Pr. George's Targets Outreach Efforts, Maps Discrimination Incidents

A map of Prince George’s County detailing where incidents of sexual harassment complaints, housing problems, discrimination and other issues are occurring will help target outreach efforts to underrepresented areas, according to The Gazette. 

According to The Gazette, the report, which is due in 30 days, will help the county’s Human Relations Commission (HRC) to focus its efforts in areas needing better representation as the 10-person agency works to expand its reach in the county.

The HRC’s budget increased from $80,000 in the last fiscal year to $150,000 in the current one, but D. Michael Lyles, executive director of the commission, told The Gazette that the agency still receives a typical intake of 26 requests for help each month, 18 of which are usually strong enough to investigate. 

Despite efforts by the HRC to reach these underserved parts of the county, including a new website, logo and newsletter created to help increase awareness of the agency, there are likely still underrepresented parts of the county, Lyles said, according to The Gazette. 

“There is a huge need to deal with civil-rights complaints of the Spanish-speaking immigrant community,” Lyles told The Gazette. 

He added he hopes mapping the incidents and reaching out to these communities will help spread the word about the agency.