PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is touring all 67 counties of the commonwealth in an effort to “build beloved communities.”
The PHRC is the top civil rights enforcement agency in the commonwealth. Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter says the goal of the statewide tour and its listening sessions, is to create relationships with local leaders and organizations to help them solve controversial issues within their communities.
There are challenges in every county in the state, but not all communities face the same issues, says Lassiter. “In one particular community, the issue may be gentrification — another community, it may be white nationalism, white supremacy — another community, may be something else.”
These issues need to be discussed and everyone, regardless of where they stand on the issues, has a right to be heard.
“Every day, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission receives complaints of people who file complaints because they believe that they've been discriminated against and employment, education, housing, public accommodations, commercial property,”
He says, over the past several years, data from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Anti-Defamation League, and Pennsylvania State Police has, for the most part, placed Pennsylvania among the top 10 states for assembly of hate groups.
“My theory is: You listen, you learn, you lead — and then you love the people with the highest form of love that humankind can have. You may be a white nationalist, but you're still a human being. There may be forms of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-Black racism, AAPI hate … it’s still a form of human brokenness.”
Launched in 2023, the tour is designed to help communities to intentionally build a culture of peace, understanding and tolerance — despite their differences.
“We're going to finish all 67 counties and then provide a report by county with regards to qualitative and quantitative data that talks about the metrics from that community and what the salient points were and presenting challenges.”
The tour launched this month and will continue through the end of the year. PHRC is still looking for locations to host upcoming sessions. More information about "PHRC on the Road: Building a Beloved Community" is available on the PHRC website.