North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights |
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition 2002 Annual Report
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition began its activities pursuant to the grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation in June, 2002, with the hiring of its first employee, Cheryl Bergian, Director (full-time). A second employee, Lesa Caskey, Assistant Director (half-time) was hired in September. In June, the NDHRC held its first strategic planning session with its 12-member board. The following is the strategic plan developed by the NDHRC Board of Directors consisted of five goals, with the accomplishments in 2002 for each goal:
(1) NDHRC is well known throughout the state, independent and self-supported with mixed public and private support.
The NDHRC incorporated as a nonprofit in North Dakota in August, 2002 and received 501(c)(3) status on December 31, 2002. The Mental Health Association in North Dakota was the fiscal sponsor of the NDHRC for 2002, and the financial report enclosed is from MHAND.
At the end of 2002, the NDHRC had 38 individual members and 9 organizational members. The NDHRC developed its logo, brochure, and website, www.ndhrc.org. An example of the brochure is enclosed.
The NDHRC participated in or presented to: (1) the North Dakota Peace Coalition Peace Congress, (2) the North Dakota Intertribal Summit VI, (3) the AAUW Eastern Area Fall Workshop, (4) the North Dakota Progressive Coalition Economic Justice Summit, (5) the Social Issues Group of the Bismarck United Church of Christ, (6) the Fargo-Moorhead Coalition for Homeless Persons, (7) a Human Rights Legislative Community Forum in Grand Forks, (8) the Fargo Optomists, (9) the Bismarck-Mandan Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, (10) the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fargo-Moorhead, (10) a Panel Discussion for the Public Interest Law Students Association at the University of North Dakota School of Law, (11) the Grand Forks Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, (12) the North Dakota Public Employees Association Conference.
(2) Establish a Commission on Human Rights in North Dakota that includes all protected classes from the North Dakota Human Rights Act.
The NDHRC began monitoring the adequacy of the enforcement of the North Dakota Human Rights Act through the Division of Human Rights in the North Dakota Department of Labor. The NDHRC requested action from the North Dakota Labor Commissioner on three requests outstanding since June, 2001: (1) the establishment of an Advisory Committee to the Division of Human Rights in the North Dakota Department of Labor, (2) the implementation of administrative rules for the operation of the Division of Human Rights, including a definition of reasonable cause for the determination of discrimination in a complaint, and (3) the issuance of the report on the extent of discrimination in North Dakota conducted in December, 2001.
The NDHRC began garnering support for legislation in the 2003 North Dakota legislative session to create an independent human rights commission and drafted fact sheets about the proposed commission.
(3) Human rights in North Dakota will include more protected classes are in the current human rights act, including sexual orientation.
The NDHRC coordinated its educational and advocacy efforts with Equality North Dakota, a statewide gay/lesbian/transgender/bisexual advocacy group. The NDHRC met with the Bismarck PFLAG group and attended a GLBT issues training sponsored by END
(4) There are free-standing human relations commissions in North Dakota (at least one in each of the eight regions).
The NDHRC assisted the Bismarck Human Rights Coalition in their efforts to create a local human relations commission in Bismarck. The NDHRC presented information to prospective members of the Dickinson Human Relations Commission.
(5) There is an increase in number of women, people of color & people with disabilities in leadership positions in the legislature and in local and state government.
The NDHRC coordinated its efforts in this area with the North Dakota Disabilities Advocacy Consortium and the North Dakota Progressive Coalition, and began raising awareness of the lack of diversity in state and local government.
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition P.O. Box 1961 Fargo, North Dakota 58107-1961 Phone: (701) 239-9323 Fax: (701) 478-4452 Email: humanrights@ndhrc.org
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