One Anti-Racist Action You Can Take Today: Know Your Rights – Overview
By Guimel DeCarvalho
Vice President of People & Culture and Chief Diversity Officer
Our country is going through major unrest due to the global pandemic, political climate and awakening around racism and homophobia. It’s a time of great anxiety for many which is why it’s important that we educate ourselves about our rights at the voting booth, in a protest, or when facing deportation, harassment or racial profiling. There are also rights for same-sex partners who want to adopt, victims of hate crimes and those needing access to healthcare, food and emergency housing.
Information is power and being informed about the law and legal protections will remove any barriers to getting the help you need. Below is a list of resources and information about rights and legal protections.
Legal aid resources:
- Immigration rights – Immigration Defense Project: Know Your Rights with ICE
- General legal rights – ACLU, Know Your Rights
- Protest rights – ACLU, Know Your Rights, Protesters’ Rights
- Reproductive rights – Mass.gov, Sexual and Reproductive Health Program Special Projects
- Healthcare rights – Human Rights Coalition, Know Your Healthcare Rights
- Healthcare rights – Mass.gov, Massachusetts Law About Healthcare
- Housing rights – Mass.gov, Tenant Rights
- Renter rights – Boston tenant rights: 10 Tenant Rights Every Boston-Area Renter Should Know
- Victims of Crime/Victims of Hate Crimes – Victim’s Rights Law
- Victims of Crime/Victims of Hate Crimes – Victims’ Bill of Rights
- Protection Against Hate Crimes – Mass.gov, Protection Against Hate Crimes
- Healthcare proxies – National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
- Same-sex couples/parental rights – GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, Custody & Parenting Laws
- Second parent adoptions – Family Equality Podcast, Why Second Parent Adoption,
- Mass Legal Services – Chapter 14, Adoption Overview
Pro-bono legal resources – The below can be found on the FAQ at https://massprobono.org/faq/:
- The Legal Resource Finder. The Legal Resource Finder will help you find out whether there is a legal aid program that might be able to help you with your legal problem. It will also give you links to information that will help you to learn more about your legal issue. The LRF only includes information about civil – not criminal – issues.
If you want to hire a lawyer for a criminal, personal injury, worker’s compensation, or other type of case, see this list of lawyer referral services. You can get legal information at:
- MassLegalHelp,
- MassResources,
- Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries,
- MassLegalServices.
- The Committee for Public Counsel Services provides public defenders for low-income people in criminal cases and in certain other types of cases.
Other Kinds of Help
Domestic Violence:
- Call SafeLink at 1-877-785-2020. Callers to SafeLink receive confidential “help at the end of the line” 24 hours a day, every day of the year.” SafeLink’s specially trained advocates provide support in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and have access to TTY (877-521-2601) and translation services through on-call specialists at the ATT Language Line. That resource can provide simultaneous interpretation in over 140 languages, giving SafeLink the capacity to respond to most callers in their native language.
For Seniors:
- Elder Abuse Hotline, 1-800-922-2275 (V/TDD). Click here for more information.
- Massachusetts Senior Legal Help Line, 1-866-778-0939. The Helpline provides FREE legal information, advice and referral services for Massachusetts senior citizens (60 years or older) in most areas of civil law. Click here for more information.
- 800AgeInfo, 1-800-243-4636. Find out about services for Massachusetts elders and their families. Click here for more information.
Child Abuse or Neglect:
- Child-At-Risk Hotline, 1-800-792-5200. Click here for more information.
Abuse or Neglect of Persons with Disabilities:
- Disabled Persons Protection Commission, 800-426-9009 or 888-822-0350 TTY. Click here for more information.
Disaster Assistance:
- Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), call 2-1-1 for non-emergency help. Click here for more information.
- Employment resources – Masshire Career Centers, Department of Unemployment Assistance
Food banks:
Education rights:
- Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – For Parents, Special Education/IDEA
Constituent services:
- Forbes – 10 Things to Know About Getting Help From Your Congressman or Senator
- American Network of Community Opinions and Resources – What Your Member of Congress Can and Cannot Do For Your
- New York Times – Your Money: How Senators and Representatives Can Help Constituents
