HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-29-2021 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation CommissionAD HOC TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
TH U RS DAY, AP RI L 29, 2021
Electronic Formal Meeting — 7:00 PM
ZOOM MEETING F-LATFORM
Electronic Meeting
(Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8)
An electronic meeting is being held because a meeting in person is impossible or impractical due
to concerns for the health and safety of Commission members, staff and the public presented by
COVID-19.
You can participate in the meeting and can comment on an agenda
item by going to https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN JgU63lViTUOpVPu7rdauiQ
via the internet to visit the Zoom meeting's registration page and submit the required information.
Once approved, you will receive an email message with a link to join the meeting. If you are asked
for a meeting or webinar ID, enter the ID number found in the email. A meeting password may
also be included in the email. Enter the password when prompted.
If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you may call in by
telephone by dialing (312) 626-6799. When prompted, enter the meeting or webinar ID. The ID
number for this meeting is: 977 3152 8690.
Once connected, you may dial *9 to "raise your hand," letting the meeting host know you would like
to speak. Providing comments in person is not an option.
Agenda:
1. Call to order and roll call
2. Approval of minutes of April 15, 2021
3. Public Comment of items not on the agenda
Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5 minutes. The commission shall
not engage in discussion with the public concerning said it ems.
4. Introductions
5. Review/Discussion of Resolution 20-228, Mission and Values
Commissioners will discuss concerns and goals for the Commission, the values and
assumptions that will guide the Commission's work, the opportunities and challenges
Commissioners perceive, the stakeholders and beneficiaries sought to be engaged, all
consistent with the charges of the TRC, which are as follows:
A. Fact -Finding - The TRC shall collect evidence, including first-hand testimony, of
discrimination and racial injustice in multiple settings and compile a complete record of
racial injustices that will inform and support the fundamental institutional and policy
reforms necessary to address systemic racism.
B. Truth -Telling -The TRC shall: 1) Provide multiple fora and creative opportunities for
persons impacted and traumatized by racial injustice to share their stories of racial
injustice and experience to be heard by (a) fellow communities of color; (b) a broad
cross section of the entire Iowa City community; and (c) key decision -makers in city
government, the business community and the University; 2) Explore ways to provide
such opportunities through art, music, t heater, workshops , rallies and other forms of
congregation, multimedia and listening designed to reveal truths that cannot be fully
expressed in traditional fora; and, 3) Create a repository for community stories
expressed in multiple media (written, video, audio, art) that can be catalogued and used
to educate and inform members of the community.
C. Reconciliation - The TRC shall: 1) 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.
MISSION STATEMENT
WHO ARE WE? Our Commission represents a collection of citizen activists from diverse
backgrounds calling on the Iowa City community to account for their history of racialize
oppression. We are individuals who are committed to structural change, truth telling,
healing trauma and repair. We share in common a vision for an equitable and sustainable
community free of violence and systemic racism. We believe the time has come to foster
change.
OUR MISSION The Iowa City Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission is committed
to implementing and sustaining grassroots, community -centered truth -telling processes
to address past and present instances of both direct and indirect actions of violence,
discrimination, and racism in Iowa City. We will collect testimony from a variety of
institutions including but not limited to schools, housing providers, government officials,
health care, banking institutions, and law enforcement.
6. Discussion of Governance and Organizational Issues
Commissioners will discuss establishing rules/bylaws for conduct and governance of the
Commission, including duties of commissioners, frequency of meetings, future meeting
schedules, voting, election of officers, creation of subcommittees orworking groups, training,
recruitment of facilitator(s), consultants or experts, creation of budget, and other issues relating
to activities of the Commission.
7. Discussion of Commission Subcommittees/Working Groups
Commissioners will discussthe appointment/creation of subcommittees and/orworking groups,
including their purpose, structure, composition, duties, and the terms of service of
subcommittee members.
8. Land Acknowledgement Discussion/ Update on Land Acknowledgment
(Commissioners Nobis &Rivera)
9. Commission Announcements
Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements.
