Return to flip book view
12+$7(67$7(,12855(3257BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITY3rd Annual Report - 2022
7No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionRadheshyam M. Agrawal, M.D. “When rights of human beings are compromised, they loose the opportunity to a productive life.”M. Joel Bolstein, Esq., Chairman “I am very grateful to Governor Wolf for appointing me Chairperson and allowing me to continue in a leadership role alongside my fellow Commissioners, our wonderful new Executive Director, Chad Dion Lassiter, and our very talented and extremely dedicated professional sta.”Michael Hardiman, Esq. “Every day presents new opportunities!”Hon. Curtis Jones, Jr. “From the White House to our house, human relations is an important aspect of the quality of our life. Fairness, in housing, employment and racial and religious tolerance is an essential responsibility of our organization.”BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYCommissioners
8www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommMayur Patel, Esq., Secretary “I am proud to be part of a group of individuals whose singular focus is to ensure that the people of our Commonwealth are being treated fairly and with respect. This area of focus is now more important than ever.” BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYCommissionersAleena Y. Sorathia, Esq. “There is no justice when some—because of race, sex, religion, color, national origin, or disability, among others—are denied a safe place to live, learn, work, and socialize. I am proud to serve on a Commission that strives to build a Commonwealth full of communities free of hate and discrimination.”Dr. Raquel Q. Yiengst, Vice-Chair “My hope for PHRC is that it will continue to be the government agency that promotes civil rights, eradicates discrimination for all, and upholds Equal Educational Opportunity for all children so that we can create a better future for all.”
9No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITY Educational Equity Committee There are harmful inequities in many aspects of the Commonwealth’s educational policies and practices. The Educational Equity Committee (EEC) of the PHRC takes all appropriate measures within its jurisdiction to address inequities whether they are found in academic programs, vocational programs, or programs for special needs students. The 2022 goals for the Education Equity Committee include: 1. Researching the reasons for the school to prison pipeline and developing a stronger working relationship between the PHRC and the Department of Education. 2. Exploring the varied harmful equal education disparities in many aspects of the learning environment – academic, vocational, and programs for children with special needs. 3. Exploring the societal costs associated with unemployed youth and opening lines of communication between business and industry and school districts to determine the needs of students so they can be better prepared to enter the workforce. Chair: Dr. Raquel Yiengst Lead: To Be Determined Fair Housing and Commercial Property Committee The Fair Housing and Commercial Property Committee is dedicated to expanding the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission’s activities, beyond the traditional role of enforcement, by leading statewide discussions regarding Armatively Furthering Fair Housing and housing disparities within protected classes. The Fair Housing Committee’s goals for 2022 include: 1. Obtaining representation from state legislators and our stakeholders to advocate for greater self-accountability in ensuring the Fair Housing Act’s promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion in housing across the commonwealth. 2. Strengthening the relationships between the Fair Housing Initiative Programs (FHIPs) and Fair Housing Assistance Programs (FHAPs) in Pennsylvania by identifying key issues and developing a system to share data regarding the calls they receive to evaluate housing denial rates among members of protected categories and its correlation to source of income. 3. Educating independent housing providers about the regulations and laws that govern their chosen area of business, housing as well as reaching out to Township Supervisors, Fair Housing Ocers, and District Magistrates. Chair: Mayur Patel, Esq. Lead: Adrian Garcia
10www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYPolicy & Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) Committee The purpose of the Policy & PHRA Committee (PPC) is to spearhead eorts to enact, support, lobby, and provide guidance regarding issues relating to unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and education. The committee reviews issues of relevance to the Commission, drafts guidance, alerts and educates the Commission on novel approaches to strengthen protections oered by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and the Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act. The PPC’s goals for 2022 are: 1. To support the PHRC’s eorts to enact LGBTQ regulations. These regulations will ensure that all Pennsylvanians, regardless of their sexual preference or identity, will be protected from acts of discrimination and hate. 2. To research, investigate and determine a plan of action to advocate for issues regarding national origin including Asian American Pacic Islander (AAPI) anti-hate initiatives, Native American mascot and discrimination issues, and language access. 3. To address race initiatives such as voter rights, hair guidance, critical race theory (CRT) and public accommodations. Chair: Aleena Sorathia, Esq. Lead: Kurt Jung, Esq. Police & Community Relations Committee The Police and Community Relations Committee recognizes that there are harmful inequities in many aspects of the Commonwealth’s criminal justice system, police policies, and practices that contribute to disparate treatment of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities as well as LGBTQ or gender-nonconforming persons. Our primary goal is to ensure that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) takes the appropriate measures within its jurisdiction to address inequities whether they are found in criminal justice programs, police policies, patterns, or practices and/or patterns or practices as it relates to marginalized communities. In 2022, the Police and Community Relations Committee aims: 1. To continue to improve the relationship between police and the community by providing training to members of the community as well as law enforcement. 