LA City Council makes a statement on freedom of speech and religion — and promoting peace
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the fundamental human rights of Angelenos within its policies and initiatives.
During a presentation led by council members Katy Yaroslavsky and Hugo Soto-Martinez, officials highlighted the Human Security Resolution, which reaffirms the city’s dedication to the U.S. Constitution’s protections of freedom of speech and religion, and promotes peace-building efforts.
“We’re constantly reminded of both the beauty and the complexity of our shared lives,” Yaroslavsky said. “It’s easy to notice the differences that exist between us, our backgrounds, beliefs and traditions. Some of those differences are real, and they’re part of what makes Los Angeles and our country so extraordinary.
“But just as real are the values and experiences that we share — that are common to all of us,” she added.
She noted the resolution is about celebrating the richness of the city’s diversity and the shared “rights and responsibilities that bring us together.”
Aziza Hasan, executive director of New Ground: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change, and Umar Hakim Dey, executive director of Encourage Foundation, the LA Civil and Human Rights Department and various community and faith leaders joined the council members.
“When you look at this Human Security Resolution today, this is our sheet, our humanity is the precious stone, and we’re all gathered here today to carry this in and to take it to the next level,” Hakim Dey said.
In 2019, the city formally signed the Human and Civil Right ordinance into law, creating the Commission on Civil Rights and the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department.