Human Rights Commission Working Session - January 15, 2026
A Working Session Meeting of the Human Rights Commission of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Red River Room at City Hall at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, January 15, 2026.
The Human Rights Commissioners present or absent were as follows:
Present: Sekou Sirleaf, Nancy Boyle, Cody Severson, Carolyn Becraft, Xavier Welty, Tambah Saah.
Absent: Aaron Kawreh, Ritchell Aboah.
Other attendees: Brenda Derrig, Assistant City Administrator, Alissa R. Farol Czapiewski, Assistant City Attorney, John Strand, City Commissioner, Barry Nelson, Christopher Coen, Fargo residents, Dalton Erickson, North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Executive Director, Anna Stenson, private attorney practicing in immigration law, Christopher Coen: Fargo resident, Erin Hemme Froslie and Scott Olson, North Dakota Monitor
Item 1. Welcome and introductions.
Items 2-3. January 5 City Commission Recap; Community Based Board Structure Discussion.
o The Fargo Human Rights Commission (HRC) met to discuss its future following a two-month extension granted by the City Commission. The primary focus of the meeting was to develop a framework that strengthens the HRC’s effectiveness and ensures its survival amidst city-wide discussions about disbanding certain diversity-related commissions.
o Proposed Reformation Framework: Sekou proposed a community-rooted model rather than a political one. Key elements include:
o Establishing a permanent stakeholder council (Native Americans, immigrants, LGBTQ+, faith leaders, etc.).
o Achieving principled independence to handle mediation and education without political influence.
o Collaborating with the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition using Inclusive Fargo as a shared hub.
o The Teeth and Funding Dilemma: Participants noted that the HRC currently lacks a budget and the authority to issue fines or take independent action. Dalton Erickson (ND Human Rights Coalition) highlighted the irony of Fargo — the state's largest city — considering disbanding its commission while smaller cities maintain theirs.
o Opposition to Disbandment: Several attendees, including Barry Nelson and Cody Schuler (ACLU), argued that moving the HRC to a private nonprofit model would eliminate City accountability and transparency. They emphasized that human rights are a core government responsibility and that disbanding the HRC would send a negative message to marginalized communities.
o Concerns of Political Motivation: Public comments suggested the move to eliminate the HRC is part of an anti-woke agenda rather than a budgetary necessity, noting that the HRC's cost is negligible within the city's $140 million budget.
o Regional Approach: Members discussed potentially expanding the HRC into a Metro entity to include Moorhead and West Fargo, utilizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) model similar to other City initiatives.
o Community Partners: Entities like the New American Resource Center, High Plains Fair Housing and the New American Consortium were identified as vital partners for future day-to-day operations and advocacy.
o Next Steps include:
o Working Session: The Chair will work with Cody and other stakeholders to restructure Section 1.2 of the Commission’s mandate to create a more robust framework.
o Follow-up meeting: A 90-minute meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 29th, to finalize the next steps.
o City Commission Presentation: The HRC aims to present a formal resolution for its reformation to the City Commission in February, seeking to remain a chartered city entity with improved funding and independence.
Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned.