Human Rights Annual Impact Report 2020-2021

2020 2021

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT C I T Y OF GR E ENS BORO HUMAN RIGHTS

Increasing Excellence | Expanding Service | Building Bridges

Index

2020-21 By the Numbers TOTAL BUDGET $517,412

2020-21 By the Numbers. ........2

About Human Rights.................2

11,610 50 6.4 2 $3,266

PARTICIPANTS AT DEPARTMENT- SPONSORED EVENTS

A Note from the Director. ........3

Fair Housing..................................4

PROGRAM BUDGET

Language Access. .......................8

COMMUNITY EVENTS HOSTED

Community Education and Outreach................................9

FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STAFF MEMBERS

EXTERNS

About Human Rights

The Human Rights Department promotes mutual understanding respect, and fair treatment of all Greensboro residents without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or familial status.

2

A Note from the Director

Greetings to the greater Greensboro community! Fiscal year 2020-2021 proved to be one of trial and triumph in the world of human rights. At the intersection of the tragic death of George Floyd and a pandemic that shook the world, the Human Rights Department remained front and center providing support to help residents of the city move forward. Both events exposed the necessity of human rights work to make people more aware of discrimination protections at the national, state, and local level. The City Council approved the departmental name change from Human Relations to Human Rights in October of 2020, and we are excited to move forward with new branding! It became clear to our staff that the name Human Relations did not communicate a clear message of the types of support provided by the department, such as supporting community members who experience discrimination and barriers to resources based on race, gender, or criminal history. The Human Rights Department helped City leaders strengthen the message that the City organization strives to be diverse in representation, equitable in access, and inclusive of resident voices. We supported RACEGSO, a City initiative that issued statements of solidarity for racial and ethnic minorities, produced a personal narrative series about race, and hosted meaningful leadership dialogs about race conversations in the workplace. The Human Rights Department values equal access to health and safety information. In partnership with local agencies that serve marginalized communities and the International Advisory Committee, we were able to provide information about COVID-19 safety practices, infection rate data, state and local restrictions, and school protocols in eight different languages. To round out the year, the Human Rights department launched two new volunteer bodies: the Ad- hoc Committee for African American Disparity (ACAAD) and Transgender Task Force (TTF). ACAAD is a body of 23 members focused on addressing systemic racism and barriers to success for African Americans in our city. The first public meeting was held in April. TTF’s focus is addressing issues of discrimination and barriers to success for transgender people. Its first meeting took place in July. Both groups are developing community engagement strategies to further their work. With all of the excitement happening in our department, we are pleased we have added a two positions. An investigation specialist will investigate public accommodation complaints and assess new penalties as written into the expansion of the non-discrimination ordinance. We will also welcome a commission administrator who will be directly responsible for providing support to our volunteer bodies. Ultimately, the goal of the Human Rights Department is to continue to grow and develop in ways that will make Greensboro a diverse, equitable, and inclusive place to live.

Love Jones, PhD Director City of Greensboro Human Rights

3

Fair Housing The Fair Housing Division investigates complaints of discrimination in housing based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, color, familial status, disability, and religion. It also hosts events to educate the community about fair housing issues, mediates conflicts between landlords and tenants, and provides referrals to Code Compliance and other reputable community partners. FHAP processes complaints and investigates alleged incidents of housing discrimination. The investigation process is as follows: complainant is interviewed; a formal complaint is filed with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); responding parties and witnesses are interviewed; data is collected; a determination of reasonable or no reasonable cause over whether or discrimination has occurred happens; and conciliation efforts are made. FHAP was created to affirmatively further fair housing practices through educational outreach, training and enforcement of state and local fair housing laws. Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP)

National Origin and/or Religion

Types of FHAP Complaints for FY2020-2021

Sex/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation

6 %

10 %

47 % Disability

14 %

Familial Status

23 % Race and/ or Color

4

2020-21 Fair Housing Data

430 34

FAIR HOUSING INQUIRES

FAIR HOUSING CASES FILED WITH HUD

• 4 cases were conciliated via mutual agreements between landlord and tenant • $29,500 in conciliation funds were distributed to HUD complainants • 1 case went to court • 4 cases were found in violation of fair housing laws • 18 cases were closed administratively or for no cause where violations could not be substantiated

5 TOP HOUSING INQUIRY ISSUES

• Unaddressed maintenance • Federal moratorium on evictions • Early termination of lease • Rights or housing laws • Emergency housing or resources