2. To facilitate Diversity, Harassment, and Respect Police Training in addition to providing other training for incarcerated individuals and the children of incarcerated parents. This training would cover issues related to re-entry and re-integration through the collaborative grant partnership between the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC), and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). 3. To sponsor community engagement conversations with several policy departments, implement the second annual School-to-Prison Pipeline Conference in Spring 2022, and conduct No Hate in Our State Town Halls in several counties throughout the state. 4. To promote the duplication of the City of Philadelphia model for Civilian Oversight Boards of local police departments. Chair: Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. Lead: Stacey Waters
11No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYDiversity & Inclusion Committee The purpose of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee is to study issues of inequality, to spearhead diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives throughout the Commonwealth as well as to provide guidance to PHRC management. To this end, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee has set the following goals for 2022: 1. Provide access to our services for Pennsylvania citizens with limited English prociency including adding dierent languages to our phone recordings and translating brochures, forms, and other documents into several languages. 2. Draft an internal language access oce policy for PHRC that includes a list of resources available to help sta provide access to the citizens of the Commonwealth. 3. Continue the Diversity Speaks series by inviting presenters to talk about civil rights issues and diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices. Chair: Mayur Patel, Esq. Lead: Gregory HoltsProgram, Community Outreach & Training Committee The purpose of the Program, Community Outreach & Training Committee is to spearhead, monitor and support activities of the PHRC leadership, sta, and advisory councils as it relates to public education, outreach, and training initiatives. This committee also helps to identify training and educational needs both internally and externally to fulll the Commission’s responsibility to promote and instill best practices of equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the community. The Committee’s 2022 goals are: 1. To support high quality professional development for the PHRC sta, leaders, and Commissioners by investigating the practices, procedures and approaches being utilized by similar state and municipal agencies as well as remaining actively engaged with IAOHRA (International Association of Ocial Human Rights Agencies). 2. To launch an initiative analyzing the multiple types of systemic discrimination that occur both in the public and private sectors and determine the most eective and ecient ways of reducing the disproportionate impact such discrimination has on minority individuals and marginalized groups. 3. To explore ways in which we can more eectively educate the various populations that we serve about the services available at the PHRC including how to le a complaint. Chair: Michael Hardiman, Esq. Lead: Chad Dion Lassiter
12No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYQ&A with PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW Chad Dion Lassiter is a National Expert in the eld of American Race Relations. Mr. Lassiter has worked on race, peace, and poverty-related issues in The United States of America, Africa, Canada, Haiti, Israel, and Norway, and is called upon frequently by media outlets to provide commentary on race relations and potential solutions. He has developed programs under his appointment, such as a ‘Global Social Justice Initiative’, ‘Black and Jewish Beloved Community Dialogue’, and the ‘College Race Dialogue Initiative.’ Mr. Lassiter received his Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Social Work, where he was the A. Phillip Randolph Award winner in 2001 and was the recipient of the University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Involvement Award in 2008. He’s held leadership posts at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania and the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. On November 18th, 2019, Mr. Lassiter was inducted into the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice Alumni Hall of Fame. On October 26, 2021, Mr. Lassiter was chosen as National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter Social Worker of the Year for 2021.Q: How would you describe the state of hate crimes and hate fueled activity in Pennsylvania in 2022?Each year we are drawn into the same line of questioning. We look at the number of reported hate crimes and we ask ourselves “Is this accurate?” We know that hate is certainly on the rise. We know that there is a lot of hurt within our communities. We also know that for various reasons people are not reporting hate, so hate crimes are always woefully underreported. That is why we partner with the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP, the Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement – to make certain that people know their rights. We also work in collaboration with civic and activist organizations throughout the state to explain the protections available to people who may be fearful of coming forward. It is essential for us to push back against hate through trainings, policies, and hate crime legislation. We must adopt a zero-tolerance level for hate in Pennsylvania.