10. Staff Announcements
11. Motion to Adjourn.
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AD HOC TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
APRIL 29,2021 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS
AGENDA ITEM #2
• DRAFT March 1, 2021 MEETING MINUTES
AGENDA ITEM #5
• RESOLUTION 20-228
• TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE DEFINITIONS
AGENDA ITEM #6
0 BY-LAWS/PROCEDURES
AGENDA ITEM #7
• SUBCOMMITTEES
Draft Minutes
Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
April 15, 2021
VIA Zoom Platform
Commissioners present: Amel Ali, Chastity Dillard, Wangui Gathua, Clifton Johnson, Layana Navarre -
Jackson, Sikowis (Christine Nobiss), Kevin Rivera, Mohamed Traore.
Commissioner not present: Eric Harris.
(Electronic Meeting Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8)
An electronic meeting was held because a meeting in person was impossible or impractical due to
concerns for the health and safety of commission members, staff and the public presented by COVID-19.
Meeting called to order: 8:37 PM.
Approval of the minutes from the March 1, 2021 meeting: Rivera moved; the motion was seconded by
Ali. Motion passes 6-0-2 (Gathua and Nobiss abstained).
Public comment of items not on the agenda: Karen Kubby hopes there are opportunities for the Ad Hoc
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Peoples' Truth and Reckoning Commission to work
together and that by working together it makes them both stronger than what can be done individually.
Discussion of items from joint meeting with Council: Karen Kubby in terms of subcommittees hopes
that there are public notice of subcommittee meetings and of the subcommittee meeting minutes so
that this process is transparent on all levels. Kubby also noted what other organizations and individuals
that have expertise in certain areas can assist the TRC with but also that the TRC makes sure those
organizations and individuals are looking through their missions with a racial equity lens. In terms, of the
budget Kubby would encourage that the TRC have line items for unknown trainings and consultants
because at this time the TRC may not know what may be needed in the future.
Joe Coulter encourages the progress the TRC is making and wishes them the best. Coulter also noted for
the TRC to become acquainted with all things on the police department, transportation, and other
divisions of the City.
Angie Jordan gives the TRC a high five!
Rivera thanked the community and noted the work communities can do together. Ali feels good about
the meeting with Council and trust them in their guidance and appreciates everyone's time.
Commissioners went over current subcommittees (Policing, Housing, Budget, Education). Dillard asked
about creating a subcommittee on youth. Ali thinks such a subcommittee can fall under Education.
Gathua is interested in serving on the Education and Healthcare. Nobiss is interested in environmental
racism and agriculture. Motion by Ali, seconded by Rivera to have the following subcommittees for the
TRC: Policing, Sustainability, Budget, Education, and Healthcare. Motion passes 8-0.
Ali has been working on a draft of by-laws and will forward to the TRC via staff for any feedback.
Coulter would like to see the TRC endorse a Land Acknowledgement. Ashley Lindley and Rivera also have
assisted with a draft. Kubby would like to see the Land Acknowledgment put in aesthetic places such as
public art. Rivera read over the draft Land Acknowledgement that was worked on by community
members, Human Rights Commission (HRC), and others. Nobiss has been doing this work for 20
something years and the trend for having Land Acknowledgements has been good in many ways but
also very tokenism. Nobiss suggested edits to the Land Acknowledge including that the Land
Acknowledgement be made with, created or with Meskwaki input.
Traore would like to recommend to the Council to truly honor the Indigenous Persons who were here
before us and also invited others from the community to join the TRC on these efforts.
The TRC decided to get feedback from a Meskwaki persons perspective on the Land Acknowledgement
prior to approving it.
Gathua believes it is a good step to have a Land Acknowledgement and thanked Rivera for bringing this
forward.
The TRC will continue to meet every other Thursday at 7 p.m.
