HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021/10/05 - ADMIN - Minutes - Human Rights Commission - RegularOfficial minutes
Human rights commission
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
10/05/2021
I. Call to order
a. Roll Call
Members present: Avi Olitzky, Virginia Mancini, Andre Barajas, Astein Osei, Thomas
Scott, Jaime Chismar, Paul Baudhuin, Katie Lawler
Members absent: Li Livdahl, Emily Buchholz
Staff present: Nichole Salaam
Staff absent: Darius Gray
Guests:
II. Approval of minutes
Passed unanimously
(?) motion
(?) 2nd to approve
II. Approval of tonight’s agenda
Passed unanimously
(?) motion
(?) 2nd
III. Bias Hate Crimes review
-opportunity for how to approach hate crimes: letters of support? How do we want to engage
impacted communities?
-Darius still waiting to hear from Steve Huntington(?)
-per Virginia, have done letters of support in the past (included hotline to hate crimes, state
connections)
-Avi suggested that measures should be helpful, rather than a “labor” of comfort
-idea of allyship: op-ed in Sun Sailor?
-increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric correlated with 9/11 and Jewish high holy days
-potential meeting with City Council?
-Nichole noted that the Police Multicultural Advisory Commission (PMAC) meets regularly;
potential opportunity to connect if interested, or someone could come speak
-incidents not isolated to Jewish community
-Jaime asked if a letter actually be a comfort, or make us look like we weren’t paying attention?
-need a better system in place for emergency processes
-**AGAIN: need to look at bylaws
-Virginia asked:
1. How do we open channel of communication with Council so that we can fulfill our
primary responsibility of advising?
2. How do we respond more appropriately and timely to the community?
-Is there a way we could alert and involve the community so that they are aware of what’s
going on?
-if City Council would not allow us to publish an op-ed, we could make a resolution to urge
them to respond more acutely
-i.e., “This is what community looks like”
-restorative peace circle at one of the synagogues?
-concerns for gathering during a pandemic
-Peace Circle Subcommittee formed: Avi, Tom, and Astein; Jaime could help with design
-invitation to area communities (i.e., Council, other commissions)
-place: ROC? Veterans Memorial?
-who, what, where, when, why, how
IV. Kudos
-Yin for the Minnesoti Festival (great ally if ever needed)
V. Council Agenda Items
None
VI. City Updates - Nichole
-Nichole will be transitioning out of her role to work in an executive role at LifeSource
(EDI/race equity work will be central)
-last day 10/22
VII. REI Dashboard
-content draft will be up for public viewing to look at data and how we’re doing our
work
-early draft of content pages/data sets
-seeking feedback from HRC regarding content
VIII. Community Engagement Updates
1. Just Deeds – Nichole
-City’s website has a section detailing city’s participation; train-the-trainer program
working with Golden Valley; met with some legal expertise
-discussion re: how would we have conversations with residents?
-Just Deeds are really pushing on educating people about systemic racism and how it ’s
played out in the housing sector
-would be great if HRC could be involved (Paul and Avi)
-how could interested residents get connected with lawyers?
-Golden Valley has put together a packet for facilitators for conversations
2. Book Club – Nichole
-Green Card Voices will be delivered to SLP library mid-October
-distribution late October/early November
**touch base with Darius re: launch party
3. ESC/HRC Partnership Film Screening – Nichole
-October 30 Youth V. Gov (students from all over the country who got together via social
media to sue the government re: climate change)
-HRC members on the discussion panel? (Nichole will check with Darius)
-**potential to promote screenings at Book Club Library launch
X. Quarterly MNHRC Meetings and Resources – Nichole
-would be great if some reps from the HRC to attend to network/resource share with
other HRCs
XI. Bias hate crimes follow up – connection with Steve
-Darius waiting to hear from Steve re: Bias/Hate Crime updates
XII. Subcommittee Updates
-**f/u with Darius re: Green Card Voices panel
XIII. New business
XIV. Adjournment