View as WebpageJuly 2024 Newsletter

Hello

Amanda,

Civil Rights Act of 1964: Pillars of Democracy: Justice & Equality

As we reflect on the monumental strides our nation has made in the pursuit of equality and justice, it is crucial to revisit and celebrate the legacy of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – a landmark legislation that has profoundly shaped the fabric of American society.

A Historical Milestone



Enacted on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act stands as a testament to the relentless efforts of civil rights activists who courageously fought against systemic racism and segregation. This groundbreaking law outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It paved the way for desegregation in schools, workplaces, and public facilities, and it laid the foundation for future advancements in civil rights protections.

Democracy and Equality: A Symbiotic Relationship

At its very core, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 exemplifies the true essence of democracy– a system of governance that respects and upholds the rights of all its citizens. In a thriving democracy, every individual should have the opportunity to participate fully, regardless of their background or identity. This law was a crucial step in ensuring that the principles of justice and equality were not just ideals, but actionable realities.

The Importance of Respecting Citizen Rights

A democracy that fails to respect the rights of its citizens is a democracy in peril. The Civil Rights Act reminds us that the resilience and vibrancy of our democratic system depends on our collective commitment to protecting and advancing the rights of every individual. This commitment entails recognizing and addressing ongoing injustices and inequalities that persist in our society.

The contemporary relevance of the Civil Rights Act cannot be overstated. As we navigate complex issues such as racial inequality, gender discrimination, and voter suppression, we must draw inspiration from the courage and vision of those who fought for this legislation. In doing so, we renew our dedication to building a more inclusive and equitable society.

Continuing the Legacy



As we honor the legacy of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, let us as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission also recognize the work that remains for us as we are the change agents of this very moment. It is incumbent upon each of us at the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to advocate for policies and practices that promote fairness, justice, and equal opportunity. Together, we can build that “Beloved Community” and do so on the foundations laid by this historic law and continue to move towards a democracy that truly respects and cherishes the rights of all its citizens. Let us remain steadfast in our pursuit of justice and equality for all the citizens of the Commonwealth and our democracy. 

Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW

Executive Director

My experience in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Development Institute

Michelle Smith, Assistant Chief Counsel

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others? -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

(Pictured: PHRC staff MLK Leadership Development Institute graduates.)

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Development Institute was established in 2008 in Harrisburg. Its mission is “to prepare and empower individuals committed to exercising creative leadership to improve conditions in the Greater Harrisburg community and beyond”. The Institute was created initially to provide a place to develop and train young professionals of color to ascend to leadership positions. However, the Institute has expanded to include participants from various races, ethnicities and religious beliefs, keeping with Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community. Under the leadership of outgoing Executive Director, Joseph Robinson, Jr., the Institute offers professional development to individuals who are emerging or seasoned leaders in their community. 

I had the pleasure of being a member of this year’s 2024 Cohort. The classes were two hours in length and were held virtually every Friday beginning on January 19^th until May 31^st.  A total of twenty-two scholars participated in the program, all from various professional backgrounds. Several of my cohorts lived outside of the Harrisburg area. The farthest lived in California. Out of the twenty-two scholars, a total of twelve were my PHRC colleagues. The classes were designed under the philosophy of Dr. King and the Institute facilitator, Mr. Keith Ellison was a phenomenal instructor. We held meaningful and engaging discussions which focused on our personal and professional development.  Some of the topics discussed in our sessions were: Leadership Characteristics, Exploring Personal Values, Developing an Effective Team, Influencing Public Policy, Goal Setting for Success and Strategies for Negotiations and Resolving Conflict. Guest presenters also enlightened us with their knowledge and insight on various issues such as Education and Incarceration, Law and Justice, Understanding Implicit Bias and Improving our Health and Wellness. Executive Director Lassiter was a guest presenter during week five.   

