Human rights commission

This commission advises and aids the City of Shoreview by establishing and promoting a community standard of equal opportunity and freedom from discrimination. We envision a community where all people are welcomed, valued, and respected; where each person feels at home.

Human rights can be defined as those basic rights without which people cannot live in dignity as human beings. Human rights are not bought, earned, or inherited; they belong to all people simply because all people are human. Human rights are inherent to each individual.

The HRC's responsibilities include:

  • Developing educational programs and increasing awareness
  • Coordinating efforts with neighboring human rights commissions
  • Advising and recommending items related to human relations and civil rights problems
  • Providing direction and support to people or organizations on:
    • Civil and human rights
    • Identifying responsibilities to bridge cultural and other differences

Resources

Meetings

Members

  • Kelsey Fuglsby, co-chair
  • Gene Nichols, co-chair
  • Mary Ellen Baisley
  • Emily Salava Batres
  • Richard Bokovoy
  • Alicia Dietsche
  • Mary Yee Johnson
  • Julie B. Williams
  • Siham Khalif, student representative
  • Krisha Pillai, student representative
  • Sidharth Sharma, student representative

Staff contact

Renee Eisenbeisz, assistant city manager
651-490-4613 | Email Renee

A peace of my mind

Thanks to a grant from the Shoreview Community Foundation, the human rights commission, Oak Hill Montessori Community School, and the Ramsey County Library were able to bring A Peace of My Mind to Shoreview in October 2022. This is a multimedia arts project by award-winning photographer and storyteller John Noltner. Mr. Noltner uses portraits and personal stories to bridge divides, encourage dialogue, and celebrate the differences between us all.

What is your responsibility to create community?

As part of the program, we asked you to share your story with us and have your picture taken by Mr. Noltner. Following is a slideshow of community members answering the question: How do you create community?

2021 equity and inclusion survey

In 2021, the human rights commission conducted an online survey to identify strengths and challenges related to equity and inclusion. The survey was available on the city’s engagement platform, Polco, October 7 – December 31, 2021. The city advertised the survey on its website, social media accounts, Winter ShoreViews, and e-newsletter. Below is a quick snapshot of who completed the survey:

  • 97 responses
    • Age - majority of respondents (70%) are between 35 and 64 years old
    • Race – majority of respondents are white (77%)
    • Country of origin – majority of respondents are from the United States of America (54%)
    • Gender – majority of respondents are female (57%)
    • Sexual orientation – majority of respondents are heterosexual (75%)

The commission reviewed the results(PDF, 500KB) to see if there were any areas to focus on to ensure Shoreview is a community where all people are welcomed, valued, and respected. After review, the commission identified the following themes:

  • Attracting diverse populations to the community, to participate in local government or community decision-making, and to city staff.
  • Being more welcoming to a number of groups
  • Including opportunities for disabled community members and focusing on how to reduce bias towards them.

The commission will be using this feedback from the community to determine the focus on future projects and update its action plan for 2023.

Discussion series

The Shoreview Human Rights Commission co-hosted a series of virtual discussions this last year. Below are videos for some of them,

It's time to talk about race

Indigenous Minnesota

Bias/hate crimes resources

These organizations can help with bias/hate crimes.

Other resources

Back to top