HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Agenda 10 5 23Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Regular Meeting
7 PM - Emma J. Harvat Hall
410 E. Washington Street
AGENDA:
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.READING OF NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3.APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: SEPTEMBER 21, AND SEPTEMBER 27,
2023.
4.PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC
CONCERNING SAID ITEMS.
5.CORRESPONDENCE
6.TRC BUDGET PRESENTATION
7.CHANGE PHASE ONE TIMELINE
8.FOLLOW UP FACT FINDING SESSION
9.CIRCLES AND CIRCLE TRAININGS
10.TRUTH-TELLING TRAINING SESSIONS (OCTOBER 25 AND 26)
11. STRATEGIC DOING UPDATE
12.ANNOUNCEMENTS OF STAFF & COMMISSIONERS
THIS ITEM INCLUDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BRIEF UPDATES FROM
STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION ON UPDATES.
13.ADJOURNMENT
In order to encourage input from the public, the Commission intends to offer the
opportunity to participate in the meeting remotely. However, this meeting is in-person,
and those wishing to ensure their ability to participate should attend the meeting in-
person. If you instead wish to participate remotely, you may attempt to do so by joining
the below link. Please note that the meeting link and ID for the first Thursday is different
than the meeting link and ID for the third Thursday.
First Thursday Meetings
ID: 867 2424 8095
Third Thursday Meetings
ID: 895 3695 0485
If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you can
call in by phone by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting ID when prompted.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all City of Iowa City-
sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable
accommodation in order to participate in these events, please contact the Office
of Equity and Human Rights at 319-356-5022 or humanrights@iowa-city.org.
Agenda Item #2
1
September 21, 2023
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma J. Harvat, City Hall
Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Chad Simmons, Louis Tassinary, Lauren Merritt, Wangui
Gathua, Marie Krebs.
Commissioners not present: Eric Harris, Sikowis Nobiss, Clif Johnson.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers, Redmond Jones.
Meeting called to order: 7:05 p.m.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Dillard read the Land Acknowledgement.
Approval of the minutes from August 24, September 7, and September 21: Simmons moved, the
motion was seconded by Tassinary. Motion passed 6-0.
Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: Annie Tucker mentioned a report done back in
2013 by the Iowa City Coalition of Racial Justice, and a racial equity report completed by the City
of Iowa City in 2015. Tucker thought that the TRC could use these reports in its fact-finding
session on September 27.
Strategic Doing Workshops Follow Up: Three events total were held, one of which was done in
Spanish.
The 3 pathfinder projects are:
1)A Financial Literacy & Credit Builder Program. Members: Tracy Jon Sargeant, Charles
Eastham, Amos Kiche, Louis Tassinary. Meeting October 30 at 6 pm at the Center for
Worker Justice.
2)Community Cohort- Develop a curriculum for a cohort of community members to engage
in truth-telling, fact-finding, and reconciliation/healing throughout the community.
Members: Monica Nieves, Chastity Dillard, Tony Branch, Laura Bergus, Annie Tucker, Clif
Johnson, Mark Pries, Kim Scott, Wangui Gathua. Meeting October 1 at 4 pm at ICORE
Boxing Club.
3)A Focused Marketing Campaign for BIPOC & Ethnically Oppressed Peoples to connect
them to employment opportunities & training through Iowa Works. Members: Lauren
Merritt, Kate Moreland, Nancy Bird, Marie Krebs, Corey Johnson. Meeting October 2 at 5
pm on Zoom.
Agenda Item #3
2
Additional ideas were faith-based curriculum for anti-racist work, and African community space
hosted at ICOR Boxing.
*Spanish Pathfinder Projects 1) Wage Theft, 2) Cultural Space.
Where Do We Go from Here – A Suggested Roadmap Our Future Presentation: Simmons spoke
on suggested next steps for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They include continue
lifelong learning process, communicate the need for the TRC to be a permanent commission,
develop and gain support for a new charter, finalize the TRC process, final presentations, and new
commission would begin in July 2024.
Fact-Finding Session: It will he held on September 27 in the Assembly Room at the Senior Center.
Kearns and West will facilitate it. It will include an agreement of how fact-finding should go.
Phase One Facilitator Work Plan: The Healing Partners will select dates between October 9-23 to
conduct two circles. Staff will work on a location.
Adjourned: 9:04 p.m.