13www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYQ&A with PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSWQ: You believe that one of the prevention tools to stem the problems that arise from hate and discrimination is for us to adopt the Beloved Community model. What is the Beloved Community?Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. popularized the term, Beloved Community, and what he meant is for each of us to take responsibility for the common good. This means that poverty, hunger, violence, and homelessness along with prejudice and discrimination are each of our responsibility to eliminate but to eliminate using non-violent means. The result is that in a Beloved Community we improve upon our own humanity as we attempt to deliver justice in places where injustice is paying rent. The PHRC has adopted the Beloved Community concept as a foundation for building a community that can interact with the systems - systems of education, housing, employment to address the things that ail us and knowing that the work can’t be done in isolation. Q: How have you been able to develop the Beloved Community model against the backdrop of COVID-19?This historical and global pandemic could slow down social justice initiatives. The pandemic forced us to adopt newfound processes and ways to engage multiple communities through multiple platforms. The positive thing is despite those barriers it forced us to develop new ways of engaging. We are increasing our social media presence; we are reinvigorating our PHRC advisory councils, and we are attending human relations trainings and conferences to understand best practices in the eld. We are providing our trainings - anti-racism, DEI, unconscious bias - virtually. We are also delivering our message through op-eds and television appearances. COVID is still a problem. There are questions, sometimes leading to confrontation such as whether to mask or not mask, as well as the disparities in healthcare. Q: How do we transform our schools and campuses into Beloved Communities?This is truly important. First, we must realize that our schools and campuses are a microcosm of the larger society and the pervasive isms that exists in the world exist in our schools. University and school administrators must hold themselves accountable for creating Beloved Communities in their facilities. I would start at the top with diversity trainings for school boards and the trustees of colleges. I would encourage committed faculty who want to address and dismantle the isms to create courses around justice, inequity, and inclusion to raise awareness and to create curricula that reects the population of the school. We must also understand the toll that isms take on our students’ mental health and turn to the arts and utilize storytelling, art and music as Beloved Community tools which people can use to express what they have experienced and how they work on these things.
14No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYQ&A with PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSWQ: Can you talk about the mass murders conducted in the name of hate and what we can do to prevent them?When events like this happen, it demonstrates that violence motivated by bias and hate exists. This is important because hate crimes are severely underreported and can lead folks to question its existence. Also, a hate crime is a unique phenomenon, targeting people not for what they have done but for who they are. One of the rst things that I want to point out is that most hate motivated crimes - like we saw at the Pulse Night Club in Florida, Topps Supermarket in New York, or the Tree of Life Synagogue in our own state - are not committed by hate groups.They are the acts of a lone domestic terrorists. However, it moves the crime from a personal vendetta to the community level victimization of an entire group - the LGBTQ community in Orlando, the African American community in Bualo, and the Jewish community in Pittsburgh.The second thing that we must realize is that we know a lot about preventing attacks. According to the research, people who are thinking about committing a bias-motivated crime have broadcast their intentions through their behavior. In short, somebody knows something. When community members report these behaviors, then we can avert an attack. And prevention is critical because we will never undo the damage. Q: What advice do you have for leaders who lead civil rights organization during such volatile times?These are volatile times and my advice for leaders is to engage others as your sounding board. You don’t have to recreate the wheel but draw upon best practices and be willing to share your best practices. When you rely upon others and draw out from the isolation that can come with leadership, it helps your mental well-being especially in these challenging and complex times that everyone is experiencing. You will nd a lot of similarity – that you are not the only one experiencing a particular problem. Really set up things from a work-life balance perspective, by taking vacations, journaling, and nding therapeutic ways to cope. Leaders should have ve top things they do to recharge themselves – mentors, sharing how you are feeling, asking for help, recognizing that your board and in our case Commissioners are useful. The PHRC Commissioners have been my saving grace when I have encountered moments of despair or varying degrees of fatigue.
