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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015.05.26 PacketCity of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 HRRC III. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☒ ☐ ☐ 5/26/2015 Approval of Meeting Agenda Approve the meeting agenda for the regular meeting of the Human Rights and Relations Commission. Information / Background: None. Attachment: Meeting Agenda 1 AGENDA CITY OF EDINA, MINNESOTA HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION May 26, 2015 I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA IV. APPROVAL OF April 28, 2015 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES V. COMMUNITY COMMENT During “Community Comment,” the Human Rights & Relations Commission will invite residents to share relevant issues or concerns. Individuals must limit their comments to three minutes. The Chair may limit the number of speakers on the same issue in the interest of time and topic. Generally speaking, items that are elsewhere on tonight’s agenda may not be addressed during Community Comment. Individuals should not expect the Chair or Commission Members to respond to their comments tonight. Instead, the Commission might refer the matter to staff for consideration at a future meeting. VI. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS A. New Member Introduction (Sarah Rinn) B. Work Plan Updates C. Edina Mail Correspondence D. Committee/Working Group Roster VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITION VIII. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS IX. STAFF COMMENTS X. ADJOURNMENT The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927- 8861 at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. 2 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 HRRC IV. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☒ ☐ ☐ 5/26/2015 Adoption of Meeting Minutes Approve the minutes for the regular meeting of the Human Rights and Relations Commission. Information / Background: None. Attachment: Draft meeting minutes from HRRC meeting; Attendance Roster 3 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELATIONS COMMISSION APRIL 28, 2015 7:00PM CITY HALL, COMMUNITY ROOM I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Arseneault called the meeting to order at 7:03pm. II. ROLL CALL Answering roll call were Chair Arseneault, Commissioners Burza, Davis, Gates, Kennedy, Sanders, Seidman, Vecchio-Smith, Weinert and Winnick. Staff present: HRRC Staff Liaison, MJ Lamon There were no absent members. III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Commissioner Kennedy moved to approve the April 28, 2015 agenda. Commissioner Seidman seconded the motion. Motion carried. IV. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Commissioner Seidman moved to approve the March 24, 2015 minutes. Commissioner Kennedy seconded the motion. Motion carried. V. COMMUNITY COMMENT None. Commissioner Tian arrived at 7:25 p.m. VI. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS A. Work Plan Initiative Updates a) Community Outreach Working Group meeting held on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Group decided they wanted more lead time for the next event. The group is going to look at September or October of 2015 for their next meetings. Commissioner Burza has agreed to be the Chair of the Community Conversations Working Group. The Working Group wants to establish clear goals and outcomes for the project. Commission recommendation was to reach out to school counselors to get a pulse on target group residing apartments. Group plans to take “field trips” to communities where they plan to host listening sessions to meet residents before planning the next listening sessions; they want to be able to better understand what will make people desire/be excited to attend. b) Human Rights City Designation Commissioner Kennedy provided information on the process of becoming a Human Rights City. There is no formal approval process; however the HRRC can contact the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) New York Liaison to inform them of our intent to pursue Human Rights City status. A city’s commitment and undertaking as to issues it will address in pursuing a Human Rights City designation is determined by the city’s steering committee. Kennedy informed commissioners of the guiding principles for a Human Rights City as developed at the 2014 World Human Rights Cities Forum. The Human Rights City Designation working group is creating a presentation on the Edina HRRC and Human Rights City Designation initiative, with plans to begin with the first presentation on June 3rd at the Minneapolis Rotary club at noon. The objective (and opportunity) of the presentation is to create awareness of the EHRRC and educate people on Human Rights. They hope to share the presentation at the May HRRC regular meeting. c) Days of Remembrance/Genocide Awareness Commissioner Seidman provided background of Days of Remembrance HRRC initiative. This year the Days of Remembrance event had a record attendance of 135 which was potentially a result of increased advertising. This year HRRC reached farther to communicate the event. Seidman provided a summary in the packet which was also used in a blog post on “The Advisor”. Other metro cities have or are holding Holocaust events as well. Suggestions for next year included creating a survey for those in attendance, providing a Human Rights pledge, and reaching out to colleges when advertising the event. d) Affordable Housing Currently two projects under consideration for the City of Edina. A planning commission working session held with City Council to review a revised housing policy to comply with Metropolitan Council’s guidelines. The 66 West developer is currently seeking funding assistance through the City of Edina. No decision at this time. It was noted that the past two developments both required zoning variances and neither offered affordable housing. HRRC would like the Affordable Housing Committee to see if they can obtain some of the communications that were disseminated to residents in the Cornelia neighborhood and decide how or if they should respond. e) Body Image and Sexuality Awareness: No update. f) Human Trafficking (Report on April 9 Event) Over 70 people were in attendance. Event was publicized by KSTP. Commissioner Weinert shared that the first Presenter gave an overview of the topic, and then a panel held a discussion led by moderator Michele Garnett McKenzie. Not only was there information on what Human Trafficking was, but also a good discussion on what can be done for prevention. Panel members had great and varied expertise; each presented a different perspective. The moderator assisted with covering a lot of topics with each panelist. Chair Arseneault presented Commissioner Weinert with a Certificate of Appreciation for executing a successful event. B. Vision Edina Advisory Communication Commissioners received a draft advisory communication on recommendations for the Vision Edina. Commissioner Vecchio-Smith reviewed each section. Commission discussed several changes to draft Advisory Communication. Commissioner Davis made the motion for the Vision Edina Advisory Committee to take suggested edits from commission and incorporate them into a final version of the Advisory Communication to be forwarded to the City. Commissioner Winnick seconded the motion. Motion carried. C. Committee/Working Group Roster Commissioner Seidman made a motion to table agenda item VII. C. to May meeting. Commissioner Winnick seconded. Commissioner Seidman made a motion to amend the motion to approve Commissioner Tian to the blog committee and HRRC website committee, Commissioner Burza to Chair of Community Conversations Working Group, Commissioner Vecchio-Smith to the Affordable Housing Committee and table the rest of the appointments to May. Commissioner Tian seconded the amendment. Motion to approve the amendment carried. Main motion carried. VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITION Commissioner Winnick moved, Commissioner Tian seconded, to send the HRRC approved correspondence letter in response to Edina Mail Correspondence that was forwarded to the Commission. Motion Carried. The Commission will take up the issue again at the May meeting to consider further responsive action. Commissioner Winnick made a motion that when a letter is addressed to the HRRC, City Staff will send it immediately to the Commission Chair, and the Chair will decide if the HRRC approved correspondence response letter should be sent out with a copy included in the next meeting packet. Commissioner Tian seconded. Motion carried. VIII. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Kennedy provided an update on the Indigenous Peoples’ Day legislation. The Indigenous Peoples’ Day bill passed in the Senate committee but is unlikely to get through the House this session. Kennedy also advised of other pending legislation of interest regarding a proposal to reverse the 2003 law requiring a social security number to get a driver’s license, which was introduced 2 years ago but is not moving forward this session. Kennedy made a suggestion for the topic Women Under Genocide for the 2016 Days of Remembrance/Genocide Awareness event. Volunteer Recognition Event tomorrow; Commissioner Kennedy will present the Tom Oye Award to this year’s recipient, Jessie Kingston. Reminder of Richfield and Bloomington Human Rights events. IX. STAFF COMMENTS Thank you from Lindy, City Management Fellow, read to the HRRC. The new City Management Fellow is starting June 1, 2015. X. ADJOURNMENT Motion was made by Commissioner Kennedy to adjourn the April 28 meeting. Tian seconded. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:28pm. Respectfully submitted, ____________________________________ MJ Lamon, HRRC Staff Liaison Minutes Approved by HRRC May 26, 2015 __________________________________________ Pat Arseneault, HRRC Chair J F M A M J J A S O N D Work Session Work Session # of Mtgs.Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 42248 42252 NAME TERM (Enter Date)(Enter Date) Arseneault, Patrice 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 4 0% Davis, Laura 3/1/2018 1 1 1 3 0% Kennedy, Ellen 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 4 0% Sanders, Tiffany 2/1/2017 1 1 1 3 0% Seidman, Jan 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 4 0% Winnick, Steve 2/1/2016 1 1 1 3 0% Tian, Tony 3/1/2018 1 1 2 0% Vecchio-Smith, Maggie 3/1/2017 1 1 2 0% Burza, Jasna 3/1/2016 1 1 2 0% Bigbee, Arnie 2/1/2015 1 1 2 0% Gates, Nicole 9/1/2015 1 1 1 3 0% Weinert, Katrina 9/1/2015 1 1 1 1 4 0% Liaisons: Report attendance monthly and attach this report to the Commission minutes for the packet. Do not enter numbers into the last two columns. Meeting numbers & attendance percentages will calculate automatically. INSTRUCTIONS:Counted as Meeting Held (ON MEETINGS' LINE)Attendance Recorded (ON MEMBER'S LINE) Regular Meeting w/Quorum Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for each attending member. Regular Meeting w/o Quorum Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for each attending member. Joint Work Session Type "1" under "Work Session" on the meetings' line. Type "1" under "Work Session" for each attending member. Rescheduled Meeting*Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for each attending member. Cancelled Meeting Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for ALL members. Special Meeting There is no number typed on the meetings' line.There is no number typed on the members' lines. *A rescheduled meeting occurs when members are notified of a new meeting date/time at a prior meeting. If shorter notice is given, the previously-scheduled meeting is considered to have been cancelled and replaced with a special meeting. HUMAN RIGHTS & RELATIONS COMMISSION 8 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 HRRC VI. A. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☐ ☐ ☒ 5/26/2015 New Member Introduction None. Information / Background: Welcome Sarah Rinn, newest member of the HRRC. Attachment: None. 9 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 HRRC VI. B. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☐ ☒ ☒ 5/26/2015 Work Plan Updates None. Information / Background: a. Community Outreach (Burza) b. Human Rights City Designation: Status and Outline of Presentation (Kennedy) c. Affordable Housing (Winnick/Vecchio-Smith) d. Blog/Website Maitenance (Tian) Attachment: 2015 Work Plan. 10 Summary of Affordable Housing Units in Edina & the HRRC Mission of HRRC Includes: Policy – To secure for all residents of Edina freedom from discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, marital status, disability, public assistance status, family or national origin status in connection with employment, housing and real property, public accommodations, public services, credit and education. Duties – Advise the City Council on matters relating to discrimination and human relations; and Implement such programs of education and community action which are designed to effectuate the Policy stated above, and which have been approved by the Council. Total Rental Units in Developments- 509 Subsidized Dwelling Units located in 5 Developments 393 Designated for Seniors 116 For Families Total Units outside of Subsidized Developments- 383 Subsidized Rentals and Owned (mortgage assistance) Units 366 in various condo & townhome areas (mortgage help) 8 Section 8 rental assistance thru Met Council & City 9 Assistance thru West Hennepin Affordable Housing Land Trust (WHAHLT) Pending Rezoning & Construction- 91 Subsidized Rental Units 10 Designated for Seniors - 10% of 100 units (65th & France) Total 195 units 39 for Homeless Young Adults - 100% (66West Project) TIF assistance approved by Council in May 2015- $550,000. Project pending MHFA financing. 