Commission on Human Rights

Chairs in a circle The Commission has 15 members. The members are appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. The members are men and women who are broadly representative of the diverse population of the County. Each member serves a 3-year term. The Executive designates a member of the Commission to be chair. The Commission may elect other officers, as it deems necessary. Three members of the Commission serve on the Case Review Board which handles appeals and hearings for discrimination complaints.

The Commission must meet at least once a month for nine months in each calendar year.Eight members of the Commission who are qualified to vote constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and a majority vote of those present at a meeting is required for any official action by the Commission.

The Commission's duties mandate that it work to eliminate discrimination, prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry in housing, recreation, education, health, employment, public accommodations, and justice, regardless of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, genetic status, presence of children, or source of income, and promote goodwill, cooperation, understanding and human relations among all residents.The members of the Commission serve without compensation.

The Commission meets at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the Office fo Human Rights, 21 Maryland Avenue, Suite 330, in Rockville. Meetings are open to the public. Please call the Office of Human Rights at 240-777-8450 to confirm. See Human Rights Commission Meeting Calendar Here .

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONERS

Hon. William England, Chair
Prof. Okianer Christian Dark, Esq., Vice Chair
Alejandro Becerra
Barron Oakcrum
Dr. Candace J. Groudine
Janice Freeman
Dr. Jeremiah Floyd
Leslie K. Milano
Kenneth Kellner, Esq.
Nina Weisbroth
Dr. Rahul M. Jindal
Dr. Suresh Gupta
Stephanie Mason
Terry Vann, Esq.
Tiffany Releford, Esq.
Contact us: [email protected]

Human Rights Commission Activities

The Montgomery County Human Rights Commission and the Office of Human Rights Support the Removal of Confederate Monuments and symbols from our public spaces. As long as they remain, such monuments to the confederacy serve the purposes for which they were constructed: to glorify a system of governance that promotes white supremacy, racism, bigotry, and intolerance. We support the removal of these historical remnants, which continue to uplift discrimination, enslavement, and oppression. Read complete statement here. (June 2020)

Letter to the Editor, Washington Post by Alejandro Becerra, Commissioner, Montgomery County Office of Human Rights. President Trump ignores the massive job gains Latinos attained under then-President Barack Obama but takes credit for record-low U.S. Latino unemployment. From 2000 to 2016, Latinos accounted for 65 percent of all new workers added to the U.S. economy. However, during the first two years of the Trump administration, Latinos accounted for only 41 percent of all new workers added to the U.S. economy, with that percentage continuing to dwindle. Read complete article here. Photo Credit: Adalberto Espinoza, a temporary migrant worker from Mexico, in Denver in August 2017. (Nick Cote/For The Washington Post) (August 2017)

Growing the Nation's Economy: Why Immigration is the Key to Long-term Economic Growth. Alejandro Becerra, Commissioner, MCOHR. Many Americans have a problem with immigration. Conservative pundits cite the "drain" on our economy as a reason to limit the influx of newcomers to the U.S. President Trump has promised extensive deportations of the undocumented and strict limits on how many immigrants can come in legally. These policies, if enacted, would deal a crushing blow to our economy. Read More.