Members, Partners, & Allies

September 24, 2008 by admin 

North Dakota Department of Labor
http://www.state.nd.us/labor/
The North Dakota Department of Labor is responsible for enforcing North Dakota labor and human rights laws and for educating the public about these laws. In addition, the department licenses employment agencies operating in North Dakota and can verify the status of independent contractor relationships. They assist all North Dakota citizens, employees, employers, those purchasing or receiving services, and those providing services.


Fargo Human Relations Commission
http://www.ci.fargo.nd.us/Planning/HRC/
The Fargo Human Relations Commission works to promote acceptance and respect for diversity and discourages all forms of discrimination. The committee consists of nine volunteer members who are nominated by the mayor and appointed by the City Commission. Each serves a three-year term. The Human Relations Commissioners represent a broad range of racial, religious, ethnic, social, economic, political and professional groups.


Bismarck Human Rights Committee
http://www.bismarck.org/city_departments/department/services.asp?divisionID=0&dID=4
The mission of the Bismarck Human Relations Committee is to protect and promote the personal dignity of all Bismarck citizens and eliminate any discriminatory barriers that prevent them from reaching their full human potential.  We seek to make education and compliance a meaningful and visible strategy as we work to recognize the value of a diverse community.



http://www.dickinsongov.com (Choose “Boards/Committees” and then choose “Human Relations Commission”)
The Human Relations Commission was formed to address macro human relations issues such as attitudes, understandings, and acceptance of people of varied backgrounds, beliefs, races, lifestyles, and promotion of diversity.  The Commission addresses the above issues through education and listening throughout the community.  The ultimate goal is to build the Dickinson community into one that is diversity friendly.

North Dakota Fair Housing Council
http://www.ndfhc.org/
The North Dakota Fair Housing Council is a non-profit organization which was founded in 1995 and serves the State of North Dakota and eastern South Dakota.  Its mission is to eradicate housing discrimination through community education; encouragement of public involvement; assistance to those experiencing housing discrimination; and support of individuals and organizations seeking equal opportunity in housing.

Women’s Network of the Red River Valley
http://www.wnrrv.org/
The Womens Network of the Red River Valley works to empower women and girls and organize for social justice. The WNRRV envisions a diverse community of feminists that honors women and girls and promotes equality and reproductive rights.


NDPeople.Org
http://ndpeople.org/
NDPeople.Org advocates for a better future based on common sense and responsibility.  We believe our government should work for us, not against us, so we promote responsible government and effective solutions. We are bringing this positive message into the public debate and encouraging participation.


People Escaping Poverty Project
http://www.pepp.org/
PEPP is organized and shall be operated to engage in developing a model that brings families and individuals with low income (i.e. homeless, working poor, supplementary income recipient) together to impact the policies and practices that affect their lives. PEPP’s effort is in developing a strong unified voice that will be effective in gaining economic justice for all and help people escape poverty by the lessening of burdens from government, eliminating prejudice and discrimination and educating of human civil rights secured by law.

Pride Collective & Community Center, Fargo-Moorhead
http://www.pridecollective.com/
The mission of PRIDE Collective and Community Center is to create a sense of community and promote education and social activities aimed at furthering the social, emotional, and physical well-being and development of the GLBT community in the Red River Valley.  The Pride Collective and Community Center will realize its mission in part by providing space for GLBT and allied groups to meet and assisting with advertising the existence and schedules of these groups.
African Soul, American Heart
http://www.africansoulamericanheart.com/
The in-progress documentary film, African Soul, American Heart will tell how one Fargo, North Dakota resident, a Sudanese Lost Boy who survived against all odds to thrive in his adopted country, now finds himself torn between responsibilities for the brother and sisters he rescued in a refugee camp and brought to America, and his determination to relieve the plight of those he left behind. Through this documentary, Joseph hopes to show an American audience the conditions in his childhood home where villagers are trying to reclaim their lives. Joseph and the crew hope to travel to the Kenyan refugee camp where Joseph spent his teenage and young adult years. Joseph is determined to use his voice to raise funds which will bring education and a future to the orphans of Duk Payuel in Sudan, the place where his soul resides.

Presentation Sisters
http://www.presentationsistersfargo.com/
Inspired by Jesus who was in the midst of the disciples as one who serves, and by the spirit of their foundress, Nano Nagle, the Presentation Sisters proclaim the Gospel by responding joyfully with their own unique personal gifts to the needs of people, especially the powerless and materially poor, and by directing their personal and corporate resources to the promotion of peace and justice.

