Human Rights Commission Events (HRC)

The James B. Hunter Human Rights Award

The James B. Hunter Award goes to individuals, community groups, non-profit organizations, and business establishments that promote cultural diversity and equal rights for all residents. The award is named for former Arlington County Board member James B. Hunter, who dedicated many years to helping under-served groups access government services designed to protect their rights.

The Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum

The forum is named in honor of Tiffany Joslyn, an attorney and Arlington resident who served on the commission and was an LGBT advocate. Joslyn, 33, died in a car accident in 2016. She served on the board of the Arlington LGBT group AGLA and was a president of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia PAC, active in the Arlington Young Democrats and the Arlington County Democratic Committee. In 2016, she was posthumously awarded Arlington County’s James B. Hunter Award, the County’s human rights award.

“Tiffany Joslyn spent her life fighting for those who are marginalized,” Chair Velazquez said. “The Commission has decided to dedicate its first forum of each year in her honor to highlight any group in Arlington who might seem invisible. We welcome our entire community to participate in this important discussion.”

On Monday, September 27, 2021, the Human Rights Commission held the 5th Annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum focusing on criminal justice reform. Watch the recorded forum on YouTube.

On September 3, 2020, the Human Rights Commission hosted the 4th annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum “The State of Black People in Arlington” focusing on criminal justice, education and housing. The forum brought together community and thought leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Black people in Arlington.

James B. Hunter Award

The James B. Hunter Award goes to individuals, community groups, non-profit organizations, and business establishments that promote cultural diversity and equal rights for all residents. The award is named for former Arlington County Board member James B. Hunter, who dedicated many years to helping underserved groups access government services designed to protect their rights.

The State of Hate-A discussion on religiously motivated hate crimes and discrimination. 

On September 25, 2019, the Office of Human Rights in partnership with the Arlington County Department of Libraries, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, hosted a discussion on religiously motivated hate crimes and discrimination in the Arlington and the greater community. Experts from the EEOC, the Anti-Defamation League, the Sikh American Legal Defense, and Education Fund, and the ADAMS Center presented and took questions from the audience.

3rd Annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum

On April 13, 2019, the Arlington Human Rights Commission held the Third Annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights ForumAging the Arlington Way: What We Should All Know.  The forum brought the community together to hear from community members and thought leaders about the challenges of aging in Arlington County.

On May 10, 2018, the Human Rights Commission sponsored the 2nd Annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum: Hate Crimes on the Rise: What is the impact in our community?
Local leaders and experts shared information about hate crimes, how to identify the intent to intimidate, and group association in our community.

Human Rights Forum on The Employment Rights of Immigrants and Non-Citizens

The forum held on July 25, 2018, focused on employment rights and employment discrimination of immigrants and non-citizens, including how to file a complaint through the Arlington County process.

The 2018 James B. Hunter Human Rights Awards ceremony to honor 2018’s winners was held on December 13, 2018.

1st Annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum

On Thursday, May 11, 2017, The Arlington County’s Human Rights Commission held the 1st Annual Tiffany Joslyn Human Rights Forum, “Broadening the Rainbow: Hidden Voices within the LGBT Community,” at Walter Reed Community Center. Community leaders, subject matter experts, and advocates discussed how to protect the rights of the County’s lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) community and the challenges of upholding the rights of all people in the County.

Overcoming Employment Barriers for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities

On July 13, 2017, Arlington County Human Rights Commission annual forum offered an opportunity for employers to learn about human rights issues including equal employment, organizational development, demography, and workforce psychology.

Representatives from the Arlington Human Rights Commission, the U.S. Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, professors from George Mason and George Washington Universities and other human resources representatives from various private organizations participated.  A panel of experts discussed issues related to overcoming barriers for the employment and advancement of females and minorities in the workplace, including how to identify barriers and help overcome them to create a more diverse workforce.

The 2017 James B. Hunter Human Rights Awards ceremony to honor 2017’s winners was held on December 14, 2017.

The Office of Human Rights and the Commission in a joint effort with the EEOC, The Office of the Special Counsel for Immigration and Employment Related Affair offered the community of non-profit organizations in Arlington, an educational forum on civil rights and employment matters.

• Mongolian Community Event
• Mental Illness in Employment and Housing: Overcoming Stigma
• Affordable and Fair Housing Forum