April 5, 2025 • 30 mins
The Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) was established in 1963 to promote and protect human rights through education and enforcement. Initially an advisory body, it became an enforcement agency in 1978 with the passage of the Tennessee Human Rights Act. The THRC addresses discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, familial status, and disability. As April is recognized as Fair Housing Month celebrating the Fair Housing Act of 1968, John Clark talks with Executive Director Muriel Nolen,and Communications Director Jacob Aparicio for this episode of Tennessee Matters. Website: www.tn.gov/humanrights
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Tennessee Matters on the Tennessee Radio Network. Welcome to
Tennessee Matters. I'm John Clark in the Tennessee Radio Network.
The Tennessee Human Rights Commission is an independent state agency
created in nineteen sixty three to encourage, promote, and advise
the public on their human rights. The Commission's commission is
to safeguard individuals from discrimination through education and enforcement. Here
(00:24):
today to talk about the Tennessee Human Rights Commission is
Executive Director Muriel Nolan and Jacob Aparico, the Communications Director. Well, welcome,
welcome to you both coming here today.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I appreciate it, thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
First of all, what is Tennessee Human Rights?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
So, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission is an independent and
neutral agency that enforces anti discrimination laws. We enforce those
laws in housing and employment and also public accommodations. Our
agency also ensures that other state agencies are complied with
(01:04):
Title six. So, in essence, we do enforcement compliance with
Title six, Title seven, and Title eight.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Do you still have I guess you do still have
effort efforts to discriminate against people.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, unfortunately we do.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Last year we had about twenty four hundred inquiries that
came through our office. The majority of our inquiries or
complaints are individuals with disabilities who are claiming to have
been discriminated by their housing provider.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Okay, what is that like? If the I don't know,
is it something like a ramp's not big enough or
something like that, or it's more serious than that, it
could be.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
We we see cases where you know, individuals are requesting
a service animal and the housing provider will violate the
law with some of those requests and interactive process. We
(02:14):
also see requests by people with disabilities for you know,
let's just say things that we take for granted, parking
space is a closer parking space so that they're able
to you know, assess their their apartments or a area
(02:35):
that is common for other tenants.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So would that be with respect to to somebody who's disabled.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
That have that, Yes, absolutely, okay.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
And then places maybe the place is too far away
or or and that's they they call you for things
like that. Yes, oh okay, did you get that done?
Do you able to get that? Get those that done
for them?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
So it is a pretty intricate process. Any individual that
calls our agency or walks in or files a complaint online,
we will take the information, make sure that we have jurisdiction,
and by that I mean making sure that we have
(03:20):
the authority to be able to.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Investigate this complaint.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Of course, it has to be someone that is situated
in in Tennessee, and so we will ask them a
series of questions, also reach out to either the housing
provider or the employer to get more information, and then
we if we can't get the parties to mediate, which
(03:47):
we do, provide a free service to parties that will
allow them to attempt to mediate their particular issues.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
But if they're unable.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
To mediate, we would commence with an investigation.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, so you have a chance to that, So you
don't just automatically get it, assume it, and bam you
hit the person with a fine or something like that.
It's a whole process.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yes, we are a neutral agency.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
We don't represent individuals, we call them complainants, and we
don't represent the respondent. We don't give legal advice. We
are essentrally taking information from both sides to try to
determine whether or not it's more likely than not that
(04:37):
discrimination occurred.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
What about sexual and racial issues? Do you deal with those?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
A lot. So our protected classes are religious, We protect
against religion, gender, race, familiar status if we're talking about housing, employment,
also age, so you have to be forty or older
(05:05):
to be able to follow a discrimination complaint based on age.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Oh wow, so also disability or disability. Oh, you cover
a lot of stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And national origin.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Creed, Well, gosh, what is why is a creed? I
don't even know what the creed is. I hear that
all the time.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Creed is essentially.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
An individual has a a well established belief. So it's
similar to religion, all right, And I guess it's better
probably for me.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
To give you an example.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah, when we had back in I believe it was
twenty one two vaccine mandates, Yeah, that's where we saw
a lot of complaints based on creed.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Individuals were saying that they.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Had a strong belief that vaccinations were not not not
something that they believed in for whatever reason. So that's
that's probably best example.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
How did you handle those? I don't wonder at the
vaccine because I'm certain this or that or something like that.
