HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 23 2022 HRC Agenda and PacketHuman Rights Commission
August 23, 2022
Formal Meeting – 5:30 PM
Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall
Agenda:
1.Call the meeting to order and roll call
2.Reading of Land Acknowledgement
3.Approval of July 26, 2022, 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.Introduction of Ayman Sharif, City’s Outreach & Engagement Specialist
6.Update on the Johnson County Direct Assistance Program
7.Strategic Planning
a.Committee assignments
b.Draft communication to council outlining work
8.Coralville Pride (September 4, 11 AM-8 PM)
9.Climate Fest (September 23 at Wetherby Park, 5 PM – 8 PM)
10.IDI Assessment Feedback
11.Racial Equity & Social Justice Grant Updates
a.Review & Update application and rubric
b.Dates for RESJ Grant Informational Sessions (November 9 at 6 PM & November 16 at
Noon)
12.One Community One Book 2022 (October 7 at 7 PM)
13.Human Rights Awards (October 26 at 7 AM)
a.Subcommittee to review nominations
14.Staff/Commission Announcements (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one
another concerning said announcements)
15.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.
DRAFT
Draft Minutes
Human Rights Commission
July 26, 2022
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Commissioners present: Mark Pries, Jason Glass, Roger Lusala, Ashley Lindley (via Zoom), Bijou
Maliabo, Siri Felker, Sylvia Jons, Kelsey Paul Shantz.
Commissioners not present: None.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers, Daisy Torres.
Others present who spoke: Emily Sinnwell, Ninoska Campos, Brisney Garcia, Sophie Banegas, Gisela Bosas,
Daniella Bosas.
Recommendation to City Council: Yes. In August 2021, the Iowa City Human Rights Commission
unanimously passed a recommendation urging the Iowa City Council to provide American Rescue Plan
funds to provide direct payments to those who did not receive federal stimulus payments during the
pandemic.
Much of that goal has been accomplished. Through funds provided primarily by Johnson County and Iowa
City, over 1,900 payments of $1,400 have been approved for distribution this month. While that should
certainly be celebrated, the work is not done. Due to expanding the eligibility for payments to those who
had received previous stimulus payments who were still in need (a laudable goal) and guidelines limiting
certain funds be spent in specific ways, 319 applicants deemed eligible were notified they would not be
receiving a payment. This includes people who did not receive previous federal payments as well, making
this news particularly difficult.
We urge all entities, the county and city councils within Johnson County, to come together to rectify this
gap. We know that each entity can articulate reasons that they have done enough or that others have not,
but that line of thinking does not solve the problem. The people who were not selected should be the
priority. They are people that contribute to our communities in total, not just the city limits they reside in
or out of. Where they work, where their children go to school, and where they spend their money all cross
city boundaries. They make Johnson County and all its municipalities a more vibrant place to live. They are
our neighbors.
We trust that the Iowa City Council and all entities in Johnson County can find a funding solution as quickly
as possible. Time is valuable and waiting is costly.
Meeting called to order: 5:32 PM.
Native American Land Acknowledgement: Jons read the Land Acknowledgement.
Public comment of items not on the agenda: None.
Introduction of new member: Kelsey Paul Shantz was recently appointed to the Human Rights
Commission. She is filling an unexpired term.
Approval of meeting minutes of May 24, 2022: Lusala moved, Maliabo seconded. Motion passed 8-0.
DRAFT
Approval of meeting minutes of July 11, 2022: Lusala moved, Felker seconded. Motion passed 8-0.
Johnson County Direct Assistance Program: Campos spoke as an Excluded Worker who a year ago won 3.5
million dollars Excluded Workers but to date 319 have been left out. It is discrimination against them. Iowa
City has the resources to bless Excluded Worker.
Garcia who did not receive any direct assistance because she lives on South Scott Boulevard. Persons who
reside in this mobile home park need the help that the direct assistance would provide for them.
Sinnwell noted that having the support of the Human Rights Commission would go along way. Banegas
reported that no other City in Johnson County can assist the Excluded Workers. Bosas applied for the
lottery but did not receive a check and she is a single mom who needs the assistance to support her family.
Her daughter Daniella spoke in support of her mother.
Pries moved to recommend the Commission send the recommendation to the City Council, Jons seconded.
The motion passed 7-0. (Maliabo not present).
Funding Request: University of Iowa’s Center for Human Rights: The Center is hosting the 2022 One
Community, One Book program in the fall. “An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago” by Alex
Kotlowitz is the selected book for this year. The Center is requesting funding to offset the cost of bringing
the author to Iowa City. Pries moved to sponsor the event in the amount of $500, the motion was
seconded by Jons. The motion passed 7-0 (Maliabo not present).
Update on Race-Based Calls Campaign: The video has been released by the City and includes
Commissioners Glass, Maliabo, and Jons.
Social Justice & Racial Equity Grant Updates: The request for extensions from the Iowa City Area Chinese
Association FY22 was approved through 2024. Lusala moved, Jons seconded. The motion passed 7-0.
