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Home My WebLink About06-24-2025 Human Rights Commission Human Rights Commission June 24, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall 410 E. Washington Street (City Hall) AGENDA: 1. Call to Order 2. Reading of the Native American Land Acknowledgment 3. Consideration of Meeting Minutes: May 27, 2025 4. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda Commentators shall address the commission for no more than five minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items. 5. Correspondence 6. Update from the Police Department's Community Outreach 7. Community Dialogue Conversations 8. Community Coalition for Human Rights Grant 9. Professional Development Opportunities for Community Members 10. Party in the Park • Qadoura & Pries (July 24) • Paul Shantz (July 31) 11. Human Rights Grant Recommendations 12.Staff&Commission Updates This item includes an opportunity for brief updates from staff and Commissioners. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion on updates. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this program or event, please contact the Human Rights Office at humanrights iowa-city.org or call 319-356- 5022. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Agenda Item#2 Native American land Acknowledgement Prepared for the City of Iowa City's Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Human Rights Commission PURPOSE Iowa City owes its existence to the many Indigenous Peoples who were the original stewards of this land and who were subjected to manipulation and violence by non-native settlers, invaders, and governments in order to make this moment possible.Acknowledgement of this truth is central to our work toward reconciliation across all barriers of difference and injustice. Starting with a Native American Land Acknowledgement, this Commission will bear witness to the legacies of violent displacement, migration, and settlement that have marginalized those who were the first inhabitants of this land. We must also address the mistreatment and exclusion that Native Americans continue to face today.The Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Human Rights Commission encourage the community and City of Iowa City to join us in these efforts through the use of a Native American Land Acknowledgement. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT To be read at all public meetings and events: "We meet today in the community of Iowa City, which now occupies the homelands of Native American Nations to whom we owe our commitment and dedication. The area of Iowa City was within the homelands of the Iowa, Meskwaki, and Sauk, and because history is complex and time goes far back beyond memory, we also acknowledge the ancient connections of many other Indigenous Peoples here. The history of broken treaties and forced removal that dispossessed Indigenous Peoples of their homelands was and is an act of colonization and genocide that we can not erase. We implore the Iowa City community to commit to understanding and addressing these injustices as we work toward equity, restoration, and reparations." LEARN MORE Native Governance Center Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement US Department of Arts and Culture: Honor Native Land Virtual Resources and Guide Meskwaki Nation - History Special thanks to the University of Iowa Native American Council for their work and guidance, as well as members of the public,for their input. Agenda Item #3 Draft Minutes Human Rights Commission May 27, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners present: Doug Kollasch, Kelsey Paul Shantz, Roger Lusala, Elizabeth Shannon, Mark Pries,Viana Qadoura. Commissioners on Zoom: None. Commissioners absent: Emily Harkin, Lubna Mohamed. Staff present:Stefanie Bowers. Recommendation to City Council:No. Meeting called to order: 5:34 PM. Native American Land Acknowledgement: Pries read the Land Acknowledgement. Public Comment of Items not on the agenda: None. Approval of meeting minutes of April 22 and May 13, 2025: Pries moved,and Qadoura seconded. Motion passed 6-0. Juneteenth: Scheduled for June 19, 2025, in the South of 6 lot. Commissioners agreed to have a table at the event and are awaiting more information regarding the time of the event. Lusala volunteered to table the event to represent the commission. Depending on the hours of the event, Paul Shantz may be able to help as well. Iowa City Pride: Saturday, June 21, 2025, in the ped mall downtown Iowa City. Commissioners agreed to have a table at the event. Set up will start at 12:00 PM. Mendez Shannon agreed to start the table at 12:00 PM. Paul Shantz suggested operating in shifts with a second shift starting earlier than last year's schedule. 