Red River Anti-War Coalition
http://www.rrawc.org/
The Red River Anti-War Coalition agrees to stop the war on Iraq, save lives, and build Peace. To oppose the attacks on civil liberties and racist scape-goating at home. To support money for jobs, education, and healthcare – not war.



Legal Services & Resources

September 24, 2008 by admin 

State Bar Association of North Dakota
http://www.sband.org
Founded in 1899, the 1,800-member State Bar Association of North Dakota is the official statewide organization of lawyers and the oldest unified state bar association in the nation. The mission of the State Bar Association is to promote justice and to serve the lawyers and the people of North Dakota.

 

Legal Assistance in North Dakota
http://www.legalassist.org/landframe.html
The mission of Legal Assistance in North Dakota is to achieve the purpose of delivering civil legal services to socially and economically disadvantaged persons in North Dakota.

Spring 2009 Conference

September 24, 2008 by admin 

Friday & Saturday, April 17 & 18, 2009
United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck

Beyond the Pow-Wow:
Advocating for Human Rights in North Dakota

 

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!

 

Register Online
Resource Table Sign-Up
(Option to include full conference attendance w/table registration)
Conference Schedule

Directions
Lodging / Ameneties

Please return to our site or sign up on our mailing list to receive more information

Interested in sponsoring NDHRC’s annual fall conference in Fargo or spring conference in Bismarck?
Please contact NDHRC directly: humanrights@ndhrc.org

Classroom to Community: Collaborating for Human Rights

September 22, 2008 by admin 

Friday & Saturday, October 10 & 11, 2008
Memorial Union, North Dakota State University

Register Online
2008 Fall Conference Brochure

Resource Booth Registration (PDF)
(Option to include full conference attendance w/table registration)

Conference Schedule (PDF)

Directions:
Web | PDF


Lodging
Candlewood Suites: 701-235-8200
Candlewood is offering conference attendees a flat rate* of $79 per night
*Flat rate indicates 1-4 people per room

For more lodging options, please visit:
Fargo-Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau
 

 

Please return to our site or sign up on our mailing list to receive more information

Interested in sponsoring NDHRC’s annual fall conference in Fargo or spring conference in Bismarck?
Please contact NDHRC directly: humanrights@ndhrc.org

 

 

 

Conferences

September 21, 2008 by admin 


Fall 2008 Conference
Classroom to Community:
Collaborating for Human Rights


Spring 2009 Conference
Beyond the Pow-Wow:
Advocating for Human Rights in North Dakota



History

September 21, 2008 by admin 

History

According to the 1999 report of the North Dakota Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, “North Dakota desperately needs a mechanism to carry out the provisions of the North Dakota Human Rights Act. In addition, the extent of discrimination in the state needs to be determined, and human rights commission established with full investigative and enforcement powers.” In response, 61 organizations from across North Dakota came together in 2000 to form the North Dakotans for a Human Rights Commission Coalition (NDHR Commission Coalition).

In the 2001 legislative session, the NDHR Commission Coalition initiated legislation to create an independent state human rights commission. The response of legislators was to amend legislation the NDHR Commission Coalition proposed. The amended legislation gave the North Dakota Department of Labor’s Division of Human Rights the authority to investigate allegations of discrimination and ensure that justice and fair compensation was provided to victims of illegal discrimination in North Dakota.

Member organizations of the NDHR Commission Coalition determined that although progress had been made toward its goal, much remained in terms of accountability and a fully functioning human rights education and enforcement agency. In 2002, as a result of a three-year grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation, the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition (NDHRC) was formed.

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is a broad-based coalition of individuals and organizations with an interest in the furtherance of human rights in North Dakota. The director and assistant director and a 14-member board of directors continue to advance the mission and goals of the Coalition.


Annual Reports

Board & Staff

September 21, 2008 by admin 

Board of Directors:

Thomas Fiebiger – Chair
Committee(s): Executive, Development, GLBT Legislative Working Group
Tom Fiebiger is a licensed attorney currently serving as a State Senator from District 45 where he serves on the Judiciary and Transportation Committees. Currently, Tom has his own law office and is in practice in Fargo, licensed in both North Dakota and Minnesota. He has represented workers and business owners in labor and employment matters and civil litigation for the last 15 years.