10 Designated for Seniors - 10% of 100 units (Continental Gardens, 7121 York) 32 affordable (20%) of total 160 units – (72ndFrance in abeyance 12/16/14) New Developments Without Subsidized or Affordable Housing- Southdale I - 232 Rental Units No Rezoning or Spec Use Required Wickes Property- 242 Rental Units Byerly’s Devl’t- 256 Rental Units “Vision Edina” Draft Statement Comments- Our Subcommittee commented extensively on the Draft Vision Statement’s Section on Affordable Housing reflecting HRRC’S views expressed at our April,2015 Meeting. This included a suggested General Comment in the form of an Introductory Statement encouraging an examination of the Affordable Housing component in all housing strategies considered in the community of Edina. This examination will consider the multi-cultural components of the entire socio- economic spectrum of those who live and work here when all housing policy decisions are considered. Approved by City Council on 12/16/14. 2015 New Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Community Outreach: Community Conversations Working Group (Davis) 1. Conduct community listening sessions 2. Reach out to those that live or work in Edina (including religious, ethnic, disabled, income levels, etc.). 3. Partnership with Advocates for Human Rights Consolidate into a report 1. What is a welcoming community? 2. Is Edina a welcoming community? March 2015 – complete community conversations (5-6) that start in November 2014 May 2015 – report complete and presentation to HRRC $500 Administrative Progress Report: 2015 New Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Human Rights City Designation (Kennedy & Sanders) 2015-2016 $300 Administrative Progress Report: 2015 New Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Affordable Housing Expanding Opportunity (Winnick) 1. Continued education on affordable housing 2. Monitor status of Edina 3. Support current efforts 2015 None Human Rights and Relations Commission 2015 Annual Work Plan 11 Progress Report: 2015 New Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Body Image and Sexuality Awareness (Gates, Seidman, Arseneault) 2015 $800 Administrative, coordination with Communications Progress Report: 2015 New Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Human Trafficking (Weinert, Seidman, Arseneault) May 2015 $300 Yes Progress Report: On-going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Days of Remembrance/Genocide Awareness: Event (Seidman, Kennedy, Arseneault) April 19, 2015 $1000 Administrative, coordination with Communications Progress Report: On-going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Bias Offense Response and Prevention Plan (Sanders) August 2015 NA Yes Progress Report: On-going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Tom Oye Award (Winnick 2014-2015) Tom Oye Award (Davis 2015-2016) 1. Sub-committee will recommend guidelines and changes to nomination form to start in 2015-2016. April 2015 $100 Yes Progress Report: 12 Ongoing Responsibilities Update Bias Offense Response and Prevention Plan (August) Tom Oye Award (Oct-April) Days of Remembrance (Event held in April or May, to coincide with the national observation of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) Edina Resource Center/Edina Community Council: HRRC representative (Sept-May, 3 year term) The Advisor: Blog: Need Commissioner Monitoring Affordable Housing Sub-Committee Other Work Plan Ideas Considered for Current Year or Future Years Disability Awareness Campaign: 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act Black History Month Tolerance in Motion – hosting mobile exhibit and associated activities (pending funding by sponsors) Proposed Month for Joint Work Session: September Staff Comments: Council Comments: 13 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 HRRC VI. C. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☐ ☒ ☐ 5/26/2015 Edina Mail Correspondence None. Information / Background: The HRRC voted to send the letter of response to an Edina Mail Correspondence. Attachment: Letter. 14 April 28, 2015 Re: HRRC Correspondence Dear Ms. Owens, The Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission (HRRC) has received your April 12, 2015 email correspondence. We value your views and will take the subject matter under advisement. Please understand that the HRRC is an advisory commission to the Edina City Council. As advisors, all of our proceedings and information received becomes public information. Sincerely, Pat Arseneault Human Rights and Relations Chair Cc: Human Rights and Relations Commission 15 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 VI.D. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☒ ☐ ☐ 5/26/2015 Committee and Working Groups Roster Establish 2015 Committee and Working Group Chairs and Members Information / Background: HRRC members need to remove or request committee/working group addition. Note working group notification requirement outlined in bylaws. Attachment: Committee and Working Group Roster; HRRC Bylaws. 16 Responsibilities Chair Members Term Notes Committee Tom Oye Award Press release; Update nomination form; Provide summary to commission; Update letters to nominees and nominators; Ensure marking for Nominations; Have PSA run on Channel 16; Ensure we have presentation award OPEN Steve Winnick (Term: 2014 for 2015 Award; OPEN (Term: 2015 for Review of criteria and 2016 Award) Renew Annually Normally, process starts in October and ends at Volunteer Award Ceremony the following April; For 2015, Committee has been tasked with comprehensive review of nomination process and to bring recommendations to HRRC by June meeting Committee BC Blog Liaison Work with commission members to provide content to city blog on a regular (TBA) basis Tony Tian Renew Annually This is shared among several commissions; therefore, timing of publications depends on the number of participants Committee HRRC Website Administration Annual and periodic review of website for content accuracy; Work with Staff Liaison as needed on changes or updates Tony Tian Renew Annually Committee Bias Offense Response Plan Annually review Bias Offense Response Plan; Work with City Manager and Chief Nelson Tiffany Sanders Pat Arseneault Renew Annually Committee Monitor Affordable Housing Monitor the status of affordable housing projects and support current affordable housing efforts; Continue education on affordable housing Steve Winnick Maggie Vecchio- Smith Terms ends December 2015 Committee, Working Group, Rep to External Committee 17 Responsibilities Chair Members Term NotesCommittee, Working Group, Rep to External Committee Committee Human Trafficking Awareness Event Set event date (April 9, 2015); Secure city hall and tech support; Assist with marketing, poster and agenda design; Secure speaker, moderator and panelists Student Commissioner Katrina Weinert Jan Seidman Pat Arseneault For duration of event planning and presentation Co-sponsor with the Edina High School Against Modern Day Slavery Club; 2 hour presentation with Breaking Free Speaker, and Panel discussion Committee Body Image and Sexuality Awareness Project Develop project that will bring awareness to issues surrounding body image and sexuality awareness for teens, with aim to educate parents / community on issues Student Commissioner Nicole Gates Jan Seidman Pat Arseneault For duration of project Committee 25th Anniversary of ADA Commemorative Event [Placeholder] OPEN OPEN Working Group National Observance of Days of Remembrance Create agenda and decide on Holocaust survivor presenter; Have holocaust videos run on Channel 16 throughout month of April; Market the event and work with Communications Department for poster design and brochures; Send thank you notes to all involved Jan Seidman (2015) Groups Members for 2015: Ellen Kennedy Pat Arseneault John Cashmore Renew Annually Process usually starts in October and ends in April to coincide with National Holocaust Museum Days of Remembrance 18 Responsibilities Chair Members Term NotesCommittee, Working Group, Rep to External Committee Working Group Edina Community Conversations Recruit June 2014; Training Sessions July & Aug 2014; Conduct 5-6 sessions beginning fall 2014 through 2015; Report to HRRC/Issue date TBD Jasna Burza Arnie Bigbee Laura Davis Katie Meehan Chris Bremer Maggie Goetze Charles Goldstein Mary Kost Sallie Lewis Katherine Oberle Melvin Ogurak Sid Ramesh Judith Rodgers Christina Wagner Pat Arseneault Term Ends December 2015 Working Group Human Rights City Designation Ellen Kennedy Colleen Feige Leslie Lagerstrom For duration of project Community member involvement HRRC Rep to External Committee Edina Community Council Council serves as Steering committee for Edina Family Services Collaborative; Attend meeting of the social service agencies serving Edina, the Edina school district, and other South Hennepin metro communities. Share information, participate in budget process N/A Steve Winnick (3 year term: 2012- 2013; 2013-2014; 2014-2015) Renew every 3 years (before start of school year) Meets (7:30-9:00 a.m.) every other month during the school year (September - May) HRRC Rep to External Committee School District Equity Advisory Council Provide communication between HRRC and Edina Public School System N/A Jan Seidman (2 year term: school years 2014-2015 and 2015-2016) Renew Biennially (before start of school year) Meet September - May. Attend conferences, 2 workshops, and about 5-6 meetings a year 19 Responsibilities Chair Members Term NotesCommittee, Working Group, Rep to External Committee HRRC Rep to External Committee Human Services Taskforce Review requests for funding proposals from human service providers who serve Edina populations in need; Make recommendation to Council on the city's annual funding to providers N/A OPEN Renew Annually (at or before September Commission meeting) Taskforce comprised of reps from Boards and Commissions; Meets 4 times in Oct/early Nov to consider requests; Meets with Council to make recommendation 20 Section 1: Introduction The bylaws outlined below are approved procedures for the Human Rights and Relations Commission (HRRC). Members should review and understand City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1 and Chapter 2, Article III, Division 2 included in the appendix of these bylaws. In the event of a conflict between the City Code and the HRRC bylaws, the City Code will prevail. Some components of these bylaws are common across all City boards and commissions. The City Staff Liaison should be consulted prior to considering bylaw amendments. Proposed bylaw amendments should be announced one meeting prior to voting on the proposed change. Bylaw amendments require the approval of a majority of the voting HRRC members and approval by the City Council. In addition to the City Code and these bylaws, the HRRC will be guided by those policies and procedural documents applicable to the HRRC or City advisory boards in general. Copies of these documents will be made available to members at the beginning of their service with the HRRC. Section 2: Mission and Business Address Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1 and Chapter 2, Article III, Division 2, Section 2-117 for the HRRC mission. The business office for the HRRC is located at Edina City Hall; 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424-1394. Members of the public can also contact the HRRC at edinamail@ci.edina.mn.us. Section 3: Membership Membership Composition Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-78 and Chapter 2, Article III, Division 2, Section 2-119. Terms of Membership Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-81. Contact Information HRRC members are required to provide a mailing address and phone number or email address to the City Clerk. This contact information is available to City staff and members of the public. Responsibilities HRRC members are expected to be present and adequately prepared for all meetings and to actively participate in meeting discussions. Members who are unable to complete assigned tasks should notify the Chairperson as soon as possible. 21 Attendance Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-86. If a member cannot attend a regular meeting, he or she should notify the Staff Liaison as soon as possible and ideally no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting. Cancelled meetings will be counted as meetings held and attended for purpose of calculating attendance percentages. Resignation or Removal Refer to City Code section Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-81. The HRRC may ask the City Council to review a member’s appointment based on the member’s failure to perform the responsibilities outlined above. Section 4: Meetings Meeting Notice Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-84. All board and commission meetings are open to the public. To comply with legal requirements and ensure accessibility to the public, the City Clerk gives official notice of all HRRC meetings on the City’s website and at City Hall. Regular Meetings Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-84. Regular meetings of the HRRC are held at Edina City Hall or another officially noticed location on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. A regular meeting may be rescheduled by the HRRC at a prior meeting. Annual Meeting In February the HRRC will hold an annual meeting to: • Elect officers for the upcoming year, • Review and update bylaws as necessary, and • Affirm the regular meeting schedule for the upcoming year. Special Meetings Special meetings of the HRRC may be called by the Chairperson, City Council, City Manager or by the directive of a majority of the HRRC voting members. Members will be notified of the special meeting by written or email communication at least three calendar days in advance of the meeting. To comply with the open meeting law and to ensure accessibility to the public, the City Clerk posts official notice of all special meetings. A quorum is not required for special meetings; however, members cannot take action on a motion unless a quorum is present. Cancelling Meetings Meetings of the HRRC can be cancelled by the Chairperson, City Council, City Manager or by the directive of a majority of the HRRC voting members. Meetings may be cancelled for insufficient business, lack of quorum, conflict with a holiday, inclement weather or in the event of a community emergency. Quorum Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-84. 