Human Rights Annual Impact Report 2024-25

2024 2025

IMPACT REPORT CITY OF GREENSBORO HUMAN RIGHTS

Increasing Excellence | Expanding Service | Building Bridges

A Note from the Director

Staff

Dear Greensboro Community, With gratitude, I continue to serve the community and present this year’s Annual Report on behalf of the Human Rights Department. Over the past year, our department has continued to grow—not just in size, but in purpose, vision, and responsibility. As our city’s needs evolve, so too does our commitment to meeting those needs with integrity, compassion, and fairness for all. This year marks a significant milestone in our department’s structure and scope. Our expanding team now operates under two distinct but interdependent divisions, Compliance and Belonging & Engagement. The change helps us sharpen our focus in critical areas and ensures we can effectively uphold civil rights protections while fostering community harmony. As part of this growth, we gained a deputy director role to support the department’s expanding portfolio, and we welcomed Maria Hicks-Few to this leadership position. Maria brings a wealth of experience, having most recently served as the City’s division manager for Belonging and Engagement. Her transition into this new role strengthens our leadership capacity and supports our mission. With Maria’s appointment as deputy director, we merged her team’s existing work responsibilities into the Human Rights Department to create the previously mentioned Belonging and Engagement Division. This division supports rights-based work both internally—by advancing a culture of inclusion and support across all City departments—and externally, by partnering with our community and board volunteers through education, outreach, and anchor events that honor and uplift human rights. Our mission remains clear: to protect and promote human rights and to create spaces where every individual can thrive. We are sensitive to our community’s diverse needs, whether advocating for fair housing, addressing discrimination, or understanding marginalized experiences. We remain unwavering in our resolve to preserve and advance the rights of every resident. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to building a stronger Greensboro together.

Maria Hicks-Few Deputy Director

Anthony McCarty Administrative Analyst

Josè Paula Investigations Specialist

Logan Rustan Investigations Specialist

Jodie Stanley International Support Coordinator

Elizabeth Thomas Chief Investigative Officer

Love Jones, PhD Director City of Greensboro Human Rights

Paula Washington Outreach & Education Coordinator

Vonda Wingate Outreach & Education Coordinator

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Compliance

2025 Fair Housing Work

As Greensboro and surrounding communities grow in population and prestige, the need for safe and accessible housing intensifies. The City announced its Road to 10K initiative in 2024, which seeks to develop 10,000 housing units in the city by 2030. The Fair Housing Division stands committed to ensuring all residents are protected according to the federal Fair Housing Act. Last year, the division worked with students and staff from North Carolina A&T State University to highlight local housing disparities and potential remedies. As part of National Fair Housing Month, the division held its annual Fair Housing Luncheon in collaboration with A&T’s Transcending Leaders Cohort (TLC). A panel of community leaders in health, finance/realty, education, legal, and social sciences discussed the impact of housing disparities. Department staff shared trends and local data. The luncheon also featured the work of TLC students, Amount 35 23 16 16

FAIR HOUSING INVESTIGATIONS 26 46 $43,317 Fair Housing by the Numbers FAIR HOUSING INQUIRIES CONCILIATIONS AWARDED TO CITY RESIDENTS A young resident at the Human Rights housing table at the City’s 2025 Earth Day Celebration.

District Disability

Racial Discrimination

Familial Status

Sex Discrimination Color Discrimination

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who spent the year examining the “wicked problem” of housing. The program at A&T’s Deese Ballroom welcomed a large and diverse group of residents and community leaders invested in resolving housing disparities.

Religion

Color Discrimination 7%

Amount Religion 7%

Sex Discrimination 16%

Disability 35%

Racial Discrimination 23%

Familial Status 16%

Fair Housing Inquiries by Protected Class

Disability

Racial Discrimination Familial Status

Landlord Tenant Dispute Program Sex Discrimination Color Discrimination Religion

The Human Rights Department’s Compliance Division received 612 requests for technical assistance under the Landlord Tenant Dispute Program in 2024-2025. Of these 612 requests, approximately 82% were referred to appropriate resources, such as the City’s Code Compliance team, Legal Aid of North Carolina, and Guilford County agencies, among other important community agencies. For requests not suited for legal or enforcement resources, Compliance staff provided mediation assistance to approximately 18% of requests for technical assistance. They assisted residents, landlords, and concerned third parties, and facilitated resolutions for a variety of dispute issues.