How'd you handle those?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Well, we investigated them based on you know, just like
we do age, race.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
You use the same thing for creed, Say, do you
use the same thing, the same methods of investigating for
all any type of complaints you get.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
The legal standards are a little bit different depending on
which issue you're talking about.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And I guess I'll give you an example.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Individual could come in and say I was terminated based
on my age. Another individual can come in and say, well,
I wasn't given a promotion.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Another individual would come and say why I was retaliated.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Again, so well, we break them down based on kind
of what what the particular issue is, and that that
may mean that we may need a different different evidence
for retaliation as we would with failure to promote or
failure to hire termination.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
So so age wise, when somebody says I'm discriminated against
because of my age, I lost my job because of
my age, you have a lot of that.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
We we do. I believe.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Age probably, and I have Jacob Aparicio, he's our communications
director with me today.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I believe eleven percent complaints you give that?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Ye wow. What about sexual complaints? You get a lot
of that too.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Do you mean gender ginger place?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yes, we do see gender as well in employment.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
And four what about gender do they talk about a
little more, how do they they say that I'm a
woman and I've been discriminated against from a man, I've
been discriminated against or is it like that?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Absolutely, we don't just and that's one of the kind
of misconceptions about the agency is that we only help
a set of individuals and not an agency that is
able to assist everyone. And so if you are if
(08:40):
you have a job, you have you know, a house,
you buy a house, or you're looking to to to
rent an apartment or something like that, you could potentially
be a victim of discrimination bab regardless of whether you're
a white male and you're forty five. So we do
(09:02):
see some of those complaints as well as, like I said, disability,
also race and things like that.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Wow, so you see that in housing too, because of
housing a lot? Yes, sir, a lot? Is it housing?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Well, I'll let Jacob share.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Jacob is responsible for completing our annual report. We have
an annual report that comes out typically in September every
year where we give citizens an overview of our numbers,
what we're seeing, the types of complaints we're seeing. So
he's responsible for compiling that information yearly.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
And I let him.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, Jacob waiting, what is it some of this take.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Yeah, well, last year, so last fiscal year, which would be.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
From June, from July to June twenty twenty four, so
that's the most recent year we've had data.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
We've had about nine hundred and thirty three increase. So
those were increased complaints of discrimination.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
And as the director said, there were significantly skewed towards
complaints regarding the disability. Disability counted for about forty percent
of the complaints that we received. And it's been an
upward trajectory over the past three four years.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
It's increased significantly.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
I believe about four years ago it was around you know,
five to six hundred complaints, so it's it's nearly it's
gone up quite a bit.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Our housing complaints.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
And you know, I think as the state grows, is
more residents come to the state, you know, we're going
to have more a increase in rate of increase.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
An increase in the range from now that's really quite
an increase already.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, and demographics have changed as well.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah, so as we.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Kind of.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
You know, demographics change, as Jacob stated, people are moving
into the state.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
You know, we do a great.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Job of attracting businesses and attracting you know, individuals who
are potentially retiring or either wanting to uh start a family.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
But that comes with more.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Just kind of you know, diverse issues and complaints and
problems and situations that businesses and individuals have to sort through.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Why do you think they are like that? Why do
you think you're seeing such an increase that's that big
of an increase in these type of complaints.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
It could be several factors.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
More awareness, things are are.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Changing across the nation.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
So anytime you have kind of polarizing issues in the
national media that will potentially have people kind of come
to our office seeking information. It could be you know,
as we stated previously, demographics, the state is growing quite
(12:08):
a bit, So all of those things can contribute to
some of the increase in numbers.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
That you've gotten busier over the last few weeks, over
the last few months or whatever. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Since and I've been with the agency since twenty twenty one,
and since twenty twenty we've probably had three times the
amount of increase in houses.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Oh my goodness, I didn't realize that. What do you
do in those situations?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Well, you have and you have to.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Keep in mind that as housing prices increase, you have
other things that are going across the state, like disasters. Recently,
the States has invited assistance to individuals who were, you know,
(13:05):
the victims of of you know, the disaster in East Tennessee.
So all of those things could potentially contribute to people
coming to our office getting information, providing information about their
their particular problems in those situations.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
It's good that they have you to to to talk to.
The call they get discriminated against, it's terrible. I mean,
I just can't believe these people. What do they do
when they call you and you start to help them,
but you have to go through the process. What do
they do in the meantime?
Speaker 3 (13:48):
So individuals when they call us, oftentimes they're dealing with
almost a.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Balloon effective issues.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Let's just say you are evicted and you believe that
you've been evicted based on illegal means or based on discrimination.
That could impact your school, the school that your child
is zoned to. It could potentially impact how you get
(14:18):
to work, transportation. So oftentimes we have individuals calling they're
having a multitude of issues, loss of a job, loss
of healthcare.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
And so I think we do a pretty.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Good job at the Commission not only processing the inquiries
to see if.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
This is a situation that we can investigate, but we
also do a great job with.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Informing people that call about other resources. So we are
a neutral agency. As I said, we're not an advocacy group,
but we do have partners across the state, whether it's
Memphis Eary Legal Services or Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee.
