Greetings from the Office of Nicholas Durham
\nAssistant United States Attorney
\nCivil Rights Coordinator
\nEastern District of Virginia<\/p>\n
I am writing because my office, along with various partners, is putting together a United Against Hate<\/em> presentation on Wednesday, November 15, 2023<\/strong>, in Arlington, Virginia, and we would like to cordially invite you and members of your community to attend. This event is open to everyone, but will have a special emphasis on the issues and concerns facing the LGBTQIA+ community.<\/p>\n United Against Hate<\/em> is a U.S. Department of Justice initiative that convenes local forums that connect community groups to federal and local law enforcement to increase community understanding and reporting of hate crimes; build trust between law enforcement and communities; and create and strengthen alliances between law enforcement and other government partners and community groups to combat unlawful acts of hate. Through using hypothetical scenarios and video clips depicting real-life hate crime cases and stories, United Against Hate<\/em> promotes robust interaction between community members and law enforcement participants. Program topics include defining hate crimes versus hate incidents; the importance of reporting unlawful acts of hate; providing options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime; and distinguishing unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.<\/p>\n We are fortunate to count on the participation of the FBI, the Arlington County Police Department, and the Arlington County Sheriff\u2019s Department, along with the amazing coordination of Arlington Public Library, to bring this event to fruition.<\/p>\n We hope you and others from the Transgender Education Association might be interested in attending; in suggesting groups or community leaders who we should invite to this event; and\/or in disseminating information about this event to your organization\u2019s members. Sincerely, Here is the link to register – <\/p>\n
\nI have attached a flyer for the event.<\/A><\/p>\n
\nNicholas Durham<\/p>\n