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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-15-24 Ad Hoc Truth & Reconciliation CommissionAd Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Meeting Thursday, February 15, 2024 7:00 Emma Harvat Hall, City Hall 410 E. Washington Street AGENDA: 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. READING OF NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM JANUARY 25 AND FEBRUARY 1 4. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (COMMISSIONERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS.) 5 MINUTE MAXIMUM FOR EACH SPEAKER. Only in -person comments will be allowed for Public Comment. Public comment for specific agenda items, which must be directly related to that agenda item, may be made in -person or remotely. 5. CORRESPONDENCE 6. DISCUSSION ON RACIAL PREFERENCES WITH CITY ATTORNEY 7. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE BY DEPUTY CITY MANAGER 8. UPDATE ON NATIVE PARTNERS HEALING CIRCLES 9. UPDATE ON FACT-FINDING 10. CONCEPT NOTE 11. UPDATES ON TRUTH -TELLING 12. OTHER UPDATES FOR PHASE 2 13. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS 14. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF STAFF 15. 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 Meetinas ID: 895 3695 0485 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(diowa-citv.org. Agenda Item #2 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. Agenda Item #3 January 25, 2024 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall Commissioners present: Marie Krebs, Clif Johnson, Chad Simmons, Wangui Gathua, Chastity Dillard. Commissioners on Zoom: Sikowis Nobiss, Lauren Merritt. Commissioners not present: Louis Tassinary. Staff present: Redmond Jones, Stefanie Bowers. Recommendation to City Council: No. Meeting called to order: 7:13 PM. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Dillard read the Land Acknowledgement. Approval of minutes from the January 4 meeting: Dillard moved, and Krebs seconded. The motion passed 7-0. Public comment of items not on the agenda: No. Conflict in Gaza: Resolution 2411 passed by Iowa City City Council on ,Tan. 3 was reviewed and a vote was taken for the commission to endorse the resolution it. Nobiss moved, the motion was seconded by Gathua. Motion passed 6-0-1. Simmons abstained. Native Partners Healing Circle Training and Events: The event will be referred to as an experience rather than a training, and no participants' faces will be photographed during the event unless a media release form is signed. It is agreed, updates from the event will be discussed at the next commission meeting following the event. Next Steps for Phase 2: The commission was presented with community agreements from Think Peace that they could use for truth telling events, at meetings, and at community events. The agreements centered around listening, speaking, learning, language, trust and care, and confidentiality. Road -Map Agenda The layout of the roadmap is broken down with an explanation of how to navigate the agenda and the formatting used. Scheduling was discussed with a focus on culminating events. Tentative dates for upcoming TRC events for 2024 was discussed along with the itineraries. Protocol on traumatic inform treatment for truth tellers was established, as well as protocol on public hearings and public activities of the commission. The commission will move its February 1 meeting time to 5:30 pm and the meet at the Iowa City Senior Center. The meeting will focus on fact finding and be presented by Kearns and West. The commission then spent time discussing its future including seeking additional funding that will assist them in action and planning. The meeting ended at 9:42 due to lack of quorum. To view the recording or listen to the audio of this meeting, visit this link. AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2024 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 1/4 1/25 2/1 2/15 3/7 3/21 4/4 4/18 5/2 5/16 6/6 6/20 7/18 Dillard 12/31/24 Z P Cathua 12/31/24 P P Vacant 12/31/24 - - Johnson 12/31/24 A P Krebs 12/31/24 P P Merritt 12/31/24 P Z Nobiss 12/31/24 Z Z Simmons 12/31/24 P P Tassinary 12/31/24 P A P = Present in person A = Absent Z = Zoom Agenda Item 43 February 1, 2024 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Assembly Center, Iowa City Senior Center, City Hall Commissioners present: Lauren Merritt, Marie Krebs, Louis Tassinary, Chad Simmons, Wangui Gathua, Cliff Johnson, Chastity Dillard. Commissioners on Zoom: Sikowis Nobiss. Staff present: Redmond Jones, Stefanie Bowers. Recommendation to City Council: No. Meeting called to order: 6:03 PM. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Gathua read the Land Acknowledgement. Public comment of items not on the agenda: Kevin Perez, owner of Short's Burgers requests the support of the commission to help preserve the building his business operates out of at 1820 S Clinton St. Iowa City. Focusing on the building's history of ownership and qualifications for historical preservation under the City's standards. Reports on Native Partners Healing Circle held on January 26, 27, and 28: The event had 8 people in attendance both Friday and Saturday and 9 people in attendance on Sunday. A presentation recapped the events including a survey pertaining to the event recapping the participants' experience, age, ethnicity, and gender identity. Included in the presentation was an announcement of upcoming talking circles. It is encouraged for members to share the event and attend themselves. Feedback from participants present in the meeting shared their experience and critiques on budget and intention of the event with recommendations for future events. Legislative Update by Deputy City Manager: To be mindful of the time this item will be placed on a future agenda. Updates for Phase 2: First Round Fact -Finding Outcomes and Trajectory: Larry Schooler of Kearns and West presented the fact-finding's preliminary findings. The presentation started with important things to consider when reviewing the findings and reviews the key questions to establish when beginning the work of fact-finding. Possible topics have been revisited and the focus will be on public safety. The data presented went over the statistics of Iowa City police department. • Police Department Size • Police Department Funding • Arrests By Race • Police Accountability • Approach To Law Enforcement • Stops & Outcomes • Police Violence Questions were taken from the commission to clarify the data and then the discussion broadened to include what additional data will be needed -including personal accounts. This leads into additional discussions about upcoming events, other organizations the TRC could work with to conduct investigations including the NAACP, funding needs, marketing efforts, and future fact findings. Announcement of Staff: None. Announcement of Commissioners: Johnson apologized for having to leave the last meeting early and noted he stayed as long as he could. Johnson also reported that he will be fighting in Vegas later this month representing Towa City. Gathua will be attending the inaugural Black History Ball this coming Saturday. The meeting adjourned at 9:04 PM. To view the recording or listen to the audio of this meeting, visit this link. §) \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ■ � } s ! ¥ \ } } Agenda Item #5 Dear Commissioners and community members, This is my notice of resignation from the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission due to my diminished capacityto devote the time necessaryto complete these tasks that have been set forth. I have recently started the master's program for social work at the University of Iowa. That has proven to be more work than I imagined. I also find it difficult to focus on truth and