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2016-11-02 Diversity Commission MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS DIVERSITY COMMISSION November 2, 2016 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT Mario Brown — Chair Ed Dorame — Vice Chair George Basioli Diana White Tung Bui, arrived at 6:10 p.m. Guests: Councilmember Dave Teitzel Ninder Gill Donnie Young Griffin Larry Wechsler RollCall: Call to order at 6:10 p.m. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT Maria Montalvo Pat Valle Adam Khan Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, ex officio STAFF PRESENT Patrick Doherty, ED/CS Director Cindi Cruz, ED/CS Program Coordinator Misha Carter, Diversity Commission Coordinator 2. Approval of Agenda: The agenda was approved by consensus after adding an item for City Comments at end of meeting. 3. Approval of Meeting Summary of October 5, 2016: Summary minutes approved as submitted by consensus. (Diana explained who and what the speaker was for the October meeting). 4. Public Comment: No comment 5. Update on old business: a. Recap Immigration Forum 10/12/16 — Mario and Ed gave a recap of the event. The event was taped and will be placed on our website for public viewing. There was an article in My Edmonds News that recapped the event. Publicity should be ramped up for these events. 6. Meet Diversity Commission Applicants: Each applicant gave a brief overview of why they want to be on the commission and information about themselves. There was a question and answer period for each applicant following their opening remarks. Ninder Gill, Donnie Young Griffin, and Larry Wechsler were interviewed. 7. Select new Diversity Commissioner for confirmation by Council: The commission deliberated for approximately 15 minutes regarding interviews of the three candidates brought in for interviews. The Commission chose Donnie Young Griffin to recommend to the City Council for confirmation to fill the vacant commission position. Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission November 2, 2016 Page 1 8. World Cafe Discussion: Patrick discussed the date change for the event to December 10 from 10 to 1 p.m.; date was approved by consensus. Logistics will include tables around room, move around room to sit at different tables for different topics. Discussed name of event: look at possible event titles, discuss situational topics to determine what the name could be based on, Maria has volunteered to work on wording of situations with Patrick if Commission agrees on topics. Concerns about training for facilitating/leading conversation at tables. The three applicants for the vacant seat were asked if they would be willing to attend the event and facilitating a table. Ninder cannot attend but Larry and Donny will be able to attend. Topics were approved by consensus. Titles: 2 & 4 are both liked; title option 4 was chosen ("World Cafe" Community Discussions on Diversity") and Patrick will research trademark issues of using World Caf6. 9. Commissioner's Corner: Which City Council meeting can the appointment be confirmed? Patrick will find date. Columbus Day name change on Indigenous Peoples Day was brought up by Diana. Could commission request City Council to also honor Indigenous Peoples Day? Diana read the FB post that she wrote in response to the Columbus Day holiday. Add discussion to January agenda. Commissioners need to state in writing if they want to be reappointed by the Commission in December. Commission will make recommendations to City Council to reappoint those commissioners wanting to continue for a 2nd term. Human rights awards are coming and they are looking for nominees please give info to Mario Brown. George asked about the ability to vote privately in the upcoming general election when you are blind. Patrick announced the City has an ADA committee and would like another commission member to join the meeting if possible. George is already a member. Extending the commission to include regular volunteers and invite both Ninder and Larry to consider attending as volunteers. Will be discussed at December meeting. Adiourn: 8:00 PM — Next regular meeting: December 7, 2016, 6 PM Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission November 2, 2016 Page 2 Situational topics: Read the situations and ask yourself: "what just happened here?" Additionally, some suggested questions are placed after each situation to spark discussion. • Build a wall or Statue of Liberty. Immigration is a hot topic these days. George and Jean are having lunch at a local restaurant. After the waitress, who spoke with a marked accent, leaves the table with their orders, George remarks: 'It seems like all the wait staff these days are foreign folks. I wonder if she's even legal. Geez, do these places hire any real Americans anymore?" Would a scenario like this occur in Edmonds? What issues or concerns are hiding behind George's remarks? What would be appropriate, helpful responses to George? • There's a Muslim in my neighborhood. Muslim Americans and immigrants from predominately Muslim countries create anxiety for some people as incidents of terrorism based in extremist Muslim ideology have occurred around the world. Grace is chatting with her neighbor Sam about a new family that just moved in a couple doors down. "Did you see the Muslim family that just moved in over there?" asks Grace. 'Ijust don't know how I feel about having those people living so close to me. I don't feel safe." Have you ever experienced a situation where someone expressed concern or even fear over Muslims in their midst? How would you respond to Grace in this situation? • My coworker is disabled. With greater availability of tools and programs that help overcome some of the challenges some people with disabilities face, a greater number of our coworkers are disabled individuals. Ahmed and Cindy are in the breakroom. Ahmed complains: "Did you see that expensive desk and fancy monitor set-up they gave to David? I get that he's in a wheelchair and supposedly can't see well, but if they have to spend that much money to accommodate him to do the job, maybe it's not the right job for him. Like the rest of us don't Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission November 2, 2016 Page 3 have back problems, numb wrists and other conditions from our work spaces, and I don't see them spending money on us. " What might have provoked Ahmed to be so concerned over David's accommodations by the employer? Is it incumbent upon the employer to inform the rest of staff about the policies for accommodating employees' needs? How might Cindy respond to Ahmed's remarks in a constructive way? • "Modern Family" may be good on TV, but... Dan and Melody run into each other at the local Starbucks. Melody mentions that her 3rd-grade daughter, Kiley, is becoming good friends at school with a little girl whose parents are a gay male couple. "Kiley keeps asking me if she can go over and play at the other girl's house after school, but I'm just not comfortable having her be in that environment. We see the two daddies at school events, but I don't know what goes on in their home, and I don't know what Kiley might be exposed to there. " Melody may not be outwardly homophobic, but when it comes to her young daughter she's uncomfortable exposing her firsthand to a gay household without her being present. How would you respond to Melody — or to the situation? • White or light -skin privilege. Two sisters, Janelle and Jackie, are in the supermarket. The sisters are of mixed -race heritage. Janelle, with lighter skin often "passes" for white. Jackie has darker skin and is not infrequently viewed as African -American. Janelle and her daughter are first into the check- out line and her transaction is complete when she hands the cashier a check. "Thanks and have a good day, " replies the cashier as she takes the check. Jackie steps in right behind Janelle and starts to check out as well. "That'll be $45.19. Will that be cash, check or credit?" asks the cashier. Jackie has already begun writing a check and responds: "Check OK?" The cashier replies: "Well, yeah, as long as you have three pieces of ID." What just happened here? How would you respond if you were Jackie ... or Janelle? Do you think this resulted from the cashier's bias, or an institutional bias or management policy? Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission November 2, 2016 Page 4 Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission November 2, 2016 Page 5