Common Council Approved Aldape's Appointment To City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission

Aldira Aldape and Ches Ordoñez

Aldape became the second Hispanic to be appointed to the Equal Rights Commission by Mayor Barrett and approved by the Milwaukee Common Council.

By H. Nelson Goodson

March 3, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - Last Wednesday, the Milwaukee Common Council on a vote of 14 - 0 approved the confirmation of both Aldira Aldape and Kristen Donat to the City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission (ERC). Aldape became the second Hispanic to be appointmented to the ERC by Mayor Tom Barrett, since 2012. 

Aldape has a BS in Business Management and is currently the Director of the Bilingual Social and Immigration Services at the Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc. located in Milwaukee's predominantly Hispanic southside 12th Aldermanic District.

In May 2012, former 8th Aldermanic District candidate Chez Ordoñez was also appointed to the ERC by Mayor Barrett and then received a 14 - 0 vote approval with one abstention by the Common Council.

The ERC is responsible to investigate complaints and eliminate or remedy any violation of fair housing, employment or public accommodations laws through conciliation, persuasion, education or litigation. It also has access to investigators and examiners from the Department of Employment Relations that assists the ERC in its investigations and complaints. Enforcement of the ERC decisions or findings are then applied by the City Attorney's Office. 

The ERC is composed of seven members of the commission, which are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Milwaukee Common Council to serve three-year terms. One vacancy remains open.