hate and bias.
Another way we accomplish this work is by bringing communities together through initiatives such as Unity in the Community: 7 on 7.
This initiative emerged during a period of heightened concern along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. Public conversations about street vending, quality-of-life concerns, and changing conditions in the corridor were creating tension among residents and community groups, threatening to erode trust and deepen division. Rather than allowing communities to retreat further into silos, OPHC chose to create spaces for dialogue and connection.
OPHC and its partners brought together diverse communities connected by the 7-train corridor, including South Asian, Southeast Asian, Latino, LGBTQIA+, and other communities. We partnered with city agencies to bring resources directly into neighborhoods while creating opportunities for residents to share experiences, learn about one another’s cultures, and identify common concerns.
The goal was simple: to remind New Yorkers that there is more that unites us than divides us.
The initiative demonstrated the power of bringing communities together. By creating opportunities for residents to connect, share experiences, and build relationships, it helped strengthen trust, deepen understanding, and reinforce the sense of belonging that makes communities resilient. These connections are the foundation of community cohesion, helping neighbors see one another not as strangers, but as partners in building a stronger and more connected community.
Finally, a critical part of our long-term prevention strategy is investing in young people through our Youth Ambassador Leadership Program, or YALP.
Launched in October 2025 and in partnership with NYC Public Schools, YALP empowers young people between the ages of 8 and 18 to become ambassadors of inclusion, respect, and belonging.
The program brings together youth, parents, educators, mentors, and city leaders from across all five boroughs. Participants receive training in leadership development, civic engagement, public speaking, community organizing, and restorative practices.
What makes YALP particularly powerful is that young people are not simply learning about leadership, they are practicing it. Participants return to their schools and communities to lead projects, facilitate discussions, and serve as positive role models for their peers.
At a time when many young people are exposed to misinformation, division, and online hate, YALP provides an opportunity to equip the next generation with the tools necessary to build stronger and more inclusive communities.
The young people we engage today will become the community leaders, educators, public servants, business owners, and parents of tomorrow. By teaching empathy, leadership, civic engagement, and respect for differences now, we are investing in the long-term prevention of hate and bias before it takes root.
All told, our programming, which includes interfaith engagement, youth art projects, community dialogues, anti-hate education, and victim support services help build trust, strengthen relationships across communities, support victims, and create opportunities for New Yorkers to engage across differences before conflict occurs.
As part of the Office of Community Safety, and with the support of Mayor Mamdani, Deputy Mayor Francois, and the newly appointed OCS Commissioner Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey, OPHC is working closely with our partner offices to strengthen coordination, share data and best practices, and identify new opportunities to advance community safety. Together, we are helping shape a coordinated approach to prevention that recognizes the important role community engagement, education, and relationship-building play in keeping New Yorkers safe.
Mayor Mamdani’s historic investment in OPHC will allow us to expand and enhance our work. We are exploring ways to deepen engagement within emerging communities, strengthen community-based hate prevention efforts, broaden access to culturally responsive programming, and build upon successful initiatives such as PATH, YALP, and Community Project Grants.
Finally, I want to emphasize that preventing hate is not the responsibility of any one agency. It requires collaboration across government, schools, faith communities, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and everyday New Yorkers. We are fortunate to do this work under an administration that shares that belief and has backed it with real attention and investment.
OPHC is proud to serve as a convener and connector in that work.
Every day, we witness communities choosing understanding over division, dialogue over conflict, and unity over hate. Those moments may not always make headlines, but they are the foundation of a safer and stronger New York City.
Under Mayor Mamdani’s leadership, we have a true opportunity to build a city where belonging is strengthened, communities are connected, and neighbors see one another as partners in a shared future. By investing in prevention, we can address the conditions that allow hate to take root and create communities that are more resilient, inclusive, and safe.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support. I look forward to answering any questions you may have.”