HomeMy WebLinkAbout11 26 24 HRCHuman Rights Commission
November 26, 2024
Regular Meeting – 5:30 PM
Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall
Agenda:
1.Call the Meeting to Order and Roll Call
2.Reading of Native American Land Acknowledgement
3.Approval of the September 25, 2024, and November 4, 2024, Minutes
4.Public Comment on Items Not on the Agenda. (Commentators shall address the
Commission for No More than 5 minutes. Commissioners Shall Not Engage in
Discussion with the Commentator or One Another Concerning Remarks)
5.Correspondence
6.Updates on Outreach and Engagement by the Police Department
7.Funding Request: United Nations Association Johnson County
8.Strategic Plan 2024
9.Racial Equity and Social Justice Grant FY24 Reports, FY25 Application Form &
Scoring Criteria.
10.December Meeting Date
11.Brief Announcements by Staff and Commission Members (Commissioners shall
not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements)
12.Adjournment
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all City of Iowa City-sponsored
events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation
in order to participate in these events, please contact the Office of Equity and Human
Rights at 319-356-5022 or humanrights@iowa-city.org.
1
Draft Minutes
Human Rights Commission
September 25, 2024
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Commissioners present: Roger Lusala, Doug Kollasch, Mark Pries, Vianna Qaduora, Elizabeth Mendez
Shannon, Kelsey Paul Shantz,
Commissioners present via Zoom: None.
Commissioners absent: Idriss Abdullahi, Jahnavi Pandya.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendation to City Council: None.
Meeting called to order: 5:30 PM.
Native American Land Acknowledgement: Kollasch read the Land Acknowledgement.
Public comment of items not on the agenda: No.
Approval of meeting minutes of August 27, 2024: Pries moved and Lusala seconded. Approval passed 5-0. (One
Commission not present for the vote).
Updates on Outreach and Engagement by the Police Department: No report.
Strategic Plan: This event will be held on October 15 at the Robert A. Lee Community Recreational Center.
Commissioners have been asked to complete a survey in preparation for the planning session by October
4. Staff also requested menu preferences by that date to provide a meal for commissioners. Paul Shantz
announced she will be out of town due to work and unable to attend either of the sessions.
CCAN-Con: It was previously discussed that the commission would staff a table at this event, however
commissioner’s schedules no longer allow then the flexibility to participate. Staff will send a note to the
planners so indicating.
Indigenous Peoples Day: Lusala, Qaduora, and Pandya will represent the commission at this event being
held on October 14 starting at 4 at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area.
Human Rights Awards: The subcommittee will select honorees for this year’s program and let staff know
by Monday, September 30. Staff went over the order of operations for the event and asked who will be
speaking at it. It was decided Pandya will do the closing remarks at the ceremony, the chair and vice chair
will open and announce the honorees.
Agenda Item #3
2
Racial Equity and Social Justice Grant (RESJ): Staff spoke to commissioners regarding past processes
working on the grant and what has not. Staff recommended revamping the current application. Staff
suggested for the grant application, goals, and objectives to be more in line with the ordinance for the
Human Rights Commission. Staff also thinks that the commission may want to lower the max amount an
organization can receive, even making grant a reimbursement or issued on a quarterly basis. Staff will work
on updating the application and present the updates to the commission at a later meeting date. Kollasch
suggested adding more parameters around the possibility of limiting who could receive the grant
depending on if they received any money from the grant the previous year. Paul Shantz suggested
requesting that the questions on the application be more specific or shorter in hopes of deterring
applicants from using Chat GPT. Staff told the commission to send any additional requests by email for
consideration on the new application. Qaduora asked if there was a way to require a background check on
those who apply. Staff said that would be a decision made by the City Council. Lusala noted that the grants
are based on the organization applying for them rather than the individual people submitting the
application on behalf of the org.
Commission Committees’ Update:
•Building Bridges (Paul Shantz, Kollasch, Pandya): No update.
•Reciprocal Relationships (Lusala, Pries, Abdullahi): No update.
•Breaking Bread (Dr. Liz, Qaduora) Has been reaching out to current recipients or the RESJ, and they
have about 10 people willing to speak with them allowing them to understand their efforts and how
to best support them. The two have also been in the process of scheduling and hosting another Meet
and Greet.
Announcements of Commissioners:
Mendez-Shannon shared her gratitude for diving into the content of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as she
navigates those subjects in her work outside of the commission. Her work can be found at the Division of
Access, Opportunity, and Diversity (DAOD) through the University of Iowa.
Qaduora shared the upcoming event at the Coralville Public Library - Community Meal on Friday, Sept. 27
and encouraged commissioners to attend. She also shared a Saturday event that is a walk to end
hydrocephalus.
Paul Shantz shared that Sept. 21 was International Day of Peace and her work with Peace in Our Cities
Network (PIOC). It is a global effort to reduce violence in American cities. Visit PIOC.org to find more
information on the research and insights being shared through the network. Paul Shantz also shared her
experiences traveling, including a trip to Nairobi, Kenya where she is working on a story about a woman
who does mental health and trauma resilience healing trainings with women in settlements and men who
have been in jail and are trying to reintegrate into their community.
3
Kollasch shared that there will only be one more HRC meeting before the election. He put forward a call to
commissioners to take direct action and vote.
Lusala reminded commissioners of the first Inaugural African Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28th and
encouraged them to attend.
Pries shared his experience at an event at the ICPL where he was able to speak with international
attendees who have faced American immigration obstacles. Pries also shared his upcoming work with the
Interfaith Alliance: Exposing Christian Nationalism through which he will be facilitating a conversation on
the film Bad Faith on the 13th of October. Pries spoke about his experience meeting with visitors from
Kosovo and hosting Samud through his church. Pries attended a conference on Christian Nationalism and
attended a webinar on Project 2025.
