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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSJRE report Q1 2019_2Social Justice & Racial Equity First Quarter Update (January – March 2019) City staff including representatives from the City Manager’s Office, Communications, and Police met with the University of Iowa Chief Diversity Office for their quarterly meeting in February. In January, the Office of Equity and Human Rights participated in the membership meeting for the Government Alliance on Racial Equity. The meeting shared best practices and processes to normalize, organize, and operationalize work on racial equity. AccountabilityCITy OF IOwa CITy : SOCIAl JUStICE & RACIAl EQUIty 1 City of Iowa CitySJRE Q1 2019 In February, Mayor Throgmorton signed a proclamation that designated February 2019 as Black History Month. The proclamation recognizes the commitment of the Iowa City community to racial equity and acknowledged the continued work that still needs to be done. In January, Mayor Throgmorton signed a proclamation that designated January 21, 2019 as Martin luther King, Jr. Day in Iowa City. The proclamation recognizes the incredible life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and encourages individuals to show service and respect to others. JusticeCITy OF IOwa CITy : SOCIAl JUStICE & RACIAl EQUIty In February, United action for youth hosted “PrideCon”, a youth summit for LGTBTQ+ individuals and their parents or caregivers. The sessions focused on helping youth learn how to advocate for themselves in schools, mental and physical health, and how to be the best version of themselves. The City provided financial assistance to support this event. In February, The City Council held a “listening Post” at the Iowa Memorial Union. Council Members Cole and Salih attended. Listening Posts are opportunities for community members to meet with Council Members and discuss issues in an informal setting. The Senior Center celebrated Black History Month by recognizing the accomplishments and talents of african american community members. The Center displayed a traveling exhibit from the african american Museum of Iowa. The exhibit was called “The Only One”. In February, the City Manager’s Roundtable was held at the Senior Center. Participants received a tour of the Senior Center facilities and learned about its membership and programs. Staff in the Office of Equity and Human Rights presented to a University of Iowa course on language, Justice, and the law. The Police Department held “Coffee with a Cop” at the Graduate Hotel in January. This event is an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know police officers over a cup of coffee. Staff of the Office of Equity and Human Rights participated in the league of Iowa’s Human and Civil Rights Agencies meeting in February. ConversationsCITy OF IOwa CITy : SOCIAl JUStICE & RACIAl EQUIty In January, Ron Stallworth presented at The Englert, on his experiences with the KKK in Colorado in the 1970s. The presentation included a book signing and a showing of the movie “BlacKKKlansman” at FilmScene. The Human Rights Commission was a co-sponsor of Stallworth’s visit to Iowa City. 2 City of Iowa CitySJRE Q1 2019 In January, the City and several community- based organizations hosted a day of service and celebration in honor of Dr. Martin luther King, Jr. The celebration included a Unity March, free haircuts, and donations of outerwear apparel to benefit local shelters. The Shelter House received funding from the Housing authority to provide financial assistance to Cross Park Place. Cross Park Place has 24 one- bedroom apartments and is designed to provide housing and supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness with a disabling condition. In January, the Office of Equity and Human Rights published the first edition of the lens. The Lens is a monthly newsletter that highlights racial equity initiatives in Iowa City. In February, the City Council passed Resolution 19-56 which approved funding for eight local organizations to provide infrastructure for social justice and racial equity in the community. The total allocation was $74,421.00. In February, the wellness Committee hosted a viewing of the film, “through Our Eyes” in Emma Harvat Hall. The film is a simulation documentary that follows four able-bodied individuals who volunteered to experience what it’s like to be a person with a disability. In February, staff in the Office of Equity and Human Rights presented to students from the University of Iowa’s—Introduction to Human Rights course on Iowa’s Civil Rights History. Staff also visited a first- year Introduction to Law seminar to teach students about the same topic. OutreachCITy OF IOwa CITy : SOCIAl JUStICE & RACIAl EQUIty In March, the City, IowawORKS, and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services held a youth Job Fair at the Coralville Public Library. Over 180 area youth attended the event to network and apply for jobs with local employers which include Hy-Vee, Iowa City Parks and Recreation, and Goodwill of the Heartland. 