HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRCMinutes_2017_04_10Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes
Monday,April 10, 2017
Room 240, Brookings City & County Government Building
Attendance:Steve Bayer, chair;George Hamer, vice-chair;Lawrence Novotny, recorder;Penny Hauffe; Judy
Karen;Meagan Irvine-Miller;Shafiqur Rahman;Shari Thornes, city clerk-staff
Absent:Laura Renee Chandler;Chandradhar Dwivedi;Maggie Owens;
Guests:Benjamin (Chris)Hartzler representing SDSU GSA (Gender & Sexuality Alliance);
Chair Bayer called the meeting to order at 12:01 pm.
A motion was made by Karen, seconded by Hauffe,to adopt the agenda. All present voted yes;motion carried.
A motion was made by Hamer, seconded by Karen, to approve the minutes of the February 13 and the March 13
meetings. All present voted yes; motion carried.
Safe Zone Proposal:
Hartzler explained the goal of safe zone training. It is to offer a better understanding of how to think about the
LGBTQ community.After someone undergoes safe zone training, that person receives a sign to place on their
door or window designating that space as a safe zone for the LGBTQ community.Safe zone training was initiated
on the SDSU campus by the GSA (gay-straight alliance) a while back. The training was transferred to SDSU
administration where it languished.
Hartzler said a downtown business wanted to receive safe zone training,so he created a curriculum based on a
safe zone website and conducted the training.Hartzler stated the safe zone training conducted at SDSU was a
lecture format.Hartzler’s training is a workshop format.Hartzler created a Brookings safe zone Facebook page.
Hartzler is looking to partner with a non-profit, church, or governmental entity to conduct and offer safe zone
training,so the program will continue when he leaves Brookings.
A motion was made by Hamer,seconded by Hauffe,for the HRC to offer formal support of the Brookings safe
zone program by providing a link on the HRC website and to set up a training for the HRC.All present voted yes;
motion carried.
A doodle poll will be conducted to select a training date.
Relationship with SAGA:
Brookings High School has a student organization called SAGA (sexuality and gender alliance) which is a su pport
group for LGBTQ students.It was discussed to have the HRC develop a formal relationship with SAGA similar to
our relationship with the Brookings High School student human rights committee.
A motion was made by Karen,seconded by Hamer, to have HRC initiate establishing a formal relationship with
SAGA.All present voted yes; motion carried.Hamer was asked to contact the advisor to SAGA to initiate the
relationship.
SD World Affairs Council:
SD World Affairs Council will be hosting a delegation from Ukraine that will be visiting Brookings on May 5.They
would like to meet with HRC to have discussion concerning human rights issues. Novotny and Dwivedi met with
a similar Ukraine delegation about 2 years ago.Novotny and Rahman volunteered to meet with this year’s
delegation.
Public Education Committee:
Most city boards and commissions are creating a public education committee that would be in charge of social
media promoting the commission.This would include posting on HRC’s Facebook and website.City staff does
not have time to handle this for all of the boards and commissions.The person(s) doing this needs to be a
member of the HRC and should have good writing skills.A recruitment e-mail will be sent to all HRC members.
Budget
HRC’s annual budget has been $4,284 for many years. Former Mayor Tim Reed added $5,000 to our budget to
conduct the city’s portion of the common read program ($2,500 towards the speaker and $2,500 towards the
city common read event). Bayer, Hamer and Thornes will meet with the new mayor and city manager to discuss
an increase to the HRC budget.
Butler Award:
Five individuals nominated Doris Giago for the Butler award.Doris, a retired journalism professor, is being
recognized for her work with American Indian students and education.
A motion was made by Rahman,seconded by Hamer, to award the 2017 Butler Human Rights Award to Doris
Giago.All present voted yes; motion carried.
Mission Statement:
A motion was made by Hauffe,seconded by Karen, to accept the proposed changes to our mission statement as
printed in the March 13 minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried.
The mission of the Brookings Human Rights Commission (BHRC) is to improve human relations in the
Brookings area by fighting discrimination through education and a complaint resolution procedure.The
Commission seeks to protect the rights of and prevent and eliminate bias and discrimination against
individuals or groups because of their sex, race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, disability, familial status,
national origin, age, marital status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political affiliation,
with respect to employment, labor union membership, housing accommodations, property rights,
education,public accommodations or public services.The Commission promotes educational activities
to make Brookings an inclusive and welcoming community.
Inclusivity Team:
An inclusivity team has been formed to work on ensuring Brookings is an inclusive community based upon the
resolution of inclusivity that was adopted by the City Council on February 28.Team members are: Lawrence
Novotny,Penny Hauffe and Shari Thornes representing HRC; Rev. Larry Ort representing SD World Affairs
Council;Dianne Nagy representing Brookings Interfaith Council;, and Lisa Plummer representing the school
district.The first meeting will be April 17.Thornes found several different examples of stickers stating “You Are
Welcome Here” that can be placed in windows of businesses.She is seeking permission from an Atlanta business
to reproduce them.
MEI:
Hamer contacted Missoula,MT to find out how they received a score of a 100.Other cities with perfect scores
still need to be contacted.
Sybrina Fulton presentation:
Bayer will meet with the Police Chief Miller to ask him and some officers to attend Sybrina Fulton’s presentation
on April 30 and the commUNITY gathering on April 26.Chandler will be asked to write a speak-out column for
the Brookings Register on behalf of HRC regarding Sybrina Fulton’s visit.
Common Read:
The campus Common Read Committee selected How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?by Moustafa Bayoumi.
Here's a short synopsis:
Just over a century ago , W.E.B. Du Bois posed a probing question in his classic The Souls of Black Folk:
How does it feel to be a problem?Now, Moustafa Bayoumi asks the same about America's new
"problem"-Arab-and Muslim-Americans.Bayoumi takes readers into the lives of seven 20-somethings
living in Brooklyn, home to the largest Arab-American population in the United States.He moves
beyond stereotypes and clichés to reveal their often unseen struggles, from being subjected to
government surveillance to the indignities of workplace discrimination.Through it all, these young men
and women persevere through triumphs and setbacks as they help weave the tapestry of a new society
that is, at its heart, purely American.
Consensus was to discontinue the past use of bookmarks to advertise common read events because it was felt
bookmarks were ineffective.The HRC will look at placing an ad in the Town & Country Shopper and using social
media.
Spring Diversity Potluck April 9
Around 110 -115 people attended.Almost all of the food was consumed except for 3-4 dishes and the chicken.
Laura Renée Chandler and Kaz Williams presented on Black Lives Matter and the upcoming Sybrina Fulton talk.
Karen received a card from the Brookings Food Pantry thanking the HRC for the food items collected at the
potluck.
Meeting Schedule:
A motion was made by Hamer,seconded by Hauffe, to set the dates for the fall meeting schedule: September
12, October 10, November 14 and December 11 all at noon.All present voted yes; motion carried.
Calendar:
April 26 –CommUNITY gathering to discuss race relations and marginalized communities
April 30 –Town Hall Meeting on race relations and marginalized communities featuring Sybrina Fulton
May 8 –HRC meeting
Adjourn:Motion made to adjourn at 1:07 pm.All approved.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder