The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About03-03-2022 Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation CommissionAd Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Agenda Thursday, March 3, 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 h ips.//usG r It .ppi:.gu / It�uinost9 Vg.q 6�1�� nr®Ii�C�s� :U��I::N I D: 867 2424 8095 Third Thursday Meetings h .PS.::(/ s0 v4r k� za mn.ass/ r kru �r/L gust r/ V I III ICI Slftq III ::Q uv I D: 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 LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 17, 2022 5. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS) 6. UPDATE ON THE EXCLUDED WORKERS FUND 7. DISUSSION ON FACILITATOR PROPOSAL 8. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS/STAFF (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER CONCERNING SAID ANNOUNCEMENTS) 9. 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@owa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your accessibility needs. I t I -t6z.-4 POZ511 V, Nt, A" I IgT4 1�t -A&- �04 -ma Tqk z CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240- 1826 (3 19) 3 5 6-SOOO (3 19) 356-5009 FAX www. icgov,org AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION MARCH 3,2022, MEETING PACKET CONTENTS AGENDA ITEM #3 * TRC AND HRC LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AGENDA ITEM #4 * DRAFT MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 17,2022 AGENDA ITEM #6 CORRESPONDENCE FROM COMMISSIONER ERIC HARRIS ON THE EXCLUDED WORKERS FUND 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 Indi, e.n LJ.swLand Acl(nowlement VJS Ue arlrr7ent of Arts ar�d Culture: Honor Native i_and virtual Resources and Guide Mes..isto kwaki Nation- Hr Special thanks to the Univ rsrt _o lovua Native Americon Council, for their work and guidance, as well as members of the public, for their input. February 17, 2022 Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes Emma J. Harvat Hall City Hall Commissioners present: Amel Ali, Kevo Rivera, Wangui Gathua, Clifton Johnson, Mohamed Traore, Eric Harris (via Zoom). Commissioners not present: Chastity Dillard, Daphney Daniel, Sikowis (Christine Nobiss). Staff present: Stefanie Bowers. Community members who spoke at the meeting: None. Recommendations to City Council: No. Meeting called to order: 7:06. Reading of Land Acknowledgement: Ali read the Land Acknowledgement. Approval of Minutes from the February 3, 2022: Ali moved, and Rivera seconded. Motion passed 5-0. (Harris not present for vote). Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: None. End Exclusionary Discipline for Elementary Students' Presentation by Dina Bishara and Heidi Pierce: Race, gender, and incarceration are disproportionate within the US. One and three Black men, 1 and 6 Latino men will be imprisoned in their lifetime versus 1 in 17 white men. One and eighteen Black women, 1 in 45 Latina women will be imprisoned in their lifetime compared with 1 in 111 white women. The US has 5% of the world's population but imprisons 20% of the world's population. Sixty -thousand of those imprisoned are youth. Policies and practices within school systems make it more likely for students to end up in confinement and punishment systems also known as the school to prison pipeline. Some of the things that lead to the disparities are seclusion and restraints, suspension and expulsions and zero tolerance policies. Rivera made a motion for the TRC to add their support to the petition to end exclusionary discipline for elementary students within the Iowa City Community School District, Ali seconded. Motion passed 5-0. (Harris not present for the vote). Excluded Workers Fund Update: At a recent Johnson County Board of Supervisors meeting the Excluded Workers were met by Sheriff's Deputies before they even got to the door to enter. The County is stonewalling, and everything is up in the air at this point. Facilitator Update: At the March 1 TRC meeting the Commission will be presented with a facilitator proposal that they will then vote on. If approved they will make a recommendation to City Council at that time. The local partners want more time to work on implementation of their plan. Commission Announcements: Gathua reported on the recent death of a Black male who was 42 years of age and was found deceased on Friendship Street at 6am on February 2022. The African community of Iowa City feels that the proper offices have not reported or publicized his death due to the fact that he is a Black male who immigrated to the US from Africa. Harris gave a reminder that he is the Fatherhood Coordinator at Dream City and to encourage any fathers to connect with him. Adjourn: 7:44 PM City meetings are recorded and can be viewed in their entirety by visiting this link. r, N N 01 V7 N 7 M M M N a Ow N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N W W a. I myself have supported Excluded Workers as well as others in the Iowa City Community. The work and the struggle to receive funds by families who supported Iowa City and Johson County as a whole during a terrible pandemic cannot be overlooked. Some may be undocumented individuals, some may be formerly incarcerated individuals, also some simply struggled before the pandemic and struggled even more during the pandemic. There are various reasons why individuals feel excluded. The ARP funds were supposed to be used to rescue workers and families in this country that were excluded from getting checks from the government, kicked off unemployment because of state politics, and lost jobs and hours during a pandemic. The reasons I just stated versus the unfair rules to be able to receive ARP funds and the lottery system is a complete failure this is not a casino to see who gets help or not. A few times Johnson County Deputies have been called in to monitor Excluded Workers during Johnson County Supervisor meetings, who only wanted ample time to speak. Then to make matters worse terrible comments from Johnson County officials have been heard and seen everywhere. Comments about immigration status or comments about undocumented individuals sending money back to their home countries. I am expressing these thoughts in sadness not anger I thought Iowa City and Johnson County as a whole was better than this. I have always and will continue to supported excluded individuals. The Excluded Workers are supported by 17 different groups in the area, politicians need to listen to the people. Correspondence from Commissioner Eric Harris. The following documents were handed out during the meeting. KEARNS WEST MARCH 3,2022 Empowerment LLC h ease KEARNS 4- WEST Thought leadership unity engagement Deep understanding i i inclusive expertiseSubject matter i Lcn Our work emphasizes the value of local truth telling as a journey towards societal transformation and racial healing To co -create with the TRC and IC organizations traumaFocus on the public processes of the TRC: sharing stories, educational >� Background: Local community & environmentalfirm focused on climate change socialimpacts and racial & justice Experience ri rcommunity- )� Led Outreach & Education process for UI Campus Action Safety Plan >) Created Flood Resilience Action Plan for Coralville by partnering with the Coralville Community Food Pantry and prioritizing und r i aced community members Racial Equity Consultant for non -profits across the state of Iowa Food system, Affordable housing, Transportation >> Hold space for healing through ldialogue " Assist in design of outreach and engagement Helps people prepare for and have difficult conversations in personal and court situcations, for over 25 years. Helped film and edit the i d : White Privilege o XGetting in on the c r tion in the early ' , which i comprised of interviews wit presenters and participants at White Privilege Conference, which is designed to educate about systemic racial inequity and other systemic inequities and intersectionality. Provides restorative justice processes in court cases and the community. As a Community Partner: Help design outreach and engagement and possibly assist in offering healing processes. Promotes building of local capacity for providing truth -telling processes no rid ongoir l . Props e me Morin diverse community members er e done by the professionals experienced in Truth and Reconciliation processes that are fired by the Tucker realizes that the truth -telling processes will likely include black and brown community members and that, as a white woman. she may not be perceived as able to provide a sate space for their truth -telling. She will not be involved in any process where that concern is raised, either by the TRC.. the community, or in her own assessment. Task Firm Partners TRC strategic planning and work plan K&W Creation of data management system K&W Schedule and conduct interviews with community orgs K&W Local Partners Designing fact-finding process K&W Local Partners Plan and conduct outreach for circle events K&W Local Partners Compilation of testimony report K&W Designing and implement training forstaternent takers K&W/ThinkPeace Public hearings facilitation K&W/ThinkPeace Development of TRC recommendations K&W / ThinkPeace Draft of TRC Report K&W / ThinkPeace Presentation of Recommendations for Public & City Council K&W/ThinkPeace City Staff, TRC Members, Local Partners ThinkPeace Analysis of Commissioners mandate with focus on public processes ThinkPeace Developing a public declaration of principles governing the public activities of the commission ThinkPeace Designing public hearings for sharing of stories ThinkPeace Designing public outreach campaign ThinkPeace Diversity Markets launch Banjo Knits Designing the process of curating and arching of a story telling respiratory ThinkPeace Reporting / Analysis from interviews from community orgy ThinkPeace Designing public engagement campaign for artist and performative storytelling ThinkPeace Finalizing process for curating / archiving story telling ThinkPeace Design and Deploy public outreach campaigns ThinkPeace City Staff, TRC Members, Local Partners Evaluation of facilitation ThinkPeace professionalPersonal and passion for working to elevate community voices and perspectives Staff who v in Iowa City and Eastern Iowa with a desire to see it thrive