PSA Contest Winners

 Click here to view the winning entries.

The Florida Commission on Human Relations is pleased to announce the winners of the “Discrimination Through the Eyes of Our Youth” video public service announcement (PSA) contest. The contest invited high school students around the state to create 25 second PSAs on the topic of discrimination.

“We are very pleased with the contest entries we received and would like to thank all of the teachers and students who participated and worked so hard to make this contest a success,” said Dr. Donna Elam, Chairperson of the Commission. “It is so important to give young people a voice and empower them to speak out on the realities of discrimination. This contest gave our future leaders an outlet to help in eliminating this type of behavior while educating the public on these pressing issues.”

Congratulations to our contest winners!

Commission District One (northeast Florida)

• First Place – “Unity in the Community” by John Davis, Justin Cormier, and Micah Keiser of Godby High School (Tallahassee)
• Second Place – “Elimination of Discrimination” by Sunny Patel and Younis Naser of Godby High School (Tallahassee)
• Third Place – “Don’t Discriminate” by Chi-Valry Wu of Godby High School (Tallahassee)

Commission District Two (northwest Florida)

• First Place – “Equal Rights” by Kasie Cheney, Crissi DeJiulio, Luiz Cruz, and Johnathan Tant of Belleview High School (Belleview)
• Second Place – “Duct Tape” by Chelsea Christy, Stephanie Polanco, Michael Rivera, and Justin Peacock of Dunnellon High School (Dunnellon)
• Third Place – “Don’t Discriminate” by Mercedes Abels and Debbie Crews of Cedar Creek Christian School (Jacksonville)

Commission District Three (central Florida)

• First Place – “We’re Not That Different” by Joseph White, Brianna Waggett, Cassi Finch, Chelsea Flanagan, and Ryan Fried of Dunedin High School (Dunedin)
• Second Place – “See the Similarities. Embrace the Differences.” by Élisse Jean-Pierre, Ashira Pelt, Sandra Massillon and Fernanda Pierre of Hillsborough High School (Tampa)
• Third Place – “My Great Movie” by Katie Mccoy, Nikki Brzozowski, Elizabeth Tolentio, and Siara Jones of Lake Brantley High School (Altamonte Springs)

Commission District Four (south Florida)

• First Place – “Equality” by Liliana Garcia, Nicole Mcinnis, Chrystal Llanusa, Nicole Glick, and Shanique Castro of Archbishop McCarthy High School (South West Ranches)
• Second Place – “Love in Black and White” by Vivian Chacon, Ingrid Torres, Estephany Avila, Karina Rico-Arango, Jean Hipolite, and Wanda Santillen of Miami Senior High School (Miami)
• Third Place – “Bullying” by Faby Moreau, Jessica Munoz, Liany Pacheao, Collette Conway, Rita Rubio, and Chris Short of Archbishop McCarthy High School (South West Ranches)

The Commission would also like to thank all of the contest media partners: Central Florida News 13 – Orlando, Miami Monthly Magazine – Miami, Ponte Vedra Recorder – Ponte Vedra, St. Petersburg Times Newspaper in Education – St. Petersburg, Tallahassee Democrat and Tallahassee.com – Tallahassee, WFTX – Ft. Myers, WTSP – Tampa, and WTWC – Tallahassee.

The Florida Commission on Human Relations, established in 1969, is the state agency charged with enforcing the Florida Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act. Fair treatment, equal access and mutual respect are the benchmarks of the Commission’s commitment. Through education, outreach and partnerships, the Commission works to prevent discrimination through teaching best practices and fostering mutual understanding in communities statewide.

I Can Help

The following letter to the editor was published in the June 19, 2009 edition of the Naples Daily News

Editor, Daily News:

My heart sank upon reading Tuesday’s article headlined “Vandals paint swastikas on home of author of gay, lesbian church story.”

I know firsthand that this incident is neither isolated nor unique. Around the nation, individuals are being terrorized because of their sex, religion, race, disabilities, beliefs and a myriad of other things.

In our own state, there are over 56 documented hate groups, which ranks Florida third in the nation. This is not a Florida fact that we are in any way proud of.

Hate and discrimination tear at the fabric of our communities by decreasing the quality of life for all and breeding fear and mistrust. I invite everyone to work with local and state anti-hate agencies to seek solutions for these issues that are plaguing our state, and our very own community.

As a state commissioner and resident of this community that I love, I can provide assistance to help stop these horrific acts of hate from continuing. We must band together to send the message that hateful behavior has no place in our neighborhoods. Please visit our Web site at http://fchr.state.fl.us or call (850) 488-7082 for more information on the commission.

Mario Valle

Naples

Member, Florida Commission on Human Relations

June Observances

The Commission is proud to recognize the following June observance:

• Race Unity Day (June 13)

Workplace Discrimination is Not a Solution

A letter to the editor from Commissioner Haynes submitted to the St. Petersburg Times.

The article “Some former employees turn to lawyers to pursue claims of illegal firing” published on May 17 in the Times brought to light important issues regarding discrimination in the workplace.

During these hard economic times, many employers are seeking ways to reduce operational costs. However, it is important to remember that discrimination and disparate treatment can lead to lawsuits, decreased employee productivity and morale, and retaliation from the community. Firing or demoting a person based on their protected class is never a viable option.

