The City of Mill Valley and the Mill Valley Chamber are poised to celebrate United Against Hate Week from November 12-18, 2023, joining cities across the country in a call for local civic action to stop the hate and implicit biases that are a dangerous threat to safety and civility. We join over 200+ communities in spreading the United Against Hate (UAH) message: “We reject hate of any kind and believe that building a safer and more equitable world starts by working together.”
United Against Hate Week was created by Bay Area civic leaders in direct response to the rise in expressions of hate in our communities. We want to empower local residents to take action in their local communities to stop the hate and implicit biases that are a dangerous threat to safety and civility. Printed posters and stickers can be picked up from the Chamber office at 87 Throckmorton Ave.
This year, we invite the youth of Mill Valley to participate in a powerful art-driven expression against hate and bias. It’s your voice, your message of hope, and your vision of “Kindness in Mill Valley” that we want to share.
Want to Participate in United Against Hate Week?
In celebration of UAH week, the City of Mill Valley encourages residents to: Hang a United Against Hate poster/create a poster distribution center; gather friends, neighbors, colleagues, or classmates to practice standing up to hate speech; post and promote UAH Week on social media. DOWNLOAD “MILL VALLEY STANDS UNITED AGAINST HATE” POSTERS, FLYERS AND POSTCARDS HERE.
This year, we invite the youth of Mill Valley to participate in a powerful art-driven expression against hate and bias. It’s your voice, your message of hope, and your vision of “Kindness in Mill Valley” that we want to share.
Art Contest Details:
Theme: Illustrate what “Kindness in Mill Valley” means to you.
👩🎨 Contest Categories:
Little Artists (Ages 4 and under)
Emerging Talents (Ages 5-11)
Young Visionaries (Ages 12-18)
📜 Submission Guidelines:
Medium: Participants are invited to create using various artistic mediums. Submissions can be original digital art, illustrations, paintings, or even mixed media artworks, as long as they adhere to the theme and the image can be shared electronically.
Size: All physical artwork should be created on 8.5″ x 11″ paper or canvas. For digital creations, please ensure the artwork fits the dimensions of 8.5″ x 11″ (standard letter size).
Digital Submission: Capture a high-resolution photograph or scan of your physical artwork.
🚀 How to Submit:
Email your digital file to Michelle Terrell at City Hall at mterrell@cityofmillvalley.org. Include the artist’s name, age, school (if applicable), and contact details. All entries must be received no later than 5pm on November 7, 2023. Please reach out to Michelle with any questions!
🏅 Recognition of Talent:
Winners will be contacted by November 9 and honored at the Celebration of Kindness event with their families.
Celebration of Kindness Event Details:
📍 Venue: Mill Valley Community Center
🗓️ Date: November 13, 2023
⏰ Time: 4-5 p.m.
Celebration of Kindness Day Reception
On November 13 from 4-5pm at the Mill Valley Community Center lobby, join your neighbors, the Mayor Urban Carmel, City staff, and the winners of the UAH youth art initiative for a brief reception celebrating United Against Hate Week and World Kindness Day. Come decorate the Community Center‘s Kindness Tree with what Kindness means to you!
Together, let’s inspire a wave of change, making United Against Hate Week a stepping stone towards lasting inclusivity and mutual respect in Mill Valley.
Mill Valley Public Library Community Project: How Do You Combat Hate?
The Mill Valley Public Library‘s focus on bringing people together, better understanding divisive issues, and Uniting Against Hate is a year-round effort. In honor of United Against Hate Week, the library is hosting an interactive “How do you combat hate?” community project. Community members can submit online or in person a sentence or short paragraph about how they combat hate. Responses will be projected on the library’s wall.
Date: ongoing through November 18, 2023
Time: ongoing through November 18, 2023
Location: Mill Valley Public Library and online
Mill Valley Arts and Recreation Kindness Quilt
Join community members of all ages in celebrating unity and kindness by visiting the Mill Valley Aquatic and Fitness Center to experience the inspiring “Mill Valley Arts and Recreation Kindness Quilt,” a symbol of intergenerational collaboration, on display during United Against Hate Week. Ongoing through November 18 at the Mill Valley Aquatic and Fitness Center.
United Against Hate Week Activities in Marin and Online
“Repairing the World” Film Screening
Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life documents Pittsburgh’s powerful community response to hate in the aftermath of the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history. Through the voices of survivors, family members, diverse Pittsburgh residents and leaders, the film shows unity in a moment of crisis, the resilience of a vibrant city, and a community working together to understand what it means to be “stronger than hate.” Information about free tickets soon! Nov. 14, 6:30-8pm at the Lark Theater, 549 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur.
Webinar: The ART of Inclusive Communication, National Conflict Resolution Center
What are the biological and societal forces that can lead us to see people who have different identities (religion, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.) as others to be feared, or even hated? The National Conflict Resolution Center invites Mill Valley residents and others to join in exploring how we can all be actively working to make our communication, our lives, and our communities more inclusive. November 14th, 10am-11:30am. Online
Webinar: The Bystander Challenge, National Conflict Resolution Center
The rise of “hatriotism” and white supremacist ideology threatens individuals and democratic institutions alike. How can we counteract this daily? Often, opportunities lie nearby, such as intervening in micro-aggressions that fuel division and isolation. By actively addressing these small yet harmful behaviors, we contribute to a more inclusive society. The National Conflict Resolution Center encourages Mill Valley residents and others to participate in this free workshop, to learn respectful ways to handle micro-aggressions, promoting dignity and unity. Nov. 15th, 2-2:30pm, online.
Getting to Know Your Neighbor’s Faith, Marin Interfaith Council
The Marin Interfaith Council, an organization that celebrates Marin’s faith traditions, advocates justice, and builds community is offering “Getting to Know Your Neighbor’s Faith: Ask Me Anything! Jewish” with Rabbi Paul Steinberg. Nov. 15, 6-7:30pm at the First Presbyterian Church San Rafael, 1510 Fifth Ave. San Rafael. And virtual (Zoom details here).
“Our America: Lowballed” Film Screening
The San Anselmo Racial Equity Committee invites the Marin community to view “Our America: Lowballed.” This film follows Black and Latino families as they fight for fair home values after lower than expected appraisals. Register.
Date: November 16, 2023
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Archie Williams High School, 1327 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo, CA 94960
“Casualties of War,” a New Exclusion Act Panel Discussion and Dinner
As part of United Against Hate Week, the Asian American Alliance of Marin offers the community a panel discussion and dinner on the theme of South-East Asian American experiences of structural discrimination and war-related intergenerational trauma. Learn more. Nov. 17, 6-8pm, Multicultural Center of Marin, 709 Fifth Ave, San Rafael.
United Against Hate Week emerged from a United Against Hate poster campaign created by Bay Area Cities in response to white supremacist rallies in Berkeley and San Francisco in 2017.
Convened by Not In Our Town, a national anti-hate organization, Bay Area cities committed to an annual week of action and awareness. United Against Hate Week has spread to dozens of cities across the U.S., and includes the Mill Valley Chamber, City of Mill Valley and Mill Valley schools. In conjunction with the countywide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, an initiative of the Marin Council of Chambers, the Mill Valley Chamber is circulating messages of unity against hate in all forms across social media.
The Mill Valley Chamber is also participating in the We Are One Marin campaign, which was renewed for another year and commits to spotlight racially diverse businesses. The initiative is expanding to also include businesses owned by people with disabilities and those owned by veterans.