By Journal Staff
The Revere Human Rights Commission (HRC) held its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, May 7, in the City Council Chamber. On hand for the session were Chair Chaimaa (Shay) Hossaini, vice-chair Herby Jean-Baptiste, Sheila Johnson, Fire Chief James Cullen, Victor Pelatere, and Dr. Lourenco Garcia, who is the Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Inclusion and Chair of the Equity Advisory Board of the Revere Public Schools.
Steve Morabito, who is the HRC’s Executive Director and the city’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) also was in attendance.
The session began with the members reciting together the HRC’s Mission Statement: “The Mission of the Revere Human Rights Commission is to promote human and civil rights and empower all people of Revere by ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized, have equitable opportunities, equal access, and are treated with dignity, respect, fairness, and justice.”
Hossaini then presented the usual Land Acknowledgement, in which the Pawtucket tribe was recognized as the original holder of the land.
Hossaini presented an update of the commission’s senior citizen working group. Deb Peczka DiGiulio, the Director of Revere Elder Affairs, spoke to the commission about the collaboration of her office with the HRC to provide for intergenerational conversations.
“The goal is to bridge the gap between the older and younger generations,” said Peczka DiGiulio, “and also to facilitate discussion and learning from each generation. Our seniors have so much knowledge and so much to give, but no one seems to want to listen.”
“We think it would be so worthwhile in order to close the gap between our senior citizens and the younger generation,” said Johnson.
“I think this an amazing project,” added Dr. Garcia.
The HRC next discussed their plans for celebrating the upcoming Juneteenth holiday which Morabito and Dr. Garcia have been working on. Jan Dumas from the Revere Community Committee said that her group would be willing to contribute $500 from its grant funds toward a Juneteenth celebration if it is held in Costa Park, which is located at Shirley and Walnut Aves.
“Juneteenth needs to be celebrated,” said Dumas, who noted that her great- great- grandfather died fighting for the Union in the Civil War.
“Costa Park would be a perfect place for this,” said Hossaini, noting that the Shirley Ave. area has been the locus of the city’s traditional melting pot.
The members then voted unanimously to use Costa Park as the location for its Juneteenth celebration and voted to do so on the evening of Thursday, June 4, from 5:00-7:30. The commission also voted to give Hossaini the authority to choose possible musical or other entertainment, speakers, and food.
“This is going to be culturally-representative of what we’re celebrating by centering on Black and African-American individuals,” said Hossaini.
Dr. Garcia suggested that the event be recorded so it can be broadcast on Revere TV either on June 19, which is the actual date of Juneteenth, or the day before.
At the suggestion of Morabito, the HRC formally voted to use its next meeting (which is scheduled for June 4) as a Juneteenth celebration for the purpose of educating the public about the significance of Juneteenth.