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Home My WebLink AboutHRC Agenda for 9 28 2021 (002)Human Rights Commission September 28, 2021 Formal Meeting – 5:30PM Emma J. Harvat Hall, Iowa City City Hall Agenda: 1.Call the meeting to order and roll call 2.Reading & Discussion of Land Acknowledgment 3.Approval of the August 24, 2021 meeting minutes 4.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) 5.American Rescue Plan & The Excluded Workers Fund Discussion/Updates 6.United Nations International Day of Older Persons: Housing Insecurity and Human Rights in Johnson County (October 1 at 3PM) 7.Celebrating Differences: Getting Comfortable Through Disability Awareness (October 12 at 9AM) 8.Subcommittees: Housing, Anti-Racism, Health Equity 9.Indigenous Peoples' Day Proclamation for the City Council formal meeting date of October 5. 10.Human Rights Award Presentations (October 27 at 7:30AM) 11.Staff/Commission Announcements. (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements). 12.Adjournment If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this meeting please contact Human Rights Coordinator, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS AGENDA ITEM #2 •LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AGENDA ITEM #4 •DRAFT MINUTES FROM AUGUST 24, 2021 AGENDA ITEM #7 •CELEBRATING DIFFERENCES: GETTING COMFORTABLE THROUGH DISABILITY AWARENESS Draft Minutes Human Rights Commission August 24, 2021 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners present: Mark Pries, Siri Bruhn, Jessica Andino, Jason Glass, Bijou Maliabo, Roger Lusala, Tony Sivanthaphanith. Commissioners not present: Adil Adams, Ashley Lindley. Staff present: Stefanie Bowers, Daisy Torres. Others present who spoke: Jason Genck, Danielle Wilson, Juan Manuel Galvez Ibarra, Dr. Kathy Lee-Son, Ninoska Campos, Jacquelin (last name unknown), Rosa Brito Pastor, Emily Sinnwell, David Goodner, Barb Stanerson, Ann Houlahan. Recommendation to City Council: Yes, the Iowa City Human Rights Commission recognizes the hardships to Iowa City residents caused by the COVID pandemic. Some of the most impacted have been ineligible or otherwise unable to access federal benefits, relief programs and stimulus payments available to others. We would urge the Iowa City Council to consider allocating American Rescue Act funds as direct payments and other assistance to these residents, such as the $8M pilot program promoted by the Excluded Worker Fund coalition, in conjunction with Johnson County. Further, given the urgency of the situation many of these residents are in, we would support the City Council directing some portion of the funds to this cause immediately while input is gathered and considered on the use of the funds in total. This would not prohibit further use of the funds for the same purposes once all other options are considered. Motion passed 5-0. (Lusala and Bruhn were not present for the vote). Meeting called to order: 5:31 PM. Land Acknowledgement: Andino read the land acknowledgement. Approval of the minutes from the July 27, 2021 meeting: Pries moved; the motion was seconded by Lusala. Motion passed 6-0. (Maliabo not present for the vote). Public comment of items not on the agenda: None. Iowa City Comprehensive Recreation Facilities and Program Master Plan: Jason Genck and Danielle Wilson, Consultants with Berry Dunn had a conversation with the Commission on how to successfully engage the community specifically as it relates to recreational facilities. To date, Genck and Daniel have spoken with City staff in Human Rights, Police Outreach, and Neighborhood and Development Services. Their preliminary plan is to get out and engage with the community on the master plan. Suggestions from Commissioners included reaching out to: local non-profits, service providers for persons who are homeless, youth service organizations, South District Neighborhood Association, and the Great Plains Action Society. Staff will follow-up this conversation by forwarding Genck’s contact information out to Commissioners. American Rescue Plan & The Excluded Workers Fund: Representatives from the Excluded Worker’s Fund asked the Commission to recommend to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and the Iowa City Council to immediately create an $8 million pilot project now, with no restrictions, in order to meet needs of excluded workers. An $8 million Excluded Workers Fund pilot program would deliver $3,200 in stimulus to the 2,500 most vulnerable and excluded workers. The city and the county should split the cost of the pilot fund 50/50, $4 million each, and work with the Excluded Worker’s Coalition to iron out the other details. Comments