Nov 17, 2022

Consider Serving on Our Commission!

Dear Arlington friends and neighbors,

The AHRC is looking to fill multiple vacancies on our 13-member commission. If you are interested in serving with us, please email us at ahrc@town.arlington.ma.us. Include a recent resume and short note about why you are interested in joining us.

To help you understand the role of a commissioner, here is the job description:

BACKGROUND

The AHRC was established in 1993 by theTown of Arlington “to advance issues related to the fair and equitable treatment of individuals…to create a mechanism for addressing complaints arising out of these issues... [and] to bring about the elimination of prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, bias, unlawful discrimination, threats, coercion or intimidation based upon an individual's race, color, religious views, national origin, citizenship, age, ancestry, family/ marital status, sexual orientation, disability, source of income, or military or veteran status" in the Town of Arlington. (Section 2 of the AHRC Bylaws)

QUALIFICATIONS

No formal experience working in human rights work is required to serve as an AHRC Commissioner, other than a "can-do" attitude and a desire to help make Arlington a safe and welcoming community for all who live, learn, work, visit, or pass through our town.

Potential commissioners should have a passion for local, national, and international human rights issues and be engaged with the Commission's many duties, which include attending the AHRC's monthly meetings, typically held on the third Wednesday of every month from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Arlington Community Center, 27 Maple Street or via Zoom.*

Commissioners must be Arlington residents.

TIME COMMITMENT

The time commitment of each Commissioner may vary from month to month, depending on what working group, events or other Commission responsibilities she/he/they has volunteered for or has been assigned; but applicants can expect to invest approximately 6-12 hours each month, in addition to attending the monthly meeting.

This time commitment reflects the following:

Required regular attendance at the monthly meetings for the full two hours to maintain a quorum and facilitate voting.
Willingness to read all distributed materials prior to the meeting and to come to meetings prepared for discussions and decision-making.
Active service on two working groups of the AHRC's four working groups (Arlington Public Schools, Communications, Event Planning, and Housing). These working groups typically meet monthly.
Service once a year for a month at a time as the "Commissioner on Duty,” which involves responding in a timely manner to reports of hate crimes or other incidents which are filed with the AHRC or are otherwise brought to the AHRC's attention.
Attendance several times a year at programs and events presented or sponsored by the AHRC relating to human rights generally or to the mission of the AHRC specifically.
Availability and willingness to plan, facilitate, or otherwise participate in AHRC forums designed to meet the needs of the Town's residents on issues for which the AHRC has direct or indirect responsibilities.
Attendance at the annual AHRC retreat for governance and planning purposes.
Willingness to draft statements and other documents needed to fulfill the mission of the AHRC.

OTHER

As part of the Town of Arlington's governance, the AHRC adheres to all policies and procedures as required by law and regulations, including but not limited to: the Massachusetts Open Meeting Laws, Robert's Rules of Order, and the Commonwealth's Conflict of Interest regulations.

* Note: This monthly meeting time will be changed when it conflicts with the annual Town Meeting schedule so those serving as Town Meeting Members andAHRC Commissioners may attend both.

We are an inherently inclusive organization so please don't hesitate to apply if you are interested in sharing in our work!

Arlington values equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are committed to building a community where everyone is heard, respected, and protected.