Reports of Commissioners: Navarre -Jackson thanked her fellow Commissioners and wished them all the
best in their future work as her resignation date is April 24. Ali will send out the draft by-laws prior to
the next meeting. Ali also let the TRC know that at its next meeting there will be an agenda item that will
allow them to learn more about one another. Rivera shed light on the numerous tragedies that face our
nation, the events in Atlanta and the support for standing up against Asian hate. Rivera is asking anyone
in the community to make contact so Rivera can learn more on how the TRC can serve the needs of
Asian communities.
Traore mentioned the South District Neighborhood Association's Clean up to Team up event. The
meeting point is at the Faith Academy at 10:30 AM this Saturday. Nobiss mentioned the University of
Iowa's Pow Wow on April 17 will be a virtual event that includes a roundtable and also recognizes the
Native graduates. Dillard is super excited to on the TRC and looks forward to the work. Johnson looks
forward to getting to know everyone a lot more and for the TRC to get moving to get things done.
Gathua announced that April is sexual assault month and wants to make people aware of this with
emphasis on immigrant and refugee communities in Iowa.
Reports of Staff: Staff encouraged TRC members to reach out to her if there are ever any concerns or
questions or to discuss her role with the City.
Adjournment: 10:11 PM.
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Prepared by: council members Janice Weiner and Laura Bergus 1)
Resolution NO.20-228
Resolution establishing Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Whereas, in Resolution No. 20-1 g (Initial Commitments addressing the Black Lives Matter
Movement and Systemic Racism in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis
Police and calls for action from protesters and residents), the Iowa City city council resolved a
follows:
By October 1, 2020, create an ad hoc Truth and reconciliation Commission to bear
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 fatter ,movement; and,
Whereas, the city Council committed to allocate city funds of 1,000,000 during the present
Fiscal Year to support resolution 20-1 g, which includes a variety of initiatives, among there the
Truth and reconciliation Commission; and,
Whereas, truth and reconciliation underscores the imperative that confronting and reckoning
with the past is necessary for successful transitions from conflict, injustice, resentment and
tension to peace, equality and connectedness; and,
Whereas, while we acknowledge that other forms of injustice and challenges have occurred
over the course of the history of the city of Iowa City, the focus of this Commission is on race;
and,
Whereas, the City Council acknowledges the existence of painful, systemic, persistent, and
varied forms of racial injustice in Iowa City, and acknowledges that such injustice persists
despite past efforts to address it, consistent with observations that systemic racism and white
privilege are deeply resistant to change; and,
Whereas, the Iowa City community rust look comprehensively into its past and bear witness to
the truth of racial injustice in order to provide the best possible foundation for moving into
future of equity based on healing and hope; and,
Whereas, the city council recognizes that, for a Truth and F conciliation process to b
,meaningful, it must include bold action to confront privilege, stimulate difficult conversations,
and reach and engage a full cross-section of the community, including those in the community
not inclined to engage or resistant to engagement; and,
Whereas, a comprehensive process will require that City of Iowa City departments and the City
Council itself participate, including individual councilors, in good faith, in the process and to
actively encourage broad participation throughout the community, and the City Council hereby
commits to such participation and encouragement; and,
Whereas, creation of an Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission is in the best interests of
the city and its residents.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the city Council of the City of Iowa City, that;
1. The Ad Hoc Truth and reconciliation Commission (TRC) is hereby established.
Resolution No.20-228
Pae
2. The TIC stall have nine members who are representative of the City's BIPOC
communities and organizations, including these who have direct lived experience with
systemic racism, as well as experts who support those communities. To the extent
possible, as determined by the City Council, the TRC shall include representation from
groups such as the Iowa Freedom Riders, the Black Voices Project, the South District
Neighborhood Association, the Iowa City Human Fights Commission, and the
Community Police Review Board. Johnson County residency is required. Iowa City
residency is preferred but not required if an applicant offers expertise or representation
not available from applicants who reside in Iowa City. Members of other City boards and
commissions are eligible to serge on the TRC.
. Applications for membership on the TRC shall be announced, advertised, and available in
the same manner as those for all City boards and commissions.