During our final week of class on May 31^st, my Cohorts gave Community Engagement Plan presentations. We were divided into five groups and each group chose a particular county in Pennsylvania. The counties that were represented during the presentations were: Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Philadelphia and York. We had to identify an elected official and an issue/platform impacting that elected official’s district. We then developed a plan to address that issue. My group choose Philadelphia County and we chose as the elected official Pennsylvania Senator Anthony Williams. We presented on Literacy in Philadelphia and its impact in the Philadelphia public schools. Senator Williams is the co-sponsor of a bill currently in the state legislature which will bolster literacy instruction to ensure literacy achievement for children in Pennsylvania. After each presentation, community leaders provided constructive feedback to the group.   I enjoyed working with my fellow group members on this important issue and I’m hopeful that the bill will pass. 

Graduation took place on Sunday, June 23 at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at Harrisburg Area Community College. My experience as a scholar in this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Development Institute was truly invaluable. I am eager to incorporate the knowledge that I acquired in these past few months into my personal and professional life.   

Social Determinants of Health & My PHRC Internship

Hope Wright

Policy, Intergovernmental Affairs, & Mediation Intern

When considering this internship opportunity at the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), it intrigued me to bridge the gap between my anthropology studies and civil rights. It’s not a link that is common to make, but in studying the social determinants of health, it is shown well from the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY). The DALY shows the expected life outcome for a person had all their needs in life been met versus what age they will really live and how disabilities affect that. Disabilities is a broad term that is all inclusive from what are commonly viewed as disabilities to disease, stress, lack of resources, lack of knowledge, childhood disadvantages, etc. The PHRC is all about helping people who are disadvantaged under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The PHRC has been able to help many people who have been discriminated against - discrimination against things about themselves that they cannot change and have no control over.

Let’s start at the beginning. Social determinants of health (SDH) are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. The SDH can be grouped into areas that cover the whole life of an individual. Financial status, employment/unemployment, healthcare (access and quality), education (access and quality), social and community status, and neighborhood/ place you live/ environment, food insecurity, and early childhood development are examples.

A syndemic is defined by two or more illness states interacting poorly with each other and negatively influencing the mutual course of each disease trajectory.

The SDH determines 30-55% of health outcomes. When caring for people, the whole person matters. For example, if a woman with chronic sleep issues and back pain cannot make it to work and loses her job, she then loses her house. She is then homeless, living in her car with her children. If a housing program is provided but does not address her health issues, then she is likely to end up homeless again and living in her car. 

If ultimately, Pennsylvania’s civil rights goals are equity and belonging (higher up on Maslow’s chart), we first must ensure that access to the basic physiological needs, such as housing and food stability, are met.

How to better help at risk persons:

• Inquire- Ask questions about other areas of the person’s life that could affect their situation.
• Empathize- Show them that you care about the outcome of their situation.
• Advocate- Offer resources that you know of to help the other burdensome areas of their life.
• Follow up- For a lot of those who access services, there is no follow up to make sure they are still progressing in life and not regressing. Follow up on them if it is in your ability to do so.

Most people do not have isolated health problems but live in a syndemic. They have multiple factors affecting their lives that are keeping them from being healthy productive members of society. When we focus the many facets of a person’s life, we can ensure that they not just surviving but thriving.

One of the areas I have most enjoyed about my internship has been sitting in on mediations. Seeing the laws built to help and protect people take action and help them when they have been wronged is so fulfilling.

“The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” - Paul Farmer (World renowned Medical Anthropologist and Physician)

Holidays

Waydee Rivera, Supervisor, Harrisburg Regional Office

During one of my conversations with my mother-in-law, we discussed the upcoming holiday weekend. I talked about not having any plans and just wanting to enjoy the time off. Her response to me was that every day for her is a holiday. The statement could mean so many things. She is retired therefore every day is a holiday for the hard work she performed as a teacher.

(Pictured: Harrisburg Regional Office Staff)

But I decided to take the statement as enjoying every moment as a holiday. Amid our busy lives, it is all too easy to rush through the day without pausing to appreciate the little joys that surround us.

How many times have we heard to be present and fully engaged in the moment? Time flies? After reflecting on my mother-in-law’s statement, I decided to implement more appreciation of the moment and treat it as a holiday. I decided to not only apply this to my personal life but also bring the same attitude to the workplace. I am truly blessed to be employed with an agency that promotes social justice. However, in our job, it is not difficult to overlook our colleagues and the little moments that make our workplace valuable. We should start recognizing the small milestones that we all bring to this agency and celebrate each other. I sincerely believe this is important in the social justice that we bring to the community. I decided to focus more on listening to my team members and focusing on the unique contributions they all bring to this organization.

