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HI EVERYONE.UH, I WANNA CALL TODAY'S, UH, MEETING TO ORDER, UH, JANUARY 10TH.
UH, HAPPY YEAR, 2024 TO EVERYONE.
UH, SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, I'M GONNA REFER TO OUR CLERK, ALYSSA, TO OFFICIALLY CAUSE ORDER WITH
COMMISSIONER ALLEN, COMMISSIONER B HERE.
I WANNA START OFF, UH, TODAY'S MEETING BY SAYING, OF COURSE, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE.
WISH YOU ALL CONTINUING BLESSINGS AND JOY IN THIS, IN, IN THIS NEW YEAR.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WITH THAT, UH, MUCH, UH, ONGOING SUCCESS WITH HERE IN, IN THE COMMISSION, UM, OUR, UH, VICE CHAIR AL, UH, TODAY.
SO WE CAN AT SOME POINT, MAYBE AFTER THE MEETING PART IN THAT TO, TO MAKE SURE WE, SO THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S PLENTY FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKING WITH, UH, ABOUT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS A NICE FANCY ROOM, IT'S A LITTLE AWKWARD AND SET UP.
I PERSONALLY A CAN SPEAK ABOUT, HAVE MY BACK.
SO I WANNA RECOGNIZE EXAM, UM, AND IT FEELS A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD, BUT THIS IS THE ROOM WE HAVE AVAILABLE WHEN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ARE AVAILABLE.
WE TRY OUR BEST TO SCHEDULE OURSELVES THERE.
IT'S JUST, UH, IT LENDS ITSELF BETTER, UH, FOR MEETINGS, BUT WE CAN'T, WE, UH, WE ALSO TRY TO FIND SPACE AND THIS, IT'S AVAILABLE AND IT HAS DEFINITELY SOME PLUSES, BUT ONE OF THE SC WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT FACING CODE.
SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT.
UM, AND WITH THAT SAID, UM, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE US FORWARD WITH THE OFFICIAL START, UH, WITH THE AGENDA ITEMS. SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, ALYSSA, UH, TO READ US THE FIRST, UM, AGENDA ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING OF WHAT'S TODAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 2023, AND THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING OF FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8TH, 2023.
UM, COMMISSIONER SLU, I GET A SECOND.
UH, I SEE TWO
UM, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE OUR, OUR FANCY MACHINE, IS IT VO YES.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE VOTE, I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE.
SO, IF THERE ARE ANY PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE, UM, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, UM, RAISE YOUR HAND AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE USE, RAISE YOUR HAND FEATURE NOW, OR DIAL NINE.
THIS IS FOR THE, SO I SEEN NONE IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM.
SO THAT CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NUMBER ONE.
AND IN PERSON, YOU DID CALL IN PERSON AS WELL? YES.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY BREAKS HANDS.
SO WE CAN DO A MOVE ON TO ROLL CALL.
UM, I WANNA GO BACK, ACTUALLY TO CHAIR REMARKS BRIEFLY.
I'M, WHEN YOU USE MY ROLE AS CHAIR HERE TO, TO DO THAT FOR, BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT WERE INTENDED FOR CHAIR REMARKS, BUT IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO GET THE MEETING MOVING, UM, I JUST PASSED MY MIND, BUT THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT.
I WANT RECOGNIZE, UH, THAT OUR FELLOW, UH, FORMER COMMISSIONER, TRACE CAMACHO, UH, SHARED A RESIGNATION OF A REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK HE'S DONE WITH THE COMMISSION.
UH, HE, HE FIRSTLY FELT IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO, TO, TO, TO MOVE, UH, FORWARD AND HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER, UH, UH, PERSPECTIVE COMMISSIONERS JOIN THE PIECE.
SO, UH, OUR TEAM, UH, BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, TO THE COMMISSION AND SHARE THAT BOTH IN PUBLIC AND TO FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HERE.
UH, THE SECOND ITEM THAT I WANTED TO SHARE ORIGINALLY WAS A WARM WELCOME TO A BRAND NEW COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I PRONOUNCE NAMES CORRECTLY.
SO I JUST WANNA CHECK IN WITH
IF I EVER MISPRONOUNCE PLEASE CORRECTLY.
UM, UM, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE GET NAMES CORRECTLY,
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RIGHT? ESPECIALLY WHEN, WHEN, WHEN NAMES ARE SO, SO PART OF OUR IDENTITY.WE, I'LL BE REACHING OUT, UH, FOR, FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU ALREADY WENT THROUGH THE ONBOARDING PROCESS WITH, UM, WITH THE CITY, BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO DO MORE OF INFORMAL PROCESS AS TO WHAT WE, WE REACHING OUT TOUCH ALSO, UH, EACH OTHER AS WELL.
AND THOSE WERE THE TWO ITEMS THAT I WANT TO DO, UH, INCLUDE IN MY OPENING REMARKS.
I ALSO WANT TO CHECK IN WITH EITHER ALYSSA OR TONY.
I KNOW THAT WE USUALLY DO PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT ON THE AGENDA FAIRLY EARLY.
SHOULD WE WAIT, I THINK TOWARDS THEN, OR DO, SHOULD WE DO THE, I'M COGNIZANT OF PATTERNS IN THE PAST YEAR WHEN, UM, IT'S UP TO YOU.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO BEFORE WE CONTINUE, WE COULD.
WE'LL KEEP THEM AS WE KEEP IT.
UM, SO, UH, NOW THAT I'VE RECOGNIZED, UH, OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, I THEN WANNA PROCEED FORWARD WITH THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM.
SO, MADAM CLERK, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT FROM CURRENT APO COMMITTEES.
DISCUSS ANTICIPATED APO COMMITTEES FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS, AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION TO DISSOLVE OR CREATE ADD OFF COMMITTEES.
AND THIS IS NO IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, UH, BUT I DO HAVE, UH, MEMBERS OF TWO AD MEETINGS WITH, UH, WITH, WITH UPDATES.
UM, BUT BEFORE I MOVE TO THAT, I DO NEED TO MOVE THIS AGENDA ITEM.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE, UH, A MOTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
SO I HAVE COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.
SO NOW THAT'S OFFICIALLY ON THE FLOOR.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
I CAN START WITH, UH, VICE CHAIR ON MY LEFT WHO, UH, I BELIEVE HAS AN UPDATE FOR, UH, AD HOC THAT, UH, WITH COMMISSIONER BASS FROM ON, UH, BIPOC COMMUNITY.
