Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes Committee Meetings Minutes November 3, 2022 Virtual/Electronic Meeting 6:30 pm Click HERE to access rebroadcasts of past Human Rights Commission meetings on YouTube. Click HERE to access an archive of past Human Rights Commission work on the City website. HOUSING 1. WELCOME a. CALL TO ORDER i. Commission Chair, Jessica Harris, called the Zoom meeting to order at 6:36 pm b. ROLL CALL i. Jessica Harris ii. Mary Bauer c. MISSION (recited by all): Act as a strong advocate to justice and equal opportunity by providing citywide leadership and guidance in the area of civil rights. 2. MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC a. PUBLIC COMMENT i. None b. COMMISSION RESPONSE TO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC i. None 3. MINUTES a. None 4. WORK SESSION a. During the last meeting on 6/28/22, the committee discussed emergency housing i. Housing committee has not yet identified action items ii. HRC Director reviews most recent committee actions: 1. Wolfgang had reached out to Anthony Haro, Director of Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless (BRACH) to discuss having an introductory joint work session 2. Look at notes from homelessness “Rumbles” and ensuing summit by Deputy City Manager for REDI 3. Look at notes from TJACH’s presentation to Council 4. Director notes that Anna Mendez, former Executive Director of Partner for Mental Health (PMH), is now Executive Director of the Haven a. Said she would like to meet with Deputy City Manager for REDI and HRC Director to discuss systemic changes in the continuum of care iii. Commissioner says she would like to hear from Anna again in her new role at the Haven 1. Anna could help the Commission identify some more narrow and achievable goals b. Director suggests reviewing notes, coming up with questions, and forming a panel, inviting people like Anna Mendez, Anthony Haro, Samantha Wood (works in regional homelessness support services), Jayson Whitehead (Executive Director of PACEM), etc. to talk about the city’s current needs and identify the sources of disconnect between the City and the community i. Commissioners suggests gathering with various key players in the service provision corner to find out the most pressing specific needs of the community, and communicate those needs to Council ii. Commissioner notes that the meetings with these people should occur in a regular meeting, or at a Housing committee meeting that is specially attended by more members of the Commission 1. Commission Chair prefers the conversations occur in regular meetings as long as Mary and Wolfgang are willing to do preparational work, which Mary is (will talk to Wolfgang about it) 2. Commissioner asks for the date to aim for a. Meetings will be in person for the rest of the year, but guests could come virtually b. Will aim for January or February meeting, which could then lead into the retreat (and be online because it is a new year) c. January is also when officer elections occur (retreat would likely occur in April) c. HRC Director will send Mary, Wolfgang, and Jessica background information and a list of potential panelists i. Mary, Wolfgang, and Jessica will narrow down the list 5. MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC a. PUBLIC COMMENT i. None b. COMMISSION RESPONSE TO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC i. None 6. NEXT STEPS a. Mary, Wolfgang, & Jessica i. Review housing-related background information and narrow down list of potential candidates ii. Mary: Get in contact with Wolfgang about current plan b. Todd i. Send Mary, Wolfgang, and Jessica background information and list of potential panelists with their contact information 7. ADJOURN a. Meeting adjourned at 6:59 pm COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 1. WELCOME a. CALL TO ORDER i. Committee member, Jessica Harris, called the Zoom meeting to order at 7:02 pm b. ROLL CALL i. Jeanette Abi-Nader ii. Jessica Harris c. MISSION (recited by all): Act as a strong advocate to justice and equal opportunity by providing citywide leadership and guidance in the area of civil rights. 2. MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC a. PUBLIC COMMENT i. None b. COMMISSION RESPONSE TO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC i. None 3. MINUTES a. None 4. WORK SESSION a. Jeanette update i. Last time, the committee looked at the list of outreach opportunities, and Jeanette brought materials she already had to the Party for the Planet event by C3 1. In conjunction with the Cultivate Charlottesville table ii. Is willing to do that again b. Commissioner asks OHR Outreach Specialist about new list for outreach i. There are not currently any new events for November ii. However, there will probably be more events around the holidays next month 1. Grand Illumination 2. Do Good Cville is doing a coat distribution on the first Friday in December 3. Let Outreach Specialist know of other opportunities that arise iii. Commissioner says Cultivate Charlottesville is participating in Wes Bellamy’s turkey giveaway; could put OHR flyers in giveaway bags (would need about 250) c. Having another town hall in the new year i. Can plan for it keeping in mind that officer elections will occur again in January d. Commissioner notes that the National Society for Black Physicists conference will occur 11/6-11/9 i. 500 students and professional physicists around the Downtown Mall area ii. Mayor will be speaking at the event e. HRC Director says that Anna Mendez sent him a letter inviting the Commission to sign as an endorser i. Will email the letter to HRC Chair ii. Letter is about acknowledging the recent loss of lives in Charlottesville and discrediting the movement that is aligning gun violence with the increased population of unhoused people f.HRC Director updates that 11/7/22 will be the date of the Council meeting during which the edits on the Ordinance will be presented to Council after having meetings with Councilors i. Do not need to designate anyone from the Commission to go to the meeting; maybe just to answer questions ii. Legislative agenda recommendations are already submitted; Commissioner can bring them up during public comment, but the recommendations are not on the agenda iii. City website has instructions on how to get on public comment 1. Mayor Snook and Councilor Magill are on the Legislative committee for Council; the staff liaison is City Attorney Lisa Robertson 2. Goal of bringing up legislative recommendations during public comment would be to further bring it to their attention iv. Commissioners decide not to send anyone from the Commission to the upcoming Council meeting g. Can talk about next year’s agenda at the next meeting with higher attendance i. Director notes the town hall last time was successful, and it could be a feasible event in the future h. Commissioner suggests reaching out to Right to Be to do a training with them (bystander intervention) i. Possibly in collaboration with Deputy City Manager for REDI 5. MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC a. PUBLIC COMMENT i. None b. COMMISSION RESPONSE TO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC i. None 6. NEXT STEPS a. All Commissioners i. Revisit Outreach document and bring up any relevant upcoming events to Victoria ii. Brainstorm ideas for town halls/next year agendas before the next meeting 7. ADJOURN b. Meeting adjourned at 7:25 pm