Human Relations Commission: Take the pledge
What has the Lansdale Human Relations Commission been up to in recent years, and how can the community show their support?
Borough council heard an update from that group in mid-March, ahead of a planned public meeting of the commission slated for April 4 and two others later this year.
“We should all be proud of Lansdale for putting this ordinance into place, because it creates protective environments for the people who live, and work, and visit Lansdale,” said HRC member Jessica Carson.
“It’s a policy that fosters equality, and equal opportunity, for all,” she said.
Borough council created the HRC in August 2018 to field and rule on complaints regarding discrimination due to gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, and commission members were appointed at the end of that year. In the years since, that group has set up its own page on the borough’s website, fielded formal complaints, took part in several events in 2020 including a Juneteenth solidarity march and “Black Lives Matter” rallies along Main Street that summer, then received their first formal budget allocation from council in 2021 for postage, printing and fees to set up info tables at various town events.
What group is doing
During their March 15 meeting, council heard from Carson and fellow HRC members Hannah Vargo and Malcolm Smith about what that group has been up to since, with Carson outlining the HRC’s mission statement: to “work towards the elimination of discrimination and unlawful harassment of all people who work, live, and have visited the borough of Lansdale.”
“That’s a tall order, but we can all work together, believing in this journey, to safeguard the rights of all persons to remain free of discrimination,” she said.
Vargo then reviewed the borough’s definitions of discrimination, as listed in the 2018 ordinance creating the commission, and noted that the same protected classes are listed in the oaths police officers swear when they join the department.
“The protected classes are a person’s actual or perceived race, their skin color, their age, their religious creed, their ancestry or national origin, a handicap or disability or if you need the use of a support animal, or a guide animal due to your handicap or disability, your sex or gender, your individual sexual orientation, or your gender identity or gender expression,” Vargo said.
Carson then outlined recommendations for what a resident should do if they feel they have an incident that needs attention.
Process explained
“What are your options? What do you do if you feel as though you are being discriminated against, and you’re listed under those protected classes?” Carson said.
“Number one document: you can have a written record of what happened, what was said, where the event took place, along with some witnesses, collecting evidence,” she said.
Other evidence can be submitted to the commission, including media like photos, texts or video, and the complainant can inform the other person involved about the ordinance if they feel safe doing so. Forms to file a complaint are available online or in person at borough hall, and the commission can be contacted by emailing humanrelations@lansdale.org. It’s illegal for anyone to retaliate against anyone who files, Carson added; if a case cannot be resolved by the borough human relations commission, next steps could include filing the complaint with the state’s HRC.
“They’re the civil rights enforcement agency, enforcing state laws prohibiting discrimination, and you can go through their similar process. And then, if you’re unsuccessful with them, then you can go for filing a lawsuit or exploring similar options,” she said.
The Lansdale HRC can also provide information about filing with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about cases of workplace discriminations, and most employers should be able to provide that info through their human relations department.
“So long story short: the human relations act helps reduce and prevent discrimination, and provides options to resolve discrimination outside of filing a lawsuit,” Carson said.
Since the commission was established, Smith told council, that body has received a total of seven formal complaints. Two of those were referred to the state human relations commission, and the other five were forwarded to other departments or “folks that they had to talk to,” he said. The Lansdale HRC members have also joined a coalition of similar commissions in other states for training and idea-sharing, and have had continued their training and educational efforts, he said.
Take the pledge
What can residents do to be proactive instead of reactive? Take the pledge: “We decided to put together a community pledge, something that is symbolic, to stands for who we want Lansdale to be,” Smith said.
He showed the text of a “Community Forward” pledge that individuals can take “to be a positive change agent, partner, ally and supporter of and for my community,” while vowing “not to participate in activities that may make others feel unsafe, disrespected, and intimidated.”
“It’s important for us to commit to building a strong community relationship, commit to the residents of Lansdale, to enjoy the full benefits of citizenship that are afforded to them, and to commit to being a community ally and partner,” he said.
The first public meeting of the human relations commission was scheduled to be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 4 at borough hall, 1 Vine Street, for any resident o learn more about the group, share any experience or training they have, and give suggestions. Future such meetings are scheduled for Aug. 1 and Dec. 1, also at 6:30 p.m. at borough hall, 1 Vine Street, and two positions on the commission are open for anyone interested in serving.
“We are welcoming the community to come, share ideas, be proactive, and join us and engage us in conversation,” he said.
Lansdale’s human relations commission next meets at 6:30 p.m. on August 1 and Dec. 1, all at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information visit www.Lansdale.org.