reconciliation as our leaders in Iowa grow more fascist by the day. Quite literally. They are currently churning out legislation in the industrialized style of mass production and I cannot get fully into one fight before there are 3 more. It has been a valuable learning experience working amongst you all. I thinkthis commission is made up of amazing and powerful people. I hope to workwith you as a community member and look forward to watching you all make history. Sincerely, Marie Krebs Agenda Item #9 ICPD Crime data (FBI/DOJ): Offenses, 2012-2016 • Please seek data: o By ethnicity (data is already presented by race). o Related to the Hispanic/Latine population. o Related to Arab peoples and/or people of Middle Eastern origin. o By nationality. • Please find out where and how the demographic information attached to this data is generated—i.e., does an officer ask someone ICPD: Approach to Law Enforcement • Please dig into this data to create comparisons between Iowa City and other college communities —like Urbana -Champaign, State College, and other Big 10 cities of similar size — rather than comparing Iowa City to all other locations. • Please locate and annotate the most recent Iowa City Police Department budgets and highlight expenditures related to Public Safety/Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice. ICPD: Police Violence, Less -Lethal Force • Please identify the types of arrests wherein force was used (i.e., nature of alleged offense, non - discretionary stop vs. discretionary, etc.) • Please identify the race of the person arrested wherein force was used. General Feedback • Please use the demographic data from the Iowa City Community School District to compare population percentages with the most recent Census numbers for Iowa City overall. • Please generate a heat map of calls for service by geography across the greater Iowa City area, e.g. to examine nearby areas outside of Iowa City like Coralville & North Liberty. • Please describe the training related to racial equity and/or diversity that ICPD police officers have received. • Please seek insight from Chief Krom about how Coralville purposely sought minority and women applicants, and about trainings related to racial equity and/or diversity that he has requested or seen for his officers over the years. • Please describe the relationship -building undergone by the Sioux City PD with that area's Native community, as well as the decolonization training area Natives have provided that PD. • Please detail the demographic makeup of recruited candidates for the Iowa City PD and the racial composition of the PD itself. • Please repeat all analyses done for the Iowa City PD for U of I Public Safety and the Johnson County Sherriff's Department. • Please catalog the qualitative data associated with CPRB complaints, e.g. notes taken by CPRB appointees. • Please generate a breakdown by race of complainants to the CPRB. • Please catalog all the cases of Iowa City residents taking officers to court instead of registering complaints at the CPRB. • Please index all cases of officers reporting other officers. • Please generate a breakdown by race of those calling the police. • Please generate a breakdown by race of people who are the subjects of calls to the police. Agenda Item #io Community Encounters for Truth and Reconciliation Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) i. Definition and linkage to the legal mandate The TRC will organize three Community Encounters for Truth and Reconciliation during 2024. The Encounters are opportunities for a necessary and transformational dialogue on racial injustice in our midst: their impact will be a direct reflection on accurate information, a willingness to share experiences and the creation of a healing environment. Each Community Encounter will be a set of sessions of the TRC covering each of the components of its TRC work in an integrated manner (Resolution 20-228 art 11): (a) Fact-finding, focused on the evidence we have about the multiple manifestations of racial injustice in our community; (b) Truth -seeking, to initiate constructive dialogue about community stories and experiences about racial injustice; (e) Reconciliation, to co -create a healing environment that honors personal and collective experiences, addresses pain and trauma, and facilitates next steps of reparative systems change and transformation. From a thematic perspective, we have prioritized three aspects in which we believe racial injustice manifests itself in our community: law enforcement and safety, economic development, and education (Res 20-228, art 11C). We acknowledge that many other facets of historical and structural injustice exist, including, for example, in the areas of housing and health care. To build a strong foundation for future work, we will start with the three aspects mentioned. This document is primarily focused on the first of these Encounters, to be held in several sessions, from March 14 to 21, 2024. The fact-finding component of this exercise will include a presentation by Kearns and West (currently scheduled for Thursday, March 14th) of the complete data set collected on public safety and criminal justice. It will be followed by a facilitated exercise for the TRC on Monday, March 18th, at which time TRC Commissioners will work with facilitators on consensus (preliminary) conclusions regarding the data presented. Specifically, the TRC will be asked to consider the extent to which the data reveal racial injustice in the Iowa City community and how to verify those hypotheses at truth -telling sessions. The truth -telling and dialogue component, facilitated by Think Peace, will consist of testimonial and dialogical sessions on March loth and 21st (the') between members of the community sharing their experiences, positive and negative, regarding public safety and criminal justice. Specifically, participants will have an opportunity to indicate how racial injustice impacts concrete communities and individuals, and to reflect on what is needed to transform these conditions. 1 to be confirmed The Native Partners and Healing Partners are responsible for processes related to reconciliation. Reconciliation is addressed in the third charge of the TRC in City Council Resolution 20-228, article u. In addition to those charges, the TRC (and Native Partners/Healing Partners) are responsible for providing spaces and processes which create healing environments that honor the personal and collective experiences, and addresses the pain and trauma of the original experience, as well as any additional trauma that may emerge from sharing stories. The Native Partners will facilitate a healing circle to be conducted after each of the truth -telling sessions. 2. Some Key Definitions on Reconciliation Reconciliation is probably the most important concept in the work of the TRC. It figures prominently in its legal mandate and is the underlying motivation for the entire exercise. At the same time, it is an extremely ambitious objective, so we need to be constantly reminded of how it is defined in the founding Resolution and in our ongoing work. The following are a few key reflections: Reconciliation The TRC shall: r) Provide opportunity for and facilitate direct conversation among and between community members of color, white community members and representatives of various sectors in which people of color experience discrimination and injustice (e.g. police and protesters, landlords and tenants, students and teachers, patients and health care providers, business owners and staff); 2) Create a replicable model that provides a structure for enabling these conversations throughout the city; 3) Make available opportunities for a broad cross section of the community to learn about discrimination and racial injustice in our community; and, 4) Identify and recommend to the City Council institutional and policy reforms, new social practices, expectations, protocols, habits, rituals, conversations and celebrations that will move Iowa City toward a shared experience of race and difference, justice and equity and community and harmony. (From City Council Resolutions 20-228, Article u.) Reconciliation involves a coming to agreement about truth. Consequently, engaging in TRC-likened truth -telling processes in the U.S. supports opportunities for the oppressed and the oppressors to come to agreement about the "original sins" and the perpetual harms of those sins, i.e., theft of life, liberty and land, Jim Crow, redlining, gentrification, police violence and other forms of structural racism. Along those same lines, truth -telling processes involve a coming to agreement about ways to support healing and repair related to the consequences of those harms. (From "Ten Lessons We Learned About Truth and Reconciliation" by The Truth Telling Project, [David Ragland, Melinda Salazar, Imani Michelle Scott, Eduardo Gonzalez and Arthur Romano], July 30, 2020.) Healing Circles: The Native Partners will be offering Healing Circles as the reconciliation process/space to the commission and community. Healing Circles provide a process and create a space where harm can be shared, heard by others, and the community can move toward coming to agreement about truth. Healing Circles also provide an opportunity to deal with, and heal from, trauma and pain for those harmed and those hearing/Witnessing the expression of harm. Healing or talking circles can also provide a process for coming to agreement about ways to support healing and repair related to the consequences of those harms. Circles can also be a process for learning and for generating recommendations for the City Council. Circles are a replicable model for all of these conversations. Circles and Trauma and Pain: Speaking truth or hearing it can trigger trauma and pain in the speakers and listeners. The Native Partners provide Healing Circles to provide a safer space for people to speak their truths and/or to sit in circles as a healing and restorative process. People exiting community Healing Circles held in Iowa City reported they felt calmer and more connected to themselves and others, and not judged. Circles can intervene on effects of trauma. Circles, and the use of a talking piece, can intervene on two possible outcomes of trauma. One possible outcome of trauma is disempowerment: a person feels disempowered because they were not able to prevent the trauma. In a healing circle or talking circle using a talking stick, the talking stick is passed around the circle and when it reaches each person, they have the choice of speaking — saying whatever they decide to share or not share — or passing, not speaking at all. In that moment, a person has full choice, they are empowered to do what they choose. This intervenes on their (potential) disempowerment due to trauma. Another possible outcome of trauma is feeling disconnected: from the person/people that harmed you, potentially somewhat disconnected from life in general, and potentially disconnected from parts of yourself. In a circle, when the talking piece is passed, and others speak, it is possible to feel connected to a speaker, whether you know them or not. In this way, a talking piece in a circle can intervene on trauma -induced disconnection. Native Partner T Medina has shared the following to convey more specifically how Healing Circles work: When I was last in Iowa City, and I conducted a Talking Circle on "Fatherhood/Motherhood Is Sacred", that was the "topic" of The Circle. As the "Facilitator" I talked about how fatherhood/motherhood is sacred. A "way of life" means walking that way of life. There were many who shed tears, the start of healing their spirit and heart. Many relatives carry feelings and emotions inside that come out in a good way, where the Circle is a place of equality and safety. All about Respect and Compassion for the relatives. When we ended the Circle, instead of hand shakes there were big hugs all around. Powerful. During any "Circle," in order to learn something and become Teachable, you have to Listen, not just with your ears, but with your eyes, your heart, and your spirit, observing the body language of those in the Circle. The tears that come out are cleansing their Spirit and Soul of the person. Conflict in Circle: If the TRC calls for a Circle, there will be a "reason why" they would want a Circle, there could be conflict, disagreements, lack of communication or lack of respect, talking behind someone's back ("backstabbing"). The facilitator would Speak first and express themselves, then the relatives in the Circle would have time to express themselves. I feel it is important to have a Talking Stick, only one is needed. One of the ground rules of the Circle is whoever has the Talking Stick has the floor. No one speaks until after they have listened, and if there is a response or a clarification, that person would ask for the Talking Stick. When you end the Circle, the Talking Stick would go around one more time so that everyone in the Circle would have the opportunity to Express themselves and/or give thanks. You could end it with everyone going around and shaking hands, hugging, etc. 3. Objectives The Encounters seek to "...stimulate difficult conversations, reach and engage a full cross- section of the community including those in the community not inclined or resistant to engagement' (Resolution 20-228, 7). To do so, they will combine different forms of knowledge and wisdom, namely evidence, testimony, and ritual. Specifically, the Encounters will (see Resolution 20-228, article u): (a) Present evidence related to law enforcement and safety, economic development and education to exchange informed opinion, assess our challenges, and envision transformation. (b) Hear testimony from community Truth Tellers, listening to actual individual experiences from our neighbors, and inviting an exchange of views between our communities and decision makers. (c) Provide a safe and healing space for the community to present their experiences and opinions in good faith, with acceptance and recognition. Each of the Encounters will be faithfully recorded and synthesized in order to provide materials for the TRC report to the City Council at the end of our tenure. Also, the testimonies and dialogues received will be carefully organized to be the first stone of a city repository of testimony. What we will hear and reflect on during these sessions will help the Commissioners to formulate recommendations to the City on how to take effective, transformational action against injustice (Resolution 20-228, art 14). Also, the truth -telling events will have all the guarantees necessary for persons or institutions who feel adversely mentioned to engage in constructive dialogue. The goal of the first fact-finding portion of the culminating event on March 14th will be to present data in full to allow for Commissioners to understand it fully, ask clarifying questions, and perhaps offer some thoughts about how the data should be presented in a final report. For the facilitated session on the 18th, the goal will be to reach consensus on what the data reveal related to racial injustice in Iowa City, as well as to agree on prompts to offer to attendees at truth -telling events as they offer testimony on this topic. The Native Partners/Healing Partners will provide Healing Circles for Truth Tellers and their support people after the truth -telling. It will be a space for hearing them, and an opportunity for them to continue their healing from the traumas of their experiences and from any potential retraumatization in telling about them. 4. Components - What will the event look like? How will its activities relate to the different parts of the mandate? How will those parts be integrated and feed into each other? On March 18th, Commissioners will work with facilitators to formulate preliminary conclusions about the evidence presented to them and agree on questions to offer to participants at truth - telling events that they can choose to use for prompts. The idea is for TRC Commissioners to use data shared during fact-finding sessions as a hypothesis for truth related to this topic, which can be bolstered by, and/or contradicted by, testimony during truth -telling. 