SO GO AHEAD AND BE ON THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S MEETING I'D TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT I AM GRATEFUL AND EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS AD HOC AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS LGBTQ PLUS AND BIPOC AD HOC COMMITTEE.
TO START, I WANT TO PROVIDE A QUICK RECAP ON WHY THIS COMMITTEE WAS CREATED DURING THE EHRC NOVEMBER RETREAT IN 2022.
WE EXPLORED VARIOUS COMMUNITY ISSUES TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL TOPICS THAT EHRC SHOULD PRIORITIZE IN 2023 AND 2024 YEARS.
WE REFLECTED ON THE COMMISSION'S PAST ADVOCACY, THE RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE OBJECTIVES AND OUR PERSONAL LIVES.
AT OUR JULY 26TH MEETING, ONE OF THE SELECTED SUBGROUPS WAS THE PRESERVATION OF THE BIPOC AND LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY'S HISTORY.
AT OUR NOVEMBER 1ST MEETING, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE WAS CREATED TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS AND BIPOC COMMITTEES BY CONDUCTING THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY TO HIGHLIGHT MATTERS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR ROADMAP DISCUSSIONS.
THEN WE CAN DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS IN SUPPORT OF OUR CURRENT EFFORTS.
WE HAD OUR FIRST VIRTUAL MEETING ON NOVEMBER THE 27TH WITH MYSELF AND COMMISSIONERS, CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON, LISETTE FLORES, AND EQUITY STAFF, TONY, THE, THE MONTE, AND WE ALL MET TO NARROW AND CREATE AD HOC OBJECTIVES.
SO WE DISCUSSED AND CAME UP WITH THREE OBJECTIVES.
THE FIRST IS THE CITYWIDE INDIGENOUS COMMISSION, WHICH IS LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL BERNO.
AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS.
THE SECOND IS THE CITYWIDE LGBTQ PLUS ASSESSMENT, AND TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, AND THEN TO BUILD UPON THAT.
AND THEN THIRD IS THE CITYWIDE LIVING EXPECTANCY FOCUS WOULD BE ON THE LGBTQ PLUS BIPOC, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO EXTEND THAT TO OUR ELDER POPULATION.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO, FOR EXAMPLE, PLANTING TREES, CONNECT THE COMMUNITY WITH GROUPS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL LITERACY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, THROUGH AN AWARENESS OF INTERSECTIONALITY, WE CAN BETTER ACKNOWLEDGE AND GROUND THE DIFFERENCES AMONG US.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE LENS THE COMMITTEE UTILIZED WHEN WE REVIEW EACH OBJECTIVE TO DETERMINE WHAT TO FOCUS ON FIRST.
WE ALL AGREED, WE PROPOSE TO START WITH SUPPORTING THE CITYWIDE INDIGENOUS COMMISSION, FOLLOWED BY THE CITYWIDE LGBTQ PLUS ASSESSMENT TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TO BUILD UPON THE FINDINGS.
THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT THE EFFORTS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY, SO THE SUPPORT NEEDED MAY BE MINIMAL.
THEREFORE, WE CAN QUICKLY PROCEED TO THE NEXT OBJECTIVE OF THE CITYWIDE LGBTQ PLUS ASSESSMENT AND THEN HAVE A COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION TO LEARN MORE.
THE AD HOC REVIEWED THE UPDATE ON
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THE FEE FEASIBILITY OF A NATIVE AMERICAN COMMISSION MEMO FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT WAS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.AND FOLLOWING THE REVIEW OF A MEMO, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE PRIORITIZED ELEMENTS FROM THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE MEMO.
ADDITIONALLY, TONY HAS REACHED OUT TO THE RACIAL HEALTH EQUITY TEAM TO COORDINATE A PRESENTATION.
OUR NEXT MEETING WAS DECEMBER THE 20TH.
MYSELF, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONERS CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON, LIZETTE FLORES, AND THE EQUITY STAFF, TONY REMONT, MEANT TO EXPAND ON THESE OBJECTIVES.
WE ALL THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THE RACIAL EQUITY TEAM PRESENT AT OUR JANUARY OR FEBRUARY EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING TO PRESENT WHAT THEY HAVE WORKED ON IN THE PAST AND WHAT THEY PLAN TO WORK ON IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS.
THE INTENT OF THIS MEETING IS TO BETTER INFORM THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, WHICH WILL HELP US TO DETERMINE WHERE WE AS A GROUP CAN OFFER MORE SUPPORT IN REGARDS TO THE LGBTQ PLUS ASSESSMENT.
RYAN MAGANINI, QI TWO S PLUS HEALTH EQUITY COORDINATOR AND HIS TEAM ARE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH OUR AD HOC.
SO WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN A SURVEY STEERING COMMITTEE THAT'S BEING CREATED.
THE PROPOSED PLAN IS TO HAVE A SURVEY GO LIVE IN MARCH, AND WILL END IN SEPTEMBER WITH A REPORT AND A PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
OUR COMMISSION CAN SUPPORT WITH HOSTING A FOCUS GROUP LISTENING SESSION AS PART OF THE LGBTQ PLUS ASSESSMENT.
IN REGARDS TO THE INDIGENOUS SUPPORT, A LA A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN DRAFTED, AND WE WILL REVIEW DURING A LATER AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT.
SO THE NEXT STEP, A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS, WAS DRAFTED TO THE MAYOR TO FOCUS OUTREACH AND APPOINT A, A MEMBER TO REPRESENT THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO OUR COMMISSION.
ONCE SOMEONE IS APPOINTED, WE WILL REVISIT THE NATIVE COMMUNITY NEEDS, UNLESS MEMBERS OF THE NATIVE COMMUNITY REACHES OUT FOR SUPPORT FOLLOWING PLAN, UH, FOR RACIAL EQUITY TEAM TO PRESENT IN FEBRUARY AT R-E-H-R-C MEETING.
AND THEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM RYAN AND THE LGBTQ PLUS ASSESSMENT, WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE, IT WILL BE SHARED AND WE WILL DETERMINE THE NEXT STEPS.
SO THIS CONCLUDES OUR AD HOC REPORT, AND WE ARE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I FEEL LIKE LAUGHING, BUT, UM,
I THINK, UM, HOW I WOULD LIKE, 'CAUSE I DO ACTUALLY HAVE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
WE USUALLY HAVE AGENDA ITEMS WITH EXCEPTING OF THIS ONE.