22 Meeting Agendas Meeting agendas will be prepared by the Chairperson in consultation with the City Staff Liaison. Members may request that items be added to the agenda; however, the addition of such items is subject to approval by a majority of the voting members. The meeting agenda and related materials will be sent electronically the Thursday prior to the scheduled regular meeting. Meeting Proceedings During regular meetings, business will be conducted in the order listed below. The order of business may be changed with the support of a majority of the voting members. • Call to order • Roll call • Approval of agenda • Approval of minutes from preceding meeting • Public hearings • Community comment • Reports and recommendations • Correspondence • Commission comments • Staff comments • Adjournment Meetings will be conducted according to the latest edition of Roberts Rules of Order. Community Comment During "Community Comment," the Chair will ask to hear from those in attendance who would like to speak about something not on the agenda that is relevant to the HRRC. Individuals must limit their presentations to three minutes. Chair has the right to limit the number of speakers making similar statements and to limit comments related to matters previously discussed. The HRRC is not required to respond to the comments. In order to maintain a respectful environment for all those in attendance, disruptive behavior such as the use of signs, clapping, cheering or booing is not allowed. Motions and Voting A simple majority of voting members present and voting will decide all motions before the HRRC. At the request of a member, a roll call vote will be taken when there is a divided vote on any item. A tie vote on any motion will result in a failure to pass. Student members are not eligible to vote. Meeting Minutes Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-85. City staff will prepare minutes for HRRC meetings. The minutes will include which members were present and absent, a summary of each item discussed and any motions proposed, and the votes on those motions. If a member of City staff is not present to record minutes, the HRRC will appoint a secretary to prepare the minutes. The secretary will prepare draft minutes within two weeks of the meeting 23 date and forward the draft to the Chair and City Staff Liaison. Approved minutes will be posted on the City’s website and forwarded to the City Clerk for distribution to the City Council by the City Staff Liaison. Section 5: Officers Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-83. The HRRC will hold elections for the officer positions of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at the annual meeting in February. The Chairperson may make and second motions and vote on all motions. The duties of the Chairperson include but are not limited to: • Prepare the agenda in consultation with the City Staff Liaison. • Lead the meeting in accordance with the agenda and facilitate discussion on agenda items. • Invoke a reasonable time limit for speakers during public testimony. • Ensure that the bylaws are followed and actions are properly taken. • Maintain meeting decorum. • Extend meetings or schedule special meetings as necessary. • Cancel meetings, in consultation with the City Staff Liaison. • Facilitate the development of the annual work plan. • Develop annual calendar of anticipated agenda items for each month. • Consult with members regarding attendance issues. • Encourage active participation by HRRC members and members of the public. The Vice Chairperson performs the duties of the Chairperson in his/her absence. If both the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson are absent, an acting chairperson may be assigned in advance by either officer or at the meeting by a majority vote of the members. Section 6: City Staff Liaison Refer to City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1, Section 2-79. The HRRC has a City Staff Liaison appointed by the City Manager. The City Staff Liaison is expected to work cooperatively with HRRC members. Members may not direct City staff but can request assistance through the City Staff Liaison to carry out the HRRC mission. The duties of the City Staff Liaison include but are not limited to: • Work with Chairperson to prepare and distribute meeting agendas. • Reserve meeting rooms and other needed meeting equipment. • Record and prepare meeting minutes (or delegate the responsibility to another City staff member). • Provide technical expertise and access to City resources. • Work with Chairperson to ensure bylaws are followed and annual work plans are submitted. • Relay information or directives from City Council meetings or work sessions relevant to the HRRC. • Respond to HRRC inquiries in a timely manner. • Forward information to and between HRRC members. • Record meeting attendance, include the current attendance record with each packet and consult with the Chairperson and City Clerk regarding attendance issues. • Provide orientation materials to new members and chairperson. • Handle funds allocated to the HRRC in accordance with its directives, City policies and legal requirements. 24 • Serve as the custodian of HRRC records. • Work with City Clerk to serve all notices required by law or these bylaws. Concerns with the performance of the City Staff Liaison should be directed to the Assistant City Manager. Section 7: Committees and Working Groups Introduction Committees or Working Groups may be established by a majority vote of the HRRC to study issues in greater depth and report findings. Committees or Working Groups present their analysis to the HRRC for discussion and recommendations. The HRRC has the sole authority to make final recommendations on all matters on which a Committee or Working Group has given guidance. The HRRC defines the scope and the duration of the Committee or Working Group’s mission. In no case may the Committee or Working Group exceed the authority granted by the HRRC. Committee and Working Group participants may not include enough voting HRRC members to constitute a quorum for the HRRC. Committees or Working Groups may be designated as standing (ongoing) or temporary in nature. Definitions Committees and Working Groups may be comprised of two or more people, one of whom is the chair appointed by the HRRC. A Committee is comprised of current HRRC members only. A Working Group is led by a HRRC member, but will also include members of the public. Working Group Announcement Public notice will be given of the formation of any Working Group, including a press release from the City to local media outlets. Individuals will have a minimum of 14 days after the public notice to express interest in joining before members are selected. Public Access Based on the potential public interest in the topic, some Committee and Working Group meetings may be designated as public meetings by the HRRC or the City Council. If a Committee or Working Group’s meetings are designated as public meetings, official meeting notices, written agendas and written minutes are required. Refer to Section 4 of these bylaws for additional information on meeting notices. Appointments and Chair Assignments Committees: The HRRC Chairperson will ask for Committee volunteers from the HRRC membership. A majority vote may approve the Committee appointments once sufficient volunteers are established. A temporary Committee Chair will be appointed by the HRRC at the time of Committee formation. The Committee will elect its own chair and notify the HRRC Chairperson. Working Groups: The HRRC Chairperson will ask for volunteers from the HRRC to serve as the Working Group Chair. The Working Group Chair is approved by a majority of the HRRC members. The Working Group Chair will recommend other 25 Working Group members. By definition, those members will include individuals outside of the HRRC. The Chair may also nominate a co-chair who is not a HRRC member. Working Group appointments will be made by a majority vote of HRRC members. The duties of the Committee or Working Group Chair(s) include but are not limited to: • Set the meeting schedule and, if required, notify the City Staff Liaison for public notification. • Prepare and distribute a written meeting agenda, if required. • Lead the meeting in accordance with the agenda and facilitate discussion on agenda items. • Ensure that this section of the bylaws and HRRC directives are followed. • Maintain meeting decorum. • Recommend members and notify HRRC of changes in membership (Working Group only). • Report on the Committee or Working Group’s activities at each regular HRRC meeting. • Communicate to the Committee or Working Group any directives, questions or input from the HRRC. Resignation or Removal A Committee or Working Group member may voluntarily resign by submitting his or her written resignation to the Chair of the Committee or Working Group. A Committee or Working Group member may be removed by a majority vote of the HRRC. Disbanding A Committee or Working Group may be disbanded at any regular meeting of the HRRC by a majority vote of the members. Committees or Working Groups will automatically be disbanded if no member of the HRRC is available to serve or appropriate volunteer membership cannot be established. Section 8: Communication Applicability This section applies to all types of media and communication methods including face-to-face, telephone, email and social media. Communication Between Members Outside of Meetings HRRC-related communication between members when a quorum of voting members is present constitutes a violation of open meeting laws if it takes place outside of publicly-noticed meetings. Members are prohibited from discussing HRRC business in such a situation. Since email communication is common outside of meetings, the following email protocol is adopted: • Any email communication intended for a majority of HRRC members should go through the City Staff Liaison so that an appropriate record can be established. • Members should not respond “reply all” to group messages. • Members should not blind copy (bcc) other members. 26 Members must not engage in a serial discussion of HRRC business. A serial discussion occurs when members discuss official business with a majority of voting members through successive communications. Serial communication can occur through a combination of communication methods such as face-to-face, email, telephone or on a social media site. Communication with the Public Outside of Meetings HRRC members are encouraged to share their work with members of the public within the guidelines noted in the paragraph below. When communicating HRRC business with the public, members should understand and convey the following: • The deliberations and decisions of the HRRC will be based solely on information contained in the public record presented to all HRRC members participating in the deliberation or action. • The member’s comments do not represent the opinion or viewpoint of other commissioners or the HRRC as a whole. Members should exercise care not to communicate how they intend to vote on any pending matter or give the appearance any matter has been pre-decided. Public Announcements and Press Releases The City’s Communications and Technology Services Department will approve and coordinate any public announcements, press releases or other media contact desired by the HRRC. Section 9: Financial Transactions All financial expenditures by the HRRC must relate to the HRRC mission and be covered under the HRRC budget. All expenditures must be approved in advance by a majority of the voting members. The City Staff Liaison is responsible for ensuring that all approved expenditures or reimbursements meet the criteria above as well as other City financial policies. Expenditures that do not meet the criteria above will not be reimbursed. The HRRC does not have the authority to execute contracts or to otherwise financially obligate the City of Edina. Any contract related to HRRC business will be managed by the City Staff Liaison and may be subject to City Council approval. Section 10: Ethical and Respectful Conduct Conflict of Interest Members may not use their position on the HRRC for personal benefit. The interests of the HRRC must be the first priority in all decisions and actions. Any member who has a financial interest in, or who may receive a financial benefit as a result of, any HRRC action or decision must disclose