Founded in 1993, the Arlington Human Rights Commission (AHRC) exists to advance issues related to the fair and equal treatment of Town residents and to address complaints arising out of these issues. Central to the AHRC's mission is to work collaboratively with other Arlington community groups to celebrate the ever-changing makeup of our Town, to emphasize through educational outreach the dangers of intolerance, and to encourage and bring about mutual understanding and respect among all people within the Town.

 

AHRC focuses on eliminating prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, unlawful discrimination, threats, coercion, and intimidation on the basis of an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, religious views, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, citizenship, age, ancestry, family/marital status, sexual orientation, disability, source of income, and military status. The commission strives to reach these goals by: educating the Arlington community through programs that celebrate diversity; working with Town government, the school department, town commissions and boards to promote tolerance, mutual respect, and the peaceful enjoyment of life in our community; responding to complaints by Town residents who believe that their human rights have been violated; initiating investigations where unlawful discrimination may have occurred; and offering resolutions to conflicts between Town residents.