Resilient Leadership: Building Bridges in a Divided

In today’s climate of heightened polarization and uncertainty, leadership in human and civil rights work requires more than resolve—it demands resilience and a commitment to bridge-building. This session will explore how leaders can remain grounded in their mission while navigating divisive challenges, fostering collaboration across differences, and maintaining trust in the communities they serve. Participants will gain insight into strategies that strengthen resilience, inspire unity, and ensure that our collective pursuit of equity and justice continues even in the most challenging times.

Presenter:

• Cleveland L. Horton, Executive Director, Maryland Commission on Civil Rights

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​No Section 8: The Impact of Housing Choice Voucher Discrimination 

This session examined the far-reaching impact of Housing Choice Voucher discrimination on communities.
 

Presenter:

• Kenneth Gunn, First Deputy Commissioner, Chicago Commission on Human Rights

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Policy

Leveraging International Human Rights Mechanisms to  Advance and Promote State & Local Progress 
 

This workshop provided participants with an overview of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review process as well as the United States’ participation in the process since the UPR’s inception in 2007. 

Presenters:  

• Amy Bergquist, Associate Program Director for International Justice, The Advocates for Human Rights

• Janica Puisto, United Nations (UN) Office of Human Rights

• Robin Toma, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations
   

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Social Justice

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Building Capacity to Fight Misinformation

This practical session will provide guidance for human rights agencies on how they can build their resilience to manipulative information of all kinds. The session will provide a building block for training staff (and citizens) on digital and media literacy and the psycho-social factors which shape human vulnerability to mis-and disinformation.
 

Presenter:

• Theo Dolan, Director, Civic Resilience Consulting, LLC | Presentation Handout​

Leadership

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Harnessing the Power of the Next Generation of Human Rights Advocates

This session addressed the changing role of state & local human rights agencies; discussed current trends in law students and recent graduates regarding human rights careers; covered strategies to begin building relationships between human rights agencies and law school programs to create pipelines and increase sustained student interest in working for human rights agencies.
 

Presenter:

• Melody Vidmar, Dash-Muse Teaching Fellow & Supervising Attorney, Georgetown Law Human Rights Institute

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Enforcement

 

Beyond Boundaries: Navigating Intersectionality in Discrimination Law Compliance

 

This interactive workshop explores intersectionality and its impact on discrimination. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, analyze case studies, and develop inclusive strategies. The session aims to enhance understanding and practical application of intersectional approaches in ensuring compliance with discrimination laws, fostering empathy and solidarity across diverse communities.

 

Presenter:

• Jennifer Booz, Executive Director, Anchorage Equal Rights Commission | Presentation Handout

Policy

2024 Survey: A Snapshot of Alaskan Perspectives on Discrimination

Alaska think about discrimination in their communities.
 

Presenter:

• Rob Corbisier, Executive Director, Alaska Commission for Human Rights Learn what people across

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Social Justice

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Tools for a Week of Action: Uniting Your Community to Address Hate and Bias
 

The goal of the session is to provide examples and tools for IAOHRA members to take back to their communities for a week of action and awareness on how to address hate and bias. 

 

Presenters:

• Justin Lock, Executive Director, Not in Our Town; former Interim Director of Community Relations Service (CRS), U.S. Department of Justice

• Robin Toma, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission

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Leadership

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Navigating Inclusion in a Polarized Climate: Tools for  Courageous Leadership in Human Rights Work
 

This session will equip public sector and nonprofit human rights professionals with tools to advance inclusive values that align with workplace culture while navigating political scrutiny and resistance. Participants will explore how to reinforce fairness, belonging, and equity through strategies grounded in legal compliance, policy alignment, and courageous leadership.
 

Presenter:

• Tawana Marie Bhagwat, CEO, Organization At Its Best, Inc. | Presentation Handout
   

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Enforcement
 

Resolving Disputes in 2025:A Guide to Housing and Employment Mediations and Conciliations in this New Frontier

Join our roundtable discussion on mediating housing and employment cases. We will explore best practices, common fears, and challenges that can either lead to a successful resolution or an impasse.
 

Presenter:

• Marci Y. Anavitarte-Jordan, EEO and Housing Mediator/Conciliator, Texas Workforce Commission-Civil Rights

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Policy

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Conflict Resolution and its Role in Threat Assessment and Targeted Violence Prevention

 

Learn about behavioral assessment and management and its function to prevent targeted  violence. Expand understanding of how conflict resolution skills can be applied to targeted violence and extremism prevention. Discover possibilities to begin engaging in the space of critical incident prevention and response.
 

Presenter:

• Randy Duque, Deputy Director, Community Relations Division, Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations | Presentation Handout

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Social Justice
 

Bridging Law and Practice: Collaborative Safeguards for Protecting Individual Rights

By the end of the session, participants will understand how foundational federal laws such as Title VII, the ADA, the
Fair Housing Act, Title VI, and § 1983 provide a framework for rights-centered investigations. They will learn how to
translate these legal principles into practical safeguards investigators can apply in their daily work, including trauma-informed interviewing, language access, retaliation prevention, disability accommodations, and bias-mitigation
tools. The workshop will also highlight collaboration models that strengthen agency capacity and public trust, while
allowing participants to practice applying safeguards through case studies and scenario-based exercises.
 

