Aurora Human Relations Commission reports community outreach, plans three "Know Your Rights" events

The Human Relations Commission told the Aurora City Council on an information-only agenda item that it hosted events and partnered with local nonprofits during 2024 and is planning multiple community trainings and outreach programs for 2025.

The commission’s vice chair, Brian Kelly, told the council the commission currently has eight filled voting seats and two applicants in process, and that commissioners serve three-year terms. He summarized the commission’s mission as promoting mutual understanding, disseminating educational materials to eliminate prejudice, and investigating complaints "of this nature." Kelly described last year’s community engagement work and said the commission plans three "Know Your Rights" events in May, July and September 2025 to be held in different parts of the city.

Kelly said the commission met with nonprofit partners during 2024, volunteered with organizations and jointly supported community events. He listed partner organizations that the commission engaged with, including Iron Sharp Community Foundation, WAMOS (Walk A Mile In Our Shoes), the Northwest Aurora Food Justice Program, an urban farming group and the National Federation of the Blind. He said the commission hosted a community reading hour at Stanley Marketplace and used donations and commission funds to provide books to children, with guest readers from law enforcement and other community volunteers.

The commission also participated in GlobalFest and Pride events, walked in the Denver Pride parade with the city’s DEI office and the Aurora Fire Department, and joined Juneteenth and MLK Day activities. Kelly described a November "Know Your Rights" presentation at the Village Exchange Center that included a representative from the Aurora Police Department’s community relations team; the presentation drew fewer attendees than hoped after a snowstorm caused power outages in the neighborhood, but the commission called it a "proof of concept" and said it plans three similar events in 2025.

Kelly said commissioners volunteered at other community activities, including Iron Sharp Community Foundation events that assembled support bags for at-risk students, Aurora Police Department holiday events and a winter event with Heart for the World. For 2025 the commission plans to repeat the community reading hour, run three Know Your Rights sessions in different locations across Aurora, continue partnership-building with other city commissions and community organizations, and run a fall supply drive to distribute warm winter clothing and hygiene items.

Council members thanked Kelly for the update and asked about turnout and planning for the Know Your Rights events. Kelly and the presiding officer confirmed the presentation was information only; the council did not take formal action on the commission’s report.