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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.18.19 HRRC_Minutes_ApprovedDraft Minutes☐ Approved Minutes☒ Approved Date: 7/16/2019 Minutes City Of Edina, Minnesota Human Rights & Relations Commission Edina City Hall, Mayor’s Conference Room, June 18, 2019, 7 p.m. I. Call To Order Chair Nelson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. II. Roll Call Answering Roll Call: Chair Nelson, Commissioners Beringer, Epstein, Edwards, Kennedy and Stringer Moore. Staff Present: Heidi Lee, Race & Equity Coordinator; and Jennifer Garske, Executive Assistant Absent: Commissioners Arseneault, Jones and Meek and Student Commissioner Moss-Keys. Arrived late: Student Commissioner Waldron III. Approval Of Meeting Agenda Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to approve the June 18, 2019 meeting agenda, seconded by Commissioner Beringer. Motion carried. IV. Approval Of Meeting Minutes Motion by Commissioner Epstein to approve the May 28, 2019 meeting minutes, seconded by Commissioner Kennedy. Motion carried. V. Special Recognitions and Presentations A. Presentation by Heidi Lee, Race & Equity Coordinator a. Chair Nelson introduced Staff Liaison Lee b. Lee discussed topics including: i. Race—not only how I perceive myself but also how others perceive me 1. What does that work look like in the City of Edina? ii. Systemic thinking 1. Patterns and beliefs connected to structures in place 2. Identifying barriers for people not using our facilities a. What patterns are associated with it? b. Fees, programming, transportation—all the systemic things that are contributing to the results. iii. Partnership 1. Let Heidi know what you are hearing, seeing in the community 2. What do you as a Commission need from Heidi to do your work plan? c. Commissioners brought up several topics: Draft Minutes☐ Approved Minutes☒ Approved Date: 7/16/2019 i. It would be helpful for Lee to also share with the Commission the attitude toward her work in the community at large. ii. Why do people want to brush this stuff under the carpet? a. Lee shared it is a challenge to be able to put in place procedures to get to that “why.” i. Create a framework for people to have conversations. ii. Have grace for others as you have conversations in the community. iii. Common language—what we mean when we say we are talking about race. iv. Making all staff members race and equity leaders. b. An urgency at City Hall to tackle disparities, but not seeing that in community. i. We are operating on the assumption that racial equity is being supported. How do we move the issue forward with the very public and very professional opposition? ii. People don’t make it a priority. Falls on the bottom of people’s priority list. iii. Reframing what equity looks like. 1. Scarcity model—I am giving something to someone, and taking from someone else, “and vs. or.” 2. Balance, especially in a government environment. iii. How do we get to the technical piece? 1. May get to the technical piece, but need to assess and evaluate first. iv. Working with Affordable Housing Development Manager is important. d. Conclusions from Staff Liaison Lee: i. Important to get data collected to all departments of the city. 1. Data drives the work to be able to show the disparities. ii. Working to embed race and equity into the work. iii. The framework will include a checklist. 1. Who does this impact? Who does this burden? Student Commissioner Waldron arrived at 7:07 p.m. VI. Community Comment—None VII. Reports/Recommendations A. 2019 Commission Work Plan a. The Commission discussed the Work Plan. i. Chair Nelson connected with Matt Dahlen, chair of Parks & Recreation Commission about Work Plan Initiative #2: Review the naming of a public facility in the Grandview area after BC and Ellen Yancey. 1. Parks & Rec Commission had work session meeting with Council last month. 2. No restrictions in geography, does not have to be Grandview area. 3. HRRC can come up with most appropriate way to proceed. Draft Minutes☐ Approved Minutes☒ Approved Date: 7/16/2019 4. Get list to working group of places that can be named a. Wooddale Park was suggested as a possibility. b. Was Yancey homestead near the park? i. Stringer Moore will ask Historical Society for more info 5. Chair Nelson will circulate the survey created by the Arts & Culture Commission about Initiative #3, ensuring city facility artwork and décor reflects diversity of race and culture. B. Tom Oye Award Recommendations a. Commissioner Kennedy reported on the changes and timeline for this year’s Tom Oye Award: i. Two categories this year—one for non-students and one for K-12 and above students 1. Received many student nominations last year and it is hard to compare adults and students ii. Deadlines: 1. Make selections at October meeting 2. Make sure the winner can be at the Dec. 3 meeting 3. Would like posters and press release ready by Aug. 27 to distribute to HRRC members to share iii. Changes need to be made: 1. Make change to online form a. Have option for paper form by having some at school and City Hall 2. Add something to website about the Immortal Chaplain Award, which Tom Oye received iv. Presentation of Award 1. Dec. 10 is the anniversary of signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 2. Commissioner Kennedy will reach out to her the first recipient’s daughter, Caitlin Ellingen Friedemann, to see if she would like to give out the award Dec. 3 3. Framed copies of declaration to recipient(s) v. Discussion around sending letters to nominators from last year or past winners. 1. Leave getting the word out to marketing. a. Reach out to clubs like Rotary b. Invite past winners c. Encourage future nominations at meeting in December when awards are given out Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to approve the Tom Oye Award Plan, seconded by Commissioner Edwards. Motion carried. C. Recent Mailings by The Center of the American Experiment a. Discussion asking what are people hearing? Something we should, could address in some way. 1. Don’t want to give it more credence or fuel. Draft Minutes☐ Approved Minutes☒ Approved Date: 7/16/2019 2. Extend invitation to Edina Schools to get information about what is going on in the schools. a. Mosaic initiative b. Edina School District Director of Equity and Enrollment or Edina High School Principal 3. Chair Nelson suggested scheduling their presentation for August VIII. Chair and Member Comments A. Chair Nelson shared that the Arts & Culture Commission would like to come to the July 16 HRRC meeting to talk about the two arts initiatives B. Chair Nelson noted that HRRC will meet with the City Council in the Work Session at 6:15 p.m. July 16 a. Regular HRRC meeting will follow immediately after b. Chair Nelson will reach out to commissioners individually to discuss presenting information at the Work Session c. Suggested that Chair Nelson talk about the bias offense plan at the Work Session. IX. Staff Comments C. Staff Liaison Lee shared the Work Session July 16 will be about 45 minutes X. Adjournment Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Stringer Moore. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.