HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 7 2020 AGENDA
Human Rights Commission (HRC)
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
5:30 P.M.
City Hall, Helling Conference Room
410 E. Washington Street, Iowa City
1. Call Meeting to Order and Roll Call.
2. Approval of the September 17, 2019 meeting minutes.
3. Approval of the November 19, 2019 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. Items to be discussed:
a. Introductions;
b. Elections for Vice Chair and Chair;
c. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday;
d. Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant (Review of Organizations that Applied for
the Social Justice Racial Equity Grant for FY20, Conflict of Interest Inquiries,
Review of Rubric, Review of Scoring Spreadsheet, Timeline);
e. Correspondence.
6. Save the dates:
a. Youth Awards (May 13, 2020);
b. Awards Breakfast (October 21, 2020).
7. Staff/Commission Announcements. (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with
one another concerning said announcements).
8. Comments of Staff.
9. Adjournment.
If you will need disability-related accommodations 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 access needs.
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Draft Minutes
Human Rights Commission
City Hall, Helling Conference Room
September 17, 2019
Members Present: Jeff Falk, Jessica Ferdig, Barbara Kutzko, Jonathon
Muñoz, Bijou Maliabo.
Members Not Present: Adil Adams, Noemi Ford, Tahuanty Peña, Cathy
McGinnis,
Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers.
Others Present: Andrea Cohen.
Recommendation to Council: No.
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 5:41 PM.
Approval of the August 20, 2019 meeting minutes: Ferdig made a motion, it was
seconded by Muñoz. Motion passed 5-0.
Approval of the August 22, 2019 meeting minutes: Motion failed to have a quorum of
Commission members voting. Item will be placed on October 15 meeting agenda.
Latino Festival: This event was held on August 24 from noon to nine on the Ped Mall.
Ferdig and Ford staffed a vendor table on behalf of the Commission. It was very well
attended and Ferdig hopes the Commission will participate again at the event next year.
Official Statements: Commissioners had a discussion on how and when they would
make official statements. It was decided that a draft statement would be presented to the
entire Commission for a vote and that the Chair would sign it, if approved by a majority
vote, on behalf of the Commission.
Strategic Plan from 2018: Commissioners had implemented a strategic plan in the
spring of 2018. It was not followed through on as anticipated. The Commission would
like to have a deeper discussion on how to create initiatives and then on how to best
prioritize initiatives. Because four members were absent it will be added to the agenda in
the future.
Committee Updates: There are four committees that assist in advancing the strategic
plan. The four committees are Housing (*Falk, Adams, Peña); Public Safety (*McGinnis,
Maliabo, Muñoz); Education (*Ferdig, Falk, Kutzko, Peña); and Community Outreach
(*Adams, Falk, Muñoz). Asterisks designates chairs of the committees.
Housing: No report.
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Public Safety: Cohen provided a copy of a proclamation and brochure on the hate
speech campaign. She would like the Commission to present a proclamation for the
Mayor’s consideration to introduce the brochure and the need for this type of work in the
community. The Commission delegated the committee to work with Cohen on producing
a final proclamation and an appropriate day for it to be declared. A possibility is the
International Day of Tolerance.
Education: The committee has been following the discussion of the Iowa City
Community School Board on placing School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools. At
some point in the future they may ask the Commission to make an official statement on
the subject.
Community Outreach: No report.
National Hispanic Heritage Month: Ferdig will accept the proclamation on behalf of the
Commission at the City Council meeting of September 17.
Human Rights Breakfast: This annual award ceremony is scheduled for October 23.
Dr. Melissa Shivers, University of Iowa’s Vice President for Student Life will be the
keynote speaker.
Nominations are currently being accepted for honorees. Maliabo and Ferdig will serve on
the selection committee. Staff will send a note out to other Commissioners, not in
attendance, to see if at least one more can serve on the selection committee.
Peña will do the welcome at the event, Ferdig will introduce the speaker, McGinnis will
announce the awards, and Muñoz will perform the closing.
Commission Announcements:
Falk attended a Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition meeting where Tracy
Hightshoe, Director of Neighborhood and Development Services, spoke on City
initiatives on affordable housing.
