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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 11/14/2006 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS & DIVERSITY COMMISSION TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2006 7:00 PM, 125 EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Office of Housing and Human Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: Cari Maguire (chair), Melissa Barra (Vice Chair), Larry Piumbroeck, Jeff Strate, Gerry Beckmann, Linda Chung, and Pam Spera STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Sandra Moran, Steven Shouts and Grace Li COMMISSION STAFF: Molly Koivumaki, Staff Liaison Mary Zilka, Recording Secretary I. ROLL CALL Meeting was called to order at 7:06 pm by Cari Maguire. Melissa Barra, Linda Chung and Larry Piumbroeck were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Jeff Strate moved, Pam Spera seconded the motion to approve the agenda. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING The September and October meeting minutes could not be approved as there was not a quorum. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. None to report. V. REPORTS OF STAFF A. HUMAN SERVICES REVIEW COMMITTEE (HSRC) Koivumaki reported the HSRC met on November 6, 2006 at the Office of Housing and Human Services, City Manager Scott Neal attended the meeting. Two topics were discussed: 1) A Community Development Block Grant Fund (CDBG) funded program, called Greater Minneapolis Day Care Association (GMDCA) has ceased providing services and the committee will need to recommend how funds set aside for that program will be reallocated. Human Rights & Diversity Commission November 14, 2006 Page 2 2) Rick Hammerschmidt and Allen Nelson from the Eden Prairie Fire Department made a presentation on the Rental Inspection Program and gave a progress report on this program which has been active since July, 2006. They have inspected nearly 800 units to-date. There are nearly 6,000 rental units in Eden Prairie and the goal is to have them all inspected within 4 years. The inspections take place with the property manager present. B. BIAS CRIME ACTIVITY STATUS A potential crime of bias was reported to police. Details: A white male, in his late 50's who resides at Parkway Apts. was walking his dog in the hallway when he encountered a Somali male & female with two shopping carts, presumably blocking the hallway. The white male said when he moved the carts to pass, the Somali male got mad and threw punches. Somali male says the white male made statements such as "monkey" and "go back to your country" and that no punches were thrown by him(Somali male). There is an independent witness who is cooperating with the Police. Additional Reports from Staff Koivumaki reported on the following: Cable Pro_gram: As directed by the Commission, Koivumaki spoke with the City's Communication Manager, Joyce Lorenz about the possibility of a local cable program which would show Commission members interviewing ELS students from the SHAPE program. Lorenz was very receptive to the idea and will present it to her staff as they build the 2007 cable program schedule. There will be a sub-committee formed to brainstorm this idea. Jeff Strate, Pam Spera, Cari Maguire, Sandra Moran and Steven Shouts will meet soon. Jean Harris Scholarship: The Chamber of Commerce Board is scheduled to take up the issue at their November Board meeting. Prop Shoff The Prop Shop is planned to be a thrift store, to serve as a place for people to donate and shop for clothing and furniture. PROP clients will receive vouchers to shop at the store. Proceeds from sales will support the operation of the store and PROP. Excerpts from an email from the Manager of the PROP Shop to Volunteers: "On Friday, November 3, Cindy Eddy, the Prop Shop director, was informed that The Prop Shop will not be permitted to move in to its planned space at 10360 West 70`h Street. Notification of this decision came directly from the owner of the building and co-owner of TAGS, Greg Aretz. The Prop Shop had signed a sublease agreement with another lessee of the space. This cooperative agreement was signed in good faith by both parties to Human Rights & Diversity Commission November 14, 2006 Page 3 be effective November 1. Unfortunately, Mr. Aretz, the owner of the building, has final say over all sublease agreements and has opted not to approve our sublease agreement. This should in no way dampen our enthusiasm and optimism for The Prop Shop project. Rather, it strengthens our commitment to PROP and the community." Solution Finders: Koivumaki provided this information from Ali Turner, of the Hennepin County Library. It was received via email: "The Foundation of HCL had some programming funds allocated for work with Somali teens which we parlayed into a video project with a core group of participants from Solution Finders. Library school grad student Jeanna Rex is leading the project in cooperation with Phillips Community TV (http://Www.youthmedia.ty/). Jeanna has experience as a public health social worker in schools and her colleagues at PCTV specialize in developing short video pieces with teens. The HCL Foundation funding allowed us to present several ideas for media- based expressions of the many of the issues discussed in Solution Finders meetings over these past few years to the group. The teens selected video. Last week they viewed a 10 minute piece made by 2 Somali teens that are students at South High School and met the students, who came in person to EPHS. This coming week they will be meeting to further discuss the topic for their short piece and start looking at the video equipment that they could use. (Tues at 3PM) The work that we're doing to connect with Somali youth really seems to be helping the tenor of the public library building, especially now that we're open 7 days a week. A few of the students are volunteering regularly and many will be volunteering at our Somali book release family event next weekend: Somali Bilin,-ual Book Proiect Saturday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m. Author Said Salah Ahmed and illustrator Kelly Dupre will read their book, "The Lion's Share,"in both Somali and English. Program includes other book- related activities including art demonstrations and author/illustrator signings. Sponsored by the Hennepin County Library in collaboration with Minnesota Humanities Council." Somali Leaders Group: Lt, Mike Bosacker from the Eden Prairie Police Department and Khadra Duale from the Office of Housing and Human Human Rights & Diversity Commission November 14, 2006 Page 4 Services will hold the first Somali Leaders Group meeting on Thursday, November 16, 2006, at the Office of Housing and Human Services. The purpose of this group is to help the police department build relationships within the local Somali community. VI. OLD BUSINESS VII. