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Home My WebLink About11-22-2022 Human Rights CommissionHuman Rights Commission November 22, 2022 Formal Meeting —5:30 PM Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall Agenda: 1. Call the meeting to order and roll call 2. Reading of Native American Land Acknowledgement 3. Approval of October 25, 2022, meeting minutes 4. Public comment of items not on the agenda. (Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items) 5. Introduction and Welcome of Veronica May, Community Outreach Assistant for the Police Department 6. Racial Equity & Social Justice Grant (RESJ) Updates and Information 7. Commission Committee Updates a. Building Bridges b. Reciprocal Relationships c. Breaking Bread 8. Thank you and Farewell to Outgoing Commissioners 9. Staff/Commission Announcements (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements) 10. Adjournment MEETING PACKET CONTENTS: 1. AGENDA: TUESDAY, November 22, 2022 2. Open Meetings and Public Records Training Opportunity Flyer 3. NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4. DRAFT MINUTES: October 25, 2022 5. RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANT REPORTS FY 22 If you will need disability -related accommodations to participate in this meeting please contact Human Rights Coordinator, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowersCa)iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. IOWA PUBLIC RECORDS AND OPEN MEETINGS LAW TRAINING FOR BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBE Thurs., Dec. 8, 202 YOU WILL LEARN: ✓ What is considered a meeting for governmental bodies ✓ Whether texts or emails are subject to open meetings and public records laws When a board can go into a closed session What the penalties are for violations of open meetings and public records laws And much more. AW,,-4 1 ^ r --& IOWA LEAGUE CITY OF IOWA CITY Qf CITIES UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE 6:OOPM on Zoom Register by scanning the OR code 0 0 n#� r.3i ❑� �-•r' i Presented by Iowa League of Cities Director of Membership Services, Mickey Shields f you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please contact Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022 or Stefanie-bowers@iowo-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. 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. Draft Minutes Human Rights Commission October 25, 2022 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners present: Mark Pries, Jason Glass, Doug Kollasch, Ashley Lindley, Bijou Maliabo, Roger Lusala, Kelsey Paul Shantz (Via Zoom). Commissioners not present: Sylvia Jons. Staff present: Stefanie Bowers, Joshua Dabusu Recommendation to City Council: No. Meeting called to order: 5:31 PM. Native American Land Acknowledgement: Pries read the Land Acknowledgement. Public comment of items not on the agenda: None. Approval of meeting minutes of September 27, 2022: Pries moved, and Maliabo seconded. Motion passed 7-0. Introduction of Police Officer Jordan Schunk and Fire Chief Scott Lyon: Commissioners were introduced to both of the recent hires. Racial Equity and Social Justice Grant: The updated PowerPoint slides were handed out to those Commissioners who are presenting at the informational sessions in November. Staff will send it out to all other Commissioners via email. Glass and Maliabo will facilitate the grant informational session on November 9, and Pries, Lindley, and tentatively Jons will facilitate it on November 16. Strategic Plan: Breaking Bread — Glass & Lindley Reciprocal Relationships— Lusala, Felker, and Jons Building Bridges—Maliabo, Paul Shantz, Pries Breaking Bread reached on to Iowa City Police Community Sargeant Andrew McKnight to discuss the potential for collaboration on future community outreach. One suggestion is to host a "Coffee with a Commissioner" and invite other City Commission to participate too. Reciprocal Relationships mentioned making the Racial Equity and Social Justice grant allocations a ceremony with a Commissioner handing the organization the check and posing for pictures. Building Bridges spoke on the need to have a committee liaison from each of the three groups to assist in crafting the Commission's agenda each month. The group also plans to meet with former Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton the first week in November. Pries has requested staff to provide purchased copies of Throgmorton's book "Co -Crafting the Just City: Tales from the Field by a Planning Scholar" to assist in the discussion. Awards Breakfast: The annual event will be held on Wednesday, October 26. Commissioners will arrive at 6:45 AM and the program will start right at 7:30 AM. Commissioner Jons will not be in attendance. Statement in Support of the October 15, Iowa City Library's Storytime: Kollasch drafted a statement in support of Drag Storytime and Costume Ball. The statement includes a passage that the persons who protested