Starting With Dignity: How Alliance San Diego Is Confronting Hate by Affirming Each Person’s Humanity

April 20, 2026

Alliance San Diego, a community organization funded by California's Stop the Hate Program, is combating rising hate incidents through its Start With Dignity human rights education initiative. The program teaches participants that dignity is inherent to all people, helping them understand how this principle connects to laws, policies, and advocacy efforts. Community leader Petrus Johnson partnered with the organization to bring the program to his San Diego church congregation, transforming how members approach civic engagement and social justice work.

Who is affected

Petrus Johnson and his church congregation in North County San Diego
Communities of color across California
Immigrants and undocumented individuals
Unhoused residents
LGBTQ+ youth
People targeted based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and immigration status
Black and Latino communities in San Diego's low-lying areas (flood victims)
Individuals experiencing hate crimes and hate incidents
Participants Mark Hovey and Stephanie Renick
Hundreds of clients receiving legal assistance from Alliance San Diego

What action is being taken

Alliance San Diego is conducting Start With Dignity interactive learning workshops
The organization is providing legal services to help clients move from undocumented to documented status and supporting naturalization efforts
Alliance San Diego is engaging in nonpartisan voter education and policy advocacy
The organization is supporting flood victims in San Diego communities
California vs Hate hotline is operating Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PT, providing confidential support
Alliance San Diego's legal rights team is helping clients and pursuing federal litigation against unlawful ICE detentions

Why it matters

This work matters because hate crimes and hate incidents have been steadily rising across California, targeting vulnerable populations based on identity factors. The significance extends beyond addressing individual violent acts to confronting deeper patterns of discrimination embedded in public policy and everyday systems. For historically marginalized communities, violations of basic human rights have often been normalized or ignored without accountability. By teaching that dignity is inherent rather than earned, Alliance San Diego is reframing advocacy as an extension of shared humanity rather than confrontation, providing communities with both the conceptual framework and practical tools to defend their rights. This approach interrupts patterns of dehumanization and creates pathways for people previously unsure how to engage civically to become effective advocates for themselves and their neighbors.

What's next

CA vs Hate is hosting the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11, 2026, with more information available at www.cavshate.org/summit.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint