Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 09/10/2020APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY COMMISSION THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 7:00 P.M., Eden Prairie Center Office of Housing and Community Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: Greg Leeper (Chair), Shahram Missaghi, (Vice Chair), Katherine Lucht, Leslie Philmon, Sana Elassar, Philip Skeie, Asad Aliweyd, Tyler Aman, Anjali Limaye STUDENT MEMBERS: Ifrah Edow, Jillian Pearson, Nadiah Johnson, Rashmi Acharya, Sehan Adan, Serena Jain COMMISSION STAFF: Megan Yerks, Staff Liaison Julie Krull, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Leeper called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. Commission Member Aliweyd was absent. Limaye arrived during the staff report and Elassar arrived at 8:13. II. INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS There was a guest that arrived during the Staff Report; she introduced herself as Linda and said she was here observing the meeting. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Skeie moved, seconded by Missaghi, to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried 6-0. IV. APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 13, 2020 MEETING MINUTES MOTION: Philmon moved, seconded by Aman, to approve the August 13, 2020 minutes. Motion carried 6-0. V. INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT MEMBERS Chair Leeper asked the new student members to introduce themselves and state why they joined the Commission. The results are as follows: Ifrah Edow – senior at Eden Prairie High School and joined to be more involved in Eden Prairie and felt the Commission was a good place to start. HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 Jillian Pearson – senior at Eden Prairie High School and because she is passionate about politics felt the Commission was a great opportunity. Nadiah Johnson – wanted to help participate in the Community and support diversity. She also attends Eden Prairie High School. Rashmi Acharya – wants to make an impact on issues in Eden Prairie. She is also a senior at Eden Prairie High School. Serena Jain – senior at Eden Prairie High School and joined because she was interested in Eden Prairie and helping out. Sehan Adan - senior at Eden Prairie High School that wanted to get a glimpse at how government works and to help out in Eden Prairie. VI. STAFF REPORT – MEGAN YERKS A. HRDC/Community Events Census 2020 Updates: Yerks gave the following statistics and also commented that Eden Prairie is 481 in the country as a city for response rate. US: 65.5% (August: 63.5% 2010: 74%) MN: 74.3% (August: 72.7% 2010: 74.1%) EP: 83.9% (August: 81.9% 2010: 80.5%) Range: 60.3%-93.2% (August: 57.1% - 92.0% 2010: 57.6-89.4%) B. OHCS Updates Housing Resource Document: Yerks stated there is a lot of housing assistance available in Eden Prairie, Hennepin County and the State of MN. They all have programs running and are primarily funded by CARES money. The programs are complicated and can be tough to navigate. The recommendation is to call 211 or PROP to ensure that residents are applying for the correct programs. Flyers will be available in English, Spanish and Somali and will be distributed through City communications, PROP, property managers collaborative, and email to owners/managers of licensed rentals. Senior Resource Document: Resources for seniors are to be compiled into a 4 page document and will be released to multi-families, Fire, Senior Center, the general public and non-profits. The youth sports equipment event at Prairie Meadows was a partnership between the EP Park and Rec Department, Police, OHCS, Scheels, and Crime Fund. HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 The City and Pax Christi Church have partnered together to collect backpacks for EPS. The goal was 65 and 74 were collected. C. HRDC Upcoming News For the October meeting Joan Howe-Pullis will be attending to discuss Affordable Housing Taskforce. Yerks asked for input on upcoming community presentations as related to Race Equity Initiative – who do you want to hear from? Internal or external? Topics? Issues? Chair Leeper said he would like to have PROP come in as they have played a key role in the Covid situation and for the benefit of the new members on the Commission. Skeie said he would like to have someone come in and discuss health equity and initiatives. Acharya commented there is an organization called Tubman that is a domestic violence center and suggested it may be beneficial to have someone from there come to the Commission. Lucht said she would like to see the police or fire chief. Chair Leeper added that other department heads from the City would also be beneficial. VII. OLD BUSINESS A. ONE EDEN PRAIRIE: LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT Yerks pointed out this came about last year during the Native American History month. She stated the statement is generally made at the beginning of a meeting or event that recognized the land that the event or meeting is taking place on. They wanted to have this for PeopleFest and have worked with Christal Moose of the Native Pride Dancers. She said that Lucht, Philmon, Elassar and herself came up with three options for this statement. Philmon said there is some call to action on each of these statements; that there is some source of curiosity formed when reading them. She said there is a pronunciation guide included and is accessible to everyone. Yerks pointed out once it is 100 percent complete it will be posted on the City website. Philmon said she would like to see it posted somewhere in the Eden Prairie City Center. Yerks presented a list of items that Christal suggested doing. Lucht stated she would like to see this on the website and also posted in the Eden Prairie City Center. Philmon said she would like it read at a City Council meeting, with the Mayor possibly reading it. VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. EDEN PRAIRIE EQUITY AND INCLUSION SURVEY RESULTS HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 Yerks had the results and stated they closed their survey at the end of August. There was approximately 800 respondents. The racial demographic breakdown of participants is as follows: White – 80%, Middle Eastern – 1%, Spanish – 6%, American Indian – 2%, Asian, Asian Indian – 7%, Black – 6%, Other – 6% There was 6 criteria that could be sorted. Skeie said one thing that stood out was that Eden Prairie scored the least for welcoming but they rated the police for welcoming new residents over the population in general. Chair Leeper said this can be a tool when they work on the Race Equity Initiative. After they listen to the community and do research, they would like to meet with the City Council. Chair Leeper said after 9 months they need to have their report finalized. B. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT: EMERGENCY RESPONSE/COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE This group consists of Chairperson Yerks, Aliweyd and Lucht. Three topics were discussed and are as follows: 1. Sub-Committee Priorities & Structure – Specific topics discussed were: Emergency Response • Existing bias training and diversity programs • Use of force (including ketamine protocol) • Post-incident follow-up • Multi-cultural citizen’s advisory committee • Expectations of HCMC as the City’s EMS provider Community Experience • Affordable housing and inclusionary housing policies • School district associations, clubs and programs for a diverse student population; revisit school district’s former Equity & Inclusion office • General experience with and perception of Eden Prairie, including public and private sector 2. Outreach Strategies – The following is what the group had discussed: In addition to the various constituencies and cultures in our community, we also want to ensure we hear from city staff and subject matter experts. There are a number of outreach strategies which we’d like to explore. We first plan to use the existing survey results and the upcoming report from the Office of Housing & Community Services to help guide future strategies. We also plan to consult with faith communities regarding community experience. In addition to the previous general survey, we may HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 also look to focused surveys for both city staff and residents along with personal interviews to help add context. However, anecdotal reports will only be used to enhance data-driven findings. Traditional community listening sessions would be a challenge for health reasons, but virtual versions may be an option. Specific to emergency response, we plan to solicit feedback from EMS, Police, and Fire personnel at all levels of their respective organizations. This would include assessing internal, departmental cultures. We would also like to identify what other, progressive police departments are doing related to race equity. 3. Challenges – The following are the challenges discussed by the group: We want to do everything we can to gather feedback and input from those that are most impacted by our areas of research. Broad, representative participation will be critical so we want to try to remove as many hurdles as possible. However, a number of potential challenges were identified. Gathering feedback from residents who don’t speak English and overcoming language barriers will need to addressed, along with gathering feedback from undocumented residents. This may also overlap with trying to reach residents who don’t have internet access. Separately, city staff and residents may not be forthright with feedback unless they have an anonymous and confidential means to provide it. Communication and expectations will be critical, as cultural change cannot happen in a period of months; actual results may take years. We’ll need to ensure that messaging captures the difference between recommendation timelines and behavioral change timelines. 4. Support Needs – The following are support needs discussed by the group: There are several areas in which we will need support from city staff and our consulting partner, both for information and expertise. City cooperation will be needed to obtain data on arrests, fire/medical calls, searches, tickets, traffic stops, and use of force (including ketamine) if racial categorization is available. The committee may also need access to internal policies and information on the HCMC EMS relationship. In addition to the preceding items, consultant support will be needed for interpreters, listening session planning and execution, and survey design and deployment. HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 C. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT: FACILITY/PROGRAM ACCESSIBILITY/COMMUNTY CONNECTION This group consists of Chairperson Elassar, Missaghi and Limaye. Three topics were discussed and are as follows: 1. Sub-Committee Priorities & Structure –The following was discussed: Priorities: As drafted in EP REI, items #2 and #4 • Program Accessibility & Culture • Connection to Community Purpose and Goal: What: Recommendations to City Council on improving upon & creating an inclusive & welcoming space within city facilities and programs for all; how welcoming is our city to new residents of color (ROC); do people if color (POC) have a sense of belonging; ROC & POC experience. How: Review existing policies, staff trainings, evaluate available /data/resident comments; assess what is working, identify gaps. 2. Outreach Strategies – The following is what the group had discussed: • Inclusive engagement - Intentionally seek input from diverse group/community of residents including but not limited to: age, generation, identity, race, immigration status, foreign born persons, culture, socioeconomic & marital status, gender, historically marginalized communities (various abilities, LGBTQ+, BIPOC (African American/Black, Hispanic/ Latino, Indigenous, women, veterans) • Empower - Listening sessions/surveys • Enhance and Strengthen - Collaborate with existing partners/ Identify new community partnerships to reach a diverse group of residents • Evaluate - Assess what is working and identity gaps 3. Challenges – The following are the challenges discussed by the group: • Communication – language barriers, lack of translated document, interpreters, sign language interpreters, accessible documents, 508 accessibility on virtual platforms/online • Unwillingness to participate, share due to lack of trust, fear, loss of hope, trauma (historical, pre-existing, and present), COVID-19 health & safety concerns. • Balance health & safety with access to community HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 • Digital divide hindering full participate on virtual platform 4. Support Needs – The following are support needs discussed by the group: • Information on how the City currently communicates with residents • Access to data • Access to interpreters, sign language, document accessibility (if needed) • Identify community leaders/local advocates • Access to community gathering locations, contacts, list serve (senior center, community center, P&R, property managers, townhome associations) • SME support from consultant/city staff Resources & References (living list) • City of Eden Prairie, Quality of Life Survey (2018, 2016, 2014) • U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2019 (when available), 2018) • Edina Race Equity Final Report 2018 D. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT: RECRUITING, HIRING AND RETENTION/DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS This group consists of Chairperson Leeper, Philmon and Aman. Three topics were discussed and are as follows: 1. Sub-Committee Priorities & Structure –The following was discussed: Recruiting, Hiring, and Retention This category may include a review of the City’s process for recruiting, hiring and retaining employees with a focus on diversity and inclusion. It may also include an assessment of the current professional development that is offered to staff and ways to ensure that all employees have access to training opportunities that are focused on equity in their area of responsibility. It may also include recommendations that will encourage diversity in hiring. It will also explore the internal policies that are used to ensure that employees experience a workplace free of discrimination or are able to report concerns without fear of retaliation. • Outreach plan and intake process for recruiting diverse candidates • Onboarding, training, and ongoing professional development for all employees • Training and advancement opportunities/mobility • Elements of organizational culture, including supportive programs (Surveys re organizational climate; see HR) HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 • Reviewing internal policies related to recruiting, hiring, applicable training • Review current demographic makeup within city staff • Internship opportunities with city and within city • Apprenticeship positions available, partnerships with MN State Department of Labor and DEED, and Minnesota State system • Review connections with community non-profits, CareerForce (Hennepin-Carver), Hennepin Tech (police training program?), Normandale focused on hiring and recruitment Developing Future Leaders This category will focus on strategies that the City can implement to empower youth and young adults to prepare them as the next generation of leadership. This may focus on educational equity and building career pathways for youth. It may also include investigation into the ways that the City can provide additional opportunities for youth to actively participate in leadership initiatives through advocacy work, internships, educational programs, volunteer opportunities or partnership with community organizations. • Building career pathways and development both with city staff positions and other organizations within the city, including skills wanted by the city and employees. How can the city and other organizations help build training opportunities and workshops and like? • Internship opportunities, including variety and equitable access • City youth programming geared toward leadership development and engagement of youth of color • School district and non-profit DEI, leadership, and career-pathway programming offered currently in EP (take a look at Bloomington HS partnership program; see Megan) 2. Outreach Strategies – The following is what the group had discussed: • Meetings/interviews with key leaders, city staff, others • Listening sessions – virtual and/or in-person • Surveys – existing, new • Educational institutions (EPHS, colleges) • Local non-profits • State agencies • League of MN Cities • Faith communities/leaders • Business leaders (Chamber, Rotary, EP Foundation) HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 • Affinity Organizations (e.g. EP Chinese Assoc; Ladybirds of India, Pakistani Assoc, Mothers Tutoring Academy/Academy of Young Leaders, NADC, etc.) • EPHS Affinity Organizations • PeopleFest Committee or learnings 3. Challenges – These are some of the challenges discussed by the group: • Having/making the connections to these groups • What are people already doing? Might they feel their ownership threatened? (Presenting ourselves partners, champions) • Capacity – for HRDC and others • Gathering honest information from community members, city staff, and others (anonymity, confidentiality) 4. Support Needs – The following are support needs discussed by the group: • Consultant (estimated to be in place in November) • City staff (Megan and beyond) – data requests, meetings/interviews o HR department o Economic Development manager o Public Works director o Potentially all 6 department heads (employment opps etc.) • City Manager direction for staff and ongoing support • Clear Timelines and Milestones: are they achievable, manageable? (Flexibility in process is key as well.) o Two Phases o When do we want to address Council next, and what do we want to say? Mid-Point check-in (January at soonest): this is what we’ve done and what we’re hearing delivered via workshop with Council…allow them to speak into. THEN, move into drafting and report-writing. o Wait for Consultant for formal outreach (e.g., listening sessions, surveys) • Potential Interview/Meeting Questions with Community Leaders/City Staff: o What are you currently doing in this space? o Areas for growth/wish list, including partnership opportunities? Chair Leeper said a good next step would be to have Yerks and the Chairs have a meeting to discuss how they can eliminate overlap. Lucht said the next step could be how to get a hold of internal data that already exists before the surveys. Chair Leeper stated the subcommittees should meet and discuss what data they want. Yerks said she will work with the students to get them in each subcommittee. HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY MINUTES September 10, 2020 Page 2 IX. UPCOMING MEETING A. OCTOBER 8, 2020 X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Philmon moved, seconded by Lucht, to adjourn the Human Rights & Diversity Commission meeting. Motion carried 8-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.