this program did so in a manner that was disrespectful and intimidating, The statement was moved by Kollasch, and seconded by Lusala. Motion passed 7-0. Staff will work with Communications to put out a news release. Consider Changing the November 22 meeting date: The Commission decided to keep its regularly scheduled meeting for November. Paul Shantz will not be in attendance at the meeting. Announcements of staff and commissioners: Dabusu participated in a Halloween Carnival for children with Autism. Lusala noted that the Mayor got married, recently here in Iowa City. Lusala had the privilege of being in the wedding party. Lindley attended a webinar that was held in commemoration of LGBTQ+ History Month. Pries was interviewed for an article that will appear in the Daily Iowan on the Human Rights Awards. Pries also participated in an online learning course on land acknowledgments. Paul Shantz mentioned an upcoming program being presented by The Englert Theatre and Great Plains Action Society "Truthsgiving: The Truth will not be Whitewashed". Maliabo spoke on a new program the City of Coralville started in September "Community Ambassador Program". Glass will speak at his high school Alma Mater on Veterans Day. Adjourned: 7:02 PM. The meeting can be viewed at https://citychannel4.com/video.html?series=Local%20Government. N N N N �i ti N O ti r 0. 0. a. C M 0. a. W m 0. C 0. N �C R N C C C C C 0. 0. N a a a a- a. m N N N N N N N N N N N C C VT.1 N N N W cOtl z Y 3 Y Q R CL U > Nov 2022 SJRE: First Report for Racial Equity & Social Justice Grant ICCompassion's progress We are thankful for the impact of racial equity and social justice grant money. We have used this money for the first year of our vision. Our vision was to create a training caf6 within our facility at IC Compassion. We are now licensed and have been operating since May 51^, 2022. The cafe, the Jabez Cafe, provides a place for young adults with disabilities and mental illnesses to work and gain the skills they need for future job opportunities. We have had a total of 7 young adults or trainees. All participants have been from immigrant families. They have been learning food service skills such as cooking, money handling, cleaning, and serving others. Parents of the young adults have been key to managing and training in the cafe. Four parents have been consistently involved in the daily management of the cafe. We are also impacting the community with connections with these young adults and learning about disabilities and their barriers. Since July, the number of meals being served has increased from 10 meals a week to an average of 20 meals a week. Being committed to serving on a donation basis, a side benefit has been providing meals for those who could not afford it. Jabez Cafe serves approx. 25 free meals each month. Other statistics since being supported by this grant: • volunteer hours a week are 25 to 30 hours • training time each week is approx. 12 hrs. • Added donation methods including Venmo • Average donations increased to an average of $225 per week • Increased number of clients and a few regulars! Specific response to our goals: • Trainees will demonstrate increased comfort and confidence with training at Jabez Cafe • Responses from our trainees (young adults) • Jordan, one of our first trainee, was really worried in the beginning and now he loves to come to work and participates in everyday that we serve in the community. • JB is nonverbal but he has his routine of getting the trash bag, the old bread and putting them in the trash container. He has learned that after he is finished, he sits at a table and waits for his cupcake treat. He welcomes that with a big smile. 0 Trainees will demonstrate increased job skills in the food service area • All trainees are doing their jobs skills with minimal prompts All trainees are still in the program. Two asked for increased time. • Parents will indicate increased satisfaction with knowledge of resources in the community. • Partnership with LEND and • Partnership with Goodwill and Successful Living • Trainees from City High School, West High School, and the University • Parents and trainees will indicate increased satisfaction with their lives as they find dignity and purpose in Jabez Cafe and hope for the future. • New friendships have developed. Clients now call our trainees by name and have conversations with them. The funding has supported our part-time coordinator, which has been critical to our current success. The rest of the funding has been used for food costs, rewards for trainees, promotional and educational material. Our expenses from July 1, 2022 to Oct. 31'' 2022 Salary for Coordinator 750/month 2250 Salary for Adm 3 hrs per week/1/30 of salary 1170 Rewards for trainees 193.10 193.10 Print cost for promotional and educational material 160.61 160.61 Food Cost 2365.89 per reciepts 2365.89 Total 6139.60 (July and August) 1 st Quarter Program Report on Progress Email report to human rig