Sunrise proclaims March 24 Anti‑Hate Day as interfaith leaders urge action

Mayor Michael J. Ryan and the Sunrise City Commission on March 24 read and adopted a proclamation declaring March 24, 2026, Anti‑Hate Day in the city and invited leaders from multiple faith communities to speak at the meeting.

The proclamation — read by Mayor Ryan and joined by Deputy Mayor Jacqueline Guzman, Assistant Deputy Mayor Latoya Clark and the full commission — reaffirmed the city’s commitment to “condemn in the strongest possible terms all acts of violence and discrimination” and called on residents to report bias‑motivated incidents.

Broward County hate‑crimes prosecutor Veronica Walker told the commission the county has created a dedicated hate‑crimes unit, a countywide hate‑crimes task force and a hotline for reporting incidents. “Since Harold Pryor has taken office as state attorney for Broward County, we have established the first hate crimes unit. We also established the first Broward County hate crimes task force. We also created a hate crimes hotline,” Walker said, directing residents to (954) 831‑8052 for reports.

Representatives from the Jewish Federation of Broward County, Temple leadership, Baptist and Islamic organizations, and local advocacy groups emphasized education and community engagement. Evan Goldman of the Jewish Federation warned that attacks on one marginalized community affect others, saying an attack on any group “should be interpreted as an attack on all of us.” Jennifer Ensllein, speaking for an organization she described as the End Jew Hatred group, thanked the city for the proclamation and urged ongoing leadership.

The mayor and commissioners emphasized the practical side of the proclamation: partnering with law enforcement and the state attorney’s office to ensure reports are investigated and victims protected. The commission concluded the proclamation portion by inviting interfaith leaders to pose jointly for photos and encouraging residents to use the county reporting resources.

The commission did not take any regulatory or budgetary action with the proclamation; it was adopted as a civic statement and community outreach effort.