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Home My WebLink AboutBHRCMinutes_2012_09_06 Brookings Human Rights Committee Steve Bayer, Chair George Hamer, Vice Chair Patty Bacon, Recorder Ann Marie Bahr Rebecca Deinert Chandradhar Dwivdei Penny Hauffe Angela Hatton Lawrence Novotny Anna Leisa Schuh Jaime Nolan-Andrino, SDSU Liaison Shari Thornes, City Clerk-Staff Brookings Human Rights Committee THURSDAY, September 6, 2012 at Noon City & County Government Center – 520 3rd Street City Administration, Suite 230, Room 241 Minutes Attendance: Steve Bayer, Patty Bacon, Lawrence Novotny, Ann Marie Bahr, George Hamer, Penny Hauffe, Chandradhar Dwivdei, Rebecca Deinert 1. Call to Order: at 12:02 by Steve 2. Adoption of the Agenda: Chandradhar moved, Rebecca second, motion carried. 3. Approval of Minutes: Ann Marie moved, Chandradhar seconded, motion carried 4. Schedule Next Meeting a. October 22 @ 5:00 p.m. Quarterly Planning Meeting b. November Regular Meeting: Thursday Nov. 15 at noon 5. Report on State Human Rights Commission Meeting, Pierre, August 30th : Lawrence said it was mostly employment issues and they realize the public doesn’t know they exist. Steve suggested we have this on our Quarterly Planning meeting to get more active on this issue/topic. Research list of people on commission and if there are term limits. Report from Lawrence: Lawrence Novotny and Ann Marie Bahr attended the August 30, 2012 meeting of the State Human Relations Commission via DDN. The head of the Brookings state labor/job service office was also present to operate the Brookings DDN site. The entire 5-member commission was in attendance along with the state office staff. A reporter was also present that we were not aware of. See http://www.aberdeennews.com/news/bobmercer/aan-sd-discrimination-cases-vary-widely-year-to- year-20120830,0,416490.story?track=rss The meeting lasted just half an hour. The main topic was the 2012 program report on human rights that was presented by Division head James Marsh. The handout for 2011 still is not posted on the website. http://dlr.sd.gov/humanrights/statistics.aspx There were 288 potential discrimination claims which supposedly is fairly consistent with previous years. Marsh stated there is a slight decline with handling EEOC claims. At the end of the meeting, chair Volk asked if the Brookings people had comments. Both of us did. He then asked us to summarize our comments in an e-mail which was sent to him. Our comments are below. It was my understanding that he would be incorporating our comments into a report the Commission has to prepare for the Secretary of Labor Pamela Roberts. Hopefully we will see some positive outcome this year. Lawrence Letter that was submitted: Mr. Volk, Thanks the arranging the DDN connection. This is the beginning of a working relationship between the State Human Relations Commission and the local related entities. As you mentioned during the meeting, we believe it would be beneficial to have a joint meeting of the state and local commissions. Such a meeting would allow each commission to learn the following: 1) what legal mandates/powers does each possess 2) what are the major issues each is working on 3) what are some of the issues that all of the commissions can jointly cooperate on Given the role that globalization plays in current planning for economic development, South Dakota needs to attract and retain talented professionals from other countries and other cultures. In addition to their skills, such individuals also have connections with consumers and corporations in their native countries, thus enabling South Dakota producers and businesses to expand their international markets. Proactive Human Rights committees should be central to building the diverse but integrated communities that connect South Dakota to the world. The Brookings Human Rights Committee has a busy schedule of events that seek to educate our community about Native American, Hispanic, Muslim, GLBT, and international persons, since these are the largest minorities in our area. However, this needs to be a statewide effort, and we would like to network with the other Human Rights organizations in South Dakota to ensure that the state as a whole is ready to embrace the diversity that will increase our social cohesion, economic development, and global connectivity. Since the UN Human Rights Day is on Monday, December 10, this year that probably would be a good day to have such a joint meeting. Either Pierre or Chamberlain would be a central location. I would be willing to assist in planning such a meeting. Lawrence Novotny Ann Marie Bahr Brookings Human Rights Committee 6. Human Rights Award – September 27th : all site arrangements have been made, invites mailed, plaques ordered, press releases next week, advertising done, looks like we’re in good shape. At this moment, we’re not needed for set-up, but we need to be there by 4:30 to be greeters. We are getting name tags! 7. Dr. Martin Luther King Event Planning: Steve mentioned that last year was the worst response ever. Steve felt, and the group agreed, that it had to do with the early deadline. But Shari stressed the staff load is just too tremendous to meet the Jan. 15 deadline. We explored options to respect Shari’s deadline needs and looked at what possible dates could be utilized. Email first notice in September as soon as staff can send it Packets delivered by end of first week in November Mon. Dec. 17 submission deadline Thurs. Dec. 20 for award review Theme Ann Marie Suggestions for poster theme: We may all have come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” Suggestions for essay theme: The first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?” (Entire quote: “And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it's possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking. And he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”) “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture of their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.” “Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. . . Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” “We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.” “Hate is too big of burden to bear. I have decided to love.” We have done a service theme before, but I still like this one: “Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service.” If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.” When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power, you seek only to defeat evil systems. Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system, you love, but you seek to defeat the system.” The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just.” Patty’s suggestions: Poster: Coretta Scott King quote: We realized the movement was the assertion of the individual’s right to freedom and self-respect.” Draw a poster that depicts individual freedom and self-respect. Essay: MLK Quote: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” Write about a social justice issue in the U.S. in 2012 and propose a non-violent way to address that issue using the principles and philosophies of MLK. Poster theme: MLK quote: “We may all have come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” George moved, Chandlahar seconded, motion carried. Essay theme: MLK Quote: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” Penny moved, Rebecca seconded, motion carried 8. Fall Diversity Potluck Planning – Sunday, October 7th from 5-7 p.m. Coffee: Rebecca will donate 100 cups of coffee Paper products: first: hopefully Aramark, 2nd: Patty and Penny offered to donate paper products and Penny will store extras at ReStore. 9. Announcements/Correspondence/Calendar Budget Report (Enclosed) Sept 13th Volunteer Reception, Performing Arts Center, 5-7 pm (volunteer & guest invited) Sept 25th City Council Meeting – Promote Events Oct 7th Fall Diversity Potluck, McCrory Gardens Visitor Center, 5-7 pm Oct 8th Native American Day Dec 6th Mayor’s Holiday Party, McCrory Gardens Visitor Center, 5-7 pm 10. Adjournment: Chandlahar moved, Rebecca seconded. Motion carried. Adjourned at 1:11 pm Respectfully submitted: Patty Bacon