(15:12):
We will refer individuals across state governments depending on whether
or not they need you know, benefits or things like that.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
And so as the worst case scenario, you find it
out this this wow, this place, this guy, this place
is really really tend to discriminate against this person like crazy,
you send them out to an agency, another agency or
law enforcement or something like that, or well, no.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
We we enforce anti discriminations.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Okay, So if they have an issue they believe they've
been discriminated against, that is an issue that we could investigate.
But oftentimes individuals, if they are going through a termination
that they feel is unlawful, that will kind of have
this chain reaction of effects where they may need a
(16:08):
lawyer for this reason or benefits from the Department of
Human services those types of things.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
And then on the other side, do you have them
where that you think if the persons may be making
it up and you find that out, you have that.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
So I don't we don't.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I guess we investigate to see if there it's more
likely than not this particular thing happens. We're not necessarily
judge and jury, right, Okay, we don't ever play kind
of a role in that. If there's there's proof of
there's evidence that's more likely than not that it's happened, will.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Take it to the next level in terms of filing
charges or litigating.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
But most people that come in our office, at least
I believe they believe they've been wrong in some capacity. Now,
whether or not it actually arises to the level of
discrimination or something that's proven, court is quite a quite
a big tax. We may not always, you know, get there.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah, and they may not like the outcome, but that's
what you have.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
A lot of people just appreciate having their day in
court sort of speak or just being heard.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Yes, so it helps.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I guess it's good for the soul to have, especially
a state agency. I think Tennesseeans are lucky to have
an agency like this. We have other states that may
not have this type of entity, but just to know
that your state cares enough to be able to listen, hey,
(17:55):
this is what's going or either educate on what the
laws are responsibilities are.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Uh. And so a lot of.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
People are just at the end of the day satisfied
with the what with the going through the process.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Yes, just having somebody there, Yes, and some And it's
great that the state has that I think has.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
This and respondents on the flip side get an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
I know, it's it's it's.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
It never is pleasant to be on the other side
of a potential complaint, but I see it as an
opportunity for the respondents or business or housing provider to
to learn and grow and and and and educate themselves
on what their their their rights and responsibilities are. I
(18:44):
really do believe a lot of housing providers employees want
to do the right thing.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
But the right thing.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Could be policies and procedure the things that they may
not have the time for just not even think right.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
It's important to be knowledgeable.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
About it because the handicapped situation maybe didn't think about it.
Oh oh my gosh, I'll get wround on it and
stuff like that. You know you have that. I'm sure
you have those that situation too.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Well, yeah, and you think about it.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
We go to classes throughout the year to educate ourselves
to be able.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
It's kind of like train the trainer courses.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Policies and laws are changing currently the Tennessee General Assembly
or in session. I think we've had over fifteen hundred
bills filed in the states.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
So things change.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
We get guidance and policy changes from the federal government
about what's what's what's lawful, or what's advisable. So things
change quite a bit, and it helps for employers and
how and providers to to kind of stay on top
of that information.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
How many employees do you have?
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I have thirty three employees, so we.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Do thirty three?
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Well, we have thirty three and we have four offices. Uh,
and we do quite a bit with with you know,
minimal minimal resources.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, yeah, well you do, we really do.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
I tell you what, I think we did the numbers.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Every year we have to defend or request our budget,
similar to other state agencies, and so I think we
did the math. And per adult in Tennessee, each adult
probably spends about eighty cents on this on this agency.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
So it.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Comes in handy in case you are ever in a
position where you have to.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Have to go through a discrimination complaint.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Well, you recently announced your strategic plan and I'd like
to hear some of that some of that. How's that
going to help you?
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Yees? So we've recently connected with the Tennessee's Office of
Customer Focused Government that is essentially an internal agency within
state government that provides consulting and business strategies advice. So
(21:26):
we we had a course of I believe we spent
two days collectively as a as a leadership team with
Customers Focused Government to talk about priorities to come up
with our four year strategic plan. So we did quite
(21:47):
a bit of work after that. We essentially identified four
goals in addition to objectives and action plans that we
are working working on on a consistent basis. But our
four goals that we identified in our strategic plan first
(22:11):
being enhanced case processing. The key objective there we want
to make sure that we reduce investigative case processing time.
Goal to was modernize THCHRC by leveraging technology. The key
objective there was to identify gaps in technology use at THHRC.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
We want to make sure that we are kind of
growing with the times.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
With other agencies in terms of the technology we use,
so we can make sure that we're able to be.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Efficient and assist citizens.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
The third goal is to enrich thhr c's internal culture.
