View as WebpageJuly 2026 Newsletter

July 2026

Hello

,

A Message from Interim Executive Director Amber J.E. Harris

Dear Colleagues, Partners, and Friends of the Commission,

As I begin serving as Interim Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, I do so with a deep appreciation for our mission, our dedicated staff, and the responsibility entrusted to me by the Board of Commissioners. I accept this responsibility with humility, gratitude, and a deep belief in the importance of our mission. For more than seventy years, the PHRC has worked to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has the opportunity to live, work, learn, and thrive free from unlawful discrimination. I am proud to help lead that work during this important chapter.

My focus during this interim period is to provide steady, transparent leadership while ensuring the Commission continues to deliver on its commitment to protecting the civil rights of every Pennsylvanian. That commitment does not pause during a transition, and neither will our work. My vision is rooted in a simple belief: when we invest in our people, strengthen our processes, and remain focused on those we serve, we build an organization worthy of the public's trust. During my time as Interim Executive Director, I will focus on fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and service. Together, we will identify opportunities to improve how we work, communicate openly, and ensure that every interaction reflects the professionalism and compassion our mission demands.

I also believe that leadership begins with listening. Some of our best ideas will come from the dedicated professionals who carry out this work every day. By creating space for honest dialogue, embracing thoughtful innovation, and working together to solve challenges, we can continue building an agency that is responsive, resilient, and prepared for the future.

Most importantly, I want every employee, partner, and member of the public to know that they matter. The work of advancing civil rights has never been easy, but it has always been essential. While this is an interim appointment, my commitment is anything but temporary. I am committed to leading with integrity, serving with purpose, and ensuring that every decision we make moves us closer to a Pennsylvania where equal opportunity is not simply an ideal, but a reality for all. Together, we have an opportunity to reinforce our mission, support one another, and continue advancing equal opportunity and justice for all Pennsylvanians.

I welcome your questions, feedback, and continued partnership as we move forward together.

With Appreciation,

Amber J.E. Harris

Interim Executive Director

Investigative Highlights- May 2026

In May 2026, the PHRC continued its work to protect civil rights and ensure fair treatment across Pennsylvania.

Key accomplishments included:

172 discrimination cases closed.
10 mediations resulting in $463,000 awarded to complainants.
19 settlements totaling $386,400 in monetary relief, plus non-monetary outcomes such as training and reasonable accommodations.

Two notable May cases:

A person with a disability faced the threat of eviction due to their need for an emotional support animal. After finding probable cause, PHRC reached a conciliation agreement requiring the respondent to provide accommodations and participate in Commission‑facilitated anti‑discrimination training.
An African American family was racially profiled and removed from a movie theater. The case settled prior to a formal finding for $7,500.

When Motivation Takes a Coffee Break

Waydee Rivera, HRR 3, Harrisburg

When I tell people that I'm working in a job that fights for social justice, I'm often commended and reminded of how important this work is and why it is needed.

Much of what I hear reinforces the reasons I took the job and keeps me motivated. However, I want to be honest: motivation doesn’t always show up.

Some days, I feel ready to tackle complaints and fight against injustice, and I can conquer my to-do list; other days, even answering one email feels like a major accomplishment. I know that this feeling isn’t unusual. Like everyone else, I’ve researched ways to handle motivation slumps when they arise. Research shows that experiencing a dip in motivation is completely normal. When it happens, it's helpful to switch tasks, take a quick walk, chat with a teammate, or break a big project into smaller, manageable goals.

Personally, my motivation slumps usually occur during the summer, which is the perfect time to take a vacation and re-energize. Most of the time, all I need is a conversation with a teammate or a fresh cup of coffee to regain perspective and find a reason to laugh. I remind myself that progress doesn't have to be perfect; I can keep moving forward one step at a time, and motivation tends to find its way back. Short breaks help me set achievable goals and reconnect with the purpose behind the work we do.

I’m also fortunate to have supportive coworkers. In conversations with them, I’ve discovered that even the most dedicated employees experience periods when their motivation dips. Heavy workloads, routine tasks, unexpected priorities, and personal challenges can all make it harder to stay energized and focused.

What I've come to recognize is that in these moments, we need to respond proactively while showing ourselves grace. We must maintain resilience, stay engaged, and continue contributing our best to the team’s success. By keeping steady and moving forward one step at a time, motivation will usually find its way back to us.

Congratulations!

PHRC held its 2026 Social Justice Awards celebration on Friday, May 15. Recipients in the Central and Harrisburg offices were formally recognized during our Commission Meeting on Monday, May 18. Recipients in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh offices will also be formally recognized in the weeks to come. We will also be scheduling a time to present the award to our Advisory Council.

The annual PHRC Social Justice Awards honor employees who demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the 2025 calendar year, exemplifying integrity, dedication to social justice, and a strong commitment to PHRC’s mission, vision, and values.

Congratulations to the following:

Supervisor of the Year: Gloria Richardson*
Team of the Year: Civil Rights Outreach Division (CROCs)*
New Employee of the Year: Alana Burman*
Administrator of the Year: Katie Bulakowski*
Outreach Coordinator of the Year: Anita Levels
Lawyer of the Year: Tamara Shehadeh-Cope*
Regional Employee of the Year
Central: Mila Pilz
Harrisburg: Heather Roth*
Philadelphia: Amber Harris*
Pittsburgh: La Dawn Robinson*
Excellence in Investigation
Harrisburg: Meaghan Weisen*
Philadelphia: Airrion Bethea
Pittsburgh: Michael Sutherland
Fair Housing Partner of the Year: Inglis Self Determination Housing Pennsylvania
Governmental Partner of the Year: Secretary Reggie McNeil, Department of General Services*
Advisory Council of the Year: Penn Hills Advisory Council to the PHRC

Longevity Awards

5 Years:
Desireé Chang*
Adrian Garcia*
Todd Schwartz
10 Years:
Carrie Gagliano
Derrick Testa
15 Years:
Debbie Walters*
25 Years:
Airrion Bethea

(* Pictured above)

MLK Leadership Development Institute Graduates

Sunday, June 14, PHRC proudly celebrated nine dedicated team members who graduated from the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Development Institute! The ceremony was held at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at Harrisburg Area Community College. The MLK LDI program is designed to prepare and empower individuals to exercise creative leadership and improve conditions throughout the greater Harrisburg community and beyond.

