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<p>A group of San Diego small business owners delivered anti-hate posters with slogans such as “All Are Welcome Here” and “Hate Has No Business Here” to local businesses.</p>
<p>The objective of these posters is to stand up to hateful rhetoric surrounding the presidential election by placing these in storefronts.</p>
<p>In three popular shopping and restaurant districts, small business leaders walked door-to-door encouraging shops to display the welcoming posters, and to show that inclusionary policies are good for a business’ bottom line.</p>
<p>“In a time when messages of hate and labels are dominating the national media, it’s crucial that small business owners counter that message in our own neighborhoods,” said Juan Pablo Sanchez, owner of Super Cocina in City Heights. “To our customers, employees, neighbors and friends: you are all welcome here.”</p>
<p>According to Sanchez, there is fear and anxiety because of what has happened in the last year in the United States involving hate speech.</p>
<p>“With this anti-hate effort we promote our businesses as a safe place. And the initiative even increases our business,” Sanchez added. “People including customers and workers have already commented that the posters are a good thing. We even got new customers because they saw our posters.”</p>
<p>Main Street Alliance, a national coalition of small businesses, designed the posters that declare the following: “We stand with our LGBTQ community members. We stand with Muslims, refugees and immigrants in our community. All are welcome here.”</p>
<p>“After I put the poster up, customers told us they stopped in just because they loved the message we were spreading,” said Mikey Knab of Ponce’s Restaurant in the Adams Avenue shopping district. “An employee also told me that he’s proud to work here because I’m speaking up on these issues. These posters are bringing our community together under shared values and a stronger economy. These messages make a difference.”</p>
<p>The effort is part of a fast-growing movement of small businesses in San Diego working together to advance social values of small business and support a stronger local economy. Under the Main Street Alliance organization, efforts in San Diego are bringing together small businesses to advocate for issues like a living wage, mandatory paid sick time off, investments in the local community and ending corporate tax loopholes.</p>
<p>“Small businesses communicate the values of a neighborhood. We play an essential role in shaping San Diego’s culture,” says John Bertsch, owner of Meshuggah Shack in Mission Hills and the East Village. “We want everyone to know that racism, misogyny and bigotry don’t belong in San Diego.”</p>
<p>The posters appearing in shop windows across San Diego are part of a nationwide “Hate Has No Business Here” effort.</p>
<p>San Diego City Councilmember Chris Ward of District 3 joined the business owners in City Heights, Mission Hills and Adams Avenue on the posters delivery day.</p>