3 City of Iowa CitySJRE Q1 2019 In February, the City sponsored an ad in GoGuide. GoGuide is Iowa City’s LGBTQ Resource that reports information on news, health, entertainment, education, and more. The City sponsored the Civil Rights Soul Food Dinner at the Robert a. Lee Recreation Center held in early March. The City was a sponsor of the Affordable Housing Forum for Developers and Contractors. The event, which was held in March, was also sponsored by the Iowa Finance authority, the Housing Fellowship, the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, and the Iowa City affordable Housing Coalition. Invest Health completed repairs for the Healthy Homes program. To date, they have assisted 5 households. In partnership with the College of Nursing, it provides up to $7,500 in rehabilitation that improves indoor air quality for households with a child with asthma. To qualify, the household must be below 80% of median income and live in Iowa City. INVEST Health is a new initiative that brings together diverse leaders from mid-sized U.S. cities across the nation to develop new strategies for increasing and leveraging private and public investments to accelerate improvements in neighborhoods facing the biggest barriers to better health. The program is a collaboration between the Robert wood Johnson Foundation and Reinvestment Fund. In February and March, the Parks and Recreation Department provided free weekly swim lessons for 83 elementary-aged students as a part of the “Swim Here” initiative to teach all community youth how to swim. Transportation was provided to the Robert a. Lee Recreation Center swimming pool from both Faith academy and alexander Elementary School. Participating students were provided free swimsuits, an amenity made possible through a swim scholarship program. OutreachCITy OF IOwa CITy : SOCIAl JUStICE & RACIAl EQUIty In March, the Senior Center opened the Simple & Free: Pantry Exchange food pantry. Community members can drop off or take non- perishable food or personal items to or from the pantry. The goal of the pantry is to help address and ease food insecurity. 4 City of Iowa CitySJRE Q1 2019 In January, staff attended “Inclusion 2.0: Going from Words to Shared Understanding to Action” with Khalil Smith, a Diversity and Inclusion Practice Lead at the NeuroLeadership Institute. In February, staff from the Office of Equity and Human Rights presented at the “BUIlD: What’s law Got to Do with It”. The training teaches participants about their rights in areas of housing, employment, credit, education, and public accommodation. In March, staff from the Office of Equity and Human Rights participated in two Municipal Equality Index Webinar trainings. The Municipal Equality Index (MEI) is a nationwide evaluation of municipal laws, policies, and services and determines their inclusivity for LGBTQ people. The Municipal Equality Index is administered by the Human Rights Campaign. The MEI webinar provided information on the MEI, their standards, and the importance of having an LGBTQ liaison between the City offices and the police department. In March, City staff from Communications, City Manager’s Office, Office of Equity and Human Rights, Police, Transit, IT, Neighborhood and Development Services, Fire, Economic Development, Human Resources, accounting, Finance, Library, Senior Center, Public works, and Parks and Recreation participated in two workshops with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). The workshops were led by Gordon Goodwin and Jordon Bingham. There were two different sessions: “advancing Racial Equity: The Opportunity for Government” and “Inclusive Outreach and Public Engagement”. The trainings focused on disrupting implicit institutional biases that can contribute to racial disparities. The City was joined by staff from Johnson County at the trainings. TrainingCITy OF IOwa CITy : SOCIAl JUStICE & RACIAl EQUIty In March, staff from the Office of Equity and Human Rights attended the “White Privilege Conference 20 year Anniversary” in Cedar Rapids. The conference challenges concepts of privilege and oppression and offers solutions and team building strategies to address privilege. 6 City of Iowa CitySJRE Q1 2019 DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st Quarter 2019 TO: Stefanie Bowers FROM: Captain Denise Brotherton RE: DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st QUARTER 2019 DATE: April 5, 2019 The Iowa City Police Department’s DIF reporting for the first quarter of 2019 is below. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Documentation of participation in any event, attended or presented, by a Department member to a community member or organization. 63 officers attended 96 events in the first quarter of 2019 for a total of 96 hours of involvement. Events included: • On February 21st, Officers from the Community Outreach Section, Investigations, and Patrol participated in MLK day events. • Officer Ashten Hayes and Community Outreach Assistant Henri Harper escorted astronaut Jeanette Epps as she visited area schools and enjoyed a viewing of Hidden Figures with community members. DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st Quarter 2019 2 • Officer Hayes and Community Outreach Assistant Henri Harper visited with elementary, junior high, and high school students during lunch times to provide opportunities for students to talk about issues and enjoy casual conversation. • Officer Hayes read to a large group of eager readers at Weber Elementary. • Patrol Officers from the Evening Watch savored some of the best home cooking in Iowa City at the Soul Food Dinner on March 3rd at the Iowa City Rec