this fact as a conflict of interest. A member who has disclosed a conflict of interest should abstain from discussion and voting on the matter. Gifts 27 HRRC members may not receive personal gifts from any “interested person” in conjunction with their board and commission duties. An “interested person” is a person, or representative of a person or an association, who has a direct financial interest in a recommendation under the HRRC’s purview. This section does not apply to lawful campaign contributions. The HRRC may recommend acceptance of general gifts or donations through the City’s donation policy. Respectful Behavior The City of Edina is committed to providing a work environment free from violence for all elected and appointed officials, employees and visitors. The City does not tolerate any form of violence in the workplace including threats or intimidating actions by or against any of the groups cited above. Violence and threats may include, but are not limited to: • Any act which is a physical assault • Any threat, behavior or action which is interpreted by a reasonable person to carry the potential to harm or endanger the safety of others, or result in an act of aggression, or destroy or damage City property. The Chairperson and City Staff Liaison have the right to call for the immediate removal of anyone who threatens or commits an act of violence on City property. Respectful behavior also includes how HRRC members relate to each other, City staff and members of the public. Members share a joint responsibility in modeling, monitoring and addressing behavior within the group. During HRRC interactions, members should strive to: • Treat people with courtesy, politeness and kindness • Encourage others to express their opinions and ideas • Listen to what others have to say • Use the ideas of others to improve decisions and outcomes • Recognize cultural differences Members should avoid: • Speaking over or cutting off another individual’s comments • Insulting, disparaging or putting down people or their ideas • Bullying other members by displaying a pattern of belittling, demeaning, judging or patronizing comments. How to Report Members can report cases of unethical conduct to the City Staff Liaison, Assistant City Manager, City Manager or City Attorney. Appendix City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 1 – Generally 28 Sec. 2-78. Establishment (a) Authority to establish. Pursuant to Minn. Stats. § 412.621, and other such statutes as are specifically cited herein, the council establishes or continues the following boards and commissions to advise the council with respect to municipal functions and activities and to investigate subjects of interest to the city. (b) How established. A board or commission may be established by a majority vote of the council. An ordinance shall be adopted prescribing the purpose, duties and composition of the board or commission. (c) Subject to provisions in this chapter. All boards and commissions established by the council shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter, unless otherwise specified in city ordinance or state law. (d) Purposes and duties generally. All boards and commissions established by the council shall be advisory to the council and shall have the responsibility to: (1) Investigate matters within the scope of the particular board or commission or as specifically directed by the council. (2) Advise the council by communicating the viewpoint or advice of the board or commission. (3) At the direction of the council, hold hearings, receive evidence, conduct investigations, and, on the basis of such hearings, evidence and investigations, make decisions and recommendations to the council. (e) Advisory role. A board or commission established by the council shall not assume the role of an administrative or legislative body. Sec. 2-79. Cooperation of city officials subject to direction of city manager The manager may make available city staff members to record and prepare minutes of board and commission meetings. Such staff members shall perform only such clerical duties on behalf of a board or commission as provided in the bylaws of that board or commission or as assigned by the chairperson with the consent of the manager. The manager may assign additional staff to assist a board or commission. Sec. 2-80. Membership (a) Regular members. Regular members of boards and commissions established by the council shall be adult residents of the city unless otherwise expressly stated by ordinance. Members who discontinue legal residency in the city shall automatically be deemed to have resigned from office as of the date of such discontinuance. (b) Student members. Student members shall be residents of the city and enrolled full time in a secondary school. Student members shall be nonvoting. Sec. 2-81. Appointment and terms of membership (a) Regular members. Board and commission members shall be appointed by majority vote of the council and shall serve terms of membership not to exceed three years per term. Each member is eligible to serve two three-year terms, except for members of the planning commission, who are eligible to serve three three-year terms. A member in good standing shall serve until a successor has been appointed. 29 (b) Student members. Student members shall be appointed by majority vote of the council and shall serve terms of membership not to exceed one year per term. (c) Resignation and removal. Members shall serve without compensation and may resign voluntarily by letter or e-mail to the city clerk or be removed by majority vote of the council or pursuant to section 2-80 or 2-86 (d) Vacancies. Vacancies in membership shall be filled by majority vote of the council for the balance of the unexpired term. (e) Term of appointment to fill vacancy. A person appointed to fill a vacancy shall be eligible to serve two (or for planning commission, three) full terms in addition to the balance of the unexpired term. (f) No concurrent membership. No person may serve concurrently on more than one board or commission. (g) Staggered terms. Terms of membership shall be staggered so that no more than one-half of the terms on a board or commission expire in any particular year. Sec. 2-82. Committees and subcommittees (a) Establishment. A board or commission may, with specific approval of the council or pursuant to its bylaws, establish committees, subcommittees, committees of the whole or working groups that include members of the board or commission and additional persons as requested by the board or commission. (b) Prohibition. A committee, subcommittee, committee of the whole or working group may not engage in activities, functions, or duties outside the scope of authority granted to the board or commission by which it was established. Sec. 2-83. Organization and bylaws (a) Bylaws. Each board or commission shall adopt and be governed by such bylaws as shall be necessary and desirable for the conduct of its activities. Bylaws shall be subject to review and approval by the council. (b) Chairperson. Each board or commission annually shall elect from its members a chairperson and vice-chairperson to serve a term of one year. No person shall serve more than two consecutive one-year terms as chairperson of a particular board or commission. A chairperson elected to fill a vacancy shall be eligible to serve two full terms in addition to the remainder of the vacated term. Sec. 2-84. Time, location and conduct of meetings (a) Regular meetings. All board and commission meetings are open meetings subject to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law (Minn. Stats. ch. 13D) and shall be held at a fixed time, on a fixed date and in a fixed place as shall be determined by the board or commission. The city clerk shall give notice of all board and commission meetings as required for meetings of public bodies. (b) Public comment. All board and commission meetings shall include scheduled time for public comment. (c) Quorum. A simple majority of voting members, appointed and serving, shall constitute a quorum for any regular or special meeting. If a quorum is not established or maintained during the course of a meeting, no votes on board or commission business may be taken except a motion to adjourn or recess. 30 (d) Meetings conducted according to bylaws. All meetings shall be conducted according to the bylaws of the board or commission. Sec. 2-85. Meeting minutes (a) Official record. Approved minutes of board or commission proceedings shall be public record; the city shall retain a copy of the official minutes of each board or commission meeting in accordance with applicable state law. (b) Recording. A board or commission may appoint from its membership a secretary to record and prepare meeting minutes. Minutes so recorded shall be reviewed and approved by the board or commission and a copy forwarded to the city clerk. In the alternative, the manager may make available to the board or commission a member of city staff to serve as secretary to record and prepare meeting minutes. (c) Distributed to city council. Official minutes of each board or commission meeting shall be distributed to the council prior to the first regular council meeting after approval of the minutes by the board or commission. Sec. 2-86. Attendance requirements (a) Purpose. To assist boards and commissions in fulfilling their purposes and duties and to ensure that they are not prevented from doing so by the repeated absence of their members, the council hereby establishes an attendance policy for members serving on boards and commissions. (b) Removal. Any member of a board or commission established by the council who fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings, or in the case of members of the planning commission, four consecutive regular meetings, or who fails to attend at least 75 percent of the scheduled meetings in any calendar year, whether regular or joint work sessions with the council, shall be deemed to have resigned as a member of the board or commission. (c) Exceptions. (1) The requirements of this subsection shall not apply to attendance at special meetings, or of meetings of committees or subcommittees, including committees of the whole, established by a board or commission pursuant to section 2-82 (2) The requirements of this subsection shall not apply to members of the housing and redevelopment authority of the city, the East Edina Housing Foundation or the city council. (d) Annual review. The council shall conduct an annual review of the attendance of members of boards and commissions established by the council. (e) Vacancies. The successor to any member of a board or commission who has been removed pursuant to this subsection shall be appointed pursuant to section 2-81 City Code Chapter 2, Article III, Division 2 – Human Rights and Relations Commission Sec. 2-116. Policy statement. 31 It is the public policy of the city to: (1) Secure for all of the residents of the city freedom from discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, familial status or national origin in connection with employment, housing and real property, public accommodations, public services, credit and education. (2) Support the home, family and human relations in the city. (3) Cooperate with the state department of human rights, and other agencies and commissions in their programs of human rights. Sec. 2-117. Establishment and purpose. To promote and help implement the above policies, the council hereby establishes the city human rights and relations commission (the "commission"). Sec. 2-118. Duties. The commission shall: (1) Advise the council on matters relating to discrimination and human relations referred to herein. (2) Implement such programs of education and community action which are designed to effectuate the public policy stated in section 2-116 and which have been approved by the council. (3) Cooperate with the state department of human rights, and other agencies and commissions in their programs of human rights. (4) Investigate, study, report and undertake other functions as are assigned to local commissions under and pursuant to Minn. Stats. ch. 363, and to discharge its duties under Minn. Stats. ch. 363 with regard to specific matters referred to it by the state commissioner of human rights or filed with it by individuals. Sec. 2-119. Membership. The commission shall consist of nine regular and two student members. 32 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 HRRC VII. MJ Lamon Staff Liaison ☐ ☐ ☒ 5/26/2015 Correspondence and Petitions None. Information / Background: Correspondence received since the last HRRC meeting. Attachment: Correspondence. 33 4-20-15 Dear Neighbors, More cataloging genocide Holocaust materials... With best wishes, 34 P.S. A letter from the Commission --and perhaps World Without Genocide--might be helpful in convincing the Library of Congress to fully recognize, the Armenian Genocide and; change their subject heading dates for the Holocaust from "1939-1945" to "1933-1945. 