Swastikas appeared on a Jewish fraternity several weeks ago, reminding the University of California, Davis community of the dangers of ongoing anti-Semitism and hate. NIOT is working with a group of Davis residents who want to change the atmosphere in town.
Davis
Alexandra Lee-Jobe is a longtime social activist and educator in Davis, CA. An active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, Alex has led the organization's Anti-Racism Task Team and worked tirelessly to initiate and improve diversity and inclusion in her community. Recently Alex has become a founding member of the Davis Phoenix Coalition, a member of the Not In Our Town Network. This group is working on creating an inclusive community center servicing the diverse Davis community.
Tell us about your community.
Davis is a small city with a population of 66,000 residents and 33,000 college students. The University of California, Davis is the largest employer of 28,000. It's a bike-friendly city with a well-respected school system and a "liberal" community. It is also known as the second most educated city in the U.S. I went to college here, in 1972-73, receiving a B.S. in Applied Behavioral Science.
Human Relations Commission Vice-Chair Craig Blomberg speaks at the June 28 HRC meeting. Photo: Fred Gladdis/Davis Enterprise
The college town of Davis, Calif. won't let three recent hate incidents divide them. Instead, they are using the opportunity to unite.
The community is directing its energy creatively, literally coming together to produce a video collage titled "Speak Out for Tolerance" in response to the recent city hate incidents.
San Francisco, CA: With California in economic crisis, and the state's schools facing a crippling budget crunch, the University of California is in the midst of one of its deepest, most disturbing conflicts over race, tolerance and diversity in recent memory.
The UC system from Davis to San Diego has been rocked by racist, anti-Semitic and anti-gay incidents, creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust. The impact has reverberated nationwide, prompting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to condemn the "intolerable acts of racism" on UC campuses--harsh words indeed from the state's highest office.
The UC Board of Regents is meeting tomorrow at UC San Francisco to address the situation.
