Austin's 'We All Belong' initiative gives residents a tool to report hate crimes

Austin's 'We All Belong' initiative

Austin's assistant city manager Veronica Briseño says the 'We All Belong' initiative is more than just a slogan. the city is committed to ensuring Austin remains a place where diversity is celebrated, and hate is not tolerated.

AUSTIN, Texas - The City of Austin's goal is to empower the community to take action and keep Austin a safe and welcoming place with streamlined access to tools to report hate crimes and incidents.

"No one should live in fear of being a target of hateful acts simply because of who we are. That is not a culture we accept in Austin," said Austin's assistant city manager Veronica Briseño.

Briseño says the 'We All Belong' initiative is more than just a slogan. The city is committed to ensuring Austin remains a place where diversity is celebrated, and hate is not tolerated.

"As a community, we are willing to report hate crimes and incidents. But when it comes to awareness of tools and resources to do so, there is room for improvement," said Briseño.

Austin residents can report hate crimes online here.

A busy week for Austin City Council

Austin City Council member Mackenzie Kelly joins FOX 7 Austin in studio to talk about the recent agenda items discussed in this week's meetings, including an affordable housing measure, homeless issues and the ongoing police shortage.

"In addition to the streamlined access to hate crime and incident reporting resources, it provides an interactive data experience and offers a look at where hate crimes have been reported in Austin the last three years," said Briseño.

District 10 council member Alison Alter reflected on previous hate crimes that happened in the city.

"In one of these acts of hate, in October 2021, an 18-year-old member of the Texas State Guard deliberately set my set fire to my temple congregation, Beth Israel. His sanctuary till this day remains unusable," Alter said.

In addition to reporting hate crimes and incidents, the public can also get involved in the 'We All Belong' initiative. Residents can be an information ambassador or participate in the ‘We All Belong’ citywide event that will be at city hall on Saturday, August 1. The celebration kicks off after 5 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m. 

The family-friendly event will bring people together for food, fellowship and fun, while highlighting the progress of the ‘We All Belong’ initiative. Admission is free.