Local community leaders announce the formation of Delaware Civil Rights Coalition

Thursday afternoon,  members from organizations throughout Delaware met to announce the formation of a new group called  Delaware Civil Rights Coalition.

The purpose of this coalition is to unite established civil right organizations and religious groups from all three counties, and to come together as one voice to fight against policies and events that they say threaten Delawareans.

Leaders of these organization tell us this can range from attacks on women, Muslims, African American, and the LGBT community.

Officials say the creation is not a direct response to Trump being elected as president,  but rather a series of current events over the years that have targeted particular communities.

One of the organizations involved in this coalition is CAMP Rehoboth.

"It's really important that we work hard to make sure that those gains that we make, the rights that people have gotten , not special rights, but equal rights, that we don't let those disappear," says Steve Elkins, the Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth.

After Thursday's announcement,  the Delaware Civil Rights Coalition held a workshop called know Your Rights which was led by A-LU of Delaware.

Coalition members tell us educating leaders about their basic civil rights is one of the first things  on their agenda.