WE LISTEN TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE FELLOW CONDITION RESPONSE SO THAT WE ALSO SYNTHESIZE, UH, RESPONSES FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO LET'S MOVE TO THAT FIRST, AND WE'LL GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO COMMISSIONER TAYLOR THOUGHTS, AND IF THERE ARE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, WE CAN SYNTHESIZE.
BUT BEFORE WE EVEN DO THAT, THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER, I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER, UM, AD HOC COMMITTEE.
THIS IS THE RECIDIVISM AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT HAS REPORTS.
SO I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO BE ASKING, BUT I KNOW WE CAN DO IT WHEN WE LISTEN TO REPORTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN WE AS COMMISSIONER, SYNTHESIZE ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO, UH, IF MEMORY SERVES CORRECTLY, I BELIEVE IS, UH, FELLOW COMMISSIONER ALYSSA GUTIERREZ WAS AN UPDATE ON RECIDIVISM.
IS THAT CORRECT? AM I RIGHT? YES.
UM, SO YES, I'M REPORTING OUT ON THE AD HOC THAT IS WORKING ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCING RECIDIVISM, PARTICULARLY AROUND EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU ALL RECALL, A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO, UM, WHEN COMMISSIONER ALLEN AND I DECIDED TO, UM, TACKLE THIS THROUGH AD HOCS, WE DECIDED TO ACTUALLY, UM, PARSE OUT A COUPLE OF THE TOPICS.
SO JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, WE, IN, UM, FOCUSING ON RECIDIVISM, WE ARE LOOKING AT EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOUSING, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
AND SO, UH, BECAUSE THAT WAS SO MUCH, UM, INFORMATION AND AS YOU CAN SEE AND, AND JUST THE EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UH, WHAT IS THAT, ALMOST EIGHT DIFFERENT, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS JUST UNDER THIS ONE OR, YEAH.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TACKLE, YOU KNOW, UH, DIFFERENT AD HOC FOR EACH, UM, TOPIC.
SO FOR, UH, TODAY'S PURPOSES, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND TODAY I WANNA SHARE, UM, WHAT, UH, WE CAME UP WITH IN OUR AD HOC.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS WITH COMMISSIONER ALLEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, RONNIE'S HOUSE, WHO WE HEARD FROM IN, IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, QUITE A, A WHILE AGO.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, I THINK WE DIDN'T START OUR AD HOC PROCESS UNTIL ABOUT, UM, END OF SEPTEMBER OR SO.
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UM, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, UM, AND JUST WANNA ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, SHERINEUH, SO WHAT WE CAME UP WITH, UH, JUST ACTUALLY ONE QUICK REMINDER TOO, IN THE CORNER HERE, WE WANNA JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSTANTLY, UH, REFERRING BACK TO THE RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE.
SO WE'RE ALL GROUNDED IN, UM, THE RELEVANCE TO OUR ROADMAP AND TO THAT, UM, INITIATIVE.
AND SO THIS IS ADDRESSING SOME OF WHAT IS CALLED OUT UNDER GOAL TWO, STRATEGY THREE, TO INCREASE COORDINATED REENTRY NETWORKS TO SUPPORT FORMER JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FALL IN THREE MAIN BUCKETS, AND THAT IS AROUND INCLUSIVE HIRING, INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND THEN SUPPORTIVE REENTRY PROGRAMS. SO UNDER, UH, INCLUSIVE HIRING, WE'RE LOOKING AT WANTING TO RECOMMEND EXPANDING INCLUSIVE HIRING PRACTICES WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AND CURRENTLY WITHIN THE CITY, WE DO HAVE A, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY FOLLOWING THE STATE LAW AROUND BAN THE BOX.
SO WE DON'T, UM, WE'RE NOT ASKING, YOU KNOW, BEFORE SOMEBODY ACTUALLY APPLIES IF THEY HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A, A CRIME IN THE PAST.
HOWEVER, IF THERE'S STILL, UM, WE STILL HAVE TO DO PRE-EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO IF SOMEONE HAD, DOES HAVE A, YOU KNOW, JUSTICE INVOLVED A BACKGROUND, THEN THAT'S GONNA SHOW UP AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE, OF THE CITY, OF WHATEVER DEPARTMENT IS HIRING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE THE GREEN LIGHT OR, OR REJECT THAT, THAT HIRE.
SO, IT, IT'S VERY VAGUE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS, IT, THERE'S NOT A, A UNIFORM WAY THAT IT IS APPLIED.
SO WE WANT TO, UM, WE WANNA ADDRESS THAT.
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO GO FURTHER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS PATHWAYS FOR, UM, EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND THE FOR THE OTHER ONE IS AROUND IMPLEMENTING A FAIR CHANCE HIRING CHALLENGE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND WHAT THIS IS, IS REALLY TO ENCOURAGE OUR CITY'S, UM, BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO ADOPT FAIR CHANCE HIRING PRACTICES, UM, WITH THE GOAL OF, OF COURSE, GETTING MORE BUSINESSES TO COMMIT TO HIRING JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS.
AND THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT THE 2018 CALIFORNIA FAIR CHANCE ACT, KNOWN AS BAN THE BOX LAW, WHICH PROHIBITS EMPLOYERS FROM ASKING ABOUT CONVICTION HISTORY.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN LAWS GET PASSED, A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE INDUSTRY THAT IT'S TARGETING IS NOT ALWAYS NOTIFIED, IS NOT ALWAYS UP TO DATE.
SO THERE'S, UH, THE, THE COUNTY OF LA STARTED DOING SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL HOST THESE KIND OF CHALLENGES AND, AND, UM, UH, AFFAIRS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET MORE, UH, UH, EMPLOYERS LIKE KNOWING THAT THIS LAW'S IN PLACE.
UM, THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL ALSO BE COUPLED WITH A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY MEANT TO REDUCE THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH HIRING JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS.
AND THAT'S MEANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS OF INCLU INCLUSIVE HIRING PRACTICES TO EMPLOYERS AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AND SOME OF THOSE, UM, HIRE OF THOSE, UH, BENEFITS INCLUDE, UM, TAX CREDITS, INCREASED RETENTION, UM, TO NAME A FEW.
AND THEN FINALLY UNDER THIS ONE B, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FAIR CHANCE HIRING KIT THAT SUPPORTS EMPLOYERS IN HIRING AND RETAINING JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND THEN ONE C THIS IS, UM, A RECOMMENDATION TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS RONNIE'S HOUSE, OTHERS, UM, THAT ARE WELL KNOWN, INCLUDE LEADERS UP, SECOND CALL AND OTHER REENTRY PROGRAMS. AND I SEE A TYPO IN THEIR COLLEGE YOUTH AND OTHER REENTRY PROGRAMS THAT ARE SPECIALIZED IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS.