Announcements of staff: Staff shared with the commission that City Council will announce three vacancies on
the Council. Applications for the positions will be due by Tuesday, November 12th at 5:00 p.m. Staff
encouraged commissioners to spread the word about the vacancies.
Adjourned: 6:03 PM
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2024
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
1/23 2/27 3/4 3/26 4/23 5/28 7/23 8/27 9/24 10/22 11/26 12/24
Jahnavi Pandya 2024 X X X X X X X X A
Anya Shafer-Van Houtte 2024 - - - - - - - A R
Doug Kollasch 2024 X X X X X X Z X X
Viana Qadoura 2025 X X X X X X X X X
Idriss Abdullahi 2025 - - - - X Z X Z A
Mark Pries 2025 X A X X X X X X X
Roger Lusala 2026 X X X A X X X X X
Kelsey Paul Shantz 2026 X X X X Z X X A X
Liz Mendez-Shannon 2026 X X X A Z X X A X
KEY: X = Present
A = Absent
Z = Present via Zoom
1
Draft Minutes
Human Rights Commission (Special Meeting)
November 4, 2024
Meeting Room B, Robert A. Lee Recreational Center
Commissioners present: Roger Lusala, Jahnavi Pandya, Mark Pries, Vianna Qadoura, Elizabeth Mendez
Shannon.
Commissioners absent: Idriss Abdullahi, Doug Kollasch, Kelsey Paul Shantz.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Others present: Jennifer Horn-Frasier.
Meeting called to order: 5:38 PM.
Select a date for the regular November meeting: The Commission will meet at its regular day and time,
Tuesday, November 26 at 5:30 in Emma J. Harvat Hall.
Consider recommending for the City Council to consider adopting an "All Our Welcome" resolution to
promote inclusivity, diversity, and unity within the community: Pries reported he has shared the draft
resolution with other commissioners and community members, and some believe the current draft
should be strengthened. He will present an updated resolution at the meeting on November 26, 2024.
Strategic Planning: The strategic plan that emerged through the first three phases of the process is focused
on helping the HRC collectively and as individual commissioners to be more active and engaged in the
community. The group evaluated what had worked and not worked well in the previous two years, learned
more about the activities of the commission prior to when the pandemic halted much of that activity, and
developed a new shared vision of the commission they want to be for the future.
All the work of the commission must be grounded in its duties that are stipulated in its charter. These duties
are as follows:
1)Make recommendations to the City Council for legislation on discrimination.
2)Cooperate with other agencies and organizations to plan and conduct programs designed to
eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and other intergroup tensions.
3)Educate the public on human rights and unlawful discrimination, such as organizing and facilitating
educational public forums that address one or more of the broad range of topics included within the
rubric of human rights.
While these duties are clear, the commissioners wished to explore ways to see them in action.
Agenda Item #3
2
In discussing the future it would like build, the commission identified key outcomes in two main categories:
how functions internally, and how the HRC engages with the community.
Internally, the commission would like to build toward greater consistency and stability. The commission has
nine members, three of whom are replaced each year. Regularly adding new commissioners keeps
perspectives fresh and ensures that the HRC can reflect changes taking place in the community. The
challenge with this structure, however, is ensuring that outgoing commissioners’ knowledge, perspectives,
and activities are passed along to new commissioners. Continuity and stability are important to ensuring the
commission operates efficiently and effectively, and the commissioners identified this as an important
outcome to plan for.
Externally, the commission would like to achieve a state of high community engagement in which there is
meaningful two-way interaction with the community. The HRC would like to be seen by the community as a
supportive resource that listens with curiosity and empathy to all. This deep engagement will enhance the
HRC’s ability to be responsive to what it learns from the community. The commissioners are aware that its
current level of engagement activity in the community is lower than it was in the years prior to the
pandemic. Thus, their focus is on how to strengthen engagement.
In the previous strategic plan, the ICHRC had organized subcommittees to address each of the three
priorities it had identified. These subcommittees were designed to meet monthly to plan and carry out their
respective plans. While each subcommittee made some degree of progress on its goals, the commission
found that it was difficult to accomplish the goals in that structure. Each subcommittee included only three
people, and it was difficult to establish and maintain a regular cadence for the work outside of the regular
ICHRC meetings. Thus, during the current strategic planning process, the commission explored other ways to
organize the work of the new strategic plan in order to better set itself up for success.
Commissioners went over the HRC purpose, previous programming, how to set up for its success, and future
goals. Below is the consensus on each area discussed.
Purpose:
HRC exists to bring community members together to discuss our differences and to create a more inclusive
community.
HRC exists to bring communities together, discuss our differences, celebrate our uniqueness, and learn from
one another.
HRC exists to bring highlight areas of progress and regress by celebrating the positive and eradicating the
negative.
Past programming of the HRC that was successful:
Job Fairs – Building Blocks.
Youth Job Fairs.
Know Your Rights Series.
Town and Gown Symposiums.
Lunch and Learns.
3
Film Series.
Panel Discussions.
Toiletry drives for Shelter House & DVIP.
Climate Survey.
Diversity Dialogue Circles.
Setting the HRC up for Success:
Change time of subcommittee meetings so that they align with the day and time of the HRC’s regular
meeting date each month.
Rotate leadership and note taking for subcommittees.
Ensure continuity year-to-year.
Clear action items each meeting.
Teams for programming each quarter.
Create measurable goals.
Commission Goals:
Strong transfer of training-onboarding of new commissioners.
More community conversations, in places like the library, farmers market, etc.
Encourage more community participation in monthly meetings.
Hold events in spaces where conversations take place.
