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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Transcript - May 4, 2023[00:00:00] [00:00:07] It's 7:08. Stephanie, can we get roll-call, please. [00:00:11] Commissioner Dillard. [00:00:12] Here. [00:00:13] Commissioner Gathua. [00:00:15] Yes. [00:00:16] Commissioner Harris. [00:00:18] Commissioner Johnson. [00:00:20] Here. [00:00:21] Commissioner Krebs. [00:00:22] Here. [00:00:23] Commissioner Merritt. [00:00:24] Here. [00:00:24] Commissioner Nobiss. [00:00:26] Here. [00:00:27] Commissioner Rivera. [00:00:27] Here. [00:00:29] We can't use. Thank you. So we'll get started by the reading of the Native American land acknowledgment. Would anyone else like to read it? [00:00:39] You know what? Eric is online. [00:00:40] Is he online? [00:00:41] Yeah. [00:00:41] Great. So I'll go ahead and read it. 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 [00:01:00] of the Iowa, Mesquaki), Sac. And because history is complex and time goes far back beyond memory, we also acknowledged 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 cannot erase. We employ the Iowa City community to commit to understanding and addressing these injustices as we work toward equity, restoration and reparations. Could we go on to agenda item number three and approval of the meeting minutes. A motion. [00:01:40] I move. [00:01:42] From there I second. [00:01:44] It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the meeting minutes from April 6, 2023. All those in favor say aye. Aye. [OVERLAPPING] [00:01:55] Any one opposed? [00:01:58] Awesome. [00:01:58] Anyone abstaining? [00:02:00] Motion passes. [00:02:02] Next, we'll move into public comment of items not on the agenda. Is there anyone online that would like to speak? Please raise your hand. Is there anyone in the public that like to speak? Items not on the agenda, and I'm sure you knew that. [LAUGHTER] You want to state your name. [00:02:28] Hello everyone. Mohamed Traore hear. [LAUGHTER] So great to be able to address you all. I'm really proud of all the work that you're doing for our community. You're much needed and always will be here to support you. Some things I wanted to note to start is I didn't share a lot of this with you all while I was on the commission. But a part of it was just that I wanted to make sure that we kept things focused until we got the budget passed. But I've collected a lot of notes for you and, [00:03:00] they'll have to be submitted since they're written as part of the TRC. But that was the plan. The main things I want to share with you. So we had a lot of notes that came up about outreach to the community and really making sure people see you and really making sure they know you. And there's a few great books that I read on this. So I want to bring up one of them now. It's the art of community. And it says, Man that talks about when he first moved to a community, didn't really know anyone, didn't really have any friends. And he just talks about what he and his partner did to invite others into their home and get them to really see each other and become friends and more of a community. I really learned a lot there. Another one, this one has a lot of significance to me. This books really changed my life. I read it in [00:04:00] 2019, but the values hold till today. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. That one there, the big key in there is that the book talks about beginning with the end in mind. What does that mean and why do I bring that up? It's really hard to do a process when you're sitting here. Alright, I'm in this position today, but this is what I want to get too. Because then you just start thinking of obstacles. A better way to think of it is, where do I want to end up and then work backwards from their BI solutions minded of, Okay, if I want to get here, what is the precursor step to that. If I want to end up at school on time, what happens right before I get to school. Right. And then the step before that and the step before that, the step before that finally [00:05:00] until, you know where you are in that moment. Why that's key is that then gives you each of those steps. And then if you want to think about the issues, well, you can connect the dots to each of the issues, but you do also see the next steps along that line. Now it's okay, this is a problem, but this is the next step. So if I want to achieve this, what can I do to address that problem? What resources do I have? Who do I know? Who can I ask for help? But you have your journey mapped out now. So it's much easier to do that process. The last note I want to give to you is that the focus of the commission is to me, I don't know that it should only be on those that are within this community [00:06:00] now, but always have that mind to the future. I say that it's because I don't know that people really pay enough attention to what's going on with youth. They're going through a lot. COVID lock downs, everything that happened. If you actually talk to them and you notice how they act these days, it's very different. A lot of them slipping through the cracks and being left behind. Just remember when it comes to these changes, these recommendations, what you're looking at and what you're doing. I know so many of you are involved with the youth already, so you do know, but do remember that of velocities recommendations to people that they're truly going to affect long-term or those that are younger than you. So they're buying their voices, their energy, it's going to be key, especially their energy. So when it comes to talking to people in the community, they're going to be able to do it for much longer. And those are the notes I have for things that are [00:07:00] not on the agenda at least, but I wanted to leave you with those thoughts. Thank you. [00:07:04] Thank you. [00:07:05] Thank you. [00:07:05] Thank you. [00:07:07] Awesome. So if there's no one else in the public that would like to speak, we will move on to agenda item number 5, which is resignations from Mohamed Traore, and Kevo Rivera. I guess anyone in the audience like this, what would like to speak on that online or in person? And we'll move. Okay. Go ahead. [00:07:34] So this one, Mohamed Traore here again, really pains me to have resigned. And I'm really sorry to all of you for not really telling me pretty many of you before it happened, test it out. I spoke to you and told you that there's a chance that happens tomorrow, but at the time when I told you I already knew it was going to happen. I knew it was going to happen for months. [00:08:00] But the key for me was to stay until that budget was on the table and ready to be passed. Our assure that decision to resign had to come because with all the previous attempts, I knew that if I only spoke once, that just gives everyone that comes after me ammo and things to say, and I got nothing else to say against it. So I just read the meeting rules and how they worked. One loophole I found was that if you're not on commission, remember with public speaking, public comment. The first time I spoke as Commissioner Traore a second time spoke as Mohamed Traore already. Know while everything I said wasn't perfect, to me, it was things I needed to say is it felt as I wasn't ever gonna be able to move on if I didn't say those things publicly, known as a lot of hurt [00:09:00] that was thrown on all of us. Cliff, you said multiple times how it felt like we were punching bags, you know. And you know, like when you first get a piece of paper, how nice it is. You fold it once. You open it up again. Still piece of paper. But notice the crease. Fold it again. Same thing. You fold it again. You fold it again. You fold it again, and you open it. It's like pulling things back together. It's what a lot of the time on the commission felt like pulling things back together to getting back to this. But eventually, not just from things inside the commission, but life itself, I felt like instead of the folds, it started to turn into a paper being completely balled up, [00:10:00] being scrunched together. And I just didn't know that I can keep doing that to myself. And I leave that note for you all of if you do ever feel like that, please do talk to each other about it and make sure that you are getting the help you need. Because remember, those chapters of the book that divided community project provided us. The key thing had hopped on a lot was this community support, but also the mental health support. So I've been doing some research over the past few months and trying to learn how many therapists of color do we actually have in the area? [00:10:43] Kinda, knew the answer before I started looking, but relatively small. So I asked the one kid I graduated high school with that was also black that I knew had been in therapy around here before. Did you have black therapist while you're here? Do you know [00:11:00] any? He did not. Kept digging-kept digging. So a woman I know of in Cedar Rapids, I think there's an office in Coralville as well, maybe with one. That's one key for me that I think should be a focus of either these recommendations or the actions. One idea I had, I don't know if it works. It's just an idea. One to focus on the youth, but one of keeping the community together. I don't understand why we're okay with subsidizing the growth of other communities. And what I mean by that is why we educate kids here for years on end. And then it's whatever, okay. They moved onto bigger and better things. We love to put it in the paper. We love to celebrate it. But a lot of those same things can be done here. Like you don't need to go to some other state or whatever it is to do most of these jobs, they can be fulfilled here. When you [00:12:00] ask these people why they leave. A lot of it is and I just felt I had a better opportunity there. A place in many cases they've never been before. That's really striking. That you feel like you have more opportunities someplace you've never been than the place you grew up. Maybe we could look at, you know, scholarships specifically for kids that graduate from our own school districts. Non-white kids graduating from our own school districts that want to go to school, that want to study law, that want to study psychology, that want to study business. These things we say that we do not have enough people of color for. There to go to school here in this area, community college, four-year institution, whatever it is. Hey, you go [00:13:00] to that school, we have a partnership scholarship to help you pay for it. If you stay here afterwards, there's some debt leftover. Maybe there's a payment program for it. Maybe it was a grant program for them. But specifically when it comes to therapists, law offices, I think it really comes down to having grants to actually start the practices. I say that because when you look at who owns the buildings, who owns the land, you're at their mercy for, you know, the rate you're paying for your office unless you get a person of color or someone else you trust to actually built that office for you. So to really keep those people in our community, make sure they feel supported. I think it just comes down to not only investing the time, but investing the money. We live in a society of capitalism. And people asked, okay, why aren't more people carrying about the TRC? And to me [00:14:00] the answer, I want to say spring 2021, kind of, well, there's no money there. People don't really put time and effort into things if there's no funding there because that means it's probably not going to exist for a long time. Maybe that's the idea they had, maybe not. But it comes back to the kids. If you're willing to pay me for something or if you're willing to invest in me, that I feel like you actually believe in me. Feel like you're actually support me. I feel like you actually are there for me. And that those words, those phrases, I see you, I hear you, I stand with you. Become less crap, more reality. You know, you can keep telling people how you feel about them. You really got to have gestures to show them. I want to thank you all for your time, for your efforts, for everything that you continue to do. I'll just keep [00:15:00] doing everything I can to support you in bringing more people along into the fold. Thank you for your time. With that, I yield. [00:15:08] Thank you. [00:15:09] Thank you. [00:15:10] Thank you. [00:15:12] There's no other public comments. We'll go into discussion. Or is there someone that had a public? [00:15:17] Uh, okay, bye, bye. [00:15:22] So this one is resignation from two beloved commissioners. I want to say, you know, thank you both because you are to the original members. Thank you for your dedication, your time, you know, sticking with this long, tumultuous journey. I really appreciate all the contribution both of you have given to us. You're definitely going to be missed on this commission. Um, all the efforts that we're moving forward, what we're going to keep your energies, um, you know, as we move forward into this process. [00:16:00] So anyone else have anything? [00:16:03] Is commissioner Johnson. I'm- I'm really sorry to hear that you guys have grown. Uh, uh, uh that's just the bottom line, period. Uh, you guys have been awesome, and so much work, so much time, so much dedication. Uh, everything that you put behind, I hope that we can carry on and make a little bit better. I- I like I said, I- I joined in a little late. Like I said before, I've joined a little late and uh I was inspired. I saw you guys putting in that time that effort and, uh, you- you- it was a call to step up and because of you guys is the reason why I did it in the first place. So I would like to thank you again for all the hard work and effort. And honestly, however, we can help move them forward, whatever your capacity is on the outside. I think it's actually awesome. It's very powerful. It really is very-very powerful because you are still a part of the community. You are black leader, [00:17:00] uh, minority leader in general. And I appreciate