Restorative Justice Commission

Restorative Justice Commission City of College Park Tuesday, November 21, 2023 6:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting Members Present Absent Isabella Alcaniz X Karin Brown X Robert Catlin X Andrew Fellows X Maxine Gross X Violetta Sharps Jones X James McShay X Nikki Pancho X1 Ian Rowe X Courtnie Thurston X Robert Thurston X Marques Washington X Pamela Randall-Boardley X Fannie Featherstone X Willie Sellers X Staff and Others Joanne Braxton X Emma Walker X Judy Tram X Richard Biffl X Kayla Carter, Racial Equity Officer, Staff X Liaison Teresa Way-Pezzuti, HR Director, Staff X Liaison Kenny Young, City Manager X Carleveva Thompson, Contract Secretary X 1Joined at 6:30 p.m. I. Call to Order Ms. Gross called the meeting to order at 6:18 p.m. II. Review of October Meeting Minutes The Commission reviewed the meeting minutes of the October 17, 2023, meeting. Ms. Alcaniz motioned to approve the minutes as presented. Second by Ms. Brown. All members in favor; no opposed. Motion carries 8-0-0. 1 III. Announcements and Updates a. Thurston Family Support - Ms. Gross thanked the Commission for supporting the Thurston family. b. Budget Review – To date, the Commission has spent only 5% of the budget. c. List of conference attendees for Commissioner Review – Ms. Gross and Ms. Carter will share the list of conference attendees for the Commission to review to see if there is anyone in attendance that Ms. Gross and Ms. Carter should connect with. IV. Restorative and Transformative Justice a. Recap and Updates – Meeting held last week with former City attorney to discuss the removal of the urban renewal language in the City Charter. The committee was assured by the City attorney that the City has other tools available. Ms. Brown motioned to endorse the City to remove the urban renewal language from the City Charter and ask that the action be announced to the Lakeland community. Second by Ms. Alcaniz. All members in favor; no opposed. Motion carries, 8-0-0. i. Grants/Scholarships – Lakeland Legacy Scholarship Program that would be available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Eligibility – Legacy Lakelanders that are enrolled in college.  Priority 1 – 10 years of documented residence in the Lakeland community, personally or by a person in their direct lineage, i.e. parent, grandparent, great grandparent. Goes to individuals with direct lineage to someone that was displaced by urban renewal as identified by the acquisition list or similar documents.  Priority 2 – Lakeland resident who had a family member in direct lineage that lived in Lakeland for at least 10 years and during 1965- 1981.  Priority 3 – Lakeland residents who have direct family lineage that lived in Lakeland before or after the urban renewal period. Ms. Featherstone motioned that there are 3 priorities for the scholarship program. Second by Ms. Alcaniz. All members in favor, no opposed. Motion carries, 9-0-0. The Commission also discussed increasing the amount of the scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. Ms. Jones motioned to increase the undergraduate scholarship amount to $1,000 and increase the graduate scholarship amount to $2,000. Second by Ms. Alcaniz. All members in favor; no opposed. Motion carries, 9-0-0. 2  ii. Renaming Letters Ms. Alcaniz informed the Commission of a naming survey that will be sent to the Lakeland community to suggest renaming the school as Lakeland Elementary School or for the community to write a new name. A second survey would then be sent out for the community to vote on the suggested names. V. Community Engagement a. Educational Events – The Committee discussed hosting 3 educational events in the Lakeland community in March 2024:  1 Event to feature Dr. Fulilove  1 event to begin with the shadows of Lakeland  Panel discussion on restorative and transformative justice Ms. Brown motioned to move forward with 3 educational events to start as early as March. Second by Ms. Alcaniz. All members in favor; no opposed. Motion carries, 9-0-0. i. Branding Concepts Ms. Carter showed various branding images for the Commission to select. Ms. Alcaniz motioned for option 1 of the branding images to go forward to City Communications. Second by Ms. Brown. All members in favor, no opposed. Motion carries, 8-0-0. VI. Truth and Reconciliation a. Recap and Updates i. RFP Update – Currently under review by City staff and will come back to the Commission for review. VII. Reparations for Lakeland – Dr. Joanne Braxton Dr. Joanne M. Braxton, Emeritus Professor of the Humanities at William and Mary, Adjunct Professor in Family and Community Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School, ordained minister, a Lakelander, and President of the Braxton Institute for Sustainability, Resiliency and Joy, made a report to the Commission on a substantial grant received by the Braxton Institute from the Decolonizing Wealth Foundation (DWF) in support of obtaining Reparations for Lakeland. Dr. Braxton outlined some of the key features of the Reparations for Lakeland Now! campaign, which seeks to 1) document harms and identify impacted descendants, 2) remember Lakeland’s history of resistance, 3) broaden education on Reparations 4) bring a trauma-informed lens to the Lakeland narrative and to leadership development, 5) forge a consensus for a contextual model for Reparations, and 6) build momentum and advocate for Reparations in the form of land return or financial repair. Dr. Braxton mentioned the recognition of Braxton Institute and its Reparations for Lakeland Now! work by the United States Department of the Interior in August 2023, and introduced 3  the Reparations for Lakeland Now! team, which includes educators, attorneys, seasoned experts, and a team of advisors from Reparations commissions in other states. She also thanked the College Park Restorative Justice Commission for picking up some of the aspects of the Braxton Institute project that were not funded by DWF, such as the residency by Mindy Fullilove, M.D., and expressed her hope and expectation that the collaboration would continue. For more information on campaign, including a planned 2-day convening at Bon Secours Conference Center in Marriottsville, Maryland. VIII. December Meeting Ms. Gross asked the Commission if they would like to keep the December Commission meeting as scheduled or have a recess in December. Ms. Alcaniz motioned to not have a Commission meeting in December but have 1 committee meeting in December. Second by Ms. Brown. All members in favor; no opposed. Motion carries, 8-0-0. IX. Lakeland Events a. Lakeland Christmas Tree Lighting – Scheduled on December 3, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. b. The planning studio will present their final report on December 5, 2023. X. Adjournment Ms. Featherstone motioned to adjourn the meeting. Second by Ms. Brown. All members in favor; no opposed. Motion carries, 8-0-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. 4