HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC 11 4 21Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Agenda
Thursday, November 4, 2021 7PM
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Iowa City City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
In order to encourage input from the public, the Commission intends to offer the opportunity to
participate in the meeting remotely. However, this meeting is in-person, and those wishing to ensure
their ability to participate should attend the meeting in-person. If you instead wish to participate
remotely, you may attempt to do so by joining the below link. Please note that the meeting link and ID
for the first Thursday of each month is different than the link and ID for the third Thursday of each
month.
First Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cMIaaV6cTxGwOlWu2-hFHg
ID: 867 2424 8095
Third Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lcIl8llPSRq1u0xPlL-1Ew
ID: 895 3695 0485
If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you can call in by phone
by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting ID when prompted.
Meeting Agenda:
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.ROLL CALL
3.READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & DISCUSSION
4.APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 21, 2021
5.PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (COMMENTATORS SHALL ADDRESS THE TRC
FOR NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES. TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE
PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS).
6.DISCUSS AND VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO EXTEND THE TRC'S
TIMELINE
7.UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE FUND EXCLUDED WORKERS COALITION AND THE
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
8.DISCUSSION ON POTENTIAL TRC LOCAL PARTNERS
9.CIRCLE INVITATION
10. ANNOUCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS/STAFF (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER CONCERNING SAID ANNOUCEMENTS).
11. ADJOURNMENT
If you will need a disability-related accommodation to participate in this meeting please contact
the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your accessibility needs.
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
NOVEMBER 4, 2021 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS
AGENDA ITEM #3
• LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
AGENDA ITEM #4
• DRAFT MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 21, 2021
AGENDA ITEM #6
• DRAFT TIMELINE OF EXTENSION FOR TRC’S RESOLUTION
AGENDA ITEM #8
• POTENTIAL TRC LOCAL PARTNERS LIST
AGENDA ITEM #9
• CIRCLE INVITATION
This meeting can be viewed at https://citychannel4.com/cgi-bin/vdb/ytp.pl?id=F21815.
October 21, 2021
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma J. Harvat Hall
City Hall
Commissioners present: Amel Ali, Wangui Gathua, Mohamed Traore, Kevo Rivera, Clif Johnson.
Commissioners via Zoom: Daniel Daphney, Eric Harris, Christine Nobiss (Sikowiss), Chastity Dillard.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendations to City Council: No.
Meeting Called to Order: 7:06.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Ali read the Land Acknowledgement.
Vote to Approve the Meeting Minutes from October 7, 2021: Motion by Ali, seconded by Rivera. Motion
passed 7-0. (Nobiss, Dillard not present).
Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: None.
Updates on the progress of the Fund Excluded Workers Coalition and the American Rescue Plan: Taking
the lead from Johnson County, other counties have created their own Excluded Workers Coalitions. The
Johnson County Coalition will be attending the final Johnson County Board of Supervisors’ public input
meeting on October 26 at 6PM. The Catholic Workers House will be recognized for their work in the
community at the Human Rights Awards Ceremony on October 27 at 7:30PM.
TRC Framework: The TRC discussed the possibility of having a work session with the City Council prior to
the end of the year. One item to consider for a work session is whether the resolution creating the TRC
needs to be narrowed. The TRC may utilize the services of Eduardo Gonzalez to brainstorm on three
topics that can be presented to the City Council. Subcommittees of the TRC will meet to discuss what they
are seeking from the City Council so that they can be very concise in any requests. In the meantime, the
TRC will work on compiling a list of organizations that they can partner with to hold listening sessions.
Commissioners will email staff their suggestions. This list will be a core group of organizations that the
TRC can work with to foster relationships. The TRC would also like to work with the City on promoting
their meetings better to the community.
Discussion on whether to recommend that City Council extend the timeline for the TRC to fulfill its
charge: Currently the resolution creating the TRC dissolves it on June 30, 2022. The TRC discussed two
options to recommend to the City Council:
1) Restart the timeline for November 30, 2021 with the end date being August 30, 2023. Report due July
2023; or
2) Back the start date to April 15, 2021 and run through January 31, 2023. Report due December 2022.
It was mentioned that maybe a recommendation to the City Council should be to make the TRC a
permanent Commission of the City. Traore made a motion and Ali seconded to wait on making this
recommendation to City Council, the motion passed 9-0.
Discussion on whether to select a Facilitator by posting a Request for Proposals (RFP): Rivera made a
This meeting can be viewed at https://citychannel4.com/cgi-bin/vdb/ytp.pl?id=F21815.
motion for the TRC to bypass the RFP process for now, the motion was seconded by Ali. Motion passed 8-0
(Nobiss not present).
