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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-04 ProclamationItem Number: 2.a. May 4, 2021 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Asian P acific A merican Heritage Month and Asian American and P acif ic I slander D ay Against Bullying proclamation City of Iowa City PROCLAMATION Whereas, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was first proposed as a commemorative week by Rep. Frank Horton of New York, and signed into law by President Jimmy Carter, with the week's first recognition being in 1979, but was amended to its present form of an annual celebratory month in 1992; and Whereas, the term "Asian Pacific" is very broad and includes many peoples and cultures, from the entire Asian continent to the Pacific Island groups of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, and thus encompasses diverse populations within one group designation; and Whereas, the contributions Americans of Asian and Pacific Island heritage have made to this society are too many and varied to list comprehensively, and Whereas, the API community is the fastest growing racial group in America and today is an important moment to recognize not only our longtime communities but also our newcomers. Asian Pacific Americans have made contributions ranging from building connections to the rest of the US with the Transcontinental Railroad, to service with valor in our armed forces, to the fields of agriculture, business, education, health, and technology; and Whereas, the API community has been marked by a struggle for freedom, equality, and justice, prevailing over the adversity of exclusion, persecution, incarceration, and disparities; and Whereas, May 18 is the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was brutally murdered in a hate crime in 1982. His murder fueled a national Asian American activist movement that continues to this day; and Whereas, we have seen a staggering rise in bullying, discrimination, and hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) community during the COVID-19 pandemic; and Whereas, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Vincent Chin birthday, May 18 shall be an API Day Against Bullying and Hate; and Whereas, Act to Change is a national nonprofit dedicated to fighting bullying in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. To find resources, visit ActToChange.org; and Now, therefore, I, Bruce Teague, Mayor of Iowa City, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2021 to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month And do hereby proclaim Tuesday, May 18, 2021 to be Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying in Iowa Citv and urge all community members to join Act to Change. The City of Iowa City is this important issue and encourages the public to foster dialogue, share resources, and bout what they can do to fightbullying. 1--� Signed in Iowa City, Iowa, the 4th day of May 2021. Item Number: 2.b. May 4, 2021 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Bicycle Month and B ike to Work Week proclamation City of Iowa City PROCLAMATION Whereas, the bicycle is an economical, healthy, and environmentally sound form of transportation, recreation, and enjoyment; and Whereas, increasing bicycle access and safety enables residents of Iowa City, including young people, to participate more fully in the educational, social, and economic life of our community; and Whereas, the Metro Area bicycle network, including our off-street trail system, now attracts bicycle tourism and economic development that helps to support and sustain local businesses; and Whereas, throughout the month of May, residents of Iowa City can experience the joys of bicycling by participating in educational programs, rides, commuting events, charity events, or by simply going for a ride; and Whereas, these activities create greater public awareness of rights and responsibilities of bicyclists to improve safety for all. Now, therefore, I, Bruce Teague, Mayor of Iowa City, do hereby proclaim May 2021 to be Bicycle Month and May 17-23 as Bike to Work Week in Iowa City and urge all residents who are able to join in this observance by bicycling for fitness, recreation, or to commute to work. Further, I ask all motorists to drive safely and with full attention to the road by putting away electronic devices; obeying all traffic signs, signals, and speed limits; sharing the road by allowing no less than 5 feet of separation when passing a bicyclist or taking to the adjacent lane to pass on roads with speed limits over 25 MPH; and yielding to bicyclists and pedestrians as required bylaw. , , a ayor Signed in Iowa City, Iowa, the 4th day of May 2021. Item Number: 2.c. May 4, 2021 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription National P ublic Works Week proclamation City of Iowa City PROCLAMATION Whereas, public works professionals of the Iowa City Public Works Department focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to a sustainable and resilient community and to the public health, high quality of life and well-being of the City of Iowa City; and Whereas, these infrastructure, facilities and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of our public works professionals who are responsible for maintaining, improving and protecting our transportation, water supply, water treatment and solid waste systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential for our community members; and Whereas, during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa City Public Works Department staff are essential workers who are continuing to work hard every day to keep our community safe and functioning, with various responsibilities related to the COVID- 19 response; and Whereas, it is in the public interest for the community members and civic leaders to gain knowledge of and maintain a progressive interest and understanding of the importance of public works and public works programs in Iowa City; and Whereas, the year 2021 marks the 61" annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association; and Whereas, the 2021 National Public Works Week theme is "Stronger Together" challenging our public works professionals and community members to think about the role public works plays in creating a great place to live. By working together, the impact community members and public works professionals can have on their communities is magnified and results in the ability to accomplish goals once thought unattainable. Now, therefore, I, Bruce Teague, Mayor of Iowa City, do hereby proclaim the week of May 16 to May 22, 2021 to be National Public Works Week in Iowa City and urge all community members and civic organizations to acquaint themselves with the issues involved in providing our public works and to recognize the substantial contributions which public works professionals make every day to our health, safety, comfort and quality o life. M Signed in Iowa City, Iowa, ` the 4th day of May 2021.