5

Fair Housing

Human Rights, Guilford College, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro have formed a partnership to help landlords and tenants iron out their differences through mediation rather than litigation. The program is voluntary and can provide opportunities for tenants and landlords to eliminate communication barriers and work together. Issues that can be mediated include damaged property, noise complaints, repairs, and financial problems. Despite the uncertainty that 2020 brought, the Human Rights Department was able to offer LTDP externships for UNCG’s Peace and Conflict Studies master’s program students. Mirabelle Uma and Christen Bass, were the two LTDP graduate assistants that helped field the more than 380 calls. Landlord-Tenant Dispute Program (LTDP)

“Serving as a coordinator with the Landlord- Tenant Dispute Program allowed me to gain first-hand experience in mediation and negotiation. The experience also helped me improve my communication and people skills, as I had to interact a lot with clients. It was a very enlightening experience because even in my present job and day-to-day dealings with individuals, I still find myself applying the skills and knowledge I garnered as a coordinator with LTDP,” Uma said. “Overall, my experience with the Landlord-Tenant Dispute Program was a wonderful one, because I had the opportunity of collaborating and working with a team of individuals who dedicated their time towards helping landlords and tenants resolve their issues and come to mutually acceptable agreements. It is an opportunity I am grateful for.”

380 106

CALLS FIELDED

CASES

LTDP graduate assistants for UNCG’s Peace and Conflict Studies master’s program Mirabelle Uma Christen Bass

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The Human Rights Department’s Fair Housing Education and Outreach Program provides fair housing education to landlords, tenants, advocates, realtors, housing-related professionals, representatives, and most importantly, the people in protected classes most often facing discrimination. Community Outreach and Engagement Events

2020-2021 Virtual Housing Programs

Views

A Right to Housing: LQBTQIA+ Barriers & Access to Housing in Greensboro

126

Renter 101

60

Asian Identity & Community in Greensboro

128

A Home For Everyone: Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation with TTF

60

A Home For Everyone: Disability and Race with ACAAD

227

A Home For Everyone: National Origin with IAC

82

A Home for Everyone: Gender and Familial Status with CSW

227

A Home for Everyone: Race & Disability

132

Fair Housing: The History of the FHA

118

Fair Housing: Then & Now Panel Discussion

133

Housing Insecurity and Homelessness during Covid

49

Code Compliance and Housing Rights

30

Fair Housing: Facebook Live Q & A in October

615

Fair Housing: Facebook Live Q & A in September

19

Covid, Housing & Hope

215

Housing & Covid

109

7

Language Access

Language Access Plan (LAP)

In accordance with this commitment, the LAP program was created to provide meaningful access to City services, programs, information and activities regardless of an individual’s English proficiency. It ensures the City meets requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964. This year the Greensboro Speaks program taught 13 City employees basic Spanish and cultural humility training. The students met with community advocates and experts, including a local business owner who does not speak English, an immigration attorney, and refugees who are raising their families here and supporting immigrant integration. A newly-developed intermediate course focuses solely on Spanish, and an advanced course, taught in Spanish, will focus on leadership skills and a study of language service policies and practices. After a training that covered the refugee placement process and all that refugees

endure to enter the country, City staff were inspired to collect household items to donate to local refugee placement agencies. The items went to a family of new arrivals. Greensboro has been a refugee resettlement community since the early 1980’s. The success of our refugee families is dependent on community support. We are so thankful to work with compassionate staff who invest in their community. LAP also tested more than 30 City employees for bilingual language proficiency, trained staff on interpretation and translation, and identified a team of qualified staff who can manage small translation projects. The LAP helped create a much-needed nationwide Municipal Language Access Network which has provided training and guidance for other cities across the country.

2,631

NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS HELPED USING INTERPRETATION

• includes 38 languages • Spanish was the most requested language at 55%, followed by Swahili and Arabic

332

RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED IN PUBLIC MEETINGS FOCUSING ON LANGUAGE ACCESS

• including weekly COVID-19 resource accessibility meetings

110

STAFF PARTICIPATED IN LANGUAGE ACCESS TRAINING

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Human Rights is home to three commissions that have served as a bridge between the City and the community since 1970. This year, at the request of City Council, ACAAD) and TTF were added in an effort to reach specific marginalized communities in Greensboro. Boards and Commissions Community Education and Outreach The goal of the Education and Outreach division is to expand understanding and promote equity and inclusion. This includes internal equity initiatives, such as efforts of all four volunteer bodies under Boards and Commissions, as well as external initiatives from partnerships with Sanctuary House, Faith Action International, Greensboro Bar Association, and more. This year Human rights had record breaking participation for various outreach events. More than 11,000 people participated in virtual and socially-distanced programming.