Congratulations to the following graduates:

Juanita Barber
Tiffany Briscoe
Alana Burman
Jayson Dean
Caroline Griffin
Amber Harris
Terrlyn Jamison
Melissa Lovett
Lydia Zmudzinski

PHRC Recent Events

On Tuesday, June 30, the Harrisburg Regional Office celebrated PRIDE by sporting our PRIDE colors and enjoying snacks and conversation with coworkers.

Thursday, June 18, PHRC Deputy Director of Enforcement, Policy & Compliance, Desireé Chang, presented at the Fifteenth Annual National Civil Rights Conference in Detroit, Michigan. Deputy Director Chang led the session "Leveraging Community Data & Collaborative Advocacy to Break Barriers to Equality," showcasing how PHRC continues to drive impact across the Commonwealth and beyond.

Tuesday, June 9, PHRC proudly honored more than 80 incredible students who completed our 10‑week Civil Rights Youth Advocacy Program! Our program empowers middle school students to explore civil rights and social justice.

PHRC Director of Education Fatim Byrd delivered an inspiring speech at the Camp Curtin Academy graduation ceremony, offering words of encouragement and presenting each student with their certificate of completion.

Thursday, May 21, PHRC staff attended the 2026 Commonwealth Job Fair at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. PHRC staff spoke with attendees about career opportunities and the agency’s mission. The fair welcomed several hundred applicants eager to learn more about public service in the Commonwealth.

On Tuesday, May 5, PHRC’s AI Committee Co‑Chair, Amanda Martin, joined leaders at the Government Innovation Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania’s Digital Future event in Harrisburg! She served as a panelist for “Leading with Impact: How Pennsylvania is Using AI to Power Smarter, Faster Government.” She helped explore how the Commonwealth is advancing responsible AI and brought an important focus to the conversation: addressing bias and discrimination in AI systems.

On Friday, June 26, the Pittsburgh Regional Office held a staff appreciation summer cookout at Valley Refuge Shelter.

Wednesday, June 17, PHRC joined the Commonwealth Juneteenth Celebration alongside Executive Director Sierra Dunn from the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs. PHRC Director of Enforcement, Policy & Compliance, Desireé Chang, was honored to serve as a special guest and panelist during the screening of "The Prospect for Freedom: W. Miller Barbour's Human Rights."

June 4, PHRC Director of Education Fatim Byrd was the keynote speaker at the Joyful Readers AmeriCorps graduation ceremony.

Joyful Readers supports over 1,200 elementary students across 20 Philadelphia schools, helping them build strong literacy skills and a love for reading. Director Byrd shared his personal journey, from learning to read at home with his mother in Philadelphia, serving as a City Year AmeriCorps member and teaching Spanish for 13 years, hoping to inspire the next generation of educators.

Wednesday, May 13th, PHRC Director of Education Fatim Byrd attended a professional development for Dr. Lajara's Network 9 in the School District of Philadelphia to share more about PHRC’s Youth Advocacy Program. Director Byrd presented an outline for what the Youth Advocacy Program offers and how it can interweave into schools as a resource.

Upcoming PHRC Events

Fair Housing Empower Hour

Appraisal Bias: From Impact to Opportunity

This session will discuss the issue of appraisal bias, identifying how it can impact communities and families and highlighting ongoing efforts to educate consumers and service providers on how to address it. The session will also focus on exposing and building career opportunities for communities long under-represented in the industry using a data-driven approach.

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Featuring: Andy Toy, Director, Home Appraisal Equity Program, City of Philadelphia
Register today for this Teams meeting.

Do-It-Together Housing: Creating Affordable Homes Through Community Cooperation

This session will explore how Common Roots, a nonprofit member-based organization and community land trust, is deploying bottom-up strategies to catalyze affordable housing development.

Wednesday, August 26, 2026
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Featuring: Julie Wilson, Executive Director, Common Roots
Register today for this Teams meeting.

Fair Housing Training

Fair Housing Roundtable

Join the Fair Housing Law Center and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission for a discussion about ensuring fair housing options in our communities in Butler, Beaver, and Lawrence Counties.

Date: Thursday, August 13
Time: 10:00-12:00 p.m.
Location: Butler Area Public Library, 218 N. McKean Street, Butler, PA 16001
Register today.

Civil Rights Outreach Training

PHRC Overview & How to File a Complaint

Learn more about discrimination protections in housing, employment, education and public accommodations. PHRC will give an overview of the Commission, the Civil Rights Outreach Division and discuss how to file a complaint with the PHRC.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Featuring: PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Director, Sherly Meck and PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator, Montrell Smith
Register today for this Zoom meeting.

Humanity & Civility Workshop

We will present a Humanity and Civility workshop and provide PHRC resources for the community. The event will be co-hosted by Moving Circles, Not in Our Town (NIOT) Carlisle, the Greater Carlisle Community Response Network (CRN), and the Cumberland County Advisory Council to the PHRC.

Tuesday, August 11, 2026
7:00 p.m.
Location: Cumberland County Historical Society, 21 N. Pitt Street, Carlisle, PA 17013
Presented by: PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Director, Sheryl Meck and PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator, Montrell Smith.
Register today