Civil Rights Commissioners

Miriam Amer - Chair

Anthony Arrington

George Holmes

Momodu Kamara

Eric Lam - Vice Chair

Laura O'Leary

Kavi  Parupally

Bob Rush

Ruth White

Nancylee Ziese

Rick Zingher

Civil Rights Staff

Executive Director - Karl Cassell

More About Us

The Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission is composed of eleven (11) members appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. Membership on the Commission shall be broadly representative of the city’s population and shall have diverse gender, racial, ethnic, and religious representation.
The term of office of each member of the Commission is three (3) years. Commission members shall continue to serve until reappointed or replaced.

A member chosen to fill a vacancy otherwise than by expiration of a term shall be appointed for the un-expired term of the member whom he/she is to succeed. A member of the Commission is eligible for reappointment but shall not serve more than three consecutive three-year terms.

Commission members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties with approval of the Commission and within the limits established in the City budget.

The Commission shall annually elect a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall serve for no more than three (3) consecutive twelve-month periods. The vice chairperson shall serve for no more than three (3) consecutive twelve-month periods.

The election of officers shall be held at the first regularly scheduled meeting after the first of the year.

What We Do

• The Commission is charged with enforcing Chapter 69 of the Municipal Code.
  

• The Commission does not enforce landlord/tenant laws, certain at-will employment issues, labor laws or deal with discriminatory situations which are not prohibited by law.
  

• The Commission’s professional staff carry out the day-to-day operations of the agency.
   

About Chapter 69 of the municipal code

• It is unlawful to discriminate against someone in the areas of Employment, Housing, Credit, Education and Public Accommodations on the basis of their Age, Race, Creed, Color, Religion, National Origin, Sex (gender), Sexual Orientation, Mental or Physical Disability.
  

• Under Public Accommodations, age is not a protected characteristic.
  

• Under Credit, mental disability is not a protected characteristic. However marital status and presence of children are protected characteristics.
  

• In the area of Housing and Credit Chapter 69 of the Municipal Code prohibits someone from discriminating against someone because of their Familial Status (presence of children).
  

• In the areas of Credit and Education, Chapter 69 of the Municipal Code prohibits discrimination because of marital status.
  
  

CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE:

Phone: (319) 286-5036
Fax: (319) 286-5136
Email: civilrights@cedar-rapids.org
425 Second Street SE, Suite 960
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401