Posts filed under ‘Observances’
June Observances
The Commission is proud to recognize the following June observance:
- Race Unity Day (June 13)
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!
Fair Housing Month
When people think of housing discrimination, their minds may drift to scenarios such as a black man who is told that a unit is no longer available once the property manager views the color of his skin or a disabled woman who is told that her guide dog violates the complex’s “no pets” policy.
However, there is another group that faces discrimination as well, but is often forgotten: 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. We encourage everyone to spend this month of reflection and celebration to learn their housing rights under state and federal civil rights laws. When individuals arm themselves with information, they are able to recognize unfair housing practices and they are equipped with the knowledge needed to end them. Join us in working toward a better Florida for all who live and work here!
- Commissioner Watson Haynes
St.Petersburg
To learn more about Fair Housing and Commision events during this month of celebration, visit http://fchr.state.fl.us/about_us/40th_anniversary/fair_housing_month
Women’s History Month: The Journey Continues
Letter to the Editor by Commissioner Elena Flom – Cocoa Beach
When it comes to fairness and equality, women have come a long way. Now, more than ever, women are holding leadership positions and being afforded long-awaited opportunities in both the public and private sectors. Much progress has been made, but there are still existing disparities in the United States that must be recognized and eliminated! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women still earn only 77.5% of the hourly earnings of men. Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that women continue to face harassment, violence and bullying in the workplace, in schools and at home.
March is Women’s History Month, and 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Florida Commission on Human Relations, the state agency charged with enforcing Florida’s civil rights laws. During these times of honor and celebration, I encourage you to reflect upon the many successes of women in the past, to explore the issues women face today and to take action to prevent discrimination against women in the future. If we work together, we can promote fairness and equality for women living and working in Florida; and ensure a better future for our daughters and granddaughters.
- Commissioner Elena M. Flom Ed.D
Florida Commission on Human Relations
Commissioner Elena Flom of Cocoa Beach is pictured with Governor Crist.
Black History Month
The Florida Commission on Human Relations would like to recognize the countless African-American individuals who have, in spite of adversity, enhanced the quality of life in America, in areas ranging from business to recreation, education and civil rights. All of these pioneers, both well-known and obscure, serve as an inspiration for us all.
In our own state, we have such examples as Mary McLeod Bethune, partial founder of Bethune-Cookman College, who refused to believe that race and social class were the sole determiners of a person’s success. By following that belief, Ms. Bethune served as a delegate and advisor to national conferences on education, child welfare and home ownership, and became the first black woman to serve as head of a federal agency.
As Carter G. Woodson said upon his establishment of Black History Week in 1926, “What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate and religious prejudice.” The Commission is dedicated to achieving the goals of these great, historical leaders and creating a harmonious Florida for both current and future generations.
