HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.22.21 HRRC_Minutes_ApprovedDraft Minutes☐
Approved Minutes☒
Approved Date: July 27, 2021
Minutes
City of Edina, Minnesota
Human Rights & Relations Commission
Virtual Meeting, WebEx,
June 22, 2021, 7 p.m.
I. Call To Order
Chair Epstein shared information for virtual meeting guidelines for Commissioners and those watching or
listening in to the meeting.
Chair Epstein called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Answering Roll Call: Chair Epstein Commissioners Edwards, Felton, Segall, Ross, Bennett, and
Guadarrama; Student Commissioners Lichtenberger and Mirza
Staff Present: Heidi Lee, Race & Equity Coordinator and Risi Karim, City Management Fellow
Absent: Student Commissioner Borene
Late: Commissioner Stringer Moore (7:03pm) and Commissioner Ismail (7:05pm)
III. Approval of Meeting Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Ross to approve the June 22, 2021 meeting agenda, seconded by
Commissioner Segall. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
IV. Approval of Meeting Minutes
Fellow Karim indicated the following changes to the draft minutes:
• Commissioner Guadarrama should be marked absent instead of late for the May 25,2021 meeting.
Motion by Commissioner Stringer Moore to approve the May 25, 2021 meeting minutes,
seconded by Commissioner Edwards. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
V. Reports/Recommendations
A. Human Rights & Relations Commission 2021 Work Plan
• The Commission discussed the 2021 Work Plan with the following updates:
o Initiative #1 – Days of Remembrance
Commissioner Stringer Moore shared the following updates with the Commission:
- Days of Remembrance will be held on July 29th at 7pm in Edina City Hall
- Student Commissioners will work with Staff Liaison Lee on poster design
- Staff Liaison Lee will check in with the city’s communications team about taking a headshot for Manny
Gabler.
- The subcommittee is still waiting on attendance confirmation from Mayor Hovland. o Initiative #2 – Tom Oye Award
- No update
o Initiative #3 – Sharing Values Sharing Community Event
Draft Minutes☐
Approved Minutes☒
Approved Date: July 27, 2021
- Commissioner Felton shared the following updates with the Commission:
- The Stop The Hate event will take place tentatively on Sunday, September 12, 2021, from 3:00 pm
– 5:00 pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
- The event will highlight the rise in anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-Asian and the continuous attacks on
various marginalized groups that includes but not limited to the LGBTQ+ and Latino community.
- Possible panelist for the event will include representatives from the Asian, Muslim, Jewish and African
American Community.
Motion by Commissioner Felton to approve the subcommittee’s event plan for Stop The Hate,
seconded by Commissioner Ross. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
o Initiative #4 – Race, Justice, and Policing Community Awareness Plan & Implementation
Commissioner Felton shared the following updates with the Commission:
- The Community Conversations: Race, Justice and Policing event will be held Sunday, October 17,2021,
from 3:00pm-5:00pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
- A Member of the Edina Police Department will be asked to assist the subcommittee with the planning of
the event.
- The event will be hybrid with an option for the community to join the event via live stream from home.
Motion by Commissioner Bennett to approve the subcommittee’s event plan for Community
Conversations: Race, Justice and Policing, seconded by Commissioner Stringer Moore . Roll call
vote. Motion carried.
o Initiative #5 – Bias Offense Review
- No update
o Initiative #6 – Review and comment on a plan developed by P&R and R&E staff
- No update
B. 2022 Work Plan Development
Staff Liaison Lee began the conversation by giving a brief overview of the Boards and Commissions 2022
Work Plan Timeline and Council Charges .
• The Commission discussed the 2022 Work Plan and what would be completed, continued or added
from this year’s Work Plan.
- Commissioner Bennett suggested partnering and supporting the Community Health
Commission on initiatives related to mental health and policing. The Initiative could also fall
under the scope of Initiative #4 – Race, Justice, and Policing Community Awareness Plan &
Implementation.
- Commissioner Bennett proposes the Commission revisits the city’s naming policy for public
parks and facilities.
- Commissioner Segall proposed expanding the scope of initiatives 3 & 4 to include the issue of
Ageism in the community.
- Commissioner Felton commented that whatever initiatives the Commission decides to move
forward with for 2022 that the initiatives should be both impactful and meaningful for members
of the community.
- Commissioner Bennett suggested the Commission consider developing messaging to bring more
awareness to voting rights, voter fraud and other election related policies.
- Commissioner Stringer Moore suggested adding an additional event to Initiative 3- Sharing
Values Sharing Community Event to include a focus on mental health and available resources.
Draft Minutes☐
Approved Minutes☒
Approved Date: July 27, 2021
- Staff Liaison Lee asks members of the Commission to give consideration and rank which initiatives
they would like to be apart of as well as which initiative they would be willing to lead.
- Staff Liaison Lee will have a draft 2022 Work Plan at the August meeting so the Commission can
approve the 2022 Work Plan at the September meeting and go to Council for feedback in October.
C. Return to In Person Meetings
o Staff Liaison Lee shares that Commission meetings for July and August will be hybrid model.
Commissioners can decide to attend the meeting in person or via WebEx.
- The September 28th HRRC meeting will be held in person, no virtual option will be available for
Commissioners.
o Members of the public can also begin attending meetings again and Community Comment will return to
the agenda. Speakers must be physically present in the meeting room to participate. They still have the
option to provide comments via the website form submittal.
VI. Chair and Member Comments
• Commissioner Bennett recognizes that Juneteenth has now become a federal holiday and
commends the activists who worked to make this happen. Commissioner Bennett also
highlights the current attack on voting rights happening in the country and urges elected
officials to take a stand on protecting voting rights.
• Commissioner Stringer Moore shares an invitation from the Anti-Racism Collective for
members of the HRRC who would be interested in marching alongside the Anti-Racism
Collective during Edina’s 4th of July parade.
• Commissioner Stringer Moore announces that on June 23rd Junita Flowers, local
businesswomen and owner of Junita’s Jar and Representative Dean Phillips will be hosting a
conversation for the #ShareTheMicMN platform.
• Commissioner Segall shares that the Edina League of Women Voters will also be marching
alongside the Anti-Racism Collective at the Edina parade.
• Commissioner Edwards recognizes that Pride month events will be held in both June and July.
• Commissioner Felton thanks city staff and several Commissioners for their aid & support of
Initiatives 3 & 4.
VII. Staff Comments
• Staff Liaison Lee shares that she has reached out to Edina public schools to schedule a
meeting with the incoming Superintendent Dr. Stacie Stanley.
• Staff Liaison Lee shares that the Just Deeds program was recently approved by the City
Council and that staff has begun receiving request from community members to join the
initiative.
• Staff Liaison Lee shares that the Police Chief selection have concluded the interview phase
and will be moving forward with background and reference check for finalist.
Adjournment
Motion by Commissioner Felton to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Segall.
Roll call vote. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:05p.m.