Commissioners take on responsibility for specific tasks.
Commissioners are at public locations to interact with the public.
Hold retreat in December of each year.
The Commission will follow up on this discussion at its November 26, 2024 regular meeting date
and go over the draft of its 2025 Strategic Plan.
4
Adjourned: 8:06 PM
5
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2024
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP. 1/23 2/27 3/4 3/26 4/23 5/28 7/23 8/27 9/24 10/15 11/4 11/26
Jahnavi Pandya 2024 X X X X X X X X A P P
Anya Shafer-Van Houtte 2024 - - - - - - - A R R _
Doug Kollasch 2024 X X X X X X Z X X A A
Viana Qadoura 2025 X X X X X X X X X P P
Idriss Abdullahi 2025 - - - - X Z X Z A P A
Mark Pries 2025 X A X X X X X X X P P
Roger Lusala 2026 X X X A X X X X X A P
Kelsey Paul Shantz 2026 X X X X Z X X A X A A
Liz Mendez-Shannon 2026 X X X A Z X X A X P P
KEY: X = Present
A = Absent
Z = Present via Zoom
From:Simon Andrew
To:Simon Andrew
Subject:Join us at FilmScene!
Date:Thursday, October 24, 2024 1:42:25 PM
Attachments:image001.png
** This email originated outside of the City of Iowa City email system. Please take extra care openingany links or attachments. **
Hello Friends!
Please join us Wednesday, December 4 at 7pm at FilmScene at The Chauncey for our
Community Collaborations screening of The Pruitt-Igoe Myth – presented by The Housing
Fellowship and The Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition.
The film is about the construction and demolition of a large public housing complex in St.
Louis, why it failed, and how we misinterpreted its failure. The myths associated with public
housing and community development that took hold after the high-profile demolition impact
our decisions today.
Get your tickets here - https://icfilmscene.org/film/the-pruitt-igoe-myth/. Pay what you can,
and all proceeds will support Fellowship families.
It began as a housing marvel. Two decades later, it ended in rubble. But what happened to
those caught in between? The Pruitt-Igoe Myth tells the story of the transformation of the
American city in the decades after World War II, through the lens of the infamous Pruitt-Igoe
housing development and the St. Louis residents who called it home. The world-famous image
of its implosion has helped to perpetuate a myth of failure, a failure that has been used to
critique Modernist architecture, attack public assistance programs, and stigmatize public
housing residents. The Pruitt-Igoe Myth seeks to set the historical record straight. To examine
the interests involved in Pruitt-Igoe’s creation. To re-evaluate the rumors and the stigma. To
implode the myth.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Simon
Simon Andrew | Executive Director
322 E. 2nd St., Iowa City, IA 52240
319-358-9212, ext 5 | www.housingfellowship.com
Agenda Item #5
Follow us on social!
Human Rights Sponsorship Request Form
Cover Letter (required reading)
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission is allocated $2000 annually to provide financial assistance to community events designed to eliminate
racial, religious, cultural, or other intergroup tensions, including but not limited to, sex, color, creed, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation,
marital status, age, or national origin.
Rules and Requirements for Sponsorship:
The organization must be physically located in Iowa City.
The program must take place in Iowa City.
The program must have a date and location.
The event date must be prior to the request for financial assistance.
Applicants cannot be governments, public schools, or colleges/universities.
Applicants request cannot exceed $250.00.
Request must include a budget.
Request must include other sponsors.
Request cannot be for reimbursement or honorariums to speakers or guests.
Request cannot be for rental deposits for the venue.
Request cannot be for fundraising purposes.
Requests will be denied if another city department/division has financially contributed funding or will be contributing funds for the
program.
Funding will not be disbursed without the submission of a W9.
If the request is approved for financial assistance an organization cannot request any further assistance in the same fiscal year.
Signature*
Sign here that you have read and understand the rules and requirements.
Date Time
2024-11-04 10:45:52 AM
Application
Organization
Name *
Johnson County United Nations Association
Address*
Street Address
308 Burlington St,
Address Line 2
#245
City
Iowa City
State/Province/Region
IA
Postal/Zip Code Country
Agenda Item #7
52240 US
Contact person
Name *
Barbara Eckstein
Preferred pronouns
she/her/hers
Phone number *
319 621 9196
Email address *
eckstein.barbara5228@gmail.com
Program details
Date of Program*
12/17/2024
Program Title *
Human Rights: Engagement into Action
Location name*
Iowa City Public Library
Location Address *
Street Address
123 South Linn Street
Address Line 2
City
Iowa City
State/Province/Region
IA
Postal/Zip Code
52240
Country
US
Describe how the program eliminates racial, religious, cultural, or other intergroup tensions, related, but not limited to: sex,
color, creed, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, or national origin.*
December 10 is Human Rights Day. This year, to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, JCUNA will engage seven of
our former Night of a Thousand Dinners honorary ngos in a set of round table discussions about the state of human rights in Johnson
County, specifically in the areas that they work. Open Heartland and InsideOut Reentry are our lead partners in this endeavor. We will
share conclusions and suggested action items for JCUNA but also for our partners.
Is there a financial cost to participate in the project?*
Yes No
Describe how socioeconomic barriers to attendance will be addressed.
Previous Next
Dinner will be served without cost. There is no cost to attend. We will make every effort to advertise the event among the populations who
lead and are served by the ngos with which we partner.
Budget
Amount Requested (Maximum request $250.00)*
$250.00
Has any City of Iowa City department or division provided any support for this event?*
(Include in-kind and financial support)
Yes
No
Will any City of Iowa City department or division provide any support for this event?*
(Include in-kind and financial support)
Yes
No
Please list all funding sources or in-kind support for this event including the amount *
JCUNA is the only other source of funds. We may seek special donations from our board and/or members to help pay for the food as our
budget is a tight balance of income and commitments/expenses. That said, the commission's foundational support would be most helpful.
