View as WebpageNovember/December 2023 Newsletter

Hello

Amanda,

Looking at life in a more appreciative way is key to success and happiness and ultimately peace within. Keeping a positive outlook on life can be challenging in a world where we constantly hear bad news. However, it is important to stop focusing on the negative and become more grateful for what we have. Being grateful is a principal practice to follow to live a healthy, productive life. Even when you feel like nothing good has happened, think of the simpler aspects of life, things as commonplace as having a meal, a bed to sleep on, and even waking up to another day. Being grateful can help you focus your energy on something more positive, lightening your load when life gets too heavy, and life does get heavy.

As a researcher while working at the University of Pennsylvania I would review decade’s worth of research on gratitude and the data showed me that when life is going well, gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify the goodness. But what about when life goes badly? In the midst of the current conflicts around the globe, I have often been asked as a national and international expert in my field if people can—or even should—feel grateful under such dire circumstances.

My response is that not only will a grateful attitude help—it is essential. In fact, it is precisely under crisis conditions when we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life. In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of human brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. There is help and there is hope. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring a sustaining hope. In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not suggesting that gratitude will come easily or naturally in a crisis. It’s easy to feel grateful for the good things. No one “feels” grateful that they have lost a job or a home or good health or has had a devastating loss due to a loved one dying.

But it is vital to make a distinction between feeling grateful and being grateful. We don’t have total control over our emotions. We cannot easily will ourselves to feel grateful, less depressed, or happy. Feelings follow from the way we look at the world, thoughts we have about the way things are, the way things should be, and the distance between these two points.

But being grateful is a choice, a prevailing attitude that endures and is relatively immune to the gains and losses that flow in and out of our lives. When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances. Yes, this perspective is hard to achieve—but my research says it is worth the effort and my experiences say it as well.

This upcoming holiday season and every day of my very life, I am reminded by the words of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.- “We must accept finite disappointment, but never loss infinite hope.”

Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW

Executive Director

On Friday, October 27, Executive Director Lassiter was sworn in as part of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans. Read more about his appointment here.

Hate       

Stephanie Chapman

Assistant Chief Counsel

For the last couple of weeks, I have been preparing a presentation on Hate Crimes & Ethnic Intimidation for the Bucks County Bar Association. I did a deep dive into the topic as it was a three-hour presentation and I wanted to make sure that I had not only had enough material for that time frame, but I wanted to make sure I had enough knowledge on the topic so I could answer questions. Although I deal with discrimination in my job on a daily basis, I was not well versed on the Federal & State criminal statutes. 

My presentation was five days after the attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists. Needless to say, many of the attendees wanted to talk about religious hate. Many disclosed current incidents that happened locally, the dissemination of antisemitic pamphlets in a nearby neighborhood and a pumpkin being set on fire outside a Jewish student’s dorm room at Drexel University. Unfortunately, nationwide tensions are on the rise after the current developments in the Middle East. On Friday, October 13, during a pro-Palestinian rally at the Capitol in Harrisburg, a man was arrested on charges including ethnic intimation when he threated and waved a handgun at participants.  

The Commission is as relevant today as it was over sixty years ago when it was created. Although we enforce the PHRA and not criminal laws, our work makes a difference. Our process is accessible to all the citizens of the Commonwealth. Anyone who believes they are a victim of discrimination in employment, housing, commercial property, public accommodations, and education may file a complaint with the Commission. We thoroughly investigate all jurisdictional complaints and are mandated by statute to attempt to settle cases throughout the process. The Commission along with other civil right agencies are the first line of defense against hate and bias. As the attendees at my training told me, “We need you PHRC and keep up the great work.” So, to all my colleagues here at the Commission, we do important work, we do great work and let’s keep it up!                                                                                                                      

Join PHRC on Thursday, December 7 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for a virtual Diversity Speaks featuring Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, Executive Director at CAIR-Philadelphia. This will be part 1 of a 3-part series.

Ahmet is a Turkish-American academic and organizer. Ahmet directs CAIR-Philadelphia’s Civic Engagement and school district projects.

Ahmet serves on the Board of Power-Interfaith and previously served on the Inclusion and Equity Committee at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. As part of his portfolio at CAIR-Philadelphia Ahmet teaches courses at Temple University’s OLLI program on Islam 101 and Islam in America and presents DEI focused workshops for school districts and corporate settings.

Ahmet's academic research focuses on American Muslim history and identity. He received his PhD in political science from Boston University in 2016. Concurrently, Ahmet directs the digital Islamic Studies project themaydan.com at George Mason University where he is a research fellow at the Center for Global Islamic Studies.

Click here to register.

Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow

By: Robert Lindsey Jr

Regional Director - Philadelphia Regional Office

Thank you for allowing me a moment of your time. I pose a question to you – what is the common vector in the above subject? Yes, you are right - the vector is time. What is time? There are varying theories concerning time. For purposes of this discussion, I have adopted the definition of Physicists - “time can be defined as the progression of events from the past to the present into the future”. Let’s consider the importance we attribute to the concept of time. Throughout our history, we have been conditioned to accept and adopt this definition of time. 

Specifically, we segment time into phases. The past (yesterday), the present (today) and tomorrow (future). I would posit that the only time is the present – if we are alive, we live each moment in the ever present. We are fortunate in that we can learn from our past. History can offer valuable insight into what actions or inactions produced what results or outcomes. At the basic level, by being cognizant of our past we can affirmatively identify what results were desirable (good) or undesirable (bad). 