He is a former member and chair of the Fargo Human Relations Commission, past president of Trinity Lutheran Church, former member and chair of the Lost and Found Ministry Board and currently serves on the Cultural Diversity Resources Board. Tom has been a member of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board of Directors since February 2005.

Kipp Harris – Vice-Chair/Secretary
Committee(s): Executive, Development
Kipp Harris is a local real estate agent who grew up in the small town of Kenmare, North Dakota. Experiencing little diversity, he moved away after high school in 1986.  After living in several different cities in the Midwest, he moved to California in 2001, where he spent five years.  After being gone from North Dakota for nearly 20 years, he realized that the state he grew up in was calling him back.  Having experienced different cultures and made friends around the world, he now serves on the board of directors in order to implement change in people’s minds as well as in state laws.  Kipp has served on the board of directors since January 2009.

Lori Brownshield – Treasurer
Committee(s): Executive, Spring Conference, Nominating
Lori Brownshield is an advanced practice psychiatric nurse at Prairie St. John’s in Fargo, North Dakota.

Amy Phillips
Committee(s): Executive, Development, Spring Conference
Amy Phillips is a social worker with twenty years experience in work with families, groups, organizations, and communities. She has been a higher education social work instructor for eleven years and currently teaches in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Dakota.

Gerry Even
Committee(s): Development, GLBT Legislative Working Group
Gerry Even is the controller for John T. Jones Construction Co. and is also responsible for human resources and benefits for the regional construction company and its affiliates. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and is active on several industry and professional committees. Gerry has been a member of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board of Directors since 2003.

Crysta Parkinson
Committee(s): Fall Conference
Crysta Parkinson is a freelance writer and editor, along with managing the Williston, North Dakota station for Great Lakes Airlines. Previously, she was the managing editor of the Williston Daily Herald. She grew up and received her education in western Washington, and has lived in North Dakota since 2005.

Crysta has a particular interest in issues of domestic violence and issues facing North Dakota’s women. She sits on the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence State Prevention Team and is a charter member of the North Dakota Women’s Network. She is also a director for the Upper Missouri Arts Council in Williston. In September, 2008, Crysta was named the 75th President of the North Dakota Junior Chamber (Jaycees), an organization focusing on leadership development through community service for the state’s future leaders.

She and her husband Justin enjoy travel and theater in their spare time. She has three children and two step-children. Crysta has been a member of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board of Directors since 2007.


Carol A. Reed
Committee(s): Spring Conference
Carol was born and raised in Rapid City, SD, and received a B.S. in Geology from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Carol moved to North Dakota in 1975, where she worked as a geologist for 19 years. She is married and with two grown sons. As a result of being a woman in a non-traditional occupation, personal and work experiences made her realize that her passion was civil rights and especially women’s equality. She was appointed by the governor to the North Dakota Commission on the Status of Women in 1994 and served for 10 years, 8 years as chair. Carol also served as a Board Member and Secretary of the National Association of Commissions for Women 6 years.

Carol currently works as a Civil Rights Manager for USDA-Rural Development. In 2002 she earned a Masters in Public Administration degree from the University of North Dakota. Carol annually volunteers as a judge for state and national American Indian Science and Engineering Fairs and high school Science Bowls in order to serve as a role model for young women in science and engineering. Carol has been a member of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board of Directors since 2003. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Fair Housing of the Dakotas and is Chair of the Board of the ND Women’Network.


Wade Schemmel
Committee(s): Development
Wade Schemmel is the Conference Minister for the Northern Plains Conference of the United Church of Christ. Over the years Wade has served in a variety of capacities as part of workgroups and as a committee member in organizations that have sought to address the needs of the poor and the marginalized. As a new member of the Human Rights Coalition, Wade is looking forward to the opportunity to continue in that service.


Dan Mahli
Committee(s):
Dan is the senior Community Development Planner for the City of Fargo. He is responsible for the development and implementation of housing and homelessness programs, neighborhood revitalization initiatives, neighborhood planning and administration of the City’s CDBG, HOME, social service and arts grants. Dan has been with the Fargo Department of Planning and Development since 2001. Prior to working with the City of Fargo, Dan served as a field representative for Senator Byron Dorgan and as the Executive Director of the Park Rapids, MN, Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dan has a Master’s Degree in Public and Human Service Administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a BS from North Dakota State University. Dan is married to Kim with three children.