4 On March loth, there will be truth -telling around the topic of law enforcement and safety. During the truth -telling event (TT), there could be a circle of 4-6 people who have been previously invited to share their views and experiences, followed by a discussion amongst the group. For example, the composition of these 4-6 people could include: • 1-3 community member(s) who may have been either mistreated by police or experienced a situation that was escalated instead of de-escalated or where there was an absence of restorative processes in the wake of harm; • 1 Councilmember who is active on the topic of law enforcement and public safety; • r City- government official who can speak to the topic; and, • t retired or active law enforcement member. These individuals would have around io minutes to share one experience meaningfully, gently guided by prompting questions (e.g., "What have been any positive and/or negative experiences with law enforcement?"). These questions can be asked by either TRC Commissioners or David Ragland and Melinda Salazar from Think Peace, or a combination of both. At the conclusion of individual sharing, there could be a facilitated dialogue for 30 minutes to promote — among the group members and TRC members — discussion, clarification, or possible solutions to mitigate harm in the future. During the dialogue, David Ragland and Melinda Salazar will support the conversation by encouraging constructive engagement around topics that emerge during the initial truth -telling. Some example questions could include, "What is your perspective as a City Councilmember about how these could be improved?" or "What do you think law enforcement would be receptive to in preventing this harm from happening again?". The TRC Commissioners are welcome to lead, support, or Witness this and any part of the process as Think Peace is in attendance to guide. As described above, a Healing Circle will be offered after the truth -telling event to those who speak at the truth -telling event, and their support people. It will be a space where they can share any aspect of the original experience(s) shared as well as what has been activated by the sharing and anything else. There will be multiple rounds using a talking piece, providing opportunities for those in the circle to continue to move toward healing. It is possible that the Native Partners will invite others to the Circle. 5. Participants - Who will participate (TRC, City officials, general public, Truth Tellers and experts, other guests, etc)? What role will each participant have? How will meeting rules apply? The fact-finding portion of the event is designed for TRC Commissioners. Regarding the Truth Telling event, the participants will include TRC Commissioners, "Truth Tellers," and "Witnesses." Details which outline how Truth Tellers and Witnesses are defined can be found in the "Trauma -informed Truth -Telling & Witnessing Protocol" delivered during the January 4, 2024 TRC meeting as part of Think Peace's contract. The document is attached to this Concept Note as an Addendum. • TRC Commissioners: The role of TRC Commissioners is found on page 6 in the "Trauma -informed Truth -Telling & Witnessing Protocol" presented at the January 4, 2024 TRC Meeting. Truth Tellers (e.g., those selected to share their truth and will likely comprise of the general public, City officials, and law enforcement): The background of Truth Tellers is found on page 5, selection of Truth Tellers is covered on page 6, discussion around preparing Truth Tellers is found on page 7, along with notes on conducting testimony and sample questions for preparatory meetings are found on page 8. Witnesses: The role of Witnesses and global and US -specific samples, found on pages 8-11, are provided to demonstrate visually how various Truth Telling events have been structured in the past. It's important to note that TRC Commissioners will also serve as Witnesses. David Ragland and Melinda Salazar have extensive experiences with Truth Telling and will be in person to provide facilitated guidance to the degree desired by the Commission. Their role could be asking all of the supportive questions during the individual sharing component AND guiding all of the facilitated dialogue for the group discussion. Or, it could mean they play a smaller, supportive role whereby the Commissioners lead with questions during the individual sharing and facilitated group conversation. The Native Partners will provide the Healing Circle for the Truth Tellers and their support people in a private space where smudging can occur. This is not a public event. It may be that the Native Partners invite some members of the community who were at the Truth Telling event and were moved. This may include Commissioners or City Council people. That will be up to the Native Partners at that time. As for the healing of the members of the public/the community, including Commissioners, who may experience secondary trauma as listeners and Witnesses at the truth -telling event, the Native Partners will offer invocation and support at the beginning and closing of the truth - telling events. 6. Tasks - What are the tasks from here to the event to ensure its realization? What is the timeline? Regarding Fact -Finding, Facilitation Team members from Kearns & West are working to fulfill research requests made by the TRC at their February ist meeting and prepare a comprehensive report and presentation for the TRC's review prior to and at their March 14th meeting. The Facilitation Team will also provide draft questions that the TRC could utilize, modify, or discard for Truth -Telling events. The preparatory work in advance of Truth Telling is vitally important to ensure the right people are at the gathering and that those people have been adequately prepared before their truth - telling experience. The key elements of the process include: 1) Identification of Truth Tellers; z) Formal Invitation of Truth Tellers; 3) Support - prior to and during the Truth Telling experience; and 4) Follow up after the Truth Telling experience. 1) Identification needs to happen as soon as possible, as there is a significant discernment process to determine if there is a best mixture of perspectives or experiences to be shared during TT. During this phase, TRC Commissioners will: A) Reach out to people who may have an experience they'd like to share regarding a racial injustice connected to law enforcement, as that is the first topic for dialogue. B) During outreach, the TRC Commissioners share what the TT event will look like and its purpose according to Resolution 20-228. C) Commissioners will ask potential Truth Tellers if they want to participate at the public event with their story, affirming their consent to be recorded. Outreach should begin soon, in particular within the law enforcement community (e.g., former judge/prosecutor/parole officer/social worker connected to law enforcement/police - active/retired) as these may be harder to find. 2) Formal Invitation happens in written form after outreach has identified 4-6 individuals who would provide a well-rounded perspective of various experiences. During this stage, there should be another conversation with participants to ask about their needs for support in advance, during, and after the TT experience. a) Recommendations: i) Commissioners will read the document provided by TP: Trauma - Informed Truth -Telling and Witnessing Protocol before any initial interviews with community members/potential Truth Tellers. ii) When Commissioners are conveying information about the TT events, they will also let speakers know about the Healing Circles being offered to them: its time and location, how it works, and encourage them and their support people to attend. Contact information for the Healing Partners will be provided, so any questions can be addressed. 