Consider Serving on Our Commission!

AHRC
6 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 7 hours ago

Dear Arlington friends and neighbors,

The AHRC is looking to fill multiple vacancies on our 13-member commission. If you are interested in serving with us, please email us at ahrc@town.arlington.ma.us. Send us a short note about why you are interested in joining us, and please include a description of your skillsets and prior work experience (for example, a recent resume if you have one).

To help you understand the role of a commissioner, here is the job description:

BACKGROUND

The AHRC was established in 1993 by the Town of Arlington “to advance issues related to the fair and equitable treatment of individuals…to create a mechanism for addressing complaints arising out of these issues... [and] to bring about the elimination of prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, bias, unlawful discrimination, threats, coercion or intimidation based upon an individual's race, color, religious views, national origin, citizenship, age, ancestry, family / marital status, sexual orientation, disability, source of income, or military or veteran status" in the Town of Arlington. (Section 2 of the AHRC Bylaws)

QUALIFICATIONS

No formal experience working in human rights work is required to serve as an AHRC Commissioner, other than a "can-do" attitude and a desire to help make Arlington a safe and welcoming community for all who live, learn, work, visit, or pass through our town.

Potential commissioners should have a passion for local, state, and national human rights issues and be engaged with the Commission's many duties, which include attending the AHRC's monthly meetings, typically held on the third Wednesday of every month from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Arlington Community Center, 27 Maple Street or via Zoom.*

Commissioners must be Arlington residents.

TIME COMMITMENT

The time commitment of each Commissioner may vary from month to month, depending on what working group, events or other Commission responsibilities she/he/they has volunteered for or has been assigned; but applicants can expect to invest approximately 6-12 hours each month, in addition to attending the monthly meeting.

This time commitment reflects the following:

Required regular attendance at the monthly meetings for the full two hours to maintain a quorum and facilitate voting.
Willingness to read all distributed materials prior to the meeting and to come to meetings prepared for discussions and decision-making.
Addressing human rights incidents or complaints in Arlington that are reported to the Commission, as assigned on a rolling basis.
Active service on two of the AHRC's working groups (Schools & Education, Outreach & Events, Religious Acceptance, Communications, etc.). These working groups typically meet monthly.
Leading a personal project in the support of the Rule of Law. (We have a list of topics to choose from.)
Availability and willingness to plan, facilitate, or otherwise participate in programs and events presented or sponsored by the AHRC relating to human rights generally or to the mission of the AHRC specifically.
Attendance at the annual AHRC retreat for governance and planning purposes (usually a half day).

OTHER

As part of the Town of Arlington's governance, the AHRC adheres to all policies and procedures as required by law and regulations, including but not limited to: the Massachusetts Open Meeting Laws, Robert's Rules of Order, and the Commonwealth's Conflict of Interest regulations.

* Note: This monthly meeting time will be changed when it conflicts with the annual Town Meeting schedule so those serving as Town Meeting Members and AHRC Commissioners may attend both.

We are an inherently inclusive organization so please don't hesitate to apply if you are interested in sharing in our work!

Arlington values equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are committed to building a community where everyone is heard, respected, and protected.