AND THIS IS REALLY JUST MEANT TO, UM, CREATE MORE COHESION, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PROGRAMS OUT THERE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE FRAGMENTED.
WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF 'EM.
AND THE ONES THAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT MAYBE AREN'T AS WELL, UM, CONNECTED WITH, UM, THE CITY AND MAYBE NOT AS WELL RESOURCED AS THEY SHOULD BE.
UM, OKAY, MOVING ON TO THE SECOND BUCKET AROUND INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
THE TWO MAIN THINGS WE CALL OUT HERE IS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO CONTRACTING FOUND IN OUR CITY CONTRACTS, CLAUSE ONE AND TWO.
AND THIS WOULD GIVE JUSTICE IMPACTED ENTREPRENEURS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR CITY CONTRACTS.
AND, UM, IF YOU REMEMBER ALL THE WAY BACK IN MAY, UM, UH, MS. SENEGAL HERE PRESENTED ON WHAT THOSE BARRIERS TO PROCUREMENT WAR, AND, UM, THOSE WILL BE ELABORATED, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN WE ACTUALLY
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HAVE THE FULL LETTER, WHICH IS, UH, SLATED FOR NEXT MEETING.UM, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A, A QUICK REMINDER, SOME OF THIS IS ABOUT, UM, UH, THESE CLAUSES WERE JUST ADDED, UM, IN 2022 AND CREATED ADDITIONAL BARRIERS AROUND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, REQUIRING THAT, UH, PREVIOUS, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? PREVIOUS, UM, JUDGE GUILTY, UM, OR LIABLE, UM, SENTENCES WERE AND CRIMINAL LITIGATION, UM, INVESTIGATIONS WERE ACTUALLY HAD TO BE DISCLOSED, UM, AS A PART OF THE CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY BEING ABLE TO DISCRIMINATE BASED ON, UM, UH, DEMEANOR, WHICH IS VERY SUBJECTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN HAVE CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS AROUND LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CONTENTIOUS DEMEANOR? SO THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME, UM, ISSUES THAT WE SEE IN, IN THAT CONTRACT.
AND THEN CONTRACT CLAUSE TWO WAS ABOUT THE DATA, UM, THE OWNERSHIP OF DATA AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CLAIMING FULL OWNERSHIP OVERALL DATA WHEN THERE IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN A, A ENTITY AND THE CITY.
AND THAT WAS, UH, PRODUCING BARRIERS AS WELL.
UM, GENERALLY NOT JUST FOR JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE IT AS WELL AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND THEN FINALLY, UNDER SUPPORTIVE REENTRY PROGRAMS, UM, THIS IS KIND OF A, A BUCKET WHERE WE INCLUDED THE GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME, UM, CONVERSATION.
WE WERE TALKING A BIT ABOUT THIS I THINK AT, UM, A COUPLE, UH, REPORT OUTS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
UM, BUT THE RECOMMENDATION HERE IS TO PARTNER WITH PHILANTHROPIC INSTITUTIONS TO EXPAND THE CITY'S GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME PROGRAM TO TARGET JUSTICE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATING IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND THIS IS MEANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE NEEDED SUPPORT, THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PART SPEND THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, TRAINING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY, UM, GET STABILITY AND BECOME, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
AND THEN, UM, AND, AND WE ALREADY HAVE THIS GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME PROGRAM IN THE CITY, UM, THAT IS TARGETED TOWARD, UM, SINGLE PARENTS IN 9 0 8, 1 3, AND I THINK ANOTHER ZIP CODE.
I KNOW IT WAS JUST RECENTLY EXPANDED.
UM, BUT ALL THAT TO SAY IS WE ALREADY HAVE A, A BLUEPRINT FOR THIS.
AND SO THIS WOULD JUST BE ASKING THE CITY TO, UM, WORK TO FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR POPULATION.
AND THEN FINALLY, THREE B, THERE WILL BE ACTUALLY A WHOLE NOTHER AD HOC THAT'S GONNA EXPAND ON THIS, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO, UM, PUT IT HERE AS WELL JUST TO SHOW THAT, UM, THE THINGS LIKE EXPANDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES, LIKE MENTORING CASE MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IS FUNDAMENTAL.
BOTH OF THESE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVING BASIC INCOME AND, UM, WRAPAROUND SUPPORT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO, UH, SOMEONE WHO IS JUST AS IMPACTED, UH, BEING ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THESE AREAS AROUND, UM, EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND WORKFORCE.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT, A LOT OF INFORMATION.
WE'VE BEEN REALLY DIGGING INTO THE RESEARCH AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MEETING WITH FOLKS IN THE INDUSTRY.
WE'VE MET WITH PACIFIC GATEWAY, WHO IS, UM, ADMINISTERING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BITS AND PIECES OF SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND THEY SHARED WITH US HOW, HOW SOME OF THIS COULD BE STRENGTHENED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE SAT DOWN WITH MANY, MANY, UM, UM, FOLKS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO NAVIGATE ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW, WHO ACTUALLY INFORMED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEIR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE, HAVING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BE OUT HERE WITH VERY LITTLE SUPPORT.
SO, UM, THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
LAST THING I JUST WANNA SAY IN TERMS OF TIMELINE IS I WANTED TO SHARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH YOU.
UM, NOW THAT WAY YOU CAN START, YOU SEE THEM, YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, START TO INFORM THE DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN HAVE, SO THAT NEXT MONTH WE COME BACK, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE LETTER THAT JUST HAS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT AND DETAIL AROUND EACH OF THESE, BASICALLY WHAT I SHARED, WHAT I NARRATED WILL BE REFLECTED IN A LETTER VERSION, AND WE'LL BE READY TO HOPEFULLY, UM, VOTE ON THESE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE TO SAY THIS LIKE 10 DAYS INTO THE NEW YEAR IN THE NORTH OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, IN THOSE 10 DAYS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF THAT HAVE DO PRIOR TO THE NEW YEAR, BUT REALLY GOOD, REALLY GOOD WORK.
