Does discrimination exist in Columbia? Here's what residents told Human Rights Commission

Billed as a community conversation on discrimination, residents on Saturday shared their experiences and ideas on the topic with the Columbia Human Rights Commission at the Columbia Public Library.

"We do want to hear from your experiences," said D'Andre Thompson, Columbia diversity, equity and inclusion administrator. "These events have helped inform the commission on these issues."

People came and went during the event, but there were around 20 residents participating, other than commission members.

The Columbia City Council voting to make Columbia a sanctuary city for LGBTQ residents was a great move, said Harry Castilow, parent of a trans son and member of the Center Project.

"I want to wholeheartedly say 'thank you' for that," Castilow told commission members.

Another comment was that complaints aren't funneled into an effective format for enforcement.

Churches aren't the best location for polling places, said Jen Harper, also a member of the Center Project, which advocates for LGBTQ individuals.

"That is not a safe space for so many," Harper said.

It's also unnecessary for the city to separate youth by gender in its sports programs, she said.

The city's bus service isn't robust, Thompson said.

"There are challenges to our transportation infrastructure," he said.

A transit study is underway, Thompson said.

The bus service was important for his immigrant mother when he was a child, Castilow said. It's how they all got around.

"It was one of the reasons we stayed here," Castilow said. "So there's a benefit to it, definitely."

Away from downtown, sidewalks aren't always accessible to people using wheelchairs, said Reece Ellis, adding that his neighbor uses a wheelchair.

"There's always issues of accessibility for disabled people," Ellis said.

The group answered a question about commission communications.

"Don't shy away from social media," said Margaret Conroy, director of the Daniel Boone Regional Library.

Social media won't always work, she said.

"Communication is always a challenge," Conroy said. "You can use all the avenues available but it's still up to the individual to be informed."

The state legislature has again set its sights on further marginalizing LGBTQ people, said Dena Castilow, Harry's wife. Their trans son is Jay Castilow.

"We are a group that needs to be heard and we need to be seen," Castilow said, adding that she didn't want to bully aside anyone else. "There's a lot of stuff going on at the capital. We're concerned and we want to be involved."

"We have families moving out of Missouri," Harper said.

"We may have to leave," Dena Castilow said.

"How equality became political is just beyond me," Harper said.

It's embedded in our political system, said Thompson.

Columbia is a great community in which to live and work, Conroy said.

"We're trying here and it's hard," she said. "It would be great if everyone was working this hard."

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Community members share opinions on discrimination in Columbia