To view the video of this meeting please visit this link.
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2023
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
5/4 6/1 6/15 7/20 8/1 8/2 8/3 8/17 8/24 9/7 9/14 9/21
Dillard 12/31/24 P P P P P P p P P P P P
Gathua 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P A P P
Harris 12/31/24 P A A A A A A A A A A A
Johnson 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P A
Krebs 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P
Merritt 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P A P P P
Nobiss 12/31/24 P A P P P P P P A P A A
Simmons 12/31/24 - - - - - - A P P P A P
Tassinary 12/31/24 _ - - - - - P A P P P P
KEY: P = Present
A = Absent
1
September 27, 2023
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Assembly Room, Iowa City Senior Center
Commissioners present: Chastity Dillard, Lauren Merritt, Wangui Gathua, Louis Tassinary, Chad
Simmons.
Commissioners not present: Eric Harris, Marie Krebs, Sikowis Nobiss, Clif Johnson.
Staff present: Redmond Jones, Stefanie Bowers.
Meeting called to order: 5:47.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Merritt read the Land Acknowledgement.
Fact-Finding Workshop: The facilitators opened the conversation by going over important
considerations.
What does fact-finding mean to you?
What makes something factual?
What standards should the TRC use to identity a piece of information as fact?
How should the TRC define the facts that need to be found to fulfill its mandate?
Key questions are topics, sources, depictions, context, and other considerations. Topics include
but are not limited to public safety, economy, civil life, housing, and health.
The Commission spent the rest of the meeting time discussing and selecting focus topics and
within those topics’ sources of data, indicators, and methodology for collection.
Kearns and West compiled the information and will provide follow-up to the TRC as its next
meeting date.
Adjourned: 9:04
Agenda Item #3
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2023
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
5/4 6/1 6/15 7/20 8/1 8/2 8/3 8/17 8/24 9/7 9/14 9/21 9/27
Dillard 12/31/24 P P P P P P p P P P P P P
Gathua 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P A P P P
Harris 12/31/24 P A A A A A A A A A A A A
Johnson 12/31/24
P P P P P P P P P P P A A
Krebs 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P P P P P A
Merritt 12/31/24 P P P P P P P P A P P P P
Nobiss 12/31/24 P A P P P P P P A P A A A
Simmons 12/31/24 - - - - - - A P P P A P P
Tassinary 12/31/24 _ - - - - - P A P P P P P
KEY: P = Present
A = Absent
TRC Spanish Strategic Doing Workshop: Pathfinder Projects
Group 1: Marcela Hurtado, Horacio Borgen Alfaro, Emilio Estrada, Elizabeth Bernal
Notetaker: Horacio Borgen Alfaro
Strategic Opportunity: Empowering Communities on Their Labor Rights
Characteristics KPI
1.Wage theft
2.Labor workshops
3.Create a Marketing campaign - Infographics
4.Invite experts from other out-of-state
organizations
5.Financial Education
6.Coalition of business owners in affected
areas to promote being socially responsible
1.Decrease in complaints at The Center for
Worker Justice
2.Increase in community participants
3.Engagement across social networks
4.Smoother communication between
organizations
5.Increase partner Organizations and
increase in coalition membership
Pilot Project: Empowering Communities on Their Labor Rights
Guideposts Dates
1.Contact all organizations working on labor
rights
2.Find the audience for workshops and
trainings. With the organizations look for
the topics for the workshops.
3.Implement workshops and trainings
1.October 19th, 2023
2.December 19th, 2023
3.March 19th, 2024
Next meeting: October 19th, 2023 at 3 PM at South District Market.
Agenda Item # 11
Group 2: Bryan Garduño Gonzalez, Consuelo Guayara, Janet Marcelino, Abdias Torres, Paola
Jaramillo, Maria Cachua, Maria Teresa Martinez,
Notetaker: Paola Jaramillo
Strategic Opportunity: Create a physical space for community members of color and oppressed
communities to create community with each other, have their voices be heard, and provide
opportunities to immerse themselves in their cultures and shared values.
Characteristics KPI
• Leadership at this Community Cultural
Center represents those underestimated
populations and are engrained in those
communities.
• People of oppressed communities are
afforded leadership opportunities and
community members feel seen and
welcomed by those that they feel
represent them.
• Creating opportunities to learn about
cultural differences to create empathy in
shared struggles and find empowerment
to promote change for all.
