Loading...
2017-10-04 Diversity Commission MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS DIVERSITY COMMISSION October 4, 2017 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT Ed Dorame — Co -Chair Dean Olson Sarah Mixson Tung Bui Diana White Pat Valle arrived at 6:18 p.m. Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, ex officio 1. Roll Call: Call to order at 6:00 p.m. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT Maria Montalvo — Co -Chair Donnie Griffin Anabel Hovig ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAFF PRESENT Dave Teitzel, Alternate Council Liaison Mike Nelson, Councilmember Patrick Doherty, ED/CS Director Cindi Cruz, ED/CS Program Coordinator Misha Carter, Diversity Commission Coordinator 2. Approval of Agenda: The agenda approved by consensus. 3. Approval of Meeting Summary of September 6, 2017: Summary minutes approved as submitted by consensus. 4. Public Comment: Vanessa Stedman gave an update on grant project: "Black Girl in Suburbia Film Screening and Discussion" to be screened at 6:30 p.m. on December 1 at Mountlake Terrace High School. Will be putting info out thru Edmonds School District (ESD) to all schools for publicity and there is plan to get information out to local press, libraries, social media, and businesses. Parent co-op will assist in publication of meeting. Movie is a 55-minute documentary and there will be a one -hour discussion after the screening. Spanish translation will be available. Dean asked about open caption availability. Vanessa will get back to him regarding the open caption. This is a free event. Apple Catha from the BID/Ed! board stated she is on their communication and outreach committee and was there to learn more about the Diversity Commission. 5. Update from the City: Patrick discussed updated budget expenditures and proposed (see attached) thru end of year. Biggest expense for World Caf6 is ad in MEN and FaceBook ad. Film series will have box for donations at the theater. Budget is provided by City Council thru the budget process. November meeting location to have location outside the bowl Public works building is available for November 1 at 6 p.m. and will need to have a monitor for that meeting. Consensus is to have meeting at Public Works Building on November 1. Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission October 4, 2017 Page 1 6. Indigenous People's Day Resolution, Discussion on Process: this item on agenda to discuss the outcome of the resolution which ended up approving the Indigenous Peoples Day and not having a co -naming of Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day. Mike Nelson introduced the amendment at September 19 City Council meeting to discontinue using Columbus Day. Some disappointment was expressed by Commissioners regarding the change in the resolution without bringing it back to the Diversity Commission for further consideration. Diana read attached statement (see Attachment A) and thanked the Commission for their support. Diana would have liked some discussion or forewarning that this change was going to happen. Her concern is it going to create more division in community rather than build bridges. Sarah and Dean discussed that it was a good compromise and are happy that it went the way it did by eliminating the name Columbus Day and calling it Indigenous Peoples Day. Snohomish County also did the same thing. Councilmember Mike Nelson discussed how the decision to bring an amendment before Council came about. He apologized for not communicating the decision to change the resolution to the Diversity Commission. Pat expressed her concerns about the DC not being taken serious by the Council and how this process made her feel that the work of the commission was not quite good enough. Adrienne stated that unless charter for the Commission is changed it is the Council's obligation to answer to the constituency that elected them. Diana stated that all the commission was asking for was communication. Dave stated that perhaps the resolution could have been tabled and brought back to the commission for further discussion. Ed stated that this is really about respecting both Commission and Council. Diana asked about the Mayor concurring. Patrick read the Mayor's statement (see Attachment B) Patrick will provide a copy of the power's and duties of a commission to the Diversity Commission. Tung asked that a recognition certificate be given to Sargeant boys for their work done and staff will create a certificate for Ethan and Cole Sargeant. 7. 