Outreach & Education
Community Outreach and Education
Through the Human Rights Code, the City has committed itself to eliminating discrimination, and the negative effects of discrimination, in the City of Alexandria. The Code recognizes the damaging effects of both intentional and unintentional discrimination on the welfare and well-being of individuals and the City as a whole. Thus, it has acknowledged the duty to "exercise all available means and every power it possesses to protect the city and its citizens from [discriminatory] conditions and from the undesirable results that have been or may be caused or encouraged by the existence of [discriminatory] conditions." (Sec. 12-4-2(b)(2)).
As part of the City's commitment to non-discrimination, the Office of Human Rights conducts community outreach and education programs to educate citizens about their rights and responsibilities under the Code and other anti-discrimination laws, as well as to foster a dialogue about important community issues.
Many of the Office's large-scale community outreach and education efforts result from suggestions made by the Human Rights Commission. Recent examples include:
- contacting hair salons and dry cleaners in Alexandria to ensure gender-neutral pricing
- assessing and promoting gas station compliance with the refueling assitance provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act
- gathering information on the potentially discriminatory impact of vehicle financing within the City
Because the Commission and the Office strive to respond to issues impacting Alexandrians and visitors to Alexandria, we encourage you to report potential human rights issues to the Human Rights Director so that they can be brought to the Commission's attention.
The Office of Human Rights is proud to serve as a community resource by providing information about the City Code and other anti-discrimination laws. By arrangement, the Office staff is available to provide training and educate employers, business and housing providers, community organizations, and private individuals on their rights and responsibilities under the Code. The Office will also provide training and education on various other human rights issues.
The Office of Human Rights offers programs specifically for City employees. Most recently, the Office held a series of brown bag lunches designed to foster dialogue about discrimination, retaliation, and other pertinent employment-related issues. The Office is happy to provide these services upon request. For more information, please contact our Office.
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