More than 500 elected officials have signed on to an open letter to fight back against hate and anti-Muslim bigotry, and to affirm their commitment to tolerance and inclusion. In the letter, elected officials pledge to stand in solidarity with Muslims, those perceived to be Muslims, immigrants and people of color. The American Leaders Against Hate and Anti-Muslim Bigotry Campaign, launched earlier this fall by Local Progress and YEO Action, seeks to lift up a collective narrative that hate has no place in our communities and that our local leaders believe that everyone has a right to worship, dress and speak without fear.

In the face of hateful rhetoric in 2016 electoral cycle, we believe that elected officials have a critical leadership role to lay in building trust and tolerance, in addition to condemning acts of violence and hateful speech directed towards members of the Muslim community, or against those perceived to be Muslim. In the coming weeks, many signatories will be introducing resolutions to further affirm their city's commitment to diversity and to the safety and protection of all constituents.