Attache Itemized Budget
Human Rights Budget24.docx 13.28KB
Human Rights: Engagement into Action
17 December 2024
Budget
Food and (nonalcoholic) beverages for 30+:
Catered food for 30=$425
Beverages for 30=$30
Easel paper and markers: $10
TOTAL: $465.00
Iowa City Human Rights Commission
Strategic Plan
November 2024
Agenda Item #8
Report prepared by:
Jennifer Horn-Frasier
Bluebird Sky, LLC
Jennifer@BluebirdSkySolutions.com
CONTENTS
Executive Summary ………………………………….. 1
Context …………………………….………………….. 2
Process …………………………………………………….. 2
Strategic Plan ……………………..……………………. 3
Recommended Next Steps ..………………...…… 6
Strategic Action Plan …………………………….…… 6
Conclusion ………………………………………………… 7
Appendix:
Key Insights from Commissioner Survey ……..9
Notes from Strategy Retreat 2 …………………..12
Blank for 2-sided printing
p. 6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the fall of 2024, the Iowa City Human Rights Commission (ICHRC) engaged in a series of strategic
planning activities and retreats that resulted in a new strategic plan. The main elements of the plan are
listed here, with details following in the body of the report and the appendices.
PURPOSE OF THE IOWA CITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission exists to raise awareness of and advocate for the protection of
fundamental rights and to celebrate the diversity and shared humanity of all community members.
DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS
Internally: Consistency and stability within the commission
Externally: High community engagement in which there is meaningful two-way interaction between the
commission and the community
GOALS
1) INTERNAL—Commissioner training: New commissioners receive thorough training, and knowledge
from outgoing commissioners is transferred to the rest of the ICHRC.
2) INTERNAL—Shared leadership: Commissioners share responsibility for activities in which the ICHRC
engages.
3) EXTERNAL—Community engagement: The commission develops deep understanding of the human
rights needs and concerns of the community to inform its recommendations to City Council and to
strengthen the support it provides for community members and organizations working on human
rights.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Goal 2a: Shared Leadership—December Planning Session
The commission would meet in December each year, once the new commissioners are selected and the
outgoing commissioners are still in place. This meeting would be used to provide the desired continuity
from year to year and set goals and plans for the coming year.
Goal 2b: Shared Leadership—Rotating Quarterly Programming
Each quarter, a different group of two to four commissioners would volunteer to organize community
engagement programming, in collaboration with city staff members.
p. 7
STRATEGIC PLAN
CONTEXT
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission (ICHRC) created a strategic plan in the first half of 2022, at the
tail end of the challenging pandemic period. The ICHRC made progress on the programs and goals it had
set in that plan but, by 2024, commissioners felt they could be doing more. Thus, they decided to
engage in another strategic planning process with a goal of increasing the engagement and impact of
the ICHRC in the post-pandemic era. Specifically, the commission wished to explore ways it could more
actively support the community it represents.
PROCESS
The 2024 strategic planning process followed by the ICHRC was organized into four phases:
Phase 1: Where are we now? Understanding the current state through a survey and preliminary
conversations
Phase 2: Where are we going? Clarifying the future direction and desired outcomes through a
facilitated retreat
Phase 3: How will we get there? Designing projects and specifying actions to help the ICHRC achieve
the desired outcomes through a second facilitated retreat
Phase 4: Turning plans into action: Determining how to organize commissioners’ efforts to carry out
prioritized projects
In Phase 1, the online survey comprised 13 items, the results of which were used to design the planning
retreats. Key insights of the survey are included in the appendix.
In Phase 2, the objectives for the retreat included these:
• Create a shared understanding of the current state of the Iowa City Human Rights Commission
and human rights in our community.
• Provide input to city staff on key topics to guide their work in support of the ICHRC.
• Create a first draft of a framing question to guide the development of the new strategic plan.
The retreat in Phase 3 was designed around the following objectives:
• Create a clear shared vision of the future of how the commission will function in the next three
years.
• Set goals for the next three years.
• Identify metrics to track that will allow the ICHRC to evaluate progress toward its goals.
This report summarizes the output of the first three phases. Phase 4 is planned for early 2025.
p. 9
THE PLAN
The strategic plan that emerged through the first three phases of the process is focused on helping the
ICHRC collectively and as individual commissioners to be more active and engaged in the community.
The group evaluated what had worked and not worked well in the previous two years, learned more
about the activities of the commission prior to when the pandemic halted much of that activity, and
developed a new shared vision of the commission they want to be for the future.
All the work of the commission must be grounded in its duties that are stipulated in its charter. These
duties are as follows:
1) Make recommendations to the City Council for legislation on discrimination.
2) Cooperate with other agencies and organizations to plan and conduct programs designed to
eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and other intergroup tensions.
3) Educate the public on human rights and unlawful discrimination, such as organizing and
facilitating educational public forums that address one or more of the broad range of topics
included within the rubric of human rights.
While these duties are clear, the commissioners wished to explore ways to see them in action. To that
end, they distilled the duties into a single statement of purpose:
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission exists to raise awareness of and advocate for
the protection of fundamental rights and to celebrate the diversity and shared
humanity of all community members.
The Future State: Where are we going?
In discussing the future it would like build, the commission identified key outcomes in two main
categories: how the ICHRC functions internally, and how the ICHRC engages with the community.