15No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYPolicy Framework ElementsIt is not our dierences that divide us, it is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those dierences. Audre Lorde The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has created the Beloved Community framework to assist each of the Commonwealth’s communities to intentionally build a culture of peace, understanding and tolerance despite our dierences within the context of an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. In a Beloved Community, justice, diversity, and fairness takes precedence without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status or caregiver status. This list is not exhaustive the purpose is to focus on the humanity of each person and their inherent right to be treated with dignity. The concept is built into both our country’s and our state’s DNA. According to our state’s 149-year-old constitution, “All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness” The Beloved Community six element policy Framework that is designed to help our local communities build the capacity to increase justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within their communities without stoking the ames of anti-hate violence or discriminatory actions Element 1. Educational Equity School is often the site of conict within community. The goal then is to assist communities to identify and to address to address inequities whether they are found in academic programs, vocational programs, or programs for special needs students. Element 2. Fair Housing & Commercial Property Inclusion is the goal of Fair Housing. The goal is to help communities advocate for stakeholders to advocate for greater self-accountability in ensuring the Fair Housing Act’s promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion in housing across the commonwealth. Element 3. Policy & Pennsylvania Human Relations Act The laws and policies that govern communities must be free of unlawful discrimination. The goal is to provide support and guidance to ensure that a community’s employment, housing, public accommodations, and education policies are fair, just and provide ample protection while answering the needs of the community.
16www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYPolicy Framework Elements Element 4. Police & Community Relations Inequities within the criminal justice system can be a source for ongoing conict. The goal is to work within communities to nd the appropriate measure to ensure that inequities are addressed, and community relations are restored and maintained. Element 5. Diversity & Inclusion Communities and companies are implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The goal is to provide guidance to business and community stakeholders to ensure that they are meeting their goals without inadvertently causing harm. Element 6. Community Outreach & Training It is essential that we build more peaceful communities. But building a Beloved Community is a process that begins at the community level. PHRC supports and equips by providing quality social justice trainings that allow community members to build on local relationships to accomplish change. PHRC also provides statewide leadership and valuable connections in expanding networks through advisory councils and taskforces.
“…all men are brothers. If you harm me, you harm yourself. Love, agape, is the only cement that can hold this broken community together. When I am commanded to love, I am commanded to restore community, to resist injustice, and to meet the needs of my brothers.”Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on building the Beloved Community
17No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYHate Crimes The ultimate hope of implementing the Beloved Community Framework is to reduce and eliminate hate- related incidents and crime in Pennsylvania. A hate incident is any incident that is perceived as being motivated by prejudice or hate. The FBI denes a hate crime as a “criminal oense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an oender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” In Pennsylvania, a hate crime is dened as a criminal act motivated by ill will or hatred towards a victim’s race, color, religion, or national origin. Pennsylvania has hate crime laws for protection and an Ethnic Intimidation Law that can serve those who are confronted with these horrible acts. In Pennsylvania, hate crimes are termed ethnic intimidation and the oense is set forth in the crimes code, Title 18, Section 2710. In Pennsylvania, a person commits ethnic intimidation if he or she is motivated by hatred toward the race, color, religion, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals while committing certain crimes. (This list is not exhaustive.) • Harassment (in person or electronically • Physical assault • Destruction of Property • Criminal Trespass • Arson or Firebombing • Terroristic Threats