35 NA,orkt GEN01 AT WI IA AM NI I ( prA IV WIN.. NVOrt; !Wit NM IgerK Dear Senator Klobuchar, On March 27, 2015, in a bipartisan move, fifteen US senators, including Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Elizabeth Warren, signed a letter urging President Obama to attend the main memorial event in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on April 24, "to send a powerful message that the United States recognizes the magnitude and fultmeaning-of the-Armerkafrfienocide." "While the United States Congress has a long history of support for victims and the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as 'genocide," the senators wrote. When running for president, then-Sen. Obama said in a 2008 campaign statement that "the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely-documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable. [A]s president I will recognize the Armenian Genocide," he pledged. He has not taken action out of concern of reprisals from the Turkish government. You are not a signatory to that letter. The state of Minnesota, along with 42 other US states, 21 nations, and 126 internationally-recognized genocide scholars, has declared that the Ottoman government's killing of 1.5 million Armenian people between 1915 and 1923 was genocide. We ask that you sign on to the letter today and support this request to President Obama. Sincerely, (signature) (printed name) (address) (city and zip code) 875 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105 • admin@worldwithoutgenocide.org • 651-695-7621 .mmtensmixam 36 NNorld wittbou I GENOC WIL I IAM MITC11111 C01.1101 01 [ASV protect. prwont. przAsecute. rernemixl: www.wrffichisithoutgenockiemrg Dear Senator Franken, On March 27, 2015, in a bipartisan move, fifteen US senators, including Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Elizabeth Warren, signed a letter urging President Obama to attend the main memorial event in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on April 24, "to send a powerful message that the United States recognizes the magnitude and full meaning of the Armenian Genocide." "While the United States Congress has a long history of support for victims and the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as 'genocide," the senators wrote. When running for president, then-Sen. Obama said in a 2008 campaign statement that "the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely-documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable. [A]s president I will recognize the Armenian Genocide," he pledged. He has not taken action out of concern of reprisals from the Turkish government. You are not a signatory to that letter. The state of Minnesota, along with 42 other US states, 21 nations, and 126 internationally-recognized genocide scholars, has declared that the Ottoman government's killing of 1.5 million Armenian people between 1915 and 1923 was genocide. We ask that you sign on to the letter today and support this request to President Obama. Sincerely, (signature) (printed name) (address) (city and zip code) 875 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105 • admin@worldwithoutgenocide.org • 651-695-7621 37 Dick Durbin United States Senator Dianne Feinstein United States Senator Brian Schatz United States Senator qobert Menendez United States Senato Barbara Boxer United States Senator Ed Markey United States Senator Cory G dner Unit States Senator 4444. Marco Rubio United States Senator Eli beth Warren Uni d States Senator seed United States Senator ary United States Senator bie Stab United States Senator eldon Whitehouse United States Senator universal human rights upon which our country was founded, and to preventing similar atrocities from ever happening again. Sincerely, 38 ,L-uatcb c WASHINGTOr, DC 20510 March 27, 2015 President Barack °barna The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, during which 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were massacred or marched to their deaths by the Ottoman Empire. We are writing to request that you attend the main commemorative event in Yerevan, Armenia on April 24th in order to send a powerful message that the United States recognizes the magnitude and full meaning of the Armenian Genocide. Your affirmation, this April, of the Armenian Genocide - as a clear case of genocide - will properly honor the victims of this crime and underscore America's principled stand against all genocides - past, present, and future. From 1915 to 1923, 2 million Armenians were deported or expelled from their historic homeland where they had lived for 2,500 years. More than 1.5 million men, women, and children perished. This was genocide. At the time, U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry Morgenthau, explicitly described the genocide as a "campaign of race extermination," an account that was corroborated at the time by the Allied Powers of England, France, and Russia. At the end of World War I, the Ottoman Turkish Government indicted the persons responsible for organizing and executing massacres against the Armenian people. Since then, the historical record of the Armenian Genocide has been documented by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum through a public examination of the historic record. The United States Congress marked the beginning of the Armenian Genocide in 1916 with the passage of its first Armenian Genocide resolution, which noted the "starvation, diseases, and untold suffering" of the Armenians. In subsequent years, additional congressional resolutions noted the "clearly established the truth of the reported massacres and other atrocities from which the Armenian people have suffered." Last year the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported Senate Resolution 410, which calls for the foreign policy of the United States to reflect this understanding of the Armenian Genocide. While the United States Congress has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as "genocide". Your presence at the event would send a powerful signal to the international community that this Administration is committed to recognizing the Armenian Genocide, to upholding the ideals of tolerance and 39 40 f. N NEW YORK WAY, PI A2,! 126 HOLOCAUST SCHOLARS AFFIRM THE INCONTESTABLE FACT OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND URGE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE IT Al the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Scholars Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches con- vening at St. Joseph University. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, March 3-7, 2009, one hundred wen- ty-six Holocaust Scholars, holders of Academic Chairs and Directors of Holocaust Research and Studies Centers, participants of the Conference, signed a statement affirming that the World War! Armenian Genocide Ls an incontestable historkal fact dad texordingly urge the govenunents uf Western democracies to likewise recognize it as such. The petitioners, among whom is Nobel Laureate for Peace Elie Wiese!, who was the keynote speaker at the conference, also asked the Western Democracies to urge the Government and Parliament Of Turkey to finally come to terms with a dark chapter or Ottoman-Turkish history and to recognize the Armenian Genocide. This would provide an invaluable impetus to the process of the democratization of Turkey. Below is a partial lig of the signatories: Prod. kkdinda Door, idarInguishad Protimor pirridicolt Prot bred Clarity. Director, ',VOW t."44 n v.,:o.1.1%..trt:xt UN, -o t, 1,4 torotisoo5. et Grow* Prot Word CA mrehilt Finnic tot110* Pod'. Sovhem Folareekt, Director, horkart Wft_11.3 Prot Saul Friedman, Dirr.dgx, • r Prat Edward Coarinoy. Poo( Zs, Garber, 4txd. Prod DOOMI Gionorks /A.K 3 4. Dr, tiling. Dermrkeed, Pod. Norbert 111rarb. Prot DIU*L Hoonekr cs tr khi..11, Dr, Sims 'Awoke, UAL r,,e. f 55/ s 01 (•••16166 Prot tven Katt, kor.: into. Prot Rickard LAbonritt. Poo, 11e*:1.1 FdarriaLltvoll, i•146,s. frr Prankilo litteD. fordritut Protean* r:c ..1eirov! Prof. Wort G. Locke. Wasktaron Volt Dr. Etiitairmit Makm.11., I hal trik Malkiatt. PO d, Sari Wolorilowiii, te.rNe rti“.or or- • hot jack Nced1c. Director. • "..-tihstr, ra my War Ole /14 *4i4 Morro. Lkomor, Prof kkan S. Roam:Ude crier: inkfon 1. Sholoarra. Ps4 .j 4.5 IF, i; • • I • Prot Simnel Tanen, . • r • Prot ilto Hirst! 4 1A.,1?5-.1 i0.;4! •, ' 4:4 • 4 6`: I•14' thst cx1:,1.Walt Mt AB Al-, sit 6n rdcrtOes ark!. Di. Srr. ccic.r Crater lot itulxator, tr4Grecdtk &Um, IstItny mitat&ou_ P111) rOlt 111 Dist 1 SD1V1101 `, It 1 0 14 \ 01 1111 A11111 111\ t.1‘01, SDI AND 1111 )111,1s11 ii 101 11.sI 41 L4 • STAR TRIBUNE • TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 TURKEY' Condolences are set to Armenians Turkish Prime Minis ter Ahmet Davutoglu extended condolences to the descen- dants of Armenians killed 100 years ago by Ottoman Turks, saying Turkey shared their pain and also announced that a service would be held at the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul to commemorate the victims. In his concilia- tory message released days ahead of Friday's centenary commemorations, Davuto- glu however, stopped short of the calling the killings a geno- cide and criticized efforts to press Turkey to recognize the slaughter as such. Germany plans for the first time to offi- cially recognize the killing; as genocide. NEWS SERVICES 42 SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 201R STAR TRIBUNE • I.1n11T1' - e) sia3 Libtu ke.com ie Armenian and Catholic church leaders held an ecumen- ical prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Paul on Satur- day to remember the 1.5 million Armenians killed by the Ottoman Turks. The Very Rev. Aren jebejian from St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Chicago addressed the congregation as Archbishop john Nien- stedt listened. On April 24, 1915, Ottoman authorities immded up and arrested some 250 Armenian intellec- t' and community leaders in Constantinople. At that time, there were 2 million Armenians in the declining Ottoman Empire. By1922, there were fewer than 400,000. 43 worki wiihout GENOV.;:. nVILLIAM NUMMI. COLLEOF Of I.V.v _••••-•--•_-•n.•• •----• proieci. prNent. prchscelge remernlx,r, NVIV Ntorldwillimlgttwcidc.org The Armenian Genocide: A Selected Bibliography Historical Analyses Alcorn, Taner. A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility. Macmillan, 2006. Akcam. Taner. Dialogue Across an International Divide: Essays towards a Turkish-Armenian Dialogue. Zoryan Institute, 2001. Akcam, Taner. The Young Turks Crime against Humanity: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire. Princeton University Press, 2012. Balakian, Peter. The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America's Response. Harper Perennial, 2004. Dadrian, Vahakn N. German Responsibility in the Armenian Genocide: A Review of the Historical Evidence of German Complicity. Blue Crane Books, 1996. Dadrian, Vahakn N. The History of the Armenian Genocide. Berghahn Books, 2003. Dadrian, Vahakn N. The Key Elements in the Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide: A Case Study of Distortion and Falsification. Zoryan Institute, 1999. Dadrian, Vahakn N. Warrant for Genocide: Key Elements of Turko-Armenian Conflict. Transaction Publishers, 1999. Dadrian, Vahakn N. and Taner Akcam. Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials. Berghahn Books, 2011. Hovannisian, Richard G. Enlightenment and Diaspora: the Armenian and Jewish Cases. Scholars PR, 1999. Hovannisian, Richard G. Looking Backward, Moving Forward: Confronting the Armenian Genocide. Transaction Publishers, 2003. Hovannisian, Richard G. Remembrance and Denial: The Case of the Armenian Genocide. Wayne State University Press, 1999. © World Without Genocide, 2015 44 -- More documentation to support replacing ARMI,N1AN MASSACRES with ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, Also- signment candidatesfor t ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIALISM: -410111W— ea -15. 4-22-15 Cataloging Policy Support Office Library Of Congress Washington, DC 20540-4305 45 DAN RATHER •F or 150 years, The Nation has provided consistently uncompromising and im- portant journalism and, in so doing, has made itself a vital, influential voice In the American discussion. It's worth the subscription price for its deep-digging investigative reports alone, but there's so much more: thoughtful coverage and analysis of international affairs, domestic policy and elective politics, plus opinion pieces and commentaries that regularly touch off new sunbursts of thought, whether you agree with them or not. An Investigative Blueprint American journalism has lost its crusader instinct. Here's how to get it back. MICHAEL MASSING IT'S AN AGE-OLD DEBATE AMONG JOURNALISTS: WHICH APPROA to covering the news is superior—the American, with its stn ing after objectivity and balance, or the European, with its fr embrace of slant and party? Should news organizations seek n all sides of an issue, or should they present the news with unabashed tilt? By now, it seems clear that the Americans (at their be have the edge. Newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington P The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times, for all their shortco ings, offer a rich daily diet of news, from distant wars to local schoo analysis of events and trends; coverage of arts and culture; and opinio from both in-house columnists and outside contributors. Another top p per, the Financial Times, though based in London, follows an Americ ' style approach. The European model has its own impressive exemplar notably The Guardian, but overall the American way has, I think, show its superiority. Yet in the American quest for balance, something critical has been los the crusader instinct. I don't mean crusades of the lurid "Remember Maine" type waged by the yellow rags of yore (or, sometimes, the screa ing tabloids of today). Rather, I'm referring to the sustained coverage key issues with a passion and tenacity that can help mobilize the mass and bring about lasting change. Today, most investigative projects at American news organizations ar limited