Internally, the commission would like to build toward greater consistency and stability. The commission
has nine members, three of whom are replaced each year. Regularly adding new commissioners keeps
perspectives fresh and ensures that the ICHRC can reflect changes taking place in the community. The
challenge with this structure, however, is ensuring that outgoing commissioners’ knowledge,
perspectives, and activities are passed along to new commissioners. Continuity and stability are
important to ensuring the commission operates efficiently and effectively, and the commissioners
identified this as an important outcome to plan for.
Externally, the commission would like to achieve a state of high community engagement in which there
is meaningful two-way interaction with the community. The ICHRC would like to be seen by the
community as a supportive resource that listens with curiosity and empathy to all. This deep
engagement will enhance the ICHRC’s ability to be responsive to what it learns from the community. The
commissioners are aware that its current level of engagement activity in the community is lower than it
was in the years prior to the pandemic. Thus, their focus is on how to strengthen engagement.
p. 11
The Plan: How will we get there?
Commissioners identified several goals, each with supporting actions.
Internal Goals Supporting Actions
1) Commissioner training: New
commissioners receive thorough
training, and knowledge from
outgoing commissioners is transferred
to the rest of the ICHRC.
a) Every new commissioner participates in a
standardized onboarding process by the end of their
first month of service.
b) Experienced commissioners serve as mentors for new
commissioners during their first year on the ICHRC.
c) Departing commissioners share an overview of their
critical activities and vital community relationships
with the staff and commission prior to their last day of
service.
2) Shared leadership: Commissioners
share responsibility for activities in
which the ICHRC engages.
a) Each December, the commission holds a planning
session to set goals for the coming year and to make
plans for meeting those goals.
b) Each quarter, a rotating group of commissioners is
responsible for leading the planning and executing of
community engagement activities.
External Goals Supporting Actions
3) Community engagement: The
commission develops deep
understanding of the human rights
needs and concerns of the community
to inform its recommendations to City
Council and to strengthen the support
it provides for community members
and organizations working on human
rights.
a) Commissioners, as representatives of the ICHRC,
attend, participate in, and/or present at public events
with residents from all areas of the community.
Engage frequently in community conversations.
b) Commissioners regularly share with the full ICHRC
what they are hearing and learning in the community.
c) Commissioners regularly receive updates about the
issues being addressed by the Office of Equity.
d) Commissioners use these community interactions to
identify areas of local human rights concerns and
explore what advocacy might be needed.
p. 12
The Plan: Some details
While detailed plans are needed for each of the Supporting Actions included in the previous two tables,
the commissioners have developed initial plans for two items.
Goal 2a: Shared Leadership—December Planning Session
The commission would like to meet in December each year, once the new commissioners are selected
and the outgoing commissioners are still officially in place. This would help provide the desired
continuity from year to year through the following activities:
• Celebrating the work of the year
• Reviewing progress made on the goals set at the beginning of the year
• Setting commission-level goals for the coming year
• Setting individual goals for the commissioners who will be serving in the coming year
• Recognizing and thanking outgoing commissioners
• Welcoming incoming commissioners
• Establishing mentor relationships
• Allowing opportunity for all to become better acquainted in preparation for voting on new
leaders at the January meeting
Goal 2b: Shared Leadership—Rotating Quarterly Programming
Each quarter, a different group of two to four commissioners would volunteer to organize community
engagement programming, in collaboration with city staff members. Some ideas for programming
include these:
• Programming related to the various awards given by the commission
• Education topics related to award recipients, to current events, or to other issues and concerns
the commission is aware of through its community engagement efforts and the regular updates
from the city staff
• Programming developed in collaboration with other community organizations, such as Great
Iowa City or the United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties
Setting the Commission Up for Success
In the previous strategic plan, the ICHRC had organized subcommittees to address each of the three
priorities it had identified. These subcommittees were designed to meet monthly to plan and carry out
their respective plans. While each subcommittee made some degree of progress on its goals, the
commission found that it was difficult to accomplish the goals in that structure. Each subcommittee
included only three people, and it was difficult to establish and maintain a regular cadence for the work
outside of the regular ICHRC meetings. Thus, during the current strategic planning process, the
commission explored other ways to organize the work of the new strategic plan in order to better set
itself up for success.
p. 13
As the commission carries out the activity of this strategic plan, it will incorporate the following
practices:
• Annually set and track goals for the commission as a whole.
• Each commissioner should also set and track personal goals in support of the ICHRC’s annual
goals.
• Each quarter, rotate teams to lead programming efforts. Also rotate the responsibility for
leading and capturing notes for subcommittees or teams.
• When there is a need for a subcommittee to meet, consider holding the meeting the same day
as the ICHRC monthly meeting.
• Identify and record clear action items for each meeting.
• Follow up on action items from previous meetings.
• Regularly evaluate progress being made toward strategic goals by tracking measurable metrics.
RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS
Given the rate of change in the world today, a strategic plan needs to be a living document that evolves
as the organization makes progress and responds to changing external conditions. For this plan, the
overall purpose of the commission and the umbrella outcomes should be constant guides, while the
details of the actions the commission takes from year to year are adjusted to account for progress and
change.
Thus, the framework for annual plans and activities should be these three elements taken together:
Purpose: The Iowa City Human Rights Commission exists to raise awareness of and
advocate for the protection of fundamental rights and to celebrate the diversity and
shared humanity of all community members.
Internal Outcomes: Consistency and stability within the commission
External Outcomes: High community engagement in which there is meaningful two-
way interaction between the commission and the community
Starting with the December 2024 planning session, it is recommended that the commission take the
following action each December:
1) Set a small number of specific, measurable goals for the coming year for the commission as a
whole
2) Identify one or two metrics to track for each goal
3) Define activities that can be implemented to achieve the goals
4) Set timelines for these activities
5) Identify who will be responsible for the activities
6) Invite each commissioner to set personal goals in support of the commission’s goals, along with
a metric or two for each
p. 14
Following this planning session, each monthly commission meeting could include an agenda item to
review progress on the strategic plan, celebrate progress, and troubleshoot obstacles.
