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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 09/13/2012 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012 7:00 P.M., 125 EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Office of Housing and Human Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pam Spera (Chair), Robert Rozanski (Vice Chair), Gayle Sanders, PG Narayanan, Zina Nourkadi, Hans Gustafson, and Laura Kaczmarek STAFF: Molly Koivumaki, Manager- Housing and Community Services; Heidi Wojahn, Recorder STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Camrie Vlasak, Kristina Busch, Jamie Bernard I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Spera called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Commissioner Rozanski and Student Representative Busch were absent. Commissioner Nourkadi arrived at 7:12 pm. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Sanders moved, seconded by Narayanan, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. III. MINUTES MOTION: Narayanan moved, seconded by Kaczmarek, to approve the May 10, 2012 minutes. Motion carried 5-0. IV. NEW BUSINESS None V. REPORTS FROM STAFF A. HUMAN SERVICES REVIEW COMMITTEE (HSRC) No report. B. BIAS CRIME ACTIVITY STATUS No report. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2012 Page 2 C. OTHER REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. International Town Hall Meeting Narayanan, Nourkadi, and Kaczmarek were among the approximately 40 people in attendance at this event at the library for which Koivumaki received good feedback. The way it was set up allowed residents to have easy access to the mayor and council members. Narayanan commended Koivumaki on the presentation and was surprised by the demographic information shared in the PowerPoint. He would like to have seen more people attend. Koivumaki said it was difficult to get people there for a number of reasons, and Council was pleased with the turnout. Some interesting things were brought up during the event. One Somali woman shared what it feels like to go to a park with her children and have the white mothers move their kids away or leave altogether when they arrive. Nourkadi arrived at 7:12 pm. Koivumaki praised Nourkadi on the speech she gave. Nourkadi explained she hadn't prepared anything but felt Council wanted to hear from residents. Koivumaki said Council engaged people well. During the meeting, a South Korean man named Andy Kim mentioned he wasn't aware of HRDC's existence. He thought it would be interesting if commissioners served as liaisons throughout the community and got to know the different cultures. This is a good suggestion and possible work plan item. Koivumaki distributed copies of a document given to her by Patricia Fenrick on her staff. The Compassionate Action Network(CAN) is a program similar to,but a little more in-depth than, the Eden Prairie Manifesto and may be of interest to HRDC. Narayanan departed at 7:15 pm. CAN started in Seattle two years ago. To become a Compassionate City involves Council passing a resolution proclaiming its support for a 10-year campaign valuing citizens and visitors. It sends a message to all citizens that challenges are not solely the responsibility of government,but of everyone and that we can work together to meet those challenges; it tells visitors they are welcomed and their presence is valued; and it sends a message to children that we're working together to leave them a better world. One of the benefits of doing this is they can help with grants and funding for citizen group projects. Fenrick has indicated she would be willing to partner with a commissioner to look into this further. This would involve researching it further and possibly proposing to take it forward to City Council. Spera asked if this would be in addition to or instead of the Manifesto. Koivumaki said it would not replace the Manifesto,but rather be a step beyond it. It is something that could be student-driven, as well. It would HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2012 Page 3 require a presentation to Council but would go to the City Manager first to see if it can go before Council. Spera suggested people take a look at the proclamation and do some research in order to decide if they want to take this on. Kaczmarek volunteered to look into it and give a brief presentation on the topic next month. 2. Latino/Somali Fair This event took place last week in Bloomington. Mohamed Duale, staff member in Koivumaki's office and former HRDC commissioner, represented the City at the fair. 3. Work Plan The City Manager held a meeting for all staff liaisons during which there was a strong emphasis on developing work plans. Koivumaki distributed a rough draft of a work plan and reviewed it with commissioners. Annual regular activities and events in the works were already plugged in. Upcoming presentations have been included, as well, but this is a working document so changes or additions can be made. Ideas are welcome including suggestions for formatting. Presentation ideas are particularly encouraged to educate commissioners on particular topics. One example would be the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon campaign which supports military families (active duty and reserve) and helps them adjust to all sorts of issues surrounding deployment and return to civilian life. The work plan will be a regular meeting agenda item. It will be available to the City Manager on an ongoing basis, and a final report on work plan accomplishments will be due following year-end in June. Spera requested commissioners think about the plan and come to next month's meeting with ideas. 4. Upcoming Events The Park and Rec department is hosting a Heritage Celebration from 12 noon to 4 pm on Sunday, September 30 at the Riley-Jacques Barn. Fenrick is working on putting together games from different cultures. Commissioners are encouraged to attend and take some advertising postcards to share with others. The fourth installment in the "Who Are Your Neighbors" series will highlight the Chinese culture. There is a large Chinese population in Eden Prairie. The event will be held Thursday, November 1 and there is a $20 registration fee. Koivumaki will see if she can get the fee waived for commissioners. This is a joint project between HRDC and Community Education and the format is a meal followed by a presentation and roundtable discussion. Students have served as hosts in the past. Typically there are two presenters at each event—the female presenter this time is Lisa Wu, the City's IT Manager. Koivumaki will send commissioners the Community Education flyer for this event and they should RSVP to her. 5. Best Buy Grant $5.10 remaining. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2012 Page 4 VI. OLD BUSINESS None VII. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS Nourkadi shared her recent experience traveling to her home country of Tunisia in North Africa, this time as an American, and how it was different from her previous trip there before becoming a U.S. citizen. She was proud to use her U.S. passport and had no fear going there. When she entered the capital city, she felt a little fear because of uncertainty about political changes since her last visit. A checkpoint officer asked her what it was like to be Muslim and Arabic in the U.S. This type of questioning would not have been allowed in the past. She felt joy for the Tunisians for their democracy and, although it was hard to be here in 2001 after September 11, she is happy to be an American and embraced the opportunity to share with Tunisians that America is not how they see it in the news. She was privileged to be allowed to meet with people in government and attend a congressional debate over a Libyan minister seeking asylum. She felt she was received well and may write or meet with elected officials about her experience. Referencing the Somali mother who felt discrimination at an Eden Prairie playground, Nourkadi said people need to have the courage to discuss their fears and stereotypes and have dialogue so they can understand better. Both sides need to be willing to reach out. In order to save the kids, the parents need to be educated. The Commission could play a role in facilitating this. There is a lot of work to be done. A man at Tuesday's Town Hall asked why there are no people of color on the police department and City Council. There needs to be education that it is not because of their color or language or accent,but rather certain requirements are needed and a particular process must be gone through first. Koivumaki reported the City does have a Somali reserve officer who has decided to pursue the additional training necessary to become a full-fledged police officer. Spera said Nourkadi has a good point with not wanting kids to have a frame of reference for discrimination. Nourkadi shared discrimination she experienced some time ago and Spera asked her if it still takes courage to be here. She said it does and it takes time and patience as well. Having discussions helps and heals. VIII. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The next HRDC meeting will be Thursday, October 11, 2012, 7 p.m. at Eden Prairie Center, Room 125. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Gustafson moved, seconded by Nourkadi, to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Spera adjourned the meeting at 8:18 p.m.