Michigan Department of Civil Rights Releases PSA Addressing Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents in Michigan

August 23, 2023

PSA will be distributed to TV and radio stations throughout the state

Lansing, MI - Three weeks in advance of its signature conference on hate crimes, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) has released a new, one-minute Public Service Announcement, or PSA, designed to educate Michigan residents on hate and bias, to explain who the most frequent targets are, and to connect people with resources to help them fight back against hate in their own communities.

View the 1:04 minute video here.

The PSA is the latest offering in MDCR’s MI Response to Hate campaign, spearheaded by the department’s Community Engagement and Education Division (CEED) under the leadership of Division Director Anthony Lewis. The campaign is also supported by the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crimes (MIAAHC), a statewide coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, civil rights organizations, community-based groups, educators and anti-violence advocates working to ensure a complete and effective response to hate crimes and bias incidents.

“With our one-of-its-kind annual conference on combatting and responding to hate crimes and bias incidents, our monthly MI Response to Hate forums, and now our PSA targeting hate in all its forms, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights is leading the charge to build awareness and encourage community engagement in the fight to end hate crimes and bias incidents in our state,” said Lewis.

Beginning today (August 23, 2023) the PSA will be distributed to television and radio stations throughout Michigan.

The PSA was shot and will be distributed by the firm Amplified Media and Communication, a strategic communication and marketing agency based in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Kimberley Williams and Tiara Yakini, members of MDCR’s CEED team, assisted with production of the PSA, selecting locations and scouting and recruiting local talent. The script was written and edited by the CEED team with assistance from MDCR’s Communications Division. The ad was filmed entirely in Michigan, with primary locations in Detroit and Grand Rapids. The script of the PSA is voiced by a diverse mix of Michigan talent, including several MDCR employees.

“Our commitment to countering the forces of hate and bias in Michigan is long and ongoing,” said John E. Johnson, Jr., Executive Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. “This PSA is our effort to reach people in their daily lives, watching TV in their living rooms, listening to radio as they commute to work or drive to the grocery store. The PSA is not only informational, it is inspirational. It says that whoever you are, wherever you reside in Michigan, you are not alone. There is a community of people who are working to stop hate and bias and help those who have been victimized by it.”

Broadcasters who wish to air the PSA should contact Melissa Walker of Amplified Media and Communication at melissa@amplifiedmediacs.com.

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is charged with investigating and resolving discrimination complaints and works to prevent discrimination through educational programs that promote voluntary compliance with civil rights laws. The Department also provides information and services to businesses on diversity initiatives and equal employment law. For more information on the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, go to www.michigan.gov/mdcr.