I am fortunate to have distinctive coworkers who bring special attributes to the job. Embracing diversity begins with recognizing and valuing the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences each of us brings to the table. I am fortunate to celebrate and be motivated by colleagues who inspire me in every way in this field. I also appreciate and celebrate my coworkers' different contributions that benefit PHRC. In this field, it is easy to be consumed with our everyday practice, but I hope that we all can take a moment to celebrate and embrace each other. 

PHRC Hosts 2024 Advisory Council Summit

Brittany Mellinger

Fair Housing Training & Outreach Coordinator

PHRC was thrilled to host Advisory Council members from across the state on Monday, June 3^rd for an Annual Summit in Harrisburg, PA!  (Pictured: Advisory Council Summit attendees)

It was a wonderful time to connect, celebrate the accomplishments of our Advisory Councils, and strategize on ways we can work together to advance social justice in Pennsylvania. 

We were all energized and informed by Rev. Carla Christopher’s workshop, Building Bridges for Making Movements. Council members shared about how they worked to connect with their communities through sharing information at community celebrations; hosting events with likeminded partners, connected with students at local colleges, published columns in local papers, and screened films to explore community issues. Council members identified current and emerging concerns in schools, workplaces, housing, and elsewhere in communities. Executive Director Lassiter, Commission Vice-Chair Yiengst, and other PHRC senior leadership shared about how the work that Advisory Council members do advances PHRC’s mission, and some exciting new developments at PHRC.  

(Pictured: Rev. Carla Christopher)

PHRC presented the Penn Hills Advisory Council with the 2024 Advisory Council of the Year award, in recognition of their outreach and partnership building over the past year.  This award was accepted by Shayla Holmes, Vice Chair of the Penn Hills Advisory Council. 

If you would like to learn more about joining an Advisory Council in your community, please reach out to Khera Bowman, Brittany Mellinger, or Stacey Waters.

(Pictured left to right: Brittany Mellinger,

Shayla Holmes, Chad Dion Lassiter, and Dr. Raquel Yiengst)

Upcoming PHRC Events

Assistance Animals

• Wednesday, July 31
• 12-1 p.m.
• Service Animal, ESA, Assistance Animal - what’s the difference? Join us to learn about how to successfully navigate assistance animal requests.
• Register today!

Fair Housing & Criminal Records

• Wednesday, August 28, 2024
• 12-1 p.m. 
• What does a criminal background have to do with fair housing laws? What rights do tenants have? How should a housing provider handle an individualized assessment request? Join us for answers!
• Register today!

Addressing Fair Housing Needs in Rural Communities

• Wednesday, September 25, 2024
• 12-1 p.m.
• Rural communities face a unique set of challenges in ensuring equal housing opportunities. Learn more about barriers, resources, and fair housing partnerships in rural communities.
• Register today!

PHRC on the Road: Building Pennsylvania's Beloved Community in Luzerne County

• Wednesday, July 10, 2024
• 5-6:30 p.m.
• Hazleton One Community Center, 225 E. 4th Street, Hazleton, PA 18201
• Register today!

PHRC on the Road: Building Pennsylvania's Beloved Community in Erie County

• Monday, July 15, 2024
• 5:30-7 p.m.
• Second Baptist Church, 757 E. 26th Street, Erie, PA 16504
• Register today!

PHRC on the Road: Building Pennsylvania's Beloved Community in Schuylkill County

• Wednesday, July 24, 2024
• 5-6:30 p.m.
• Pottsville Free Public Library, 215 West Market Street, Pottsville, PA 17901
• Register today!

If you have attended one of our Beloved Community tour stops, please take a moment to complete our survey. The PHRC is still looking for locations to host upcoming sessions, anyone interested in partnering with the PHRC should contact Stacy Waters at stwaters@pa.gov.

Follow us!