. The TIC shall select the Chair, who when present will preside over all meetings, and the
Vice -Chair, who will serge as chair in the absence of the Chair.
b. Within the charges of the TRC set forth herein, the TRC is not required to seek approval
from the City Council, mayor, or city manager to set its own agenda and prioritize its
activities.
. The TRC shall be facilitated by are independent consultant, funded by the City, with
expertise in group facilitation and human rights, and to the extent possible, experience
with diversity, implicit bias, mediation and conflict resolution, until such time as the TRC
concludes by the favorable Grote of at least three -fourths of all the members of the TRC
(7/9) that facilitation is no longer needed.
. To conform with the requirements of laws pertaining to open meetings and public records
and to facilitate transparency and public education and participation, administrative/clerical
assistance and media/event assistance shall be provided by City staff as determined b
the City Manager and City Clerk. Media assistance may be supplemented by outside
expertise on a case -by -ease basis if the Commission believes it will substantially expand
outreach.
. The TRC shall determine the frequency and conduct of its meetings. The meetings will
be open to the public and conducted in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code.
Records, documentation, and communications of the TRC will be public records under
Chapter 22 of the Iowa Code.
g. The TRC shall serge from the date of appointment of all members to June 30, 2022. The
TRC shall have an organizational meeting no later than 30 days after the appointment of
all members.
10. Within go days of its organizational meeting, the TRC shall recommend nd to City Council
preliminary budget for fends needed to carry out the charges of the TRC beyond what
existing City staff, programs, and services can provide.
11 . The charges of the TRC are as follows:
A. Fact -Finding The TRC shall collect evidence, including first -Land testimony, of
discrimination and racial injustice in multiple settings and compile a complete
record of racial injustices that will inform and support the fundamental institutional
and policy reforms necessary to address systemic racism.
Resolution No.20-228
Page
B. Truth -Telling The TRC shall: 1 Provide multiple fora and creative opportunities
for persons impacted and traumatized by racial injustice to share their stories of
racial injustice and experience to be heard by: a fellow communities of color; b a
broad cross section of the entire Iowa City community; and c key decision -
makers in city government, the business community and the University; Explore
ways to provide such opportunities through art, music, theater, workshops, rallies
and ether forms of congregation, multimedia and listening designed to reveal truths
that cannot be fully expressed its traditional fora; and, 3 Create a repository for
community stories expressed in multiple media written, video, audio, art) that can
be catalogued and used to educate and inform members of the community.
C. Reconciliation The TIRO shall: 1 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 dare providers, business
owners and staff); 2 create a replicable model that provides a structure for
enabling these conversations throughout the city; make available opportunities
for a broad cross section of the community to learn about discrimination and racial
injustice in our community; and, 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.
12. The TRC shall strive to provide a safe and supportive space for its work, premised on
mutual respect, and shall conduct its work so as to promote healing and justice. The TRC
shall consider the possibility of adverse actions against these who participate in its wort.
The TRC shall carefully consider mechanisms to protect participants, and shall work to
support those who allege harm due to their participation in the TIC process.
13. The TRC shall submit periodic updates to city Council to include, but not be limited to: its
plans for community education; recommendations for Council action; requests for
resources the TRC needs to carry out its work; and recommendations to dedicate and/or
rename public spaces and/or rights of way in honor of the Black Lives Nutter movement.
14. By May 1, 2022 the TRC shall submit to City Council:
A. A report summarizing the work of the TRC.
B. A repository of community stories expressed in multiple media (written, video,
audio, art).
C. Recommendations to the City council for: 1 Institutional and policy reforms to end
systemic racism; 2 opportunities to create new social practices, expectations,
protocols, habits, rituals and celebrations that will move Iowa city toward a shared
experience of race and difference, justice and equity and community and
harmony; Measures to enhance the autonomy/security/sovereignty of
communities of color and mitigate disparities in social and economic power; and 4)
A recommendation on whether and in ghat fora the work of the Commission
should continue.