both you guys very much, and I hope that uh we can keep moving forward for the better in the future, regardless of whether you're on a commission or not, period. So thank you. [00:17:15] Uh, this is commissioner Merritt, and, um, obviously one of the last ones to join. [LAUGHTER] And I knew that with a commission like this you have nine people- are nine spaces, there's gonna be people going in and out. But this is the group that, you know, came into that's kinda cemented in my head. And um even though it's been a short time, I'm happy to have had some experience getting to know you guys. And your passion, what you've been through before I came here and helped because- [00:18:00] helped make things easy for me, I guess [LAUGHTER], you know, coming on. And-and I knew that at some point in reality, yet move on to, um, something on with your life. And I thank you for your contributions. And we're going to still keep in touch. I'm going to be your cheerleaders when you're, you know, what's your futures have to hold? And wherever- wherever you end up- you land up there are gonna be grateful to have you guys on their team. And I'm just very thankful that you are part of us. [00:18:43] Commissioner Krebs here. I just wanted to say thank you because you guys really did the dirty work. And so [LAUGHTER] I got to roll in and now we're gonna move ahead. But I want you guys to- I have such a deep appreciation. [00:19:00] Sorry, one thing about me is I'm going to cry. [00:19:03] So I've just [LAUGHTER] I really-really appreciate and I watched you guys work so hard and put so much into this. I'm so thankful for you guys. I really appreciate what you've done. Sorry, I'm going to cry. I'm always going to gray. So get used to it. [LAUGHTER] [00:19:36] I'll pick it from there. Mo and Kevo. I'll keep my tears back because Marie usually starts [LAUGHTER] and then I follow. I'm not going to. I'll really try. And this comes from, I guess, [00:20:00] birth order, or a firstborn. So- and then way back when I moved into Iowa City in the Kenyan community, I fell into a matriach- a matriarch position. So kinda, hold yourself. And that brings me to- it's been great working with you two. And I always tell myself when I adult, I want to be you. I have followed you. For one you are two people that express your feelings. I don't struggle to know. You let me know what you're thinking. You let me know what you're feeling. So it makes it easy to work with you. But I'm not saying that it hasn't [00:21:00] had pain since April when I officially joined the Commission at a painful time. But you have been part of the strength that we have been giving each other. And my major connection with you Kevo. We are in the same field of helping. And when Mohamed was talking about lack of therapists, counselors of color, you spoke the truth from growing up and your going to school. And when I say Kevo and I know what we are talking about because it's a problem that- I'll call it a problem that I struggle with in our city and our county as a licensed school counselor in Iowa and as a counselor [00:22:00] educator for my population, children and youth, 3-24 years. So that is really a concern that I've always raised with this commission. So- I- that's an area where I connect with Kevo. And- so right now I feel very sad that Kevo is leaving. But like somebody else has said in whichever capacity you are still serving humanity and professionally I'm connected with you, even as you move on. But I don't do very well with goodbyes or with separations. But I have to remind myself, it's a graduation to your next chapter of your life. And I wish you all the best. And it has been a good ride to be with you Kevo. [00:23:00] Mohamed, you know, I'm not letting you go. I knew you when you are eight, but I won't go into all that. [LAUGHTER]. If somebody ever wants the scoop, please come to me. [LAUGHTER]. And that is why in some of our challenging times, with Mohamed, and you've seen me some of you. One difficult time, Annie you were there. I automatically go- revert to mother mode without even thinking about it. Mother mode, no Wangui, no nothing mother- mother. That night. November 5. If there was- which is a reality for a lot of us, if there was any shooting that happened out there before a bullet got to Mohamed, it would have got to me, literally. But I'm just glad they're we're- that particular time- it was almost 11:00 PM at night. [00:24:00] I'm glad there was no TV to cover that. So Mohamed, as you go, you've left as a commissioner, but you have me, so still sometimes reverting to that mother hen and we continue working you- working with you, especially for that population. For me, you've graduated with my son, who's your age. So all those connections, we continue working with that population. And I know some of that pain you've talked about in our city and our county and our state because even before we were commissioners, your group, my son being one of them, would share some of that because even up to now, I really can't imagine, but I see some of the results as school- [00:25:00] as a- as a licensed counselor. And you're one of the people who let me in and let me know what's going on with that population. And then with my education and my experience, [NOISE] figure out how do we navigate this. Sometimes we get it and it's not- uh, we- we move the dial, but we're not yet there. So I will stop here with my not feeling- with my feeling sad saying goodbye to this chapter of me and you working on the commission. But know that, uh, you- we continue working together, uh, making our city and wherever you are going to be or wherever life moves you, making things better. [00:26:00] Easy, not all the time. Successes, uh, a lot of times, and I will leave it there. Thank you. [00:26:14] Eric has his hand up. [00:26:16] Oh, does he? Go ahead, Eric. [00:26:20] Hello, fellow commissioners. This is Eric Harris. Um, I'm glad to be in whatever space I can be with you guys. Um, I appreciate that. And, um, the first thing I would say, um, before I respond to what I want to say about Mohamed and Kevo is, congratulations. Um, I haven't been able to be there because, you know, I've been dealing with health things and things like that. But I want to congratulate those guys and I want to stick to what I wanted to talk about about those guys. Kevo, you know, um, we heard, you know, and I heard and I listened to because that's the only thing I'm permitted to do is to listen and observe. [00:27:00] And I heard that when the city council say, hey, what has the TRC done? Well, I can remember a few days where Kevo, and Cliff, and Mohamed was working on a school workers thing. Um, so you got to choose south. And then we had reconciliation where all those people got those shapes they should have. And that's what they should get. Um, about Mohamed. Um, He's been, you know, a lot of times, you know, when things are going wrong when things wasn't going right, that guy- he, he- he just always checked on me. He always came and checked on me. And I'm not saying other commissioner members didn't, but he especially checked on me. And the heart, you know, um, the heart and the blood and the sweat and the tears that I've seen him go through, to try to help this commission, [00:28:00] um, I'm going to be honest about you- I'm being honest about it. I was disappointed that he resigned. But I understand, you know, where he's coming from, you know. And with, you know, with like- with like Kevo, you know, he's always, you know- I understand, you know, more about his situation because taking a job to go do what he wants to go do and help people in another place, um, I don't blame him from that, you know. And- and- and it's going to be hard to see those people leave because that would make me the longest serving commissioner on the TRC so, uh, with that, I'm going to yield. [00:28:48] Thanks, Eric. Go ahead. [00:28:51] Well, I wasn't expecting that, [LAUGHTER] but thank you for all those kind words. You know, I- um, one of the reasons why it was [00:29:00] very- as- as uncomfortable as I was hearing all of those words was just because I've always believed that the work of this commission has been far, far more than any one individual. And I already feel bad for taking up as much time as- as we have taken for this meeting. Um, but when I- you know, when I reflect back on my time on the commission, it- it clearly has been a very, very personal experience for me and one of the most intense experiences I've had. And I've done a lot of growing and I just want to thank you for growing alongside me and for being part of that, um, for being angry with me, for laughing with me, for healing with me. Um, when I first applied to be on the commission, my reasons were that I was a psychiatry resident who was starting to take more opportunities to teach other people about what we call the social determinants of health and the social determinants of mental health. Something that we talk about [00:30:00] a lot is how, um, health is determined by- health is negatively impacted by the systemic barriers that people face, um, in the communities as a result of government policies and as a result of other cultural practices and norms in the community. I was teaching about that. Uh, and I had only a vague understanding of what that looked like in real time, um, what that looked like up-close, what that looked like in my community. And so I applied, um, to be a part of this commission so that I could see what hurting looked like in our community among black, indigenous, and people of color. Um, I got more than I bargained for. [LAUGHTER] [00:30:46] Because sure, there has been a lot of hurt, um, that I've laid witness to alongside all of you. I've experienced a lot of hurt too. Um, and, uh, that's the [00:31:00] nature of the work. That's what we said yes to, right. Um, and I have- again, that's kind of one of the main ways in which I have grown and, um, I'm so ready to be a stronger and better advocate when I- when I moved to wherever I go next. Um, as we've been going through this process together, you know, I've- I've been- I've tried to be very mindful by the fact that the people who serve on this commission are as much part of that experience of community hurt, community violence, systemic levels of violence, um, too, and I've tried to make sure that we're kind of making space, um, for ourselves in this process. Um, and, um, the- the one thing that I kept sort of going back to is, you know, what's the point of all this? What a- why am I moving forward? How- how do I try to provide a model moving forward for this community, um, with the processes that we're putting forth? And- and, you know, [00:32:00] restorative justice has been my North star. Um, asking not who is to blame, who is at fault, asking what is the hurt and how can I help? How can we partner with the person who is hurting even if there was some responsibility that we had? And how do we make sure that both of us still have a place here in this community together better than where we started, right? Um, and I- I think that, uh, you are gonna continue to experience, um, unpleasantries and attacks and a lot of- you're gonna have a lot of conflict directed at you. And I think what I'm gonna ask you is, um, the superhuman task, um, of being the best example, um, that we can provide a restorative justice, um, for the community. And what [00:33:00] that means is, if we do get punched, if there are attacks launched our way for our natural- or for our trained response to be with open hands and say, how can we join together in conversation and move forward together? Because anytime that anyone's reactionary towards us, you know, it doesn't- the hurt doesn't originate with them. The hurt originates with the system that we're all existing in. Right. And so as much as we can, I- I really urge this commission to, um, to honor what you experienced, but not make things too personal, um, to make decisions on behalf of the commission and to look at the community as- with- with unconditional positive regard and with a lot of love and with intent to leave this place better than we found it. Um, so thank you to you all. Thank you to you, Mohamed. Congratulations to Commissioner Harris [00:34:00] for being the longest running. [LAUGHTER] Uh, and congratulations [00:34:06] on the recent achievements. [00:34:07] I'm so, so excited to see where this Commission goes. [00:34:10] Thank you. [00:34:12] Thank you. [00:34:13] If there's no other comments, um, we will go on to the next agenda item, um, which is debrief and next step, and with this, I'm going to invite our local partners up to- for this discussion. Um, and while they're coming up, I'll see if there's anyone online that would- uh, in the public that would like to- um, what am I trying to say? That would like to speak [LAUGHTER] on this agenda before we get started. We'll also open up for comment afterwards since it's already pretty vague, um, just in case there's any follow-up. Um, and anyone in the public here with us, would you like to speak on this before we get started with this conversation? Okay. Awesome. So we're finally here. [LAUGHTER] [00:35:00] [00:35:01] I will do something. I don't know. [00:35:03] Can you do it? [LAUGHTER] [00:35:04] Oh, no. In my head. [LAUGHTER] [00:35:06] Just- just imagine. [00:35:07] I just did. [00:35:08] [LAUGHTER] Uh, we also have, I believe, Nape and Eduardo joining us online alongside Eric. Um, this is kind of a free discussion in my mind, um, up to, however, anyone- if anyone has any ideas, I did talk with our, uh, partners just what my ideas were, but we- we can just dive into what we think our next steps are. If we want a debrief from Tuesday, this is an open topic, so I'm not gonna go first if anyone else wants to jump in. [00:35:45] I'll jump in. [LAUGHTER] [00:35:46] Go ahead. [00:35:49] There was a long council meeting. [00:35:52] Under statements of the century. [LAUGHTER] [00:35:55] I was there from the beginning to the end all the way. But, um, [00:36:00] you know, I had some