in scope, episodic in nature and aimed at specific rather than temic abuses. A good example is "Invisible Child," the December 2013 N York Times series describing a year in the life of Dasani, a homeless girl Brooklyn. Totaling more than 28,000 words and appearing over five co secutive days, the series was the largest investigative project ever run by paper at one time. The reporter, Andrea Elliott, eloquently captured di travails of Dasani's daily life and the terrible conditions that she and h family had to endure at the decrepit shelter in which they lived. The sen landed with a bang: it set loo a flood of comments, a flow , contributions to the family, an squawks from City Hall that i policies were being misrepr sented. The City Council hel hearings on the quality of ser vices for New York's homeles and eventually more than 40 children were removed fro two substandard shelters. But the series caused sorn grumbling as well. Explorin it, Bill Grueskin, then a dean ci the Columbia School of Jou nalism, sent a query to abou, fifty journalists, lawyers, pro fessors and students, asking fo their impressions. He got man RADICAL FUTURES THE NATION / 150 YEARS eluding year-round homeless shelters for women and basic services for homeless encampments. We also won $1.6 million in raises for low-paid city workers and strengthened the enforcement of labor laws. We fought alongside tenants and community organiza- tions to defeat an Orwellian attack on low-income housing called "Stepping Forward," forcing the Seat- tle Housing Authority to back off from plans to begin 400 percent increases on rental rates over five years. Organizing with indigenous activists, we established Indigenous People's Day (on the day celebrated feder- ally as Columbus Day), putting a spotlight on the bru- tality and genocide unleashed under colonialism, and on the need to fight against the continued poverty and marginalization of indigenous communities. We have also helped publicize and support campaigns against regressive taxation, rising rents, climate change and the school-to-prison pipeline. AA LL OF THESE GAINS ARE ONLY A TASTE OF the fundamental change we need. While successfully defending low-income hous- ing was a victory, we must also build thou- sands more units. While raising funds for social services is a real step forward, we must also raise tens of millions more just to address critical needs. Genu- ine socialism means planning the entire society and econ- omy on a rational, democratic and sustainable basis—de- livering a high standard of living to all while protecting the environment. Any attempt to develop socialist municipal policies will inevitably come up against resource and techno- logical constraints, as well as political attacks from outside the locality. This can even be seen in the fight for the $15 minimum wage, when Seattle's victory was immediately threatened by potential statewide initia- tives aimed at outlawing local minimum-wage laws. Socialists can overcome these challenges by drawing strength from the interdependence of working people nationally and internationally. The American left will have to build outside the Republican and Democratic parties, whose leaders have repeatedly demonstrated that they will go to any lengths to defend the superwealthy and protect the capitalist system. Progress can happen only by build- ing independent working-class power. This year will see continued struggles against eco- nomic inequality, racial and gender oppression, police brutality and climate change. As we confront these challenges, I hope that my experience in office can serve as a useful example of socialist politics in action, with practical relevance for rebuilding the American workers' movement. Our victories will depend on whether the left champions the interests of working people and the downtrodden—and does so no matter how much this comes into conflict with what is acceptable to the rul- ing elite or compatible with capitalism. That is the essence of a socialist approach to politics. 150th 21Z I P'16 2015 46 RADICAL FUTURES THE NATION / 550 YEARS )eer produe. acting. What the remote d is moving ;e better or- will require lot possibly !,s safer and dlient, can oth require the people of "base"), nn human- -a world in power than repelled by uld grab at ost people, a plausible easy one. I hat choice. 150th CD011111Cfrs The campaign attracted more than 400 volunteers, mobilized support in the labor movement, established a foothold ' among left-wing Democratic Party ac- tivists, won the strong endorsement of the city's largest alternative newspaper (The Stranger), and developed an un- stoppable momentum for action on the minimum wage. None of this would have been possible had I been aligned with corporate interests. All the other candidates in the city elections—most of them Democratic Party members—scru- pulously avoided the issues raised in my campaign. As a testament to the power of grassroots movements, however, most politicians were forced to respond in the election's final weeks, professing tepid support for the increasingly popular call to raise the minimum wage. This time I won the election, receiv- ing nearly 95,000 votes to defeat an en- trenched sixteen-year incumbent. The Seattle City Council now has nine mem- bers: eight Democrats and one socialist. ( ideals, PMENT IN in the air, The tents awakened ness and a the thou- had corn- mly to see ty wages. he moral it the vi- i begun. ' the Ber- 1 Eastern eological t for the policies, levels of ist ideas. and 29 r poll in Socialist and the inevitable pull of corporate politics, Socialist Alternative called for independent candidates representing the 99 percent to run across the country Here in Seattle, I filed in a race for the Washing- ton State House as a socialist "Occupy" candidate. The Democratic Party establishment has virtual monopoly control over Seattle politics, as it does in most urban centers. The city has increasingly become a playground for the wealthy, with the nation's fastest-rising rents and a rapidly gentrifying urban core. My campaign was a refer- endum on corporate, neoliberal politics: I flatly rejected cuts to education, mass transit and social services, while calling for taxes on die rich and a $15 minimum wage. After receiving one of the highest votes for a social- ist candidate in decades, I ran in 2013 for the Seattle City Council. Once again, my campaign made bold anticorporate demands—for rent control, a "million- aires' tax" to fully fund social services, and a citywide $15 minimum wage. Running independently as a So- cialist Alternative candidate helped me tap into voters' anger at the status quo of corporate politics. In Seattle, the council members pay themselves $120,000 a year, the second-highest council salary among the nation's forty largest cities. I accepted no corporate donations and pledged to take only the average Seattle worker's wage of $40,000. I also promised to use the rest of my salary to help build social movements. THE PROSPECTS FOR CREAT- ing a majority coalition on any of the issues raised in my campaign would be nonexistent without mas- sively mobilizing people outside the coun- cil chambers. Yet holding even that single seat in city government has provided an indispensable platform when it comes to winning real gains for or- dinary people. A few weeks after my election, Socialist Alternative and I launched 15 Now, the grassroots campaign that worked with the Seattle labor movement to build support for a $15 minimum wage. Last April, after three months of intense campaigning and movement-building with a citywide network of neighborhood groups, 15 Now filed a "charter amendment." Business leaders, fearing that the ballot measure could end up being passed as a voter referendum in November, decided to limit their losses by crafting a weaker $15-per-hour ordinance—and then fought to undercut that with loopholes. The loopholes (including a longer phase-in period, a tip credit, and subminimum wages for teens and per- sons with disabilities) reflected the strength of the cor- porate counteroffensive to our movement's efforts and the complicity of the Democratic Party. But the final result will be a $3 billion transfer of wealth over ten years from corporations to Seattle's 100,000 lowest- paid workers. This same process, with the relative strength of movements measured against , that of big business, played out on issue after issue in my first year on the council. We organized a "People's Budget" coalition and won increased funding for social services, in- The left will have to build outside the Democratic Party, whose leaders have shown that they will go to any lengths to defend the superwealthy. The Nation I 211 47 RADICAL FUTURES THE NATION / 150 YEARS all over. The "share" economy of peer-to-peer prochic- tion and a collaborative commons is exploding. Wh.4, PD imagines is in the adjacent possible, not the remote. On the demand side, most of the world is movin to cities, so there's a real need to get those better o ganized. Climate change is upon us and will recpa vast amounts of investment and action not possible. supplied by markets. Yet making our cities safer and greener, as well as more just and more resilient, can ' be engineered from any central capital. Both require the local knowledge and commitment of the people actually living there. Finally (and this goes to the question of "bast nothing I've argued for here is remote from hum a n- ity's evident desire. Al] around the world—a world in which the United States has far less limiting power than in the recent past—billions of people are repelled he the effects of predatory capitalism and- would grab. a a plausible democratic alternative. For most people, the choice between further degradation, and a plausi h le route to greater security and freedom is an easy onc. think productive democracy offers people that choice. Progressives should put it before them. 150th Productive democracy would move government more squarely back into the business of public debate and deliberation. Its "privileged" unit of government would not be those private-property guardians so fa- vored by neoliberals—the judiciary. Nor would it be the executive-centered administrative state favored by social democrats. Rather, it would be the "people's house," the legislature—and the organized public itself. In PD's version of progressive federalism, the national government would establish and fund a set of core com- mitments to all citizens; state and regional governments would be free to experiment (or not) above that. Pre- serving its commitment to the affirmative state—the belief that solving problems is the government's job— PD would promote experimentation and deliberative problem-solving, often involving citizens, in achieving legislatively declared goals. It would ensure and mea- sure accountability by the actual progress toward such declared goals, not by monitoring the observance of of- ten meaningless bureaucratic rules. In sum, PD offers a more open, decentralized, local- ly rooted, efficient, egalitarian democracy, supported by leaner and more flexible government(s), as joined by a more capable public. Its policies and institutions cohere and mutually support one other in driving up social learning and productivity, visibly benefiting citizens via a better democratic order. It both satisfies democracy's "survival criterion" and reopens its future. It may not be nirvana, but it's not too shabby. HY AM I OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PRODUC- tive democracy's political chances? For starters, I think it would be very popular with ordinary citi- zens, including many now quite hostile to the current affirmative state. Nobody likes stupid bureaucracy. Wider citizen-worker owner- ship has cross-partisan appeal. Taxes on consumption and "public bads" are more popular than those on in- come. PD's basic values—freedom, opportunity, active citizenship, fairness—are nearly universal. Indeed, the only real opponents I see are the hideously selfish and unpatriotic corporate elites and the many public offi- cials who serve them. Those are exactly the opponents progressives should want. I also think that both the supply and the demand conditions for the sorts of democratic collective action that PD calls for are increasingly favorable. On the supply side, technology, of course, can help. Our abilities to confer across distances, and to coordi- nate, monitor and precisely measure the performance of virtually any inanimate thing, are light-years better and cheaper than they were a generation ago. But more concretely, we are already acquiring the sorts of skills and experience that PD demands. Millions of workers participate daily in multidisciplinary problem-solving teams. Many governments are already breaking down bureaucratic silos, experimenting and measuring prog- ress in policy, and inviting the public to help. New forms of direct citizen engagement in policy are sprouting up 210 J April 6, 2015 For most people, the choice between degradation and freedom is an easy one o4) We Built This City A S THE SUN SET ON THE OCCUPY SEATTLE ENCAMPMENT IN ' December 2011, the question "What next?" hung in the air, as it did over Zuccotti Park in New York City.. The tents were gone, our spirits were dampened, but an awakened sense of empowerment prevailed. The movement had given voice to a widespread fury at big business and a recognition of the gaping class divide. Key to Occupy's success were the thou- sands of young people who had helped elect President Obama and had com- pleted their own first steps toward achieving the American Dream, only to see their college degrees translate into crushing student debt and poverty wages. Inside and outside the encampments, discussions about the moral . bankruptcy of Wall Street began to evolve into questions about the vi- ability of capitalism itself. A revived search for an alternative had begun. Socialism has been declared dead many times. After the fall of the Ber- lin Wall and the ensuing collapse of the "communist" regimes in Eastern Europe, the global capitalist elite launched an unprecedented ideological offensive. The obituary was written not only for socialism, but for the basic ideas of collective struggle by the working class. Now, after three decades of virtually untrammeled neoliberal policies, with class questions again brought to the fore by unprecedented levels of inequality, we have been witnessing a renewed interest in socialist ideas. Half of the young Americans surveyed between the ages of 18 and 29 viewed socialism positively, according to a Pew Research Center poll in December 2011. The winter of Occupy sparked a debate in my own organization, Socialist Alternative. Looking ahead to the 2012 presidential-election year and the US municipalities are witnessing a rebirth of socialist ideals but the movement needs broad support to thrive. KS HAMA SAWANT inevitaki' called percent 1. Hent ton S Demo control . centet!