Conejo Valley residents came together to unite against hate and to promote tolerance following hate crimes that recently hit the community.
A Chumash blessing kicked off this Unity in the Community event at Mae Boyar Park in Oak Park. Twelve-year-old Ethan Skopp said he hopes it sends a clear message.
“We came out here today to help promote diversity and unity and to speak out against hate,” he said.
Participants wrote messages for the traveling Peace Tree and did expressive painting on intolerance.
Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks said she came up with this event in response to anti-Semitic messages including swastikas found in Oak Park, Agoura Hills and Newbury Park along with taunts at a recent high school basketball game.
“When there’s an act of hate, I feel the community needs to come together. We can’t be silent when we see that,” she said.
California Lutheran University is one of the sponsors and is the parent of KCLU Radio.