We can also influence the direction of future outcomes based on our knowledge, understanding and application of lessons learned. The intersection and fulcrum point between the past and future is the present. Since our lives are lived in the present – let us make every effort and use every opportunity to make a positive difference and impact on those we interact with throughout the span and range of our individual levels of influence.

While in the present, let us be thankful for life itself. Daily living can tend to dull the awareness of who we are. We are all uniquely crafted and have universal human and civil rights. The right of equal treatment and universal respect are contained within these rights. We have the capability to change the present if we choose to do so. Let’s exercise our will to do so.

While we are in the present, let us also be thankful for all things – especially our family, friends, and the capacity to empathize with others. Therefore, let us have a fuller appreciation of all things - exercising the opportunity to affect positive change – in the present.

Social Justice Ambassador Program

Stacey Waters

Outreach Coordinator

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) recently set out to increase its presence statewide through the creation of its Social Justice Ambassador Program. The program aims to promote equity throughout the entire state by inviting Pennsylvania residents and/or employees who support PHRC’s mission to cultivate a Pennsylvania where all people can live, work, and learn free from unlawful discrimination to apply for ambassadorship. The response to the program has been positive. A variety of community stakeholders have stepped up to serve in their respective communities. To date, nearly a dozen ambassadors have been appointed. 

“The Commonwealth is comprised of 67 counties, with only three regional offices, which means PHRC is not always accessible,” said PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW. “Through our Advisory Councils and now our Social Justice Ambassadors, the PHRC will be able to reach more people and provide them with a valuable service. We want everyone in Pennsylvania to know that discrimination is illegal and the PHRC will protect your rights.”

PHRC envisions at least one ambassador for each county in Pennsylvania to serve that area’s unique community needs. Each ambassador will be appointed by the PHRC to serve as a liaison and an extension of its outreach effort within a community. The ambassador will act on a non-partisan basis to refer citizens for services and to assist the Commission in exploring training, outreach, and event opportunities in their respective community to further its anti-discrimination efforts in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, and education.

The inaugural meeting will be held on November 6, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.  Those interested in becoming a PHRC Social Justice Ambassador, must submit an application to ra-hrambsprogram@pa.gov. To learn more about the PHRC Social Justice Ambassador Program, visit the PHRC website, www.phrc.pa.gov. Questions can be directed to Stacey Waters at stwaters@pa.gov.

Newly Appointed Social justice ambassadors

• Amanda Beard-White-York County
• Brian J. Burket-Tioga County
• Cole Goodman-Dauphin County
• Dan Park-Philadelphia County
• DeAngelo Harris DeRosa-Philadelphia County
• Eliz Nestorov-Dauphin County
• Kennedy Holt-Cumberland County
• Makaila Davis-Philadelphia County
• Selena King-Erie County
• Shannon Holliday-Indiana County

Presentations by the Office of the Hearing Examiner

Darlene Hemerka, Hearing Examiner

Over the past few months, Hearing Examiners Darlene Hemerka and Tamara Shehadeh-Cope have had the opportunity to develop and share a presentation on the work of the Office of the Hearing Examiner both internally and throughout the Commonwealth. The presentation aims to provide information about the role and purpose of the Office of the Hearing Examiner and how the Office fits within the larger framework of the PHRC while maintaining separate and independent functions. The presentation also describes the process following a case’s placement on the public hearing docket; pre-hearing conferences, the actual public hearing, and the drafting of the recommendation to be voted on by PHRC Commissioners. Please note, this presentation is of a general nature and does not go into case specifics. To date, presentations have been held in all three of the PHRC regional offices, as well as to Advisory Councils in Centre, Luzerne, Adams, York, and Cumberland counties.

If you would be interested in hosting a presentation by the Office of the Hearing Examiner, please contact Judy Tillotson at ra-hradjudication@pa.gov.

On November 2, PHRC held a Sexual Harassment Symposium in Philadelphia. Thank you to everyone who attended. We also would like to extend a thank you to our panelists and speakers! We hope you walked away with a renewed motivation to fight for justice and equality!

Upcoming PHRC Events

Join PHRC on Thursday, December 14, 1-2 p.m. for "The power of questions in advancing equity," a virtual Lunch & Learn featuring Dr. Renita Miller. Dr. Miller is the Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Officer at the Warton School, University of Pennsylvania. To attend the event, register here.

Join PHRC Tuesday, December 19, 1-2 p.m. for "State of Black Pennsylvania," a virtual Diversity Speaks presentation featuring state Senator Art. Haywood to discuss his recent report which highlights the changing position of Black Pennsylvanians from 2010 to 2021. To attend the event, register here.

Join PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter Monday, December 11 from 1-3 p.m. at Pearl S. Buck International, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, PA. Register here.

Join PHRC on Wednesday, December 20, 12-1 for PHRC Fair Housing Empower Hour: Fair Housing & Local Government. Learn how governments can support needed housing opportunities for all Pennsylvanians. Register today, here.

Outside PHRC Events

2024 Black History Month Virtual Showcase

Would you like to display your art on a platform reaching a magnitude of viewers? Well, here’s your opportunity! ACCEPTING VIRTUAL ENTRIES FOR ALL FORMS OF ART!  For more information contact: tynrobinso@pa.gov 

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