expectations of what was gonna happen. I wrote and rewrote and rewrote. [LAUGHTER] But I thought it was gonna say and then ended up not doing anything with it. [LAUGHTER] But I- the one thing that I knew was gonna be there and it was definitely there in, you know, tenfold was like- was the energy. It was, you know, that passion that I knew was in this community. And you know, it's like that volcano, you know, things are rumbling, you know, and you know, get into that eruption and just like we're here. And I'm just thinking, this is a monumental point in history, and we're all part of it. And uh, a lot of great things coming in. And definitely, I thought about, you know, we have the TRC. There's nine spaces [00:37:00] then people, that's gonna be fluid, a little bit more fluid [LAUGHTER] right way, you know, but, um, we're gonna have those roots and the tentacles out to the community. We're gonna be, you know, extending out everywhere, getting connected, bringing it here and then out to the city. You know, it's, um, it's a symbiotic relationship. You know, we can't, you know, survive without the community, and with community, we're gonna, you know, be forward. And uh, I was so happy. [LAUGHTER] So with that, you know, we got the votes for it, and so no deferment, and yeah. [00:37:40] Yeah, I think one thing that was really, uh, remarkable, uh, in that meeting, and I felt like it was the meeting. I felt like I knew so- so many people that were in the room that were community leaders. And at one point, I was like, I have no idea who's foreign against this. I have no idea because all of these people are people that [00:38:00] I love, that I've worked with, that I've worked beside, that I, you know, respect and admire and we're all passionate about our community. Um, and the next that I had was like, it doesn't matter because we're all here. And it was- I felt like the pinnacle meeting of- and coming together of, um, we- the vote that was gonna happen truly. Uh, because what I heard was they want to- everybody wants to be involved. Like that was the- that was the argument and it was like, we want you to be- I- I literally leaned over and I was like, should we stand in the hall and just take everybody's name as they walk out? [LAUGHTER] Will you- will you sign up right now? Will you do that? Um, but I have most of people's contacts, [LAUGHTER] so that's good. But you know, and that- that is kind of to your point, what we will be doing. And so it's kind of amazing to be at that- at this point. Um, and, you know, I definitely wanna hear whatever what other folks want to say. I mean, I- I- I will just be up front and say that it's been 48 hours. [00:39:00] Our team [LAUGHTER] has not had a chance to meet, um, to say like, here's the plan, we don't have the plan and that was never the intention was to have a plan that we brought to you was to co-create the plan. So I just wanna put that out there that, you know, we're ideating. We obviously heard a lot that night, you know, especially about a town hall and especially about outreach and education and those kinds of things. And I know we've got other team members that are on the call. Um, and so I think, you know, we're here to kind of listen and then we are setting up a meeting of like a good, solid two-hour meeting next week with our team to kind of, you know, digest in really, you know, what did we hear and how do we want to move forward? So I don't want you to feel like we're leading you, we're really just here to kind of listen and, um, you know, provide some guidance, uh, but you all are community leaders, so, you know, we're- I gonna kinda open that up. Um, there's ideas abound. Um, and, you know, [00:40:00] we also want to make sure we have bandwidth to do what we want to. [LAUGHTER] Um, you did submit, um, chastity, like a list of things. Did you want me to read that? Do you want to, you know, I don't wanna stifle any ideas or anything, but we could start somewhere or have forks talk. [00:40:17] I think we did. [00:40:17] Okay. [00:40:18] Um, maybe, um, does anyone- do we wanna debrief first? [00:40:20] Yeah. Sorry. [00:40:21] No, you're fine. Um, I kinda put it out in the air, [00:40:24] but maybe we should, [00:40:25] um, talk about Tuesday and when we're done with Tuesday, move on to the next steps. Does that sound okay? Anyone else wanna share their feelings, their thoughts about how Tuesday went or just debrief in any way? [00:40:39] Yes, I will. Uh, commissioner Johnson. I- I thought Tuesday went well. Uh, I am glad to see that, uh, the city is willing to work with us, uh, and making sure we move forward and bring in progress to every aspect that we possibly can touch. Uh, we have a lot of opportunity that's been said time and time [00:41:00] again. So I'm not gonna- I'm not gonna say the same thing over. I just very excited to see that, uh, everybody seems to be eager to move things in the right direction. And we are now officially ready to do so. So just excited, let's get it done. [00:41:17] Anyone else? [00:41:20] I'll go. Wangui here. And I'm excited we're here. I remember when I joined the Commission in April, 2021, I joined Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And then I got in, I'm like, do I even know what the heck I'm doing? But after listening to a lot of my fellow commissioners, and this is not just as commissioners, [00:42:00] uh, we the community. [00:42:05] I realized it's our city, uh, but I knew I was joining a historical moment. We have never been, we've never gone this far, as far as we struggle with racial injustice. So that much I knew- I knew and I felt strengthened even as because I wasn't struggling alo- alone and it wasn't a case of misery, loving company. But just, uh sort of not knowing- just going into a path. That is, we have to make the path ourselves, which is still what we are doing even at this moment. But I am grateful that the city deed [00:43:00] has offered some sort of education and I- I took up the six weeks of hearing and reading and discussing other TRCs and task forces that have been there and also feeling very emotional. Because Kenya TRC was also brought when we had political violence, which just having that moved me towards knowing others have trod this path. They're not- they're not Iowa City, but there are some things that are universal and, uh, we have been using those and also the materials like the books and the manual that we do have that has also been of help to me as I join others, [00:44:00] but the most that have- and also city staff. I can't even forget the city manager, the assistant. They've actually been physically here. Some of the- some of the cancer people have also been part of our meetings and sometimes even out in the community. So just walking this path, which has not, for me, I count that success is more than some of the pens that have been there. Bringing us to choose this moment where, um, it's one of the biggest successes as we went together and like Vee has said, go into the room and really seeing people that you know, and really have been working in the community who sometimes totally the way we [00:45:00] view- they view the world and the way I view the world, we are complete opposites and probably really- really openly disagreed, but united in that. However, I'm saying or expressing my love and wanting to make Iowa City better with whatever that I have and what I'm able to give, even they, we are united in that- that we are even if- even up to now as I talk, I still don't get what they're seeing from where you're standing. But the- that we are doing it or they're doing it for Iowa City, I'm able to continue working together. That was my main takeaway from Tuesday, [00:46:00] but still really very- very hyped that we are here now and we actually do have the resources and we have what I've been calling expertise, to work with us, and I'll stop there with my words, thank you. I yield. [00:46:27] Thank you. Anyone else? I just want to say, who who- did someone raise your hand? [00:46:34] I'll go ahead Annie, I missed you. [00:46:36] I was- so Lauren, It was really helpful when you just talked about the energy in the room because that's the first time I actually -like what came to mind where people that I know and care about, who are really passionate and there and saying things that maybe I wouldn't have stood with them for the content of what they said. But you're right. You're using the [00:47:00] word energy had me feel like, um, what you saw that we were all there because it matters and they want to be part of it and you guys have the ability to create a process where anybody who wants to be part of it can. But that you flipped it for me just by saying energy, you helped me be able to see that really more clearly. So and seeing it that way is just so heartening, right? Rather than, okay, there's- there's a divide no, there's everybody who wants to be part of- part of this work and the reason- I guess I want to say that the reason I've been coming for two years, I never expected to be sitting up here. I came because you guys are having the most important conversation in town every single time. When people said you weren't doing anything that was like, Well, have you been watching? Have you been listening [00:48:00] to what they're talking about and the honesty and the hard conversations with the hard things they're dealing with and being open with and being vulnerable about. So that's why I kept coming and, um, I'm glad to do anything to support you guys getting your clarity and figuring out, I loved the end in mind. Somehow that just feels really grounding like yes, let's-let's- let's start there and I'm- and I'm willing to do anything as well as just have my budget line be other people doing whatever you need to have done. So thanks for your strong persevering spirits. Just want to acknowledge it. [00:48:53] I also want to acknowledge that Angela said it much more eloquently at the meeting [LAUGHTER] [00:49:00] about the energy you can see. I get the words of my head. They weren't coming out and she stepped up and she was like, yeah. I was like, that's what I was thinking. She had it spot on, but. [00:49:12] Yeah. Oh, go ahead. Manape. [00:49:23] But to watch. Hey hope everybody has had a good day and I know I've talked to a couple of people. My name is Manape LaMere. I'm the son of Frank LaMere, son of Cynthia Raoult's LaMere, and I'm in Sioux City, Iowa right now. We've got the Thunder Beings role in bio. We've got a good storm going. So that's a good sign for me- for you guys and lightening just went off, right when I said that. So when we talk about energy and when we talked about all these things that we're passionate about, I'm really feeling that with this storm going by right now, but um, [00:50:00] but I just wanted to offer up a couple of things. Congratulations to all of you, you know, and I had listened online for four hours and I almost chimed in, but I kind of felt that that would have been a conflict of interest since I'm one of the contractors, but I- I genuinely was sitting here feeling- feeling I didn't really even need to. I felt like there was enough support for you guys to push forward you know, and um, it's always interesting and it can be contentious when- when resources are talked about. And it's really hard to balance reactive things in society with proactive things and I feel like what- whatever body represents right now for Iowa City is a more proactive approach and, um, and almost extremely you know, um, [00:51:00] and I- I really want to acknowledge Vee's advocacy for trust and that's probably the biggest piece. When we're talking about proactive solutions. This whole system, I want to share something with you that was taught to me by our elders around here you know we live along the Mis- Missouri River and so they talk about an analogy of babies floating down the river and if a baby's floated down the river, what are you going to do? You're going to jump into the river and save the baby and maybe when you're coming ashore, another adult is there and you say, What's going on? Well, this baby is floated down the river and I saved it. They said, Well look, there's another one and they dive in and this whole city system, everything about this city is to jump in the river and save babies. It's all after the fact [00:52:00] and some people have wondered why are their babies in the river in the first place. But we're so busy saving babies floating down the river. We don't get to go upstream and figure out why. If you do, you have to turn your back on the system and go off- and go off go disappear and not say babies and go learn and find out and what happens is as you witness, why- why these children are floating down the river and you have a solution and you return back to your people. So they have an understanding this is why- this is why and you know what? I think we could solve this problem. But guess what? Now you're slapping food out of people's mouths because people have got degrees with, and they've gone into debt because they've got degrees and all these reactive- reactive [00:53:00] circumstances, situations, careers, and people who have invested not just financial debt but sweat equity in time and so- and then you have all your EMTs and police, and judges and lawyers and all those degrees and all that. Now- now you solve that problem and then what am I going to do? And so it's almost like the system perpetuates this. So some of us have been able to go upstream and get an understanding. And I feel like there's been a tremendous push for networking, towards proactive solutions in many different communities and I feel like uh, I've been called on because of some of that because of the some of the work that I do. I'm not just locally here in Sioux City, but in Iowa and nationally and internationally. [00:53:58] And [00:54:00] it felt incredible to come to Iowa City and facilitate- facilitate talking circles. And I feel like- I feel like our- our spirits were kind of thirsty for that. For- for-we sit it square root tables and square rooms