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Home My WebLink AboutTRC Agenda 8 4 22 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Agenda Thursday, August 4, 2022, 7 PM Emma J. Harvat Hall City Hall 410 E. Washington Street In order to encourage input from the public, the Commission intends to offer the opportunity to participate in the meeting remotely. However, this meeting is in-person, and those wishing to ensure their ability to participate should attend the meeting in person. If you instead wish to participate remotely, you may attempt to do so by joining the below link. Please note that the meeting link and ID for the first Thursday of each month is different than the link and ID for the third Thursday of each month. First Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cMIaaV6cTxGwOlWu2-hFHg ID: 867 2424 8095 Third Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lcIl8llPSRq1u0xPlL-1Ew ID: 895 3695 0485 If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you can call in by phone by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting ID when prompted. Meeting Agenda: 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM JULY 21, 2022 5. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS) 6. FOLLOW UP ON JOINT WORK SESSION WITH CITY COUNCIL ON THE DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR FACILITATOR SERVICES INCLUDING OCCURRENCE AFTER THE SESSION 7. WAYS TRC COMMISSIONERS CAN SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER 8. TRC LEADERSHIP 9. THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS, THE JOHNSON COUNTY DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND EXCLUDED WORKERS 10. FOLLOW UP ON A PROCLAMATION LED BY COMMISSIONER NOBISS FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY THE CITY ANNUALLY ON MAY 2 11. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS/STAFF (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER CONCERNING SAID ANNOUNCEMENTS) 12. ADJOURNMENT If you will need a disability-related accommodation to participate in this meeting please contact the Equity Director, 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. July 21, 2022 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall Commissioners present: Mohamed Traore (via Zoom), Amel Ali, Chastity Dillard, Clif Johnson, Eric Harris, Sikowis (Christine Nobiss) (via Zoom), Daphney Daniel, Kevo Rivera, Wangui Gathua. Staff present: Stefanie Bowers. Others present who spoke: Annie Tucker, Angie Jordan, Emily Sinnwell, Larry Schooler, David Ragland, Ninoska Campos, V. Fixmer-Oraiz, Brisney Garcia. . Recommendations to City Council: Yes, recently, hundreds of eligible applicants to Johnson’s County’s Direct Assistance Program were denied long-awaited and much-needed pandemic relief payments, while Iowa City received back several hundred thousand dollars of its committed contribution to the program. Ensuring that marginalized members of our community receive relief is an issue of socioeconomic and racial equity. The Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommends and urges Iowa City Council to authorize a redistribution of available American Rescue Plan Act funds back to the Direct Assistance Program so that all eligible applicants will receive relief payments. Meeting called to order: 7:03. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Rivera read the Land Acknowledgement. Nominations and vote for Chair and Vice Chair: Rivera nominated Ali for chair, the nomination was seconded by Dillard. Ali accepted the nomination. Motion passed 7-0 (Daniel abstained). Ali nominated Dillard for vice chair, Gathua seconded. Dillard accepted the nomination. Motion passed 8-0. Approval of Minutes from June 16, 2022: Ali moved, and Dillard seconded. Motion passed 8-0. (Sikowis not present for the vote). Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: Jordan expressed gratitude for persons who came and/or have supported the Diversity Markets. Discussion on a proclamation led by Commissioner Nobiss for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women led by Commissioner Nobiss: Not discussed. The American Rescue Plan Act Funds, the Johnson County Direct Assistance Program, and Excluded Workers: Campos spoke on behalf of the Excluded Workers. Campos is seeking justice for those most affected by the pandemic, and so it is only fair that they receive the $1400.00 payment. There have been 319 people left out of the payments that applied for them as part of the lottery. These 319 people being left out is discriminatory. Garcia feels that she and others should be included in the lottery and that it is not fair that only 1900 persons received the payments. Sinnwell read a letter from a Coralville resident who did not receive assistance under the lottery. They feel that the lottery was not random and that it favored persons who reside in Iowa City. Iowa