Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-27-2021 Human Rights CommissionHuman Rights Commission April 27, 2021 Electronic Formal Meeting- 5:30 PM Zoom Meeting Platform Electronic Meeting (Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8) An electronic meeting is being held because a meeting in person is impossible or impractical due to concerns for the health and safety of commission members, staff and the public presented by COVID-19. You can participate in the meeting and can comment on an agenda item by going to https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN LVQJfkH7Q16RDJCAEknLYQ via the internet to visit the Zoom meeting's registration page and submit the required information. Once approved, you will receive an email message with a link to join the meeting. If you are asked for a meeting ID or webinar ID, enter the ID number found in the email. A meeting password may also be included in the email. Enter the password when prompted. If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you may call in by telephone by dialing (312) 626-6799. When prompted, enter the meeting ID or webinar ID. The ID number for this meeting is: 958 9496 4309. Once connected, you may dial *9 to "raise your hand," letting the meeting host know you would like to speak. Providing comments in person is not an option. Agenda: 1. Call Meeting to Order and Roll Call 2. Approval of the March 23, 2021 meeting minutes 3. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda. (Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items) 4. Introduction of Jane Wilch, Recycling Coordinator for the City of Iowa City 5. Introduction of Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Engagement Specialist for the City of Iowa City 6. Discussion on Including a Land Acknowledgement as a Part of HRC Meetings 7. Subcommittees: Housing, Anti -Racism, Health Equity 8. Commission Statement in Support of Black Lives Matter 9. Iowa Department of Human Rights Invitation May Meeting 10. Convention on the Rights of the Child 11. Social Justice Racial Equity Grant Reports & Request for FY 20 12. AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate (May 18, 2021) 13. Staff/Commission Announcements. (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements). 14. Adjournment. If you will need disability -related accommodations to participate in this meeting please contact the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers(a�-iowa-city. org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. p x damill 'm l7kr, 111,11, CITY OF IOWA CITY 4 10 East Wash i ngt on Street Iowa City. Io"-a 52240-1826 (3 1 ) 356-5000 (3 1 ) 3 5 6-5009 FAX www.icgov.org HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION APRIL 27, 2021 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS AGENDA ITEM #8 • COMMISSION STATEMENT ON BLACK LIVES MATTER AGENDA ITEM #11 • SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL EQUITY GRANT REPORTS &REQUEST AGENDA ITEM #12 • AAPI DAY AGAINST BULLYING AND HATE CORRESPONDENCE • STATUS OF COMPLAINTS APRIL 2021 From: Carla Phelps To: Stefanie Bowers Subject: SJRE grant funds Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 10:48:58 AM Attachments: Outlook-1503518949. png Outlook-1503518949. png i z3SK Stefanie Bowers: Report on SJRE Cultural Activity Award FY2021 funding of $18,000 Successful Living received this funding in calendar 2020 to take clients on excursions to events they would otherwise not be able to attend, due to illnesses, financial hardships and transportation issues. These events might include, but not be limited to: Hancher productions, Englert productions, Cedar Rapids baseball, Mississippi Riverboat events, the Figge art museum and other life -enhancing and therapeutic activities. At first, when Covid hit, our agency plans for this grant disintegrated. Then our staff began to make alternative arrangements for clients, to get them out of their isolation: outdoor art parties, with distanced tables, picnics in the local park, also safely distanced with masks and so forth. We acquired used gaming systems for our houses for residents and in our other offices for IPR clients who came in, again with safety and distance in mind. There were occasional small, carefully guided groups occasionally taken out to lunch at strategically low -volume restaurant rooms, done safely, when it was deemed crucial to client health to 'get out.' In this way, we have spent approximately $3,000 of this funding over the course of the year. All the while we have been looking to the future and hoping for the creation of vaccinations such that we might eventually be able to use this grant the way it was intended. And we are getting close to that type of environment, although not quite there yet. We want to begin planning these larger group events in concert with various venues around Iowa City and beyond, and we now appeal to the Human Rights Commission who awarded the SJRE grant to us, to extend our deadline for using these funds (the remaining $15,000) until the end of FY2022. Again, we still want to use this funding in the way it was originally intended, since our clients may never have this particular type of opportunity again. Kind regards, Carla J. Phelps Director, Grants &Development Successful Living Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Cell: (319) 471-1809 Email: cuhelnsPicsuccess.or� Web: https:ZZwww.icsuccess.org/ successful Living "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi Kind regards, Carla J. Phelps Director, Grants &Development Successful Living Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Cell: (319) 471-1809 Email: cbhelpsOicsuccess.org Web: htt�s�.,(/www.icsuccess.orgZ Succcssful Livai n "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi Inside Out Reentry Community 500 N. Clinton St. Iowa City, IA. 52245 (319) 338-7996 www. ins i deoutreentry .coin FY20 Social Justice Racial Equity Grant Report October 30th, 2020 - March 30, 2021 Inside out Reentry community (10) received Social Justice Racial Equity Grant funding in 2020 to continue our impact in the Iowa City community through public education and awareness of the issues of incarceration and reentry. As a part of the funding, lO will host a quarterly forum series oriented around reentry, cultivating a supportive community for returning citizens, and offering educational and empowerment opportunities for returning citizens. Three of the forums are designated for the public, and the fourth for IO members directly. We are expecting to serve at least 200 people across the 3 public events. To measure performance, IO is tracking the number of attendees and feedback through surveys at events. As detailed in our last report, on October 22nd, 2020 from 12 - 1:30 pm, IO held a virtual Women in Reentry Forum which had a total attendance of 83 individuals. Program and Activity Progress: Entrepreneurship Workshop: On January 19th and 28th, 2021 from 5:30 - 8 pm, lO held an Entrepreneurship Workshop for formerly incarcerated or justice -involved individuals. Due to COVID-19, the event was held virtually, and materials were mailed or dropped off to the attendees. The workshop focused on developing the entrepreneurial mindset as well as providing practical information on how to start your business. The workshop was facilitated by Serrieh Hijazi, an entrepreneur who brought their experience in the field as well as their personal experience as a formerly incarcerated individual. We partnered with the University of Iowa Liberal Arts Beyond Bars Program for the workshop. 17 individuals registered for the event. All who registered received a copy of the book "Brag! The Art of Tooting Your own Horn Without Blowing It," and an Action Start Up Plan, which included templates on how to create a business plan, a small business startup checklist, and other course materials and worksheets. After the first session, 0 individuals who missed the first workshop were given access to the video of the session. Eleven individuals attended the workshop series. Virtual workshops can be challenging and many individuals who signed up were unable to attend due to changing work schedules and/or family related needs. For those who were unable to attend, the materials they received provided practical and tangible information on how to start a business with steps on how to move forward when they are ready. Certificates of completion were mailed following the event. lO also provided an additional resource list to those who completed the workshop and will continue to remain a resource for any who want to become an entrepreneur. Inside out is also able to give the Action Start Up Plan to future Inside out members who may be interested in learning more on how to start a business. Inside Out reentry Community 500 N. Clinton St. Iowa City, IA. 52245 ( 19338-7996 vrww.insideoutreentry.com The workshop was recorded, however due to the personal nature of the conversations with attendees sharing information about their lives and limitations for businesses, it will not be shared publicly. Demographics and survey Information: The following demographic and survey information is for individuals who attended the Entrepreneurship Workshop. Self -Reported Demographics (11): Age 18 - 30 years old 30 - 45 years old 45 - 60 years old Race Black or African American 2 Wh ite White and Asian 1 Hebrew Israelite 1 Survey Results: Yearly Income $0-211270 $21 7 - , 3 $3 , 0 - 56,730 1 Prefer not to say 1 Gender Male Ferrule survey was emailed following the event and was completed by 9 individuals. overall, we received positive feedback on the event. 100% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that they had a better understanding of how to legitimize their business, market their business, and how to be an entrepreneur. 8 % of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed (and none disagreed) that they had a better understanding of how to use their story to market their business and feel more confident in starting their business after attending these workshops. Attendees were asked to rate on a scale of 1 to being the highest), instructor Serrieh Hijai and the average rating was .g. They were also asked to rate the workshop as a whole and the average rating was 4.9. 