I'm really big on recruitment and retention, and our key
objective there is to refine recruitment, retention and succession plan
practices throughout the agency. The last goal for UH is
(23:11):
expand awareness and understanding of th HRC and its mission,
and the key objective there was to maximize connections with
external stakeholders to increase understanding of th HRC's mission and needs.
We've published and sent out press release to believe last
(23:32):
week or was it Monday?
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Okay, okay?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
About the strategic plan.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
You can also find it on our website at t
TN dot gov slash human Rights. The information as well
as our last three years of annual reports are also located.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
And this this is going to be for four years.
As you're taking to do this, do you feel like
you're going well, you stand out this week, but do
you feel like it's going to be easy to attain
to go?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
We absolutely do. As I stated, we spent quite a
bit of time preparing and working through making sure all
of the leadership we're on.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
The same page in terms of the priorities. But we
just I believe, I believe.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
It's important to to look forward, to have a road
map and to be able to communicate that with the staff,
with stakeholders about how we're going to be effective, how
we're going to be efficient to you know, essentially reduce,
(24:43):
if not reduce, eliminade this discrimination in some of the
conflicts and issues that we're having.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
In our in our state right.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
And also you have it's Fair Housing Month in April.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Uh, Yes, we're having our annual Fair Housing Summit.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
It's going to be on Tuesday, April twenty ninth.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
In Memphis at the National Civil Rights Museum.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Oh, the Civil Rights Museum. Oh gott to be a
great museum. That's a great museum to have that ad Yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:12):
Well, you know, Fair Housing Month is something that's a
it's an annual celebration that's hosted in honor of the
assassination of doctor Martin Luther King. The Fair Housing Act,
which is part of the Civil Civil Rights Act of
nineteen sixty eight, was passed the week after doctor King's assassination,
so there's a lot of historical significance holding it at
(25:33):
the Civil Rights Museum that's built on the Lorraine Hotel,
the location where doctor King was assassinated. So it's a
it's a great way of not only providing education, you know,
to the citizens of Tennessee, whether they be complainants or respondents,
but also honoring the legacy of doctor King by hosteding
it at the site you know of his assassination and
(25:57):
really offering an education not only of out fair housing
and fair housing issues, but also you know, the ties
to civil rights and the civil rights movement.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
And will it be open to public, So the.
Speaker 5 (26:09):
Event there is a fee, so there's a fee for
in person and online attendance. The event is available so
for folks around the state, if you're not in the
Memphis area, you can join.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
Virtually. It'll be live stream.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
It'll be from eight am to four pm, and for
in person attendees.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Admission will also include passes.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
To the museum so you can tour the exhibits and
some of the recent exhibits that they.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
And that is April twenty ninth, and it's in Memphis.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Yes, sir, with the virtual components.
Speaker 6 (26:44):
With a virtual component, do have individuals from Nashville as
well as Knoxville on the planning committee, so we are
it's just our attempt to try to bridge the gap between.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
The city our cities within the states. So it is
it is a great we have a great turnout, great programming.
It's primarily for individuals who are housing providers or work
in government within their their housing departments, as well as lawyers, Yeah,
(27:20):
and other professionals that work in and around the housing.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
And that is April twenty ninth Fair Housing Month and
it's at the Museum in Memphis, and that's gonna be
a great event. But what look for it online if
you can't be there person.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
And for attorneys there will be a clise of continuing
learning education credits available, okay. And for you know, community members,
we do have discounted rates available for nonprofits as well
as community members.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
So feel free to look us up online.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
You can find information at our website t and dot
gov slash human Rights or contact us at our email
asks dot t h R see at TN dot gov.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
What's the future whole for the agency and the Human
Rights submission just in the near future. What can you
look for. We have plans coming up.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Well right now we are trying to We're just waiting
and a waiting phase right now to see how some
of the things in the federal system are going to
impact Tennesseeans and impact the agency and the.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Work we do.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
We don't have a lot of information about how some
of the cuts at HUT, the EOC, and other federal
agencies will impact us, but we will imagine that we
will likely see increase in calls, increase and complaints just
(28:44):
because those agencies may have to have to do more
with less staff and less resources.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
If somebody wants you to get in touch with it
in time, where's the best relations to go.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
If you want to get in touch, you can look
us up online dot gov slash human Rights. You can
email us at ask dot t h R C at
TN dot gov, give us a call on our toll
free number, as well as look us up on social media.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
We have Facebook LinkedIn x at Tnhuman Rights.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Thank you both for coming in. Thank you very much
for coming today us. Yes, we'll have you back on
it again sometime. That's Muriel Nolan, executive director of the
Tennessee Human Rights Commission and Jacob Apparico, Communications Director of
the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. You can find out more
about them at TN dot gov slash human Rights. Questions
and comments on today's program, you can email me, John
(29:40):
Clark at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks for listening. I'll talk
to you next week right here in your favorite radio
station on Tennessee Matters.