Human Rights Commission (HRC) The mission of

the Human Rights Commission is to improve the quality

of life for Greensboro residents by encouraging fair treatment and promoting mutual understanding and respect among all people. The HRC has subcommittees focused on education, employment, human services, social justice equity, the international community and housing. This year HRC hosted a fair housing series on Facebook live. A Home for Everyone was designed to raise awareness about the seven protected classes under federal law. HRC partnered with staff to cohost a program on disability and race, which covered common discriminatory scenarios and how they could be addressed through the fair housing program. HRC’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day event was hosted virtually for the first time

since its inception, and was successful reaching more than 9,000 views! In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote, the event’s theme was “Women in the Movement.” It featured a conversation between known local activist Shirley Frye and young up-and-comer Zitty Nxumalo that highlighted their personal experiences and covered generational differences in women’s roles.

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Community Education and Outreach

The committee is comprised of individuals born outside the United States. IAC’s goal is to create a more inclusive Greensboro, ensure the international community is heard, share successes, and present concerns to HRC and City Council. The five members are elected every two years by the immigrant and refugee community in Greensboro. This year, IAC held a successful, safe, and socially distanced drive-thru election. The event was made possible by 28 community volunteers, and 264 Greensboro residents cast their votes for the new leadership team. More than 800 people participated in IAC-sponsored events either virtually or in-person. IAC sponsored 36 events to on common myths about Covid-19 and vaccines, the 2020 Census, literacy, voting and police- community relations. The IAC also held a food drive that benefited 200 members of Greensboro’s international community. International Advisory Commission (IAC)

IAC Chair Siddiga Ahmed saw firsthand how COVID-19 was impacting members of the Sudanese community. She coordinated food and mask giveaways and represented the IAC at community events to raise awareness about City services. She worked tirelessly, partnering with the City and local agencies to address the common myths about COVID-19. She even participated in a video series featuring community leaders urging their friends and family to take precautions and get vaccinated. Ahmed used her position on the IAC and influence in the community to make a real difference!

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The mission of the CSW is to improve the quality of life for women in Greensboro. This year the commission hosted nine events. Informative outreach events focused on managing mental health during a pandemic and education on how to access Medicare. The Annual Purple Tree Lighting Ceremony for Domestic Violence Awareness Month was held as both an in-person socially- distanced and virtual event with around 100 people attending. The Women’s Equality Day Centennial was held virtually, and had 104 participants. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) City Council established ACAAD in October 2020. Committee members are responsible for researching policy and procedures, obtaining community feedback, and making recommendations to City Council regarding ways to improve access to resources for African American populations in the city. Committee members serve two year terms. The committee’s goals include identifying systematic practices of racism which has fostered structural inequalities, challenges, and deficiencies in the City of Greensboro; assessing the historic marginalization of

Ad Hoc Committee on African American Disparity (ACAAD)

African Americans in this community; and recommending and advocating for changes that will protect and promote racial opportunity, diversity, equity, and unity. The group is divided into subcommittees that will focus on economic opportunity, education and workforce development, law enforcement, justice and accountability, housing and health disparities, and community engagement.

A D - H O C C O M M I T T E E O N AFR I CAN AMER I CAN DI SPAR I TY ACAAD

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Transgender Task Force (TTF)

The TTF has four subcommittees: • Health and CommunityWellness:

The mission and vision of the TTF is to provide public education on transgender issues, and improve quality of life for transgender Greensboro residents. The City of Greensboro created the TTF to address the varying needs of transgender communities in Greensboro. It is tasked with examining rules, policies, and procedures that create discriminatory barriers.

Provides direct, meaningful aid to underserved members of the transgender community.

• Legal Process and Policy Change: Provides resources for barriers and challenges transgender people face. • Housing Discrimination: Examines barriers to housing. • Youth Involvement: Addresses youth outreach and early education on transgender identity.

Thrive GSO

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 to include expunction, housing, employment, voting and education. This year more than 300 people were supported by Thrive GSO, including a food giveaway in partnership with Transition Network, support for statewide efforts to address inmate release requests, and COVID-19 response for those incarcerated. For the first time, Thrive partnered with the Greensboro History Museum on their series, Grassroots to Government, hosting a virtual panel discussion about equity and reentry efforts in Greensboro. One of our most successful events this year raised awareness about fines and fees associated with criminal records. Some 35,000 people in Guilford County do not have

a driver’s license as a result of unpaid debt. Nearly 100 City staff members, elected officials, impacted residents and advocates from across the state gathered to discuss potential solutions. The program led to conversations with

the district attorney’s office, which in turn resulted in an increase in the number of debts that were forgiven.