18www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYHow Prevalent Is Hate Crime In PA? The PHRC utilizes the FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) report for an initial indication of the amount of hate violence in America. For 2020, the latest data available, law enforcement agencies submitted incident reports involving 8,263 criminal incidents and 11,129 related oenses as being motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity. Six out of ten victims were targeted by race, making race/ethnicity/ancestry bias the country’s most prevalent hate crime type. Here’s the break down by bias type:• 61.8% of victims were targeted because of the oenders’ race/ethnicity/ancestry bias,• 20.0% were victimized because of the oenders’ sexual-orientation bias, • 13.3% were targeted because of the oenders’ religious bias, 2.7% were targeted because of the oenders’ gender identity bias, 1.4% were victimized because of the oenders’ disability bias, and 0.7% were victimized because of the oenders’ gender bias. An August 2020 Southern Poverty Law Center poll showed that 29 percent of Americans personally know someone who believes that white people are the superior race. Over half of the hate crime oenders were white, making them the largest group of bias perpetrators. Here’s the racial break down by oender: • 55.1% were white• 21.2% were Black or African American. • 1.1% were Asian• 1% were American Indian or Alaska Native, • 0.5% were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacic Islander• 5.4% were of a group of multiple races• 15.7% were of an unknown race. There were 81 hate crimes investigated in Pennsylvania in 2020, double the amount from 2019. In 2021 Pennsylvania had the highest incidents of white supremacist propaganda distribution of any state in the country, 473 instances of hateful propaganda – signs, stickers, grati – nearly 100 more instances than in the next closest state, Virginia. About 90 percent of the instances were attributed to one group – the Patriot Front, this according to the latest statistics from the Anti-Defamation League.
19No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission PHRC does track incidents reported to us to inform the PA Interagency Task Force on Community Activities and Relations. This is a group of state agencies who work to prevent and respond to civil tension and violence arising from conicts between ethnic or cultural groups and when there are public expressions of bias or hate. The primary function of the group is to quickly and appropriately address civil tension when conicts occur, and to promote positive community relations among various groups in order to prevent tension. People can check our website for information or contact our oce, however we remind people that if they are a victim of violence or they witnessed an act of violence they should immediately call 911. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission can be reached at PHRC@pa.gov for complaints of discrimination related to COVID-19 to facilitate ongoing hate crimes prevention, education, and response activities statewide.BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYWhat Is PHRC’s Response To Hate Crimes?Social Justice Lecture Series The Social Justice Lecture Series is an opportunity to critically examine and to understand the times we are in and the context in which we live. The main objective of the Social Justice Lecture Series is to provide foundational information to facilitate robust and thought-provoking discussion about social equity between the panelists and the audience members. The goal of each lecture is to help community members determine how best to reduce hate-related violence and tensions within their own communities. Participants in the 2021-2022 social justice lecture series were:John Quinones30 year ABC News veteran, anchor at 20/20 andPrimetime, and recipient of 7 national Emmy awardsA 20/20 Vision for America: Building Bridges, Not Wallswith remarks by PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW, and Laura Argenbright, Director of CommunicationsAbou t thi s programPRESENTED BY:JUJU CHANGEmmy Award-Winning Co-Anchor of ABC News' Nightline and one of the most prominent Asian Americans in broadcast news PHRC.pa.govH i s t o r y M o n t h 1 pm March 3, 2022Via ZOOM or Facebook LiveK e yn ot e A d d r e s s Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/85288818190PHRC Keynote featuring W.E.B. DuBois expert, scholar and activistDr. Anthony Monteiro “What WouldMartin Luther KingSay to a NationTrapped in theWilderness ofChaos andConfusion?”MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY1:00 - 2:30 PMTUESDAY. JANUARY 18, 2022JOIN VIA ZOOM OR WATCH ONFACEBOOK LIVE PHRC.pa.govPHRCC.R.O.W.N. ACT Conference9 am - 3 pmOctober 27, 2022A CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS AND BRING AWARENESS TOHAIR BIAS & DISCRIMINATIONIN PENNSYLVANIAIN PERSON EVENTFREE ENTRY / REGISTER ON EVENT BRITECONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT:1200 MARKET STREETLOEWS PHILADELPHIA HOTELPHILADELPHIA, PA 19107PHRC.pa.gov
20www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYSocial Justice Partnerships The struggle for social justice cannot be achieved alone. PHRC is continually working to strengthen existing partnerships and develop new collaborations. Our partners include: • Local Human Relations Commissions and Diversity Organizations • The PA Department of Corrections • The PA Department of Education • US Department of Housing and Urban Development • US Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission• US Department of Justice • The State Police and local law enforcement agencies • Interfaith Organizations • Advisory Councils to the PHRC• Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern PA • NAACP - Cheltenham and Philadelphia Chapters • Governor’s Oce • PA General Assembly • Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services • Philadelphia School District• Temple University Law School• University of Pennsylvania• The Palmer Foundation• Urban League of Philadelphia• National Urban League• World Aairs Council of Harrisburg• PennLive
21No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical/mental disability.Bigotry – An unreasonable or irrational attachment to negative stereotypes and prejudices of individuals and groups belonging to one or more social identities.Civil Rights – are an essential component of democracy. They’re guarantees of equal social opportunities and protection under the law, regardless of race, religion, or other characteristics.Discrimination – The denial of justice, resources and fair treatment of individuals and groups (often based on social identity), through employment, education, housing, banking, political rights, etc. Diversity – Means dierent or varied. The population of the United States is made up of people belonging to diverse groups characterized by culture, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ability, etc.Ethnic Bias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons of the same race or national origin who share common or similar traits in language, custom, and tradition.Equality – Everyone having the same rights, opportunities, and resources. Equality stresses fairness and parity in having access to social goods and services.Equity – Everyone getting what they need in order to have access, opportunities and a fair chance to succeed. It recognizes that the same for everyone (equality) doesn’t truly address needs and therefore, specic solutions and remedies, which may be dierent, are necessary.Hate Crime – A criminal act against property, a person or group where the victim is intentionally targeted because of their actual or perceived race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, gender/gender identity or ethnicity.Hate Incident – An action or behavior motivated by hate but legally protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. Examples of hate incidents include: name-calling, insults, distributing hate material in public places, displaying hate material on your own propertyImplicit Bias – The unconscious attitudes, stereotypes and unintentional actions (positive or negative) toward members of a group merely because of their membership in that group. Inclusion – An environment and commitment to respect, represent and accept diverse social groups and identities; an environment where all people feel like they belong. (In K-12 learning environments, inclusion can sometimes also refer to the practice of integrating students with disabilities into the classroom setting.BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYGlossary of Terms
22No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYGlossary of TermsMulti-Racial – A hate crime that involves more than one victim or suspect, and where the victims or suspects are from two or more dierent race groups, such as African American and white or Hispanic and Asian.Oppression – A system of mistreatment, exploitation, and abuse of a marginalized group(s) for the social, economic or political benet of a dominant group(s). This happens within a social hierarchy where people are ranked according to status, often based on aspects of social identity.Physical/Mental Disability Bias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons based on physical or mental impediments/challenges, whether such disabilities are congenital or acquired by heredity, accident, injury, advanced age, or illness.Prejudice – A premature judgment or belief formed about a person, group or concept before gaining sucient knowledge or by selectively disregarding facts. Racial Bias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons, such as Asians, blacks, or whites, based on physical characteristics.Racism – The marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.Religious Bias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons based on religious beliefs regarding the origin and purpose of the universe and the existence or nonexistence of a supreme being. Examples are Catholics, Jews, Protestants, or Atheists. Social Change – changes in human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions. Social Justice – means equal rights and equitable opportunities for all.Sexual-Orientation Bias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons based on sexual preferences and/or attractions toward and responsiveness to members of their own or opposite sexes.Systemic Oppression – A combination of systems, institutions and factors that advantage white people and for people of color, cause widespread harm and disadvantages in access and opportunity.Transgender Bias – A preformed negative opinion or attitude toward persons perceived to be transgender and/or transsexual.
BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYNOTES____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
facebook.com/PAHumanRelationswww.phrc.pa.govtwitter.com/PA_HumRelComm
12+$7(67$7(,12855(3257BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITY2022
1No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionPennsylvania Human Relations Commission Vision, Mission & Values .................................... 2History of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission .....................................................3Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Leadership History .............................................3Message from Governor ............................................................................................................4Message from Chairman ...........................................................................................................5Message from Executive Director .............................................................................................6Commissioners .......................................................................................................................7-8Social Justice Committees of the Sta and Commissioners ...............................................9-11Building Pennsylvania’s Beloved Community• The Year in Review: Q & A with Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW .............12-14• Beloved Community Policy Framework .........................................................................15-16• Hate Crime Status in Pennsylvania ...............................................................................17-19• Social Justice Lecture Series ............................................................................................. 19• Social Justice Partnerships ................................................................................................20• Glossary ........................................................................................................................21-22“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYTable of Contents
2www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommVISIONAs Pennsylvania’s Civil Rights leader, it is our vision that all people in Pennsylvania will live, work and learn free from unlawful discrimination.MISSIONThe Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission promotes equal opportunity for all and enforces Pennsylvania’s Civil Rights laws that protect people from unlawful discrimination.VALUESEquality - We believe strongly in the equality and dignity of all individuals. We uphold the principles of justice and fairness through our work, conduct and communication.Service - We subscribe to the highest standards of responsiveness, quality, timeliness and professionalism.Integrity - We uphold the highest standards of honesty and transparency. We are candid, trustworthy, credible, and unbiased.Excellence - We strive to excel in our work. We endeavor to ensure a highly prepared, diverse, competent, and committed workforce.Teamwork - We build and sustain strong, constructive and collaborative relationships.Respect – We value employees’ talents and dierences and treat them with consideration and importance.BUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYVision, Mission & ValuesPennsylvania Human Relations Commission333 Market Street, 8th Fl | Harrisburg, PA 17101| 717.787.4410 | Email: PHRC@pa.gov www.phrc.pa.gov
3No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYPennsylvania Human Relations Commission HistoryThe Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) was created in 1955 after the passage of the Pennsylvania Fair Employment Practice Act. It is the premier civil rights agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that is tasked with enforcing the state anti-discrimination laws and undertaking community outreach eorts that prohibit and prevent discrimination in Pennsylvania. The PHRC enforces state laws that prohibit discrimination under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), which covers discrimination in employment, housing, commercial property, education, and public accommodations, and the Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act (PFEOA), which is specic to postsecondary education and secondary vocational and trade schools. Both laws ban discrimination in the Commonwealth based on race, color, creed, ancestry, age, or national origin. The laws were eventually amended to include discrimination based on sex and disability.The PHRC is headed by a diverse group of 11 commissioners who are appointed by the governor and conrmed by the Senate. The commissioners act as public liaisons, establish policies, and resolve some cases that are not settled voluntarily. The commission is independent and nonpartisan, with no more than six commissioners from one political party. The chairperson is appointed by the governor, and a vice-chairperson, secretary and assistant secretary are elected by commissioners each year. The executive director reports directly to the commissioners. PHRC LEADERSHIP HISTORYExecutive DirectorsChad Dion Lassiter ......... 2018 – PresentJoAnn L. Edwards ...............2011 – 2018Homer G. Floyd .................... 1970 – 2011Milo A. Manly ....................... 1968 – 1970Elliott M. Shirk ...................... 1956 – 1968Commission ChairsM. Joel Bolstein ..............2017 – PresentGerald S. Robinson ..............2011 – 2017Stephen A. Glassman ..........2003 – 2011Carl E. Densen .....................2000 – 2003Robert Johnson Smith ........ 1990 – 2000Thomas L. McGill, Jr. ........... 1986 – 1990Joseph X. Yae .................... 1974 – 1986Everett E. Smith ................... 1970 – 1974Max Rosenn ......................... 1969 – 1970 Harry Boye ........................... 1956 – 1969