It's Tennessee Matters on the Tennessee Radio Network. Welcome to
Tennessee Matters. I'm John Clark in the Tennessee Radio Network.
The Tennessee Human Rights Commission is an independent state agency
created in nineteen sixty three to encourage, promote, and advise
the public on their human rights. The Commission's commission is
to safeguard individuals from discrimination through education and enforcement. Here
(00:24):
today to talk about the Tennessee Human Rights Commission is
Executive Director Muriel Nolan and Jacob Aparico, the Communications Director. Well, welcome,
welcome to you both coming here today.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I appreciate it, thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
First of all, what is Tennessee Human Rights?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
So, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission is an independent and
neutral agency that enforces anti discrimination laws. We enforce those
laws in housing and employment and also public accommodations. Our
agency also ensures that other state agencies are complied with
(01:04):
Title six. So, in essence, we do enforcement compliance with
Title six, Title seven, and Title eight.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Do you still have I guess you do still have
effort efforts to discriminate against people.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, unfortunately we do.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Last year we had about twenty four hundred inquiries that
came through our office. The majority of our inquiries or
complaints are individuals with disabilities who are claiming to have
been discriminated by their housing provider.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Okay, what is that like? If the I don't know,
is it something like a ramp's not big enough or
something like that, or it's more serious than that, it
could be.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
We we see cases where you know, individuals are requesting
a service animal and the housing provider will violate the
law with some of those requests and interactive process. We
(02:14):
also see requests by people with disabilities for you know,
let's just say things that we take for granted, parking
space is a closer parking space so that they're able
to you know, assess their their apartments or a area
(02:35):
that is common for other tenants.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So would that be with respect to to somebody who's disabled.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
That have that, Yes, absolutely, okay.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
And then places maybe the place is too far away
or or and that's they they call you for things
like that. Yes, oh okay, did you get that done?
Do you able to get that? Get those that done
for them?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
So it is a pretty intricate process. Any individual that
calls our agency or walks in or files a complaint online,
we will take the information, make sure that we have jurisdiction,
and by that I mean making sure that we have
(03:20):
the authority to be able to.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Investigate this complaint.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Of course, it has to be someone that is situated
in in Tennessee, and so we will ask them a
series of questions, also reach out to either the housing
provider or the employer to get more information, and then
we if we can't get the parties to mediate, which
(03:47):
we do, provide a free service to parties that will
allow them to attempt to mediate their particular issues.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
But if they're unable.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
To mediate, we would commence with an investigation.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, so you have a chance to that, So you
don't just automatically get it, assume it, and bam you
hit the person with a fine or something like that.
It's a whole process.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yes, we are a neutral agency.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
We don't represent individuals, we call them complainants, and we
don't represent the respondent. We don't give legal advice. We
are essentrally taking information from both sides to try to
determine whether or not it's more likely than not that
(04:37):
discrimination occurred.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
What about sexual and racial issues? Do you deal with those?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
A lot. So our protected classes are religious, We protect
against religion, gender, race, familiar status if we're talking about housing, employment,
also age, so you have to be forty or older
(05:05):
to be able to follow a discrimination complaint based on age.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Oh wow, so also disability or disability. Oh, you cover
a lot of stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And national origin.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Creed, Well, gosh, what is why is a creed? I
don't even know what the creed is. I hear that
all the time.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Creed is essentially.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
An individual has a a well established belief. So it's
similar to religion, all right, And I guess it's better
probably for me.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
To give you an example.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah, when we had back in I believe it was
twenty one two vaccine mandates, Yeah, that's where we saw
a lot of complaints based on creed.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Individuals were saying that they.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Had a strong belief that vaccinations were not not not
something that they believed in for whatever reason. So that's
that's probably best example.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
How did you handle those? I don't wonder at the
vaccine because I'm certain this or that or something like that.