2017 Work Plan Discussion: will start working on 2018 work plan at October meeting. Events Group: Update on World Caf6: Committee has drafted scenario questions for the event. Need 5 scenarios. Suggestion for a scenario be added regarding flag/anthem situation involving NFL. Committee will finalize scenarios. Advertised on MEN and Facebook $464 has been expended at this point. Will also need refreshments coffee, water, cookies, etc. for the event. Consensus for approval of expenditures and additional $100 for refreshments. Attendees: Ed, Tung, Diana, Adrienne, Misha and will check with Donnie & Maria. Pat, Dean, Anabel cannot attend. Film Series: Monday Patrick will create Facebook page for the event. Passed out posters. Event is on City website, full description of movie and trailer is included. Need host for March but Pat can be there. Donation box to be created. Look into ad's at theater before movies. Approved by consensus budget of $510. Patrick will check on progress of grant projects. Would like to put word out by 15tt' of October for grants projects that could occur as early as January. Consensus on putting out grant request for 1" half of 2018 by October 15. Partnership Group: Diana updated on meeting with the ESD Superintendent and Communications office yesterday. Patrick and Carolyn attended with Diana. Good connection regarding communications and translation services with the ESD. Adrienne talked about meeting with League of Women's Voters. Diana introduced Carin Chase, chair of Snohomish County Human Rights Commission. The Commission is an advisory body to the Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission October 4, 2017 Page 2 County Council. The Commission holds quarterly events that are listed on their website. The Commission is interested in promotion of different diversity commissions. The Commission also sponsors International Human Rights Day on December 10 and accepting nominations now. For more information contact Carin at carinchase( gmail.com Policy Group: Pat updated on what the group is working on. There are no more interviews scheduled right now. Donnie has compiled information from previous interviews and will be providing to Commission. Will be reconvening with group to decide on next interview schedule. 8. New Business, Commissioner's Corner: Ed: the Edmonds Center for the Arts diversity and inclusion group wants to come to next meeting to discuss how to partner with Commission with event to be held in January. Will have 2018 work plan discussion in November. Tung will not be at November meeting so December meeting will be his last meeting because he is resigning from the Commission. Would like to start advertisement process as soon as possible but need letter from Tung. Sarah stated ECA event regarding Diversity Commission will be January 10. Patrick updated that Mayor and he attended meeting with Congresswoman Jayapal last Friday at ECA with a number of other community members. Brought up letters sent by Commission regarding DACA issues and the Congresswoman acknowledged receiving letters. Adjourn: 7:49 PM — Next regular meeting: November 1, 2017, 6 PM Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission October 4, 2017 Page 3 ATTACHMENT A — Commissioner Diana White's Statement This resolution represents work of the Diversity Commission over the past year, with help from your outstanding city staff. The commission learned that Formal recognition of I.P.D. is usually the result of grassroots efforts in communities like ours, communities who respect a more inclusive and diverse perspective of peoples everywhere. The resolution reflects discussions on many points, including why this is important, whether to celebrate independently or within the existing holiday, and even wording connotations and placements within the resolution itself. It's been a wonderful collaborative journey and I believe we all learned something we didn't know before. Which is fitting, because Our mission has always been #1 to EDUCATE the community about Indigenous Peoples. Our hope is that you respectfully vote in favor of the Diversity Commissions Indigenous peoples day resolution before you. Thank you. Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission October 4, 2017 Page 4 ATTACHMENT B — Mayor Dave Earling's Statement First, I want to say that I have heartily supported the recognition of Indigenous Peoples — either on a separate day or jointly on Columbus Day, as was ultimately recommended by the Commission. When the Commission came up with its final recommendation, I was quite impressed with the thorough process, considerations and even compromise that led to the draft Resolution and proposal for both Columbus Day and Indigenous People to co -exist on the same day. My impression was that your recommendation was intended to lead to a new recognition for Indigenous Peoples that would be borne of accord and general support, not discord and division. When the City Council rather hastily unraveled the Resolution at the dais last month I was disappointed chiefly because I felt it flew in the face of the deliberative process, including genuine public comments, that you as the Commission had undertaken. The result, I believe, has created the discord and division in the community that I believe you wished to avoid, and I certainly was hoping would not be the result. For these reasons I am still contemplating whether I can affix my signature to the Resolution. It's only symbolic, of course, since the Resolution was approved and a majority, if not all, of the City Councilmembers will sign it. But I wanted to share my thoughts with you. Approved Meeting Summary Diversity Commission October 4, 2017 Page 5