By Lisa Carolin
MLK Day is coming up on Monday, Jan. 17, and finalizing activities was on the Chelsea Human Rights Commission’s agenda at its Jan. 5 meeting.
From now to Jan. 17, people are asked to consider donating art supplies for refugee families.
Suggested items are listed here and an Amazon wish list is here. Drop off locations include Chelsea District Library, Chelsea First United Methodist Church lobby, the Chelsea Senior Center, the Chamber of Commerce, and Chelsea State Bank. Financial donations are also welcome. Details are at www.owofchelsea.org.
On Jan. 16 at 4:30 p.m., the Chelsea First United Methodist Church will offer a multi-cultural concert.
One World One Family will sponsor a collection followed by a Day of Service and Social Action on Jan. 17, which is a holiday for the Chelsea School District.
Families and youth are invited to gather from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the Chelsea Depot to work on projects to welcome refugee families. Projects include friendship bracelets, hand drawn cards, and tie-dye socks. To volunteer, please contact [email protected].
Masks will be required and social distancing in place.
The Chelsea District Library will show the film “The Butler” on Jan.17 at 5:30 p.m. followed by a discussion.
Also discussed at the HRC’s Jan. 5 meeting were both the commission’s 2021 Report and its 2022 Plan. Both were approved (Susan Morrel-Samuels absent). The HRC plans to present both to Chelsea City Council at its Jan.18 meeting.
The HRC welcomed its newest member, Sudha Myers, who is part of Washtenaw Refugee Welcome and a former co-worker of Chelsea Mayor Jane Pacheco at the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice in Ann Arbor.
Myers will take on the role of the HRC’s community public safety task force representative.
There will be two HRC vacancies beginning on Feb.1, 2022. Both Morrel-Samuels and Joanne Ladio’s terms expire then, and they both have the option of reapplying.
To learn more, go to https://www.city-chelsea.org/boards-committees-commissions.
