View as WebpageApril 2024 Newsletter

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Amanda,

‘The Paralysis of Silence: Breaking Through to Reach a Level of Love & Unity’

In today's age, we find ourselves caught in an intricate web of division, hostility, and fear. Tensions fuel a swift and sharp culture of cancellation that often silences voices before they can share their profound truths. Through this storm, it's crucial to remember that these times of challenge and change are also opportunities for growth and greater unity.

Picture this: a crowded room where everyone remains silent. Not out of agreement, but out of fear, out of the paralysis of silence. The fear of saying something wrong, the fear of backlash, the fear of being 'cancelled.' This silence acts as a shroud, muffling the profound truths that pulsate beneath.

However, imagine if just one person mustered up the courage to break their silence. To voice their profound truth, not shouting or arguing, but speaking with a gentle power that pierces the noise. Words of truth, love, kindness, empathy and understanding, are spoken and we see humanity in the person that we are speaking to. The ripple effect of the aforementioned would be transformative. The paralysis has the potential to be broken.

Finding one's voice amidst the cacophony of division and cancel culture is not just an act of personal courage, but also an act of immense community service. When we bear the torch of earnest dialogue, we start to illuminate the dark corners of misunderstanding and prejudice and racism. We create space for different perspectives to be heard. We show that unity isn't about everyone agreeing - it's about everyone being heard and respected for their thought processes and for their human experiences.

The essence of communication lies not in the loudest shout, but in the most meaningful message. In these dark and trying times, we mustn't lose sight of the power of words - words of truth, love, kindness, peace, unity, and respect - to draw us closer together, despite our differences.

Speaking up in the face of division and hatred isn't easy. Yet, each voice that dares to speak its truth chips away at the walls of division and hatred, replacing them brick by brick, with bridges of understanding and love and pathways of dialogue.

As a human race, let’s replace the clashing cymbals of division and hatred with the soothing symphony of truth, love, kindness and ultimately unity. Let our words be the harbinger of love and inclusion, echoing across divides, spreading a message of acceptance and unity.

To speak a profound truth in an era of division and cancel culture is to transform the silence of fear into a melody of hope. It's about moving from being the silent witness of division and hatred to becoming the active bearer of truth, hope and unity.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Let's bridle this paralysis of silence and heed to the call of unity, for only through understanding and dialogue can lasting peace be nurtured.

Hold courage, speak your truth, and remember - in unity, there is strength. Together, let's build a Beloved Community accompanied by a symphony of love and understanding, one voice at a time

Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW

Executive Director

2023 Annual Report

The 2023 Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) Annual Report is now available. The PHRC is required by state law to release an annual report by March 31 of each year. The report includes statistics about the type and number of discrimination complaints filed in Pennsylvania each year, legal orders issued, information about promoting equal opportunity, and information about enforcing anti-discrimination laws.

“The work that PHRC does is vitally important, and everyone working at the PHRC including the staff and Commissioners understand that we stand firmly on the frontline of social justice even in difficult and perilous times,” said PHRC Chair M. Joel Bolstein, Esq. “During the past year, the PHRC has been actively engaged in protecting the civil rights of Pennsylvanians just as it has done for the nearly seven decades it has been in existence. Each year, our dedicated staff investigates thousands of complaints alleging discrimination in employment, housing, education and public accommodations and this past year has been no different.”

“I commend the efforts of my staff who diligently serve the citizens of the Commonwealth, said PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW. “The work is not easy, but we are guided by our vision—that all people in Pennsylvania will live, work, and learn free from unlawful discrimination. However, enforcing the law is not enough. Pennsylvania currently ranks eighth in the nation for the number of hate groups. To truly manifest our vision, we need to build a Beloved Community, one that accepts all people regardless of their race, sex, gender, religion, age, or ethnicity.”

PHRC was created in 1955 and enforces state laws that prohibit discrimination. These state laws include:

• Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), which covers discrimination in employment, housing, commercial property, education, and public accommodations.
• Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act (PFEOA), which is specific to postsecondary education and secondary vocational and trade schools.

The PHRC administrative, legal, and investigative staff is led by an Executive Director in Harrisburg and Regional Directors in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Eleven Commissioners, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the state Senate, act as public liaisons, establish policies, and resolve some cases that are not settled voluntarily.



In 2023, the PHRC released new regulations, more clearly explaining the definition of 'sex,' 'religious creed,' and 'race.’ According to the new regulations, 'sex' includes, pregnancy status, childbirth status, breastfeeding status, sex assigned at birth, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, differences in sex development; ‘race' includes traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles; and ‘religious creed' includes all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief. 