I DO HAVE QUESTIONS JUST LIKE I HAVE WITH YOU THAT, BUT I'M GONNA RESERVE THOSE QUESTIONS TILL AFTER, UH, AD HOC, UM, UH, I'M SORRY, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT, IF ANY, UH, THAT WAY WE CAN SYNTHESIZE THAT AND MAYBE
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I CAN EVEN WEAVE THEM INTO THE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT I HAVE WRITTEN.SO I'M GONNA REFER TO THE MADAM CLERK, UM, TO CALL FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, IF ANY, UM, TO PROVIDE US WITH THEIR COMMENTS OR ALSO QUESTIONS.
QUICK POINT OF INFORMATION, UM, FOR WHEN THERE'S QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ON, ON THIS REPORT OUT IN PARTICULAR.
AM I ALLOWED TO CALL ON OUR PARTNER THAT HELPED WORK ON THESE AS WELL? OR IS THAT O OR CAN I ONLY ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? UM, I BELIEVE IF THEY'RE COMING IN ASKING, YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOUR LIKE PRESENTERS OR YEAH, YEAH.
SPEAKING OFFICIALLY AS LIKE ONE OF YOUR OKAY, UM, INVITEES, THEN THAT'S FINE, BUT OKAY.
IF SHE'S SPEAKING AS, OR IF THEY'RE SPEAKING AS, UH, THE RIC MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC KNOW, YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
SO FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND NOW OR DIAL STAR NINE IF CALLING IN.
AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS HERE IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE CAN GET A NUMBER OF HOW MANY THERE ARE IN PERSON.
SO I'M NOT SEEING THEM IN THE ZOOM, BUT IN PERSON I DO SEE ONE YES OR TWO.
SO IF WE CAN START IN PERSON, IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN, UM, STAND UP AT YOUR SHEET, OR IF YOU WANT TO STAY SEATED, THAT'S FINE.
UM, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS INITIATIVE ON, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER FOR THIS.
UM, 90% OF CRIMES ARE MONEY RELATED, FINANCIALLY RELATED, AND THE CHILDREN OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND COMRADES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF PRISON, THEY HAVE A 60% MORE CHANCE OF BEING INCARCERATED.
AND SO THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AROUND REENTRY, HOW WE SUPPORT PEOPLE THAT ARE JUSTICE IMPACTED, SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITIES.
70% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
70% OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN GUN VIOLENCE HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND SO THERE IS AN INTERSECTIONALITY TO MANY OF OUR SOCIAL ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON AND ADDRESSING THIS REALLY ADDRESSES SO MANY OF OUR SOCIAL ISSUES.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING EVEN OUTSIDE OF OUR AD HOC COMMITTEES AS, AS, UM, RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY DEALING WITH PACIFIC GATEWAY DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION AND PULLING EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO ENSURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE IN TOOLKITS SO THAT ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR JUSTICE IMPACTED COMMUNITY AND THE COMMISSIONER'S, RIGHT? THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT PIECES, BUT THE PIECES ARE NOT PUT TOGETHER.
AND WE'RE DEFINITELY IN A PLACE NATIONALLY WHERE BOTH GOVERNMENTS, CITIES, AS WELL AS CORPORATIONS ARE TAKING ON THIS INITIATIVE.
AND, AND IT MAKES SENSE ECONOMICALLY, IT'S BETTER ECONOMICALLY FOR US 'CAUSE IT'S A LOT LESS MONEY THAN SENDING OUR FOLKS TO PRISON AND SPENDING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON PEOPLE THAT ARE INSIDE THAT ARE JUSTICE IMPACTED WHEN IT COMES TO THE, UM, THE INCOME, THE GUARANTEED INCOME.
SOME MAY SAY, WELL, WHY SHOULD THEY GET THE INCOME? SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD GET THE INCOME.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, IF THEY STAY IN PRISON, WE'RE PAYING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR TO EACH PERSON.
SO FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, IT REALLY IS A MAKE SENSE DECISION TO BE ABLE TO HELP TRANSITION INDIVIDUALS COMING HOME FROM PRISON.
JUST LIKE WHAT, FIRST, WHAT COMES FIRST, RIGHT? YOU COME OUT WITH $200, I DON'T KNOW IF MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'VE HAD A DRUG CONVICTION, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GET ANY TYPE OF SUPPORT.
SECTION EIGHT, UH, SUPPORT AROUND FOOD, ANYTHING TO DO WITH FEDERAL.
AND SO INDIVIDUALS, IF THEY DON'T HAVE FAMILIES, IF THEIR FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING, IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT.
AND SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE HERE TO BE OF SERVICE FOR THE COMMISSION IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO GET IT TO THE FINISH LINE.
UM, AND CHRISTEN, NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
IT'S BEEN REALLY HUMBLING AND JUST
UM, MAINLY YOU'RE ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BUT SINCE IT GOT BROUGHT UP AS PART OF, OF THIS ITEM WITH, WITH THE FIRST PART, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ON THE HISTORY THING, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN STILL CONTRIBUTE TO THAT WITH THE K BISEXUAL HISTORY, BUT IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN LONG BEACH, BUT EVEN AS WE'RE MAKING, WE'RE HAVING THINGS, PEOPLE ARE STILL PREJUDICE AND LEAVE THINGS OUT.
IT WAS A GREAT SHOW AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH ABOUT HIS STORY CALLED FRANK BROTHERS.
AND MY MOTHER WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO
[00:30:01]
WORK AT THAT STORE.IT WAS THE FIRST MODERN FURNITURE STORE WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
IT WAS RUN BY TWO BROTHERS, ONE OF WHOM WAS GAY AND FRANK, INCREDIBLY CREATIVE.
BUT WHEN CAL STATE DID THAT SHOW, WHEN THE BOOK WAS PRINTED FOR THESE WOMEN, THE, THE MOTHER, THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, THE OTHER BROTHER DIDN'T WANT IT, MENTIONED THAT EDDIE WAS GAY.
AND, AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT STORE HAD TO DO WITH EDDIE PINKY.
IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL STORY.
I GREW, GREW UP PLAYING, PLAYING IN THAT, THAT STORE.
SO IT WAS A SANCTUARY, BUT IT WAS A CREATIVE HUB.
AND I, AND I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY ADD, ADDING ON, YOU KNOW, MY MOM, MOM WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE HONORED AS FOR MAGAZINE SHE STARTED, BUT IT WAS A RESULT OF THAT STORY.
AND I THINK THESE ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WANNA SEE THEM FULLY, YOU KNOW, AND IN ALL.
