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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-05-2023 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconcilliation CommissionAd Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Thursday, October 5, 2023 Regular Meeting 7 PM - Emma J. Harvat Hall 410 E. Washington Street AGENDA: 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. READING OF NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: SEPTEMBER 21, AND SEPTEMBER 27, 2023. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS. 5. CORRESPONDENCE 6. TRC BUDGET PRESENTATION 7. CHANGE PHASE ONE TIMELINE 8. FOLLOW UP FACT FINDING SESSION 9. CIRCLES AND CIRCLE TRAININGS 10. TRUTH -TELLING TRAINING SESSIONS (OCTOBER 25 AND 26) 11.STRATEGIC DOING UPDATE 12. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF STAFF & COMMISSIONERS THIS ITEM INCLUDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BRIEF UPDATES FROM STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION ON UPDATES. 13. ADJOURNMENT 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 is different than the meeting link and ID for the third Thursday. First Thursday Meetings ID: 867 2424 8095 Third Thursday Meetings 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. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all City of Iowa City - sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in these events, please contact the Office of Equity and Human Rights at 319-356-5022 or humanrights(abiowa-city.org. Agenda Item #2 Native American Land Acknowledgement Prepared for the City of Iowa City's Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Human Rights Commission PURPOSE Iowa City owes its existence to the many Indigenous Peoples who were the original stewards of this land and who were subjected to manipulation and violence by non-native settlers, invaders, and governments in order to make this moment possible. Acknowledgement of this truth is central to our work toward reconciliation across all barriers of difference and injustice. Starting with a Native American Land Acknowledgement, this Commission will bear witness to the legacies of violent displacement, migration, and settlement that have marginalized those who were the first inhabitants of this land. We must also address the mistreatment and exclusion that Native Americans continue to face today. The Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Human Rights Commission encourage the community and City of Iowa City to join us in these efforts through the use of a Native American Land Acknowledgement. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT To be read at all public meetings and events: "We meet today in the community of Iowa City, which now occupies the homelands of Native American Nations to whom we owe our commitment and dedication. The area of Iowa City was within the homelands of the Iowa, Meskwaki, and Sauk, and because history is complex and time goes far back beyond memory, we also acknowledge the ancient connections of many other Indigenous Peoples here. The history of broken treaties and forced removal that dispossessed Indigenous Peoples of their homelands was and is an act of colonization and genocide that we can not erase. We implore the Iowa City community to commit to understanding and addressing these injustices as we work toward equity, restoration, and reparations." LEARN MORE Native Governance Center Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement US Department of Arts and Culture: Honor Native Land Virtual Resources and Guide Meskwaki Nation - History Special thanks to the University of Iowa Native American Council for their work and guidance, as well as members of the public, for their input. Agenda Item q3 September 21, 2023 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Emma J. Harvat, City Hall Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Chad Simmons, Louis Tassinary, Lauren Merritt, Wangui Gathua, Marie Krebs. Commissioners not present: Eric Harris, Sikowis Nobiss, Clif Johnson. Staff present: Stefanie Bowers, Redmond Jones. Meeting called to order: 7:05 p.m. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Dillard read the Land Acknowledgement. Approval of the minutes from August 24, September 7, and September 21: Simmons moved, the motion was seconded by Tassinary. Motion passed 6-0. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: Annie Tucker mentioned a report done back in 2013 by the Iowa City Coalition of Racial Justice, and a racial equity report completed by the City of Iowa City in 2015. Tucker thought that the TRC could use these reports in its fact-finding session on September 27. Strategic Doing Workshops Follow Up: Three events total were held, one of which was done in Spanish. The 3 pathfinder projects are: 1) A Financial Literacy & Credit Builder Program. Members: Tracy Jon Sargeant, Charles Eastham, Amos Kiche, Louis Tassinary. Meeting October 30 at 6 pm at the Center for Worker Justice. 2) Community Cohort- Develop a curriculum for a cohort of community members to engage in truth -telling, fact-finding, and reconciliation/healing throughout the community. Members: Monica Nieves, Chastity Dillard, Tony Branch, Laura Bergus, Annie Tucker, Clif Johnson, Mark Pries, Kim Scott, Wangui Gathua. Meeting October 1 at 4 pm at ICORE Boxing Club. 3) A Focused Marketing Campaign for BIPOC & Ethnically Oppressed Peoples to connect them to employment opportunities & training through Iowa Works. Members: Lauren Merritt, Kate Moreland, Nancy Bird, Marie Krebs, Corey Johnson. Meeting October 2 at 5 pm on Zoom. 1 Additional ideas were faith -based curriculum for anti -racist work, and African community space hosted at ICOR Boxing. *Spanish Pathfinder Projects 1) Wage Theft, 2) Cultural Space. Where Do We Go from Here — A Suggested Roadmap Our Future Presentation: Simmons spoke on suggested next steps for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They include continue lifelong learning process, communicate the need for the TRC to be a permanent commission, develop and gain support for a new charter, finalize the TRC process, final presentations, and new commission would begin in July 2024. Fact -Finding Session: It will he held on September 27 in the Assembly Room at the Senior Center. Kearns and West will facilitate it. It will include an agreement of how fact-finding should go. Phase One Facilitator Work Plan: The Healing Partners will select dates between October 9-23 to conduct two circles. Staff will work on a location. Adjourned: 9:04 p.m. To view the video of this meeting please visit this link. - ! £ § ] ] \ ) ) } ƒ $ � q September 27, 2023 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Assembly Room, Iowa City Senior Center Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Lauren Merritt, Wangui Gathua, Louis Tassinary, Chad Simmons. Commissioners not present: Eric Harris, Marie Krebs, Sikowis Nobiss, Clif Johnson. Staff present: Redmond Jones, Stefanie Bowers. Meeting called to order: 5:47. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Merritt read the Land Acknowledgement. Fact -Finding Workshop: The facilitators opened the conversation by going over important considerations. What does fact-finding mean to you? What makes something factual? What standards should the TRC use to identity a piece of information as fact? How should the TRC define the facts that need to be found to fulfill its mandate? Key questions are topics, sources, depictions, context, and other considerations. Topics include but are not limited to public safety, economy, civil life, housing, and health. The Commission spent the rest of the meeting time discussing and selecting focus topics and within those topics' sources of data, indicators, and methodology for collection. Kearns and West compiled the information and will provide follow-up to the TRC as its next meeting date. Adjourned: 9:04 r a R r R x r M N a C. 0. -� F-� 0. P- C. e r N N N N N N Q •6 � m � ++ G O y Agenda Item # 11 TRC Spanish Strategic Doing Workshop: Pathfinder Projects Group 1: Marcela Hurtado, Horacio Borgen Alfaro, Emilio Estrada, Elizabeth Bernal Notetaker: Horacio Borgen Alfaro Strategic Opportunity: Empowering Communities on Their Labor Rights Characteristics KPI 1. Wage theft 1. Decrease in complaints at The Center for 2. Labor workshops Worker Justice 3. Create a Marketing campaign - Infographics 2. Increase in community participants 4. Invite experts from other out-of-state 3. Engagement across social networks organizations 4. Smoother communication between 5. Financial Education organizations 6. Coalition of business owners in affected 5. Increase partner Organizations and areas to promote being socially responsible increase in coalition membership Pilot Project: Empowering Communities on Their Labor Rights Guideposts Dates 1. Contact all organizations working on labor 1. October 191h, 2023 rights 2. Find the audience for workshops and 2. December 19', 2023 trainings. With the organizations look for the topics for the workshops. 3. Implement workshops and trainings 3. March 191h, 2024 Next meeting: October 191h, 2023 at 3 PM at South District Market. Group 2: Bryan Garduno Gonzalez, Consuelo Guayara, Janet Marceline, Abdias Torres, Paola Jaramillo, Maria Cachua, Maria Teresa Martinez, Notetaker: Paola Jaramillo Strategic Opportunity: Create a physical space for community members of color and oppressed communities to create community with each other, have their voices be heard, and provide opportunities to immerse themselves in their cultures and shared values. Characteristics KPI • Leadership at this Community Cultural • People of oppressed communities are Center represents those underestimated afforded leadership opportunities and populations and are engrained in those community members feel seen and communities. welcomed by those that they feel represent them. • Creating opportunities to learn about • Number of community events for cross- cultural differences to create empathy in culture integration and for place -making. shared struggles and find empowerment • Increased engagement in number of to promote change for all. participants in events across cultures. • Lead trainings on personal and mental 0 Community members will feel health growth with trauma -informed empowered and capable of leading and professionals. improving their community. • A physical space that will facilitate the • Create healthier communities that will be healing of past traumas from the lived better organized and connected to help experiences in our community. all members thrive in ways that serve them best. • Communities will feel more integrated • Communities will feel more comfortable within their own cultures but also with sharing their issues and celebrating their those with shared values wins with those who best understand their lived experiences. Pilot Project: Find and create a physical space for community members of color and oppressed communities to create community with each other, have their voices be heard, and provide Opportunities to immerse themselves in their cultures and shared values. Guide Post Dates Socialize the idea of a physical cultural space with those in the Latino community Between December 10 a January 10 ** this will capitalize on posadas and similar cultural celebrations around the holidays. Create a brand for the idea and digital November 101h, 2023 communication strategies Socialize with other cultural and community February 2024 groups. Next meeting: October 191h, 2023 at 6 PM.