April is Fair Housing Month

April PHRC Fair Housing Events

The 2024 Housing Equality Conference

• 2024 theme is Unlocking Housing Access and will feature authors Richard & Leah Rothstein and CEO Garry Gilliam.
• Tuesday, April 16, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The David L. Lawrence Center, Pittsburgh
• This event is sold out!

Fair Housing Empower Hour: Fair Housing & Domestic Violence

• Wednesday, April 24, noon to 1 p.m.
• Did you know that domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and their children? Survivors of domestic violence are sometimes illegally evicted or denied housing. Even municipal nuisance ordinances penalizing landlords and tenants for “excessive” police calls can jeopardize their housing and safety. This session will explore the rights of domestic violence survivors to find and retain safe housing for themselves and their families.
• Register here.

Rep. Smith-Wade-El Fair Housing Town Hall

• April 25, 5 p.m.
• 450 East Strawberry Street, Lancaster, Pa 17602
• Hosted by state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El.
• PHRC Director of Policy, Intergovernmental Affairs, & Mediation Ashley Walkowiak will discuss the state of fair housing and how to combat housing inequality across the commonwealth.

Restrictive Covenants: Confronting Pennsylvania’s History of Housing Discrimination Through Act 54

• Friday, April 26, 1 to 2 p.m.
• In this virtual Fair Housing event will explore Act 54 of 2023, signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro, the law allows anyone owning real estate in Pennsylvania encumbered by discriminatory covenants to record a repudiation document. The free filing with county recorders of deeds helps remove one more unsettling legacy of legal redlining and discrimination that prevented countless Americans from owning homes and building generational wealth.
• Register here.

Navigating Utility Access & Equity Webinar

• a virtual training in partnership with the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP).
• Tuesday, April 30, from 12-1:30pm.
• Topics will include consumer rights surrounding utility services, energy and water assistance programming, and the intersection between housing equity and utility security for vulnerable and historically-underserved consumers and their communities.
• Register here.

Building Rapport

Beth Oster, Intake Investigator

Harrisburg Regional Office

As I sit here thinking about what I would like to write about, I keep remembering some of the interactions I’ve had with different Complainants I had spoken with over the years. How I was able to hear the sincerity in their voice when they thanked me for listening to them, for hearing them and for understanding what they were telling me. Often, their “thanks” would be followed by, “you are the first person who actually listened to what happened to me.”

I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of the PHRC, and if I am the person Complainants are counting on for help, I want to do my absolute best to make them feel they are safe speaking with me. Encouraging an open dialogue, asking the important questions along the way, I hope that the individual I am speaking with feels more like they are having a conversation with a trusted person versus being asked a string of questions that are based on my perception of what may have occurred. I know what information I need, and I allow them to give that information to me in the most natural way they can; by telling their story the way they are comfortable telling it. 

Going into an interview with the “who, what, why, where, and how’s” approach, in many instances, has only given me the short, non-detailed answers that only lead to more questions. Showing Complainants that you care about what happened to them, that you want to know what happened to them, that you want to know why they believe it happened to them and why they believe the discrimination is based on their protected class(es), allows them to feel heard. It opens the door for you to potentially hear something that you may not have heard otherwise and discover that they may have experienced more discrimination that what they realized. By taking the time to build rapport and listen to them, it can sometimes soften the blow when you must explain why what they experienced is outside of PHRC’s jurisdiction or that what they perceive as discriminatory may not be unlawful due to their protected class and they are more accepting of what is being explained to them.

My goal in intake is to get all the information necessary to write the best possible complaint for my colleagues to investigate. To conquer the vile act of discrimination in the Commonwealth, we all need to have a crystal-clear understanding of the complaint that is being made so that we can ask the right questions, request complete information, and make a proper determination based on the thorough assessment of all the facts presented by both the Complainant and Respondent.



We are doing great work, valuable work, and vitally important work here at the PHRC! I am proud to be part of this amazing agency and believe that every single one of us, individually, is an integral cog in this well-oiled PHRC machine.

Defining "distinctly private'

Dana Prince

Assistant Chief Counsel

According to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), public accommodations do not include any accommodations which are in their nature “distinctly private.” However, neither the PHRA nor the Special Rules of Administrative Practice and Procedure define or elaborate on what “distinctly private” means. 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has explained that that Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC or Commission) is the appropriate body to determine whether an accommodation is public or distinctly private; in making that determination the terms public and private “take on meaning only as applied to specific factual situations. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission v. Lansdowne Swim Club, 526 A.2d 758, 761 (Pa. 1987). The Commission must make the decision that a respondent is either a public accommodation or a distinctly private accommodation based on the specific factual situation in the present case. Id. at 763.

