(WHTM) — The head of Pennsylvania’s top civil rights agency said “divisiveness” is his biggest worry across the state.

Chad Lion Lassiter, who is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, pointed to people not seeing “the innate humanity of a person that’s in front of us.”

“We have a human right, and we have a divine right not to be discriminated against,” Lassiter said in an interview on This Week in Pennsylvania. “Not for anyone to discriminate against us, bring an act of harm toward us because we’re Jewish, because we’re African American, because we’re Native American, Indigenous, because we’re LGBTQ+ or because we’re disabled.”

The Human Relations Commission dates back to 1955 and acts as the state’s top civil rights enforcer. It has a legal obligation to protect citizens from acts of discrimination in commercial property, public accommodation, education, housing and employment.

It accomplishes this by enforcing the state’s existing anti-discrimination laws and encouraging diverse communities.

“We have a lot of successes, but we also have a lot of challenges,” Lassiter said.

He said white nationalist groups are on the rise in the state. At the same time, communities have come together to address challenges, he said.

Lassiter’s appearance came a day after civil rights icon Jesse Jackson died. He talked about Jackson’s legacy and their connection. Watch this week’s episode of This Week in Pennsylvania in the video player above to see.

Plus, catch up with the latest headlines across the state.

Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the week’s biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories.

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