WASHINGTON, June 19, 2014—Today the Equal Rights Center (ERC)—a national non-profit civil rights organization — applauds the recent confirmation of Gustavo Velasquez Aguilar as the next Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Mr. Velasquez formerly served as the executive director of the D.C. Office of Human Rights (OHR), and was awarded the 2013 Director’s Award for Civil Rights Advocacy last year by the ERC. Under his leadership, OHR and the ERC worked on many collaborative efforts, including the annual District of Columbia Fair Housing Symposium and multiple public service campaigns.

“Mr. Velasquez’s record of dedication to advocacy and public service is exemplary,” said Melvina Ford, executive director of the ERC. “We know that under his leadership, FHEO will continue to be a safeguard for individuals who face illegal discrimination in housing nationwide.”

About the Equal Rights Center (www.equalrightscenter.org)
Originally formed in 1983, the Equal Rights Center (ERC) is a national non-profit civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C. With members located in every state and the District of Columbia, the ERC works nationally to promote equal opportunity in housing, employment, disability rights, immigrant rights, and access to public accommodations and government services for all protected classes under federal, state, and local laws.