Hate Crime Awareness Week 2025: Statement of Support
- Heather Paterson
- Oct 4
- 2 min read
At Proud Changemakers, we stand in unwavering solidarity with everyone affected by hate crime. National Hate Crime Awareness Week is an essential moment for us all to come together and recommit ourselves to building a society where no one lives in fear because of who they are. Hate crime does not just wound individuals; it tears at the fabric of our communities. Every act of hate, whether rooted in racism, homophobia, transphobia, anti-migrant sentiment, antisemitism, Islamophobia, ableism, or misogyny, sends shockwaves that affect us all.
This year, I want to emphasise the power of solidarity. Hate thrives when people are isolated, when it persuades us to look only inward and forget our connections to one another. But solidarity is stronger. When we recognise that our struggles are interconnected, we can resist the forces that try to divide us. A threat to one community is a threat to all communities, and we cannot afford to stand by when anyone is targeted.
As an explicitly trans-inclusive LGBTQIA+ organisation, we know that trans and non-binary people in particular face disproportionate levels of hostility and violence. Their voices and experiences must be at the heart of our fight against hate. But we also recognise that hatred does not exist in silos. The same forces that dehumanise trans people are linked to those that demonise migrants, fuel racist violence, deny disabled people their rights, and uphold misogyny. If we want to dismantle hate, we must confront it in all its forms, across every system that enables it.
At Proud Changemakers, we work by amplifying marginalised voices, by creating spaces for learning and dialogue, and by pushing back against narratives that try to pit our communities against one another. Our mission is not only to respond to hate, but to build something better in its place: communities rooted in respect, equity, and shared humanity. We believe education, storytelling, and visibility are tools that can transform attitudes, challenge prejudice, and create lasting change.
National Hate Crime Awareness Week is not only a time for reflection, but a call to action. We all have a role to play in challenging hate, by calling it out, by reporting it, by supporting survivors, and by refusing to stay silent. Our collective voice, raised in solidarity, is powerful. It can drown out the language of fear and division with messages of hope and belonging.
I know this work is urgent, because people’s safety and dignity are at stake. But I also know it is possible, because I see communities every day that are choosing connection over division, compassion over cruelty, and courage over fear. Together, we can and must build a society where diversity is not merely tolerated but celebrated, where every person, regardless of identity or background, is safe, valued, and free to thrive.
This National Hate Crime Awareness Week, let us stand side by side. Let us commit to action. And let us hold fast to hope: because together, love and solidarity will always be stronger than hate.
Heather Paterson
Chair
Proud Changemakers
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