Pennsylvania Network of Unity Coalitions
Guide to Reporting Discrimination and Other Bias Incidents
The purpose of this guide is to assist persons in Pennsylvania to report a wide variety of bias incidents that are perceived to be discriminatory or motivated by hate. Upon receipt of these reports, the PA Human Relations Commission (PHRC) will provide guidance about options, including the process of filing civil rights complaints or criminal complaints. There are several general categories of bias incidents at issue:
1) Acts of discrimination that violate the PA Human Relations Act in employment, education, housing, commercial property, lending institutions or public accommodations and that are believed to be based on the person's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age over 40, gender, handicap or disability, use of a guide animal, having a GED instead of a high school diploma, and being known to be related to someone with a handicap or disability. (For more information about the PA Human Relations Act go to www.phrc.state.pa.us.) 2) Acts that are perceived to be criminal in nature and are believed to have been motivated by hatred towards the victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. (For more information about hate crimes go to www.stopbias.org.) 3) Tensions between the minority community and police.
3) Acts that may not violate any law but are causing tension among persons or groups on the basis of any of the protected classes named above in #1 or 2.
You may report these incidents and get guidance about options for response by:
a) Calling the PHRC at 717/783-8264
Options for response include:
1) Filing a complaint of discrimination with the PHRC.
2) Filing a criminal complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency including the municipal police department or with the PA State Police.
3) Reporting the incident to the PA Inter-Agency Task Force on Civil Tension for their information. (See www.stopbias.org for more information about the work of the Task Force. PHRC convenes the Task Force.) 4) Organizing community response, with the assistance of PHRC, that may include community/school dialogue and training.
Bottom Line: If you are aware of a incident that you believe was motivated by bias, notify the PHRC
American Pictures "Roots of Oppression"
A fasinating journey taken by Jacob Holdt:
Just remember that not everything can be changed since the value of this presentation is that it is all seen and experienced by one traveling person - a white, male, foreign, outsider, heterosexual, Christian, oppressor, un-educated, penniless hitchhiker or whatever you think may have limited my understanding of the serious issues.
Enter "Roots of Oppression"
Click on Photo
bravenet.com