Colleen Whitaker
Committee(s): GLBT Legislative Working Group
Colleen Whitaker has operated successful small businesses in the public sector, and has managed large and small engineering projects, both Federal and State. She has worked with the ACLU and LAMBDA on cases involving discrimination in the workplace.

Colleen has also been involved with securing federal grants, funding for municipal / MR&I reclamation projects & EEOC project compliance within the state. She has also done public speaking at NDSU and MSUM in Minneapolis on cultural diversity, GLBT issues and job discrimination.


Jamie Selzler
Committee(s): Development
Jamie Selzler is the former Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. Before that, he was with Amazon.com’s Grand Forks location since 2000 as a Manager in Technical Account Management. Jamie has a particular interest in the issues affecting young people of North Dakota, and has previously served on the Minot Commission on Youth.

He most recently served as a member of Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown’s Cabinet on Young People and was Chairman of North Dakota Government Affairs for the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce. He is active in the American Legion youth program Boy’s State. He is also a member of the North Dakota Center for the Public Good and the North Dakota Wildlife Federation. Jamie has been a member of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board of Directors since 2005.

Angela Mathers
Committee(s): GLBT Legislative Working Group
Angela earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication and Speech Communication at North Dakota State University in 2007. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Sociology. As an undergraduate, she participated in The Omega Project, a course designed to help students explore issues of privilege, power and oppression, learn the fundamentals of social activism, and commit to creating social change in their communities. This course empowered Angela to learn more about social issues and to become more actively engaged in being a change agent on campus and in her community.

As a graduate assistant in the Memorial Union, Angela was involved in teaching The Omega Project course, developing many diversity programs on campus – including Civil Education Month and Social Justice Retreats – and coordinating the Safe Zone Ally Program. Currently, as the graduate assistant for the Equity & Diversity Center, Angela continues to advocate for underserved populations at NDSU and in the community. She has taken a role as instructor for an undergraduate course, the Service Seminar, where she prepares students for a 10-day international service trip to Antigua, Guatemala. Angela’s passion for social change led her to volunteer hundreds of hours over the past year to advocate and lobby the North Dakota state legislature to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in the North Dakota Century Code.

Angela previously worked with SEIU’s Change that Works campaign as a Community Organizer. This position allowed her to expand her understanding of both the political and organizing worlds. In her spare time, Angela enjoys reading (non-fiction only), running, and spending time with her husband Michael, her friends, and their cats, Shadow and Rubix.

Staff:

Jesse Hegland
Interim Director
Jesse Hegland is the Interim Director of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.  He began his work with the NDHRC in 2008 as the Administrative Assistant before becoming the Assistant Director.  He was raised on a farm near Sheyenne, North Dakota, and has lived and worked in the state for most of his life. He moved back to Fargo after spending some time in the Master’s Degree program in International Human Rights at the University of Denver. He moved back to be closer to his family and to become involved in human rights issues in the community, state, and surrounding areas. He previously worked for Access of the Red River Valley, Inc., in Moorhead; the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in Fargo; and Family Tree, Inc., in Denver.

Jesse has a Master’s Degree in Human Services with a specialization in Management of Nonprofit Agencies from Capella University. He has Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Business Administration from North Dakota State University and Jamestown College, respectively. Jesse is board co-chair of People Escaping Poverty Project (PEPP) and a member of the North Dakota Behavioral Health Initiative Advisory Council.


Our Values

September 13, 2008 by admin 

NDHRC will:  

  • Establish a trust with its members, donors, and supporters 
  • Seek a common good without denying individual rights
  • Be equal and inclusive in its work
  •  Insure mutual respect is given to all people
  • Use its resources to benefit humanity
  • Promote social and economic justice proactively

Our Mission

September 13, 2008 by admin 

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition works to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights.

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition (NDHRC) is a broad-based coalition of individuals and organizations with an interest in the furtherance of human rights in North Dakota. We work toward the enhancement of human rights in North Dakota through information, education and legislative action.

 
We can improve the quality of life in North Dakota through individuals and organizations supporting our efforts, and through membership and financial support.

Our Vision

September 13, 2008 by admin 

The NDHRC seeks to empower individuals in North Dakota in their communities, state legislature (governments), and society at large to promote and protect human rights for all people.

 The Coalition will accomplish its goals through organizational growth to include staff and board members from around the state; develop programs targeting legislative activity, education, employment, and other social issues; continue to build alliances with other organizations working for social justice; and sustain its infrastructure with mixed public and private support.

Next Page »