and square buildings that are- that are- are set out in square grids. Very rarely do we ever get to sit in a circle and really connect with one another, you know, and on this continent, on this Turtle Island, that's how it is- that's how it is. It's been that way for thousands of years. And so I feel like, uh, I- I really wanna thank, uh, whoever advocated for Chris- Christine Nobiss advocating for, or there's a lightning going off again. I wanna- I wanna acknowledge Christine Nobiss for advocating, uh, uh, for indigenous partners to help contribute. This is what we do. And- and I want- I [00:55:00] want to reassure everybody that- that our, our integrity is on the line in anything that we do. We've never broken a treaty. We've- we've, uh, we've never set out to harm any communities. And we've been doing this a long, long time. And I feel like, uh, I feel like anything that we do, my father always said be careful. Be careful what you- what you say and do out there because you represent our people. And, uh, and I really try to bring that to the table. An- an- and always try to have that understanding that, uh, that our integrity is always on the line. And our honor and we represent- we represent a lot of people because we are a family-based, we are matriarchs. We have-we have a matriarchal system and we represent our mothers and our grandmothers in the work that we do, you know, so, um, I'll leave you with this. Four years, you guys have been busting [00:56:00] your butts. You know, and- and Mohamed, I- I- I- I feel for you brother. I- I- I feel for you. Um, and, uh, and- and I wish- wish you nothing but well, and I- and I wanna extend, uh, a heartfelt handshake to you for all the work that you've done. And, um, take- take the time you need and restrengthen yourself and- and, um, we're gonna burn some cedar over here for you. And send it your way. And, uh, and I hope that that strengthens you and strengthens your heart and your mind and all those hardships. Same thing with Eric Harris, uh, whatever troubles that you may be facing. You know, um, we, uh, send, uh, we send nothing but good thoughts and feelings and- and good intentions your way. We want you, we- we- both of you- both of you men have- have tremendous obstacles to face in society. And, um, and- and you know, sometimes [00:57:00] it can get pretty lonesome. And I understand this. And so I wanna- I wanna encourage each and every one of you, uh, in-in whatever choices you have to make in the future, that, uh, that whatever those choices are, brings you closer to your ancestors, brings you closer to your creator, whatever that may be, however you might believe. That's how I want it for you guys. And for all of our sisters there that have, uh, you know, we sat in- in circles. Um, we sat in- in different circles over there. And, um, and- and- and I miss that energy that we created during those talking circles. And I really truly feel like, uh, like we all gained an understanding. And, um, and I think that we all, um, we all, uh, walked away from that, a little- a little- a little more understanding of each other, just a little bit more intimate. And I think that that intimacy was very [00:58:00] important in- in these next steps. It's almost as if man we're missing- I- I feel I- I'm kind of on the outside looking in, but I could really sense that that- that was something that we all really needed. And so I wanna thank each and every one of you for the energy that you brought and- and helping me, teach me how to- how to interact with our relatives there in Iowa City. And my final thing that I wanna share with you all is that four years, my father- my father worked to shut down a community called White Clay, Nebraska. There was 22 people living in that town, and they had six liquor stores. And the- the- the state of Nebraska would issue liquor license to all six of them every year. And each establishment, sold three million cans of liquor every- every- every year, 3 million cans times 6, 18 million cans of liquor [00:59:00] to our people just to cross the border where it was illegal to consume alcohol. And- and the people there stood in resistance to Nebraska, the Liquor Control Commission, and, uh, and the issuing of those- they- they, felt that the issuing of those license perpetuated violence, perpetuated injustices, rapes, assaults, uh, uh, batter, uh, battered women, battered man, battered children, neglected children, all of those things- all those horrible things. And so- and so it took 20 years for Nebraska to see the light. You- you know, the best and brightest people in- in Nebraska, it took them 20 years to figure out, yeah, maybe- maybe, uh, law enf- maybe this is over law enforcement's head, maybe this is over the Liquor Control Commission's head. But I think it's very [01:00:00] important for all of us to understand. You know, I understand sometimes- sometimes, uh, things get so heavy and we gotta take a break. But that's where we can tap other people and, um, and- and, uh, encourage them along, 20 years, my dad never went away- my dad never went away. It took 20 years before something was finally done. And that was a huge victory for him. You know, and, uh, and so I want to encourage us all. You know, I want to encourage us all with that. I hope- I hope none of this takes 20 years, um, but- but I feel like, um, I feel like, um, I feel like I can complement all the work that you guys are doing. I feel like, uh, I feel like if it takes 20 years, uh, uh, then- then I'll be there along with you guys through all that, you know, and- and I wanna thank you all for your time, this opportunity to share something. [01:01:00] And there's two other native, uh, native-natives that are contracted with this. And, um, and, uh, I can't- I can't speak for, uh, Donnell or Tarry, but-but, uh, I- I can assure you in my communications with them that they're- they were pretty excited about this for Iowa City. And I want everybody to know that we're watching. Because we also represent Sioux City and I know Sioux City needs this big time. All the issues that- that you guys are having socially, we have them too and we're watching. And- and- and- and I'm gonna advocate for you on this end, for people to pay attention to you all. And so I think at the end of the day, those three cou- those three city council members that, um, that voted against this, uh, let's make them regret it. [LAUGHTER] Let's- let's make- let's make them regret that. That, yeah, I think that was a mistake on their part. Regard- regardless, [01:02:00] the community- the local community there is going to completely benefit from this and I'm excited- I'm excited for the community. And, uh, and I- and I- and I'm eager to work with each and every one of you and shake all your hands. So that's all I have to say. [FOREIGN] [01:02:16] Thank you. Go ahead, Eduardo. [01:02:22] Thank you. Thank you so much. So well, congratulations are in order. It's been a long time of meetings, discussions. I'm really happy I was able to go to Iowa City with the Ragland that he was able to visit again, and it's been a few years of being inspired by your toughness and, uh, by your resilience. So that is tremendous, that's very important and very, very happy to be in this journey together. Um, I want to start where I'm [01:03:00] in happy ending with this idea of demonstrating to those who doubt the TRC that they were wrong, and to demonstrate people who with perhaps valid reasons are skeptical that there is value in an exercise like this. Um, I remember that kind of sensation, uh, more or less a year and a half ago, when the city council voted down the first proposal by Crimson West. Um, I remember everyone was feeling pretty deflated and, uh, actually, I think Kevo you sent a note to me just after that vote and I answered and I said something like, uh, this has an end here. And- and I'm just happy that- that you guys persevered and continued um, fighting to preserve the integrity of the mission [01:04:00] that the city gave you and the mission that you accepted to- to this challenge. Um, I think though, that these works with all its difficulties the easy part, because now is when things really start, that is when the three week tasks that were assigned to the commission start to happen, meaning creating spaces for truth-telling, uh, doing some research and preparing real substantive report and findings on the situation of the city, and of course, appreciating spaces for reconciliation. That is going to be a tough for your hard work. And there, um, I'm very nervous about it because it's a lot of work. We have a lot of responsibility as think piece supporting one of those three pillars. The one [01:05:00] on truth-telling, which is very, very critical. There were questions yesterday oh, sorry, on Tuesday about that particular issue, um, but I do think that what we said a few minutes ago is- is true. We don't intend to have all the answers. We don't intend to have all the plans precooked. We have certain experience, we have certain information, certain good practices that we picked in other places, but in reality, we intend to co-create this with you. And- and I think that we- we have to be honest about it. Another point, um, yes- sorry on Tuesday, there was only- there was not only these votes, the vote ensuring that the TRC has the resources to get facilitators. Um, there was also another vote, the extension of the time of validity of [01:06:00] the- of the TRC, which is even more important because it's saying, yes, you have this funding for the seven months of work that you're going to have with the facilitators, but you want to be an extended for 18 months right to the end of 2024 practically. And- and this is extremely important because that is a vote of confidence from the community and from the City Council and you need to value that vote of confidence. Whatever their doubts and whatever their hesitations about working with us, with the four partners to Iowa City to outside, the fact is that they could not bring themselves to say this commission is worth less and it should end right now. That was impossible, and they had to accept the extension. So this means that we are going to be helping you at the [01:07:00] beginning of this 18 months extension. Um, our work is walking with you these seven months that are covered in our contract and letting you enabled to carry on this work, which is possible. I don't want to- to- I don't have a crystal ball, but it is possible that Iowa City decides that this is something that needs to continue even further because you don't fix issues of racial, um, injustice that have hundreds of years in an exercise of a couple of years. So also there is another important point here, and I have to say it in all honesty. Your resolution, the legal mandate of this commission says that you have a facilitator only in as much as you want it. There may come a point, [01:08:00] and this is according to your own, um, resolution and therefore your bylaws in which you say, we don't need a facilitator. We can do this on our own. And if you do that, that's perfectly all right. I think the work of a facilitator that for certain expertise is to make himself, herself unnecessarily. So if we get to the point where you say, you know what, thank you, now we know more or less what are we going to do regarding through seeking, regarding fact-finding, regarding conciliation, and we're going to continue all along. On the next period after the seven months, I think you could go to a city council and say, now we need this budget for activities that the commission is going to do on its own here. It's perfectly possible. And I- I want you guys to hear this from me directly [01:09:00] so you understand that we as an institution in the case of think peace, and I'm sure I speak for all our partners here, we don't have a vested interest or a monetary interest on this issue. Our interest is to make sure that you as an institution are strong enough. And again, you have all the authority in the world to say, yes, we want to continue working with you or no, we are fine now, or we want to work with our people. Um, I certainly hope that- that there will be always opportunities for cooperation, but you are the ones who are in charge, not the facilitators. Not the- the four, um, institutions that are supporting you at this moment and that got the contracts. It is you who are in charge. The best that we do is to propose to you what we know from experience, from comparative experience, from comparative cases, and it is for you to choose what is the way to go. And that's it. I- [01:10:00] I also want to say thank you to Mohammed, of course, to- to Kevo for- for their- their tremendous work during all this time and their- and their- their confidence in the kind of work that we were doing together these- these couple of years. So thank you. [01:10:20] Thank you, Eduardo. Um, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who was able to join us on Tuesday. Um, thank you to the entire commission. Thank you for trusting me and Lauren to lead you all and thank you for the individual pieces that you added to our presentation. Um, I felt very strongly that everyone needed to speak when they said that they wanted either a person to represent us or all of us, but the- what I believe about what makes us unique is that every person that comes adds [01:11:00] something unique to the table. So I- I think that's what made our- our presentation so strong and so I just- I really wanted to thank you all. It was a long, stressful week leading up to it, to say the least. Um, it took me a moment to feel that excitement afterwards, but I'm excited now, uh, but I- I did value what everyone contributed and especially Angie at the end. It took me a while to get her idea of the energy, but it was so true. Um, and it's so true that even if you come from different sides of the table, you can- you- you now just know that everyone is so passionate about the same thing in the room. So it was- it's beautiful in that way. So if there's no other debriefing