3) Support will at the very least consist of selected individuals bringing a peer to be with them during the TT dialogue, as well as the supportive presence of Commissioners and facilitators. Ask if there are other needs that they may have, including accessibility needs, to be supported before and during the experience. This stage also allows their questions to be answered by TRC members and/or facilitation team to allay fears. 4) Follow-up involves TRC members checking in one week and one month after the TT event. During these check -ins, TRC Commissioners could ask prompting questions (e.g., "Do you have anything to add to what you presented?" "What feedback could improve this in the future?" "What did you want to say but didn't or felt you couldn't?"). Listen for any recommendations to incorporate in the future. Share with these individuals ways they could stay involved with the ongoing work of the TRC (e.g., attend meetings, attend future events, or others). 7. Recommendations: 1. Commissioners will read the document provided by TP: Trauma -Informed Truth -Telling and Witnessing Protocol before any initial interviews with community members/potential Truth Tellers. Any clarification or discussion can be organized with the plenary of Commissioners or individual members. 2. When Commissioners are conveying information about the TT events, they will also let speakers know about the Healing Circles being offered to them: its time and location, how it works, and encourage them and their support people to attend. Contact information for the Healing Partners will be provided, so any questions can be addressed. 8. Resources - What will be the resources needed? (Venue, materials, sound, light, recording, services such as transportation, medical or psychosocial support, security, etc., as appropriate) For the Truth Telling portion of the Community Encounters, there are various logistics needs required: • Quality recording • Good lighting • Plants or flowers in entry and/or in room • Backdrop printed with logo of Commission and name of event (e.g., "Community Encounters for Truth & Reconciliation: Iowa City') to be placed behind Commission would be beneficial, though not absolutely necessary • Expressive therapeutic materials, such as newsprint on a wall, paper at table, colored markers • Transcript of the conversations (e.g., transcription software and a short-term hire to review and edit for accuracy) to be documented and can be utilized with Fact Finding • Mobile crisis counselors, at least two available who are representative of BIPOC community members • Separate quiet or private space for use if individuals or small groups utilize mobile crisis counselor(s) before, during, or after TT • Ambulance available • Any street closures or parking notices, depending on if that's required by the location • Building space which allows for Commissioners and facilitators (e.g., David Ragland and Melinda Salazar) to sit in a circle shape with Truth Tellers • Communications outreach — press release, media conference, media invitations for the TT event. • Dinner to feed 50 people Location Fact-finding will take place on the 14th at City Hall and the 18th at the Senior Center Think Peace will hold two days of Truth Telling on March 20 and 21 (the), supported by Native Partners who will offer the opening and closing of the event, as well as Healing Circles after the TT portion has closed. Think Peace can host the TT events in a variety- of locations, including: City Hall, university campus, public library, or another community space frequented by the general public. The Native/HealingPartners will hold the Healing Circle as a form to process, debrief, and heal from the discussions held during the Truth Telling. For the Healing Circle part of the Community Encounter, there are various logistics required: • A space large enough for the Native/Healing Partners and speakers, their support people, and perhaps others to sit in Circle. • The space needs to be one of comfort to BIPOC community members. • The space needs to be secure and provide privacy. • The space needs to allow smudging. • Dinner to feed 20-30 people. Potential Questions: • (Opening) Thank you for your courage and commitment. • (Round 1, could go around more than once) How are you feeling now that you have shared your truth? • (Round 2, could go around more than once) What would be helpful for you and what do you need to support you in your healing? • (Round 3, could go around more than once) What intention do you have for your truth - telling? • (Round X) What do you think would be helpful in future TT events? Run of Show Chronologic script of activities detailing each part of the process, use of time, role of participants. Think Peace - Truth -telling draft schedule (Mar 20, 2024) K&W - Fact-finding will occur on the 14th and 18th as described above. Native/Healing Partners - i. Room and food will be arranged in February. 2. Day of: Native/Healing partners will set up space so it is ready a half hour before expected start time. 3. Native/Healing partners will be on site a half hour before expected start time, to welcome any participants who come early. 4. Native/Healing partners will restore the room to its original condition after all the participants have left. 5. Native/Healing partners will sit together in Circle to debrief and smudge. Trauma -informed Truth -Telling & Witnessing Protocol - OWz6W3Pga tbmRcn4apc/edit Agenda Item #12 POTENTIAL PARTNER INDIVIDUALS • Elizabeth Bernal — cultural liaison for Iowa City schools, founding member of Prairielands Freedom Fund (see below) • Manny Galvez —founder and organizer of Iowa City Latino Festival • Bram Elias — immigration attorney, UI Law Professor • Peter Gerlach — UI International Studies adjunct assistant professor, Summer Institute Coordinator at the International Writing Program • Teresa Stecker — Executive Director of IC Compassion (see below) • Annie Tucker — Executive Director of Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa POTENTIAL TRC PARTNER GROUPS Name of Organization/Website/Contact Contact info/ email Target TRC TRC Population/Services Approved Liaison Provided Black Voices Project icblackyoices(c -gmail.com Amplifying Black ❑ Chastity https://www.facebook.com/icbvp/ voices and culture in the community. Center for Worker Justice of Eastern info@cwiiowa.ore Assistance and ❑ Wangui lowa.httr)s://cwliowa.org/ (319) 594-7593 education to low -wage workers, including immigrants CommUnity Crisis Services and Food admin@builtbvcommunitv.ore Food bank, ❑ Bankhttps://builtbvcommunity.Org/ (319)351-2726 clothing vouchers for low income individuals and households. Mobile crisis services. Dream City info@dreamcityia.org Community ❑ https://www.dreamcitvia.org/ (319)594-1044 building, youth leadership programs for children and families. Great Plains Action Society contact@ereatplainsaction.ore Indigenous ❑ Sikowis https://www.greatplainsaction.org/ organizers providing programming to educate, empower, and protect BIPOC communities. IC Compassion info@iccompassion.org ESL and citizenship ❑ Wangui https://www.iccornpassion.org/ (319)330-9883 classes, food assistance, free legal clinic, immigration assistance and, community