Kutzko is assisting with the planning of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It will be held at
Mercer on Monday, January 20. She also recently joined the Black Voices Project.
Ferdig helped at the City’s job and career fair and would recommend interpreters be
made available next year for job searchers. She also is a committee member on the
University of Iowa’s Health Equity Advancement through the College of Public Health.
They have an annual summit that will be held this coming spring.
Adjournment: Motion to adjourn at 6:48 PM.
Member Attendance Sheet
Member Term
Exp.
1/8 1/24 2/19 3/19 4/16 5/21 6/18 7/03 7/16 8/20 9/17
Maliabo 1/2021 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present
McGinnis 1/2021 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused
Muñoz 1/2021 Excused Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused Excused Present Present
Kutzko 1/2020 Present Present Present Present Present Excused Excused Present Present Present Present
Falk 1/2020 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present
Peña 1/2020 Present Present Excused Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Excused
Adams 1/2022 Excused Present Present Present Present Absent Present Excused Present Present Excused
Ferdig 1/2022 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present
Ford 1/2022 Present Excused Present Excused Present Present Present Excused Present Present Excused
Page 1 of 4
Draft Minutes
Human Rights Commission
City Hall, Helling Conference Room
November 19, 2019
Members Present: Jeff Falk, Zachary Rochester, Barbara Kutzko, Bijou
Maliabo, Tahuanty Peña, Cathy McGinnis, Noemi Ford.
.
Members Not Present: Adil Adams, Jessica Andino.
Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendation to Council: No.
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 5:32 PM.
Approval of the September 17, 2019 meeting minutes: Motion failed to have a
quorum of Commission members voting who were present at this meeting. Item will be
placed on January 7, 2020 meeting agenda.
Approval of the October 15, 2019 meeting minutes: Kutzko moved, and the motion
was seconded by McGinnis. Motion carried 6-0. (Maliabo not present).
Funding Request: Celebration of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday: The
Commission decided to allocate $500 of its funding to this event being held on January
20, 2020 at Mercer Park Aquatic Center in the Scanlon Gymnasium.
December Meeting Date: The Commission decided not to hold a meeting in the month
of December.
Proclamation: Transgender Day of Remembrance: Commission member Ford will
accept the proclamation on behalf of the Commission at the formal Council meeting of
November 19.
Committee Updates: There are four committees that assist in advancing the strategic
plan. The four committees are Housing (*Falk, Adams, Peña); Public Safety (*McGinnis,
Maliabo, Muñoz); Education (*Ferdig, Falk, Kutzko, Peña); and Community Outreach
(*Adams, Falk, Muñoz). Asterisks designates chairs of the committees.
Housing: No report.
Public Safety: A proclamation has been submitted for the Mayor’s consideration for
International Human Rights Day for the December 3 formal Council meeting date. At that
time, the committee will present the brochure on Hate Crimes to the City Council. The
brochure is also available on the City’s website.
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Education: The committee has discussed the issue of School Resource Officers. They
recently reached out to Students Against Hate Discrimination to arrange a time to meet
to see if they had shared goals.
Community Outreach: No report.
Official Statements: Commissioners had a follow up discussion on how and when they
would make official statements. Staff had sent (via email) examples of releases from
other Commissions. Staff again advised that it is best to have a draft statement that
could be presented to the entire Commission for a vote and if passed then the Chair
would sign it, on behalf of the Commission.
Human Rights Breakfast: Commissioner were overall very pleased with this year’s
event and very impressed by all the great work the honorees are doing in the
community. Commission member McGinnis suggested that next year the actual awards
presented to recipients be given after they speak so that recipients do not have to juggle
their remarks and the award at the small podium.
Social Justice and Racial Equity & Informational Session: Commissioners Maliabo,
Kutkzo, and McGinnis presented at two separate informational sessions on the grant.
Turnout was approximately 15-20 persons per session. The PowerPoint presentation
that was used at the sessions is available on the City’s website for those unable to
attend. The grant link is live, but the Commission will not start formally receiving
applications until Monday, December 2, 2019 at noon. The submission period will last
through noon on January 3, 2020.
