Community Outreach

Community Outreach image group discussing community

The Diversity & Inclusion Department is committed to raising public awareness of Fort Worth's diverse cultures and fostering harmonious human relations among Fort Worth residents by presenting and participating in diversity-related learning, engagement and cultural awareness opportunities for the community and city employees. Additionally, the department provides staff support to City boards, commissions and committees, which also are tasked with achieving those goals. 

 

Human Relations Commission

The Fort Worth Human Relations Commission (FWHRC), established in 1967, is made up of community members appointed by the Fort Worth City Council and works to promote improved community relations and to eliminate prejudice and discrimination.

Its goals include:

  •  Increasing public awareness of the FWHRC and the services provided by the Diversity and Inclusion Department.
  • Leveraging HR commissioner networks as well as national and international civil and human rights agency networks to advise and recommend municipal best practices for diversity, inclusion, equity and access for all residents.
  • Advise and recommend legislative position and rationale for bills assigned to Diversity and Inclusion in alignment with established priorities as determined by City Council and CMO.

 

Commission Details, Member Roster, Meeting Dates & Agenda

 

Minority and Women Business Enterprise Advisory Committee

The purpose of the M/WBE-AC, as reorganized pursuant to City Council Resolution 4690-10-2016, is to act in an advisory capacity to the City Council and City Manager to review the City’s completed Availability and Disparity Study and recommend a policy structured to meet legal scrutiny; inclusive of goals compliance methodology and reporting procedures. Responsibilities. The M/WBE-AC shall:

  • Review the City’s current program and recommend a restructured program, structured to meet legal scrutiny, to the City Manager and City Council based on information provided by the planned FY 2019–2020 Availability and Disparity Study.
  • Provide continuing input to the City Council on the progress of the approved program in meeting the established goals via the City’s Diversity and Inclusion Department.
  • Focus on initiatives and efforts to increase the availability of vendors/contractors eligible to bid on City of Fort Worth projects and procurement opportunities.
  • The M/WBE-AC shall make recommendations to improve the effectiveness of both the BDE Ordinance and policies related to M/WBE participation on incentive agreement projects.

 

Mayor's Committee on Persons with Disabilities

The Fort Worth Mayor’s Committee on Persons with Disabilities is an organization of citizen volunteers working together with the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission to increase public awareness of the abilities of persons with disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and issues related to accessibility within the community and city government. To accomplish these goals, the MCPD committee:

  • participates in activities that provide and/or improve access to employment, housing, city facilities and programs for people with disabilities;
  • increases awareness of ADA accommodations and the Fort Worth anti-discrimination ordinance (Chapter 17, Article III, Division 4 of the Fort Worth City Code), as well as solicits feedback from the community regarding disability issues; and
  • honors an individual each year who, in their everyday life has raised awareness of living a life of value and made impactful changes in the community that improve life opportunities for persons with disabilities, with the Danny Scarth Trailblazer Award at the Mayor’s Community Engagement Workshops and Neighborhood Awards luncheon held in January.

 

For more information about the Mayor's Committee on Persons with Disabilities, contact the ADA Coordinator Alfred Henderson or call 817-392-8552.

 Committee Details, Member Roster, Meeting Dates & Agenda

 

 

Employee Diversity & Inclusion Committee

The Committee will purposefully focus on activities for employees that highlight and address issues related, but not limited to race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, national origin and religion, fostering a culture of open-mindedness, compassion, and inclusiveness among individuals and groups and create opportunities for dialogue and education.

The committee has no authority to address matters of employee and labor relations issues. All such matters are referred to the Human Resources Department Employee and Labor Relations Division. 

Housing & Rental Information

Housing/Shelter Assistance

Do you need assistance securing housing?  Do you need assistance paying your rent?

Resources available to you:

 

Bad Credit or Criminal Background

Do you have a criminal background or bad credit that is preventing you from securing housing?

What you need to know:

Some housing providers charge a non-refundable fee to pay for the costs or screening of your rental application. The cost to submit a rental application with a housing provider ranges between $25 - $100. Texas state law requires that at the time an applicant is provided with a rental application, the housing provider should provide a printed notices of the landlord’s tenant selection criteria, and the grounds for which the application may be denied, including: criminal history, previous rental history, and/or current income and credit history.  Note that higher deposits are often required by properties for people with bad credit or criminal backgrounds.

Resources available to you:

 

Renter’s Rights, Fair Housing Complaints or Legal Assistance

Do you have additional renter’s rights questions? Do you believe you have been discriminated against? Do you need legal assistance to seek remedies, against your landlord, under the law?

Resources available to you:

 

Regular Repairs

Are you having trouble getting repairs to your rental unit?

 It is your landlord’s duty to repair or remedy most conditions in your rental unit that affect your health and safety, unless you cause damage through abnormal use.