15. At any time in its work, and no later than ,tune 30, 2022, the TRC shall strive to submit to
City Council a replicble model and structure for conversations between people of color
Resolution No. 2 -22
Page
and white community members and representatives of various sectors in which people of
color experience discrimination and injustice.
16. Absent further action by the City Council, the T C will dissolve on June 30, 2022.
Passed and approved this 15 day of September, 2020.
PP oved by 41
46
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City Attorneys Office — 09/10/2020
Transformative Justice
Prepared by tic - Chair Aral Ali
City of Iowa city Truth & Reconciliation commission
Transformative Justice is a way of practicing alternative justice which acknowledges individual
experiences and identifies and works to actively resist the state's criminal justice system.
State responses to violence reproduce violence and often traumatize those who are exposed t
there, especially oppressed communities who are already targeted by the state. It is important to
remember that while many people choose not to call the police, many communities can't call the
police because of reasons such as fear of deportation, harassment, state sanctioned violence,
sexual violence, previous convictions or inaccessibility.
TJ was created by and for many of these communities e.g. indigenous communities, black
communities, immigrant communities of color, poor and low-income communities, communities
of color, people with disabilities, sex workers, queer and trans communities). It is important to
remember that many of these people and communities have been practicing TJ in big and small
ways for generations —trying to create safety and reduce harm within the dangerous conditions
they were and are forced to live in. For example, undocumented immigrant women in domestic
violence relationships, disabled people who are being abused by their caretakers and
attendants, sex workers who experience sexual assault or abuse, or poor children and youth of
color who are surviving child seual abuse have long been devising ways to reduce harm, stay
alive and create safety and heeling outside of state systems, whether or not these practices
have been explicitly named as "transforrnative justice."
TJ is an abolitionist framework that understands systems such as prisons, police and I.C.E. as
sites where enormous amounts of violence take place and as systems that were created to be
inherently violent in order to maintain social control. TJ works to build alternatives to our current
systems which often position themselves as protectors, while simultaneously enacting the very
forms of violence they claim to condemn.
The goals of Transformative Justice are:
1. Safety, healing, agency for survivors
2. Accountability and transformation for people who harm
. community action, heading, and accountability
. Transformation of the social conditions that perpetuate violence - systems of oppression
and exploitation, domination, and state violence.
The principles of a Transformative Justice approach are:
1. Liberation
2. shifting power
. Accountability
. safety
. Collective Action
. Respect f cultural difference/guard against Cultural Relativism
. Su t in bility
Questions to discuss when talkina about transformative justice:
Hover do we build our personal and collective capacity to respond to trauma and
support accountability in ar transformational way?
How do we shift power toward collective liberation?
Hoer do we build effective and sustainable movements that are grounded in
resilience and life -affirming poorer?
Hover can we respond to violence in ways that not only address the current
incident of violence, but also Delp to transform the conditions that allowed for it t
happen?
By -Laws & Procedure
1 . The TRC shall have nine members who are representative of the city's BIPCC communities and
organizations, including those who have direct lived experience with systemic racism, as well as
experts who support those communities. To the extent possible as determined by the City
Council, the TRC shall include representation from groups such as the Iowa Freedom Riders, the
South District Neighborhood Association, the Iowa City Human Rights Commission, and the
Community Police Review Board. Iowa City residency is preferred but not required if an applicant
offers expertise or representation not available from applicants who reside in Iowa City. Members
of other City boards and commissions are eligible to serve on the TRC.
2. Applications for membership on the TRC shall be announced, advertised, and available in the
same manner as those for all City boards and commissions.
3. The TRC shall select the Chair and Vice Chair who will work together to preside over meetings
and make sure subcommittees are completing duties in a timely manner among other things.
4. Within the charges of the TRC set forth herein, the TRC is not required to seek approval from the
City Council, mayor, or city manager to set its own agenda and prioritize its activities.