2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Florida Commission on Human Relations. I encourage everyone to learn their rights and responsibilities as employers, employees, and patrons under state and national civil rights laws. By arming ourselves with information, we can work towards eliminating unfair treatment in the workplace.

-Commissioner Watson Haynes

St. Petersburg

Age Discrimination in Florida is on the Rise

Unfortunately, older Americans often face discrimination and stereotyping in the workplace. In addition to being viewed as senile, seniors are often thought of as generally incompetent, suffering from physical disabilities, lacking in technological skills, and unable (or unwilling) to learn new things.

As the state agency which enforces the state’s civil rights laws, we are all too aware of the discriminatory actions which continue to plague our seniors. In fact, the number of age discrimination cases closed by the Commission has increased every year since 2004. During the 2007-2008 fiscal year, 20% of employment complaints closed by the Commission were based on age discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has reported that age-discrimination allegations by employees are at a record high, jumping 29% to 24,600 filed in the year ended Sept. 30, up from 19,103 in 2007.

It is important for businesses to realize that a workforce of individuals from a variety of age groups can be very beneficial. Older workers have years of experience that can be used to teach and mentor younger, less experienced workers.

Managers and business owners should find ways to work with their employees by learning how to communicate across generations, allowing for collaborative decision making, creating a support system that will allow employees to openly talk about issues they may be facing, and utilizing team building exercises to create unity among staff members. Most importantly, business owners and managers must stay abreast of Florida’s anti-discrimination laws and implement sound workplace policies to ensure fair treatment for all.

Lets work together to ensure that Florida’s businesses, and seniors, thrive! For more information on age discrimination, please visit the Florida Commission on Human Relations’ web site at http://fchr.state.fl.us.

- Commissioner Mario Valle (Naples)

Stop Elderly Discrimination

The following Letter to the Editor was published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on May 22, 2009.

I was disheartened to read “Recession: Layoffs cause surge of workplace discrimination complaints.” However, as a commissioner for the Florida Commission on Human Relations, the state agency charged with enforcing Florida’s civil rights laws, I am all too familiar with the discrimination older Americans in Florida face.

May is Older Americans Month, and 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the Florida Commission on Human Relations’ creation. I encourage everyone to learn more about the laws that protect Floridians from discrimination and to begin open, honest dialogues about ways we can improve the lives of those who live and work here. Our elders deserve a high quality of life. Let’s work together to ensure fair treatment for all people, regardless of age.

Lizzette Gamero, West Palm Beach

Spring E-update Now Available

The Spring 2009 Commission E-update is now available. Click here to view! (will open a .pdf file)

The Florida Commission on Human Relations releases quarterly e-updates that cover Commission announcements, events, and news of importance to managers and HR professionals. If you are interested in receiving these email updates, please contact Public Information Director Leah Barber-Heinz at leah.barber-heinz@fchr.myflorida.com.

Florida House and Senate Adopt Resolution Recognizing Fair Housing Month

On April 24, 2009, the Florida Senate adopted SR 944 (Senator Rudy Garcia-sponsor) and recently, the Florida House of Representatives adopted HR 9079 (Representative Luis Garcia-sponsor), which recognized April as Fair Housing Month and acknowledged that housing discrimination continues to plague Florida’s communities. The resolutions issue a call for action and encourage community leaders, public officials and citizens to come together to work to ensure fair housing for all.

“Unfortunately, there are many families in Florida being victimized by housing discrimination,” said Derick Daniel, Executive Director. “We are so pleased that the House and Senate have adopted these resolutions to shine a light on this important issue. Housing discrimination not only affects families, but it also affects communities and our state as a whole. During these tough times, any unnecessary and unjust hurdles to home buying or renting must be eliminated.”

The Florida Commission on Human Relations, established in 1969, is the state agency charged with enforcing the Florida Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act. The purpose of these laws is to protect the people of Florida from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status or familial status. Fair treatment, equal access and mutual respect are the benchmarks of the Commission’s commitment. Through education, outreach and partnerships, the Commission works to prevent discrimination and foster mutual understanding in communities statewide.

For more information visit http://fchr.state.fl.us.

May Observances

The Commission is proud to recognize the following May observances:

• Older Americans Month
• Elder Law Month
• Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month

The Commission has posted fact sheets on Older Americans Month and Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month to our website. To view, please click here.

Housing Discrimination Against Families Must Be Stopped

Letter to the Editor by Lizzette Gamero – Palm Beach

Some may imagine housing discrimination in the following ways: A Hispanic woman being told a unit is no longer available when the property manager hears her accent. An elderly man denied housing because the manager views him as a liability. While these scenarios do happen, it is important to remember another group that often faces discrimination as well: parents, grandparents and (or) guardians.

Under the Fair Housing Act, a person cannot be denied housing based on their familial status. This means, it is illegal for property owners to discourage or flat out refuse housing to someone who is pregnant or has children under the age of 18.

April is Fair Housing Month, and 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Florida’s parents work hard to raise our future generation. Let’s work together to support families and to make sure housing discrimination does not detrimentally impact their lives. Join us in working toward a better Florida for all who live and work here!