1 0% of attendees agreed the event was well organized, and 89% responded that they would be interested in a follow up entrepreneurship workshop. Multiple comments highlighted how the attendees appreciated the workshop, including: 11m very pleased with the whole concept of starting ar business. Inside Out reentry Community 500 N. Clinton St. Iowa City, IA. 52245 ( 19338-7996 This is ar very strong and promising way to help x offenders become more self sufficient. I'm grateful. Thank you so much." Overall, the Entrepreneurship Workshop was ar success and we look forward to offering it again in the future. Unheard Voices: Impacts of Incarceration on Children and Families Inside Out is planning a virtual forum on April 22nd, 2021 to discuss the hidden impacts of incarceration and reentry n children, partners, and family members. These groups often face challenges finding support for their situation, as well as the effects of the societal stigmas surrounding incarceration. The event includes a panel of service providers, who will discuss programming and support groups for these families and children, as enroll as ar panel f individuals who have been impacted by the incarceration of a loved one. This event discusses available opportunities and identifies gaps in support for these unheard voices. To: Iowa City Human Rights Commission FROM: I: Jennifer Sherer, Director, University of Iowa Labor Center DATE: April 1, 2021 .E: July, 2 -I larch, 2021 Progress Report: University of Iowa Labor Center Corridor Apprenticeship Opportunity Network The University of Iowa Labor Center's Corridor- Apprenticeship Opportunity Network links unemployed or underemployed Iowa City residents from underrepresented groups with opportunities to prepare for and enroll In Iowa Registered Apprentice programs in spilled construction trades. Starting in March of 2020, all events and courses related to this project were converted to online formats due to CVI-19. Virtual outreach events: we held three online orientation sessions (recording available at this link): littt)s://www.youtube.com/watch'.?v=v6xwETni , participated in events like the Iowa School Counselors virtual annual conference to distribute information about the program, conducted several virtual outreach events for high school and community college classes, conducted a statewide workshop on the program for the Iowa Mate Building and Construction Trades Council, hosted a multi -trade contractor fair to promote placement of program graduates with local contractors, and promoted the program heavily through communication with local nonprofit partners and via social media advertisements and circulation of digital fliers (example here: rttps�l al orcenter. ui owa. edu/sit s/labor en tei-. tr i c)wa . edu i l e l qpt t oweel pro'gra _- _nov 2020final_o.pdt Online apprenticeship readiness coarse: we held two online six -weep sessions of the apprenticeship readiness course during the sums er of 20201, two accelerated two -week course sessions in October and November, and a five -week session that started March 9 is now under way and will conclude In April, 2021. total of 26 Iowa. City -area residents were among those enrolled in these courses, and over half of were members of underrepresented groups targeted for recruitment to the program, including 7 women and 19 participants who sell -identified as Black, indigenous, or people of color 14 Flack, 4 Latina, and 1 Native American). Iowa women in Trades Zoom Gatherings: we launched monthly Zoom gatherings for the Iowa Women in Trades Network in July, 2020, and have since held Zoom meetings in August, September, ctober, December-, January, February, and March. This network so far has engaged over 80 total women, including at least 15 corridor area participants. Zoom Support Sessions for Course Graduates: Starting in October, 2020,vie initiated monthly follow- Llp Zoom support sessions for course graduates with a focus on providing support for first -generation immigrants, women, or BIPOC graduates who are in the process of submitting apprenticeship applications to training programs or preparing for interviews with contractors or training programs. We are on track to meet the goals set out in our proposal, except for having had to adjust our goal for local participation in the apprenticeship readiness course due to the shift to online formats during VID-1 : -Leach 250 workers through outreach and recruitment events -- Status: Goal met/exceeded. In place of in -person events during VII-1, Zoom orientation sessions held online reached 35 people when held live and were subsequently posted for viewing on our web site and youtubo channel where an additional 132 people have viewed the session so far; Zoom outreach sessions conducted for classes of Tate High School students and Kirkwood Community College ESL students reached another 45 com munity members, and online rn arketing ofthe program during CO II - 19 has reached several thousand people aria social media advertising. -Enroll at least 60 local residents in our apprenticeship readiness course -- Status: Goal adjusted due to COVII -19 conversion to online program in place of in -person course for local residents only. Shifting to online course delivery wring C VII -19 has meant that each course is open to participants from a wide geographic area rather than convening specific local cohorts for one location. Over 100 Iowans completed the course since July, 2020, and we continue to draw significant participation from Iowa City residents in each online course due to strong relationships with local community partners who promote and refer clients, students, or members to our program. Since July 2020, 26 Iowa City -area residents enrolled in online sessions of the apprenticeship readiness course, and over half were members of underrepresented groups targeted for recruitment to the program; of the 22 Iowa. City area residents enrolled during this grant period, 7 were women and 19 self -identified as