2:00 PM was the recommended second shift start-time. Kollasch volunteered as well. The shifts were agreed as: • First Shift: 12:00 PM —2:00 PM o Mendez Shannon o Paul Shantz (?) • Second Shift: 2:00 PM —4:00 PM o Kollasch o Paul Shantz (?) Staff informed commissioners remaining PRIDE yard signs are available for commissioners and community members. Party in the Park: Will be held every Thursday from June 12-August 14. Staff offered these events as an opportunity for commissioners to do outreach and education with community members. Staff will follow up with a schedule for commissioners to volunteer for this event at their own neighborhood parks. Funding Request,Welcome Week: Iowa City Compassion requested $250 sponsorship for their 3rd annual Welcome Week event. Pries recommended approving the sponsorship request. It was suggested to move the approval pending the presentation of a reasonable budget for the event. Human Rights Grant:The grants will be presented at the next council meeting. Staff requested two commissioners to attend the meeting to answer any potential questions from City Council regarding the grant recommendations. Pries volunteered to attend. Staff will reach out to Commissioner Harkin about her availability to attend. Lusala also volunteered to attend. Staff&Commission Updates: Staff: Staff reminded commissioners that, as in past years,they are encouraged to take time off during the summer months, especially given how busy the last few months have been for the volunteer commission. Pries: Pries shared he will be attending his goddaughter's son's graduation on June 21s'. He also shared his experience attending Luther College's graduation where he heard the Minister of Foreign Relations from Norway speak. He found the experience inspiring as he witnessed cultures mix at the ceremony. He also announced his anniversary of 53 years. Mendez-Shannon:Thanked her fellow commissioners for their work reviewing and approving the Human Rights Grant submissions. She shared that she will be working on building a coalition involving Human Rights Grant recipients and community members alike. Paul Shantz:Spoke to staff regarding the offered break and expressed wanting to keep the June 24'n commission meeting scheduled. Paul Shantz also spoke about her work to create Community Conversations. Topics and content have been established along with an event space, however,there have been no selected dates yet. Paul Shantz encouraged commissioners to keep an eye out on their email regarding potential dates for the Community Conversation events. Paul Shantz also shared she will be attending a portion of a meeting regarding the Community Violence Intervention Model of Iowa City. Paul Shantz also shared she will be going out of town to Philadelphia to attend an annual meeting of Peace and Security funders from across the globe. Qadoura: Qadoura is planning a community event on June 8'"for the second Muslim holiday of the year, Eid al-Adha. Qadoura also encouraged commissioners to speak up for the humanity of those experiencing war including Palestinians. Lusala:Thanked staff for their work and commitment to the events the Commission hosts. Lusala also apologized for his absence from the commission as he experienced transitions in his personal life. Lusala recognized Qadoura's plea for humanity with special recognition for the people of Congo. Lusala was happy to share he will be celebrating the graduation of his "bonus daughter." Kollasch: Echoed Lusala's comments on the success of the Youth Awards and his gratitude to staff for assisting during the award ceremony and to Mayor Teague for attending. Kollasch shared he will be out of town attending a Human Rights Conference in D.C. which is followed by a World Pride celebration this upcoming week. Kollasch also expressed his interest in learning from the speakers at the conference and expressed his gratitude for the commission and their work for human rights. June Meeting: It was agreed to keep the June 24'" meeting scheduled. It was said that this meeting would be a time to check in on commission efforts such as the Coalition and Community Conversation events. Adjourned: 6:10 PM. The meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/@citychannel4/videos. Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2024/2025 Meetin Date TERM 2/27 3/4 3/26 4/23 5/28 7/23 8/27 9/24 11/26 12/12 1/28 2/25 4/1 4/22 5113 5/27 NAME EXP. JahnaviPandya 2024 X X X X X X X A A - - - - - - Emily Harkin 2027 - - - - - - - - P - P P X P Z A Doug Kollasch 2027 X X X X X Z X X P - P P X P Z P Viana Qadoura 2025 X X X X X X X X P - A A X P P P Idriss Abdullahi 2025 - - - X Z X Z A P - P A A Z - Mark Pries 2025 A X X X X X X X P - A P X P P P Roger Lusala 2026 X X A X X X X X P - P P A A A P Kelsey Paul Shantz 2026 X X X Z X X A X P - P A X P P P Liz Mendez-Shannon 2026 X X A Z X X A X A - P P X A A P Lubna Mohamed 2027 - - - - - - - - - - Z A Z Z A A KEY: X=Present A = Absent Z = Present via Zoom Agenda Item #10 From: Stefanie Bowers To: Stefanie Bowers Bcc: Party in the Park Dates and Times RSVP Subject: Tuesday, May 27,2025 8:46:00 PM Date: Party in the Park brings neighbors together with live music, STEAM stations, the Iowa City Book Mobile, and outdoor fun! This free series will be on Thursday nights from 6:30 - 8 p.m., June S through August 14. Party in the Park Locations: June S: James Alan McPherson Park June 12: Happy Hollow Park June 19: Foirmeodows Park June 26: Scott Park July 10: Hunters Run Park July 17: Mercer Park July 24: Willow Creek Park July 31: Frouenholtz-Miller Park August 5 (Tuesday): Wetherby Park (National Night Out, 5:30 - 8 p.m.) August 7: Court Hill Park August 14: Brooklond Park Performers: June 5: The Fritters June 12: Low & Away June 19: Brad & the Big Wave June 26: Diane Road July 10: Golden Alexander July 17: Blake Shaw July 24: Streamline Deluxe July 31: Pigs in Clover August 5: Kolimbomon & the Fabulous Yahoo Drummers August 7: River Glen & Sophie Coyote August 14: Fork in the Road