To the Editor:

We were pleased to see coverage of the Princeton Civil Rights Commission on the front page of the September 5 issue of Town Topics [“Civil Rights Commission Seeks Improvements”]. Last night, the commission began reviewing Princeton Council’s recommendations for procedural changes as submitted by special subcommittee. This committee was appointed by the mayor and Council to review the commission’s first year and conflict resolution proceedings, as called for by guidelines, policies, and procedures adopted by resolution at the time of the commission’s reinstatement by ordinance. Our monthly commission meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Witherspoon Hall.

During Council’s review period, the commission remained active, advising mayor and Council on matters involving bias and discrimination and fulfilling its education and outreach mission. We held know-your-rights workshops on tenant-landlord issues and worked with the Human Services Department to compile the Municipal Equality Index of Human Rights Campaign. We hosted two sessions at which Princeton Public Schools Superintendent Stephen Cochrane listened to community concerns and reported on the status of equity efforts in the schools. We are currently conducting study circles on these equity efforts in concert with the Superintendent Cochrane, students, educators, and community members.

This month saw the beginning of the commission’s latest initiative, twice-monthly open office hours in Study Room 9 on the second floor of Princeton Public Library featuring our volunteer commissioners listening to community concerns and connecting residents with resources. The first session, on Monday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. featured volunteer commissioner Lewis Maltby, an attorney specializing in workplace discrimination.

Upcoming sessions will be on Saturday, September 22, at 10 a.m. with former Princeton Board of Education member and co-chair of Committed and Faithful Princetonians Fern Spruill; on Monday, October 8, at 7 p.m. with union leader, president of Local 175 S.E.I.U. at Princeton University, longtime civil rights activist and commission chair Tommy Parker; on Saturday, October. 27, at 10 a.m. with minister and head of Christian Union James Fields; on Monday, November 5, at 7 p.m with ACLU-NJ board member, marketing and communications professional and commission vice chair Afsheen Shamsi; and on Saturday, November 17 at 10 a.m. with human resources professional Sarah Vania.

We urge community members to avail themselves of the expertise of our volunteer commissioners and learn more about the work of the commission at our open office hours.

Tommy Parker

Chair, Princeton Civil Rights Commission

Afsheen Shamsi

Vice chair, Princeton Civil Rights Commission