§ 294-a. Statewide campaign for the acceptance, inclusion, tolerance and understanding of diversity. 1. The division shall develop and implement a statewide campaign to increase awareness and promote the acceptance, inclusion, tolerance and understanding of the diversity of people of this state, including, but not limited to diversity based on religion, race, color, creed, sex, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. In the development and implementation of such campaign, the division shall adopt as its purpose, the combatting of bias, hatred and discrimination in all their forms and the prevention of discrimination based on religion, race, color, creed, sex, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

Terms Used In N.Y. Executive Law 294-A

  • disability: means (a) a physical, mental or medical impairment resulting from anatomical, physiological, genetic or neurological conditions which prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function or is demonstrable by medically accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques or (b) a record of such an impairment or (c) a condition regarded by others as such an impairment, provided, however, that in all provisions of this article dealing with employment, the term shall be limited to disabilities which, upon the provision of reasonable accommodations, do not prevent the complainant from performing in a reasonable manner the activities involved in the job or occupation sought or held. See N.Y. Executive Law 292
  • discrimination: shall include segregation and separation. See N.Y. Executive Law 292
  • division: means the state division of human rights created by this article. See N.Y. Executive Law 292
  • gender identity or expression: means a person's actual or perceived gender-related identity, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth, including, but not limited to, the status of being transgender. See N.Y. Executive Law 292
  • sexual orientation: means heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or asexuality, whether actual or perceived. See N.Y. Executive Law 292

2. In order to effectuate the purpose of the campaign the division shall:

a. coordinate and cooperate with public and private organizations, including, but not limited to, local governments, community groups, school districts, churches, charitable organizations, foundations and other relevant groups;

b. develop educational materials to be published on the website of the division, social media campaigns or other means determined to be the most effective at reaching the public in a cost effective manner;

c. make information regarding such campaign available on the website of the division; and

d. utilize other resources the division deems appropriate and any other resources, private or public, identified by the division.