What you need to know:

  • Review your lease and addendums, and familiarize yourself with your housing provider’s repair policy. Texas law 1requires landlords to make diligent efforts to repair problems about which they have been notified and that materially affect the physical health and safety of an ordinary tenant.
  • Tenants receiving Housing Choice Vouchers, or residing in a government owned or subsidized housing have additional rights concerning repairs, such as the ability to request inspection of their unit.
  • If you are having problems obtaining repairs, you should follow the following steps in order use remedies outlined under state law:
  • Provide notice to the person to whom you pay rent. Best practice should be the provision of a dated notice, in writing (keeping a copy for yourself as proof), preferably sent by certified mail.
  • Pay your rent! The landlord is not obligated to make repairs unless you are current on your rent.
  • Provide reasonable time to make the repairs. Reasonableness depends on the circumstances, but typically seven days is considered reasonable.
  • If the landlord has had reasonable time to make the repair and has not, contact the City of Fort Worth’s Code Compliance Department (“Code”). Code can inspect and determine if the condition violates local ordinances. Obtain the name of the inspector and any written reports.
  • If the landlord has clearly had a reasonable amount of time to repair the condition, you may be able to 1) terminate the lease and move out; 2) have the problem repaired yourself and deduct from your rent; and/or 3) sue the landlord for failing to repair.

Resource available to you:

 

Repairs for Major Damage

Is your apartment uninhabitable due to major damage?

What you need to know:

As long as you or your guests were not responsible for the damage, and the premises are essentially uninhabitable, you (or your landlord) may terminate the lease at any time prior to the completion of the repairs by providing written notice. You will be entitled to a prorated refund of any rent paid in advance, and your security deposit, unless the landlord has reason to deduct an amount from the deposit, such as for damages you caused to the premise or outstanding rent. Housing providers have 30 days to give an accounting of deposits, including the itemization of lawful deductions.

Alternatively, you may be entitled to a reduction in rent proportionate to the extent the premises are unusable (unless the lease states otherwise). If you cannot reach an agreement with your landlord regarding a rent reduction, you can file a suit seeking rent reduction in either County Court or District Court.

Resources available to you:

Movies That Matter

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Movies That Matter is a free bi-monthly film series program of the City of Fort Worth's Human Relations Commission that celebrates diversity and inclusion. Each event features a film screening, followed by a moderated discussion with local subject matter experts. Screenings are held in February, April, June, August, October and December. Additional screening events with community partners are also held throughout the year by special arrangement.

Movies That Matter is a program of the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission (HRC). The HRC provides services related to basic human and civil rights, including enforcement of the city's anti-discrimination ordinance and federal housing, employment, and public accommodation laws.

Coming Up

Feb. 9, 2023: The Antidote

Made in response to the times we are living in, THE ANTIDOTE weaves together stories of kindness, decency, and the power of community in America. Learn more »

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Apr. 13, 2023: Wasted! The Story of Food Waste

Every year 80% of the world’s water, 40% of the world’s land, and 10% of the world’s energy is dedicated to growing the food we eat, yet in the same year 1.3 billion tons of food is thrown out.  Learn more »

June. 8, 2023: Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops

Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops is an intimate portrait of two Texas police officers who are helping change the way police respond to mental health calls. Learn more »

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Aug. 10, 2023: Paper Tigers

'Paper Tigers' chronicles a year in the life of Lincoln High School in the community of Walla Walla, Washington. The kids who come to Lincoln have a history of truancy, behavioral problems and substance abuse. Learn more »

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Oct. 12, 2023: Mission: Joy - Finding Happiness in Troubled Times

Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, Mission: JOY is a documentary with unprecedented access to the unlikely friendship of two international icons who transcend religion: His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu. Learn more »

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Dec. 14, 2023: One Day on Earth

One Day on Earth is the first film made in every country of the world on the same day. We see both the challenges and hopes of humanity from a diverse group of volunteer filmmakers assembled by a participatory media experiment. Learn more »

 

Movies That Matter Latino

Fort Worth Movies That Matter Latino is a quarterly films series that celebrates the diversity that exists within the Latino culture. Each event features a film screening, followed by a moderated discussion with local subject matter experts. Screenings are held in March, June, September and December at the Rose Marine Theater, 1440 North Main Street, home of Artes de la Rosa Fort Worth Cultural Center.  MTM Latino is made possible through a collaboration between the City of Fort Worth and Artes de la Rosa. Admission is free.

Coming Up

Harvest of Empire

March 20, 2022: Harvest of Empire

Based on the groundbreaking book by award-winning journalist and Democracy Now! Co-host Juan González, Harvest of Empire takes an unflinching look at the role that U.S. economic and military interests played in triggering an unprecedented wave of migration that is transforming our nation’s cultural and economic landscape. Learn more »

Building the American Dream

June 19, 2022: Building the American Dream

Across Texas, an unstoppable construction boom drives urban sprawl and luxury high-rises. Its dirty secret: abuse of immigrant labor. Learn more »

Stolen Education

Sept. 18, 2022: Stolen Education

Stolen Education documents the untold story of Mexican-American school children who challenged discrimination in Texas schools in the 1950’s and changed the face of education in the Southwest. Learn more »

Ascencion

Dec. 4, 2022: Ascencion

This film chronicles the story of a 13-year-old boy who leaves his 13 siblings and his home in Lobatos, Mexico and risks his life to cross the river into the U.S., where he believes all things are possible. Learn more »