parts, let's move into next steps. Would you all like me to read the [01:12:00] ideas that I had? Okay. These are just things that came out of the top of my head on yesterday morning when I barely slept [LAUGHTER] and I thought we could discuss them. So we heard from everyone that they want to have a- a town hall meeting. So that- I personally believe that should be one of our top priorities. We talked a little bit about this in our April 6 meeting. How can we move our meetings because it's inaccessible to a lot of people. This is not a safe space. Let's, you know, we want- the community has finally come to- wanting to come to us so let's figure that out. That's a priority, I think. Did you have something to add Wengie? Commissioner? Okay. Then I said, um, things that I believe are, you know, new facilitator team can help us with this, you know, setting up that time for strategic planning. I know that's something we really talked about. I- I really what Mohammed just said, you know, having the end in mind. [01:13:00] Um, if we have the end in mind, what we think it's going to be and then, you know, plan our way to it. I think that would be better since we have such an immense task covering all racial injustice in this city. Um, I think also jumping on creating the healing process, uh, for the community and for commissioners, anyone involved, you know, that's- that's going to come soon. We've already had a request this week and all- every week, um, of people that are right ready to tell their truths. So just knowing how we're going to do that so we can also take in mind the concerns of libel and def- defamation and we all can be on the same page. Um, as unfortunately, we're losing two new- two members and we're going to be gaining members and I think it'd be great to start a new process of proper orientation and as we go through this process, um, and I think that if we don't do it today, we should, you [01:14:00] know, put out a press release at some point saying, hey, we're here and we have supports as we start this first phase of education. [01:14:11] Alongside that, it'd be great for our facilitator team to help us figure out the best way for materials we passed out or talking points. So we're all on the same page. I take that from my position at my job, like with the- with staff I have, just you want to have people confident when they're going around the community. I think that's something that, um, some of us might not be feeling com- comfortable with. And then I imagined as we get community members involved, we're going to want to be on the same page explaining things. So that's one, um, idea. Looking at what education will look like for the commission and commissioners. Um, more ideas about reaching out. So, um, Council member Harmson, [01:15:00] was really talking a lot about how we can get out on the outreach. Uh, but now that we have the resources, uh, we can do so if we want to go to the farmer's market or any of those things, just, you know, figuring out the best method to move forward. So those are my ideas. Any other ideas or any comments are welcome. [01:15:21] One of the things- basically everything you said, but one of the things I want to make sure we can try to do and maybe you guys can think about is either if it's the website that we have with the city or creating a new one. But we need a website that is disseminating information much better than- [01:15:41] The city's. [01:15:42] Yeah, we've been doing. I mean, not that we haven't thought about it, but it's like we really haven't had the ability to whatever else to do. But I really want to have that. I mean, everything's in social media, like it or not. So if we can at least have a method of [01:16:00] sending out accurate information, so people know what's really going on. You know, so website is one of the things I was thinking about and something that the commissioners can do is, and because we talked a little bit before, so many months ago. But having it in writing, certain rules of conduct or procedures, how our meetings can- could go, and getting your input and expertise on how we can make it the most effective way and also have it so that it doesn't last for hours. [LAUGHTER] You know, whatever, but you know what I mean. But we just have to have more of a structure that is workable. And so that's what I thought. [01:16:45] As Commissioner Johnson. Uh, I got quite a few ideas, and I'm just, like I said, excited about the opportunity where we're finally ac- actually able to move. When it comes down to it- a long time ago, it was brought [01:17:00] up about using the city, uh, meaning the buses and- and any- any- any means we can to get that advertisement out, get the advertisement for the TRC out there. That was brought up a long time ago. Uh, we need- we need billboards, we need buses, we need fliers, we need everything else that kind of makes sure that the world knows that we exist. We'd been around for quite some time, and we have been putting in the work and, uh, I was very confused that nobody, uh, recognizing us, uh, but that's fine. That's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. Let's just make sure that we make the right moves. And we got quite a few different methods. I think- think t-shirts, I think, uh, between t-shirts, social media, our- our local public access TV, all of the above. Anything we can to get out there and make sure that people know we're out here. Uh, we should go about. So I'm [01:18:00] just looking forward to getting her done. That's all I have. [01:18:03] Maybe get our name in the school system. [01:18:05] Absolutely. There's no reason why, uh, if people don't know about us by now, there is no reason why they shouldn't at all. At all. There's- this is meant for the entire city and in order for it to be for the entire city, they need to be informed. If we have to mail it out, however, we need to do it. We have the means, we have the funds. We didn't have it before. We have it now, we can put it right towards there, get it out there. Then there's no excuse. There's no way. I don't care. Have a parade. Whatever it takes. Let's make sure that the world knows that they have a voice, and it hasn't been there before. Now, it's there now- now it can actually get done. So that's all I have for right now. [01:18:49] This is Commissioner Rivera. I think, um, one thing that I've just observed over the last couple of years of being part of this process, is that we have long conversations [01:19:00] about what truth processes are. And we've explored a lot of different nooks and crannies about how complicated, how nebulous this process is, and how we have the opportunity to sort of co-create it for our community. And we're really, really bad at summing it up. We're really, really bad at explaining ourselves what the point of all of this is. And so I would urge the commission and our facilitators to come up with really, really good elevator pitches that- that describe the problem and show how the TRC can answer that problem and extended an invitation. If you are a member of the community, here's what we want to hear from you. If you are a community member, and you want to help us in our mission here- here is what we're planning on doing. How can you join us? Right? Um, I think that's where a lot of honestly the conflict has been. It's like just not understanding what the point of our facilitators are, what the role we play are, and how the community can sink their teeth into the work [01:20:00] that we're doing. And I think if we come up with a very, very clear, um, communication, um, we can, I think, satiate a lot of people's hunger for like what they want to see from this commission. So I think that should be a priority. [01:20:14] I have a quick question. [01:20:15] Yeah. [01:20:16] I've got a quick question for, uh, Steph. Stephanie, is there any way we would be able to have like a phone number or anything that people could call, possibly, uh- [01:20:31] WhatsApp. [LAUGHTER] [01:20:33] Yeah, something that would go directly to the TRC. What I'm thinking is if we have t-shirts, if we have things along those lines, and we have a phone number, we have a billboard with a phone number. If you wanted to do something, you wanted to do something discretely. Uh, you can give a call-up. You can leave your information if you would like to, or you could just kind of discuss just one way of- I mean, it's- it's just another means. That's all. [01:20:57] I mean, it would be- it would a city- Iowa City phone number. [01:21:00] [01:21:01] So an answering machine of sorts. [01:21:04] I mean- or staff would answer. I mean, I- I guess would probably be better than voicemail, I would think. But we would probably just use the existing numbers we have, just so that it's more accessible because those numbers are out there anyways. [01:21:18] So we could just get some dedicated to the TRC where people can call in and say, okay, I would like to leave this note for the TRC or something along those lines. [01:21:29] I mean, really, when you call in to the office, it's- there's one number, and then you press the, you know, option that you want. So I think it's- it's probably still using that main central number. Um, but I don't know. I guess in my opinion, it would probably be more helpful to have staff answer the questions because personally, lots of times when people hear a voice recorder come on, they're going to hang up. And it kind of makes it less [01:22:00] personal to me if they're just dropping something into a voicemail, but- [01:22:05] Well, I was just thinking- the only reason why I was thinking that is, uh, even if just to get in contact. The one thing I hated hearing was, uh, we're hard to get in contact, or we didn't reach out or anything along those lines. Because that was really- that was rough for me there because I specifically remember us reaching out and speaking with people and I just want to nullify that completely. So if we have multiple means, there is no excuse. I don't want to leave any excuse whatsoever. [01:22:32] We have email. [01:22:33] Yeah. [01:22:33] And- and I mean if we're thinking about a t-shirt because the email if I'm correct if somebody sends it, we get it. [01:22:40] Mm-hmm. [01:22:42] One thing that I- [01:22:43] I figured more options, that's all. As many as we can. [01:22:46] If that is something that we set up, and I think it's a good idea. Um, we really sort of needed to define for like ourselves and- and help the people understand like what responsibility they have for the words that they share with us, right? [01:23:00] If- if things become open record, they- they need to know that. And so I think we just really need to kind of settle like how we communicate that type of sort of responsibility and liability for the words that they share with us before we ask them to start talking to us. [01:23:16] I agree. I think with that, we- we would be great to- that's why recording wouldn't be a bad idea. And it's- If you feel nervous, you might hang up once, but you might call back. You might feel like, uh, feel a little bit more comfortable leaving a message next time. If it's completely explain to you what you should and shouldn't say to the T on a recording possibly, so they can my goal comfortable. [01:23:39] I think that's part of the facilitator's job. [01:23:42] Oh, yeah. I just wanted to put it out there, that's all. I'm telling you, it really bothered me hearing that not in contact with anybody or anything like that. [01:23:50] I mean, I'm sure that, they- they even if they talk to staff or however you figure it out, but I think it's probably a good idea to have a phone number because not everybody has Internet access. [01:23:58] Exactly. [01:23:59] So when you do community [01:24:00] work, it's always good to have, you know, I can send a handwritten note, I can call, I can- so as many options that are possible for people that may not have Internet access? [01:24:10] Absolutely. [01:24:11] Or consistent access. [01:24:12] So just a question on that. Um, very early on we were talking about can we have our own social media, um, and all that. And the communication was that we wouldn't be able to have our own, but it might be a possibility for us to- once we get the faci- facilitator to have them manage something for us or, uh, contracts, something like that. That's- I don't- I can go back through the minutes, but my communication has been since this is a city commission, you know, that it- [01:24:47] I mean, any social media would have to be through the city, including a website. I- I can confirm that, but that's been my understanding, um, and- and talking with the city attorney's office. [01:25:00] And with the nature of our uniqueness, could we convince the city to allow us to have a different page or a style on the page? [01:25:08] But you could have your own page. [01:25:10] And I know we already have. [01:25:12] You know, I would be the one probably posting the information. [01:25:15] Yeah. [01:25:15] Okay so- [01:25:16] Could we redesign the page? [01:25:18] You mean the website page? [01:25:19] Uh-huh. [01:25:20] I mean, that's- and I don't think so [LAUGHTER] just because it's a template that, you know, I don't- I don't know how that works, I don't know if you've been on the city's website recently, but they have, um, it's new one revised website. It looks a lot better, it's a lot more user-friendly. Um, I- I admit that the last one wasn't necessarily that accessible, it was hard to find things, but, um, so you might take a look at the new city website, look at your page, and send me things that you would like to see added to it. But in terms of the appearance of it, there- there's, you know, there's not going to be a lot that can be done in terms of the appearance, content [01:26:00] probably, but not appearance. Okay. I- I have seen it, and I'm so excited that they've upgraded it. I just wish we could have something that would stand out a little bit more, and that's the reason why I'm asking. [01:26:10] I- I wonder, I haven't done some community outreach in the