patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Kirkwood Human Rights Commission

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Kirkwood to Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King

The Kirkwood Human Rights Commission and Kirkwood Baptist Church will hold an "I Have a Dream" celebration Sunday that will feature music and readings.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Racial Restriction to Be Nixed From Kirkwood Neighborhood

Kirkwood's Greenbriar/Osage Hills neighborhood will take the final step in removing unenforceable language from its bylaws that discriminates against African-Americans.

Kirkwood's Greenbriar/Osage Hills Neighborhood Association has tried for decades to strike a racist indenture from the community's bylaws. This week, the subdivision's board of trustees looks to put the issue to rest.  Trustees will file an amendment at the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Office to strike out an indenture that forbids African-Americans from owning a home in the Kirkwood subdivision that is home to more than 300 residents. The indenture states African-Americans cannot occupy a building unless they are servants or employees. The discriminatory language came under the scrutiny of the Kirkwood Human Rights Commission. (SEE: Neighborhood's Racial Covenant Raises Concerns in Kirkwood) Even though the language is illegal and …

Friday, January 11, 2013

Human Rights Commission Announces 2013 Essay Topic

High School Juniors will share their thoughts in what is becoming a Kirkwood tradition.

Submitted by City of Kirkwood.  The Kirkwood Human Rights Commission has announced the topic for its annual essay contest for high school juniors. This year, the topic will be: Fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.  In it, he outlined numerous challenges society needed to meet. Please read his speech and describe which challenges he described have been met in the past 50 years and which ones have not. Who can participate:  Juniors in the 2012-2013 school year attending Kirkwood, Vianney or Ursuline High Schools, and any other 11th grade Kirkwood resident. Essay rules:  Five paragraphs in length, typed, double spaced, 10-12 size font, reasonable margins, pages should be numbered, and author’s name …

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Council Backs Protections for Gay Residents

The Kirkwood City Council has expressed its support of a ordinance that will protect residents from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Members of the Kirkwood City Council agreed to place an ordinance that would protect residents from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation on the next city council agenda after a heartfelt presentation from a member of the Kirkwood Human Rights Commission. Maggie Duwe, vice-chair of the Human Rights Commission, read a letter to city councilors during a work session last week in which she spoke to the importance of protecting Kirkwood's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trangender (LGBT) community and noted discrimination she has faced in Kirkwood as a gay resident. In the letter, Duwe says: I have had more than one experience of being afraid in Kirkwood...because there aren't the protections for me, or for my partner, or …

Dan Johnson

11:58 am on Tuesday, December 25, 2012

"We know for certain that lesbian and gay individuals suffer harm to their physical and psychological health, and to their relationships and quality of life, as result of the shame, isolation and stigma accrued from their social and legal disenfranchisement." Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health The American Psychological Association : "Prejudice and …   more ›

Monday, February 13, 2012

Kirkwood Talks Human Rights, Looks for Resolution

Today is the final day for high school students to submit their responses to this year's Human Rights Commission essay question.

Today is the final day for high school juniors to submit their essays for this year's Human Rights Commission Essay Contest. The commission has posed the following questions to high schoolers: “What is the single most important human rights issue facing your generation in Kirkwood today? How would you resolve it?” Peoples' views on human rights can drasitcally vary form one generation to the next. We're challenging readers to answer this year's essay questions in hopes of moving forward as a community. So, what do you think is the most important human rights issue facing your generation in Kirkwood today? How would you resolve it? Share your views, start the conversation, leave a comment. The Human Rights Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. …

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Diversity Awareness Goal of Kirkwood Event

U.S. Rep and rabbi to speak at Kirkwood High School as part of symposium.

The Kirkwood Human Rights Commission hopes that its "Symposium on Diversity" will improve long‐term community building. The event will be held Oct. 22 at Kirkwood High School and includes a keynote presentation from U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City who is chairman of the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus. Cleaver recently has spoken in the national press about President Barack Obama's response to black unemployment rates. Mayor Art McDonnell and Kirkwood Human Rights Commission Chair Darnel Frost will give the welcoming remarks and Rabbi Susan Talve will give the introductory remarks of the symposium. Talve spoke to the St. Louis Jewish Light Wednesday about dialogue relating to human rights issues in Israel and Palestine. The panel …

Got a Hot Tip?