Additionally, the commission may want to consider including at each monthly meeting the opportunity
for each commissioner to make a micro commitment. This is a commitment each individual offers in
accordance with their time, interests, and resources to engage in some activity that helps further the
goals of the commission. A micro commitment typically requires up to an hour of time to complete.
Then commissioners could also report each month on the outcomes and learning from their micro
commitment to help educate and inform colleagues and to seek assistance for activities where needed.
The combination of annual commission goal setting and planning, individual goal setting, sharing the
leadership for new activities, monthly progress monitoring, and monthly micro commitments can create
a powerful result of progress.
CONCLUSION
The commission has created a framework for its work that provides clear guidance and also allows for
flexibility to adapt to the evolving issues and needs of the community it serves. Additionally, the
approach it has chosen is one that lends itself to starting relatively small and building on actions over
time. This type of approach helps ensure the commission will not be overwhelmed by the new work but
instead will be organized to make steady progress over time, increasing its positive impact—a
tremendous benefit to the entire community.
Agenda Item #9
Agenda Item #9
Indigenous Art Alliance
Grant Report 11/29/24
The mission for the Indigenous Art Alliance is Educating and exploring Indigenous Culture,
heritage, and history through contemporary arts. Emphasis is placed on the historical tribal
nations of Iowa, while also giving the broader scope of Indigenous perspective.
The Indigenous Art Alliance hosts events showcasing Indigenous Arts and Artists to the Iowa City
community, as well as the State of Iowa in general. While we strive to provide contemporary arts
and artists, we also provide education about history of Indigenous Peoples. Through this endeavor
we bring forth healing and a look at Indigenous culture through art, storytelling, song, film, spoken
word, fashion and food. The variety of art mediums gives a broader look into where Indigenous
People have been and where we are today.
Project Description
The Indigenous Art Alliance hosted an event on October 14th, 2024, for Indigenous Peoples Day. The
event was at the Beloved Community Initiative in Iowa City. The event showed maps and
information about Meskwaki people, and the ties to the Iowa City area. There we also books by
myself that I shared, giving context to what I have been doing as an artist. The event engaged in
small conversation about the history of Meskwaki people. There was also discussion about the
Indigenous Art Alliance and our mission. The event also showcased a recording artist from Oglala,
South Dakota, Tiana Spotted Thunder. Tiana is a vocalist of many genres but specializes in singing
traditional Lakota and indigenous music. She travels throughout North America to Powwows as a
backup singer for drum groups as well as performing solo for various audiences. Her vocal range
reveals the pride of her identity as a Lakota woman. Information can be found on her website
tianaspottedthunder.com.
Tiana came for one and a half hours to sing, accompanied by stories of song origin. She also shared
her journey about how she started singing, and where she grew up. Tiana’s upbringing is what
influenced her to sing, as she was encouraged by relatives in her life. Tiana shared how these songs
have brought her healing, and how she uses her singing to help woman and young girls to find
healing as well. Tiana also spoke about the history of her tribe and her ancestry.
The event consisted of Iowa City community members, and students of the University of Iowa’s
Native American Student Association and the International Writer’s Program.
The Indigenous Art Alliance has two more events planned for November 16th and the 24th. The first
event is a Native Comedy Show featuring Tatanka Means and Adrianne Chalepah. This event is
going to be at the Willow Creek Theatre in Iowa City, Iowa. This event was planned for November to
Celebrate Native Heritage Month.
Adrianne Chalepah is a multi-talented Native American artist, who has built her career on a
profound love for storytelling. This passion fuels her success across various creative disciplines,
including comedy, acting, and public speaking. A Fort Lewis College honors graduate, Adrianne’s
Agenda Item #9
storytelling journey began in stand-up comedy with “49 Laughs Comedy”; and her co-founded
group “Three Sisters Comedy”; performing throughout North America.
Her gift for narrative has seamlessly translated to acting, with notable roles in groundbreaking
series like FX’s “Reservation Dogs”; Peacock’s “Rutherford Falls”; and most recently as Laura,
Bennie Safdie’s girlfriend, in the acclaimed series “The Curse”; As a 2021 Yes and Laughter Lab
Finalist and MFA holder in Creative Writing, Chalepah continues to craft compelling stories both
on and off screen.
A member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and a mother of four, Chalepah draws from her rich
cultural background to inform her work. Whether through stand-up, acting, or speaking
engagements, her dedication to authentic storytelling remains the cornerstone of her diverse
and impactful career. She will be performing with another notable Native American comedian.
Tatanka Means is an award-winning actor and stand-up comedian from Chinle, Arizona. He
represents the Navajo, Oglala Lakota, Yankton Dakota and Omaha Nations. His most recent film is
the Oscar nominated "Killers of The Flower Moon" directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese and is
now available on AppleTV+. Means is currently filming on Kevin Costner's new epic western,
"Horizon: An American Saga" with part one just released in theaters and part two coming out this
fall. He can be seen next in "Wind River: Rising" "Outer Range" on Amazon, "Opus" with A24,
"Canyon of the Dead" and season one of the new NETFLIX series, "Ransom Canyon."
Aside from acting Tatanka performs stand-up comedy throughout Indian Country spreading the
good medicine of laughter and inspirational motivation to all ages. Tatanka was recently a featured
comedian on the PBS special, "Roots of Comedy," with Jesus Trejo. He has become one of the
busiest most in-demand touring Native comedians performing today. Tatanka was named
"Entertainer of The Year" by the National Indian Gaming Association. He is proud to be an alcohol &
drug-free sober performer.