AND SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT THAT COULD BE, BE A PART AND THEN ON, ON THIS TOPIC OF RECIDIVISM.
AND I THINK THERE'S JUST SO MANY OVERLAPS, WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE, BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO NATIVE AMERICANS AND RECIDIVISM, IT'S HUGE.
AND ALSO EVEN, EVEN GETTING ACCESS OR BEING UNDERSTOOD, UH, AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THAT HISTORY IS THAT, AND, AND SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR ALL ALL THESE STEPS YOU'RE PLANNING ON TAKING.
AND I THINK THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL WORK WELL WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE OTHER PIECES.
ARE THERE ANY, EMMA? I'M SORRY, CLERK.
I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE COMMENTING ON BOTH.
AM I, IS IT TOO LATE TO, UM, I'M GONNA FOLLOW YOUR RULES.
I BELIEVE YOU STILL HAVE TIME.
IF YOU WANTED TO DO A QUICK WORD, A QUICK, I, I LIKE JUST ONE SUGGESTION.
I'VE WORKED A LOT WITH MINORITY BUSINESSES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR, IN YOUR WORK IN THE, UH, IN THE AD HOC THAT YOU'RE CREATING, BUT THERE WAS A REPORT THAT CAME OUT A FEW YEARS AGO THAT SHOWED BLACK BUSINESSES GENERATE 25,000 COMPARED TO THEIR CAUCASIAN COUNTERPARTS AT 400,000 LATINO BUSINESSES, 30 COMPARED TO 400,000.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PART OF IT IN THE SURVEYS, TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOR THE NEED OF MINORITY BUSINESSES AND, AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE L-G-B-T-Q BUSINESSES, ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES
THANK YOU MADAM CLERK AND THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UH, NOW WE CAN, UH, GO INTO OUR DISCUSSION AS, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, IN THE EVENT THAT SOME FOLKS WANNA GATHER THEIR THOUGHTS, AGAIN, GO AHEAD AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH A COUPLE OF MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AND THEN FACILITATE WHOEVER HAS, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE AD HOC, UH, COMMITTEES HERE.
SO REGARDING THE BIPOC L-G-B-T-Q, UH, AD HOC COMMITTEE UPDATE, UM, IT'S A QUESTION.
YOU, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THAT HERE, BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED LATER.
I, I'M CURIOUS IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR PERCENTAGE OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY, UH, WHAT THAT THAT IS HERE HELPFUL IN, IN THIS DIALOGUE FORWARD.
NOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS, IT'S IMPORTANT TOPIC FORWARD PERIOD, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION SLASH COMMENT, IN CASE IT'S NOT, UH, UH, INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE OR YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN I'VE COME ACROSS SURVEYS, UM, THAT, UH, ASK FOR, YOU KNOW, IF ANYONE IDENT IDENTIFIES AS INDIGENOUS, IT VARIES A LOT IN TERMS OF WHAT FOLKS MEAN BY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
SO IN SOME CASES IT'S AMERICAN INDIAN, IN OTHER CASES YOU SEE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, AND THEN IN PARENTHESES, AMERICAN INDIAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN AND MEXICAN.
AND IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S A LOT OF LATINX COMMUNITIES THAT BE, MAY, DEPENDING ON THEIR OWN IDENTITIES ALSO IDENTIFY AS INDIGENOUS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF HOW YOU WANT TO DEFINE THAT WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF WHERE YOU'RE KNOWING THAT YOU'RE USING INTERSECTIONALITY.
MY HUNCH IS THAT THAT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN PROBABLY PART OF THE DISCUSSION PIECES, AND IT'S NOT JUST LINE COMMITTEE.
THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS THAT HAVE TIES TO
SO I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE FOR NOW IN THE EVENT THAT, THAT ANYONE, ANYONE WANTS TO RESPOND TO THAT.
BUT I ALSO HAVE SOME COMMENTS FOR, UM, WITH RECIDIVISM, UM, UH, UM, AD HOC COMMITTEE.
SO I ATTENDED THE STATE OF THE CITY YESTERDAY, AND AS, AS YOU WERE REPORTING YOUR UPDATE, COMMISSIONER GUTIERREZ, UM, UM, I COULDN'T HELP BUT DRAW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, BUT, UH, I JUST LEARNED THIS YESTERDAY, BUT THE, THE, UH, THE MAYOR IS PLANNING AN INITIATIVE TO CONSOLIDATE HIRING WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, RIGHT? IT'S NOT HIS WORDS, IT'S
[00:35:01]
HOW I SYNTHESIZE THIS YESTERDAY.AND, UH, IN ORDER TO FAST TRACK THE HYBRID PROCESS, BECAUSE I'M SURE WE
SO IT'S JUST A WONDERING OF MINE, IF THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, THIS INITIATIVE, THE MAYOR, THIS ESPECIALLY BULLET ITEM NUMBER ONE AND FOLLOW BULLET ITEM ONE WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM.
UM, AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IT'S ALREADY ON THE RADAR BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS OF EQUITY WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM.
BUT I THINK THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE DEFINITELY CAN, CAN, OR IF WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK WITH, UM, WITH, OR WE'RE ABOUT TO DO THIS WORK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT STAGE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS, BUT, UM, IF THINK IF WE CONSOLIDATE HIRING AND FAST TRACK HIRING, UM, IT SHOULD INCLUDE THIS INCLUSIVE HIRING.
AND THAT'S MY, MY, UH, MY THOUGHTS ON, ON THAT.
BUT BOTH OF YOU, UM, HOPEFULLY MY COMMENTS ARE HELPFUL IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM AND ANYTHING ELSE I CONTRIBUTE, I'D BE GLAD TO, TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WITH COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR BOTH OF OUR AD HOCS? I SEE, COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE, UM, LATINO, AFRICAN AMERICAN, CAMBODIAN ETHNIC BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS THAT YOU SHOULD INCLUDE IN OUR, IN OUR PROGRAM AND OUR, IN OUR AD HOC, UH, PLANS.
AND I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THE PLAYING BROTHERS, UM, BOOK AND I, I CAN'T WAIT TO PICK IT UP AND MEET IT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE HISTORY AND COMMISSIONER PAT.
I WELL, YES, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID DISCUSS AND SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING IT BACK TO THE TABLE.
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.
I, I INFORMATION TO MR. THANK YOU BOTH.