• Number of community events for cross-
culture integration and for place-making.
• Increased engagement in number of
participants in events across cultures.
• Lead trainings on personal and mental
health growth with trauma-informed
professionals.
• Community members will feel
empowered and capable of leading and
improving their community.
• A physical space that will facilitate the
healing of past traumas from the lived
experiences in our community.
• Create healthier communities that will be
better organized and connected to help
all members thrive in ways that serve
them best.
• Communities will feel more integrated
within their own cultures but also with
those with shared values
• Communities will feel more comfortable
sharing their issues and celebrating their
wins with those who best understand
their lived experiences.
Pilot Project: Find and create a physical space for community members of color and oppressed
communities to create community with each other, have their voices be heard, and provide
opportunities to immerse themselves in their cultures and shared values.
Guide Post Dates
Socialize the idea of a physical cultural space with
those in the Latino community
Between December 10 a January 10 ** this will
capitalize on posadas and similar cultural
celebrations around the holidays.
Create a brand for the idea and digital
communication strategies
November 10th, 2023
Socialize with other cultural and community
groups.
February 2024
Next meeting: October 19th, 2023 at 6 PM.
Late Handouts
August 1, 2023 - October 4, 2023 Description Invoice Date Amount
Living Justice Press 2 copies of Colorizing Restorative Justice 8/10/2023 $79.50
Hands Up Communication Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, and African French SD Flyer 9/1/2023 $182.10
The Daily Graphic Design 8/31/2023 $90.00
Bankers Advertising Company 250 Scratch Pad 5x7 9/14/2023 $365.00
Bankers Advertising Company 300 Pens Image Grip 9/14/2023 $312.00
Amazon Gift Bags SD 9/14 & 9/16 9/8/2023 $39.28
Oasis Falafel SD Meal 9/14 9/14/2023 $478.28
Royceann Soul Food SD Egg Rolls 9/16 x50 10/2/2023 $300.00
Early Bird Café 4 sample pinwheel trays x30 people 10/1/2023 $325.00 Pending
La Mexicana SD 9/20 9/20/2023 $173.84
Dream City 6 units at $50.00 9/20 9/20/2023 $300.00
Mendoza Consulting Facilitation Fee 9/20 9/29/2023 $3,275.00
Bread Garden Fact-Finding Meal 9/27 x20 9/25/2023 $354.04
Amazon Supplies for Factfinding 9/27 9/20/2023 $127.52
Amazon Supplies for Factfinding 9/27 9/24/2023 $266.35
$6,667.91
Agenda Item # 6
1
Stefanie Bowers
From:Annie Tucker <admin@mediateiowa.org>
Sent:Friday, September 29, 2023 12:00 PM
To:Stefanie Bowers; Chastity Dillard; Akicita Hoksida; Day On Flame Of Hope From This; Donnielle
Wanatee
Subject:Dates for the Circles and Circle Trainings
** This email originated outside of the City of Iowa City email system. Please take extra care opening any links or
attachments. **
Dear Stefanie and All,
We now have dates for the circles and circle trainings from the Native Partners.
October 14 and 21: Circles. An opportunity to experience the circle process that the Native Partners have been asked to
create for the City, for use by the community.
* These are Saturdays. Manape and T and Donnielle will be here. These circles will be 3 hours long. The TRC
Commissioners can decide what time to offer this. For example: 1-4 in the afternoon, 9-noon in the morning. Their
choice.
Possible dates for evening circles for people who want to be trained in facilitating these circles. These will be 3 1/2
hours long, from 5:30 to 9. The evenings they are available are Tuesday through Friday, November 14 to 17. They prefer
that you choose two consecutive evenings to minimize their travel time. They recognize there is a TRC meeting on
November 16.
Also, they plan to do smudging. Please be sure we have locations that can accommodate that.
We look forward to hearing back with any questions or when you know that the October dates work for you and what
dates in November you want.
Please let us know if you need more from us for your purposes of sending invitations and notices.
Thank you,
Annie writing for T, Manape and Donnielle
Annie Tucker, M.A. Conflict Resolution
Director, Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa, a 501(c)3
c/o 91 Prairie Hill Lane
Iowa City, IA 52246
mediateiowa.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers*
* I include my pronouns so people know how they should refer to me and so those who receive my e-mail know I am
interested in how I should refer to them.
Agenda Item #9
Agenda Item #5