(WHTM) \u2014 The head of Pennsylvania\u2019s top civil rights agency said \u201cdivisiveness\u201d is his biggest worry across the state.<\/p>\n
Chad Lion Lassiter, who is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, pointed to people not seeing \u201cthe innate humanity of a person that\u2019s in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a human right, and we have a divine right not to be discriminated against,\u201d Lassiter said in an interview on This Week in Pennsylvania. \u201cNot for anyone to discriminate against us, bring an act of harm toward us because we\u2019re Jewish, because we\u2019re African American, because we\u2019re Native American, Indigenous, because we\u2019re LGBTQ+ or because we\u2019re disabled.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Human Relations Commission dates back to 1955 and acts as the state\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
It accomplishes this by enforcing the state\u2019s existing anti-discrimination laws and encouraging diverse communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of successes, but we also have a lot of challenges,\u201d Lassiter said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Lassiter\u2019s appearance came a day after civil rights icon Jesse Jackson died. He talked about Jackson\u2019s legacy and their connection. Watch this week\u2019s episode of This Week in Pennsylvania in the video player above to see.<\/p>\n
Plus, catch up with the latest headlines across the state.<\/p>\n
Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the week\u2019s biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories.<\/p>\n