As it pertains to PHRC investigations, it is important to remember: 

• The burden is on the respondent to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate that their accommodation is “distinctly private”. 
• Determining whether an accommodation is “distinctly private” is a fact intensive analysis.
• This analysis may include, but is not limited to the following factors: whether the accommodation receives government funding, size of the accommodation, purpose of the accommodation, membership selectivity, existence of formal membership procedures, membership governance, use of the accommodation by nonmembers, exclusion of nonmembers, advertisement of the accommodation, etc.
• Be sure to analyze as many factors relevant to the accommodation as possible.
• Each case is different, and the analysis varies on a case-by-case basis. Analyze each case using the information before you and avoid making conclusions by comparing one case to another.
• If you have any questions during the investigation about what to analyze and/or how to analyze whether an accommodation is distinctly private, reach out to the Office of Chief Counsel for assistance. 

Introducing the PHRC CROCS

Hector Luis Torres-Dias

Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator

What makes you passionate about Civil Rights work?

I am passionate about Civil Rights work because of the injustices I have seen members of the Latino community face whilst attempting to achieve the American dream. Moreover, I am a Puerto Rican, and the housing discrimination and displacement, among other issues happening back there lit the fire that got me involved. The PHRC seemed like a logical next step in the process.

Why did you choose to apply for this position at the PHRC? 

As I hinted at the end of my first answer. Due to my heavy involvement back at home (Puerto Rico) to help fight against the injustices there. I knew I wanted to do more for all groups of people, and the PHRC seemed like the place to give me the tools and training I needed to get the job done.

What are your hopes and goals to achieve from this Division? 

My goal is to serve my community and to be a part of cause greater than myself. My entire life, I have dedicated myself to helping others, and I believe this division will open doors and avenues for me that will allow me to achieve that goal.

Tell us a favorite quote.

"Ideas are born, they struggle, triumph, change, and they are transformed; but is there a dead idea which in the end does not live on, transformed into a broader clearer goal?" - Eugenio Maria de Hostos (Puerto Rican Independence leader, scholar, and teacher of the late 19^th century).

Sheryl Meck

Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator Supervisor

What makes you passionate about Civil Rights work?

As a child, I did not understand the gravity of the decision my mother made to come to America. I have memories where I witnessed people treat my mother as less than the heroic dream achiever that she was then and still is now. My mother’s fight for a better life for her and her children is what sparked this passion I have for Civil Rights work.

Why did you choose to apply for this position at the PHRC?

I wanted to work for an agency that strives to improve the lives of all people through education, outreach, and enforcement of civil rights law. The PHRC embodies this, and I am honored to be surrounded by such compassionate, hard-working, professionals.

What are your hopes and goals to achieve from this Division?

I want the people of the Commonwealth to know we are here, we see you, we hear you, and we are with you. I want to help build up the next generation of social justice agents and be able to pass off the social justice torch in a better position, than when I received it. I wholeheartedly believe that is what our predecessors wanted for us, and it is what I want for those who come after us.

My hope is that this division, can serve as an effective immediate response to tension and conflict, provide a safe platform for the people to be heard, and to engage in conflict resolution conversations. I believe in the power of ripple effects, and my goal is to empower the voices of the people across the state, and to walk in love. Hate is so heavy to carry, and I also want to reach the carrier, to show there’s a better way.

Tell us a favorite quote.

“No matter where you are, what you do, or who you become, I will always love you.” -My father.

Upcoming PHRC Events

Join PHRC on Monday, April 22 from 1p.m. to 2p.m. for "Don't Believe Everything You Hear: My Positive American Experience," part three of our virtual Diversity Speaks series on Islam and Islamophobia. We will be joined by Amer Al Fayadh, CEO, Communication Essentials, LLC. Register today!

PHRC on the Road: building Pennsylvania's Beloved Community statewide tour will continue this month. with stops in Dauphin and Bucks Counties.

• Monday, April 8, 2024
• 5-6:30 p.m.
• YWCA Greater Harrisburg, 1101 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17103
• To register, click here.
• Tuesday, April 30, 2024
• 5:30-7 p.m.
• Middletown Township Municipal Center ,3 Municipal Way, Langhorne, Pa 19047
• To register, click here.

Outside PHRC Events

Registration is now open for the 17th annual Faith & Spiritual Affairs Conference on April 25 at the Doubletree Philadelphia in Center City. PHRC Supervisor Ronnessa Edwards will be co-facilitating a workshop on Social Injustice, Poverty, Trauma, and Healing. Register here: https://www.bhten.com/faith-and-spiritual-affairs-17th.../

PHRC is participating in the Disability & Mental Health Summit hosted by Rep Dan Miller in Pittsburgh on April 18 & 19! This event is an excellent resource and opportunity for professionals to learn about the latest news in the disability & mental health fields. This is a free event! More info - www.DisabilitySummit.com

March is Women's History Month. It's a time to celebrate the amazing accomplishments and achievements of ALL Women!

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