hts(@iowa-city.org Project Details Project Name Community Computer Lab Location Center for Worker Justice Grant No. 10210400 Reporting period 1 st Quarter -1 November 2022 Report compiled by Raneem Hamad Date submitted 10/21 /2022 Summary The Center for Worker Justice received $18,000 from the City of Iowa City on May 18, 2022 (Invoice number 413279) to provide access to technology, internet, and safety -net programs that marginalized residents disproportionately lack access to due to the digital divide. The goal of this project is to create an easily accessible space for community members with a computer lab that would specifically help address those issues all while advancing social justice and racial equity. More specifically, the scope of services for this project includes 1. Assistance with filing out/printing forms and applications. 2. Provide a shared learning environment providing workshops and educational courses in computer literacy, English language, and other educational subjects. 3. Will also offer knowledge and assistance to access government assistance programs that contribute to increasing awareness about and reducing illiteracy as a key factor of social inequities. Activities & Outputs Activity 1 Status Achieved Objective Purchase seven desktop computers, a printer, printer ink, and paper. Activity dates Planned: Aug 1, 2022. Actual: Sept 26, 2022. Outputs created CWJ acquired ten desktop computers, one laptop and accessories. Budget Budget heading Total budget allocated Expenditure this reporting period Total expenditure to date Computers $13,991.92 $11,433.84 $11,433.84 Supplies $1,70.67 $0.00 $0.00 Lab sitting/ Tables and Chairs $2,225.63 $0.00 $0.00 Professional Services $1,728.82 $0.00 $0.00 TOTAL $19,017.04 $11,433.84 $11,433.84 Invoices attached. Pri HOUSES INTO HOMES October 31, 2022 Houses into Homes 401 6th Ave. Suite 1 Coralville IA 52241 319-435-1075 directors@housesintohomes.org Houses into Homes - SJRE grant report Youth Volunteer Academy Change Your World Youth Volunteer Academy. "You might not be able to change the world, but you can change your world." ADVISORY COMMITTEE We convened an excellent group of experts over the summer to help us create the Youth Volunteer Academy (a list of names can be provided if requested). This group met twice, in June and July. Takeaways from the full committee meetings included: • There was interest in this project, lots of questions • It was decided that the first step in the social justice journey would be for students to first think critically about who they are • We need strong facilitators • One trimester is not long enough to explore this topic and to create the meaningful experiences we are seeking. The decision was made to change the format to cover 20-25 weekly meetings. Salina and Lucy will be consistent group leaders, with facilitators changing, depending on the topic. • Next steps: curriculum subcommittee will meet to flesh out curriculum CURRICULUM SUBCOMMITTEE The curriculum subcommittee met three times, in June and July. Some of the time was spent discussing the structure, but the emphasis was on deciding on the weekly topics, and the order in which they will go. As mentioned in the advisory committee notes above, we are starting with thinking about who we are (trust -building and identity), before moving into broader social justice topics (such as prejudice/stereotypes and micro -aggressions). The committee agreed that the topics need to be interactive and interesting, and not lectures. We want students to be engaged with the material, and also spend time actively volunteering with Houses into Homes. The calendar we finalized is Date Topic 11/8/2022 (No school day) Tuesday Trust -building November 12 Identity November 19 Stereotypes/Prejudice Sat. after Thanksgiving Optional volunteering or activity December 3 Maslow's hierarchy of needs December 10 Words have power. The power of language December 17 or 18 Optional December 24 Off December 31 Off January 7 Unpack / Re -group January 14 Historical systems of oppression part 1 1/16/2023 (MLK) Optional volunteering and/or activity January 21 Historical systems of oppression part 2 January 28 Cycle of poverty, eviction February 4 Historical systems of oppression part 3 February 11 Privilege February 18 Unpack February 25 Equity/Inequity March 4 Micro -aggressions March 11 & 18 (Spring Break) Optional volunteering and/or activity March 25 Implicit Bias April 1 ACES April 8 Cycle of domestic violence April 15 Wrap up/unpack April 22 Finale/celebration - 3 hours 2 The curriculum subcommittee also worked on mission and vision statements, as well as a restating of the goals included in the grant application. The group envisioned a larger and longer -term mission in this program, and decided on the following, to be voted on by the larger committee when we reconvene: Vision: To foster social justice -centered leaders Mission: To provide opportunities to: 1. Serve, through volunteer work, members