ST. PETERSBURG | Two Equality Florida staff members will serve on the United States Commission on Civil Rights’ Florida Advisory Committee for the next four years. The Commission announced the reappointment of Nadine Smith, Equality Florida’s executive director, to her role as Chair of the committee and the appointment of Brandon Wolf, Equality Florida’s media relations manager, to the committee for the first time.
The Florida Advisory Committee is one of 51 groups that advise the Commission on a range of issues impacting civil rights policy.
“The work of safeguarding civil rights protections is critical to the future of democracy,” said Smith. “It is an honor to be reappointed as Chair of this committee and to continue guiding these efforts over the next four years. The results of our in-depth investigation into voting rights exposed many areas that call out for leadership and action. We will continue sounding that alarm.”
Established as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding federal agency, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. They pursue this mission by studying alleged deprivations of voting rights and alleged discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice.
They play a vital role in advancing civil rights through objective and comprehensive investigation, research, and analysis on issues of fundamental concern to the federal government and the public.
State Advisory Committees, such as Florida’s, serve as a critical link between the communities impacted by civil rights law and policymakers. They have examined issues such as water affordability, school discipline disparities, policing, mental health and the criminal justice system, fair housing, hate crimes, voting rights, and others. The reports and memoranda these committees supply helps to inform future policy changes on local, state, and national levels.
“It is an incredible honor to be called upon to serve the people of Florida in this capacity,” said Wolf. “Advancing civil rights protections for all Americans is a responsibility that falls on each of us. I look forward to giving voice to our community as we press forward on fulfilling the promise of our nation.”
