Human Rights Commission Meeting

NORMAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES July 24, 2017 The Human Rights Commission of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met in the Municipal Complex located at 201 W. Gray Street on July 24, 2017, at 5:30 p.m., and notice and agenda of the meeting were duly posted 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. PRESENT: Commissioners Mary Lou Drywater, Daniel Dukes, Kay Ham, Marjaneh Seirafi-Pour, Jackie Farley, Mary Womack ABSENT: Commissioners Kirsten Edwards, Harry Wright STAFF PRESENT: Captain Shawn Hawkins, Officer Ali Jaffrey, Assistant City Attorney Kristina Bell, Sarah Encinias ***** Item 2, being: APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 24, 2017, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING Chairmember Jackie Farley, moved that the minutes of the April 24, 2017, Human Rights Commission meeting be approved, and the motion was duly seconded. A vote was taken with the following result: YEAS: Commissioners Drywater, Dukes, Ham, Seirafi-Pour, Farley, Womack NAYES: None The Chair declared the motion carried; and the minutes of the April 24, 2017 meeting were approved. ***** Item 3, being: INTRODUCTION OF COUNCILMEMBER CLARK AND DISCUSSION OF INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY BUILDING SUGGESTIONS Kristina Bell introduced Councilmember Breea Clark of Ward 6, who addressed the Commission about different ways to improve community inclusivity. She described how the City’s “Inclusive Community” website could be updated and enhanced in order to reflect the City’s current economic perspective, diversity, and resolve to be highly inclusive. In addition, she proposes that the City adopt and follow a mission statement and create a Code of Conduct that would be distributed with licenses for public events granted by the City. She also mentioned that she is working on a petition to have DeBarr Avenue renamed. Committee members spoke generally to one another about the process of gathering data and trend information about the City in order to compile it for research and reporting. ***** Norman Human Rights Commission July 24, 2017 Page 2 Item 4, being: DISCUSSION OF AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON POTENTIAL CIVIL RIGHTS ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS Kristina Bell spoke to members regarding potential changes to the HRC ordinance language as it needs updating since it still refers to old laws and outdated information. She states she has met and discussed this with the Chair and guest speaker, local attorney Don Holladay. Mr. Holladay emphasized the need to address discrimination through an adopted ordinance or resolution; he prefers it be addressed as an ordinance so that it is enforceable and can also be included with the complaint process within the City. Ms. Bell advised that she would continue to work with Mr. Holladay to prepare draft amendments for future Commission review. ***** Item 5, being: DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON FUTURE PROCLAMATIONS Various potential proclamations were discussed for future dates. The committee voted unanimously to recommend that Hispanic Heritage Month be recognized from September 15-October 15, 2017. The committee also voted to recommend the proclamation of October, 2017, as Bullying Prevention Month and LGBTQ History Month. ***** Item 6, being: DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON 2018 INTERFAITH BREAKFAST The Mayor’s Annual Interfaith Breakfast for 2018 will be held on Monday, January 15, 2018, at McFarland Memorial United Methodist Church, 419 South University Boulevard. It is expected that approximately 250 guests will attend the event this year, which keeps in line with the average 12% attendance increase reflected for each previous year. ***** Item 7, being: UPDATE ON STATUS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY RESOLUTION Kristina Bell stated that the Resolution to declare the Second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the City of Norman would be ready for presentation to City Council by September, 2017. Norman Human Rights Commission July 24, 2017 Page 3 Item 8, being: MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION Member Daniel Dukes discussed reaching out to younger members of the community in order to invite them to the Mayor’s Annual Interfaith Breakfast. Members then discussed various ways to improve the diversity of the service and to possibly meet with Dr. Nick Migliorino, Superintendent of Norman Public Schools, in order to find additional ways to reach out to this age group. ADJOURNMENT At this time, the Chair moved that the meeting be adjourned, which motion was duly seconded by Commissioner, Jackie Farley. A unanimous vote was taken and the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.