AND, UM, IN REGARD TO THE RECIDIVISM, UM, AD HOC, UM, ALYSSA, YOU GUYS DID PHENOMENAL WORK.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE, UM, THIS IS SUCH A RELEVANT TOPIC FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND, UM, JUST AS, UM, OUR CHAIR HAS MENTIONED, I HAVE THE SAME THOUGHT, UH, FROM THE STATE OF THE CITY, UM, YESTERDAY AND WONDERING IF THIS IS INCLUDED WITH THE FAST TRACK HIRING PROCESS, BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS AN EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION IN FRONT OF THIS AD HOC TO INTERJECT THAT IN THERE.
AND MY, MY COMMENTS NOT TOO ALSO APPRECIATE, UM, THE OTHER AD HOC FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
THAT WAS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT OUT.
AND, UM, THANK YOU CHAIR LAURA AND COMMISSIONER BETS ON AROUND, UM, THIS SUGGESTION.
SO I WAS NOT AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, UNFORTUNATELY, HAD SOMETHING I HAD TO ATTEND TO.
UM, SO I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO LISTEN TO THAT.
SO I, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IN THE PAST, UM, THIS WAS PROBABLY 2018 OR SO, THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS AROUND SOME OF THIS, UM, INCLUSIVE HIRING WITH JUSTICE IMPACT INDIVIDUALS IN MIND.
UM, AND IT CAME UP A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THE MAYOR'S, EVERYONE IN INITIATIVE, UM, BACK WHEN HE WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
HOWEVER, I DON'T, SINCE THEN, I HAVEN'T SEEN A WHOLE LOT OF SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS COME TO ION.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BRING, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT ALREADY ON THEIR RADAR TO, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING THE DOTS.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD ASK OF OFFICE OF EQUITY, DO YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU HEARD AT ALL ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, THE MAYOR'S, UM, THIS HIRING INITIATIVE HE ANNOUNCED? AND, AND YEAH.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DETAILS? NO.
I THINK IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR FLAGGING THAT.
UM, WELL, I, WITH CHAIR LAURA, WHERE, UM, THIS, THESE REPORT OUTS ARE REALLY THOROUGH IN THE TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAPPENING.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT BOTH GROUPS HAD KIND TOWARDS THESE REPORTS.
[00:40:01]
UH, DURING YOUR PRESENTATION WE HAD ADDRESSED, UH, WE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, ABILITY TO EXPUNGE IF POSSIBLE, ANY OF THE RECORDS.I KNOW, UM, IF WE COULD KEEP IN MIND LIKE THE LEGAL AID FOUNDATIONS IN VARIOUS COUNTIES MM-HMM,
AND YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED IT'S NOT ON THE SCREEN, BUT I DID MENTION, UM, LIKE A FAIR CHANCE HIRING KIT.
I THINK THERE IS, I THINK AN ADDITIONAL, UH, UM, YEAH, SO THERE'S SOME COMPONENTS OF THIS HIRING TOOLKIT, WHICH MAYBE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEYOND HIRING, IT'S LIKE RESOURCES IN GENERAL.
WHICH I KNOW RONNIE'S HOUSE HAS.
SO I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, ADD THAT, RIGHT WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE COME BACK WITH THE FULL LETTER, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT LIKE ALL OF THAT IS LAID OUT SO WE HAVE IT ALL IN ONE PLACE.
AND, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE ALSO CREATED A WEBSITE CALLED, UH, EXPUNGE MY RECORD.
I HAD EXPUNGE MY RECORD THROUGH A COUNTY PARTNERSHIP SO THAT THEY BOTH HAVE THOSE TOOLS AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE NONPROFITS.
AND WE CAN WORK WITH THE CANNABIS ASSOCIATION, WHICH AT TIMES HAS INVESTED IN EXPUNGEMENT PAYERS AND THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
COMMISSIONER
AND THIS WAS ALSO REGARDING THE, UH, BIPOC LBTQ HEALTH COMMITTEE IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE IDEAS FROM FROM REPUBLIC.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING I KNOW, BUT I JUST NEED TO JUST BE MORE FORWARD WITH IT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE, THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND ITS INTERSECTIONS IN THIS CITY, UM, HAS CREATED SO MUCH IMPACT, NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY, BUT BEYOND, UH, THE BORDERS OF THE CITY.
AND, AND IT'S JUST A WONDERING THAT I HAVE FOR NOW, AND IT'S SOMETHING YOUR CAPACITY TO EXPLORE.
UM, VICE MAYOR ALLEN IS IN THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING COMMUNITY WITH, UH, I FORGET HOW SHE'S T PART LGBTQ BORDER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND TAKING A LOT OF COMMENTS ON AND CONTRIBUTIONS AND INPUT FOR WHAT THAT EVENTUALLY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND THESE ARE MY TWO SENSE, BUT IT'S A VERY, VERY, UH, VERY, UH, BOLD AND VERY, UH, STRONG TO SENSE IT.
I COULD SAY THIS, I THINK, UH, THE TIMING MIGHT BE RIGHT FOR SOME L-G-B-T-Q MUSEUM OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE THAT REALLY CAPTURES THE HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT REQUIRES SPACE THAT REQUIRES FUNDING, UH, WHICH WILL START WONDERING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE CITY AND PAST NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY BE AN EXPLORATION, OR IF IT'S NOT A PHYSICAL MUSEUM, SOMETHING, UH, RELATED TO ARCHIVING THE RICH HISTORY.
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HEARING THE CITY 20 YEARS AND I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE JUST BUMPED INTO INFORMATION JUST FROM MEETING PEOPLE AND SAYING, HEY, IS THAT HAPPENED? THAT HAPPENED THAT, BUT THERE'S NO CENTRAL PLACE THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT ORGANIZING, UH, THAT RICH HISTORY.
AND I WOULD HATE, AND WE ALL KNOW THIS, THE HISTORY IS NOT WRITTEN DOWN IN OUR ARCHIVE OR ANYTHING, UM, THEN FUTURE GENERATIONS.
UM, BUT ALL THAT SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORY, UM, IN, UH, A SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC WAY.
UM, I THINK THAT BOS WELL FOR ALL OF OUR EFFORTS, AND NOT JUST IN, UM, ON THIS COMMISSION, BUT RELATED EFFORTS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH NONPROFITS, AND IN THIS CASE ALSO THE VICE MAYOR, UM, WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLIDIFY RECORDS.
SO, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
UM, SO MATT, I HAVE, UH, AN ADDITION OR CONSIDERATION FOR THE RECIDIVISM AD HOC, UH, COMMITTEE.