How'd you handle those?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Well, we investigated them based on you know, just like
we do age, race.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
You use the same thing for creed, Say, do you
use the same thing, the same methods of investigating for
all any type of complaints you get.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
The legal standards are a little bit different depending on
which issue you're talking about.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And I guess I'll give you an example.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Individual could come in and say I was terminated based
on my age. Another individual can come in and say, well,
I wasn't given a promotion.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Another individual would come and say why I was retaliated.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Again, so well, we break them down based on kind
of what what the particular issue is, and that that
may mean that we may need a different different evidence
for retaliation as we would with failure to promote or
failure to hire termination.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
So so age wise, when somebody says I'm discriminated against
because of my age, I lost my job because of
my age, you have a lot of that.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
We we do. I believe.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Age probably, and I have Jacob Aparicio, he's our communications
director with me today.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I believe eleven percent complaints you give that?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Ye wow. What about sexual complaints? You get a lot
of that too.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Do you mean gender ginger place?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yes, we do see gender as well in employment.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
And four what about gender do they talk about a
little more, how do they they say that I'm a
woman and I've been discriminated against from a man, I've
been discriminated against or is it like that?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Absolutely, we don't just and that's one of the kind
of misconceptions about the agency is that we only help
a set of individuals and not an agency that is
able to assist everyone. And so if you are if
(08:40):
you have a job, you have you know, a house,
you buy a house, or you're looking to to to
rent an apartment or something like that, you could potentially
be a victim of discrimination bab regardless of whether you're
a white male and you're forty five. So we do
(09:02):
see some of those complaints as well as, like I said, disability,
also race and things like that.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Wow, so you see that in housing too, because of
housing a lot? Yes, sir, a lot? Is it housing?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Well, I'll let Jacob share.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Jacob is responsible for completing our annual report. We have
an annual report that comes out typically in September every
year where we give citizens an overview of our numbers,
what we're seeing, the types of complaints we're seeing. So
he's responsible for compiling that information yearly.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
And I let him.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, Jacob waiting, what is it some of this take.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Yeah, well, last year, so last fiscal year, which would be.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
From June, from July to June twenty twenty four, so
that's the most recent year we've had data.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
We've had about nine hundred and thirty three increase. So
those were increased complaints of discrimination.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
And as the director said, there were significantly skewed towards
complaints regarding the disability. Disability counted for about forty percent
of the complaints that we received. And it's been an
upward trajectory over the past three four years.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
It's increased significantly.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
I believe about four years ago it was around you know,
five to six hundred complaints, so it's it's nearly it's
gone up quite a bit.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Our housing complaints.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
And you know, I think as the state grows, is
more residents come to the state, you know, we're going
to have more a increase in rate of increase.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
An increase in the range from now that's really quite
an increase already.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, and demographics have changed as well.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah, so as we.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Kind of.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
You know, demographics change, as Jacob stated, people are moving
into the state.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
You know, we do a great.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Job of attracting businesses and attracting you know, individuals who
are potentially retiring or either wanting to uh start a family.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
But that comes with more.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Just kind of you know, diverse issues and complaints and
problems and situations that businesses and individuals have to sort through.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Why do you think they are like that? Why do
you think you're seeing such an increase that's that big
of an increase in these type of complaints.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
It could be several factors.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
More awareness, things are are.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Changing across the nation.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
So anytime you have kind of polarizing issues in the
national media that will potentially have people kind of come
to our office seeking information. It could be you know,
as we stated previously, demographics, the state is growing quite
(12:08):
a bit, So all of those things can contribute to
some of the increase in numbers.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
That you've gotten busier over the last few weeks, over
the last few months or whatever. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Since and I've been with the agency since twenty twenty one,
and since twenty twenty we've probably had three times the
amount of increase in houses.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Oh my goodness, I didn't realize that. What do you
do in those situations?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Well, you have and you have to.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Keep in mind that as housing prices increase, you have
other things that are going across the state, like disasters. Recently,
the States has invited assistance to individuals who were, you know,
(13:05):
the victims of of you know, the disaster in East Tennessee.
So all of those things could potentially contribute to people
coming to our office getting information, providing information about their
their particular problems in those situations.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
It's good that they have you to to to talk to.
The call they get discriminated against, it's terrible. I mean,
I just can't believe these people. What do they do
when they call you and you start to help them,
but you have to go through the process. What do
they do in the meantime?
Speaker 3 (13:48):
So individuals when they call us, oftentimes they're dealing with
almost a.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Balloon effective issues.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Let's just say you are evicted and you believe that
you've been evicted based on illegal means or based on discrimination.
That could impact your school, the school that your child
is zoned to. It could potentially impact how you get
(14:18):
to work, transportation. So oftentimes we have individuals calling they're
having a multitude of issues, loss of a job, loss
of healthcare.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
And so I think we do a pretty.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Good job at the Commission not only processing the inquiries
to see if.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
This is a situation that we can investigate, but we
also do a great job with.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Informing people that call about other resources. So we are
a neutral agency. As I said, we're not an advocacy group,
but we do have partners across the state, whether it's
Memphis Eary Legal Services or Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee.
