Human Rights Commission

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is a group of mayoral appointed volunteers established by City Ordinance. The commission primarily serves in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and City Council by conducting research, recommending policies, programs, and initiatives, and directly advocating for human rights in Tulsa.

Human rights refer to the “promotion and protection of rights of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups such as persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, indigenous communities, victims of sexual discrimination, children, and elderly people. The commission receives quarterly reports from the City’s Compliance Officer, who is responsible for reviewing, investigating, and conducting investigations into human rights complaints.

The Human Rights Commission is staffed by the Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Equity (MORE) and contributes to City of Tulsa’s Resilience Strategy pillar to build an inclusive future that honors all Tulsans and celebrates our diversity. The Resilience Plan serves as a roadmap to address Tulsa’s most pressing challenges and seeks to build capacity among residents, city systems, and community partners to build a more resilient and equitable city.

The commission is made up of 15 members appointed by the Mayor. The makeup of membership includes advocates for veterans, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and liaisons from the Hispanic/Latinx, African American, Asian, Indian and the Tulsa Women’s Commission, as well as 7 at-large members.

In addition, the commission has 5 standing committees which include:

• Compliance and Advisory
• Community Relations
• Fair Housing
• Compassionate Tulsa
• Special Events
• 2SLGBTQ+

Commission Members

• Casey Bakhsh
• Dezeray Edwards
• Katherine Eller Murray
• Drew France
• Marlon Hall
• Larissa McNeil
• Anthony Meadows
• Amanda Peregrina
• Parisa Pilehvar
• Josiah Robinson – Vice Chair
• Tamecca Rogers
• Joshua Starks
• Andrea Walker - Chair
• Dave Walker

Past Initiatives

· In 2023, The HRC adopted a Strategic Framework to reaffirm the aim of the Commission.

· Established the Humanitarian of the Year Award.

· Established the 2SLGBTQIA+ Committee, composed of 16 members, in July 2023.

Focus for 2024

The Human Rights Commission is focusing on civic engagement and its connection to human rights.

Contact

The Human Rights Commission meetings are held at 3:30 p.m. on the third Monday of every month (except July and December) at City Hall, located at 175 East 2nd Street, 10th Floor, North Conference Room.

For more information about HRC, please email the Mayor's Office of Resilience and Equity at: Resilient@cityoftulsa.org. The staff liaison will direct your question to the Commission. Meetings are open to the public or you can follow on TGOV Online. For a list of meetings for the year and agendas, please visit: Agendas

To access past meeting minutes please visit: Meeting Minutes