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS A. SOUTH HENNEPIN IMMIGRANT SERVICES GROUP (SHISG) Gerry Beckmann reported the SHISG meeting was poorly attended. There was not a speaker scheduled. Mr. Martin Mohamed gave an update on the business he is starting in Eden Prairie. Mr. Mohamed brought Mr. Spencer Blaw, consultant and organizer, with him to the meeting. Mr. Blaw helped on the "Get Out and Vote" campaign and is also working with Mr. Mohamed to plan the Cultural Center here in Eden Prairie. Mr. Mohamed made a prediction that "in 2010 we (Somali) will be the majority here." Khadra Duale, Immigrant Services with the City is working on a census of how many Somali citizens we have in Eden Prairie. Nancy Holgers, SHAPE hired Ruth Aldrich as the vista worker. Aldrich will spend the first six months assessing Eden Prairie population and seeing what kind of programs should be held. SHAPE is having difficulty with low student numbers at the 9:30— 10:30 am Monday through Thursday class and may have to close down. Mr. Walid Safwat, student advisor. Eden Prairie Technical College, announced November 29, 2006 is International Day at the college. The purpose of this day is to help everyone better understand the diversity at the college. This event is organized and run by the students. The event will be from 11:00— 1:00 pm. There will be food to try and display booths to view. B. ANY COMMISSION MEMBER MAY REPORT Cari Maguire reported that she and Melissa Barra and have put up a couple displays at the Eden Prairie Library and are hoping to do more. Moran said she has seen them and complimented Maguire and Barra for their work. Maguire added that on Sunday evening, November 19, an interfaith prayer service would be held at Pax Christi church, celebrating the many faith traditions of people in Eden Prairie. Jeff Strate went to the Solution Finders meeting at the Eden Prairie High School. Strate commented that it was an energetic crowd, some girls, mostly boys and he believes mostly Somali. Strate listened and thought some kids seemed to just not be putting anything in or getting anything out of the meetings. He thought other students were getting a bit irritated by those uninterested students. They were discussing a video project they want to make Human Rights & Diversity Commission November 14, 2006 Page 5 about being immigrants who live in America. Hopefully, the video will be shown on Channel 6 when completed. The Solution Finders group is in a transition period and the Eden Prairie Library staff has taken a more active leadership role since Randy Thompson has left the Police Department and no longer attends the meetings. The next Solution Finders meeting is scheduled for November 21, 2006 in the teacher's lounge at the high school. Strate questioned if there is someway we could get City Manager Scott Neal to formalize the funding of this group. Koivumaki said the City services including Police, Park & Rec, and Housing & Human Services work in collaboration with all different organizations to make the Solution Finders group possible. Organizations provide in-kind funding, such as use of space, transportation, leadership, instead of dollars. Currently, Solution Finders is not dependant on any one source of funding. Beckman said if someone on staff or council is reading the minutes they will know that the Solution Finders group will now have a product that they can show, the video. Maguire and Spera are planning on going to the next Solution Finders Group meeting. Gerry Beckmann attended the Veterans Day Service at the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area on Saturday, Nov. 11. Beckmann thought it was well done and a very nice tribute. VIII. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORT Sandra Moran reported the following information: The Choice is Yours: A program for minority students who live in certain parts of Minneapolis are able to apply for this program. Busing is provided through a state grant. The buses take the students to and from school. In EPHS there are eight students. There are other students throughout the other schools in the Eden Prairie School District. A maximum of 86 students are able to apply,but so far not that many students have applied. After School Computer Program: An after school computer program was started for mostly ESL students who do not have a computer at their home. Twice a week, students are able to stay after school to work on computers. All they need is a pass, and the student will be allowed to stay after school. STRIVE: STRIVE is a program that was created several years ago for students a lower GPA who will have a mentor. This program is sponsored by the Eden Prairie Rotary Club. Rotarians come in and meet with students and have lunch with them. The program has been a success in the past and is continuing again this year. Grace Li reported the following information: Human Rights & Diversity Commission November 14, 2006 Page 6 The computer club for the ESL students meets twice a week to help students with their school work. The Diversity Group at the high school, primarily attended by Somali and African American students. They discussed student profiling and other racism problems at the high school. They wanted to know how they can raise awareness in the school and possibly take the racism issues to a city level. It is a student run group,but they are trying to work with one of the deans. In order to become a club, they would need a faculty advisor. Li asked if there are specific issues that are going on and the students feel they are not being heard if bringing it to the HRDC would help. Maguire remarked she does not know if the HRDC could help on issues,but would be willing to listen either way. IX. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS Next meeting is December 12, 2006 at 7 PM. X. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.