Commission Announcements:
Maliabo is considering pursuing an advanced degree in International Relations.
McGinnis recently presented at a local Crisis Intervention Team training.
Kutzko serves on the planning committee for the annual Martin Luther King Day of
Service. With this being her last meeting as a Commission member, she noted that she
enjoyed her years on the Commission and wishes everyone well.
Falk, whose last meeting as a Commissioner is also today, wished his fellow
Commissioners fun and happiness and plans to come to future Commission meetings to
deliver his two cents.
Peña, whose last meeting as a Commissioner is today, also enjoyed his tenure on the
Commission. In furtherance of his volunteerism he plans to help out at the Free Medical
Clinic. His position as a Medical Doctor and Spanish speaker will assist the clinic and its
patients. He also was recently appointed as the Representative from Area “A” on the
Transplantation Minority Doctors Affairs Committee.
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Ford has been working with Film Scene to show the documentary Midnight Traveler. The
film documents Hassan Fazili, a filmmaker and his family as they trek across Iran,
Turkey, Bulgaria, and Serbia. It will be shown on December 19 at 7 pm at the Film
Scene on the Ped Mall.
Adjournment: Motion to adjourn at 6:57 PM.
Member Attendance Sheet
Member Term
Exp.
1/8 1/24 2/19 3/19 4/16 5/21 6/18 7/03 7/16 8/20 9/17 10/15 11/19
Maliabo 1/2021 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present Present Present
McGinnis 1/2021 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present
Rochester 1/2021 ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ----------- ----------- -----------
--
------------ ------------- ----------- ------------ ----------- Present
Kutzko 1/2020 Present Present Present Present Present Excused Excused Present Present Present Present Present Present
Falk 1/2020 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present
Peña 1/2020 Present Present Excused Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Excused Present Present
Adams 1/2022 Excused Present Present Present Present Absent Present Excused Present Present Excused Excused Excused
Andino 1/2022 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Excused
Ford 1/2022 Present Excused Present Excused Present Present Present Excused Present Present Excused Present Present
Thursday, January 16
Voter Registration and Voter EducationKingdom Center611 Southgate Ave, Iowa City6:00-7:30pm
Friday, January 17
5x5 Basketball BrawlNorthwest Junior High School1507 8th St., Coralville5:00-8:00pm
Saturday, January 18
I am the Dream! Youth SummitFor 6th-12th grade youthRobert A. Lee Recreation Center220 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City11:00-3:00pm
Dr. King Celebration Skate PartyRobert A. Lee Recreation Center220 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City6:00-7:45pm
Sunday January 19
MLK Praise Experience!Voxman Music Building93 E Burlington, Iowa City4:00-7:00pm
Monday, January 20
Unity MarchBegins at United Action for Youth (Eastdale Plaza, Iowa City) and ends at Mercer Park. 9:00am
MLK Day of Service & CelebrationMercer Park Aquatic Center2701 Bradford Dr., Iowa City9:00-2:00pm*lunch provided, city buses available
Annual MLK CelebrationBethel AME Church411 S Governor St., Iowa City2:30pm
Tuesday, January 21
Dinner hosted by Black Voices ProjectSaddlebrook Clubhouse120 Paddock Blvd., Iowa City6:00-10:00pm
Wednesday, January 22
Free movie: SelmaFilmScene404 E College St., Iowa City6:00pm sponsored by Beloved Community Initiative
Thursday, January 23
Anita Hill Keynote: “From Social Movement toSocial Impact: Putting and End to Sexual Harassment” Iowa Memorial Union, Main Lounge125 N Madison St., Iowa City7:00pm
Friday, January 24
MLK Sound and VisionSpoken word and mural creation for Jr/Sr High355 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City5:00-7:00pm
For more information about any of these events visit: mlk.uiowa.edu
Saturday, January 25
embrace I embody “Celebrate Black Hair”North Liberty Community Center520 W Cherry St, North Liberty12:00pm-9:00pm
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in these programs, please contact Tabitha Wiggins in advance at Tabitha-Wiggins@uiowa.edu.
Partners:
Correspondence