About us
One survivor's choice, and what it built.
World Without Hate uses the power of personal narrative and empathy education to prevent and disrupt hate and violence.
Organizational conception & history
September 21, 2001.
On September 21, 2001, life irrevocably changed for Rais Bhuiyan. A young Bangladeshi student exploring the American dream, Rais had recently moved from New York to Dallas when he became the victim of a brutal post-9/11 hate crime. Narrowly surviving being gunned down by a white supremacist on a revenge shooting spree, Rais' American dream turned nightmare.
After hitting rock bottom, Rais used that bottom as a solid foundation to rebuild his life and keep his deathbed promise — to do everything in his power to end the cycle of hate and violence.
He forgave his attacker and launched a global campaign to try and save his life from death row. He ultimately renounced his hateful views.
Watch this brief video to learn more about our beginning.
Fear can fuel hate and if left unchecked, can lead to violence, and even death. No one should be the victim of hate, violence, or senseless loss of life.
Our why
Before 9/11, Rais didn't stand out as “other,” but immediately after the attacks he was labeled as less than human. Years later, when his attacker came to know Rais and his faith, he called him brother.
“Once you get to know the other, it's hard for you to hate them.”
The scale of it · SPLC 2025 · FBI 2025
Single-bias incidents by bias type · FBI, 2024
- Race, ethnicity or ancestry
- 51.8%
- Religion
- 24.6%
- Sexual orientation
- 17.2%
- Gender identity
- 4.1%
- Disability
- 1.4%
Percentages are of single-bias incidents — those motivated by one bias type. Reporting to the FBI is voluntary, and the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates about half of hate crimes are never reported to police, so these are floors rather than totals.
Mission
World Without Hate uses the power of personal narrative and empathy education to prevent and disrupt hate and violence.
Vision
Realizing a world without violence, a world without victims, and a World Without Hate.
Our team
Board & leadership
Seven board members and three staff. Select anyone to read their full biography.
Staff
The team
“Each of us has the capacity to turn hate into love — a world without violence, without victims, and a world without hate.”
Rais Bhuiyan · Founder & President