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North America Regional Hub: Introduction to City-Led Prevention of Hate and Targeted Violence — Communications 101: How to Talk About Prevention in Today’s Climate

Publication Date:

15/05/2025

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Event Reports

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City-Led Preventionhate preventionNorth America Regional Hubtargeted violenceviolence prevention

— 7 minutes reading time

This report provides a summary of discussions during the event and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Strong Cities Network Management Unit, Strong Cities members, event sponsors or participants.

Summary

On 23 March, the Strong Cities Network continued its webinar series on Introduction to City-Led Prevention of Hate and Targeted Violence, with a session on ‘How to Talk About Prevention in Today’s Climate’. The webinar featured a presentation by William (Bill) Braniff, Executive Director of American University’s Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) and previous Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) on effective public communications strategies around prevention, including those CP3 used under his leadership. Following his remarks, Eric Rosand, Executive Director, Strong Cities Network, moderated a panel discussion featuring Steve Patterson, Mayor of Athens (Ohio, United States) and City Councilmembers Anna Albi from Cincinnati (Ohio, United States) and Megan Patton from Raleigh (North Carolina, United States). Panellists shared their experiences and offered practical examples of community-based prevention efforts, insights into building public trust and reflections on the challenges of addressing hate and targeted violence at the local level in the current divisive political climate.

Key Themes

1. Targeted violence and hate prevention are about building relationships and getting buy-in from communities and other non-law enforcement partners; ensuring prevention efforts extend beyond the police is critical. Local governments should build trust with both community-based organisations and social service providers, as well as law enforcement partners and make sure that city-led prevention initiatives are open to all parts of the city, including new arrivals.  Prevention efforts can benefit from shifting from a security-centred lens to a public health and social services-oriented approach, encompassing community-based organisations, educators, faith leaders, mental health practitioners and others.
2. Transparency is key to building trust. Clear communication, including pointing community members towards trusted sources of information, builds trust between elected officials and residents and reduces the spread of incorrect information.
3. Effective violence prevention starts with tailoring solutions to unique community needs. Initiatives should relate to community-specific challenges and strengths, not just mirror the agendas of other localities across the state or region.
4. Prevention communication extends even to the youngest of residents. Promoting social cohesion by emphasising civility and the importance of listening to your neighbours is a universal message and a lesson that can be imparted to residents as young as those in elementary school.

Targeted violence and hate prevention are about building relationships and getting buy-in from communities and other non-law enforcement partners; ensuring prevention efforts extend beyond the police is critical

Local prevention efforts should be developed and implemented using a public health and social services-oriented lens, which can include but should not be led by law enforcement.  Speakers highlighted how ensuring that community-based organisations, educators, faith leaders and mental health practitioners are in the driver’s seat allows for cities to ensure that prevention efforts can address underlying conditions like social isolation, marginalisation and identity-based hate, which often precede and contribute to acts of targeted violence.

Panellists emphasised the importance of working on prevention with community-based organisations and grassroots groups that have been supporting vulnerable populations for years. These entities can often go where government isn’t welcome and can work to bridge gaps, share resources, change perceptions and pass along information to residents whom the local government may have difficulties reaching. They also maintain a constant presence in communities, unlike elected leaders and local administrations, which can shift priorities from election to election.

According to Bill Braniff, Executive Director of PERIL, the approach of CP3 under his leadership was one of being able to speak to different audiences, “from a place of approachability, but also authenticity.” He explained that he sought to make CP3 more accessible for community members and those outside of government. At the local level, cities can take this approach to heart in their prevention strategies by including non-law enforcement and non-governmental practitioners. These additional perspectives, together with government and law enforcement, create a whole-of-society approach to violence prevention and can make buy-in more likely from local communities.

Transparency is key to building trust

In a time where inaccurate or misleading information can be shared rapidly via social media and lead to harassment and backlash, transparency and clear communication between local elected leaders and residents are more crucial than ever. Councilmember Anna Albi of Cincinnati, Ohio (United States) explained that sharing the city’s reasoning for pursuing specific policies with Cincinnati residents helps build public trust. For instance, when a new housing and hotel development was proposed in a business district in Cincinnati, residents had a lot of concerns. Councilmember Albi explained that she wrote to the developer and got those concerns and questions answered for her constituents. She said that “direct and compassionate communication [with residents about potentially sensitive issues] can be particularly useful in communities where trust in government is low.”

Echoing these sentiments, Raleigh (North Carolina, United States) Councilmember Megan Patton said that “radical transparency” builds and maintains trust between citizens and their elected officials and helps to reduce space where dangerous narratives can flourish. She added that she chooses to spend a lot of her time responding to residents’ concerns with data, facts and primary sources, noting that this approach tends to “bring the temperature down a little.”

Panellists agreed that when the public lacks clear, accessible information, it creates an environment where hate can take root more easily. They added that by intentionally sharing data and proactively engaging the public, local leaders can inoculate their communities against harmful rhetoric and conspiracy narratives and dispel the perception that local government does not listen to or care about residents. Cities can thus use data as both a decision-making tool and a form of public accountability to inhibit fear-based narratives from exploding.

Effective violence prevention starts with tailoring solutions to unique community needs

City-level prevention initiatives need to take into account the often unique needs and strengths of the communities they are meant to support to garner and maintain community buy-in and ensure sustainability. In Cincinnati, when armed citizen patrols were forming in response to growing violent crime, the City Council partnered with the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center to bring free, trauma-informed training to the residents as an alternative to the polarising and potentially violent response of armed patrols. This response was designed specifically for the locality, its residents and the way they were responding to acts of violence. Cities should similarly look inward to create programmes and provide resources that would help steer locals away from violence, division and discord.  

Prevention communication extends even to the youngest of residents

Mayor Steve Patterson of Athens, Ohio (United States) highlighted his efforts to reach even the youngest of audiences. His approach of promoting civility and ensuring he understands the grievances and needs of his community extends to engaging with local elementary school students to discuss respect and how to engage with others courteously. He explained “I engage with second and third grade classes in Athens. After the book they are reading is over, we talk about civility.” Planting the seed of respectful dialogue early may inspire positive conversations at home and a future culture shift towards cohesion and resilient communities.

Next Steps

This webinar was the latest in the Strong Cities Introduction to City-Led Prevention of Hate and Targeted Violence webinar series, focused on sharing best practices and building awareness of the foundational aspects of city-led targeted violence prevention. The next webinar in this series on Tuesday, May 20 will focus on the role of local libraries in prevention and building social cohesion. Please sign up for Strong Cities Network’s mailing list to receive invitations for upcoming webinars and other events.

Additional Resources

• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisations, Strong Cities Network (updated March 2025)
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation (see Navigating Difficult Issues), Strong Cities Network (updated March 2025)
• A Ten-Step Roadmap for Enhancing City-Led Support for Community-Based Programmes to Address Hate and Extremism, Strong Cities Network (February 2025)
• Community Resilience Study: Kumanovo, North Macedonia, Strong Cities Network (updated February 2025)
• A Guide for City-Led Response, Strong Cities Network (updated February 2025)
• Bridging Differences Playbook, Greater Good Science Center & Bridging Differences (February 2025)
• Countering Hate Speech in Times of Crisis: Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments, Strong Cities Network (December 2024)
• European Citizens’ Panel on Tackling Hatred in Society: Final Report, European Commission (October 2024)  
• A Practical Guide to Youth Capacity Building for Countering Hate and Extremism, Strong Cities Network (updated September 2024)

Contact

For more information on this event, the webinar series or Strong Cities North America programming, please contact the North America Regional Hub at [email protected].

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