5. To conform with the requirements of laws pertaining to open meetings and public records and to
facilitate transparency and public education and participation, administrative/clerical assistance
and media/event assistance shall be provided by City staff as determined by the City manager
and Clty Clerk. Media assistance may be supplemented by outside expertise on a case -by -case
basis if the commission believes it will substantially expand outreach.
6. The TRC shall serve from the date of appointment of all members to June 30, 2022. The TRC
shall have an organizational meeting no later than 30 days after the appointment of all members.
7. Within 90 days of the organizational meeting the TRC shall recommend to the city Council a
preliminary budget for funds needed to carry out the charges of the TRC beyond what existing
City staff, programs, and services can provide.
Absences (I forgot what we initially decided on attendance so this section is open to amendments) The
Commission may recommend to the City Council that the City Council discharge any member who: (1) is
absent from three consecutive regular or special meetings without excuse as determined by the
Commission on a case by case basis; or (2) is absent from six consecutive regular or special meetings,
whether excused or unexcused; or (3) is absent from at least four out of six consecutive regular or special
meetings, whether excused or unexcused.
l . Meetings
The TRC shall determine the frequency and conduct of its meetings. The meetings will be open to the
public and conducted in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code. Records, documentation, and
communications of the TRC will be public records under Chapter 22 of the Iowa Code.
2. Special meetings
Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson and shall be called by the Chairperson or Vice
Chairperson at the request of three or more Members of the Commission. At least one (1) full day's
written notice of meeting place, time and agenda shall be given to each Member and the media.
I Agenda
At regular and special meetings only matters included on the agenda may be discussed and formal votes
taken. Care shall be taken to avoid discussion of non -agenda items. A commissioner must notify staff
and chair/Vice chair when submitting a request for an item to be on the agenda. All commissioners will
be given reasoning in writing if a request to submit an item to the agenda is denied.
. Notice of Meetin.
Notice of meetings shall be required; meetings may be called upon notice not less than twenty-four 4
hours before the meetings unless such notice is impossible or impracticable, in which case notice shall
be provided as outlined in the Iowa Code. The news media shall be notified by staff. Commission
meetings shall be public except where provided in the Iowa Code.
. Public Discussion
Time shall be made available during all meetings for open public discussion. The TRC values public
input and wants everyone to have a chance to spear their thoughts, but there needs to be specific times
allocated for when someone can make a comment, whether it be on the agenda or not, or before or after
the commission has discussed the item.
The times for public discussion during meetings going forward are as follows:
-5 minutes mac per public comment pertaining to items not on the agenda.
-5 minutes max per public comment pertaining to items on the agenda. Public comments will be made
before the commission discusses said agenda item.
-2 minutes maximum for final thoughts for public comment on things or questions that may have come up
while the Commission was discussing various agenda items (This section of public comment would work
best on the agenda before we go over correspondence or staff/commission announcements).
. Motions
Motions may be made or seconded by any member of the Board, including the chairperson but all
commission discussion must be completed before the commission may vote or pass a motion.
{staff may keep track of said motion and remind the commission to vote in the case we try to move on to
the next agenda item without voting on the motion.
. conflict of Interest
Members who believe they have a conflict of interest on a matter about to come before the Board shall
state the reason for the conflict of interest, leave the room before the discussion begins, and return after
the vote.
. Votin
majority vote is required for adoption of any motion. Upon request, voting will be by roll call. Every
member of the commission, including the Chairperson, is required to cast a vote upon each motion.
member who abstains shall state the reason for abstention.
Quorum
of the members of the member) Commission shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
Committees
Section One: Appointment & Authority
Already pre -decided as commission members have volunteered for the committees they
were interested in.
If a committee has less than 2 members, commissioners may volunteer to serve on the
mitt.
0 If more than one commissioner wants to volunteer they may both join if the committee
has only I member. If there are already 2 members in the committee the commission
will make ar vote on who is going to be in that committee.
It shall be the function of committees to make investigations, conduct studies and
hearings, inform the rest of the commission and public on findings, and help the
commission make informed recommendations to the city council.
