Human Relations Commission

The Diversity Celebration on Sunday, July 9, 2023, was “an amazing success” according to Morris County Human Relations Commission Chair, Clarence Curry, Jr.   That is in spite of the fact that due to the stormy weather prediction, the event was moved indoors.  Special thanks to the Methodist Church on the Green for hosting.

Jasmine Lim, Community and Cultural Relations Committee Chair, who coordinated the Commission’s participation in the event, noted that “we had a very prominent table location and got a lot of traffic.”   Jasmine thanked the members of the Commission who helped staff the table during the event: Wayne Cresta; Clarence Curry, Jr.; Osman Davies; Tina Liu Jen; Theresa Maughan; Sue and Meyer Rosenthal; and Rabbi Moshe Rudin.

Participation by the community in this annual event continues to grow year after year.  The Commission is delighted to join with so many other groups reflecting the diversity that is Morris County.

On Wednesday, June 14, 2023, members of the Morris County Human Relations Commission met at The Dublin Pub in Morristown for our annual meeting and dinner.  This was our first in-person meeting since the beginning of Covid-19, a very happy occasion after years of Zooming. 

The meeting commenced with Meyer Rosenthal, Chair Emeritus, presenting the slate of officers for the upcoming fiscal year, July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024.  The officers who were elected by a unanimous vote are:  Clarence Curry, Jr., Chair; Rabbi Moshe Rudin, Vice Chair; Sue Rosenthal, Secretary; and Susan J. Waldman, Treasurer.  The election was followed by the installation of Officers and Commissioners. 

Chair, Clarence Curry, Jr., spoke about the Commission’s accomplishments over the past year and our goals for the coming year.  The attendees agreed that it was a very enjoyable evening, especially being able to meet in person after such a long hiatus.

 

 

Group Picture

Back row L-R:  Osman Davies, Lansing Holman, Meyer Rosenthal, Detective Sergeant Patrick LaGuerre, Clarence Curry, Jr., Rabbi Moshe Rudin, Steve Neblett, William Schievella.

Front Row L-R:  Susan J. Waldman, Wayne Cresta, Tina Liu Jen, Sue Rosenthal, Jasmine Lim, Edward Yaw.

 

The Human Relations Commission of Morris County stands in solidarity with the Asian-American community against acts of hate, demonization, intimidation and other expressions of vile racism that have become widespread in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Any expression of prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, diminution and exclusion causes real harm to people and to our society as a whole. The Asian community in the United States has suffered systemic racism, stereotyping and marginalization for far too long.

We must maintain zero tolerance to hate in any form.

Acts and expressions of hatred and bigotry against any person or group on the basis of their identity is an atrocity and cannot be tolerated. Attacks against members of the Asian-American community must be utterly condemned and their perpetrators swiftly brought to justice. We call upon our entire community to combat hate through education, reinforcement of the core values of the American democracy and proactive concrete steps such as anti-bigotry programs in schools, community forums and houses of worship.

It is not enough to condemn acts of violence and bigotry. We must take concrete action to foster a just society that values, celebrates and welcomes each individual and group.

View the Morris County Human Relation Commission's Celebration of Black History Month with Dr. Forrest Pritchett:

2/26/21:

It's great that the school district is offering a meaningful Black history course. This course is mandatory for Freshman students and specifically designed to connect Black people in history and black people today, as history should be taught. 

As meaningful as this course is, it should not replace the history of Black people's treatment and contribution throughout the world and USA and must be taught from K-12. As a commission, we must institutionalize our work so that after planting the seed, progress continues. Reaching out and acknowledging schools following the Amistad Act would be one way to do that.

Original article: Cherry Hill school district becomes first in N.J. to require an African American history course in high school.

The change was prompted by a group of students who pushed officials to provide a more comprehensive curriculum.