City received the most funding out of all of the cities in Johnson County and the best way to help people is to put money directly in their pockets. TRC members plan to participate in public comment at the next City Council meeting on August 2. It was noted that TRC members should send correspondence to all local governments in Johnson County to demand that the 319 left out should receive payment. Rivera moved, and Harris seconded to approve the below statement that will be sent to the City Council prior to their meeting on August 2. Motion passed 8-0. Rivera or another designated member of the TRC will read this statement. “Recently, hundreds of eligible applicants to Johnson’s County’s Direct Assistance Program were denied long-awaited and much-needed pandemic relief payments, while Iowa City received back several hundred thousand dollars of its committed contribution to the program. Ensuring that marginalized members of our community receive relief is an issue of socioeconomic and racial equity. The Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommends and urges Iowa City Council to authorize a redistribution of available American Rescue Plan Act funds back to the Direct Assistance Program so that all eligible applicants will receive relief payments.” Draft Proposal submitted by Think Peace, Kearns and West, Three Native Partners, and the Healing Partners Team: The draft proposal recognizes everyone’s skills and expertise. It is broken into two phases. One, for 3 months, and the second, for 4 months. The benefit to the two phases is that after each phase is completed the group along with the TRC can evaluate and reflect prior to moving on to the next step. Every community is different in how they approach this work. One thing that is different from previous proposals is that this one includes a request for the City to hire a TRC Coordinator. It would be a half-time position and the coordinator’s primary responsibility would be to facilitate commission discussions and actions informing, confirming, and assessing truth-telling, fact-finding, and reconciliation processes. The draft proposal follows the three charges of the TRC: 1. truth-telling, 2. fact-finding, and 3. Reconciliation. Declaration of Principles of Conversation: Ali read the mission statement of the TRC. MISSION STATEMENT WHO ARE WE? Our Commission represents a collection of citizen activists from diverse backgrounds calling on the Iowa City community to account for their history of racialize oppression. We are individuals who are committed to structural change, truth telling, healing trauma and repair. We share in common a vision for an equitable and sustainable community free of violence and systemic racism. We believe the time has come to foster change. OUR MISSION The Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission is committed to implementing and sustaining grassroots, community-centered truth-telling processes to address past and present instances of both direct and indirect actions of violence, discrimination, and racism in Iowa City. We will collect testimony from a variety of institutions including but not limited to schools, housing providers, government officials, health care, banking institutions, and law enforcement. Ragland briefly discussed the declaration of principles that are interconnected to the values of the TRC and represents their own self-definition. Tasks for Commissioners for Outreach: This will be discussed at a later meeting date. Commission Announcements: Traore commented on a misstatement that was recently attributed to him. Traore also noted that ICOR Boxing will be hosting a state boxing tournament in November. Dillard encouraged community members and TRC members to attend the upcoming National Night Out. Dillard also will be starring in the play “Little Shop of Horrors” sponsored by City Circle Theatre. Ali gave out the new number to the suicide and crisis lifeline – 988. Gathua spoke about her work with Nisaa African Family Services and that the organization will be doing outreach this fall at the University of Iowa. Daniels reminded everyone to take care of themselves and their pets doing the hot weather that is predicted over the upcoming weekend. Adjourned: 8:43. City Board and Commission meetings are recorded and can be viewed in their entirety by visiting this link. AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2022 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 1/20 2/3 2/17 3/3 3/17 4/7 5/5 5/19 6/2 6/16 7/7 7/21 8/4 Ali 6/22 P P P P P P P P P P - P Daniel 6/22 A P A P P P P A A P - P Dillard 6/22 P P A P P P P P P P - P Gathua 6/22 P P P P P P P P P A - P Johnson 6/22 P P P P P P P P P P - P Harris 6/22 A P P P P P P P P P - P Nobiss 6/22 A P A P A A A P P P - P Rivera 6/22 P P P P P A A A P P - P Traore 6/22 P P P A P P P P P P - P KEY: P = Present A = Absent Late Handout(s)