1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I’m writing to urge you to support A6920 and S6531, which would add caste as a protected category under New York’s Human Rights Law. Caste discrimination is happening here — in workplaces, housing, and schools. People are being passed over for jobs, denied apartments, and harassed because of hereditary status that should have no bearing on anyone’s life in New York. The Cisco case out in California made clear this isn’t a distant problem; it’s playing out in tech offices, classrooms, and neighborhoods across the country, including ours. Right now, victims have almost no clear legal recourse, because caste isn’t explicitly covered and doesn’t fit neatly under race or national origin. These bills fix that with a straightforward update to existing law. They don’t single anyone out. They just give people who currently have nowhere to turn an actual path to justice. New York has consistently expanded civil rights protections when gaps become obvious. Vote yes on A6920 and S6531.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​