THE COVINGTONHUMAN RIGHTS

COMMISSION

April 28, 2015 Presentation To the

Covington Board of Commissioners

MembersRev. Charles Fann – Chair.Maher Sarieh – Vice Chair.

Marie Braun Linda Banks-Cobbs-Banks

Michael MonksPamela Mullins

Geri RaderDon Smith

Jimmy Williams

Background Information

The Covington Human Rights Commission updated its ordinance in 2003 to include protection in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity – becoming the third city in Kentucky at the time with such protections.

Background Information

Some observers have called the Covington Human Rights Fairness Ordinance the best in the state because of its range of protections and inclusion.

Background Information

Some people have brought their conventions to Covington because its Fairness Ordinance indicates the city is a welcoming community. 

Holds monthly meetings on the 1st Thursday, 5:30 p.m. at the Covington City Hall. Our meetings are open to the public.

Investigate complaints of discrimination in the areas of public accommodations, employment, and housing outside of the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. Refers appropriate complaints to the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

The Covington Human Rights Commission

Highlight of ActivitiesCHRC Fair Housing Forum

our first collaborative eventcollaborative event

2009 Covington Human Rights Commission Fair Housing Forum

Presenters and participants at Covington City Hall.

Beacon Awards Luncheon, Civil Rights Game and

RoundtableJune 20 and 21, 2009

2009 CHRC Health FairB.F. Howard Park

Rev. Charles Fann, Chair.

The Covington Human Rights Commission has supported many programs to empower all people who visit, live or work in the city. For example, the Covington Human Rights Commission sponsored a health fair in the East Side of Covington to encourage a positive relationship between police, firefighters, health care workers and social service agencies and members of the African American community. 

2009 Health Fair

  The Covington Human Rights Commission, through its member, Marie Braun, has helped organize a Disability Rights Conference in Covington during the past three years to bring service providers, agencies, first responders and others as presenters to share information for and about people with disabilities.    

  The Covington Human Rights Commission participated in a dedication event in memory of Margaret Garner at the site of her historic marker in the Covington Mainstrasse area.   

2011

The Covington Human Rights Commission has held information booths at various city festivals and our members attend and participate in a variety of local and out-of-town meetings and events that promote civil and human rights.   

City Heights Resident’s MeetingJuly 9, 2012

And the Covington Human Rights Commission has held its meetings at different locations in the city – such as City Heights to address hate flyers that were left at residences.

Latonia Housing Resident’s Meeting – November 2012

and Latonia Terrace – to give low-income residents information about their civil and human rights.

Get On the Bus TourApril 25, 2012

And the Covington Human Rights Commission has sponsored many educational programs, including the “Get on The Bus’’ tour of historic African American sites in Elsmere, Covington and Newport;

Get On the Bus TourApril 25, 2012

and the KY Remembers program at the Duveneck Arts and Cultural Center in 2007 that brought high school students together to interview and archive information from local civil rights leaders. 

Kentucky Civil rights Hall of Fame

The Covington Human Rights Commission was also instrumental in getting the 2007 KY Civil Rights Hall of Fame program that was held at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights.  

Kentucky Civil rights Hall of Fame

The Covington Human Rights Commission also led efforts to get local human rights leaders as Father Anthony Deye, former Covington City Commissioner Pamela Mullins, Sister Janet Bucher and activists Isiah Smith, Alice Shimfessell, Rosetta Porterfield and Bennie Doggett elected to the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial March on Frankfort

2014

Maher Sarieh, Vice-Chair and Pam Mullins

Covington Human Rights Commission

The Covington Human Rights Commission has also helped resolve several issues or neighborhood disputes before the matters reached the Covington City Commission.

Covington Human Rights Commission

Two examples are described on the next two slides.

Covington Human Rights Commission

Covington Human Rights Commission Chair Charles Fann met with the Covington Housing Authority several years ago to get that agency to rescind a new policy that required residents to pay their rent at the beginning of the month or face eviction – a hardship that forced some residents to panic and send their children to live with relatives.

Covington Human Rights Commission

The Covington Human Rights Commission, under its then Chair, Rev. Don Smith, met with neighborhood residents several years ago to get them to understand their mistreatment of an African American family that had recently moved to their neighborhood. The residents changed their behavior and the African American family did not register any new complaints.

Covington Human Rights Commission

The Covington Human Rights Commission has done many good works for the city and we are requesting $3.000 to help continue our education and outreach programs. 

Thank You