Remembering Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer

On August 12, 2016, after years of harassment and intimidation, Khalid Jabara was killed on the front porch of his family’s home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by his next-door neighbor. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the Jabara family turned pain into action – launching the Khalid Jabara Foundation to “make neighbors out of strangers by building kind communities free from hate.”

Exactly one year later, Heather Heyer was killed on August 12, 2017, during the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a white nationalist rammed his car into a diverse crowd of peaceful counter protestors. Dozens were injured. After the murder, Heather’s mother, Susan Bro, launched the Heather Heyer Foundation to provide scholarships to youth. While the foundation closed its doors in 2022, Susan remains an outspoken advocate for justice and is a frequent speaker on issues related to hate crime, data collection, and racial justice.

Together, both families advocated for passage of the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, which was signed into law as part of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on May 20, 2021.

Below are excerpts from conversations we had with Victoria, Rami, and Jenna Jabara, Khalid’s sister, brother, and sister-in-law, and Susan Bro, Heather’s mother. 

Victoria, Rami, and Jenna Jabara 

What do you feel is a common misunderstanding about hate crimes? 

A common misunderstanding is that hateful words don’t matter because they’re “just words.” Words can escalate to violence, as in our case. Law enforcement, legal, and local community organizations should all align around the fact that hateful words can incite hateful violence.  

What is the mission of the Khalid Jabara Foundation?

To make neighbors out of strangers by building kind communities free from hate. We do this through kindness/anti-hate education, legal reform, and hate crime awareness and prevention.

What is the social justice story hour?

When Khalid was killed, his niece, Layla, was 3 years old and in preschool. The teachers and parents didn’t have the right words or tools to talk to the children about what happened in their community. We created Social Justice Story Hours (SJSH) for the youngest in our community to come together through songs, storytelling, and a family-friendly event or activity focused on social justice values.

Our goal is to explore and instill authentic, empowering, and nurturing lessons of inclusion, anti-bias, racial/ethnic equity, community building (among many other topics), and make them accessible for all our young children. We’ve explored topics of racial/gender equity, immigrant and refugee rights, LGBTQIA people, disaster relief and human displacement, environmental issues, family structure and life cycle rituals around the world, child hunger, and self-acceptance. The goal is to empower young children to use their strong voices and actions to be kind friends, helpers, and powerful agents of social change.

In addition to kindness education and the social justice story hour, the Khalid Jabara Foundation advances awareness of hate crimes by sharing their story and participating in trainings for law enforcement, lawyers, and the broader community.

Your family, along with Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer, advocated for passage of the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act. This bill was passed as part of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and signed into law by President Biden in 2021. What does this law mean to you?

There was so much about what happened to Khalid and our mother where we felt like we were screaming for help but weren’t being heard. Ultimately, when the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which included the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, passed and was signed into law by President Biden, we finally felt heard. More than that, though, the law seeks to incentivize accurate hate crime reporting. It is crazy to us to think that Khalid’s murder, though prosecuted as a hate crime by the state of Oklahoma, was not reported as one in the federal hate crime statistics. Neither was Heather Heyer’s murder one year later. If hate crimes like these are going uncounted, how many others are too? How can we address an issue when we do not have accurate data to even understand the scope of the problem? The truth is that we cannot. We are so grateful to know that Khalid’s memory lives on through this legislation in an effort to change things for the better. Make no mistake: We are not naive enough to think that this legislation alone will solve the problem of hate crimes in our country. It will not. That work is on all of us, every day. However, we must have accurate data to continue that work, and we are so grateful that can be done in Khalid’s and Heather’s memories.

What do you want the world to know about your brother, Khalid?

Khalid had the biggest heart and the best sense of humor. He was the most handsome in the family (and didn’t know or believe it!). He was so generous and loved his niece very much. He was a devoted son, brother, uncle, and friend.  

Susan Bro 

Why was it important for you to advocate for improved hate crime reporting as you did through the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act?

It is important for me to be an advocate for improved hate crime reporting as a first step towards curbing hate crimes. A clearer understanding of the number and types of hate crimes gives better insight into how to stop them. This is the same way a doctor, a mechanic, or a teacher gathers information and then creates a plan of action. 

What do you feel is a common misperception about hate crimes?

One common misperception of hate crimes is that they always involve physical injury or loss of life. Another misperception is that hate crimes don’t really matter much and can’t be prevented or prosecuted. A third one is that having more complete hate crime reporting on the books indicates a higher level of danger in the reporting locality. Quite the opposite is likely true. When law enforcement and government reporting numbers are up, it usually indicates a place where hate crimes are taken seriously. The populace is being better protected.

You have been an outspoken advocate for racial justice. What would you say to those who are interested in learning more but aren’t sure where to begin?

The best way to come to a clearer understanding of racial justice is to do some serious reading and listening to Black authors, especially Black history in America. A simple online search or trip to the local library (unless you are in a banned book state) will have many of the materials you need. Listen to Black speakers and literary figures, community leaders, and leaders of the past. Keep your mouth closed and your ears and heart open. But do not expect to be welcomed with open arms as a newfound ally. Allyship is a lifelong journey, not a destination. And trust is earned.

What do you want the world to know about your daughter, Heather? 

What I want people to know about Heather is that she was a 32-year-old woman who loved life and her friends and family. She worked full-time as a paralegal in a bankruptcy law firm and part-time as a waitress and bartender. She was strong willed from day one, and I loved that about her. Her laugh was infectious, and I miss her all the time.