(15:12):
We will refer individuals across state governments depending on whether
or not they need you know, benefits or things like that.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
And so as the worst case scenario, you find it
out this this wow, this place, this guy, this place
is really really tend to discriminate against this person like crazy,
you send them out to an agency, another agency or
law enforcement or something like that, or well, no.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
We we enforce anti discriminations.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Okay, So if they have an issue they believe they've
been discriminated against, that is an issue that we could investigate.
But oftentimes individuals, if they are going through a termination
that they feel is unlawful, that will kind of have
this chain reaction of effects where they may need a
(16:08):
lawyer for this reason or benefits from the Department of
Human services those types of things.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
And then on the other side, do you have them
where that you think if the persons may be making
it up and you find that out, you have that.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
So I don't we don't.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I guess we investigate to see if there it's more
likely than not this particular thing happens. We're not necessarily
judge and jury, right, Okay, we don't ever play kind
of a role in that. If there's there's proof of
there's evidence that's more likely than not that it's happened, will.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Take it to the next level in terms of filing
charges or litigating.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
But most people that come in our office, at least
I believe they believe they've been wrong in some capacity. Now,
whether or not it actually arises to the level of
discrimination or something that's proven, court is quite a quite
a big tax. We may not always, you know, get there.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah, and they may not like the outcome, but that's
what you have.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
A lot of people just appreciate having their day in
court sort of speak or just being heard.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Yes, so it helps.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I guess it's good for the soul to have, especially
a state agency. I think Tennesseeans are lucky to have
an agency like this. We have other states that may
not have this type of entity, but just to know
that your state cares enough to be able to listen, hey,
(17:55):
this is what's going or either educate on what the
laws are responsibilities are.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Uh. And so a lot of.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
People are just at the end of the day satisfied
with the what with the going through the process.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Yes, just having somebody there, Yes, and some And it's
great that the state has that I think has.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
This and respondents on the flip side get an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
I know, it's it's it's.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
It never is pleasant to be on the other side
of a potential complaint, but I see it as an
opportunity for the respondents or business or housing provider to
to learn and grow and and and and educate themselves
on what their their their rights and responsibilities are. I
(18:44):
really do believe a lot of housing providers employees want
to do the right thing.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
But the right thing.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Could be policies and procedure the things that they may
not have the time for just not even think right.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
It's important to be knowledgeable.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
About it because the handicapped situation maybe didn't think about it.
Oh oh my gosh, I'll get wround on it and
stuff like that. You know you have that. I'm sure
you have those that situation too.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Well, yeah, and you think about it.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
We go to classes throughout the year to educate ourselves
to be able.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
It's kind of like train the trainer courses.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Policies and laws are changing currently the Tennessee General Assembly
or in session. I think we've had over fifteen hundred
bills filed in the states.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
So things change.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
We get guidance and policy changes from the federal government
about what's what's what's lawful, or what's advisable. So things
change quite a bit, and it helps for employers and
how and providers to to kind of stay on top
of that information.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
How many employees do you have?
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I have thirty three employees, so we.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Do thirty three?
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Well, we have thirty three and we have four offices. Uh,
and we do quite a bit with with you know,
minimal minimal resources.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, yeah, well you do, we really do.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
I tell you what, I think we did the numbers.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Every year we have to defend or request our budget,
similar to other state agencies, and so I think we
did the math. And per adult in Tennessee, each adult
probably spends about eighty cents on this on this agency.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
So it.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Comes in handy in case you are ever in a
position where you have to.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Have to go through a discrimination complaint.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Well, you recently announced your strategic plan and I'd like
to hear some of that some of that. How's that
going to help you?
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Yees? So we've recently connected with the Tennessee's Office of
Customer Focused Government that is essentially an internal agency within
state government that provides consulting and business strategies advice. So
(21:26):
we we had a course of I believe we spent
two days collectively as a as a leadership team with
Customers Focused Government to talk about priorities to come up
with our four year strategic plan. So we did quite
(21:47):
a bit of work after that. We essentially identified four
goals in addition to objectives and action plans that we
are working working on on a consistent basis. But our
four goals that we identified in our strategic plan first
(22:11):
being enhanced case processing. The key objective there we want
to make sure that we reduce investigative case processing time.
Goal to was modernize THCHRC by leveraging technology. The key
objective there was to identify gaps in technology use at THHRC.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
We want to make sure that we are kind of
growing with the times.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
With other agencies in terms of the technology we use,
so we can make sure that we're able to be.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Efficient and assist citizens.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
The third goal is to enrich thhr c's internal culture.
I'm really big on recruitment and retention, and our key
objective there is to refine recruitment, retention and succession plan
practices throughout the agency. The last goal for UH is
(23:11):
expand awareness and understanding of th HRC and its mission,
and the key objective there was to maximize connections with
external stakeholders to increase understanding of th HRC's mission and needs.
