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What's Happening LA County Commission on Human
Relations
Media Image Coalition
MEDIA IMAGE COALITION to Co-Host December Meeting with YWCA of GREATER L.A. On Monday evening, December 8, the YWCA of the Greater Los Angeles is partnering with the Media Image Coalition and the Commission on Human Relations to sponsor a panel discussion on ‘Hate Crimes in L.A. County’ in the James Cagney Board Room of the Screen Actors Guild, on 5757 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. A reception from 7-7:30 p.m. will precede the event. The event is intended to clarify what act constitutes a hate crime, provide an update on the occurrence and patterns of hate crimes in L.A. County, and to share views on the impact of, and responses to, hate crimes on distinct communities in the county. This is the first time the Commission and MIC will collaborate with the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, whose mission is devoted to eliminating racism and empowering women. The YWCA is participating in a nationwide effort to draw attention to the many ways in which racism still exists in our communities. Every October, the YWCA commemorates a National Day to Eliminate Racism, to encourage individuals and communities to identify realistic and sustainable ways to eliminate racism. The support and involvement of schools, community organizations, politicians, law enforcement agencies, faith groups and individuals is at the heart of the campaign. Invited speakers include Robin S. Toma, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, Sharon Shelton, Senior Director Empowerment Services, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, and Ray Bradford, President of the Media Image Coalition, in addition to representatives from communities most heavily targeted for hate crimes. Please call Ava Gutierrez, Public Information Officer, L.A. County Human Relations Commission at (213) 974-7654 for more information. Read more... Muslim/Arab Coverage in News & Entertainment: What Effect Does It Have on Elections 2008? The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and Media Image Coalition will host a panel discussion on "Muslim/Arab Coverage in News & Entertainment: What Effect Does It Have on Elections 2008?" This event is on Thursday, October 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Steve Allen Theatre, 4773 Hollywood Boulevard, near the corner of Vermont and Hollywood Blvd. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and snacks will be provided... Read more.
Join us for the 2009 Conference in sunny Los Angeles, California
The 2008 International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies national conference held its 2008 conference from September 13-19 in Detroit. The IAOHRA Board of Directors selected Los Angeles and the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations to host the 2009 Conference next Fall. This will be the first time in many years that this national event will be hosted west of the Mississippi. We look forward to showcasing the Commission's programs, initiatives and staff expertise, along with our many government and community partners who had led or currently lead cutting-edge efforts in the human relations arena. These include programs and research related to efforts to better understand, address, improve promote policies and legislation related interracial, inter-ethnic, interfaith, inter-community and police-community relations and youth development and community organizing. We look forward to hosting YOU next year in L.A. County and to sharing our experience, insights and expertise and we invite you to contact us about presenting or attending this historic conference! For more information, click here
Network Against Hate Crime
Death On A Schoolyard: Making Sense Of The Tragic Death Of Lawrence King
A panel of experts discussed community reaction to this horrific crime. Jay Smith, Director of the Ventura County
Rainbow Alliance, explained that King participated in his agency's youth leadership development group. Alliance
staff had been in communication with school administrators because King had complained of escalating harassment.
Unfortunately, their warnings were not heeded. Jake Finney, Lead Victim Advocate, Anti-Violence Project, L.A.
Gay & Lesbian Center and Judy Chiasson, LAUSD Office of Human Relations, Diversity and Equity discussed their agencies' efforts
to promote safe, inclusive school environments and prevent homophobic harassment and bigotry.
