At its Feb. 18 meeting, the Human Relations Commission (HRC) reviewed the status of its existing work plan and presented new proposals to adopt for 2021-22. The work plan reflects the Commission’s core goals of promoting and integrating tolerance, acceptance and civil discourse into established city and Community Services events, programs and services. Priorities for this year include continued review of Community Assistance Grant Funding (CAGF)–a social service safety net funded by the City of Beverly Hills–promoting online civility, education and advocacy regarding the city’s homeless initiative, staff-resident relations and continued monitoring of the Beverly Hills Ambassador Program.
The Commission has traditionally promoted its objectives with the annual Embrace Civility Award, Civility Month observances, Kindness Week and the Kindness Taskforce. The Commission’s newest member, Noelle Freeman, proposed extending the HRC’s commitment to civility into the virtual realm. “Seeing how people interact differently online was really what sparked my interest in this, and there hasn’t been an effort to take our civility statement online,” Freeman told the Courier. “When you’re behind a computer screen and there isn’t that sense of ownership, it’s much easier to say and do things that you wouldn’t otherwise say to someone’s face. So, maybe that’s having the Commission create a plan or have ambassadors of this online facility so they can step in when there’s cyber harassment.”