made under this agenda item from supporters of the Excluded Workers Fund included: • Excluded workers and their families cannot continue to wait for the money. • The withholding of these funds is a human rights issue. • The funds are the needed foundation of equity for all residents who need assistance and help. • The funds should be distributed to those most invisible. • Many of the excluded workers do not qualify for unemployment or medical benefits/insurance. • Latinos experienced the worst parts of the pandemic. • During this pandemic excluded workers either lost their jobs, had their hours cut, and/or both extremes. • Excluded workers cannot wait for the comprehensive plan but need the financial support immediately. Glass moved to recommend to the City Council a prepared statement he wrote, Pries seconded. After discussion, it was decided to add the 8-million-dollar request to the recommendation. Motion passed 5-0. (Lusala and Bruhn not present for the vote). HRC Subcommittees: Housing: No update. Anti-Racism: No report. Health Equity: the group is working on getting college student support for some of its initiatives. Commission Statement in Support of Black Lives Matter: Commissioners were encouraged to review the City’s Preliminary Plan to Restructure the Police Department that was sent out by staff back in July. Social Justice and Racial Equity Grants: There is still one organization that has not submitted their final report for the fiscal year 2020. National Hispanic American Heritage Month Proclamation: Andino will accept the proclamation at the September 7, 2021 City Council meeting. Human Rights Awards: The awards will be presented on Wednesday, October 27 at 7:30AM at City Hall. Nominations are being solicited through September 30. There will be no breakfast this year due to the ongoing pandemic. Reports of Commissioners: Maliabo is enjoying her work at a local funeral home. Andino has been selected as a board member of the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County and has her first meeting this Friday, August 20. Staff Reports: Torres provided an update on the success of the B.U.L.B. (Building Unity Linking Businesses for Safety) program event. It was held at Riverfront Crossings and over 25 vouchers were distributed on August 10th. Bowers encouraged Commissioners to participate in several upcoming events including Part 2 of the School to Prison Pipeline (Sept. 8) and the in-person discussion with Civil Rights Activist Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and her Filmmaker son Loki on her life and times as a Freedom Rider. Adjourned: 7:41 PM. (To view this meeting video please visit https://www.icgov.org/city-government/boards/human-rights- commission.) Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2021 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 1/26 2/23 3/23 4/27 5/25 6/22 7/27 8/24 9/28 10/26 11/23 12/28 Adil Adams 2021 X X E X X X E E Jessica Andino 2021 X X X X X X X X Siri Bruhn 2021 - - - - - - - X Jason Glass 2022 X X X X X O/E X X Ashley Lindley 2021 X X X X X X X E Roger Lusala 2023 X X E X X X X X Bijou Maliabo 2023 X X X X X X X X Mark Pries 2022 X X X X X O/E X X Tony Sivanthaphanith 2023 - - - X X X X X KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting --- = Not a Member This program is sponsored by the City of Iowa City Office of Equity and Human Rights If you will need a disability-related accommodation to participate in this meeting please contact Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your accessibility needs. @ichumanrights October 12, 9–10AM, via zoom Speaker Darla Wilkerson, CEO of the Center for Disability Inclusion Darla has over 34 years of experience connecting businesses to people with disabilities for employment. Darla is the CEO for the Center for Disability Inclusion, this business led organization works with companies to help them advance their disability inclusion efforts in the workplace and marketplace. Darla self identifies as a person with a disability since acquiring a brain injury in 2006 and understands the challenges that many face when obtaining and maintaining employment. She holds a master’s degree in public administration with a non-profit emphasis from University of Missouri-Kansas City and has served on many national and statewide boards focusing on increased employment for people with disabilities. This webinar will focus on best practices for disability inclusion & awareness. Learn about: • Disability Statistics • Sharpen your skills on disability awareness & etiquette • Tips for Recruitment/ Hiring Managers Celebrating Differences Getting Comfortable Through Disability Awareness