zerohour Committee Meeting
FOOD FOR THOUGHT The CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP), Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and William S. Hart High School hosted a reception and reading on May 7 to celebrate the publication of FOOD FOR THOUGHT, a book authored by immigrant student participants in the CAP/William S. Hart High School Creative Writing Program. The Community Arts Partnership was made possible by a generous grant from Lockheed Martin Foundation to the Human Relations Commission’s zerohour: No Haters Here! initiative at Hart HS. Like tapas, the Iberian appetizers that provide a variety of flavor in a small, quick bite, the publication, Food For Thought offers insight from the students of Hart High School's English Language learners. Poetry, essays, fiction, and non-fiction in Spanish and English opens the homes, and hopes of nearly 60 first-time writers to the world. To produce this publication, the Cal-Arts Community Arts Project sent a dozen graduate fiction students into the school to teach, mentor, and inspire. Over 6 months, the entrees began to emerge, until the collected stories of this entire group was collected in Food For Thought. The idea for such a publication came about when the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission began working at the school to promote better relations between students groups- hoping to prevent the academic frustration and cultural misunderstanding which underlined a racial riot at the school in May, 2005. Giving traditionally marginalized students a voice and opportunity to express themselves, leads to the school community as a whole to understand them as individuals, lessening the traditional barriers of culture, language and race which can separate people. Interfaith Call to Justice -
A person who asked a question is a fool for 5 min but a person who never asked a question is a fool for life.
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In the News
October is Cultural Diversity Month in the County of Los Angeles!
For the past 36 years, the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and County Board of Supervisors has honored outstanding individuals and companies that have demonstrated leadership in making the county a better and more harmonious place for all to live and work, at the annual John Anson Ford Human Relations Award Luncheon. The 2008 event "Building Partnerships for Solutions" will take place on Thursday, October 23, 2008. This year, we are honored to recognize Rabbi Harold Schulweis of Temple Valley Beth Shalom will receive the John Allen Buggs Humanitarian Award for his extraordinary leadership in building unity and understanding among people of different faiths. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Shirley Harbeson of their Equal Opportunities Program is the 2008 Corporate Awardee for their commitment to our zerohour initiative in the Santa Clarita Valley. Youth Radio will receive the newly renamed Yvonne B. Burke Courage Award, in honor of our distinguished Supervisor who will present the award. Supervisorial District honorees are Homegirl Café, California African American Museum, Juvenile Justice Task Force in the San Fernando Valley, Hispanic Outreach Taskforce in southeast L.A. cities, and Cal Arts Community Arts Partnership.
Commissioner Sergio Paz and Commission staff member, Frankie Maryland-Alston, at Inglewood City Council meeting where October is proclaimed Cultural Diversity Month in the city.
Congratulations to students from Torrance area high schools for their award winning art and literature from the 2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. VISIONS OF UNITY Contest. Sculpture and Ceramics: First Place, Natalie Friess, Torrance High School Second Place, Noah Ortega, Torrance High School Third Place, Daniel Nguyen, Torrance High School Honorable Mention, Patrick Lynch, Torrance High School Painting and Drawing: First Place, Janice Lee, Torrance High School Second Place, Ji Yong Kim, West High School Third Place, Danbee Ha, West High School Honorable Mention, Angela Yoo and Da Mi Kim, South High School Christine Seo and Sean Huddleston, Torrance High School Michelle Cho, West High School Poetry:* First and Second Place Tie, Raymon Song, South High School And Thanh Van, North High School Third Places, Jordan Chong and Kyle Hirata, North High School Honorable Mention, Haneul Yoo and Youbin Park, North High School Natalie Friess, Torrance High School Essay:* First place, Lynn Chai, Torrance High School Second Place, Laura Miller, West High School Third Place, Julia Lee, West High School Honorable Mention, Jay Park, West High School, Kenta Tanaka and Kimberly Snodgrass, South High School, John Lee, Jeff Cruz Kristen Wakamoto and Amy Duong, North High School Fiction:* First Place, Michelle Kaito, North High School *To read winning literary entries, click here.