District 3 35%

District 2 10%

District 4 25%

District 5 25%

District 1 5%

Fair Housing Inquiries by City Council District

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Foreign Languages

Amount

84.6

Spanish 84.6%

Language Access

5.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.4

All Other Languages 5.5%

Swahili 2.5%

Vietnamese 2.5%

Arabic 2.5%

Since 2017, the Human Rights Department has offered Greensboro Speaks, an intensive, Spanish-language learning course that also covers cultural humility, implicit bias, and an overview of the United States immigration system. About 20 employees participated in Greensboro Speaks Advanced and Beginner cohorts in 2024-25. Some 50 employees and community members attended the annual Language Access Appreciation Breakfast to recognize the efforts of City language access liaisons, including language mapping work, tech support, and the inclusion of language access requirements in contracting. Greensboro Speaks and Employee Engagement French

Vietnamese 2.5%

Swahili 2.5%

French 2.4%

Amount

Arabic 2.5%

Spanish 84.6%

All Other Languages 5.5%

All Other Languages 5.5% Swahili 2.5% Arabic 2.5% Top Five Non-English Languages Spoken in Greensboro (as of July 2025)

Spanish 84.6%

Vietnamese 2.5%

Bilingual Pay Incentive Program

As of July 2025, participation in the City’s Bilingual Pay Incentive Program experienced a more-than 20 percent increase over the preceding year. Now with 53 certified bilingual staff, the program offers certification in Arabic, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin. Staff who serve on translation teams saved the City at least $2,625 in 2024-25 with their text translations into the four languages. Certified bilingual staff handled over 5,000 interactions with community members and saved the City more than $50,000 in interpretation costs.

Citywide Language Line Use and Cost

Guilford Metro 9-1-1 contracts with Voiance for its language service and used it 6,087 times in 2024 25. All other City departments used the Language Line service 2,924 times, up 37 percent from the preceding year. Additional use can indicate increased community trust and engagement, while the opposite is also true. Language Line reports from April-July 2025 showed a significant drop in use, the first in at least two years.

Chart Title

100 150 200 250 300

0 50

January February March

April

May

June

July

2025 Calls 2024 Calls City of Greensboro Language Line Call Volume (January-July 2025)

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Belonging & Engagement

Internal Education and Outreach

Belonging & Engagement Division This division leads the City’s Employee Engagement Advisory Committee and fosters a positive, inclusive, and engaging workplace culture. The team plans and executes programs, initiatives, and training opportunities that promote connection, professional growth, and organizational pride. The division emphasizes continuous learning for and leadership development of City staff through training programs, including:

• Advancing GSO Conversations curriculum (3,000+ employees) • Crucial Conversations course (500+ managers & supervisors) • Year eight of the City’s mentoring program (60 staff) • Monthly New Employee Orientation

The division also manages evaluation tools, including the Municipal Equality Index, the Affirmative Action Plan, and the biannual City Employee Engagement Survey, which ultimately strengthen organizational culture, advance equity, and enhance the employee experience.

Human Rights Boards, Commissions, and Committees

The Human Rights Department uplifts various community voices through events led by its commissions and committees. These efforts reflect the City’s commitment to listening to residents, addressing disparities, and fostering meaningful dialogue across diverse communities. Throughout 2024-25, the following bodies advanced human rights initiatives through regular meetings and special events: Ad-hoc Committee on African American Disparity (ACAAD) ACAAD identifies and addresses disparities that impact Greensboro’s African American residents. The committee hosted its second-annual Taste of the Diaspora, which welcomed more than 50 guests. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) The CSW elevates gender equity and strengthens support opportunities for Greensboro’s women. It held the following signature events in 2024-25: • August’s Women’s Equality Day Breakfast attracted 51 guests to honor the struggle for gender equality by reflecting on past progress. • February’s Building Relationships with City Primes encouraged women-owned businesses to participate in the City’s contracting process and welcomed nearly 100 participants. • CSW hosted a LeadHership Series event with select Ruth Wicker Tribute to Women honorees who discussed The HRC promotes fairness, justice, and equal opportunity. It hosted two signature events in 2024-25: • The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast in January brought together more than 850 people to honor Dr. King and celebrate local contributions to human rights. The 22-member organizing committee planned a fine event with Dudley High School Principal Marcus Gause, Ed.D., as the keynote speaker. • The HRC and Greensboro Criminal Justice Advisory Council hosted a community meeting on the Police Department’s traffic stop policy. City leaders and more than 80 guests assembled in June for a helpful conversation. their community advocacy journeys. Human Rights Commission (HRC)

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Belonging & Engagement

International Advisory Committee (IAC) The IAC Leadership Team organized events in 2024-25 that focused on immigrant access to wellness and mental health services, and the local impact of federal immigration policies. Candidates for an IAC leadership post enrolled in the department’s second International City Academy civic leadership course. About 20 people attended the two days of training and learned about City and Guilford County systems, specifically housing, health, domestic violence awareness, and emergency communications. An estimated 1,200 people attended Greensboro’s 2025 World Refugee Day celebration, which was combined for the first time with the biennial IAC Leadership election. The event honored IAC leaders and community allies who established the first election in 2015. Nearly 450 residents voted for new IAC leaders, 40 agencies participated in a resource fair, and about 15 City employees played in the annual soccer game with refugees. The City’s Parks and Recreation, Police, Fire, and Transportation

