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Davis HRC commissioner says she is resigning, cites hostility and report on Palestinian advocacy
Summary
A commissioner announced she is resigning from the Davis Human Relations Commission, saying the commission and city failed to address antisemitism and that the MAPPA report’s recommendations created a hostile environment. Commissioners acknowledged the resignation and discussed filling vacancies.
A member of the Davis Human Relations Commission announced she is resigning, saying she no longer believes the commission or the city council will hold the commission accountable.
"So tonight, I'm stepping down from the Human Relations Commission," the commissioner said in a prepared statement, describing repeated hostility, obstruction and what she called ideological intolerance within the commission. She framed the adoption of the MAPPA report and its recommendations as a turning point and said the commission had minimized antisemitism while creating frameworks that, in her view, could suppress certain speech.
Commissioners responded at the meeting, thanking the departing member for her service and expressing regret. One commissioner said they heard the concerns and expressed appreciation for the explanation; others urged the commission to fill multiple upcoming vacancies quickly so its work can continue.
The departing commissioner described specific frustrations: efforts to run community-building events that were criticized by colleagues, unsuccessful attempts to secure support for a Jewish American Heritage Month celebration, and examples she said demonstrated a pattern of what she characterized as institutional failure. She said she had tried to work within the system but concluded it could not be reformed from inside.
The commission did not vote on any follow-up action at the meeting. Chair and commissioners said they would move to fill open seats and continue the commission’s work. Several public commenters who then spoke during the meeting urged unity and called on the commission to apply consistent standards when addressing hateful speech and community incidents.
Next steps noted by commissioners included staffing support to advertise open seats and a pledge to work quickly to recruit replacements before the next regular meeting.
