A request to establish a commission to promote tolerance and acceptance throughout the town through community education, made by two members of the public, will be considered by the Town Council at a future meeting.

At the June 2 Town Council meeting, Chris Passante and Sarah Auletta addressed the council about their idea to create a human rights commission. If formed, the commission would take on an educational and advisory role to the Town Council.

Under the proposal, the commission’s charge would be to recommend possible programs that promote equal opportunities for all, as well as cooperating with various town departments and private organizations. The commission would also take part in research or study programs that aim to increase understanding of issues affecting different groups in the community.

The presenters said their vision for the commission is for it to be an appointed commission with seven members representing all political affiliations and segments of the population. The commission would also have two non-voting student members, as well.

“Human rights is something mostly everyone can get behind, I think,” Passante said during the presentation.

Town Council Chair Chris Aniskovich thanked Passante and Auletta for the presentation and said the council will discuss forming the commission at a future meeting.

Passante said that he and Auletta were speaking on behalf of the Clinton Human Rights Imitative (CHRI). The CHRI was described during the presentation as a group of concerned citizens who want to promote respect for people in town regardless of personal characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, nationality, or disability. These concerned members include members of the school community, young people in town, and small business owners, too.

During the meeting, Auletta noted that Clinton has a small but growing minority population in town and said that these people in these groups sometimes feel isolated or not included by the town.

“We need to ensure we have a supportive and welcoming environment for everybody,” Auletta said.

Auletta also said that other towns in the state have similar commissions and that there would be no cost to the town to start the commission beyond perhaps minor administrative costs.

Passante said starting the commission would be a chance to proactively engage with residents, instead of waiting for an issue to crop up first.

“I’ve noticed when things happen in town, the reaction has been more reactive than proactive most times,” said Passante.

During the spring and summer of 2020, the nation as whole was forced to hold difficult conversations surrounding the treatment of minorities and creating a fairer society. In Clinton, that conversation took the form of a large demonstration against police violence last June, the formation of a club at The Morgan School that looks into equity issues, presentations on unconscious bias by the library and PTA, and continued discussions related to equity at a community level. The formation of a commission would be the latest step in Clinton’s ongoing conversation.