The IAC partnered with different city organizations to host the annual World Refugee Day celebration in Greensboro’s Hester Park. The event featured a diverse collection of international performers, a naturalization ceremony, an exhibition soccer match, and the 2025 IAC Leadership Elections.

departments, plus Guilford County Emergency Medical Services, and other local departments took part in the regional gathering. Greensboro’s Interfaith Immigrant Justice Coalition organized a collection drive and distributed a record 240 tote bags full of personal hygiene items and hundreds of diapers. Transgender Task Force-TTF and LGBTQ+ Taskforce The Transgender Task Force and the LGBTQ+ Task Force hosted events centered on the needs, safety, and affirming experiences for the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Activities included awareness trainings and community resource events.

Second-Chance Support

Thrive Thrive GSO is a City-sponsored hub for individuals, advocates, organizations, and agencies concerned with raising awareness about and addressing the issues surrounding criminal records. These issues include expunction, housing, employment, voting, and education.

Expungement is a state-legislated process that allows qualified persons to clean their records of a limited listing of criminal charges. Human Rights worked with community partners, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, NC Legal Aid, and the Greensboro City Attorney’s Office to host a two-part expungement education series in the spring. Participants completed surveys to determine their eligibility for an audience with an NC Legal Aid representative to help with their cases. NC Legal Aid reviewed 34 surveys and found 10 individuals immediately eligible for expungement, plus seven who will be eligible in the future. Community partners from Almond Connection, Goodwill, the League of Women Voters, NC Works, and Resurrection Industries also participated.

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External Education & Outreach

Emerging Leaders

The Human Rights Department considers the development of emerging leaders a foundational belief. Emerging leaders represent the future of human rights and our City’s success. We support high school and college learners with cohort-style programs that afford participants an in-depth look at civic engagement, human rights policy, and the science behind addressing complex, or “wicked” problems. In collaboration with Dudley High School and with a nod to the City’s Morningside Awards, in 2024-25, the department launched Morningside Academy, a program designed with growth in mind to support the city’s student leaders. Participants attended learning retreats, lunched with City officials, and served as ushers at Human Rights Department events. They also participated in department activities like the Purple Walk against domestic violence and the City’s first International Human Rights Day poster contest. The Human Rights Department also collaborates with NC A&T State University’s Office of Civic Engagement and its Transcending Leaders Cohort. The program for undergraduate and graduate students examines social issues and generates possible solutions to these “wicked” problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. In 2024-25, the cohort focused on fair housing. Human Rights staff supported students with information, connected them to community leaders, and served as final project coaches. The students received special recognition at graduation for completing the certification program, and their work was featured at the City’s 2025 Fair Housing Luncheon. Department staff also visited area high school students for its Human Rights 101 program. To request a visit from our outreach team, contact the main office at 336-337-1128.

Human Rights Community Roundtable

The Human Rights Community Roundtable welcomed over 40 community partners from all areas of human rights work and advocacy from across the city to the Greensboro Cultural Center in February 2025. Human Rights staff shared the department’s goals and processes, but most of the day was spent listening to partners and developing areas for collaboration. Additional roundtable events are planned for around the same time in 2026.

Members of North Carolina A&T State University Transcending Leaders Cohort presented research at the City’s annual Fair Housing Luncheon.

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Greensboro resident Turkesshia Moore (pictured) received the 2025 Everyday Champions of Civil Rights Award from the City’s Human Rights Commission. Department Deputy Director Maria Hicks-Few made the presentation as part of the HRC’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Breakfast at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons. The HRC first presented the honor in 2023 to City residents who have gone “above and beyond” to champion human rights and social justice. Winners are nominated through a citywide process and selected by the MLK Breakfast Planning Committee. Moore is the ninth City resident honored with the award. She owns Brain Power Academic Services, Everyday Champion of Civil Rights

which tutors kindergarten through eighth-grade students in all subjects and offers induction support for new teachers. Her company provides low-cost and free tutoring services, which demonstrates her dedication to equitable education access. The former classroom teacher also has extensive volunteer experience with children and young adults.

Morningside Awards

The City of Greensboro’s Human Rights Department honored five members of the James B. Dudley High School Class of 2025 with the annual Morningside Award in June. Gabrielle Brown, Misa Brumby, Brinity Horton, Jordan Johnson, and Gabrielle Taylor were honored in the prize’s fourth year. The annual awards remember the five lives lost in a mass shooting at a 1979 anti-Ku Klux Klan protest in the City’s Morningside Homes community. They recognize five graduating Dudley seniors for their commitment to social justice and equality. Each recipient received $1,979 to support their future academic, employment, or entrepreneurial goals.