We just want to take a moment to express our thanks to the members of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) for the work they do in representing the wide diversity of the Revere community.
The Revere HRC was reconstituted by Mayor Brian Arrigo, with the approval of the City Council, about 18 months ago, after a long period of dormancy, in the wake of the protests concerning the tragic death of George Floyd.
However, the need for a Human Rights Commission is not just a passing fad. For those of us who are long-time residents of this community, we recall all too well the discrimination and acts of violence against members of the Southeast Asian immigrant community more than 30 years ago.
Revere always has been a melting pot of citizens representing different nationalities, religious beliefs, and ethnic backgrounds. The immigrants from Italy, Ireland, and Russia who flooded into Revere more than 100 years ago likewise faced prejudice and discrimination.
But it was this group of immigrants who weathered the Great Depression and who fought and died in WWII, just as recent immigrants and their children have been in the forefront of our country’s war on terrorism.
All immigrants to America, past and present, have shared the basic desire to create a better life for themselves and their families. Today’s immigrants, similar to those of previous generations, constitute the fabric of the Revere community, ranging from the athletes on our high school teams to restaurant owners to proprietors of other essential businesses in the city.
Finding common ground for the many disparate groups in Revere is not an easy task. But the members of the Human Rights Commission have shown that they are dedicated to making our city a place that is welcoming to all.