Presenter:

• Steven R. Bryson, Attorney, van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim

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​Legal and Policy Updates

Jurisdictional Justice: Rethinking Civil Rights from the Ground Up

An examination of 2025 Executive Orders to end DEI and other protections, and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Fraud Initiative with discussion on national responses to the Department of Justice May 19, 2025, memo leveraging the False Claims Act against states and municipalities. How are state and local jurisdictions responding to its impact and what does this mean for DEI and Civil Rights?

 

Presenter: 

• Carol Johnson, Attorney, Johnson Consulting Group

 

Immigration Legal Update
 

Presenter:

• Daniel Cortes, Assistant Professor of Law, Villanova University School of Law

 

Participants will learn about common forms of immigration relief, an overview of recent changes, and practical application of the immigration law. Participants will have an opportunity to share some of the needs the immigrant community is facing, and panelists will provide resources for common needs within the immigrant community.

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​Fair Housing Forward: NAR’s Efforts to Advance Fair Housing & Home Ownership Opportunities in the Current Climate

Use NAR research to paint a picture of the obstacles first-time/first generation buyers are facing around discrimination, supply, accessibility and affordability, discuss NAR’s legislative efforts, talk about the Fair Housing Policy Committee’s priorities, highlight our progress with NAR’s Fair Housing ACT! initiative, share success stories with NAR’s fair housing grants, describe the fair housing resources we are developing, emphasize solutions that are having an impact.

Keynote Speaker:

• Colette Massengale, Senior Policy Representative, Fair Housing Policy, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

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​Leadership
 

​​How to Implement Human Rights in Your City, County or State Agency

After a brief recap of the ways in which international human rights can be centered by local governments, this will be an interactive workshop that will highlight a case study of a local government implementing human rights, and will invite the audience to ask questions and present challenges as to how they can carry out human rights education and implementation in their cities, counties and states.  How major sporting events provide an opportunity to promote human rights will also be discussed.

Moderator: Jordan Long, The Carter Center

Presenters:  

• Aneisa Bolton & Robin Toma, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission

• Dr. Alisa Warren, IAOHRA, Missouri Human Rights Commission

• Amy Berquist, Associate Program Director for International Justice, The Advocates for Human Rights

• Janica Puisto, U.N. Human Rights Office

• Domenico Zipoli, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

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​Enforcement

What’s In Your Toolbox?

 

To provide an opportunity to learn about different tools available to enforcement agencies during an investigation, discuss best practices, and take away ideas.

Presenters: 

• Jamie Reyes, Human Rights Director, Lincoln Commission on Human Rights | Presentation Handout

• Rob Rowan, Senior Civil Rights Investigator, Lincoln Commission on Human Rights

• Cailin Daly Dejillas, Director, Omaha Human Rights and Relations

• Laura Aryeetey, Senior Investigator, Omaha Human Rights and Relations

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​Reimagining Human Relations for Success in a New Sociopolitical World

 

Public sector human relations and departments have historically promoted fairness within organizations and communities. However, the current political environment has led to reductions in staff and funding and/or the elimination of departments and commissions. If your commission or department is facing challenges, it is crucial to develop a new business case for its sustainability, taking this opportunity to adapt to changing sociopolitical climates and refocusing on effective practices that allow the continuation of the work.

 
Presenters: 

• Anne Little, Community Engagement Director, City of Salisbury, NC

• Dr. Anthony Wade, Senior Consultant, Pontifex Consulting Group

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​Social Justice

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Rise Up Against Racism
 

The Heroes of the Last Frontier graphic novel represents collaboration between the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, and the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission to bring to life the struggles and triumphs of individuals that changed Alaska's history. This commission required writing and illustrating stories from the ground up through months of research and interfacing with descendants of these real-life heroes to create storylines designed to entertain middle school-aged children while inspiring them about human rights and teaching Alaska history.

 

Presenter:

• Elyse Applegate, Founder, Elysian World Editing

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How Fair Are You: A Fair Housing Decision-Making Lab

 

Data-Driven Insights: Understand the prevalence and impact of housing discrimination through compelling real-life cases and statistical data. Identify your own potential biases and how they might influence your professional decisions. Learn how to navigate complex fair housing scenarios with confidence and legal compliance. Commit to specific actions to promote fair housing and create a more equitable housing market.
 

Presenter:

• Joshua Barr, Chief Strategist & President, Raising The Barr, LLC

Why International Human Rights Should Matter to State and Local Governments, Especially Now

 

The moral/ethical and legal responsibilities of city, county, and state governments are supported and complemented by global human rights systems, which can support and complement critical work, especially when federal, state, and local civil rights programs are under attack.  One example is the federal immigration sweeps, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup (2026) and the Olympics (2028), which require human rights action plans of participating host cities/nations like Los Angeles, making human rights matter. 

Presenters: 

• Jamil Dakwar, Director, Human Rights Program, ACLU | Presentation: Implementing Human Rights Through Impact Assessments

• Dr. Alisa Warren, Executive Director, Missouri Human Rights Commission (Facilitator)

• Robin Toma and Aneisa Bolton, Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations

• Janica Puisto, UN Office of Human Rights

• Domenico Zipoli, Geneva Academy for Humanitarian Law and Human Rights | Presentation: Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases Initiative

• Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform | Presentation: Why International Human Rights Should Matter...and how LTGs can interact with the UN human rights mechanisms. 

Additional Reading Material 

• Training Course Reading List

• Localizing International Human Rights