Center. DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st Quarter 2019 3 • BRRRR. ICPD teamed up with University of Iowa Police and the Cedar Rapids Police Department to jump into the Coralville Reservoir for the Polar Plunge, a fundraiser for Special Olympics. • Coffee with a Cop at Poindexter Coffee • School visits by patrol officers - multiple locations in the ICCSD • The Citizens Police Academy had a record number of participants this year, with 51 community members attending the 10 week academy to learn more about police work and to build better relationships with law enforcement. • Members of the Iowa City Police LGBTQ liaison team celebrated with community teens at the UAY Pride Event. • ALICE and self-defense trainings for businesses and community members. DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st Quarter 2019 4 • The ICPD hosted the Iowa Association of Women Police conference. Officers Hayes and Jay were members of the planning committee. COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS: Documentation of any participation in a community presentation by a Department member. 12 officers participated in 42 community presentations in the first quarter of 2019, totaling 35hours of involvement. Presentations included the following topics/groups: • De-escalation • Crisis Intervention • Human Trafficking • Police Careers – West High School • ALICE – various locations • Special Response Team Response Presentation • K-9 Presentations • Bomb Team and Response • Family Violence • Pre-Arrest Diversion for Juveniles • Project Lifesaver and Autism Community DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st Quarter 2019 5 CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING: Documentation of any training received by a Department member involving cultural competency. Cultural competency training refers to training directed at the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures, ethnicity and socio-economic backgrounds. • 18 Officers attended a two-day training on LGBTQ response and relations • 9 officers attended the Government Alliance on Race and Equity conference • All members of the ICPD completed an online legal and law update on human trafficking recognition and response • Officer Hayes and Community Outreach Assistant Henri Harper participated in a circle group discussion You and the Police with Liberty High School Students PUBLIC EDUCATION EFFORTS ON RIGHTS: Documentation of any participation at an event, attended or presented by a Department member, to a community member or organization where the focus is education on an individual’s rights. Neighborhood Response Officer Rob Cash presented to three community organizations on LGBTQ rights and rights for the mentally ill. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: Documentation of any partnership between the Department and another community organization. The Department worked with community partners that led to attendance at 46 events by 8 officers who spent 62 hours engaging with community members. Below are some highlights and noteworthy outcomes from those partnerships. • ICPD’s new Neighborhood Response Officer, Luke Erickson, has been working with the Housing Authority, Neighborhood Services, and landlords to improve neighborhood stability. • Downtown Liaison Officer Fowler is a member of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board which celebrated the opening of Cross Park Place that provides housing to the chronically homeless. • DLO Fowler is also on the Winter Extreme Temperature (WET) Shelter sub-committee. This shelter provides an option for the homeless who are intoxicated or otherwise ineligible to receive housing at Shelter House during the winter months. The WET shelter opened in December and closed in March. DIF Reporting for ICPD – 1st Quarter 2019 6 • The ICPD continues to collaborate with the Iowa City Bike Library to repurpose abandoned bicycles impounded by the Department. Instead of being auctioned or recycled as scrap metal, the Iowa City Bike Library refurbishes some of the bicycles which are then lent out through their organization. The remaining bicycles are collected by Working Bikes. Working Bikes is a non-profit that rescues discarded bicycles and gives them new life by redistributing them in global communities. The Downtown Liaison worked with staff and the City Manager to amend City Code and worked towards repurposing unclaimed bicycles by turning them over with disadvantaged youth and adults. During the 4th quarter, a total of 2 abandoned bicycles were turned over to the homeless. • The Nighttime Downtown Liaison Officer, Rob Cash, has been working with the Partnership on Alcohol Safety group to increase education efforts and outreach. • Additional activities, meetings and events took place within the following community partnerships: NAACP, FBI, US Attorney’s Office, Johnson County Attorney’s Office, Johnson County Disproportionate Minority Contact Committee, City Manager’s Diversity Roundtable, Iowa City Downtown District, Iowa City Community School District, University of Iowa Off Campus Advisory Board, Special Olympics of Iowa, Safety Village, Elder Abuse Task Force, Johnson County Human Trafficking Coalition, United Way Social Services Work Group, 4 Oakes Youth Shelter, Johnson County Drug Task Force, Sexual Assault Investigation Team, The Dream Center, Broadway