Charlotte Golar Richie: Champion for civil rights

It is fascinating that in 2015 we are dealing with these same issues. There are still a lot of issues having to do with race and color and many issues having to do with national origin.” — Charlotte Golar Richie

Charlotte Golar Richie’s commitment to civil rights, fairness and equality is in her blood — her parents fought for these issues, she focused on them while serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and it was a strong part of her campaign for Mayor of Boston in the 2013 election. That’s why she’s well-suited for her current role as a commissioner for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Golar Richie was appointed in June 2014 as one of three members who occupy the state’s Commission Against Discrimination, the Commonwealth’s chief civil rights agency. The MCAD works to eliminate discrimination and advance civil rights through law enforcement, outreach and training.

Golar Richie concentrates on employment, housing and public accommodation discrimination cases, with most of the cases based in Suffolk County, Essex County, Middlesex County and Brookline.

It’s a busy job.

The Commission handles over 3,000 new charges of alleged discrimination every year, with an annual docket of about 5,000 active cases.

Discrimination covers a broad range of human behavior, from employees who are fired or passed over for promotion due to age and/or gender, to applicants denied housing based on ethnicity and/or demographics, to harassment or refusal of services due to gender and/or sexual orientation.

“People are coming into our offices almost every day with a complaint of one sort or another … Some of them are heart-wrenching,” Golar Richie said recently in an interview with the Banner. “Our job is to make sure that the laws are upheld and that people are protected.”

When the Commission receives a charge of discrimination, its staff of 75 employees, including lawyers and legal experts, swing into action to determine if the evidence supports violation of anti-discrimination laws. While this could have legal ramifications or lead to a public hearing on the matter, one of Golar Richie’s main responsibilities as a commissioner is to see if a settlement can be reached between the two disputing parties.

That’s why she spends most of her days working with parties to the complaint, seeking resolution.

Golar Richie will be the first to admit, though, that the Commission’s mandate also includes education and training regarding the nature and impact of discrimination. The laws exist to protect the state’s citizens against discrimination, but the commissioners would welcome a slow day at the office — meaning less discrimination is happening.

Training program

Because so many discrimination cases begin in the workplace, the MCAD developed a certified educational program for businesses to help them equip employees with the tools to avoid potential discriminatory situations.

“Employers need to have responsibility. They need to have policies in place to train their employees,” Golar Richie said. “We encourage businesses to invest the time so they know the laws.”

What most people probably do not realize about the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination is that it has been around for 70 years — predating most of the landmark U.S. civil rights legislation. Golar Richie feels a strong sense of pride in this legacy. But she also recognizes the cold reality of what it means to have to fight the same battles for almost three quarters of a century — because discrimination shows no sign of going away.

“It is fascinating that in 2015 we are dealing with these same issues. There are still a lot of issues having to do with race and color and many issues having to do with national origin,” Golar Richie said.

While the battle may be a long one, Golar Richie has spent much of her life in it and comes across as a soldier more than willing to fight to the end.

For her, her role as commissioner brings her career full circle.

Golar Richie grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her parents were both involved in civil rights, with jobs addressing fairness and discrimination issues. Her father was chairman of the New York City Housing Authority and a commissioner to the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Her mom worked as a housing manager for the New York City Housing and Preservation Department.

A graduate of Rutgers College, the Columbia University School of Journalism and Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Management, Golar Richie initially pursued journalism as a career. She moved to Boston and did some work for Dorchester media outlets. In the early 1990s, she was asked to be a media moderator for a city council election event, which exposed her to politics. She immediately was hooked.

In 1994, she ran for state representative and won a first term. Since then, she has served three terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, during which time she served as chair of the Joint Committee on Housing and Urban Development.

This experience led her to the Menino Administration’s Department of Neighborhood Development, where she served as housing chief and agency director. There, she oversaw major housing production and preservation campaigns, neighborhood revitalization projects, and small business development initiatives, most notably the award-winning Main Streets program.

She has also served as Governor Deval Patrick’s Senior Advisor for Federal, State and Community Affairs, helping to advance the governor’s legislative and community agenda, including the establishment of the Office of Access and Opportunity and the Statewide Youth Council. Additionally, she served as a senior vice-president for public policy, advocacy and government relations at YouthBuild USA, overseeing the organization’s national push to preserve federal funding for more than 250 programs connecting young people to jobs and education.

After running for Mayor of Boston in 2013, Golar Richie was appointed by Mayor-elect Martin Walsh as co-chair of his transition team.

‘Profound’ impact

She calls it “profound” that she is now doing work at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in housing and civil rights, similar to what her parents did. Reflecting back, she feels that growing up in a household with family that cared about the community and worked toward bettering the city in which they lived had a definite impact on her.

In addition to her urban experience, she also served in the Peace Corps, working in Africa as young adult. This experience opened her eyes as well.

“It reinforced in me a feeling of generosity and caring for others,” she said.

Even with her busy efforts as a commissioner, Golar Ritchie still finds the time to serve in advisory roles with YouthBuild USA, Tufts Health Plan Foundation, Higher Ground, the University of Massachusetts Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, Mothers for Justice & Equality and the Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation.

When Golar Richie says she has “a long-standing commitment to fairness and civil rights,” there is a lot she can point to that backs up the claim.

But you also get the sense that she believes she has a lot left to do.

As a candidate for mayor of Boston, she was lauded as representative of the type of change many were clamoring for. Finishing third of 12 candidates in the election primary, her political prowess will have to be tested another day. Her efforts also may open doors for someone else.

Golar Richie refers to the former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and President Barack Obama as indicative of this country’s progress on diversity and equality. That gives her hope, and she relishes any part she can play in the conversation.

“Progress and change is possible,” she said.

Colleague Donna Gittens, founder and principal of MORE Advertising, acknowledges Golar Richie’s willingness to work for social issues in everything she does.

“Charlotte has always been an independent thinker with a distinct view of the world. It’s that view that guides her vision and how she applies her energies and commitment to serve the community for the better,” said Gittens.