Citizens' Unity Commission

Citizens’ Unity Commission Meeting Minutes Saturday, September 22, 2018 ~ 9:30 am-3:30pm Y.H Thomas Community Center, 1300 Thomas St. Hampton, VA. Attendance: Alice Capehart, A. Tyrone George, Carter Phillips, Darius Swift, Devinn Smart, Imara Gabe Diaz, Jennifer Evans, Kercelia Woodruff, Rebecca Jackson, Luretta Ray, Mary Wallace, Michael Harper, Milton McDonald, Trevor Hutson, Willie C. Anderson (15) Absent: Anne Andrews, Mei Stukes, Ray Smith, Tamika Lett, (4) Deena Franklin (Community Liaison), Ellen Shackelford (Community Liaison), Burley Gardner (Community Liaison), Steven Bond (Assistant City Manager) Staff: Latiesha Handie (Executive Director) Call to Order – Latiesha Handie, Executive Director, 9:45 am Roll Call – Latiesha Handie Action Items Item 1: Getting to know your neighbor  Commissioners participated in an icebreaker activity entitled "Is what you see what you get" to evaluate how we form opinions or thoughts of others based on our preconceived notions, personal beliefs or judgment. o The mentioned activity provided a direct overview of the impacts of assumptions and how to dismantle myths and biases.  The succeeding activity introduced participants to "The Diversity Web We weave," where individuals formed a large circle to interweave string that depicted the overlapping layers of diversity in our communities and how excluding certain elements will begin to weaken the frame of our society. o The activity furnished a sense of awareness to the mission of the commission to ensure that every area of diversity is valued, appreciated and celebrated.  The final team building exercise allowed participants to work together to build a tower that required strategizing, planning and implementation. Item 2: Elections 1 Per the commission’s request, elections were shifted to the first half of the retreat to accommodate the participation of several commissioners that would be absent during the second half of the event.  Housing & Neighborhood Services Division Manager- Jonathon McBride, facilitated elections according to the CUC By-laws, as a neutral party for the appointment of Chair & Vice Chair.  Per the By-laws, Elections of officers shall take place at the Annual Retreat.  Nominations for Chair are as followed: o Commissioner, Trevor Hutson made the nomination of Commissioner, Carter Phillips for Chair and accepted by Phillips. o Commissioner, Luretta Ray made the nomination of Commissioner, Mary Wallace for Chair and accepted by Wallace. o Votes cast by ballot resulted in a poll of 6 for Mary Wallace and 7 for Carter Phillips. Two commissioners were no longer present at the retreat to cast votes.  Nominations for Vice Chair are as followed: o Commissioner, Devinn Smart made the nomination of Commissioner, Mary Wallace for Vice Chair and accepted by Wallace. o Commissioner, Michael Harper, made the nomination of Commissioner, Kercelia Woodruff for Vice Chair and accepted by Woodruff. o Votes cast by ballot resulted in a poll of 5 for Kercelia Woodruff and 8 for Mary Wallace. Two commissioners were no longer present at the retreat to cast votes.  Carter Phillips accepted the appointment as Chair and Mary Wallace accepted the appointment of Vice Chair. o The term of office will be for one (1) year. o Officers may succeed themselves one (1) time after which they must step down. They may be re-elected subsequent to a completion of a term in office by their successor. Item 3: Civic Engagement – Lecture & Civic Engagement o Latiesha Handie, Executive Director, facilitated a discussion on the four layers of diversity, developed a working definition and led participants to explore lenses, layers, and legacies. o Jonathon McBride explained civic engagement in relation to the role of CUC and how to develop a call to action. o Jonathon’s scribed notes during retreat are as followed: 2 Item 4: Introduction to committee work  Commissioners reviewed Pages 12 through 37 of the CUC Success packet to evaluate program descriptions, introductions to committee work, program goals and committee work sign-up sheets. The below was determined during the retreat. Item 5: Committee Work Groups Movie Talks Hot Button 3  YAG Unity through Art 1 City, 1 Book Unity Awards LGBTQ Item 6: Committee Report-Outs Due to the absence of several commissioners’ attendees agreed to postpone Committee work and report-outs to the following meeting. Announcements  Next Meeting Date and Time: October 11, 2018, 6:30pm-8: 30 pm, however, CUC Staff requested that the next meeting be deferred to October 18, 2018, due to a departmental schedule conflict. A doodle poll will be sent next week to determine flexibility. Adjourned 2:30 pm Next Meeting Date and Time: TBD 4