Neighborhood Center, Domestic Violence Intervention Program, Johnson County Suicide Prevention, United Way Social Services Work Group, Prevent Child Abuse-Johnson County and Emergency Services Camp for youth. The Department continues to provide extra patrol at citizen’s requests and foot patrols where criminal activity or safety concerns have been identified. These patrols have resulted in over 1,146 documented citizen contacts. The Evening Watch conducted 106 documented foot and extra patrols, the Day Watch conducted 77 foot and extra patrols, and the Late Night Watch conducted foot patrols in the Downtown, including making multiple bar checks resulting in contact with hundreds of people in the Downtown district. The ICPD Community Outreach Officer spent 3 hours on foot and extra patrols. The Daytime Downtown Liaison Officer was on bike/foot patrol during 50 days of this quarter, totaling 200 hours and conducting 100 extra patrols. The Nighttime Downtown Liaison Officer conducted 78 foot patrols and 445 extra patrols during the 1st quarter of 2018. 1 Social Justice and Racial Equity Report Q1 2019 Adult Services Teen Programs: Weekly Book Club visits to Tate High School: 1/18, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/29 The students have been picking the titles that we’ve been reading and discussing. The books included “Howl’s Moving Castle,” by Diana Wynne Jones, and “Gregor the Overlander,” by Suzanne Collins. Teen Displays: February: Black History Month: Comic book display in the Teen Center featuring black super heroes and graphic novels telling African American experiences. Adult Programs: February: Black History Month Film: “I am not your negro”: 2/6 Film: “Maya Angelou and still I rise”: 2/13 Film: “Through a lens darkly - Black photographers and the emergence of a people”: 2/20 March: Women’s History Month Film: “RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsberg”: 3/13 Adult Displays: February: African American biographies March: Biographies of women scientists, authors, artists, politicians and those who served in the military Children’s Services 1. American Sign Language Storytime – January 7, 2019 Becca Clark, instructor of American Sign Languages at the University of Iowa, was a guest at storytime to teach children and caregivers basic sign language for animals and colors, as well as share information about the grammatical structure of American Sign Language and Deaf culture. 2. Eco Movie Nights – January 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2019 GREENIowa AmeriCorps staff hosted a series of movies for children and families that incorporated a craft and a movie with an environmental message (The Lorax and Schoolhouse Rock: Earth, for example). 3. Sunday Fun Day craft program – January 20, 2019 A Birds of Peace craft was offered for all ages in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 2 4. Special Access Movie Crafternoon – January 26, 2019 A special screening of Smallfoot and a number of related craft projects were offered, at an exclusive showing just for neurodivergent children and their families. 5. Sunday Fun Day craft programs – February 3 and 24, 2019 In honor of Black History Month, two Sunday Fun Day craft programs highlighted Black history. A unity wreath craft was available for all ages to create on the first date, while the second program focused on Black inventors: children and families were invited to learn about Garrett Morgan and Dr. Patricia Bath and make moving paper models of their most famous inventions, the traffic light and the eye-healing laser. 6. Eco Movie Nights – February 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2019 GREENIowa AmeriCorps staff hosted a series of movies for children and families that incorporated a craft and a movie with an environmental message. 7. Black History Storytime and Film Fest – February 7 and 9, 2019 Storytime focused on key figures in Black history through books, songs, rhymes, and fingerplays. On the second storytime date, a Black History Short Film Festival immediately followed storytime, inviting children and families to view a series of animated children’s books that told the stories of several well-known and little-known heroes of Black history and important related historical events. 8. Share the Love Family Night – February 7, 2019 To address the social isolation and combat the ageism that often affects older members of society, children and families were invited to visit the library and create personal cards for designated residents of the Bickford Senior Living community. Patrons were given a list of names and interests of residents, and used a plethora of craft materials to make a cheerful Valentine’s Day card. These cards were delivered by the Bookmobile during its weekly stop at Bickford. 9. Chinese New Year Bilingual Book Babies – February 8, 2019 Two sessions in one day were offered of a baby storytime that celebrated Chinese New Year. Special guest was native Chinese speaker Emily Jia, who shared information with children and caregivers about Chinese culture, the special New Year holiday, and taught some Chinese words and phrases. 