-;.-, for the rapidly t! eadurn cuts to calling t!, Aft CI iSt can City (.1 antic' ill aires' Ia $1 ill°. ciali,-;t, anger, the c ei the sen forty 4 and plq wage Oi salarY. 48 rTHE IN • IIU ion. APRIL2016 /50734 IA/M/PflfS0,,Y ******** 114-*** lk 1k7ik ** **** * ** ******** 11K. ** ******** ** :=1= ** * *• ******** Allen Ginsberg Milton Glaser Emma Goldman William Gropper Robert Grossman D.D. Guttenplan Melissa Harris-Perry Christopher Hayes James Agee James Baldwin Amiri Baraka Wendell Berry Kai Bird Nom Chomsky Alexander Cockburn Sue Coe Stephen E Cohen Arthur C. Danto Bill de Blasio E.L. Doctorow Ariel Dorfinan WE.B. Du Bois Barbara Ehrenreich Albert Einstein Eric Foner Paula J. Giddings Christopher Hitchens Langston Hughes Molly Ivins Henry James Martin Luther King Jr. Freda Kirchwey Naomi Klein Andrew Kopkind Tony Kushner Maria Margaronis Michael Massing Edward /1/Iiliband Arthur Miller Michael Moore Toni Morrison Ralph Nader Victor Navasky Katha Pollitt Adolph Reed Jr. Marilynne Robinson Edward W. Said Jeremy Scahill Jonathan Schell Ben Shahn Mychal Denzel Smith Rebecca Solnit Edward Sorel Art Spiegehnan I.E Stone Hunter S. Thompson Tom Tomorrow Toure Calvin Trillin Katrina vanden Heuvel Gore Vidal Alice Walker Carrie Mae Weems Amy Wilentz Patricia J. Williams Howard Zinn hliphnillid1101.191110.1.huiluld. 1. fa h' a 11141 2170c-9TbSc NW UNI03 UN 30IS9NINN4W DIONAP NUWN39 (MANUS TV lid 9INUITT #8,292.WECIDONUN# 9T1'SS InIU-S**OINU**********willi WAGNNX£1* 49 dvanc Sa 4400 Mornings de Road Edina, MN 55 6 952 925-5738 4-21-15 Hon. Ron Erhardt 4214 Sunnyside Road Edina, MN 55416 Hon. Melissa Franzen Minnesota Senate State Capitol St. Paul, MN 55155 Dear Rep. Erhardt and Sen. Franzen, Please support the bill to designate the second Monday in October as AMERICAN INDIAN AND. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY in Minnesota. It is entirely fitting--and woefully overdue--that we celebrate Native American culture and history rather than the enslavement, subjugabion, and genocide nations. 50 viorld without GEN() World View AT WILLIAM MITCHELL COLLEGE OF LAW protect prevent prosecute remember. www.warkivvithoulgenocide.org iMive &Hog In Minnesota, we celebrate many important cultural, national, and religious holidays„ However, we do not have a day to celebrate American Indian culture or to commemorate the history of native peoples. World Without Genocide has initiated a bill to designate the second Monday, in October as American Indian and Indigenous Peoples Day in Minnesota. This bill will encourage us all to celebrate past and present contributions of American Indians and other indigenous peoples to our local, state, and national culture. It will also encourage us to address present and future disparities and challenges facing indigenous communities. Supporters and legislators at the Senate bill hearing. L to R back row: Annamarie Hill, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council; Sen. Sandy Pappas; Sen. Jeff Hayden; Dr. Ellen Kennedy, World Without Genocide. Front row: Bill Means, Lakota activist; Sen. Chris Eaton; and Jay Bad Heart Bull, Native American Community Development Institute. 51 The Holocaust: Memories, Research, Reference co- tubers Robert Hauptman Susan Hubbs Motin Editors The Holocaust: Memories, Research, Reference has been simul- taneously co-published as The Reference Librarian, Numbers 61 and 62 1998. The Haworth Press, Inc. New York • London 52 Whose Holocaust Is It, Anyway? The "H" Word in Library Catalogs Sanford Berman On February 24, 1995, I sent this message and enclosures to the Chief of the Library of Congress Cataloging Policy and Support Office: Dear Colleague, Kindly explain why The Story of Karl Stojka: A Childhood in Birkenau (1992) was assigned the subject heading HOLOCAUST, JEWISH (1939-1945), IN ART when no Jews can be clearly identified in the 20 reproduced paintings and the Preface unambigu- ously declares This catalogue and the exhibition it documents tell the story of the Roma (Gypsy) survivor Karl Stojka and his immediate family through autobiographical art and reminiscences. Stoj- ka's vivid art-as-memory canvases, painted since 1970, chron- icle his childhood from 1939 to 1945. These documentary paintings recount his persecution as a Roma Gypsy growing Sanford Berman is Head Cataloger, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN 55305-1909. [Haworth co-indexing entry note]: "Whose Holocaust Is It, Anyway? The Word in Library Catalogs." Berman, Sanford. Co-published simultaneously in The Reference Librarian (The Haworth Press, Inc.) No. 61/62, 1998, pp. 211-225; and: The Holocaust: Memories, Research, Reference (ed: Robert Hauptman, and Susan Hubbs Motin) The Haworth Press, Inc., 1998, pp. 213-225. Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-342-9678, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com]. 1998 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. • 213 53 214 THE HOLOCAUST: MEMORIES, RESEARCH, REFERENCE up in post-Anschluss Vienna after 1938 and his incarceration from 1943 to 1945 in three Nazi concentration camps . . . Also, since material on what the Nazis deliberately did to Jews is consistently subject cataloged under HOLOCAUST, JEWISH (1939- 1945), why is there no parallel form covering what the Nazis delib- erately did to Roma at the same time and for precisely the same reason? Both peoples were regarded as Untermenschen, as danger- ous vermin, as inferior species. And the firm policy to degrade and exterminate Jews and Romanies alike distinctly dates from the be- ginning of Third Reich itself, rather than being merely a conse- quence or byproduct of World War II. Therefore, the gloss for the "Jewish" and needed "Romani" description should be (1933-1945). Can it be expected that as a long-overdue matter of accuracy and fairness • HOLOCAUST, ROMANI (1933-1945) will be swiftly estab- lished and retrospectively assigned to all relevant works pre- viously traced under WORLD WAR II—GYPSIES or manifest- ly miscataloged under some form of HOLOCAUST, JEWISH? • HOLOCAUST, JEWISH (1939-1945) will be 'promptly con- verted to the historically-mandated HOLOCAUST, JEWISH (1933-1945)? Enclosures: LC & HCL cataloging records cc: United States Holocaust Memorial Council T. Sonneman (Romani-Jewish Alliance) I. F. Hancock (Romani-Jewish Alliance) MultiCultural Review S. Thomas, Director for Cataloging 2 260 0 300 500 LC/GPO CATALOGING RECORD 590 591 600 650 650 650 650 650 650 650 650 650 650 '700 Ro 13 AUTHOR: Stojka, Karl, 1931- TITLE: The story of Karl Stojka: a childhood in Birke- nau: exhibition at the embassy of Austria, April 30 to May 29, 1992: catalogue by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; a project of the United States Holocaust Memo- rial Council. 500 505 54 REFERENCE 8 and his incarceration tion camps . . . tely did to Jews is UST, JEWISH (1939- 'what the Nazis delib- precisely the same ()schen, as danger- he)' to degrade and dates from the be- merely a conse- tbe gloss for the be (1933-1945). of accuracy and be swiftly estab- t works pre- or manifest- JEWISH? promptly con- UST, JEWISH ustria, Part III: Reference 215 IMPRINT: The Council, copyright 1992. COLLATION: 64 p. SUBJECT: Stojka, Karl, 1931—Exhibitions. SUBJECT: Brzezinka (Poland: Concentration camp) in art—Exhibitions. SUBJECT: World War II—Gypsies—Exhibitions. SUBJECT: Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945), in art—Exhibi- tions. ADDED ENTRY: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. ADDED ENTRY: United States Holocaust Memorial Council. HCL CATALOGING RECORD 110 2 United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 245 14 The story of Karl •Stojka: a childhood in Birkenau.$cPri- mary author: Sybil Milton. 260 0 $bUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museum,$c1992. 300 64p. 500 Catalog of the "exhibition at the Embassy of Austria, April 30 to May 29, 1992." 500 Features 20 paintings reproduced in color. 505 PARTIAL CON 1ENTS: Glossary -Chronology. -Suggestions for teachers: use as a classroom resource. 590 UNISOKS99 591 1992 600 Stojka, Karl,$d1931- 650 Romani Holocaust (1993-1945) in art$xExhibitions. 650 Romani Holocaust survivors. 650 Concentration camps in art$xExhibitions. 650 Birkenau Extermination Camp in art$xExhibitions. 650 Prisoners' art$xExhibitions. 650 Painting, Romani$xExhibitions. 650 Romanies$zAustria. 650 Romani Holocaust (1933-1945)$xStudy and teaching. 650 Romani Holocaust (1933-1945)$xChronology. 650 Buchenwald (Concentration camp) in art$xExhibitions. 700 Milton, Sybil. 55 216 THE HOLOCAUST: MEMORIES, RESEARCH, REFERENCE On March 17, 1995, Barbara B. Tillett, CPSO Chief, replied: Dear Sandy, I have received your letter regarding the cataloging for the book The Story of Karl Stojka: A Childhood in Birkenau. You raise a number of points in your letter and I will attempt to address them here. First, we have traditionally brought out the subject of gypsies during the period 1939-1945 by using the heading World War, 1939-1945—Gypsies. I am not entirely convinced that this is the best way to bring out this topic. On the other hand, recent searches of the LC database, reference sources, and periodical• literature do not offer justification for a heading like Holocaust, Romani (1933-1945). We recognize the fact that the term Gypsy is no longer acceptable in some circles, but we have found that it is still in widespread usage today. The third edition of The American Heritage Dictionary de- fines Romany as "a Gypsy." In addition, the Washington Post and The New York Times both still use the term Gypsy. We consulted with a reference librarian who specializes in this area, who in- formed us that there is very little consensus in the scholarly commu- nity as to which term to use. With regard to the LCSH heading for the Holocaust, we can offer a bit more hope for a change. Current rules for creating headings in LCSH would force the heading to be entered in the direct form, Jewish Holocaust, rather than the inverted form. We have also been concerned about the dates chosen for the period. Our Hebraica catalogers and reference librarians in the Hebraica Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division did not have a problem with the dates chosen, nor were they aware of complaints from their colleagues outside of LC. I am sure that you are aware that chang- ing this heading is a sensitive issue and one that we cannot approach lightly. We will be consulting with our colleagues at the United State Holocaust Museum and the Association of Jewish Libraries. The Story of Karl Stojka: A Childhood in Birkenau received the following subject headings: Stojka, Karl, 1931- —Exhibitions. Brzezinka (Poland: Concentration camp) in art—Exhibitions. 56 Part III: Reference 217 World War, 1939-1945—Gypsies—Exhibitions. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945), in art—Exhibitions. With the preceding as background and information, I consider the subject cataloging of this book to be appropriate for now. To summarize, we will be investigating the heading for the Holo- caust. If we can find agreement on the form of the heading that would not include the word Jewish, we would then determine the best way to bring out subtopics including the fate of Gypsies and Gays during the period of the Holocaust. Thank you for writing again on this topic. On March 24th, I wrote: Dear Barbara, Many thanks for your March 17th letter concerning "Gypsy" and "Holocaust" headings. However, while pleased with the prompt reply, I am truly amazed and disturbed by the content: • "Literary warrant" for a "Romani Holocaust" heading is abundant. The bimonthly HCL CATALOGING BULLETIN has been publishing such "authority" for years (examples en- closed). And some years ago I engaged in a lengthy, heavily- documented exchange on the topic with Mary Kay Pietris in TECHNICALITIES (which I'll forward next week). • The same hol&with respect to whether "Gypsies" or "Roma" (Romanies) is the authentic, self-preferred name. Although "Gypsies" is unquestionably the more familiar ethnonym, there's no doubt whatever that it's a corruption of "Egyptian," since Europeans some time ago believed the Rom to have origi- nated in Egypt (instead of India!). It HAS been LC policy to re- place well-known and widely-used ethnonyms with less-famil- iar but accurate forms (e.g., OROMO for GALLAS and WYANDOT for HURON, not to mention SAMI instead of LAPPS). This is an analogous situation. "Gypsies" is simply not their name. To determine precisely which variant of "Rom" to employ, why not consult with Ian Hancock, Professor of Lin- guistics and leading Romani advocate in the United States? . . . 