DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO SPONSOR COMMUNITY FORUM ON
FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS IN PHOENIX, AZ

WASHINGTON, D.C. - - The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division will sponsor a community forum in Phoenix, Arizona tomorrow, WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2002 at 7:00p.m M.T. to educate the community about civil rights protections under federal law in a variety of contexts including employment, education, housing, and hate crimes. The forum is organized by the Civil Rights Division's National Origin Working Group, and continues the Department of Justice's efforts to educate local communities across the country about civil rights protections.

"The forum is part of the Civil Rights Division's ongoing effort to ensure that communities that have suffered from ethnically-motivated discrimination and violence know about their civil rights and the agencies that protect them," said Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "Violence and discrimination based on a person's national origin are un-American and will not be tolerated."

The Phoenix forum will bring together officials from the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, and various other civil rights agencies to address discrimination based upon national origin and describe how individuals can file complaints. The details of the forum are as follows:

WHEN: Wednesday, May 8, 2002 7:00 p.m. M.T.(Doors open at 6:30 p.m. M.T.)

WHERE: Phoenix College Dome Conference Room: 3310 N. 10th Ave.

The program will include presentations by the participants, followed by a question and answer session. Complaint forms and other relevant materials in different languages will also be available.

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