Migrant legal aid requests $300,000 to implement the defending against hate program in kent, allegan, oceana, ottawa, newaygo, and muskegon counties in west michigan

The Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project Inc., a non-profit organization based in Grand Rapids, MI, was awarded a $274,845 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Community-Based Approaches to Advancing Justice program (CFDA 16.047). The grant funds the implementation of the "Defending Against Hate" program to better protect and advocate for migrant farmworkers in West Michigan. Key activities include educating migrant workers about their rights, encouraging reporting of hate crimes and harassment, providing cultural competency training to local law enforcement and judicial systems, and facilitating positive interactions between law enforcement and the migrant worker community. Expected outcomes include hate crime prevention, increased victim reporting, and improved responses to hate incidents targeting migrant workers. The grant period runs from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026.

The purpose is to better protect and advocate for migrant farmworkers by providing cultural competency education to local law enforcement and judiciary systems, as well as providing education to the migrant worker community about their rights. Project activities include: informing migrant workers about their rights, encouraging migrant workers to report crimes or acts of hate / harassment, etc., providing education to local law enforcement/judicial staffthat dispels misconceptions about the migrant community and that encourages empathy / understanding, and facilitating positive interactions between law enforcement and the migrant worker community. Specific issues to be addressed in the project include: migrant workers distrust of law enforcement that leads to lower rates of crimes reported, migrant workers lack of understanding of their rights / how to advocate for themselves, and law enforcements lack of understanding culturally-specific information when working with the migrant worker community. Expected outcomes include: hate crime prevention, promotion of community awareness / resiliency / preparedness / healing, increased victim reporting of hate incidents, and improved responses to hate crimes. The following data will be used to assess and enhance the reporting of hate crimes: # of migrant workers educated about their rights, # of materials distributed to migrant workers, # of presentations provided to law enforcement/judicial staff, # of law enforcement/judicial staff individuals that participated in the presentations, and pre / post surveys in each group that identifies the impact of education. Migrant workers in west michigan are the intended beneficiaries of the project.