This event showcases two premier comedians in Native American Performing Arts. This event
would be great for sharing the journey of these artists who I have seen coming up in their respective
careers. The story of where they have come from, and how they got to be on successful TV series is
truly remarkable. This event will be great for the community and provide a vison of what we are
doing with the Indigenous Art Alliance. We have been marketing the event on social media and will
be inviting the UIowa Native American Student Association and people of the Meskwaki
community. This event will be documented with photos and be filmed for our YouTube Channel.
Meskwaki Nation Times, has also been invited to document the event, as well as the All Native Hip-
Hop Show.
The event on Nov. 24th, 2024, is a Native Hip-Hop Show at Gabe’s in Iowa City. This event will
feature some great Native Hip Hop artists who have some great upcoming stories, that will teach
and provide a great narrative of their respective tribal histories. This event is an all-ages show,
featuring Stella Standing Bear, Tall Paul, Def-I and Stuart James. This is an all-ages show.
All these artists provide a positive message and come from different tribal nations. All these artists
have worked as respective artists and have given back to Native communities, have hosted
workshops for youth and have continued to make an impact in Native arts.
All the artists I have invited to perform fit the Mission of the Indigenous Arts Alliance. All the artists
have dedicated their time to creating positive platforms and have been working at their craft for
years.
The goal of having these artists and events is to raise awareness about Indigenous Peoples, and the
things we go through as Indigenous peoples. To provide stories and art that shows what life is like
for Native people who are young and continue to educate the public about what life is like for a
Native/Indigenous person today. To speak about the injustices, we continue to face today, and the
disparities we encounter as Native/Indigenous peoples. To raise awareness about the
environmental injustices we face, still on our Indigenous lands. The racism we deal with and the
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis we are still facing. To raise awareness about the
effects of Colonialism and Colonization that still lingers today. To bring awareness to the mental
health problems we face in our lives and communities; the drug and alcohol problems and what
they bring. And the problems that come out of those problems, like Domestic Violence. To also tell
through our art, the ways we have personally combatted all those things, to make it where we are
today and to share and perform our art, making it out of that environment to do positive things with
our lives. Through the arts and the artists, we invite people to perform for the public to get a real-
life look at not only the inequalities we face but can also see the beauty we still carry passed down
for generations. Indigenous people still have things to offer society and still have a story to tell,
despite the continued attempts at erasure.
The events are open to the public and invites have been sent to other organizations throughout
Iowa and Iowa City. The University of Iowa Native American Student Association has been invited to
attend.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Some of the problems that we have faced so far in organizing these events and hosting these
events have been finding venues in Iowa City. Some venues we asked have had prior bookings, or
didn’t respond to my request for a booking, or wanted more money than we had to give for a venue
space. However, the venues we eventually got were recommended by friends.
Other issues have been finding other sponsors to help with these shows. I have asked many
businesses in Iowa City and the Meskwaki Tribal community but have never received a response.
Hopefully, for events coming in 2025, I will have a response by then.
A bigger issue is getting the property on 10 S. Gilbert St. opened, due to lack of financial support. I
still have a lease on the space and am working to acquire the funds to open the doors. I have
applied for grants from Indigenous organizations and have requested help from tribal governments
but haven’t gotten a response at this time. Despite that, I am still working on providing not only
these events, but the events I have lined up for 2025.
Because of this I have had to change some things to make these events happen. Until I can resolve
the issue of the property, I will have to find space for my events.
Results and Impact
These events have brought forth insight on the Indigenous perspective from the voices of young
indigenous peoples. The artists have been working at their art form for several years and have
showcased their vision to help transform communities and change the narrative of Indigenous
people and the stereotypes Indigenous peoples face. Through these events people have gained a
better idea of the injustice, racism and health issues that disparage Indigenous communities, and
how these ills are rooted in colonization. It is our vision that through these performances and art
exhibitions people will learn and gain knowledge about the various Indigenous people that thrive
today in all parts of the country. Thus, creating a better future of all who are absent the Indigenous
perspective.
The artists of the Hip Hop Show will be meeting with youth from the Meskwaki Community before
the Event to share their experiences in the music business and their journeys. The artists will meet
with the youth in Iowa City.
Financial Summary
Furthermore, I have spent $16,281.90.
6375.00 on Stella Standing Bear Performance 11/24/24
5,000.00 on Tatanka Means Performance 11/16/24
1200.00 on Tiana Spotted Thunder Performance 10/14/24
1877.00 on Alpha III Sony Camera for Livestreaming and Documenting Events for Social Media
179.10 Graduate Hotel for Tiana Spotted Thunder Lodging
1650.00 for Adrianne Chalepah Performance 11/16/24
Future Plans
I am currently working on hosting an art exhibition featuring artists from the Meskwaki community. I
have several artists working on art right now for this event. I am also working on an Indigenous
Fashion Show for 2025. Future events will be held in Iowa City.
I will be hosting the other events in 2025. I have posted photo of Tiana Spotted Thunder Indigenous
Peoples Day event on my social media page. All these events are geared toward building
community and education with the intention of eliminating the inequities of Indigenous
Representation in Iowa City and Iowa. The events in November will be posted on all social media
accounts and on our YouTube Channel.
Agenda Item #9
Agenda Item #9
Agenda Item #9
Agenda Item #9
1
RACIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANT FY2025
Purpose (header)
The grant was established in 2017 to align with and support the City Council's Strategic
Plan on Racial Equity, Social Justice, and Human Rights. In 2024, the grant objectives
were revised to reflect the powers, structures, and duties of the City’s Human Rights
Ordinance to support organizations or individuals whose work benefits people with low
incomes, as well as persons historically and or systematically marginalized.