past where you're wanting to gain, um, commentary, is if- you could even have a button that says, if you would like to send a comment just to make it, like, easy, that might stand out enough. [01:26:26] Yeah. [01:26:26] But then it's also, um, you know, upheld to all of the things that you were talking about as monitored, its, you know, recorded or whatever, but, you know, explaining that ahead of time. [01:26:33] Right. [01:26:34] You can do that. That might be one thing you could request that just, it's like something visible that looks a little bit different, and it's easy to click. That- I've done that before, and that's been helpful. [01:26:46] If we were to have any civilians create a page or anything that are not with us on a board here, like, almost, like, a outside suggestion box to the TRC. Are we able to have that or is that something that has [01:27:00] to be ranked completely, but a city as well too? [01:27:06] I mean, yeah. I mean- it still has to be- I mean- I mean, it's still be within the city's, um, like, for lack of a better term, network, I guess. You know, one- one thing, um, and- and we can certainly get into the details more and more, but in terms of getting out to populations, and making sure that, you know, people are- it's accessible, and has many places, and methodologies as possible. One thing that could be helpful is going to places like TN does where barbershops, you know, tho- those places is- is not going to be in the city's network. And those are the- probably the places that we're going to want to be. And we could talk with shop owners, we could talk with, you know, folks, and just say, hey, can we have a suggestion box or something like that? Um, or maybe you could have a gathering [01:28:00] there, you know, like just stand up outside on a sunny more air. You know what I mean? Like you could, and that way you're, kind of, out in the community. It's places that we know where people will be because-. [01:28:10] They felt comfortable? [01:28:10] Yeah. And- and languages, and things that they, you know, feel comfortable with, people that they know. You know, somewhere we started talking about, you know, doing an outreach to, like, the Sudanese community, and things like that. It's, like, ah, wow they know you can't do it at this time and this time. But if you go here at this time, someone's I will meet you there. And there's more trust, right because you're with people that they know. So, you know, you'll have gatherings, and things that are- at times when people will be there. So go into where the people are. You're only going to get as much as you're going to get from the city network. There's no- and no offense intended, but what I hear is a desire to reach outside of that, of course, um, and so I don't necessarily think that, like, you know, do what you can with a website, do what you can with the social media, make peace with that, and then start creating some other methodologies that really get you out more into the community, [01:29:00] and networks that never would have felt comfortable coming to the city anyway. [01:29:05] I'll- I'll piggyback on what Vee is talking about, and think that we'll also, as we go out there, even as these last three years, uh, whenever people ask how can I reach the TRC? I'm always, and I think you also do that. It's scrambling down the emails, the phone numbers, and all that. I'm thinking there can be, and this is directed at Stephanie, I'm thinking there can be a business card with all these, and probably updated with a QR code. And then all those contact with means of communicating just listed their email, phone number. Tho- those are the things we talked about, I think the Facebook page put them there. And then when we are there, as [01:30:00] it's summarized- it makes my work easy when I give somebody a business- business card. Some of them get tossed right away, but some of them really get used. So, and then the other thing is, I'm thinking we can also have a brochure. Vee when you're talking about, uh, the Sudanese community, you made me also- because that's- that's one of the things that we got out of Tuesday. And, yeah, so really going to where people are at. They are definitely not on Zoom they're definitely not here right now. But with brochures, some of us do go to that community. And there is also that part of, uh, Arabic. So whatever we're doing, if you do the cards, and whatever we are doing, there are three main other languages besides- and they're- they're not three. The other languages that are- there's big population of, besides English, [01:31:00] we have Spanish, we have Arabic, we have Swahili, and we have- what's the other one? [01:31:06] French. [01:31:06] The French, yeah. So some of those we, kinda know and a lot of us here when we walk around the community, we know that if we leave any of those languages behind, we are leaving- we are doing a social injustice. So let me stop there. I think I've put across my point, brochure card, yeah. [01:31:26] Yeah. I think that speaks to, you know, what Commissioner Rivera was saying as well, we want something succinct. Do you want something that's out there that not only are you communicating verbally, but is written, and, you know, and in many- as many forms as possible, whether that's a flyer, a QR code of your business card, billboard, a flying plane, I- you know [LAUGHTER]. [01:31:50] And on a lighter note, somebody just figure out how do we also use AI, ChatGPT as we do our work here [LAUGHTER] [01:32:00] Go ahead. [01:32:01] I really appreciate the reminder Vee, that, like, when we're talking about social media, I mean, like, that is us in the 21st century, but like the thing that matters is the, like, relationship, so we have with a community, and there are- I- I wasn't able to be there on Tuesday, but it sounds, like, there were a lot of people who are, like, we want to be involved, right? And so going to them, like, they're our best advertisement, right? So fostering those relationships, I mean having them- then spread, sort of, the message about the TRC, um, to their communities through their networks, whatever it is- is probably going to be more effective than just like a random billboard, I love a billboard though [LAUGHTER] And just as a reminder, I like doing- what was this last fall? Or two falls ago. It's been so long, but we had a-, uh, a hypothetical situation where us the TRC without facilitation, we're going to be, like, emailing different community members. We all signed up to say, hey, I'm going to be the liaison between these different organizations. We decided which ones [01:33:00] we wanted to reach out to, and I think that- that was a really good list, so if we go back through the minutes and say, hey, this is where we start in terms of fostering relationships, that could be a really good network to reach out too for the facilitators. [01:33:14] For example, this Saturday rape victim advocate to say program, a nice African family services, which I coordinate in Eastern Iowa, will be a meeting this Saturday 12:00-4:00 for a picnic at City Park. So Eve, the TRC this is an example of what Kevo- Commissioner Kevo is talking about. TRC can come- those are some of the organizations we had on those lists, can come and have a table there. And with your brochures or whatever other slug that's going to be there in the business cards. So we are going to wear those organizations, and communities, and being part of them. [01:34:00] [01:34:01] I am in total agreements with that, I love that. I had also- I would like us to get in contact with the theater company if we can, our local theater. Why? Because entertainment has been one of the one thing that has been able to be universal, and expressed to everybody, and sometimes these are all things that we talked about a long time ago that I think have, kind of, they- they've been forgotten about a little bit, but there's multiple ways of cracking a segue. And even with the diversity market, with the diversity market, I remember long time ago bringing up that we should have had a booth sitting there. And when I heard again just the other day that we should have had a booth there, and everything, I'm like- I was just thinking, wow, [LAUGHTER] I- I really want us to- I want- I want people to remember all the conversations that we have had before because I feel like a lot of it, kind of, got brushed under the carpet. And then we had a lot of drama, and everything that, kinda got pushed over top of it, and we- we've already- already been on point. We've already [01:35:00] had the plans in mind. We just have the opportunity, now. Uh, I think through entertainment, we can bring people together, and really show, uh, if you have the right actors in position, they can really express the feelings that one person might feel to another where they may- may have never even considered it before. So I think that's just definitely another route to go. And when- when I say billboard, and everything, I mean it [LAUGHTER] I say put it in the clouds, I say put it everywhere because yes, don't want everyone to hear that again. That we didn't reach out or we didn't know how to reach out, even a shirt, anything with the QR code, phone number. I'm going to say this over and over from this point out because I don't want to ever hear it again. That's for sure. [01:35:45] Well, I'm just going to let, you know, you'll probably hear it again, but we'll- we'll work through it. [01:35:50] Ah, absolutely. I won't repeat from this point on that one [LAUGHTER] [01:35:56] Go ahead. [01:35:57] One thing I wanted to kind of go back to, um, [01:36:00] so yes, planning a town hall meeting. I know that's definitely- definitely something we heard, um, and that was mentioned in a prior meeting to your point, right? Um, and so we will definitely look at how do we kinda flush that out, because, of course, you want to be prepared for that. That's a big thing, that's no small thing. That's a big thing. Um, in fact, that's probably something we're gonna have to work up towards. Um, but one other thing I wanted to talk about was, you talked about the strategic planning. So, um, in our proposal, we had talked about strategic doing and, um, I'm trained in that as is Andrew Jordan, and, um, we've done it together. And the thing that is really exciting about strategic doing, it's not just a buzzword, which is what I used to think it was. Um, I was very resistant to the strategic doing thing that was happening in the planning world. I was like, what are you talking about? Um, and- but what it does is it really does kind of speak to the things that I've heard tonight. So you start with an aspirational statement, that's your end goal, like [01:37:00] to eradicate racism, sexism, homophobia in Johnson County, whatever it is, Iowa City, right? Like, um, you come up with that, and then you start looking at your assets and people in the room, right? So you've got to make sure that you know, who are we talking about, like being in the room. Is it just the commissioners that we're gonna be doing this with? Yes. Check the list, that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. Um, but you're gonna be looking at the assets that you have in the room, and those are capital, those are network, those are physical. Those are all the things in this universe of who you are as a group that you have, that you can contribute. And then we look at what- what are these like buckets that we can start working on. And then it's- then it's okay. Well then that's who's going to work on it, right? Like we come up with these ideas, you know, and one of them could be planning the town hall quite honestly, you know, if that is something that we think of, like that's a big thing. So, um, from there, it's like, okay, well, [01:38:00] who has the skills? Who has the assets? Who has the networking? Who- who wants to help move that forward? Um, and that may be, you know, volunteering a couple of people that are in the room. But for the most part, you want to make sure that you have- the idea is that you don't have to ask anything or you don't have to ask anybody else for permission to do the thing you wanna do. That's the crucks of it, and that's why it's the doing part. Um, and then you kind of create these things that get us to your aspirational statement, um, and that could also be a time thing. In- in seven months, this is what we want to be doing. We could time-bound. It doesn't matter, you know, what you want it to get at. Um, usually we like to go big because then you're like, really getting at the thing. Okay. It's like eradicate racism. Okay. How are we going to do that, right? And where do we start? And so it's just a little bit more bite sizable, actionable, and then there are regular check-ins. So whoever that team is, you got 30 days and then we check in. And it's really about not only- [01:39:00] you know, like you had mentioned, like people would signed up and are calling people and things like that. It moves things forward but more importantly, it builds that trust with the- with the group, right? Because then you really start getting to know each other, you'd really start. And- and- and there may be things where we're like, oh, we're gonna do this thing, but it just doesn't happen. It's just not- it's just- there wasn't- you hit roadblocks or whatever it may be. It's okay. The thing about strategic doing is that it's agile. So we have four other things that you can just shift and pivot towards. That's why you check in after 30 days. Now this con- contract, of course, is seven months, so 30 days isn't- sounds like maybe, you know, too much time. We can- we can decide we'll do a check-in in two weeks. You know, we could change that up to- to kinda meet that. That's one of the things that I really love about strategic doing is that, you know, it talks about the people in the room, what you can do without asking for permission, and how do you move those things forward, building trust and checking in, and then being able to pivot if you have to. Um, [01:40:00] and it looks like