Section Two: Testimony
Once committee action has been approved by council, it shall be incumbent upon the
committee chair or in their absence the individuals they designate as being familiar
enough with the issue to give testimony or give a presentation before civic and/or
government agencies.
-Commission may createsubcommittees needed, like development, data collection, etc.
-Committee members may vote to decide if they want a person to lead the commission.
Resignations
Resignations shall be submitted in writing to the Staff (Stefanie Bowers) with a copy to the City
Council and the Commission at least 14 days prior to the date of intended departure.
Amendments to By-laws
These bylaws may be amended when necessary by majority vote (at least 5). Proposed
amendments must be sent to staff to forward to all members of the commission and/or add to
the following meeting agenda.
Charges of the TRC are as follows:
A. Fact Finding_: The TRC shall collect evidence, including first-hand testimony, of
discrimination and racial injustice in multiple settings and compile a complete record of
racial injustices that will inform and support the fundamental institutional and policy
reforms necessary to address systemic racism.
B. Truth Tel The TRC shall: 1) Provide multiple fora and creative opportunities for
persons impacted and traumatized by racial injustice to share their stories of racial
injustice and experience to be heard by: (a) fellow communities of color; (b) a broad
cross section of the entire Iowa City community; and (c) key decision -makers in city
government, the business community and the university; 2) Explore ways to provide
such opportunities through art, music, theater„ workshops, rallies, and other forms of
congregation, multimedia and listening designed to reveal truths that cannot be fully
expressed in traditional fora; and, 3}Create a repository for community stories expressed
in multiple media (written, video, audio, art) that can be catalogued and used to educate
and inform members of the community.
C. Reconciliation: The TRC shall: 1) 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 are 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.
• The TRC shall strive to provide a safe and supportive space for its work, premised on
mutual respect, and shall conduct its work so as to promote healing and justice.The TRC
shall carefully consider the possibility of adverse actions against those who participate in
its work. The TRC shall carefully consider mechanisms to protect participants, and shall
work to support those who allege harm due to their participation in the TRC process.
• The TRC shall provide periodic updates to City council to include, but not be limited to:
its plans for community education; recommendations for Council action; requests for
resources the TRC needs to carry out its work; and recommendations to dedicate and/or
rename public spaces and/or rights of way in honor of the Black Liberation Movement.
By May 1, 2022 the TRC shall submit to the City Council:
• Report summarizing the work of the TRC
repository of community stories expressed in multiple media (written, video,
audio, art, etc.)
Recommendations to the city council for: 1 Institutional and policy reforms to end
systemic racism; 2 opportunities to create new social practices, expectations,
protocols, habits, rituals and celebrations that will move Iowa city toward a
shared experience of race and difference, justice and equity, and community and
harmony; 3 Measures to enhance the autonomy/security/sovereignty of
communities f color and mitigate disparities in social and economic power; and
4) A recommendation on whether and in what form the work of the Commission
should continue.
Subcommittees
These are my subcommittee notes from our last meeting, open to discussion and
changes.
Budget
Healthcare
policing
Sustainabilit
y
Education
/Youth
Housing
Mohamed
Kevo
Amel
Sokawis
Clifton
Wangui
Kevo (?)
Wangui
Eric
Amel
Chastity
Amel
Amel
Wangui
Mohamed
Wangui
Mohamed
Please schedule a subcommittee meeting by may 6th.
Education/Youth Engagement committee: Vice chair has documents and some connections
who are currently doing racial disparity research in the ICCSD that you may be interested in
going over.
During your first subcommittee meeting you will:
Discuss TRC bylaws and see our current TRC bylaw draft.
Discuss a possible operational budget for your specific committee.
Decide what rolls each commissioner will play. (One commissioner will need to have the
roll of updating commission about subcommittee activities and discussions during meetings)
Discussion auestions for first subcommittee meetinas:
• What do you think the role of this commission is?
• What role do you think you play in this commission?
• What do you as an individual stand for? What are some core beliefs you hold?
• What do you think becoming a "we" looks like for this commission?