The Roxborough Library recently opened its doors for a “No Hate In Our State” Town Hall that was sponsored by the Pa. Human Relations Commission (PHRC).
The PHRC has been in existence since 1955 and is an independent commission created and directed by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and the Pa. Equal Education Opportunity Act.
The PHRC hosts regular events around the state with the purpose of fostering social justice and diversity while weeding out discrimination in education, housing and employment.
The town hall just happens to coincide with the recent racially charged graffiti that someone spray painted on one of the walls at Roxborough High.
That incident led to a community outcry and an outpouring of support and empathy for the students at the school.
PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Director Sheryl Meck did a splendid job moderating the Town Hall. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
John Katrina, who is part of a student mentoring program at RHS, took a special interest in the proceedings. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
Avid reader and PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter felt right at home in the Roxborough Library. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
State Rep. Tarik Khan applauded the diligent and inspirational work of Roxborough HS Principal Kristin Williams Smalley. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
RHS Principal Kristin Williams Smalley praised the community response to the recent racist vandalism at the school. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
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PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Director Sheryl Meck did a splendid job moderating the Town Hall. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
According to the PHRC, the “No Hate In Our State” town halls “bridge divides and foster understanding in our communities. They provide an open forum where residents, activists, and others can come together to voice their concerns, learn about their rights, and begin the healing process.”
Representatives from the PHRC were onboard for the town hall as well as several distinguished panelists who possessed blue ribbon resumes in the field of social injustice and fighting all forms of discrimination.
Cheryl Meck, the Civil Rights Outreach Director for the PHRC, did a fantastic job moderating the event, asking poignant questions of the panelists on their views of various hot button topics such as hate crimes and confronting societal racism.
PHRC Commissioner and City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. was adamant that hate would not be tolerated in Roxborough. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
Fielding questions from Meck were Andrew Goretsky (Senior Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League), Chad Dion Lassiter (PHRC Executive Director), Amber Harris (Phila PHRC Regional Director), Pa. State Rep.Tarik Khan, Joseph Green II (Chief Counsel, PHRC), and City Councilmember and PHRC Commissioner Curtis Jones, Jr.
Goretsky reported that incidents of anti-Semitism across the state were on the rise due in part to inflammatory online messaging designed to recruit hateful ideology.
He was alarmed by this trend and stated how difficult it will be to stem this tide without a counterbalance of positive messaging which taps directly into the mission of the Anti-Defamation League.
Harris took on the emotional and psychological ramifications that students deal with in terms of harassment and bullying in school settings and on social media.
Lowered self-esteem and reduced proficiency in school were just a few of the negative responses that youngsters go through when being made to feel different.
Joseph Green II listens intently as Amber Harris summarizes her role as PHRC Phila. Regional Director. (Photo courtesy of Damien Townsville)
Rep. Khan went out his way to laud the community response and the exceptional leadership at Roxborough High in the aftermath of the hate message vandalism at the school.
He particularly pointed out the yeoman work of Principal Kristin Williams Smalley who took the proverbial bull by the horns and created a positive spin that emphasized solidarity and hope in a situation that could have had a potentially demoralizing effect on the student body.
The Roxborough community’s outpouring of support and unity with the school was another positive outcome that more than overshadowed a situation that might have been divisive.
The PHRC’s Chief Counsel Joseph Green II intrepidly tackled the tricky issue of the right to free speech and when it moves into hate speech territory.
While free speech fosters the free flow of ideas and perspectives, hate speech is usually incendiary in nature with the sole purpose of turning one group against another with misinformation and malicious language.
The impact of social media has increased the challenges for those “trying to do the right thing” through mutual respect and open dialogue in the face of hateful messages.
Councilman Jones, who wears several hats in the battle against negative rhetoric and divisive policies, was over the moon ecstatic about the community response at Roxborough High.
He spelled out how children are not born with racist attitudes and how these biases are learned at home, in the streets, and on TV.
He was also quick to point out how resilient kids are and how these polarizing attitudes can be combated by parents, teachers, and government leaders continuing to evoke positive portrayals and uplifting perceptions of all ethnic groups.
The eloquent Lassiter spoke of the PHRC’s Civil Rights Outreach Division that addresses civil tensions, conflicts, and incidents in communities while promoting anti-racism across the Commonwealth.
The well-read expert on race relations, who has earned numerous awards for his work on both the national and international stages, shared his unique insights into the roots of racism from an historical perspective.
When moderator Meck asked each of the noted guests what advice they would offer young people today, they each responded with their own unique perspective.
However, they each echoed the goals and vision that helped create the PHRC and its efforts to eliminate unlawful discrimination.
The connecting themes centered on developing positive attributes and good decision making.
Rep. Khan believes that “character is destiny” in so much as “who you are is what you will become.”
Goretsky warned about the need to be careful about impulsive online posts that could come back to haunt you down the line.
Jones advised youngsters to “step out of their comfort zone” and engage diverse groups of people that will expand one’s perspective and make them more empathetic to the plights of others.
A few folks from the gallery got to chime into the proceedings as well to share their comments and points of view.
Most notably was the aforementioned RHS Principal Kristin Williams Smalley who is the school’s number one cheerleader, tirelessly promoting the exceptional things that are happening at the school.
Her undeniable passion for the school is highly contagious and a proverbial feather in the cap for the community.
The session, which was live streamed, was an unmitigated success.
It will assuredly spark continued dialogue regarding sensitive racial issues as the PHRC and like minded people continue to try to remedy discrimination and messages of hate in all its forms.
For those looking for more info on the Commission, go to: PHRC@pa.gov