Eduardo has a comment. He'll get there. Okay. So that is something that we offered in the proposal and I'm sure that I can convince Andy to hold me to it. Um, I- I- I think that what we're gonna be looking at is doing things at the same time, right? So like the education piece happening, the healing piece happening. I also wanted to mention that with, um, Manepay. He in their proposal there are- it is late in Peru, I'm sure. [01:40:34] Thank you for joining, Eduardo. [01:40:37] We'll see you later, Eduardo. [01:40:39] Thanks, Eduardo. [01:40:40] Thank you. [01:40:41] Thank you. [01:40:41] Hi, Eduardo. [01:40:41] Um, there are two sessions- um, healing circles sessions with the commission, uh, ahead of time. So you have that right now. You can come here. It's- it's in his budget. Like you come here, Terry could come here, Danielle cou- Danielle could come here, [01:41:00] like- so just know that that's there, um, and we can just figure out a time that works for everybody. But the team had thought that that might be wanted. You don't have to do it, um, but I know there's been talk about it, so I just wanted to concretize that. And Manepay, if you- I don't know if you wanted to speak about that. But, um, it's- it's there, um, if and- if and when you choose to use it. Okay. Uh, those are just some of the things that I wanted to kinda speak out and we can try and come up with a little bit more. I think there he is. Okay. [01:41:34] Yeah, I can, um- yeah I can speak on that a little bit. And, uh, really, um, really I think the thought about talking circles was that we could- we could present that as like, uh, maybe some conflict resolution pieces. And, um, um, and we wanted it to- you know, I know- I know- I know some folks that had contributed [01:42:00] some of their- they wanted to contribute some of their understandings or teachings around, uh, talking circles they might have experienced in the past and bring that in. But my understanding was that we- that, uh, you know, local tribal people. When I say local, I mean Iowa, um, that we would- we would- we would, um, generically grow this, uh, um, from Iowa. But- but I- but I wanted people to have a talking circle so they kinda understand the process. And- and if that's something that is interest- that might be interesting to them, then we can foster that further. So that way you have your own- your- your own saying that- that- that is facilitated. And, um, and [01:43:00] I think there's more power in that locally. Um, so that's kinda- that was kinda the premise of that and I- I said two- I said two, um, two talking circles because sometimes the first one can kinda be, uh, we- we- it- it can kinda take us back a little bit and maybe we don't know how to feel. So we wanted to offer two so that way you can experience one process that and then maybe the second one is something that, you know, sometimes we can be a little reserved and maybe the second one, we might open up a little bit more or have an understanding on how the flow goes. And then from there, uh-, uh, coaching how to facilitate, uh, your own. And who would do that? Maybe- maybe nobody's interested in it. Maybe it- maybe it just is what it is, but, um, but if there is an interest, uh, we can help coach that. So that- that was kinda my understanding. [01:43:57] Yeah. [01:43:58] Thank you. [01:44:00] And, uh, there are, you know, uh, the- the creation of the Iowa based, uh, talking circles was separate from that. And so that- anyway, there's a lot of things that can happen at once. [LAUGHTER] That's what I'm trying to say and I think it does make sense that a lot of that healing is going to be happening while we're figuring out like how to talk about it, how to do the thing. So welcome any thoughts that you have on that that we can share with the team for next week now or you can email us, text or whatever works. [01:44:36] So I think we have a lot to think about. And I'm sure we could talk ourselves to death tonight. If anyone has anything want to- [01:44:46] I just wanted to ask. Are there things that you'd like to know in terms of what we think now ahead of your meeting next week with all of the facilitator team or they're like, do you need to gauge the temperature on our thoughts on anything that you [01:45:00] already- like, any ideas you already have. [01:45:02] I mean, I feel like from the things that have been talked about and I've taken notes to share with everybody and I'm sure Annie is doing as well. I feel pretty solid on kind of everybody's level of engagement and interest. And did you want to say something? Yeah. [01:45:20] Yeah. I'm really sorry, but I have children I have to get back to you. [01:45:24] Yeah, of course. [01:45:24] So I wish I could stay. [LAUGHTER] [01:45:27] You can always reach out to us here. [01:45:29] Yeah, sorry. [01:45:30] Thank you. [01:45:31] Thank you. [01:45:31] Let us know. [01:45:34] Good night, Sikowis, [01:45:35] I think maybe one- one thing that's on my mind is- obviously this meeting kind of came up and it was like, okay, [LAUGHTER] 48 hours later, we don't really ever. [01:45:48] Yeah. [01:45:49] Have our shit together like [LAUGHTER] wait a second. [LAUGHTER] It's like we'll get there, you know. [LAUGHTER] I appreciate that. And it's all organic process, but just the cadence of [01:46:00] your meetings. So we are going to be meeting next week and then you'll have your meeting, the third meeting. And so I just want to be prepared for- in-between that time, I think we'll probably need more engagement. I think to- so that when we arrive at that third Thursday that were like a little bit more in there, so I hope that that's okay. And we've been mostly communicating with Stephanie and then she kind of passes it along to folks. I just want to kind of clarify method of communication because I think that we'll have our thing and then we'll want to like kind of vet things with you and, you know, that kind of stuff. So- and that'll probably be more regular than it has been is that the best way to continue just kind of emailing to Stephanie and including the chair or. [01:46:51] Well, I think if you send it to me, I can send it to everybody because [OVERLAPPING] it's even though the chair is an elected, you know, [01:47:00] elected by everybody, I think it's just best for everybody to have the same information at the same time. And so if you can send it to me and I'll send it out to everyone. And just also to be thinking that, I mean, all of this public records so somebody can, you know requests, [OVERLAPPING] you know, like the email from the other day that had chastity, that's a public record. So just kind of being mindful of that, but yeah, that's the best way to do it so everybody gets the same information at the same time. [01:47:33] And then when you're responding for open [NOISE] records, you have to just respond, not reply all or something. I can't remember [OVERLAPPING] [01:47:42] Correct. That's the- the best way to do it. But, I mean, but when you're talking kind of substantive things, I don't- I don't know if that. [01:47:50] Let me- I guess let me ask because some of this we're kind of getting ahead of our skis a bit, right. So I'm going to be serving as the contract administrator [01:48:00] on this and what would likely look like- and it'd be great if the consultants meet amongst themselves next week. I probably will have another separate meeting from that. After I find out what our procurement practices are going to be, how are we going to be doing our progressive payouts and all those kind of things. I'm going to also get real detailed into our current scope of work. I know they're broken down in task, but then we didn't talk about activities that fall under those tasks. And a lot of the things that you guys have kind of been spit balling right now is kind of more on activity level. So some of those might be totally appropriate within our-our contract. Other- others may be a separate item that has to be addressed separately, um, in- in more of- of what I would call an operational budget for the commission. So I've heard the term budget used around and- and I just want to be clear. [01:49:00] This is a project budget, um. What has been approved is the scope of work. And so, um, if there's something that's going to be changing that scope of work in any kind of major way, um, it's going to have to take a renegotiation with those contractors. So I'm going to be- kind of be like the taskmaster. People are not going to probably like me very much, but I'm going to try and keep all this, you know, keeping- keeping it going, trying to prevent mission creep. And try and keep us right on- on the task of what we- we've agreed to. So I think the first thing- and I'm going to be zeroed in on the first three months. So, um, come probably June 1st, I got vacation here later in May, daughters graduating, so I'm going to be headed to Boston, but when I get back, we'll probably start our three-month process and then look at having that presentation [01:50:00] to counsel for that initial presentation and progress evaluation, uh, in September. So what I likely will probably do with the contractors and sit down and break those down- things out, those activities that need to happen before that date on a monthly schedule because that's probably what we're going to be doing payouts on the monthly schedule. I'll probably be tying those things in with certain, um, tasks and activities to see to make sure everything's staying on track, um. And how also the contractors are interrelated. So I will try my best to make sure that one contractor's not holding up another contractor, which might be holding up the whole- the whole ball of wax and then maybe threaten our capstone, which is in September for counseling because that's really where counsels going to decide that this is going well and we should keep on moving forward or this is not going so [01:51:00] well and we might need to re-evaluate. So that's a really big date. Um, that- we'll keep that in the forefront. That's our end right now. So talking about thinking of the end to be- end, I like that word, that's what we're kind of going to do for our capstone for September. So all this is great. I just want to kind of let you know [NOISE] that communication line. How best a way to communicate those. We'll work through all that. We- we may wind up involving the chair to gather those kind of things and then introduce those into our meetings because we'll probably have some meeting schedule that makes sense to make sure everything is staying on track. But we'll- we'll work through all of those things. [01:51:47] Yeah. That sounds great. Yeah. [01:51:49] I was going to say some of the meetings you're talking about- a bit possible if I could attend them too because I have sort of the same kind of experience. I would just also like to be involved if it's okay. [01:52:00] I'm not sure if that's something that- [01:52:01] I- I think that's more of your fellow commissioners. From my standpoint, I don't mind having a representative because it'll probably be a Zoom meeting with people all over the road anyway. So, um, that's fine, but you probably want to work that out amongst yourselves. And I'm- I'm totally okay with helping that communication line be- you know, work out for whatever works best for the commission. [01:52:27] I was already going to invite the vice chair if that's okay with everyone, so- okay. [01:52:32] Agreed. I mean, you know from a contracting perspective, you know nobody wants scope creep. Um, [LAUGHTER] I appreciate that and appreciate a task. Uh, you know somebody keeping us on task and things like that as, uh, we knew, it would be somewhat fluids. So you know there are specific things and then there's some things that will have to respond to you. Um, and I think a good example is marketing, um, in terms of budget. That's not in our- that's not in our contract. Marketing is [01:53:00] not in our contract, but thinking through that. Yes. So I mean, I think these are good like reminders of what our capacity is. Um, like we weren't going to be paying for billboards. I guess, is a good one [LAUGHTER]. [01:53:14] [LAUGHTER] And when you're talking about kind of this marketing, I- I get the excitement and wanting to hit the ground running. But as a part of the process, I think you have to also think about how you're going to market yourself in a way that the public understands one- what you are, what you do, what service you offer and- and what you don't do, because people have emailed the group given names and probably didn't realize that's a public record, right? So and- and I think some people are looking for more of a adjudication process. And that's not what you can do. Um, and so I just think that before, I mean, we- we can do brochures, we can do, um, you know the things you mentioned, like, um, business cards, all that. But it's just- you [01:54:00] have to think about how you are marketing yourself to the community so that it's clear to the community what- what you do- do, because I imagine, you know Truth and Reconciliation Commission, you know, uh, that lots of folks. It's going to be the first time they've heard of that. And then when they see discrimination, they're going to say, oh, I can file a complaint with them. And they're going to investigate and then they're going to go after my employer, and that's not quite what you do. So just in going big, just being conscious of the fact that a lot of people, um, are going to, um, you know, just be reminded what you can do for them, what services you offer. So that it's very clear. [01:54:38] Anybody that I believe we speak to, we should just make sure that we have almost a full list of everything we can and can't do given to them specifically. So there's no way there's ever any confusion at all. And even with that being said, uh, next week is the only week that- that's the last big week that I'm going to be relatively busy with things, uh, [01:55:00] outside of this. But with- with that being said after that, I'm willing to go with anybody else or I'll go