Community urges Humboldt County Human Rights Commission to expand outreach and coordinate nonprofits

The Humboldt County Human Rights Commission convened a public listening session on Feb. 5, 2026, where community leaders and residents urged the commission to expand outreach, coordinate local nonprofits and faith groups, and address gaps in funding for frontline organizations.

The session, led by Chair Jim Glover, drew representatives from community groups including Centro del Pueblo, Equity Arcata, Queer Humboldt, Temple Beth‑El, and the College of the Redwoods, along with residents and nonprofit leaders. Glover said he has served as commission chair since 2016 and framed the meeting as a starting point to make the commission “more effective” in 2026; he asked participants to limit remarks to three minutes so more voices could be heard.

Why it matters: speakers warned that limited and fragmented resources are undercutting local organizations’ work and that the commission’s effectiveness will depend on proactive outreach and partnership-building. Humboldt County Supervisor Natalie Arroyo told the panel that local governments and nonprofits face “a lack and inequities of local funding,” and that agencies linking with community groups must do more to support them. Several participants said the commission should visit groups in their communities rather than expect organizations to come to commission meetings.

Faith and nonprofit leaders urged relationship‑building and issue‑focused collaboration. Rabbi Bob Rottenberg, of Temple Beth‑El and the True North Organizing Network, urged the commission to “go out and meet people where they are” and invoked the network’s tenet: “no permanent allies, no permanent enemies,” a call to focus on specific issues rather than partisan alignments. Sharrone Blanck, president of the Eureka NAACP and equity lead at the Humboldt County Office of Education, called for “intentional partnerships” and for the commission to be humble and make space for leadership of color.

Speakers described practical approaches used elsewhere and by local institutions. Dr. Keith Flamer, president of College of the Redwoods, described efforts by the college to bring services to communities and to meet people where they are, saying that institutions must go to communities rather than wait for residents to attend institutional meetings. Brenda Starr of KMUD recommended using radio and other public communication channels to broaden outreach.

Several commenters raised preparedness and public‑safety concerns. A politically active resident asked how the Eureka Police Department would respond if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acted and cited Minnesota’s advance preparation as a model. Peter Pennekamp urged the county to identify and prepare for key issues in advance. No formal direction or vote on operational policy occurred during the session; exchanges were framed as community input and suggestions for future work.

Community members also suggested practical formats for follow‑up. Richard Botzler proposed scheduling focused sessions—on topics such as homelessness in a specific neighborhood—and inviting all organizations with a stake to reduce duplication and coordinate responses. Commissioner Victor Garcia recommended pooling limited resources across organizations to reduce isolation and increase impact.

What’s next: Chair Jim Glover characterized the meeting as a starting point for continuing collaboration between the Human Rights Commission and community groups. The commission did not adopt formal motions at the listening session; participants and commissioners left with a clearer list of outreach priorities and suggestions for targeted, issue‑focused convenings.

Sources: Public remarks at the Humboldt County Human Rights Commission listening session, Feb. 5, 2026; participants listed by the commission at the start of the meeting.