Civil Rights ATX: Office of Civil Rights 2022 Listening Tour
Consultation has concluded
The Office of Civil Rights is sponsoring several listening sessions that will inform the community about the CROWN Act, wage theft, tenants’ rights and hate crimes. This free virtual meeting seeks to inform and hear what you have to say. 
Let Your Voice Be Heard!
You are invited to provide your feedback by completing the survey and poll questions below. The purpose of these surveys and poll questions are to gather information about our community needs and learn ways we can feel and be protected in our spaces. All comments will be considered as we take these items before City Council.
Help us create a city that thrives together because our collective actions secure an Austin that’s stronger, more diverse and inclusive of everyone – regardless of who we are, where we live, how we live or who we love. Our actions today will serve as the backdrop to our tomorrows.
Discussion Topics
The CROWN Act stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” and is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.
Tenants' rights involve protections from eviction without opportunities to cure or remedy lease violations and protections against retaliation. Tenant rights may also involve protection for tenants who organize to advocate for improved living conditions and other tenant protections.
Wage theft is nonpayment of workers’ wages or misclassification of an employee. An example of nonpayment of wages is not paying employees for their eligible travel time. An example of misclassifying employees may be incorrectly classifying employees as independent contractors. Doing so has serious financial repercussions for workers.
Hate crimes in Austin have continued to be on the rise. During this listening tour we will talk about things we are seeing in the City and how these crimes are being addressed.