3 10. The African American Museum of Iowa: Embracing Peace – February 13, 2019 In this program for children in K-2nd grade, an educator from The African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids visited the library to teach attendees about a Cameroonian holiday in February which encourages children to rededicate themselves to nonviolence in their daily lives. Children also made “Peace Poles,” a project of the museum in conjunction with their local Veterans for Peace chapter, in which wooden poles are decorated with messages of peace and placed around Cedar Rapids. 11. The Snowy Day storytime – February 16, 2019 The Snowy Day was the first mainstream picture book to feature an African American protagonist. This storytime celebrated this landmark in children’s literature through read-alouds, songs, rhymes, fingerplays, short films, and a STEM sensory activity making “snow” out of household ingredients. 12. Bryan Collier Collage Art – February 19, 2019 This program for school-age children highlighted the work of award-winning African American children’s author and illustrator, Bryan Collier. Collier’s work uses a distinctive collage style and many of his books focus on the African American experience. Children at this program learned about Collier’s work and created their own collages inspired by his art. 13. Totally Tweens: Reach for the Stars – February 27, 2019 For children in 3-6th grade, this program taught attendees about the first Black woman in space, Mae Jemison, through books and videos. Then children learned the basics of embroidery and embroidered constellations to expand on the space theme. 14. Spanish Language Storytime – March 4, 2019 This immersive Spanish language storytime taught children and their caregivers some basic Spanish words, including those for colors and animals, and introduced Spanish translations of familiar songs. 15. Meet the First Iowa Woman to Climb Mt. Everest – March 16, 2019 Jen Loeb, first Iowa woman to summit Mt. Everest (in 2016), gave a talk for school-age children through adults in honor of Women’s History Month. Loeb’s talk incorporated photo and video of her climb as she shared the story of her training and ascent to the summit; she also answered many audience questions about mountaineering and about her background. 4 16. Special Access: Scales and Tails with the Grout Museum – March 20, 2019 An encore performance of a spring break children’s program with educators from the Grout Museum in Waterloo sharing snakes and other animals, offered exclusively for neurodivergent children and their families. 17. Special Access Browsing Hour – March 23, 2019 The library opened one hour early to accommodate those children with neurodivergence and their families, affording those with special needs the opportunity to access books and technology in a low-light, quiet environment. A special spring storytime was also offered, including crafts, books, and dancing. Therapy animals were also on hand to offer support to attendees. 18. Wonder Woman Storytime – March 23, 2019 In honor of Women’s History Month, a female superhero-themed storytime was held, including a special meet-and-greet with a Wonder Woman costumed character. 19. Intergenerational Storytime – March 26, 2019 Preschoolers from Pheasant Ridge Neighborhood Center’s Head Start site joined residents of Emerson Point Assisted Living community for a special storytime at Emerson Point. Following storytime, the children and older adults made a craft and enjoyed a snack together. This event was 5 specifically intended to build connections across generational boundaries and combat the social isolation that can be felt by older Americans. 20. The Children’s Department also had the following displays during this first quarter: books highlighting Black history and the Black experience; Black children’s authors and illustrators; Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech”; the 50th anniversary of the Coretta Scott King Book Award; books highlighting important women in American history; and Disability Awareness Month. Collection Services Book list in Cedar Rapids Gazette: "Seek Out Diverse Stories at I.C. Library." Published February 9, 2019 Highlighting new titles in library collection of biographies and memoirs of black women We highlighted the same list on our Staff Picks website in February. 6 Community & Access Services January: 2019 Reading Challenges Display: Most of the sample reading challenges we shared included seeking out writers and characters of color, and our labeled books reflected that. February: Black History Month Trivia Display: With questions on both the Iowa and national level, this trivia display was designed to get people thinking about our local history and the cultural contributions of African Americans. 2) Black History Month Fiction Display - Display of influential novels by African Americans and international black authors. March: Books by Women of Color display: Display of fiction by women of color during Women’s History Month. Summer Reading Program Game Card Translation: Library staff worked with OmniLingua to translate Summer Reading Program game cards for children into 5 languages: Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, and Swahili. The Summer Reading Program serves many purposes including engaging with families in our community, keeping kids reading to avoid the summer slide, and providing programs and activities to stimulate learning and a love of reading. By translating our materials into languages spoken by community members, we are being inclusive and sending a message that the Library welcomes everyone.