of the community who are re-establishing themselves after a housing crisis, 2. Learn about the underlying issues that create and perpetuate crisis situations and hardships through weekly discussion groups, and 3. Learn skills to become active and engaged community leaders committed to social change through leading discussion groups and ongoing participation in a youth advisory committee. The committee suggested that we start with less specific goals than listed in our application, to measure whether our program addresses the areas we hope it will, rather than how well. Therefore, our goals have been restated: Youth will report an increase in self-awareness. Youth will report understanding privilege. Youth will report an increased awareness of underlying social justice issues. Youth will report seeing that all people have value and how some forms of charity can further marginalize vulnerable populations. Youth will report developing authentic relationships with those who have a different background than their own. Youth will volunteer 30 hours with Houses into Homes (over 6 months). We will measure these goals through an online survey, which is being developed by Dr. Walid Afifi, University of California -Santa Barbara. The survey will be given at the start of the program and then again, at time(s) to be determined during our upcoming meetings with Dr. Afifi and his research assistants. STUDENT RECRUITMENT We have begun recruiting students for our Change Your World Youth Volunteer Academy, but have had only a few students sign up at the time of this report. We expected that this part of the program would be the most challenging, and it is. 3 In the grant application, we included the high schools that are physically within Iowa City. We have now included Liberty High School, as it is part of the Iowa City Community School District, and the students there are part of the larger Iowa City community. We will hopefully have students from City HS, West HS, Tate HS, Regina HS, and Liberty HS. There is a short application. Website: housesintohomes.org/changeyourworid 4 Invoices - Houses into Homes Youth Volunteer Academy Invoice #1 - June 9, 2022 Sunday Goshit $100 Willie Barney $100 Amira Nash $100 Frederick Newell $100 Zach Anderson $100 Yolanda Spears $100 Total $600 Invoice #2 - July 12, 2022 Yolanda Spears $100 Amira Nash $175 Sunday Goshit $50 Frederick Newell $100 Zach Anderson $250 Willie Barney $150 Total $825 The following documents were handed out during the meeting. Human Rights Commission Subcommittee Meeting Reports Subcommittee Title: Breaking Bread Subcommittee Members: Jason Glass, Doug Kollasch, Ashley Lindley Meeting Minutes Log: Instructions: Please make a new row (below the column titles) in the meeting minutes table each time you meet, with the newest entry at the top. Date: Members Present. Business Discussed: (member reports of work completed; notes on upcoming items in need of address) Action Items: (-1 hr work, to be completed prior to next subcommittee meeting) Next Meeting: (time & location) 11/18/22 Jason Glass, • Updates on previous business (Goal #1 • Ashley will connect with ICPL to see available Date: TBD Doug Kollasch, Activity - Coffee with a Commissioner, dates in December for meeting room Location: & Ashley outreach to former commissioners) reservation, check in with Stefanie about TBD Lindley • Discussed activity for Goal #2 - budget for coffee event, and check with educational holiday video from Stefanie about a script for holiday video commissioners • Jason will email the letter he wrote to former HRC commissioners inviting them to join the commission's community outreach and engagement efforts • Jason and Ashley will gauge current commissioners' interest in participating in the holiday video at the HRC's November meeting • Doug, Jason, and Ashley will assist with next steps as needed, with Doug taking over the work for the subcommittee when Jason and Ashley's terms end on 12/31 10/25/22 Ashley Lindley • Task from last subcommittee meeting to get in touch with ICPD to learn more about Coffee with a Cop events • Spoke with Sergeant Andrew McKnight (ICPD Outreach Department) • Will share updates with the larger commission Date: 11/18/22 Location: Big Grove (Iowa City) 9/23/22 Jason Glass, • Introductions for Doug • Continue work on previously assigned tasks Date: TBD Doug Kollasch, • Familiarize Doug with the Location: &Ashley subcommittee's purpose, goals, and TBD Lindley plans 9/9/22 Jason Glass & • Activities to achieve Goal #1 • Ashley will get in touch with someone from Date: Ashley Lindley c Tabling at IC Farmers Market, ICPD to learn more about the Coffee with a 9/23/22 Party at the Park events, and Cop events Location: Diversity Market • Jason will craft a letter to send to HRC alumni Glass c Explore developing a Coffee with to invite them to participate residence a Commissioner event o Explore potential for a human library event • Get assistance staffing events from HRC alumni