meals, refugee counseling services. Inside Out Reentry Community hello(@insideoutreentry.com Support for ❑ httr)s://www.insideoutreentry.com/ (319) 338-7996 individuals involved in the criminal legal system International Women's Club of Iowa iowa.iwc@gmail.com Social events ❑ City and English https://iwciowacity.wordpress.com/ programs for women. Iowa City Catholic Worker iowacitycatholicworker@Rmail.com Immigrant and ❑ (515)729-6482 https://iowacitycatholicworker.org/ refugee led community providing food, housing, rent assistance, accompaniment, and deportation defense. Iowa City Free Medical and Dental off icecoordinator(cDfreemedicalclinic.org Health care to ❑ (319)337-4459 Clinic https://freemedicalclinic.org/ low income individuals and families. Iowa City Mutual Aid Collective info@iowacitymutualaid.com Kitchens project, ❑ htti)s://iowamutualaid.org/iowa-city-mutual-aid street medic training Iowa Freedom Riders iowafreedomriders@gmail.com Community ❑ https://www.facebook.com/iowafreedomrider/ organizing and mobilization Iowa Jobs for America's Graduate (iJag) info@iiag.org (statewide info email) Mentoring, ❑ https://www.iowacityschools.org/academics- (515) 216-3140 (statewide #) (319) 688-1000 (Iowa City school school retention, work programs/iiag district) resources, skill - building for 9- 12th grade students. igtRRPe Monsoon Asians and Pacific Islanders contact@ monsoon iowa.org AAPI victims of ❑ Wangui in Solidarity (319)466-9000 gender -based https://monsooniowa.org/ violence Multicultural Development Center of info@mdciowa.org Asa nonprofit, we ❑ Chastity lowa.https://www.mdciowa.org (319)333-0600 provide free community services ranging from free STEM training to mentoring programs and business incubation to underserved communities. Learn more about our programs and find a learning location nearyou. Neighborhood Centers of Johnson ncic@ncjc.org Before and ❑ Chastity County https://ncic.org/index.html (319)354-2886 after school programs for youth and family support services. NISAA African Family Services contact@nisaa-afs.org Programs for ❑ Wangui http://nisaa-afs.orgZ (319)338-7617 African immigrant and refugee women, particularly victims of violence and sexual assault Path of Hope info@path-of-hope.org Refugee and ❑ https://path-of-hope.org/about/ (319) 338-5390 immigration services Prairielands Freedom Fund team@orairielandsfreedomfund.org Immigration bonds ❑ (319) 535-2209 https://www.i)rairielandsfreedomfund.org/ and pretrial bail Proteus info@proteusinc.net Health care, ❑ http://www.proteusinc.net/ (800) 372-6031 education assistance, and job training for agricultural workers, including migrant workers. Shelter House Community Shelter & info@shelterhouseiowa.org Housing, ❑ Chastity Transition Services (319) 351-0326 food, https://shelterhouseiowa.org/ healthcare, and case management services for unhoused individuals and families University of Iowa Afro House: African American ❑ Wangui Diversity Councils aacc@uiowa.edu Council, Native https://diversity.uiowa.edu/resources/dei (319)335-8296 American Council, Pan Asian Council, across -campus Latino Native American Cultural Latinx Council Cultural Centers Center: https://multicultural.uiowa.edu/culturalcenters Inacc@uiowa.edu (319) 335-8298 Afro-American Cultural Center, Asian Pacific American Cultural Latino Native Center: American kaynguyen@uiowa.edu Cultural Center, (319)335-2719 Asian Pacific American Pride Alliance Center: Cultural Center; pride-alliance-center@uiowa.edu affiliations with other cultural International Student Support and student Engagement: groups (Black shuhui-Iin(@uiowa.edu Student Union, (319)335-0335 Asian American Student Union, South Asia Student Association, African Student Association) *Added At 11/4/21 Meeting* Name of Organization/Website/Contact Contact info/ email Target TRC TRC Population/Services Approved Liaison Provided Forest View Tenants Association ❑ Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) deener.matt@iowacitvschools.ore ❑ Wangui (Superintendent of schools) htti)s://www.lowacityschools.org/ (319)688-1000 ICCSD Equity Advisory Committee gray.laura(a@iowacitvschools.org ❑ Wangui (Exec. Director of Diversity & Cultural https://www.lowacityschools.org/Page/1124 Responsiveness) howard.eric@iowacityschools.org (Director of Equity & Employee Relations) ICCSD Mental Health, Special Education and ❑ Wangui Disability PTO http://autisrniowacity.org/iccsd- mental-health-special education-and-disability-pto https://www.facebook.com/groups/126384014744976/ Johnson County Interfaith Coalition info@becominebelovedcommunitv.ore ❑ https://organizeiowa.com/ Sudanese Organizations ❑ Wangui I Heart Black Businesses https://www.iheartblack.biz/ ❑ Clif Humanize My Hoodie allies.hmh@gmail.com ❑ Sikowis https://www.humanizemvhoodie.com/ (Workshops, Trainings, Appearances, Facilitated Conversations about Race) humanizemyhoodie@gmail.com (General Inquiries) United Action for Youth https://www.unitedactionforyouth.org/ mickey.hamoton@unitedactionforyouth.ore afterschool teen programs, teen parents programs, ❑ Chastity (319)338-7518 Coralville Food Pantry https://www.coralvillefoodpantrV.Org/ John@coralvillefoodpantry.or Food insecurity ❑ Chastity Agenda Item #12 icblackvoices(cb_gmail.com, info@cw'iowa.org. admin@builtbycommunity.org, info@dreamcityia.org, contact@�reatplainsaction.org, info@iccompassion.org, hello@insideoutreentry.com, iowa.iwc@lgmail.com, iowacitycatholicworker@gmail com, off icecoordinator@freemedicalclinic.org, info@iowacitymutualaid.com iowafreedomriders@gmail.com, info@iiaag.org, contact@monsooniowa.org, info@mdciowa.org, ncic@ncic.org, contact@nisaa-afs.org, info opathofhope.org, team _prairielandsfreedomfund.org, info@proteusinc.net, info@shelterhouseiowa.org, aacc@uiowa.edu, lnacc@uiowa.edu, kaynguyen@uiowa.edu, pride-alliance- center@uiowa.edu, shuhui-lin@uiowa.edu, definer.matt@iowacityschools.org, gray. tau ra@iowacityschoots. org, howard.ericCcbiowacityschools.org, info@becomingbelovedcommunity.org, allies.hmh@�mail.com, mickey. ham pton@unitedactionforyouth.org, iohn@coralvillefoodpantry.org LATE HANDOUTS —The following document/s were distributed after the meeting agenda was posted and prior to the meeting. Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Truth -Telling Hearings: Principles of Operation and Norms' Introduction After the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, the Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was created by the Iowa City Council to address the systemic nature of racial violence by bearing witness to the truth of racial injustice in Iowa City and to carry out restorative justice, through the collection of testimony and public Hearings, with such work to include a recommendation to the Council of a plan for dedicating and/or renaming public spaces and/or rights of way in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has decided to launch integrated events including the three approaches under its legal mandate: fact-finding, truth -telling, and reconciliation. This document applies to the truth -telling component of these events: Truth Telling Hearings. Under its mandate, stated in City Council Resolution 20-228, the TRC will provide a public forum to unearth untold stories of human rights violations and mistreatment to uplift voices of truth and collective wisdom carried by the Iowa City community members, and seek to translate that truth into structural change, transformation, and reconciliation. 