57 150 450 11 450 450 218 THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIES, RESEARCH, REFERENCE • • When researching the appropriate Holocaust dates, don't ne- glect the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. They ex- plicitly favor the 1933-1945 period. • Re Stojka's volume: The HOLOCAUST, JEWISH (1939-1945) IN ART heading has been grotesquely misassigned inasmuch as Stojka dealt almost wholly with Roma, not Jews. This be- speaks a serious failure to recognize that Romanies were not incidental victims of a Jewish "Holocaust," but rather were targeted by Nazis for degradation and extinction from the start of the Third Reich, as the Chronology compiled by Sybil Mil- ton for the Stojka book amply testifies. In short, they were per- secuted and annihilated at the same time and for the same rea- sons as Jews. So if there is a heading for HOLOCAUST, JEWISH there clearly needs to be a parallel descriptor to rep- resent what happened to Romanies. WORLD WAR II—GYP- SIES doesn't suffice. No more than WORLD WAR II—JEWS suffices to denote/express what happened to Jews. Perhaps as a result of this correspondence, the L. C. Subject Head- ings Weekly List for May 31, 1995, contained the following entry: * 150 World War, 1939-1945—Gypsies CANCEL 150 Gypsies—Nazi persecution [May Subd Geog] [sp 85- 148419] 450 UF Gypsy Holocaust 450 UF Nazi persecution of gypsies 450 UF World War, 1939-1945—Gipsies [EARLIER FORM OF HEADING] 450 UF World War, 1939-1945—Gypsies [EARLIER FORM OF HEADING] 550 BT Persecution A few weeks earlier, LCSHWL No. 18 (May 3, 1995) reported two newly-introduced see-references under GYPSIES: *450 UF Romani *450 UF Roma (People) Rather than belabor the point, suffice it to note that Roma are still not called by their own, self-preferred name, and their experience 55 5 55 55 55 667 68 58 't ne- y ex- 1945) uch be- not were Mu- per- rea- ST, rep- YP- WS Part III: Reference 219 during the Third Reich—although comparable in most essential ele- ments with what happened to Jews—remains "different," "other," and indisputably "less," a "persecution" rather than a deliberate and devastating genocide. In truth, the Nazi Holocaust targeted and decimated many groups, including Jews, Roma, gay men, Poles, and disabled people. To differentiate among the victims, assigning some a greater significance or suffering-quotient than others is to practice a repulsive and unjustified kind of moral mathematics. Indeed, it's playing the Nazis' own game of dehumanization and heartless number-crunching. Below are records from the Hennepin County Library Authority File that demonstrate a more even-hand- ed approach to Holocaust victims: 150 Euthanasia Program (Third Reich) 450 Nazi Euthanasia Program. 450 Nazi Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Third Reich Euthanasia Program. 550 Atrocities. 550 Disabled persons$xGovernment policy$zGermany. 550 Euthanasia$zGermany$xHistory$x2Oth century 551 Germany$xHistory$y1993-1945. 551 Germany$xPolitics and govemment$3/1933-1945. 550 Nazism 550 Violence against disabled persons$zGermany$xHistory$y 1933-1945. 667 LC form: EUTHANASIA—GOVERNMENT POLICY-GERMA- NY—HISTORY-20TH CENTURY 680 Here are entered materials on Nazi "eugenic measures to im- prove the quality of the German 'race'" that "culminated in enforced 'mercy' deaths for the incurably insane, permanently disabled, deformed, and 'superfluous.'" Ultimately, "three major classifications were developed: (1) euthanasia for incur- ables; (2) direct extermination by 'special treatment'; (3) ex- periments in mass sterilization." 150 Gay Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Gay (1933-1945) 450 Homosexual Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Nazi Holocaust (1993-1945) 59 caust- nized LC-fo 150 450 C 450 Hol 667 HCI., 150 Chris 450 Chris 450 Holoca 450 H010Cli s-1:111, 550 Antis 550 Chris 550 Chri 550 Jews$ 550 Judaisin$ 667 HCL fo ii 4 4 155 5 00 0 FF Ho nn 1 11 o aann 667 HCL forty- 220 THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIES, RESEARCH, REFERENCE 550 Atrocities. 550 Crimes against humanity. 550 Gay men$zEurope$xHistory. 550 Homophobia$xEurope 550 Nazism. 550 Violence against gay men and lesbians. 667 LC form: GAYS—NAZI PERSECUTION. 150 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) 450 Catastrophe, Jewish (1933-1945) 450 "The Final Solution" (1933-1945). 450 Hurban (1933-1945) 450 Hurban (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945). 450 Jewish Catastrophe (1933-1945). 450 Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945). 450 Nazi Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Shoah (1933-1945) 450 Shoah (1933-1945) 550 Antisemitism$zGermany 550 Antisemitism$xEurope 550 Atrocities. 550 Crimes against humanity. 550 Genocide 550 Jews, European$xPersecutions. 550 Jews, German$xHistory$y1933-1945. 550 Nazism 550 World War InxJews. 667 LC form: HOLOCAUST, JEWISH (1939-1945). 150 Romani Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 "Gypsies"$xNazi persecution 450 "Gypsy" Genocide (1933-1945). 450 "Gypsy" holocaust (1933-1945). 450 Holocaust, "Gypsy" (1933-1945). 450 Holocaust, Romani (1933-1945). 450 Nazi Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Porajmos (1933-1945). 450 Porajmos (1933-1945). 60 Part HP Reference 221 450 Poffajmos (1933-1945) 450 Romani genocide (1933-1945). 450 Romani Porajmos (1933-1945). 450 Romanies$xNazi persecution 450 Romany Holocaust (1933-1945). 450 Xaimos (1933-1945). 550 Atrocities. 550 Crimes against humanity. 550 Genocide. 550 Nazism. 550 Racism$zEurope. 550 Romanies$xDiscrimination. 667 LC form: GYPSIES—NAZI PERSECUTION. And here are HCL Authority File entries for a variety of Holo- caust-related topics warranted by the literature but not yet recog- nized by the Library of Congress—and thus not searchable in most LC-following libraries: 150 Canada and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Canada and the Holocaust (1933-1945). 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and Canada. 667 HCL form. 150 Christian Church and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Christian Church and the Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945), and Christian churches. 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945), and the Christian Church. 550 Antisemitism in Christianity 550 Christian church and Nazism. 550 Christianity$xRelations$xJudaism. 550 Jews$xRelations with Gentiles 550 Judaism$xRelations$xChristianity. 667 HCL form. 150 Finland and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Finland and the Holocaust (1933-1945). 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and Finland. 667 HCL form. , RESEARCH, REFERENCE 61 15 45 45 55 222 THE HOLOCAUST: MEMORIES, RESEARCH, REFERENCE 150 Great Britain and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Great Britain and the Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and Great Britain. 550 World War II$zGreat Britain. 667 HCL form. 150 Holocaust commemoration services. 450 Day of Remembrance services. 450 Yom HaShoah services. 550 Judaism$xRites and ceremonies. 667 HCL form. 150 Jewish-Americans and the Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 American Jews and Holocaust (1933-1945). 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and American Jews. 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and Jewish-Americans. 550 World War II$xJewish-Americans. 550 United States and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 667 HCL form. 150 Papacy and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) and the Papacy 450 Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) and the Vatican 450 Vatican and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945). 550 Antisemitism in the Catholic Church. 550 Catholic Church and social problems. 510 Catholic Church$xRelations$xJudaism. 550 Christian Church and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 550 Judaism$xRelations$xCatholic Church. 667 HCL form. 150 Press and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and the press. 450 Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) and the press. 667 HCL form. 150 Protestant churches and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and Protestant Churches 450 Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) and Protestant churches. 550 Christian Church and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 667 HCL form. Final tory: ti venient," such event or the affected in library references. As 150 Armenian 450 Armenian 450 Armenian 450 Genocide, 450 Holocaust, 550 Genocide 681 LC form: 150 Middle passage 450 African Holocaust 450 Atlantic slave trade 450 Black Holocaust (A 450 Holocaust, African 550 Atrocities 550 Crimes against h 550 Slave-trade 667 HCL form. 150 Native American 450 American Indian 62 Part III: Reference 223 REFERENCE 933-1945) 5) Britain. 150 Spain and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945) and Spain 450 Spain and the Holocaust (1933-1945) 667 HCL form. 150 United States and the Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945) 450 Holocaust, Jewish (1933-1945), and the United States. 450 United States and the Holocaust (1933-1945) 550 World War II$zUnited States. 667 HCL form. 1945) Jews. ericans. 1945) 945) 5 Finally, there have been—regrettably—many "Holocausts" in his- tory: tidal waves of atrocity and extermination visited upon "incon- venient," "inferior," or "socially undesirable" peoples. Not every such event has been dubbed a "holocaust" by historians, scholars, or the affected groups. But some have. And that should be reflected in library catalogs either by means of primary descriptors or cross- references. As examples, again from the HCL Authority File: 150 Armenian genocide, 1915-1923. 450 Armenian Holocaust, 1915-1923. 450 Armenian massacres, 1915-1923. 450 Genocide, Armenian, 1915-1923. 450 Holocaust, Armenian, 1915-1923. 550 Genocide 681 LC form: ARMENIAN MASSACRES, 1915-1923. 150 Middle passage (Atlantic slave trade) 450 African Holocaust (Atlantic slave trade) 450 Atlantic slave trade middle passage 450 Black Holocaust (Atlantic slave trade) 450 Holocaust, African (Atlantic slave trade) 550 Atrocities 550 Crimes against humanity 550 Slave-trade 667 HCL form. 150 Native American Holocaust (1492-1900) 450 American Indian Genocide (1492-1900) 63 224 THE HOLOCAUST: MEMORIES, RESEARCH, REFERENCE 450 American Indian Holocaust (1492-1900) 450 Amerindian Holocaust (1492-1900) 450 First Nations Holocaust (1492-1900) 450 Genocide, American Indian (1492-1900) 450 Genocide, Indian (1492-1900) 450 Genocide, Native American (1492-1900) 450 Holocaust, American Indian (1492-1900) 450 Holocaust, Indian (1492-1900) 450 Holocaust, Native American (1492-1900) 450 Indian Holocaust (1492-1900) 450 Indians of North America$xHolocaust (1492-1900) 450 Native American Genocide (1492-1900) 550 Atrocities 550 Crimes against humanity 550 Genocide 550 Indians of North America$xDiscrimination 550 Indians of North America$xGovernment relations 550 Indians of North America$xHistory 550 Indians of North America$xRelations with missionaries, trad- ers, etc. 667 HCL form. So what does all this mean from the standpoints of both reference and technical services? First, the continuing reluctance at LC to specify "Holocaust" cross-references may frustrate searchers who reasonably approach a catalog expecting to find material, for instance, under NAZI HOLOCAUST. Or GAY HOLOCAUST. Find- ing nothing, not even a "see"-reference, they may wrongly con- clude the library has nothing on those topics. Second, the relegation of Romani, Gay, and Polish experiences during the Third Reich to a mere "persecution" status unmistakably and unacceptably declares that these groups somehow suffered less or were no more than incidental victims of the Nazi madness. Third, colossal, historic events like the lethal Middle Passage and 400-year-long Native American tragedy are amply represented in most library collections, but not in most library catalogs. They appear not to have happened. And not to have generated any literature. Fourth, in this era of mindless "downsizing" and "outsourcing," such elementary acts 64 RESEARCH, REFERENCE 492-1900) 1900) -1900) 492-1900) 492-1900) 1492-1900) 1492-1900) .olocaust (1492-1900) 492-1900) Part III: Reference 225 as making "Holocaust" cross-references and correcting and ampli- fying an otherwise inaccurate and virtually useless bibliographic record like that for the Stojka book, much less creating and assign- ing needed headings for the Middle Passage, Native American Ho- locaust, and similar subjects, may become even less possible. After all, these catalog-enhancing things can't be done without catalog- ers. And if there's no cataloger available to establish a cross-refer- ence or add a "500" note, and also empowered to do so, the catalog then progressively fails to do what it should: make the collection fully, quickly, ad usifylAccessible to reference staff and library users. ination emment relations ry ons with missionaries, trad- i t hits of both reference luctance at LC to r•-:n 1.te searchers who material, for UST. Find- , ,,Ifingly con- •1r- 'relegation 10=A1,; eich to a declares ,5 ere than storic alive ons, ed. iq 4: of cts 65