COUNTY'S HATE CRIMES INCREASED 28%, HIGHEST NUMBER IN FIVE YEARS Los Angeles, July 24, 2008 - Los Angeles County Commission Human Relations President Felipe Agredano today convened the annual media press conference to release the statistical analysis of hate crimes reported in L.A. County for 2007. "We have been issuing annual reports on hate crimes since 1980," he explains. "This is one of the longest-standing efforts in the nation to document hate crime activity by any governmental agency. Each year, this report, provides a startling snapshot of the face of hatred in Los Angeles County. This report tells the stories of the hundreds of nameless, faceless victims of hate crime hidden from the public eye."...more
2008 Interfaith Roundtable on Hate Crime Report On Thursday, June 26, 2008, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission hosted the 2008 Interfaith Roundtable on Hate Crimes at Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge. Commissioner Adrian Dove welcomed thirty three leaders representing a broad diversity of faiths from each of the five supervisorial districts in Los Angeles County to this half day event. Robin Toma-Executive Director of Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations gave a historical overview of the Commission's goals, objectives, and current programs. He presented an in-depth analysis of state of human relations in Los Angeles County, highlighting trends, patterns of hate crimes, and how intergroup violence impacts communities of faith. He also presented results from New American Media National Poll on attitudes share by different ethnic groups towards each other...more
LACCHR presents at the 2008 Bi-annual Conference of the California Association of Human Relations Organizations (CAHRO) Senior Consultant Tony Massengale opened the conference with his presentation "Building Community Through Civic Organizing" in which he asserts that the human relations paradigm for the 21st Century is one in which the new playing field for tried and true community organizing principles is our government institutions. According to this paradigm, leaders steeped in the tradition of social justice, labor and community organizing are being increasingly integrated into educational and civic institutions… and this is exactly what is needed to transform our public institutions so that they can better understand and meet the needs of the communities they are meant to serve. Senior Consultant Cherylynn Hoff sat on the "Creating Safe and Inclusive School's" panel which explored human relations best practices in reducing bias-related violence, empowering youth leaders to resolve conflicts and create inclusive campuses, and enforcing federal and state mandates that require safe learning environments for our youth. Hoff presented on the Commission's "Zerohour School-based Human Relations Program" that highlights the steps six schools in LA County have taken to embed systemic human relations infrastructure-on-going practices, strategies and programs-into the life of their campus as an alternative to one-time crisis response efforts in stemming school violence. This presentation was complemented by that of Alison Lehmann of the Orange County Human Relations Commission who presented on their "Bridges: School Inter-Cultural Relations Program," as well as that of Angela Chan of the Asian Law Caucus whose presentation, "Know Your Rights: Bias-related School Harassment and Violence," educates on the specific laws protecting against discrimination in schools as well as the procedure by which to file a complaint should one of these laws and the rights they protect be violated.
Finally, Senior Consultant and Commission Hate Crime Coordinator Marshall Wong presented on
"Tracking and Preventing Hate Violence" in which he conveyed insight that might be gained from
tracking hate crimes via statewide and local statistics and how gathering such data can assist
state-wide human relations commissions in garnering resources as well as in partnering with law
enforcement, schools, and communities to prevent violence motivated by prejudice.
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Our Mission Our mission is to foster harmonious and equitable intergroup relations, to empower communities and institutions to engage in non-violent conflict resolution, and to promote an informed and inclusive multicultural society.
Our Strategic Priorities Second District Regional Interfaith Roundtable “Building Partnerships for Solutions” 2008 Interfaith Roundtable on Hate Crime ReportBy Frankie Maryland-Alston and Juan Carlos Martinez
On Thursday, November 13, 2008, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission and the Second Supervisorial District hosted the first regional Interfaith Roundtable in collaboration with the City of Carson, the Carson Human Relations Commission and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’S Office. Frankie Maryland-Alston, Senior Human Relations Consultant, set the tone for the Roundtable gathering by conveying goals and objectives, ground rules, and providing Ahistorical connection between the Countywide Interfaith Roundtable (June, 2008) and this first regional Interfaith Roundtable. Commissioner Sergio Paz represented the Commission by providing the opening and closing remarks. Carson Mayor Jim Dear welcomed twenty eight leaders representing a broad diversity of faiths from Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Inglewood, Lynwood, Lennox, and South Los Angeles to this half day event. Juan Carlos Martinez, Senior Human Relations Consultant presented an in-depth analysis of the state of human relations, highlighting trends and patterns of hate crimes, in Los Angeles County. Tony Massengale, Senior Human Relations Consultant reviewed the impact that acts of hate and racialized gang violence have on local communities ...Read more
On behalf of the L.A. County Human Relations Commission and our partners from Connect LA, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, SGS Produce, L.A. Unified School District Health Education Programs, L.A. Unified School District Beyond the Bell Branch and Poseidon School, we invite and encourage you and the teens at your organization, school or agency to participate in the annual Teens Make A Difference Day 2008 in Los Angeles County on Saturday, October 25, 2008. Make A Difference Day is a national annual program sponsored by Points of Light Foundation and USA Weekend Magazine. Teens Make A Difference Day is our Los Angeles countywide day of volunteer and community service by teens, and youth and youth-serving organizations, schools, religious institutions, community organizations and government agencies ...more Attached is the flyer, event fact sheet, project application (please complete and return to us), project examples (from past years), and additional background information. I encourage you to contact me at rverches@hrc.lacounty.gov or Erik Gavica, the 2008 TMADD Project Coordinator, at eagavica@yahoo.com or (323) 203-2341.