We've published and sent out press release to believe last
(23:32):
week or was it Monday?
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Okay, okay?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
About the strategic plan.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
You can also find it on our website at t
TN dot gov slash human Rights. The information as well
as our last three years of annual reports are also located.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
And this this is going to be for four years.
As you're taking to do this, do you feel like
you're going well, you stand out this week, but do
you feel like it's going to be easy to attain
to go?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
We absolutely do. As I stated, we spent quite a
bit of time preparing and working through making sure all
of the leadership we're on.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
The same page in terms of the priorities. But we
just I believe, I believe.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
It's important to to look forward, to have a road
map and to be able to communicate that with the staff,
with stakeholders about how we're going to be effective, how
we're going to be efficient to you know, essentially reduce,
(24:43):
if not reduce, eliminade this discrimination in some of the
conflicts and issues that we're having.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
In our in our state right.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
And also you have it's Fair Housing Month in April.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Uh, Yes, we're having our annual Fair Housing Summit.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
It's going to be on Tuesday, April twenty ninth.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
In Memphis at the National Civil Rights Museum.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Oh, the Civil Rights Museum. Oh gott to be a
great museum. That's a great museum to have that ad Yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:12):
Well, you know, Fair Housing Month is something that's a
it's an annual celebration that's hosted in honor of the
assassination of doctor Martin Luther King. The Fair Housing Act,
which is part of the Civil Civil Rights Act of
nineteen sixty eight, was passed the week after doctor King's assassination,
so there's a lot of historical significance holding it at
(25:33):
the Civil Rights Museum that's built on the Lorraine Hotel,
the location where doctor King was assassinated. So it's a
it's a great way of not only providing education, you know,
to the citizens of Tennessee, whether they be complainants or respondents,
but also honoring the legacy of doctor King by hosteding
it at the site you know of his assassination and
(25:57):
really offering an education not only of out fair housing
and fair housing issues, but also you know, the ties
to civil rights and the civil rights movement.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
And will it be open to public, So the.
Speaker 5 (26:09):
Event there is a fee, so there's a fee for
in person and online attendance. The event is available so
for folks around the state, if you're not in the
Memphis area, you can join.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
Virtually. It'll be live stream.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
It'll be from eight am to four pm, and for
in person attendees.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Admission will also include passes.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
To the museum so you can tour the exhibits and
some of the recent exhibits that they.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
And that is April twenty ninth, and it's in Memphis.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Yes, sir, with the virtual components.
Speaker 6 (26:44):
With a virtual component, do have individuals from Nashville as
well as Knoxville on the planning committee, so we are
it's just our attempt to try to bridge the gap between.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
The city our cities within the states. So it is
it is a great we have a great turnout, great programming.
It's primarily for individuals who are housing providers or work
in government within their their housing departments, as well as lawyers, Yeah,
(27:20):
and other professionals that work in and around the housing.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
And that is April twenty ninth Fair Housing Month and
it's at the Museum in Memphis, and that's gonna be
a great event. But what look for it online if
you can't be there person.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
And for attorneys there will be a clise of continuing
learning education credits available, okay. And for you know, community members,
we do have discounted rates available for nonprofits as well
as community members.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
So feel free to look us up online.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
You can find information at our website t and dot
gov slash human Rights or contact us at our email
asks dot t h R see at TN dot gov.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
What's the future whole for the agency and the Human
Rights submission just in the near future. What can you
look for. We have plans coming up.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Well right now we are trying to We're just waiting
and a waiting phase right now to see how some
of the things in the federal system are going to
impact Tennesseeans and impact the agency and the.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Work we do.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
We don't have a lot of information about how some
of the cuts at HUT, the EOC, and other federal
agencies will impact us, but we will imagine that we
will likely see increase in calls, increase and complaints just
(28:44):
because those agencies may have to have to do more
with less staff and less resources.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
If somebody wants you to get in touch with it
in time, where's the best relations to go.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
If you want to get in touch, you can look
us up online dot gov slash human Rights. You can
email us at ask dot t h R C at
TN dot gov, give us a call on our toll
free number, as well as look us up on social media.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
We have Facebook LinkedIn x at Tnhuman Rights.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Thank you both for coming in. Thank you very much
for coming today us. Yes, we'll have you back on
it again sometime. That's Muriel Nolan, executive director of the
Tennessee Human Rights Commission and Jacob Apparico, Communications Director of
the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. You can find out more
about them at TN dot gov slash human Rights. Questions
and comments on today's program, you can email me, John
(29:40):
Clark at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks for listening. I'll talk
to you next week right here in your favorite radio
station on Tennessee Matters.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!