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Standing with the Civil Rights Community


June 1, 2020

The Narberth Human Relations Commission (“NHRC” or “Commission”) condemns all acts of racism and discrimination.  We recognize that the events of recent weeks, including the killing of George Floyd, have intensified the pain and suffering that people of color, especially Black people, have long endured. We join others across the country in searching for real and meaningful ways to confront racism, discrimination, injustice, and violence.  Right now the Commission is here to support our immediate community.

Our Commission was created by the Narberth Borough government in 2017 as a mechanism to uphold and promote Narberth’s commitment to anti-discrimination.  The NHRC was established to receive and mediate complaints of discrimination in the areas of: employment, housing and commercial property, public accommodations, and access to post-secondary educational institutions. We embrace that responsibility and have worked since our establishment to create policies and procedures to broadly address discrimination when it occurs in the Borough.

The NHRC plans to take the following steps in the weeks ahead:

1)    Send the rules and regulations that will govern the adjudication of any complaints brought before the NHRC to Borough Council for approval. Pursuant to the ordinance passed in 2017, we will be seeking to adopt expanded procedures.

2)    Organize virtual community listening sessions. These listening sessions will provide an opportunity for people who live, work, and play in our community to have their experiences in Narberth heard, and to express to the NHRC steps they feel we and the Borough government at large can take to address issues of discrimination and racism in our community.  and,

3)    Once the rules and regulations of the NHRC are approved, begin a public outreach campaign to raise awareness of the Commission and our role. 

Narberth is one small community.  The greatest resource and support we have is one another, and we urge all people who are part of the Narberth community to make their voices heard.  We can learn from one another, and grow as a community, but only when we are willing to truly listen.  We must all work together to end discrimination, and we must hold space and listen to those of us who have experienced racism and injustice.  We encourage everyone to come to a listening session, or reach out to the NHRC with your experiences and concerns. Together we can change our community, and in so doing, help change the world.

Yours in service, 

Andrew Chirls, Chair
Rebecca Y. Starr
Holly Bond Farrell
Carolyn Giordano, PhD
Mina Sipe, PhD

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