. @NYCCHR Cmsr. @CarmelynMalalis’s parents arrived in the United States from the Philippines in the 1960s. "As a queer woman of color and the daughter of immigrants, I’m not the typical image of someone leading a government agency," she says. #IHW2020

"Caring about people who don’t look like me or are otherwise different from me and my lived experience makes me feel like a New Yorker," @CarmelynMalalis says. "It’s important for people like me to hold these positions and to be visible in our outreach to these communities."

"I wanted to work in public service to create space in government for communities that historically have not felt supported by or seen by government," she says. "So many things like basic life needs flow through local government–access to food, education, housing, and more."

Carmelyn has prioritized expanding @NYCCHR’s relationships. “It’s not tenable for there to be whole communities—typically communities of color—without access to these basic needs because they don’t have a good relationship with people in government.”

After graduating from @Yale and @NUSL with a B.A. in Women’s Studies and a J.D. respectively, Carmelyn represented workers facing employment discrimination. She has also served on committees and boards fighting for LGBT rights with @hrw, the @NYCBarAssn and many others.

Throughout her career, Carmelyn has demonstrated a fierce commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion and preventing and prosecuting discrimination and intolerance. Under her leadership, @NYCCHR has become a recognized venue for justice for all New Yorkers. #IHW2020