Establish Human Rights Commission

Image courtesy of Polina Kovaleva is unmodified and licensed under Pexels’ Content License.

City and state human rights commissions can prevent discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, public services, education, credit, and business based on protected class, such as: race, religion, disability, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity. These commissions perform this work through investigations, mediation, and resolution of discrimination claims.  

For example, Heide Velasco was denied the ability to rent a New York apartment because her son is blind. She reported it to the New York City Commission on Human Rights and received compensation for housing discrimination. 

Actions

1. Email your city council members

Time estimate: 10 minutes 

Advocate for establishing a city human rights commission.

1. Look up online if your city has a Human Rights Commission. Your state may also maintain a list of local commissions like Minnesota’s directory. 
2. Find contact information for your city council members on your city’s website. 
3. Use or modify our email template to contact your city council members. 

2. Email your state lawmakers

Time estimate: 10 minutes 

Advocate for establishing a state human rights commission.

1. Use the U.S. Commision on Civil Rights’ directory to look up if your state has a Human Rights Commission. 
2. Find your state senator and representative online here.
   
3. Use or modify our email template to contact your state lawmakers.

Updated September 2023.