Grant Period (header)
The grant period will run from DATE to DATE
Project Requirements (header)
Projects need to encompass one of the below priorities.
• Acknowledge or commemorate accurate cultural historical perspectives.
• Address one or more systemic inequities to provide disadvantaged and
marginalized populations with the skills to disrupt bias.
• Develop or launch programs that support training and education designed to
eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and other intergroup tensions in one of the
following areas: credit, education, employment, housing, public places.
• Implement educational public forum(s) that support one or more of the broad
range of topics included within the rubric of human rights in the areas of credit,
education, employment, housing, or public places.
• Create programs or initiatives that reduce disparities between communities.
• Launch programs or initiatives that address issues of structural and systemic
inequities.
Project Eligibility Criteria (header)
The project must be new (not existing before).
The project must take place in Iowa City.
The project duration must be from July 1, 2025, through June 20, 2026.
Ineligible Expenses and Activities (header)
• Operational Costs.
• Indirect or overhead costs.
• Loans, deficits, or debt reduction.
• Endowments.
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• Scholarships.
• Fundraising events.
• Consultant fees or professional services.
• Reimbursement for items in a completed project or items already purchased.
• Events benefitting only members of the requesting organization (such as gala,
socials, etc.).
Applicant Eligibility Criteria (header)
• The organization must be physically located in Iowa City.
• Applicants awarded may not be government entities, public schools, private or
charter schools, or colleges and universities nor can funds awarded be used by
or to benefit these entities.
• Applicants cannot be for profit businesses or business associations.
• Organizations with annual budgets of over $2,000,000 are ineligible.
Funding Restrictions (header)
$100,000.00 has been allocated for fiscal year 2025.
• Project maximum request allowed is $10,000.
• If past recipient of this grant within the last 2-years, maximum request restricted
to $2500.
Reviews and Funding Allocation (header)
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission will review all applications and make funding
recommendations to the City Council no later than DATE. Funding will be awarded by
DATE.
Grantee Responsibilities (header)
Grant funds are issued on a reimbursement basis, (typically issued 1-2 weeks) after
proper documentation is received.
Grantees may request exceptions to this funding process, but approval or denial of
such requests is at the City’s discretion. A complete W-9 is required prior to any
payment.
If awarded, grantees will be required to:
• Submit a quarterly report (THREE DATES) to share a brief status update
on the project.
• Submit a final report 30 days following the completion of the project.
• Document the project through video or photos submitted with invoices
and final report to show progress and outcomes.
• Provide documentation of expenses (e.g., scanned copies of all expense
Commented [SB1]: At minimum would allow for 10
organizations).
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receipts) and submit an invoice for reimbursement.
• If grantee does not expend and properly document all funds awarded,
excess funds will revert to the City on July 1, 2026.
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RACIAL EQUITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANT APPLICATION FY25
Organizational Information
Name of Organization
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Street Address
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City
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Zip Code
How many years has the organization been in operation?
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Contact Person for Grant Application
Name
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Title
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Phone Number
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Email
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Project Proposal
1. Is this project new?
2. Provide a detailed description of the project.
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3. How does this project:
• Acknowledge or commemorate accurate cultural historical perspectives.
• Address one or more systemic inequities to provide disadvantaged and
marginalized populations with the skills to disrupt bias.
• Develop or launch programs that support training and education designed to
eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and other intergroup tensions in one of the
following areas: credit, education, employment, housing, public places.
• Implement educational public forum(s) that support one or more of the broad
range of topics included within the rubric of human rights in the areas of credit,
education, employment, housing, or public places.
• Create programs or initiatives that reduce disparities between communities. • Launch programs and initiatives that address issues of structural and systemic
inequities.
4. Does this project include any collaboration with other organizations?
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5. Will the project continue after the grant funding ends?
If yes, what measures will be taken to ensure that it does?
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Funding Amount Request
6. What is the organization’s annual budget?
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7. Amount of funding requested for project?
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8. Please list all other funding sources, including the City of Iowa City, for this project.
9. Within the past three years, has the organization received any funding from the City of
Iowa City?
If so, for what and how much?
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Budget
1. Complete the table below to itemize your budget for the project:
Item Brief Description Unit Cost Quantity Total
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enter text.
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enter text.
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enter text.
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enter text.
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enter text.
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2. Provide a timeline narrative for how the grant money would be spent over the course
of a year.
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Authorization
☐ I certify under the penalty of perjury and pursuant to the laws of the State of Iowa that the
preceding information is true and correct.
Signature
X
Sign your name above
Date
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Equity and Human Rights Office
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
Phone (319)356-5022
FAX (319)887-6213
EMAIL humanrights@iowa-city.org
DRAFTGrant Scoring Criteria Weight
2025 Iowa City Racial Equity and Social Justice Grant Scoring Criteria
Grant proposals are scored by members of the Human Rights Commission. Members of this
team score applications individually, submit those scores to an overall scoring sheet, and then
meet, to discuss and award grants. Scoring provides the primary basis for awarding funding, but
funding is not guaranteed based on scores alone.
Applicants should try to be as comprehensive as possible in their proposal and provide accurate
contact information. If the grants team has questions before an award can be made, the City uses
the information on the application to connect with the applicant and work through any remaining
questions.
20 Project is connected to and supports the powers, structures, and duties of the City’s Human Rights Ordinance.
equity, social justice, and human rights as identified in strategic plan. 15
Project will have a continuing, impactful benefit to community 15
Project budget is complete and feasible. 15 Project outcomes are specific. 15
Applicant has demonstrated an ability to follow through on this project or has a
history of implementing similar activities 10
Project can be repeated, copied, shared, or modeled by others 10
Total score 100
Project supports and/or aligns with the City’s values surrounding