Wage theft, minority marginalization and access to government were a few of the many issues activists grappled with at Sunday’s Celebrate Human Rights! Conference.
For the Human Rights Center of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the event was a time to look at current issues and ways to move forward.
“This is an event to educate,” assistant educator David Rigby said. “There’s a lot we could do and our community could do.”
Panels highlighted problems in the community — like access to college and marriage rights — and identified ways for the Human Rights Center to help solve them.
During the wage theft discussion, day laborer Beto Rodriguez said most employers are good people — although some employers don’t pay or threaten to do worse.
“They also threaten to turn us into immigration,” he said.
Human Rights Center Associate Director Rafael Gallegos outlined problems with helping victims of wage theft recover payment.
“We have considered a name and shame campaign,” he said. “But you don’t want to do something that would remove work opportunities.”
Andrea Mulholland, an Orange County Health Department nurse practitioner, said she hoped to better understand those she works with by attending the center’s event.
