Amherst Human Rights Commission

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Amherst, MA Human Rights Commission charge:
The Commission, in conjunction with the Human Rights Director, shall act to promote the Town of Amherst’s Human Rights Policy, to insure that no person, public or private, shall be denied any rights guaranteed pursuant to local, state, and/or federal law on the basis of race or color, gender, physical or mental ability, religion, socio-economic stat

us, ethnic or national origin, affectional or sexual preference, lifestyle, or age for all persons coming within the Town of Amherst. The Commission shall advise the Town and assist the Town Manager and Human Rights Director in the achievement of affirmative action/equal opportunity objectives, conduct and participate in educational activities related to its responsibilities, provide mediation, and review all matters brought to its attention by the Human Rights Director. In conjunction with the Director, the Commission shall annually prepare a report of the State of Human Rights in Amherst with such recommendations as it deems appropriate concerning matters herein, taking reasonable precautions to protect the privacy of all involved parties.

02/29/2024

Amherst Human Rights Commission: Resolution in Support of a Ceasefire in Gaza

WHEREAS, on October 16th, 2023, the Amherst Town Council gave unanimous support to a resolution condemning the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel that took nearly 1,200 lives; and

WHEREAS, since October 7th, 2023, the Israeli government’s siege of Gaza has killed more than 27,500 Palestinians, most of them civilians, nearly half of them children; and

WHEREAS, more than 1.9 million residents of Gaza have been forced to leave their homes, many of them displaced multiple times; and

WHEREAS, humanitarian aid into Gaza has been blocked, threatening more than half a million people with death from starvation and disease; and

WHEREAS, during the temporary ceasefire in November 2023, 110 Israeli and international hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners were released, since then, no further hostages or prisoners have been freed and more than twenty-five have died; and

WHEREAS, since October 7th, 2023, the United States government has pledged an additional $14 billion of unconditional military aid to the Israeli government and sent $250 million without Congressional approval; and

WHEREAS, the United States was the only nation to veto the United Nations Security Council call for a ceasefire; and

WHEREAS, the conflict is rapidly spreading to the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and beyond; and

WHEREAS, the climate of fear, anger, and disinformation in the United States—and Amherst has been no exception—has led to an escalation of threats, hate speech, and hate crimes against Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab Americans.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Amherst Town Council, call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the Israeli military siege of the Gaza Strip, the release of the hostages and detainees on both sides, the removal of obstacles to urgently needed humanitarian aid entering Gaza, and an end to unconditional United States military aid to the Israeli government.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we extend our support to all the broken-hearted and vulnerable members of our Amherst community who are directly affected by this ongoing crisis, reaffirm our commitment to the safety of all members of our community, and pledge to join with others seeking just and peaceful solutions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the Amherst Town Council shall cause a copy of this Resolution to be sent to President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Edward Markey, and Representative Jim McGovern.

Join the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for National Day of Racial Healing. Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 6:00 pm ...
01/10/2024

Join the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for National Day of Racial Healing. Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 6:00 pm at Crocker Farm Elementary School, 280 West Street, Amherst.

Join the Amherst Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for a community Reading of "Th...
01/10/2024

Join the Amherst Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for a community Reading of "The Quest for Peace and Justice" Monday, January 15, 2024, 1:00 pm at the Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk, Amherst.

10/10/2023

“The Human Rights Commission of Amherst wishes to express our deep concern for the renewed violence in Israel and Palestine. We express sympathy towards all innocent people, especially children in these areas, and call on all parties to seek non-violent solutions and to adhere to International Human Rights Conventions.”

Join us on Sunday, September 28th for live music, salsa lessons, great food, and community.
09/07/2023

Join us on Sunday, September 28th for live music, salsa lessons, great food, and community.

What is Amherst College’s historical relationship to slavery and racism? How have Black people in Amherst and Holyoke re...
04/10/2023

What is Amherst College’s historical relationship to slavery and racism? How have Black people in Amherst and Holyoke resisted oppression and built communities and vibrant cultures? The Steering Committee on A Racial History of Amherst College project invites you to a panel discussion of the College’s historical ties to slavery and racism, and histories of Black life in Amherst and Holyoke. Presenters will share their current research followed by a larger Q&A discussion including opportunities for student involvement in further research.
This event will be recorded and made available online shortly after.

04/07/2023

This year marks the 108th year of the first genocide of the 20th century.

Amherst Media will be re-broadcasting the Town of Amherst's 100th Commemoration of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, a Town sanctioned event that Adrienne Terrizzi organized and was co-sponsored by the HRC on the North Common in April 2015.

Amherst Media will be airing the film from its archives this Friday, April 7, 10:30 am on Channel 12.

02/02/2023

We, the Amherst Human Rights Commission, condemn the senseless murder of Tyre Nichols and call for meaningful change in our country’s approach to policing and public safety. This murder of yet another unarmed Black man at the hands of police is disheartening and highlights the real need for change in our country regarding how we view policing. The people who the public put their trust in to ensure public safety in Memphis Tennessee failed in keeping Nichols safe and unharmed and were complicit in his death. The video released late last week showed that these responders did not have Tyre Nichols’s health and human rights at the top of their priority. We offer our condolences to the Nichols’ family for the murder of their loved one Tyre Nichols who was a father, son, brother, and friend who loved to skateboard and had a passion for photography.

Join the Human Rights Commission Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 4:30 pm on the North Common for the annual community rea...
11/23/2022

Join the Human Rights Commission Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 4:30 pm on the North Common for the annual community reading of the Declaration of Human Rights and the 2022 Human Rights Proclamation read by Town Council. Followed by community and hot cocoa.

Candles and hot cocoa provided!

International Students Day November 17th In 1939, N**i troops stormed the University of Prague. They rounded up nine stu...
11/16/2022

International Students Day November 17th
In 1939, N**i troops stormed the University of Prague. They rounded up nine student sociopolitical leaders and killed them. Approximately 1200 other students were sent to concentrations camps. All universities in the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) were closed down until the country was freed from German control.
Today, we celebrate the multicultural contributions of international students in universities across the globe and remember the cost that some have paid in the name of diversity in education.

World freedom dayWorld Freedom Day was established on November 9, 1989, as a way to commemorate the fall of the Berlin W...
11/09/2022

World freedom day

World Freedom Day was established on November 9, 1989, as a way to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany. The Berlin Wall was used to separate Germany after World War II, separating West Germany and East Germany, where East Germany’s living conditions and treatment of German people were far worse than in the East. The fall of the wall was the result of citizens chipping it away brick by brick, and is now a symbol of the rise of democracy and freedom in Eastern Europe. In the US, President Bush marked World Freedom Day as a federal observance in 2001.

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Amherst, MA

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http://www.amherstma.gov/index.aspx?NID=849

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