New York City Commission on Human Rights Launches Campaign to Combat Racism

By Monique Judge, TheRoot.com

Credit – New York City Commission on Human Rights

Walking while black, waiting for an Uber while black, swimming while black, entering an apartment building while black, selling water while black, barbecuing while black; simply existing while black has become a headline-worthy situation as black people doing nothing more than going about their daily lives have become the target of racist and racially-motivated attacks that often end in the police being called on the innocent….

Add to that the everyday offenses that often go largely unchecked simply because they occur so often that they become easier and easier to brush off. People often refer to these as “micro-aggressions,” but Carmelyn P. Malalis, commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, told The Root she doesn’t like that term because it minimizes both the act and the impact.

Malalis said that is part of the impetus behind a new ad campaign the commission is launching Friday called “While Black,” which encourages people to file a report when they have been the victim of anti-black racism or discrimination—no matter how big or small.

“One of the reasons that in this campaign we focus on basic everyday activities—shopping, walking, working, renting, driving—is that it speaks to everyday forms of discrimination that people experience—probably with such regularity that they think ‘why should I report it? Who is going to care?’ The message is we care. We want you to report it. Someone is going to do something about it. CCHR is going to something about it. And we want to validate these experiences…”

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