Reports of Commissioners: Traore read a letter from Ousmane Ouramou Sidibe, the president of the
Commander of the National Order in Mali. Rivera noted that October is Filipino Heritage Month. Harris
was recently hired by Dream City. Daniel reported on the Cady Day of Service to the public or pro bono
work. Gathua noted the holiday recognizing Kenya’s Freedom Fighters.
Adjourn: 8:56 PM
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2021
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
4/15 4/29 5/13 5/27 6/10 6/24 7/8 7/22 8/5 8/19 9/2 9/16 9/30 10/7 10/21
Ali 6/22 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Daniel 6/22 X X X X X X O X O X X X X O X
Dillard 6/22 X X X X O X X X X X X X X X X
Gathua 6/22 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Johnson 6/22 X X X X X X X X X X X X X O X
Harris 6/22 O X X X X X X X X X O X X X X
Nobiss 6/22 X O X X X X X O X X X O X X X
Rivera 6/22 X X X X X X X X X O X X X O X
Traore 6/22 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
DECEMBER (2021)
Goals: Draft Process design for public events
-Draft discussion/interview guide for receiving truth telling testimony
-TRC and staff need to discuss logistics and coordination for in-person events
-Work on developing a script for how these processes will go
-Decide ways in which we are conducting interviews (video, phone, surveys, 1 on 1, etc.)
JANUARY (2022)
-Start prepping/planning for events (where, when, logistics, topics) helpful to work with
other organizations!!
-Prepare infographics/posters/fliers depicting the event and TRC
-Develop content for possible PSA’s broadcasts on radio, etc
MARCH-OCTOBER (2022)
-Lots of testimony and collaboration on events should happen during these months
-Our goals shouldn’t be to record every single testimony but to pick compelling ones that
we can later record.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER
-LOTS of rewatching and analyzing
-Do we want to collectively work on recommendations together? I think it would be great
to have community input in some form as well.
Identify: Trends, ideas, among citizens. Someone taking notes during testimonies.
When it comes to writing the report this will be helpful as it will help us envision/structure
the entire report (ex. Do we want different sections of policing, housing, etc. and a
conclusion? What would this look like?)
From:Angie Jordan
To:Mohamed Traore; Amel Ali; Eric Harris; Kevin Rivera
Cc:Stefanie Bowers; Annie Tucker; V Fixmer-Oraiz
Subject:Resubmission of the Circle Invitation
Date:Wednesday, November 3, 2021 9:19:43 AM
Good Morning Stefanie and others. Could this message please be passed along to all TRC
members for discussion? We appreciate your help to get this to the commissioners and also
are available for any questions or clarifications.
I hope you all have a wonderful day!
__________________________________
Dear Members of the TRC,
It is exciting and uplifting to navigate possible options for exploring truth telling in Iowa
City.
Last week I sent a proposal within an email outlining a series of Circles, and since then
have been learning so much about what goes into setting up and creating a Circle. In
my new found knowledge, I am now resubmitting an evolved proposal more in line with
creating a safe space that is informed by those present in it. So, we are no longer
proposing a specific series of Circles, and we are glad to provide any Circles the TRC
or others request. We are still offering a Circle for TRC members.
We want to make it clear that the goal of the Circle/meeting for TRC members is to
create a safe space for them to explore truth-telling through Circles and provide them
with an opportunity to engage in this process first hand. There will not be any TRC
issues discussed or decisions made there. We hope that will make it possible for all
interested TRC members to join this meeting
In a Circle, the facilitator asks for a question and we pass a talking piece around. Each
person gets a chance to answer the question, or to pass when the talking piece somes
to them. In this Circle, the questions will be about personal memories or experiences.
There will be no questions related to TRC issues.
Here are the kind of questions that will be asked:
Name a value you think would be helpful in making this circle a safe space.
Name a person who has made a positive difference in your life and how they did.
Tell about a time when someone listened to you tell your truth. What made that
possible and how did it affect you?
Tell about a time when you listened to someone tell their truth and how it affected
you.
The Circle invitation details remain the same: Tuesday, November 16th @ 6pm-8pm at
Dream City--611 Southgate Avenue Iowa City. All TRC members are invited.
Again, the goal of the meeting is to create a safe space to explore truth telling through
the Circle process and provide TRC members an opportunity to engage this process first
hand. Discussion and decisions about TRC issues or other circles will not happen at
that time.
I appreciate your patience and kindness as I continue to learn and grow in my
understanding of how to engage truth telling methods and also working together on a
new team alongside V Fixmer-Oraiz and Annie Tucker.
If you have any questions, please contact any of us, we are all included in this email.
-- Angie Jordan, she/her/hers
Banjo Knits Empowerment LLCEcosystem Builder & ConsultantCEO & Founder