Black, indigenous, or people of color (14 Black, 4 Latinx, and 1 Native American). -Include at least 40 graduates in support network activities — Status: Goal met exceeded. Iowa Women in Trades monthly Zoom meetings have engaged over 80 different women including five recent program graduates; newly established monthly support meetings for program graduates have been attended by seven recent program graduates, and over 60 program graduates have been reached by our staff directly with one -on -ore phone, text, or email consultations, access to National Career Readiness .dine Testing, referrals to training coordinators, assistance with interview preparation, or other supports. ACT >CHANGE To Whom It May Concern, May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. As you are planning (virtual) activities around this month, we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you to issue a declaration, proclamation, or statement in honor of the third annual "AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate" on May 18, 2021. May 18 is the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was beaten to death in a hate crime in 1982, an act that fueled a national Asian American activist movement. The need to continue this movement is still urgent. Last year, there were over 2,100 cases of COVID-19 related discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. AAPI youth faced unprecedented amounts of bullying online and offline. Our anti -bullying non-profit, Act To Change has a simple mission: we envision a world where all youth, including within the AAPI community, have the opportunity to grow up feeling proud and supported in the development of their identity and sharing of their stories. Every day, kids of all ages suffer from being bullied across the country. In the AAPI community, this problem is often compounded by cultural, religious, and linguistic barriers. Last year we marked the second annual AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, with proclamations and statements from nearly 20 cities and states, and 200 partner organizations. Our online event United We Stand was attended by over 25 community leaders, elected officials and influencers, and viewed by nearly 50,000 people - highlighting again the need for conversations and initiatives to protect youth from bullying. Your statement denouncing bullying and hate against the AAPI community would be powerful in demonstrating your commitment to this important issue. If you have any questions, please contact us info aaacttochange.o[g. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Maulik Pancholy Actor, Author, and Chair and Co -Founder of Act To Change ,ACT >CHPLNGE Sample Language for Proclamation/Citation/Public statement: • May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. • May 18 is the birthday of Vincent chin, who was brutally murdered in a hate crime in 1982. His murder fueled a national Asian American activist movement that continues to this day. • We have seen a staggering rise in bullying, discrimination, and hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community during the COVID-19 pandemic. • In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Vincent chin, May 18 shall be an AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate. • Every day, kids of all ages suffer from being bullied in schools and online across the country. • In the AAPI community, this problem is often compounded by cultural, religious, and linguistic barriers that can keep these youth from seeking and receiving help. And certain AAPI groups — including South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Micronesian, LGBT, immigrant, and limited English proficient youth — are more likely to be the targets of bullying. o 1 in 4 Asian American youth face COVID-1 9 related bullying. o Two-thirds of Sikh American students are victims of bullying. o Half of Muslim American students report being bullied because of their religion. Act To Change is a national nonprofit dedicated to fighting bullying in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. To find resources, visit ActTochange.org. • We join Act To Change in sharing one vision - a world where all youth, including within the AAPI community, have the opportunity to grow up feeling proud and supported in the development of their identities and sharing of their stories. • We will continue to empower students by advocating for systemic change and providing resources to promote healthy communities. • [OFFICIAL/MUNICIPALITY/ORGANIZATION] is committed to this important issue and encourages the public to foster dialogue, share resources, and learn more about what they can do to fight bullying. Email copy of document to: info(@_acttochange.org Physical copy can be sent to: Act To Change P.O. Box 23112 Washington, DC 20026 Status of Complaints April 20, 2021 Housing Complainant alleges landlord failed to reasonably accommodate their disability. No probable cause decision. Complainant alleges landlord discriminated against them based on age and disability. Administrative closure after Complainant objection. Complainant alleges landlord has discriminated against them based on race, sex, and familial status. Right to sue letter requested and issued, file closed. Complainant alleges HOA is discriminating against her based on disability, marital status, familial status, and presence of dependents Administrative Closure.