DC Office of Human Rights Newsletter | Volume XXIII | April 2020
OHR Open and Operating Virtually Amid
COVID-19 Emergency
The  DC Office of Human Rights (OHR) is still operational  during this public health emergency. As of March 18, OHR is offering  virtual services  to the public throughout the duration of the District’s state of emergency. If you feel like you've been discriminated against in employment, housing, public accommodations or an educational institution based on  21 protected traits  you can file a complaint  online , by mail or by  email
 
We will get through this, but we all must do our parts. Here's a few ways you can protect yourself and others: View the full list and get other resources at coronavirus.dc.gov .
  • Stay home if you feel sick 
  • Practice social distancing by staying six feet away from non-household members 
  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds multiple times a day 
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces  
 
COVID-19 does not discriminate, so neither should we. By upholding  #DCValues , we can overcome this situation. Stay healthy and safe DC! 
Trait of the Month
Status as a Victim of Intrafamily Offense
This protected trait makes it illegal to discriminate against someone in housing based on a person being subjected to domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking. For more information, visit our website;  ohr.dc.gov .
Make Sure You Get Counted This Spring
2020 is a Census year, so be sure to be counted! Every ten years, the federal government is required to count everyone that lives in the country. Why is it important? This count determines how federal funding is allocated for things like employment, healthcare and housing programs. Additionally, DC government relies on census data for budgeting, planning and creating policy. Census Day was April 1st, which means you should have received a piece of mail from the Census so you can be counted.

Observe International Anti-Street Harassment Week
April 19th through April 25th
April 19 th through the 25 th is the tenth annual International Anti-Street Harassment Week ! As we observe this important week, OHR would like to here your stories and experiences with street harassment by clicking the link below. OHR implements the Street Harassment Prevention Act (SHPA) , which is a first of its kind legal measure in the United States that: (1) creates a legal definition of street harassment; (2) establishes a community-based Advisory Committee to study street harassment and develop model policies and trainings; and (3) requires a public information campaign on street harassment. It was designed to uniquely focus on prevention through education instead of criminalization. We also encourage you to view our public awareness campaign that launched last September, as well as get additional information regarding SHPA at ohr.dc.gov/nostreetharassmentdc .
Guest Director's Note
Dear Stakeholder, Partners, and DC Residents,

These days when the world is facing a major world health catastrophe, it doesn't matter what language anyone speaks, except for the universal language of compassion and resilience. The DC Language Access Act aims to ensure all DC residents have equal access to vital government services, documents, and programs, no matter what language they speak or the level of their English proficiency. We have been hard at work, assisting with the creation of multilingual preventive public health notices and emergency alerts that were sent out to District residents via texts, posted flyers and through the  Mayor’s Ethnic Constituency offices . OHR continues to work with the Mayor’s cabinet to advise on Language Access (LA) related matters to ensure all District constituents are equally informed and stay safe. 
 
Passing this monumental legislation 16 years ago helped DC become one of the most inclusive cities in the country.  OHR's Language Access program promotes a fair shot for the Limited English Proficient (LEP) and Non-English Proficient (NEP) communities by addressing language barriers that keep hard-working, everyday residents from accessing vital government services and/or programs. One person turned away from a government agency because of their limited English proficiency is one too many. These are our neighbors, our classmates, our friends or our family and denying them access to services could be depriving them of full participation in the growth and prosperity of this city. As a result, OHR is here as a resource. 
 
My passion for language access stems from the fact that I am a proud immigrant from Peru. We are a nation of immigrants and this is why it is important to remind the immigrant community to ‘get counted!’ in the  2020 Census . Do not be afraid to participate! So if you are a social worker, attorney or simply an advocate, please stress the importance of the immigrant community being counted this year. It will provide vital data to both the Federal and DC government regarding the increasing need for language access resources. We must all be counted, so that DC can provide the necessary language support and tools for every resident to thrive.

Happy Language Access Month DC and stay safe!
Sincerely,
Rosa Carrillo
Language Access Director
DC Office of Human Rights | 202.727.4559 | ohr.dc.gov