In October of 2006, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission Community Relations Committee voted to create a sub-committee to update the Commission’s anti-hate and bias plan and to address the stated concern of the lack of identifiable community resources devoted to combating hate, bias and violence.  It was a consensus of the committee that it was an appropriate time to do so since there were no pressing community issue or issues that usually precedes such community reviews.

In November of 2006, the sub-committee had an organizational meeting and met again in January of 2007.  The following mission statement is a result of these meetings:

It is the mission of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission Anti-Hate, Bias and Violence Initiative to safeguard all individuals in Lexington-Fayette Urban County from incidences of hate, bias and violence based on their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, familial status, or sexual orientation/gender identity through education, awareness, engagement, understanding, policy recommendation and law enforcement.

With that decision made, the sub-committee began the task of revising the Commission’s 1999 Anti-Hate, Bias and Violence Plan.  The sub-committee was later merged with the Community Relations Committee with the mission of updating the plan.  The committee is grateful for the generous assistance received by Master of Social Work Graduate interns Jonathan Goodan of the University of Kentucky and Katherine Williams of Morehead State University in researching and drafting the update to this publication during the Spring semester of 2007.  Jonathan and Katherine’s invaluable devotion and hard work on this publication is greatly appreciated.

The Commission is also thankful for the assistance and contributions of interns Katie Tenenbaum and Nicole Lally of the University of Kentucky during the spring semester of 2007.  

We are hopeful that you will find some the information contained herein to be useful in your everyday activities.  We hope the positive communication techniques will affirmatively promote respect for differences and an appreciation of the diversity of the members our community.

Erase Hate, Bias & Violence Guide

Hate, Bias & Violence: Not In Our Community (brochure)