'Adapted from the Public Hearings protocols of the TRC of Peru and the Trauma -Informed Truth -Telling and Witnesing Protocol, by Eduardo Gonzalez, Melinda Salazar, and Leo Hylton, supporting the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, USA, as consultants with Think Peace Learning & Support Hub. 1. Definition, objectives and purpose of Truth -Telling Hearings 1.1. Definition The Truth Telling Hearings are public, solemn events focused on the giving of testimony by people who have experienced systemic oppression and racial violence. Also vital to these Hearings is the witnessing of testimony by members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and protagonists in city government, businesses, and educational institutions. The purpose of Truth Telling Hearings is to ensure the elimination of conditions that made these acts possible and to secure ways to avoid their repetition in the future. A further purpose is to facilitate racial healing and reconciliation within Iowa City. 1.2. Specific Objectives The Truth -Telling Hearings seek to: 1.2.1. Create a public forum for truth -telling: Co -creating a space of trauma -informed truth -telling and witnessing (see established Protocol linked at the end of this document), Truth Tellers will be heard by: 1. fellow communities of color; 2. a broad cross-section of the entire Iowa City community; and 3. protagonists for change, key decision makers in city government, the business community, and the University. These Hearings will provide materials for the creation of a repository for community stories to educate and inform community members, and to leverage change in policy and practice. 1.2.2. Facilitate racial healing and reconciliation: Transitioning from truth -telling into racial healing and reconciliation, the TRC will provide facilitators from Native Partners who use traditional, restorative and healing practices (i.e., healing circles, dialogue circles, etc) to hold spaces for direct conversation among and between community members of color, white community members, and representatives of various sectors in which people experience discrimination and injustice (i.e., police and protestors, landlords and tenants, students and teachers, patients and health care providers, business owners and staff). 1.3. Specific Purpose 1.3.1. The Truth -Telling Hearings: personal and factual truth The Hearings, in general, do not uncover new information since the TRC is already carrying out fact-finding through access to city data and documentation. Nevertheless, public presentations, due to the direct presence of survivors, add a necessary level of lived experience and trauma healing. The mandate of the TRC contemplates the necessity of factual truth, that is, fact-finding. Nevertheless, the Truth -Telling Hearings enrich fact-finding because they allow access to personal truth, individual narratives, philosophies and histories. Each of these reveals the subjective experience of trauma caused by racial violence and the meaning attributed to that violence. This sharing will create solid ground upon which to build alternative versions to the official truth. The TRC is granted access to this kind of truth by the process of creating empathy through the expression of solidarity with the survivor and the validation of his/her/their feelings. Uplifting this level of truth has the objective of initiating a process of reparation and widening the public space for the voices and interests of survivors. 1.3.2. The Truth -Telling Hearings and Reconciliation Hearings must be conducted in a responsible manner that does not generate false expectations in relation to their ability to contribute to City-wide racial healing and reconciliation. The Hearings are not automatic mechanisms for personal reconciliation between victims, victimizers, and bystanders. Only a long-term therapeutic and spiritual process can result in the free decision of people involved in establishing ties of confidence and solidarity among themselves. The Truth -Telling Hearings dignify and empower the voice of survivors by legitimizing them within a public sphere that has been traditionally exclusionary of their concerns. The Hearings initiate reconciliation at two levels: in the first place, a reconciliation of the individual victim with him/her/their self, as a human being and as a citizen in full enjoyment of his/her/their rights; secondly, a reconciliation understood as the elimination of forms of discrimination and racial injustice that exclude and permanently victimize certain sectors of society, and impede Iowa City community members from living free from the expectation of racial violence. 2. Organizational Procedures of the Truth -Telling Hearings 2.1. Leading Principles for the Realization of the Truth telling Hearings The realization of the Hearings guarantees the following principles: 2.1.1. Trauma -informed. Truth -Telling Hearings will be spaces that adhere to the four R's of a trauma -informed approach: Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand potential paths to recovery; Recognize signs and symptoms of trauma within those involved in the system; Respond by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies/practices; and actively Resist re-traumatization.2 2.1.2. Healing -centered. Truth -Telling Hearings will be spaces that support Truth Tellers in moving beyond their trauma. Hearings will take an approach that honors the collective nature of trauma and healing, namely that both happen in the context of community and systems. Remembering our ancestral African concept of ubuntu, "I am because you are," Truth -Telling Hearings will honor the whole person, seeing their culture, spirituality, civic action, and collective healing.' 2.1.3. Anti -racist. Truth telling Hearings aim to actively identify and oppose the social system of racism that has been consciously and systematically erected to benefit some populations at the expense of others. The underlying assumption of Truth -Telling Hearings is that racist practices can be undone through the process of understanding what racism is, its origins, how it functions, and why it is perpetuated. The goal of engaging key decision makers in City government, local businesses and educational institutions in Hearings is to actively change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that keep racist ideas and actions in place. 2.1.4. Emotional and social support. Survivors and witnesses will have the right to be accompanied by their family and support groups, as well as the right to all forms of protection from harassment and lack of respect that increases the emotional cost of giving testimony in public. In the same manner, the public Hearings seek to present cases of victims who can rely on the solidarity of their family and community during and after giving their testimony. 2.1.5. Right to respond. The respect for the dignity of the person includes those who are adversely mentioned. For this reason, no one will deny these persons the possibility to render their version of the facts during the regular course of the TRC's fact-finding work. 2.2. Criteria for inviting Truth Tellers Truth Tellers are members of the community who have a story of mistreatment to tell for the purpose of self -empowerment and healing, and who desire social and policy changes 2 Adapted from SAMHSA model: https://ncsacw.acf.hhs.