(Maliabo not present). The request to extend the Labor Center’s project through 2023 was moved by
Felker and seconded by Lusala. Motion passed 7-0. (Maliabo not present).
The Commission will spend their August meeting date to go over and make any needed revisions to the
grant application and the rubric in preparation for the next grant cycle for fiscal year 2022.
Strategic Planning: The Commission voted on the creation of 3 committees: Building Bridges, Breaking
Bread, and Reciprocal Relationship Building. Staff will send out a poll to Commissioners that will allow
them to rank in order the committee they wish to serve on. Motion by Lusala, seconded by Felker. Motion
passed 7-0. (Maliabo not present).
The Commission decided the theme for this year is “nimble”. Lusala moved, Felker seconded. Motion
passed 7-0. (Maliabo not present).
Upcoming events: Commissioners will sponsor booths at Coralville Pride (September 4) and the Climate
Festival (September 23).
DRAFT
Announcements of staff and commissioners: Torres invited Commissioner to attend one or more of the
upcoming National Night Outs. Pries participated in the “High on the Hog” discussions as part of
Juneteenth and found the conversations very enlightening. Paul Shantz spoke on a committee she serves
on that is a new initiative to look at community violence. Glass will be a panelist at the upcoming Corridor
Business Journal’s Diversity Summit.
Adjourned: 7:36 PM.
DRAFT
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2022
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
1/25 2/22 3/29 4/26 5/24 6/28 7/11 7/26 8/23 9/27 10/25 11/22 12/27
Jason Glass 2022 P P P P P - P P
Ashley Lindley 2022 P P P P P - P P
Mark Pries 2022 P P P P P - P P
Roger Lusala 2023 P P P P P - P P
Bijou Maliabo 2023 P P P P P - P P
Kelsey Paul Shantz 2023 - - P
Siri Felker 2024 P A P P P - P P
Sylvia Jons 2024 P A P P P - A P
Ali Ahmed 2024 P P P A P - A R
KEY: P = Present
A = Absent
R = Resigned
DRAFT
Subcommittees - Human Rights Commission 2022
Breaking Bread – Jason, Ashley
Reciprocal Relationships – Roger, Siri, Sylvia
Building Bridges – Bijou, Kelsey, Mark
RESJ Grant – Ashley, Sylvia, Siri, Roger
DRAFT
Agenda Item #7
DRAFT
Agenda Item #11a
DRAFT
DRAFT
DRAFT
DRAFT
DRAFT
Grant Application Edits:
Organizational Information:
New Question 1: Please confirm that you are comfortable with a HRC member reaching out to all RESJ grant
recipients to offer continued support for your project and assist in sharing project results.
Name of Organization → Website -- KEEP
Contact Person:
*Cut the last question (provide an example…)
Proposal:
Q1. The title of my project is …
Q2. Provide a narrative describing your proposed project.
Q3. Is this a new project proposal or a continuing project?
[dropdown: new / continuous]
*CUT “what is the program, service, or activity”
Q4. This program will advance racial equity / social justice by … [complete the sentence format]
*CUT “six priority areas” question & “community need” question (redundant with Q4 above)
Q5. Please list the community organizations that you have collaborated with in the last 5 years (please include
a brief description of the project and the time span of collaboration).
Q6. This project will serve community members of which projected demographic groups? (responses should
include age, race, gender and income).
*CUT “how many members …” question
Q7. Is there a charge to participate in the proposed project? If yes, why?
Q8. What does success for this project look like? (how many people will it impact and how?)
*CUT “what indicators or metrics” & “what processes or tools” & “how shared” questions
Q9. Will the project continue after the SJRE Grant funding ends? What measures will you take to ensure that it
does?
*CUT “if proposal includes fees …” question
DRAFT
Agenda Item #11a
Funding Amount Request:
*CUT “how will funding be utilized?”
Q2. What is the organization’s annual budget?
Q3. Please list other funding sources for this project (please not applied for v. received, and amount)
Budget:
*CUT revenue section
*New format for entries (see below)
Item Brief Description Unit Cost ($)Quantity Total ($)
Q2. Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.
Q3. Please indicate when the major project activities will occur.
*CUT 4 Questions: “funding from IC”, “funding from non-IC”, “additional funding”, “how much needed”, skipping
to …
Q4. Can this project be completed with less funding?
DRAFT
RESJ Application #
1. The mission statement of the organization aligns with racial equity or social justice
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
2. The proposal advances racial equity or social justice
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
3. The proposal will have a significant impact on community members
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
4. The proposal has a clear vision of what success will look like:
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
Racial Equity & Social Justice Rubric FY22 (DRAFT)Agenda Item #11a
5.The proposal shows potential for sustainability beyond the RESJ funding: period:
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
6.The timeline for the proposal is feasible:
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
7.The proposed budget demonstrates reasonable costs to achieve projected goals:
Strongly agree (10)
Agree (8)
Somewhat agree (6)
Neither agree nor disagree (4)
Somewhat disagree (2)
Disagree (1)
Strongly disagree (0)
8.Comments regarding the overall proposal:
9.Total points 0-25:
DRAFT
Agenda Item #12