HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-06-2022 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation CommissionAd Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Agenda
Thursday, January 6, 2022 7PM
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Iowa City City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
In order to encourage input from the public, the Commission intends to offer the opportunity to
participate in the meeting remotely. However, this meeting is in -person, and those wishing to ensure
their ability to participate should attend the meeting in -person. If you instead wish to participate
remotely, you may attempt to do so by joining the below link. Please note that the meeting link and ID
for the first Thursday of each month is different than the link and ID for the third Thursday of each
month.
First Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN cMlaaV6cTxGwOIWu2-hFHg
ID: 867 2424 8095
Third Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN Ic11811PSRg1u0xPIL-1Ew
ID: 895 3695 0485
If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you can call in by phone
by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting ID when prompted.
Meeting Agenda:
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. READING OF THE TRC & HRC LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
4. APPROVAL OF TRC MEETING MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 16, 2021
5. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS)
6. PRESENTATION BY RON WAKABAYASHI ON THE INTERNMENT OF JAPANESE AMERICANS
1942-1946
7. TRC MEETING PROTOCALS FOR 2022
A. ZOOM/IN-PERSON PROCEDURE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMMISSION MEMBER
COMMENT
B. HANDLING UPDATES
C. PROVIDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
8. UPDATE ON FACILITATOR(S) FOR THE TRC BY VICE CHAIR ALI
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS/STAFF (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER CONCERNING SAID ANNOUCEMENTS)
10. ADJOURNMENT
If you will need a disability -related accommodation to participate in this meeting please contact
the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your accessibility needs.
�r
CITY OF IOwA CITY
410 East Washington Street
lowa City, lowa 52240- 1 826
(319) 356-5000
(319) 356-5009 FAX
mvv� .icgov.org
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
JANUARY 6, 2022 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS
AGENDA ITEM #3
• TRC AND HRC LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
AGENDA ITEM #4
• DRAFT MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 16, 2021
Native American land Acknowledgement
Prepared for the City of Iowa City's Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Human
Rights Commission
PURPOSE
Iowa City owes its existence to the many Indigenous Peoples who were the original stewards of this land
and who were subjected to manipulation and violence by non-native settlers, invaders, and governments
in order to make this moment possible. Acknowledgement of this truth is central to our work toward
reconciliation across all barriers of difference and injustice. Starting with a Native American Land
Acknowledgement, this Commission will bear witness to the legacies of violent displacement, migration,
and settlement that have marginalized those who were the first inhabitants of this land. We must also
address the mistreatment and exclusion that Native Americans continue to face today. The Ad Hoc Truth
and Reconciliation Commission and the Human Rights Commission encourage the community and City of
Iowa City to join us in these efforts through the use of a Native American Land Acknowledgement.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
To be read at all public meetings and events:
"We meet today in the community of Iowa City, which now occupies the homelands of
Native American Nations to whom we owe our commitment and dedication. The area of
Iowa City was within the homelands of the Iowa, Meskwaki, and Sauk, and because
history is complex and time goes far back beyond memory, we also acknowledge the
ancient connections of many other Indigenous Peoples here. The history of broken
treaties and forced removal that dispossessed Indigenous Peoples of their homelands
was and is an act of colonization and genocide that we can not erase. We implore the
Iowa City community to commit to understanding and addressing these injustices as we
work toward equity, restoration, and reparations."
LEARN MORE
Native Governance Center Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
US Department of Arts and Culture: Honor Native Land Virtual Resources and Guide
Meskwaki Nation - History
Special thanks to the University of Iowa Native American Council for their work and guidance, as well as
members of the public, for their input.
December 16, 2021
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma J. Harvat Hall City Hall
Commissioners present: Amel Ali, Kevo Rivera, Daphney Daniel (via Zoom), Wangui Gathua, Eric
Harris, Clifton Johnson, Sikowis (Christine Nobiss via Zoom), Mohamed Traore.