THANK YOU to our 2008 Summer Human Relations Interns: UCLA School of Public Affairs graduate students Nicole Vazquez and Francisco Reyes, and undergraduates Sandy Lopez (Calif. State University, Long Beach), John Soliman (UC Riverside), and Liam Hanlon (UCLA), Eddie Torres (University of Phoenix) and Erik Gavica (Cal. State University, Los Angeles) for their outstanding volunteer service to the Commission on Human Relations and the residents of Los Angeles County. Each of them has distinguished themselves by their passion and commitment to the mission of the Commission to build, strengthen and support intergroup relations throughout the county's 88 cities. Internships with the Commission are designed to be professional development opportunities for students and recent graduates to gain exposure, experience, insight and appreciation for work with government. L.A County is the largest regional government entity in the U.S, and perhaps in the world. We have been very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of graduate and undergraduate students who have made exceptional contributions over the past three months with their research and support of programs and initiatives such as the Interfaith Roundtable on Hate Crime, annual Hate Crime Report and press conference, zerohour youth initiative, racialized gang violence initiative, zerohour marketing campaign and school outreach project, intergroup crisis response, our upcoming John Anson Ford Human Relations Awards Luncheon (October 23) and the countywide Teens Make A Difference Day (October 25). I hope that the assignments, big and small, and the opportunities that we provided to support our work these past several months were as satisfying to them, as they are appreciated by us. As they return to their studies over the next few weeks, we wish them the best of luck, look forward to working with them in the future, and we offer our heartfelt THANKS...more
L.A. County Commission On Human Relations, L.A. City And County Departments Of Parks And Recreation And Partners Receive A National Award For Teens Make A Difference Day For it leadership coordinating Teens Make A Difference Day 2007, a countywide day of volunteer and community service, the Human Relations Commission and eight other agencies and non-profit partners were selected as one of ten National Award recipients by USA Weekend Magazine and Points of Light Foundation. At its April 22, 2008 meeting, the Board of Supervisors presented scrolls to Robin Toma, Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission, Russ Guiney, Executive Director of L.A. Dept. of Parks and Recreations and representatives of Connect LA, L.A. City Department of Recreation and Parks - Class Parks Program, LAUSD Health Education Programs, LAUSD Beyond the Bell branch, L.A. Junior Chamber of Commerce and L.A. Conservation Corps Clean n Green program...More
Juan Huezo - A 2008 L.A. County Volunteer of the Year Juan Huezo was honored by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, as a 2008 L.A. County Volunteer of the Year, at a luncheon on Monday, April 21, for his leadership of HRC's coordinating role on Teens Make A Difference Day in October 2007, which received a national award from USA Weekend Magazine and $10,000 prize from Newman's Own Foundation. Juan was joined by his parents, Juan José and Albertina Huezo as well as his sister, Claudia. Para información sobre La Comisión de Relaciones Humanas, o de acciones o actividades para mejorar relaciones humanas en el condado, por favor oprima aquí.
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