The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is an 11-member group of volunteers, appointed by the Mayor and Council, that is charged with minimizing the effects of conflict and promoting an appreciation of diversity within the city. To meet these goals, the HRC provides a variety of services and educational and cultural programs that promote global thinking, encourage civic awareness, and/or reflect the rich diversity found in the city. Some of these services and programs include diversity leadership training, topical forums, voter education and registration, and community celebrations such as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration and Rockville Pride. The HRC also advises the Mayor and Council on human rights issues that may affect residents.
To promote diversity and to improve human relations, it is important for the HRC to know and understand the issues that the city’s various communities face. To that end, the HRC engages in community outreach activities throughout the city and invites residents to attend its monthly meetings. To encourage community involvement, the HRC also invites residents to volunteer for their activities, and to apply for commissioner positions as vacancies occur.
The HRC Multimedia Scholarship Competition, formerly known as the Multimedia Contest, is an annual opportunity for students who live in and/or attend high school in Rockville to compete for tuition and/or book scholarships by responding to one of several human-rights-related prompts published in late January. In so responding, students may choose their desired medium (essay, poem, song, painting, or the like). First-, second-, and third-place submissions are chosen by a five-member review panel that will select submissions based on creativity, work quality, and relevance. Selections are announced in the spring at a Mayor and Council Meeting. This year, the HRC aims to award at least $2,500 in scholarships.