Human Rights Commission

Human Rights Commission

Established

There shall be a human rights commission consisting of nine members. Membership shall, as far as it is practicable, be selected so as to ensure representation from those classes protected under state and federal law, including but not limited to, race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, ancestry, sexual orientation or public benefit status.

Authorities and Responsibilities

The human rights commission shall act to promote human rights in the city of Northampton. The commission shall advocate and be an information resource for the rights guaranteed pursuant to local, state, and/or federal law on the basis of race or color, gender, physical or mental ability, religion, socio-economic status, ethnic or national origin, sexual identification or orientation, or age for all persons within the city of Northampton. The mayor and city council may refer issues pertaining to human rights to the commission for review and recommendation. The commission may organize programs and events to educate about human rights.

The Human Rights Commission is an advisory multiple-member body of the city.

Meetings

Generally meetings are held:

  1. 6:00 p.m.
  2. The third Wednesday of each month
  3. Puchalski Municipal Building, 212 Main Street, Council Chambers (Currently the meetings are being held online.)

Members

Commissioners are community volunteers appointed by the Mayor with confirmation by the City Council. Anyone residing in Northampton may apply. The commission can have as many as nine members.

  • Dianna Stallone
    Chair
    Term ends June 2025
  • Alton McCray
    Vice-Chair
    Term ends June 2025
  • Chelsea Sunday Kline
    Term ends June 2025
  • Angela D'Souza
    Term ending June 2025
  • Donnell Turner
    Term ends August 2026
  • VACANCIES (4)

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

Most Recent Agenda (PDF) | View All Agendas and Minutes

Resources


Statement Condemning the Anti-Asian and Gender Based Violence in Georgia

18 March 2021

 To Our Northampton Community: 

 At our March meeting of the Northampton Human Rights Commission, we mourned the terrible anti-Asian and gender based violence that claimed the lives of eight women in Georgia this week. We recognize that this is just the most recent, most horrific example of the terrible rise in hate crimes, bias incidents, and hateful speech directed at our AsianAmerican and Pacific Island family, friends, and neighbors.

Last May, our City Council passed a Resolution Denouncing Anti-Asian, Anti- Asian-American and Xenophobic Discrimination which calls on our community to

  • condemn and denounce any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form in andaround our City,
  • stand with our Asian and Asian-American neighbors and business community,and
  • condemn all manifestations of Anti-Asian racism, xenophobia,discrimination, and scapegoating.

 The Northampton Human Rights Commission affirms the experiences of our Asian American and Pacific Island neighbors who have been targeted and threatened. We affirm the experiences of Black Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color who have similarly experienced harm through racism in our own community. We recognize that there are barriers that prevent our neighbors with marginalized identities from fully participating in our local institutions, and our beautiful community is less beautiful, less whole, less just thanit could be because of their absence.

To our neighbors in the AAPI community who are grieving, and angry, and worried, and scared today, we say: we see you; we grieve with you; we denounce the hate that hurts you. We commit to speak out against anti-AAPI bias and discrimination.

 To every neighbor who has been harmed by the physical, emotional, and spiritual violence born of hatred and systems of oppression: we see you; we affirm your inherent dignity and humanity; we pledge to continue to work against the fear, lies, and hatred that threaten you;none of us will be free until all of us are.

 In Hope,

Wren Bellavance-Grace, Chair                   Megan Paik, Vice-Chair

 Northampton Human Rights Commission 

Booker Bush, MD

Deidre Cuffee-Gray 

Susan MacDonald 

Davina Miller 

Kathy Wicks