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA Trauma.pdf ' Adopted from Ginwright: https://Qinwright.medium.conVthe-future-of-healing-shifting-from-trauma- informed-care-to-hea ling-cente red -engage ment-634f557ce69c to the current conditions. In order for the community -at -large to come forth to give testimony, all members of the community must be informed of the Commission and what the steps are for coming forth. Commissioners will: • Identify local organizations, community groups and associations (formal and informal), and school groups and associations (formal and informal) involved in social justice issues; o These might include: civic associations, school groups, non profits, health organizations, mutual aid groups of formerly incarcerated people, social / racial / restorative / transformative justice / abolitionist activists (individuals and groups), etc; • Reach out to leaders and members of the identified organizations, groups, and associations, seeking those who might consider speaking on issues related to the commission's focus; • Seek to include Truth Tellers of all genders; • Ask for at least 1 reference from the community; • Schedule a time for a brief meeting to initiate and establish relationship, learn about the testimony a potential Truth Teller might give, and encourage them to identify a support person to accompany them to the Truth Telling Hearing; and • Have a clear and explicit reason why someone does not qualify as a Truth Teller, including how their presence or testimony will cause harm to another individual, group, or to the Hearing itself, if it were to be included. 2.3. Preparation of Truth Tellers Giving testimony at a Truth Telling Hearing is unlike testifying in a court setting where a witness aids or counters a criminal indictment, is cross-examined by a defense or prosecuting attorney, or where a jury or judge pronounces innocence or guilt. A TRC is not a criminal justice process, and its center is not an accused, but the survivor. Here, a Truth Teller may have privacy, protection, and validation of any fear of retraumatization. Commissioners play an important role in assuaging Truth Tellers' concerns. Time taken to prepare Truth Tellers about what to expect, to affirm their human dignity, to feed their spirits and comfort them as they prepare to engage in difficult and painful conversation is tantamount to the truth -telling process. Commissioners will: • Prepare at least one pre -Hearing meeting with Truth Tellers to check in with their comfort level and need for support; o Acknowledge the existence and lasting impact of trauma o Address need for internal preparation and protection against retraumatization • Meet with Truth Tellers; o Initiate and establish relationship; o Ascertain whether they are interested in participate in a public Hearing to provide testimony and enter in dialogue with other members of the community; o Learn about the content of their potential narrative; o Encourage them to identify a support person to accompany them to the Truth Telling Hearing; • Build relationship with Truth Tellers; o Get to know them beyond their narrative; o Engage in informal conversation; o Check up on Truth Tellers to see how they are doing; o Invite Truth Tellers to formal, semi -formal, and informal Hearings / community gatherings; o Ask truth -tellers in advance whether there is any special support they need during the act of telling their stories (e.g. not to be interrupted, words of affirmation, more prompts/ no prompts / invitations to share more, etc). • Take special care for youth / young adult Truth Tellers; o Inquire about community supports / access to mental health support; o Gather and offer list of community resources for support; o Foreshadow possibility of painful new / emergent memories in sharing testimony; o Make sure they have a plan for care / support to be available after providing testimony. 2.4. Programming and Realization ofHearings The Hearings require the following tasks: 2.4.1. Infrastructure This task includes the preparation of the technical infrastructure that must be used, including availability of separate space for the gathering of Truth -Tellers and the public, devices for appropriate recording and broadcasting, as well as space for the media. 2.4.2. Security Since the situation of racism has resulted in BIPOC communities distrusting the regular security institutions, a Truth -Telling Hearing needs to ensure the safety and security of participants through community collaboration, empathy, and support. Truth Tellers and Witnesses do not just have to be safe, they need to feel safe. Therefore, it will be important to have the presence of community members, relatives, friends, spiritual leaders, and others who are there for them. 2.4.3 Symbols and Rituals The TRC carries out the Truth -Telling Hearings in close linkage with the Healing Circles led by Native Partners. The TRC recognizes that Healing Circles have a long ancestry and that Native American nations have a unique wisdom about them and generosity to share it. 2.4.4. Media The TRC will invite traditional and new media to participate in the Hearings, informing them in advance about what is to be expected, and indicating forms to respect the space of truth -telling and the Truth Tellers. 2.4.5. Transcripts and publication The TRC will ensure that the public Truth -Telling Hearings are accurately recorded, in line with all appropriate Iowa legislation. The TRC will strive to ensure that the Hearings are transcribed and are part of a repository of information, testimony, art, artifacts and other sources of information, reflection, and reconciliation. 2.5. Protocol of the Hearings The Truth -telling Hearings are meetings of the TRC and must assure the presence of a quorum. The TRC will conduct the regular aspects of its Hearings, and also include the following: • Remind the public of the nature of the TRC's mission according to Resolution 20- 228 • The commissioners will invite Truth Tellers to affirm their commitment to tell the truth to the best of their abilities, and to effectively tell their stories. • The public will maintain a respectful attitude at all moments. • The press invited by the TRC will remain respectful during the testimonies. • The Truth Tellers will be accompanied by their families, support groups and other forms of support provided by the TRC. • The commissioners will invite the Truth Teller to introduce her/him/themselves in whatever way they feel comfortable, including name, pronouns, and place of origin; • The commissioners will ask if there is anything the Truth Teller would like to share before offering their testimony; • The commissioners will not cross examine the witnesses, but will, as appropriate, provide prompts to facilitate the flow of the narrative. • The commissioners will ensure that truth -tellers will, if necessary, interrupt public narratives if there are informations that should be protected, and that could be communicated in a private session, in compatibility with applicable Iowa law and constitutional rights (e.g. privileged lawyer -defendant information, trade secrets, issues regarding the right to privacy of survivors, issues regarding the rights of minors, etc) • The commissioners will allow spaces of silence for the Truth Teller to breathe, emote however they need to, compose themselves, process or engage with new / emergent remembrances, etc.; • The commissioners will respect the narrative style of each person and not impose an expectation of performed civility (i.e., allow Truth Tellers to use profanity, utter inarticulable language, scream, etc. if they are so moved by emotion); • The commissioners will offer occasional words of affirmation and encouragement when the Truth Teller seems to be struggling to continue; • The commissioners will be gentle and patient in speech, compassionate in responses offered; • The commissioners will suspend any personal judgments that arise based upon your personal life experience or worldview; • The commissioners will allow a moment of breath between each testimony, encouraging all participants to take care of themselves and each other throughout the Hearing (i.e., drink water, remember to breathe, touch base with their bodies, engage in whatever personal grounding practice they may have, step out of the room and/or engage with a fellow community member outside of the room if they are feeling too activated / triggered to stay in the space). • The commissioners will thank each truth -teller individually for having shared their experience with the city and will express their solidarity with the survivors.