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Brookings Human Rights Commission Minutes
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Brookings City & County Government Center and Zoom Meeting App
Attendance: Nieema Thasing (chair -online); Dianne Nagy (vice-chair – online); Lawrence Novotny,
(recorder and CLEAR Partners liaison– in person); Erica Moore (online); Charlene ‘Charlie’ Ward
(county representative & Disabilities Awareness Committee liaison– in person); Caleb Johnson (police
liaison – in person); Susan Rotert (city human resources & staff liaison – in person);
Absent: Dan Berg; Tracy Chapman; Joel Gindo; Emma Qurashi (student representative); Erinn Thomas;
Marci Gebers (sheriff’s office liaison); Mikaela Neubauer (library liaison); Bruce Pengra (sustainability
council liaison); Michele Vande Weerd (school liaison);
Chair Thasing called the meeting to order at 5:31 pm.
Since there was not a quorum, no official business was conducted. Those present engaged in
discussion.
Liaison Reports:
Brookings Police Dept (Johnson): August 2 is the National Night Out event which will be held in
Pioneer Park.
SDSU Police Dept (Johnson): Since Johnson also works part-time as a despatcher in the SDSU police
department, Chief Heaton is recommending that Johnson also serve the UPD liaison. Action on this
request at the next meeting.
Disabilities Awareness Committee (Ward): A member from Advance has joined the DAC. A mayoral
proclamation will be issued on July 26 for the anniversary day of the signing of the American
Disabilities Act.
CLEAR Partners (Novotny) – members attended the public forum featuring the finalists for police
chief.
Brookings Economic Development Master Plan—Resonance (the contracting agency) will be holding
stakeholder roundtable discussions next week.
SDSU Alex Wood has left SDSU. The university is working on selecting a liaison replacement.
It was suggested that there should be a liaison with Brookings Behavioral Health.
Working Groups:
Common Read Ward displayed a draft copy of the flier promoting the Common Read events. Ward
and Neubauer will moderate the Q&A following the showing of the common read film.
LGBTQ Awareness: Brookings PFLAG is showing the documentary film Pray Away on August 2 at
6:30 at the United Church of Christ. The film deals with LGBTQ individuals who try to undergo
conversion therapy and why such therapy does not work.
Training: The WG has a meeting scheduled for August 10 at 2 pm.
Black Culture Awareness: working on paying the bills from the Juneteenth event which had excellent
coverage by KELO and Dakota News Now TV stations.
Indigenous Peoples has not had its initial meeting yet
Awards: The PR soliciting nominations for the Butler award has been set out. Deadline is July 31.
Novotny is coordinating the Butler award but he is asking others to step forward to spearhead the Youth
award and Youth Ally award. The awards event is still for December 01.
Old Business
HRC business cards have been printed and are available for each member to have.
HRC statewide meeting Vermillion and Brookings are ready to meet. Sioux Falls is still under
consideration.
Prison food service issue: The individual who mentioned the concern at our June meeting has not
responded back. This issue will be dropped for lack of any further information or request.
Responses to listening session recommendations:
As directed following the June meeting, Bell sent letters to the Chamber of Commerce, Brookings
Economic Development Association, and BATA requesting recommendations to be taken.
Responses received were:
Chamber is asking for suggestions on how to implement some of the recommendations
Concern was expressed that businesses who do not list themselves as being friendly to minority
groups may be viewed as being biased or prejudiced by the public while these businesses are
actually not. How should this be handled?
Businesses should be encouraged to self identify their support of minority groups
Having language support is being investigated
There were some questions about Safe Zone training and identity training
There is a suggestion about bringing in a hair academy to do black hair. Currently there is not
an open chair available in local salons to have a black hairstylist come in.
Discussion with BATA is on hold until an executive director has been hired.
Other
Casey Bell’s dad died in June. Bell sent a thank you note to BHRC for the wreath and plaque that was
received from BHRC. Thasing sent the wreath and plaque on behalf of BHRC. The cost was $120.
Members are asked to reimburse Thasing.
Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 6:15 pm.
Submitted by Lawrence Novotny, recorder