myself to each and every single one of these groups who wanted to sit down and talk with us or didn't know about us. I'll have- I'll have some more free time on my hands. So I'm willing to go and we can talk one-on-one and really whatever brochures. They have all information. We'll make sure we get it out to them and then make sure that they are in full understanding of, uh, what exactly we do and, uh, what we're trying to do. So I'm- I'm- I'm going. [01:55:34] With that in mind, I was just thinking. Um, I think over the next two weeks, we all should just think about how much time we can realistically give to this. Um, if we need to shorten our meetings or if we need to, um, just make sure now that we have we- our- our charges. We can move forward that we're budgeting our time, the correct method. I know at one point we talked about going to one meeting. I'm not suggesting that just [01:56:00] maybe thinking about what we think would be the best path forward. Um, so that because, I mean, this is going to be time consuming, um, in more ways than one. So just kind of getting an understanding of your own personal ability of what you're able to give. No judgments on how much or how little. It just understanding what you're able to give to this, um, so that we can be respectful of that moving forward. Is just a thought. Um, and then another question, if that's okay. Um, so I know in the contract there is a city position. Um, is-, uh, Redmond, is that what you're saying that you're covering or? [01:56:42] I think that's probably what I'm going to be. [01:56:45] Okay. [01:56:46] Actually an S. [01:56:47] So there won't be a hiring of that. [01:56:49] It'd be echo hiring, but I think that's what I'm going to be functioning, especially with the timing of everything that has to be done. It'll be pretty difficult to actually go through [01:57:00] some type of recruiting process. [01:57:01] I was wondering about that. Okay. [01:57:06] Speaking about timing and what you're gonna be doing. So I was in communication with Dave and Larry today. And what you're looking at is some kind of, uh, you know two evenings or two half days or one whole day, um, session. And, um- and- and some of the folks involved need at least two weeks ahead or more. So we're going to need to coordinate timing and- and be communicating back-and- forth about that. The other pieces, when monopoly talks about like circles or some of the different kinds of meetings, there'll be like Eduardo talking about all kinds of TRC's what is the- what's the policy for them meeting, but it not being public or as if they have a circle, do they have to do like they did [01:58:00] last summer, which was to half circle- half of the folks- half of the folks. How are they going to- how are they going to handle those kinds of meetings? Is- is something we don't have to know tonight, but it's something we'll all have to know. [01:58:14] You mean circles that would involve the community. [01:58:17] Right, or when say Eduardo was here and talking with you guys and you're just brainstorming and hearing about [NOISE] TRCs all over the world. Um, is that a public meeting? Is that happening here? [01:58:28] [OVERLAPPING] Yeah, if that's going to be a quorum then there's a public meetings. [01:58:31] As we're talking about [OVERLAPPING] about the numbers. [01:58:33] You don't have the number commen- public commentary. You know you can just have a straight get to the details of why you're meeting, but it's still a public meeting. [01:58:40] We will always have to have, um, a public meeting for anytime we're all together. Is what I'm hearing. Correct, Stephanie? [01:58:46] Yes, that's correct. [01:58:47] Yeah. [01:58:49] I think the question though is, can there be meetings where there's less than a quorum? [01:58:55] Yeah of course. And that wouldn't be idea. [01:58:57] Like the committee meeting. That our subcommittee meeting. [01:58:59] Yeah. [01:59:00] Yeah. There-there can be, but anything's discoverable in terms of minutes notes. Yep. So. [01:59:06] If we take notes at a subcommittee meeting, is what you're saying? [01:59:09] Correct. [01:59:09] Okay. [01:59:12] And when I hear that, it's like it's great if the whole public has, you know if- it's even zoomed. If it's- it's recorded, like what Eduardo was saying, right? And the conversations, people can see it growing, right? So that's actually really exciting, but I wanted to just all of us be clear. And maybe what we'll begin to do is send out some dates or something back-and-forth so that all of us can begin to get things on our calendars. So that makes sense? It's another piece. [01:59:41] I think it's worth asking monopoly the question like, does, um, what a public meeting sort of compromise the nature of a healing circle? I'm guessing so, but could we have a shade of it where we do exemplify for the community in public healing [02:00:00] that is televised, right? [LAUGHTER]. Um, [02:00:04] Asking us to be bold. [02:00:06] Asking us to be bold and also on our best behavior. Um, so [LAUGHTER. [02:00:10] Yeah. [02:00:11] Am I not be a bad thing [LAUGHTER]. [02:00:12] Right. Which could probably, you know, hurt the integrity because you won't feel as comfortable being vulnerable. But we are to be the examples as Commissioner Rivera sign. [LAUGHTER]. [02:00:25] It's like when you're on Zoom and you can only see that one thing, but there's actually like 50 other people on here just like, all right, just pretend that they just said one person. [LAUGHTER]. [02:00:38] To answer your question, Annie, providing a States would be wonderful. Thank you. [02:00:44] Thank you. [02:00:46] So, um, I didn't want to stop anyone from talking. If there's anything else we'd like to add, feel free. But it seems like we have been, you know, thinking and dreaming a little bit. And maybe we need to just kinda [02:01:00] go back into our own cells over the next week. So we- if you have any other ideas, let's communicate with our facilitators and then we'll come back in two weeks. Okay. Thank you. There's no one here um, in person, but is there anyone online that would like to comment on our discussion for this agenda item? Please raise your hand. If not, we'll go ahead and move on to, um, number 7, which is following up on communications with the Iowa City Community School District, will go ahead and dive right into discussion. Um, I'm going to go to Marie and see, um, if she has anything to update us with. [02:01:44] Don't have any updates. [02:01:45] Okay. [02:01:45] And Laura Gray probably thinks I fell off the face of the planet. I've been really busy. [LAUGHTER] So I apologize. [LAUGHTER] [02:01:53] No worries. [02:01:54] I will reach out. And there was actually a diversity and equity inclusion meeting last night. [02:02:00] But I just- I forgot because I was busy [LAUGHTER]. Thank you, Marie. And also I wanted to say thank you to V and Annie for you know, staying with us in the room. And I think everyone else online left us. [LAUGHTER] [02:02:19] I just say one more thing and I didn't get a chance to say this because I- I think I was caught off guard, but um, Kevin, I- um, I want to thank you for being on this commission. It's really meant so much to me to have representation. Um, and of course, there have been others that have come before. But you always want to see those that look like you. And I just- I thank you for your bravery and your courage. And you have brought so much to this commission. Um, I have- I have learned so much even in the short time that I've [02:03:00] gotten to know you. And so your- your- your absence will definitely be felt um, by me personally. Ah, - and I- I wish you well on everything that you do, I have- I have no doubt will be incredible. But just wanted to say, thank you for being who you are and for doing this great work. It- it means a lot. So thank you. [02:03:26] Thank you. I echo all of the same sentiments back to you. I'm glad to be leaving the commission with someone to represent me still. [LAUGHTER] So that's very exciting and you know what listen and if I can't get paid, I'm glad that you are. [LAUGHTER] So congratulations and um, thank you for all the future work that you're going to be doing for my friends up here. I'm so- so- so excited for all of you. [02:03:48] Thank you. [02:03:50] Thank you both. Have a good night. Ah, so Marie, thank you so much for updating us. No worries. Everyone's been very busy. [02:04:00] Um, let us know if there's anything we can do to, you know, help you. I know, um, Sikowis was working on it as well. So if you need any help to- let us know, okay. [02:04:10] Thank you. [02:04:11] If there's- is there anyone in the public that like to comment on this agenda item? Let's move on to- we did not have any correspondence, and so we'll just go into commissioner announcements. Who would like to go first? [02:04:27] I'll go first. Um, this Commissioner Johnson, I just want to say thank you to ah, our city council who believed in us enough to ah, get the job done. I- I really appreciate that- that opportunity. And I have full trust in our commission that we will not just get it done, but do it to the best of our ability. Everybody on here is dedicated. Everybody on here has the right heart and mind. And- and have been pushing [02:05:00] forward and we're not going to stop now. And I would just like to thank those who stepped up and believed in us and gave us the opportunity rather than kick the ball down the field again, only to possibly lose everything I read every day. It really means a lot. And I hope that- for those who might have had doubt, I look forward to making sure that they see that we- we- we had the right mindset in- in mind the entire time to get things done. So, ah, only other thing I have is right now, one of the reasons why I'm gonna be gone next week is next week is the nationals for what- what I do, I do boxing. And our own local champion has now won the state champion. Dottie Monsari has won the state championship. He's won a Golden Gloves and now he's going to represent Iowa and Iowa City itself [02:06:00] in the Nationals in Philadelphia, which is gonna be pretty awesome, especially when it comes back with a win. It'll put- I will see you on a map on a whole different level when it comes down to the boxing community, amateur. And that's a beautiful thing for us and just shows our strength in what we're capable of and multiple different facet. So soon as we get back, we get back to work, period. We're going to go out there and do this, but then, ah, we're also community oriented and look forward to push them forward when making our community a better place. So, ah, only other announcement, that's the only other announcement I have. And also just once again going to miss you guys and thank you for being on our board, period. It's just what it is. And I mean, I don't talk very much a lot, but a lot of things, but like I said, your inspiration and thank you again. Thank you. [02:06:53] Okay. Um, ah, one announcement and just basically kinda thought transparency, but um, [02:07:00] since at the city council meeting, they announced how there was gonna be a vacancy on the um, Community Police Review Board. And I- and there was the email that came over. So I- I checked in with I can't remember her name was with- that was on the email about the board, but I check to see whether if I would be eligible, you know, based on being on the- this board and- and think working for the county was gonna an issue, but I just wanted to make sure before I submit application. And she did get back to me to say that, um, she verify that I would be eligible. So I am going to be submitting an application to serve. And no guarantee. I'll- I'll get on it. But, um, it's something I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing. [02:07:57] Anyone else? [02:07:58] I'm going to send out a- [02:08:00] a flyer for our picnic on Saturday. And if you're able to come in 12- 4. We do have food, but if you also still able to bring food and an extra plate for somebody else that would be great. Not so much for the food, but just so that we have foods from different kitchens and different cultures. So but I'll send a flyer through Stephanie to us. That's all I have. [02:08:39] I want to say um, I want to give Kevin another thanks. I wanna thank you so much for being a sounding board. Um, so many months ago, um, and just you know being someone I could trust and collaborate with and just brainstorm and keep hope alive on being in this commission. I- I truly [02:09:00] appreciate you. Um, and I just from the very beginning, I appreciate your drive and commitment and desire to see change in this community. So I'm gonna miss you on this commission and just thank you so much. [02:09:15] My announcement is that my phone number is still the same, so reach out if you- I love giving my opinion on things [LAUGHTER]. So whatever. [LAUGHTER] Um, and my last announcement is, just a reminder that May is Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Lots of agents in our community to celebrate. Um, and I've truly so- been so honored to um, not be a black person on this commission and to partner with so many black people and Native people um, to prioritize the mission um, and, you know, make no mistake the TRC was founded out of the Black Lives Matter so movement in- in 2020 and all of the protests that were going on. And I think that our communities benefit so much [02:10:00] from a serving one another. Um, so don't forget the Asians and American- and Pacific Islanders um, and invite them to be part of this process with you, please. [02:10:10] Thank you. I wanna announce agent Vest and Coral Ville on, I believe May 13th. You just reminded me of that. Um, my friend and city council member high, when is putting that together and I think it's gonna be a great time. I believe it's 12-4, but please go online and double-check that. Ah, if there's no other announcements, I'm gonna move for a motion to adjourn. [02:10:31] I move. [02:10:32] I second. [02:10:34] All right. Let's get out of here. [LAUGHTER]