Help advocate for more funding for the DC Office of Human Rights #fundOHRnow
The Advoc8te is asking members of the community to take a moment and share the following message and graphics on your social media platforms. With everything going on in the world, we need to ensure that the rights of District residents in employment, housing, schools, and life are protected and when they are not, justice must be served.
The reality is that the District agency tasked with protecting your rights, the DC Office of Human Rights has been underfunded and understaffed for years. If you were to contact OHR for help, it would take you several months just to get an intake appointment and many years to get a resolution on your case - I would know because it’s happening to me. I first contacted the DC Office of Human Rights in 2018 regarding sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation I experienced during my time with a Ward 8 nonprofit - and I wasn’t the only one. My complaint is still being processed, hopefully I will get a resolution in my case this year. That said, I am one of the “lucky ones” as OHR investigators are still working on cases filed as far back as 2015! Can you imagine?!
On behalf of District residents who have lost housing, lost jobs, and lost the right to be treated equally and respectfully under the law, I am asking my readers to speak up and speak out! DC is facing an economic crunch and the budgets of all DC agencies are looking to be cut, including the DC Office of Human Rights. But at a time where we as a nation are faced with the ugly reality of what life is like for many of us, we can’t go back, we need to move forward. So today, I am asking my readers to contact DC council members and demand that OHR receives the additional $630,000 that they need to do their job properly as they haven’t been able to do it properly before. Way too many people have been left feeling helpless and hopeless and that needs to stop. I am also asking you to watch the hearing online this Friday.
Together, we can make a difference. Thank. you. - Nikki
COMMITTEE ON GOVERMENT AFFAIRS MEMBERS
Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon T. Todd (btodd@dccouncil.us)
At-Large Councilmember David Grosso (dgrosso@dccouncil.us)
At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman (esilverman@dccouncil.us)
Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau (bnadeau@dccouncil.us)
Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. (twhite@dccouncil.us)
THE MESSAGE (short enough to use on Twitter!)
🚨WHAT IS THE COST OF YOUR RIGHTS? The DC Office of Human Rights was established to protect the rights of DC residents, yet OHR REMAINS UNDERFUNDED WITH MORE CUTS TO COME! Demand that the DC Council #fundOHRnow & then watch the hearing Friday, June 12th at https://bit.ly/2ooL0l1