Commissioners not present: Chastity Dillard.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Community members who spoke at the meeting: Nicholas Theisen, Noah P, and Annie Tucker.
Recommendations to City Council: No.
Meeting called to order: 7:01.
Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Ali read the Land Acknowledgement.
Approval of Minutes from the December 2, 2021: Ali moved, and Rivera seconded. Motion
passed 7-0. (Daphney not present).
Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: Noah P reported that the City refused to provide
shelter to people who are homeless even though City officials knew a storm was coming towards
Iowa City. Tucker congratulated the TRC on being granted an extension through June 2023.
Presentation by Eduardo Gonzalez: Gonzalez is happy to see that the TRC was granted an
extension through June 2023 and he now believes the challenge is to make the best possible use
of time by planning thoughtfully.
Gonzalez suggests that it is important to go through the TRC Resolution, and highlight the key
objectives contained in it and plan those objectives around the time the TRC has left to fulfill its
terms. Think of what the TRC can do with the extension that will honor the mission. It is
important for the TRC to use its resources wisely.
Like most TRC the main function is to listen as people give their statements. TRC are not where
Commissioners go to talk but a place where Commissioners come to listen to others and so a
space needs to be created that allows for respect, empathy, and safety.
Because the TRC is going after "structure" this explains why they have had such a difficult tenure.
That is the noise of the "structure" that doesn't want to go quietly. An human rights lawyer would
probably call this violating economic, social, and cultural rights.
The TRC should focus on 3 or more big tasks and take the time to discuss and plan on how to
conduct those functions.
Theisen thanked Gonzalez for his time and expertise.
Gonzalez provided the cons of why Commissioners should not partake in live truth -telling. The
cons are that TRC are most valuable when the community talks and commissioners listen.
Sometimes a commissioner may ask a question, but the mere presence of the commission is
where the contribution is made.
When planning hearings, the TRC should intentionally have victims and survivors from different
eras, times, and genders. Gonzalez ended with wishing the TRC a year of justice and healing.
Telling Iowa City's Story by Daniel Posthumus: Posthumus is a sophomore at William & Mary in
Virginia and lived most of his life in Japan. Posthumus has focused most of his research on
transitional justice, specifically truth commissions. Currently, Posthumus is working on a long
form journalism article in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on the Iowa City Truth Commission.
The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd led to the
proliferation of truth commissions across the country but there is still no federal truth
commission. The Iowa City Truth Commission is currently the most contentious of the
commissions in the US. Truth Commissions are political bodies, and they reflect the political
environment.
So, what happens when activism comes in? Conflict with institutions? How do we maintain the
momentum of the Black Lives Matter Movement and generally, racial progress when it stops
being the lead on prime -time news?
Posthumus will be in Iowa City from February 18 — 20 to do some in -person interviews and some
groundwork. Posthumus would like to do pre -interviews prior to coming in town in February with
Commissioners.
Commission Announcements: Gathua corrected the record from the December 2, meeting date.
What was said was that a group of community members would plan to listen.
Staff Announcements: Staff highlighted an email sent out that encouraged any board or
commission member who is considering applying for a City grant to reach out to the City Attorney
to see if their organization/proposal would be subject to a funding cap based on their current
service to the City.
Adjourn: 7:51 PM
The entire meeting can be viewed at this link https://citychannel4.com/video.htmi by searching
for the meeting date.
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2021
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
6/10
6/24
7/8
7/22
8/5
8/19
9/2
9/16
9/30
10/7
10/21
11/4
11/18
12/2
12/16
Ali
6/22
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Daniel
6/22
X
X
O
X
O
X
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
X
X
Dillard
6/22
O
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O
Gathua
6/22
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Johnson
6/22
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
X
X
Harris
6/22
X
X
X
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Nobiss
6/22
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
X
O
X
X
Rivera
6/22
X
X
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
O
X
X
X
X
X
Traore
6/22
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
KEY: X = Present
0 = Absent