In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., TAKE ON HATE, Wayne State University and the Arab American National Museum (AANM) are collaborating with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and more than 130 organizations on Tuesday, Jan. 17, for a National Day of Racial Healing.

All last week, we shared stories that demonstrate how people across the country, and around the world, turn hate and violence into an opportunity to #‎TakeOnHateWithLove (find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

The rising fear, hate and discrimination that Muslim and Arab Americans face today make it challenging to have our voices heard. However, with public platforms like social media, we do have the chance to present our side of the story. We reached 60,000 people with the message to #TakeOnHateWithLove just with the stories we shared last week.

Islamophobia and xenophobia are not new phenomena. They have a long history in the U.S. and are rooted in a long-standing tradition of suspicion toward the “other.” The rising fear, hate and discrimination that Muslim and Arab Americans face today stems from a long and established American tradition of branding what is different as un-American and as a perceived threat (read more). During this political season alone, we’ve seen negative campaigning based on tactics that are anti-immigrant, -refugee, -Arab and -Muslim, and otherwise racist rhetoric that spreads hate.

Despite what may seem like a hopeless situation, there is action we can take to stand up to hate and present our own narrative. Starting today and continuing through Feb. 14 (Valentine’s Day), we will share stories every day that demonstrate how people across the country, and around the world, turn hate and violence into an opportunity to #TakeOnHateWithLove. Find these stories on Facebook and Twitter.