4www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYMessage from GovernorFor over six decades the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has labored to make the ideal of social justice for all a reality and live up to their goal to promote and protect the rights of all of the commonwealth’s citizens to live with dignity and freedom. This is work that requires constant vigilance to ensure that intolerance, hatred, bias, discrimination do not take root within our communities. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, it is in the small places, close to home that “…every man, woman, and child seek equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination.” To all the PHRC commissioners, to the executive director - Chad Dion Lassiter, and to the PHRC sta – thank you for your dedication and commitment to ensuring our state remains a place of welcome to all its citizens.Sincerely,Tom WolfGovernor
5No Hate in Our State 3rd Annual Report - Pennsylvania Human Relations CommissionBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYMessage from Chairman As Pennsylvania’s civil rights leader, it is the vision of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission that all people in Pennsylvania will live, work, and learn free from unlawful discrimination. This vision is our agency’s driving force. Each person has an inherent right to live and be treated with dignity. The PHRC protects this principle of equality by ghting against racism, xenophobia, homophobia, religious intolerance, gender inequality, discrimination, and hate. However, equally important to protecting the human rights of each citizen is promoting socially just and peaceful communities throughout the Commonwealth. This is the critical work of the Beloved Community, placing people at the center of the solutions for maintaining harmony throughout our commonwealth ensuring a work life and community life unmarred by hate or discrimination. I oer my sincere gratitude to Governor Wolf for his leadership and to our friends in the General Assembly because their continued support of the PHRC make our work possible. I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow Commissioners, our Executive Director, and the professional sta of the PHRC. Sincerely,M. Joel Bolstein, Esq.Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Chairman
6www.phrc.pa.gov facebook.com/PAHumanRelationstwitter.com/PA_HumRelCommBUILDING PENNSYLVANIA’S BELOVED COMMUNITYMessage from Executive Director It has always been perilous to be dierent, to march to the beat of your own drummer. “The right to be dierent, whether by choice or necessity, is our greatest right as human beings,” the psychologist and author Dr. Harriet Lerner once said, adding, “And dealing with dierences is the greatest of all human challenges. People react anxiously and fearfully to dierences. We learn to hate, glorify, deny, exaggerate, or eradicate a dierence.” I have witnessed how, because of dierence – be it gender, race, religion, sexual orientation for example – a person can be subjected to hate-fueled intimidation, harassment and even violence. Currently, it often wears the mask of white supremacist extremism, pandemic-related hate, cyberbullying, or race-based violence. At the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the state’s top civil rights organization, our mission - The PA Human Relations Commission promotes equal opportunity for all and enforces Pennsylvania’s civil rights laws that protect people from unlawful discrimination – captures the essence of our work to help our commonwealth manage this challenge. However, the trauma of violence is borne not only by the victims of hate crimes, but by all in the community. What harms one of us, harms all of us. Once our peace and security are shattered, it is replaced with a sense of dread, vulnerability, a retreat from public life and grief. The 3rd annual Building Pennsylvania’s Beloved Community: No Hate in Our State report reviews 2021 -2022 during which time there has been a tremendous amount of hate motivated harm perpetrated in communities across the nation. In 2021, the most noted was the Atlanta spa shootings where people of Asian descent were targeted and six were killed. In 2022, a lone gunman targeted African Americans at a supermarket in Bualo, New York and ten shoppers were killed. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. warned us in his last book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, that “a vigorous enforcement of civil rights will bring an end to segregated public facilities, but it cannot bring an end to fears, prejudice, pride and irrationality, which are the barriers to a truly integrated society.” The goal of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is not just to remedy discriminatory action but to do so in a way that strengthens the bonds of community as a preventative measure. However, how do we talk with those that are dierent than ourselves to nd the common denominators that will bridge our divides? The PHRC’s answer is the Beloved Community model. We have created a framework to follow that will allow us all to bequeath authentically peaceful communities to the next generation. We present this report with the hope Pennsylvania becomes a state where hate never nds refuge.Sincerely, Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Executive Director