Media Advisory
April 26, 2004

Contact: Jonathan Adams, ARC, Tel: (646) 502-8843

 
Sacramento, CA—Although the California Department of Justice reported a significant increase in racial and ethnicity motivated hate crimes in 2001, California still has no coordinated plan to prevent increased incidences of hate and racial profiling in the event of a terrorist attack. Held in conjunction with the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, and Latino Legislative caucuses, this hearing will create a record of the impact of national security policies on communities of color in California; assess threats to civil rights in an era of national security; and explore policies to increase protections for all California residents.

WHEN:
Thursday, April 29, 2004, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Hearing Room 126, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA

Hearing Moderators:

    •    Assemblymember Judy Chu, Chair of Select Committee on Hate Crimes and Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
    •    Assemblymember Marco A. Firebaugh, Chair of Latino Legislative Caucus
    •    Senator Kevin Murray, Chair of Black Legislative Caucus
Testimony Overview:
    •    Tammy Johnson, Race and Public Policy Program, Applied Research Center
Testimony:
    •    Kavneet Singh Alag, Sikh Media and Resource Task Force, on hate crimes
    •    Mrs. A., on racial profiling and local law enforcement
    •    Gen Fujioka, Asian Law Caucus, on case of Secret Service interrogation of high school students without parental agreement
    •    Joyti Chand, South Asian Network, on housing discrimination
    •    Mario Campos, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), on increased discrimination against Latinos
Policy Recommendations:
    •    Bertha G. Gorman, NAACP - California State
    •    Maya Harris-West, Racial Justice Project, American Civil Liberties Union - California State
    •    Robin Toma, Commission on Human Relations, Los Angeles County