Oregon Council on Civil Rights to Hold First Meeting

Oregon Council on Civil Rights to Hold First Meeting

Council will advise Commissioner Avakian, the Bureau of Labor and Industries, and the state on matters related to education about and enforcement of civil rights in Oregon

PORTLAND, OR- The newly-created Oregon Council on Civil Rights (OCCR), appointed to foster increased collaboration, outreach, education and partnerships between state civil rights enforcement efforts, advocacy groups, employers and citizens, will hold its first meeting this Thursday, July 16, in Portland. The OCCR will work with the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) to advance civil rights in Oregon and fight unlawful discrimination in all its forms. Co-Chairs James Mason (Providence Health Systems) and Connie Ashbrook (Oregon Tradeswomen) will lead the session.

The OCCR and its 25 members will work toward stronger Oregon civil rights in several ways, they will: study and monitor the causes, effects and solutions of unlawful discrimination in Oregon; consider and propose legislative and agency-based actions and solutions; foster communication, goodwill, cooperation, and conciliation among groups interested in civil rights across the state; and advise the state on policies and procedures related to civil rights.

Details for the first OCCR meeting are as follows:

WHO:The Oregon Council on Civil Rights

WHAT:The initial meeting of the OCCR

WHEN:2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 16

WHERE: The Portland State Office Building

800 NE Oregon Street, Room 1B, in Portland

“We have assembled a diverse team of Oregon civil rights leaders that bring decades of experience to this important task and represent a wide cross-section of Oregon communities,” said State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. “I look forward to working with the OCCR to strengthen Oregonians’ civil rights and defend them against unlawful discrimination.”

BOLI is Oregon’s chief law enforcement agency for protecting Oregonian’s civil rights. BOLI’s Civil Rights Division enforces laws that protect workers from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. Each year, the division fields an average of 30,000 inquiries and investigates over 2,200 cases.

To learn more about the OCCR, please visit: http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI/CRD/OCCR.shtml.