SO IN SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE LIKE PROTOCOL, UM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PRACTICES, UH, IT GETS LOST IN, IN THE MUD.
UH, WHEREAS THE PROTOCOL IS THESE ARE THE STEPS WE HAVE TO TAKE, THESE ARE MY INSTRUCTIONS THAT I'M FOLLOWING.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE ELEMENT TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THEM.
[00:45:01]
REGARDS TO THE GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND AS WELL AS THE COACHING, UH, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND A RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST OUR STATE AND FEDERAL, UH, COMMITTEES OR PARTNERS TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING TO FACILITATE SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS. I'M CONCERNED IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE'RE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE FACING A BUDGET DEFICIT, UM, AND CALLS FOR BUDGET CUTS TO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.SO IN A TIME WHERE THAT IS A POSSIBILITY IN THE NEXT, UM, BUDGET CYCLE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY OUTSIDE STREAMS, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUNDS TO, TO MAKE THESE PROGRAMS HAPPEN.
BUT I'M REALLY INSPIRED, UM, BY ALL OF THIS WORK, AND I FEEL LIKE THESE ARE CULTURAL CHANGES THAT CAN BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.
AND I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? MAKE SURE THAT BOTH COMMITTEES HAVE FEDERAL
SO, UM, I'M GONNA REFER TO THE CLERK.
DO WE HAVE TO OFFICIALLY FILE, UH, UM, THIS PRESENTATION? NO, THE RECOMMENDATION IS ALREADY RECEIVED AND FILED REPORT, SO, SO WE'RE GOOD? YEAH, I'M GOOD.
MM-HMM,
UM, SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MADAM CLERK TO READ THE AGENDA ITEM, PROVIDE BRIEF, I'LL PROVIDE BRIEF CONTEXT AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL THAT, THAT'S DONE.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THAT ITEM, UM, WE JUST NEED TO TAKE A QUICK VOTE FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO TO RECEIVE A FIVE.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.
THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, LEVEL CLERK.
ITEM MEMBER THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE A CORRESPONDENCE TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL REQUESTING, UH, INTENTIONAL OUTREACH TO THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY TO FILL ONE OF THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
THE WAY I'D LIKE TO PROCEED WITH THIS IS I'M, UM, IN A FEW SECONDS ABOUT TO HAND OVER THE FLOOR TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
THEY'LL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT AND BRINGING FOR THIS, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE DISCUSSION.
UM, SO AS HEARD ALLUDED TO IN THE PRIOR AGENDA ITEM, THERE'S, THERE ARE CONCRETE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE ATTENDED AS READY TO BE MOVED OVER AS RECOMMENDATION CITY COUNCIL.
SO I'M GONNA, UH, UH, REFER TO THE AHA COMMITTEE TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT IN THANK YOU CHAIR.
CAN WE GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? MOTION? SECOND.
SO THAT'S, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ FOR THE PUBLIC AND COMMISSIONER BATS.
SO I'LL BE DOING THE REPORT BACK FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THIS, UH, COURT CORRESPONDENCE.
SO, UH, AS COMMISSIONER BAX HAVE SHARED, DR.
BAX HAS SHARED EARLIER, UH, WE HAVE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF REALLY LISTENING TO OUR NATIVE AND ADDITION COMMUNITIES HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UH, THERE WAS AN INITIATIVE TO CALL FOR A COMMISSION IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND OUT OF THAT PROCESS, UH, THERE WERE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE SENT TO COUNCIL.
AND SO AS A COMMISSION, WE, UH, WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE REACHED OUT TO THOSE PARTIES INVOLVED.
AND, UM, WHERE WE LANDED, WHERE IS THE CITY IS IN A POSITION TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ALSO WITHIN THE LETTER HERE, UH, THEY'RE STATED HERE IN BOLD, UM, SORRY FOR THE FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THIS, BUT I'LL READ THEM OUT.
UH, REFER ITEMS TO THE EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, UH, WHICH CAN HOLD MEETINGS, HEAR TESTIMONY FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS.
AND THEN FORWARD SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER REQUESTS, WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY ON SPECIFIC ISSUES TO, UM, SOLICIT INPUT FROM A LIST OF LOCAL NATIVE AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVES, FORMALIZE A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO HONOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, HOST LISTENING SESSIONS ON VARIOUS TOPICS TO CELEBRATE, ACKNOWLEDGE, AND SUPPORT THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN INFORMING CITY PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, AND PRIORITIES.
UM, SO WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS MEMO WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS,
[00:50:01]
UM, WE AS AD HOC, UH, WE HAD A CONVERSATION OF LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO AS AN AD HOC TO REALLY BRING IT FORTH TO YOU ALL AS A POSITION? AND WE FELT A LITTLE BIT OF, LIKE, WE'RE SPEAKING FOR A GROUP OF COMMUNITY THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY REPRESENTED IN THIS COMMISSION, UH, FROM OUR, UH, PERSPECTIVES.UH, SO IF YOU DO IDENTIFY NATIVE AMERICANS, PLEASE LET US KNOW OR JOINING OUR AD HOC SO THAT WE CAN START TO SHAPE SOME, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE WANTED TO ACTUALLY TAKE A STEP BACK AND ASK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO DO INTENTIONAL OUTREACH TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO FILL ONE OF OUR VACANT SEATS IN THIS COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN DO SOME OF THAT GROUNDWORK.
UM, AND SO IN THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE PREPARING TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, THEY ARE AS FOLLOWED.
UM, SO COLLABORATE WITH INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS, ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS TO FACILITATE OUTREACH EFFORTS AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CANDIDATES WIDELY PUBLICIZE COMMISSION OPPORTUNITIES RELATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMISSION'S VACANCIES THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS, INCLUDING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY CENTERS, LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AND APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY TO THE EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO AMPLIFY AND, AND, UH, STRENGTHEN THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY'S VOICE BY ACTUALLY HAVING FOLKS REPRESENTED HERE ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO THESE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY BEHIND IT.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
AND WE HOPE WE'RE OPEN TO QUESTIONS.
I THINK, UM, FOR QUESTIONS, WAS THERE A QUESTION? COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ? NO, IT WAS COMMISSIONER OR PUBLIC QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE HAVE TO DO COMMENT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE, OKAY.
I'M GONNA SAVE MY QUESTION IF YOU HERE SOMEWHERE TO EARLIER FOR LATER.
SO LET'S DO A PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
AND THEN, SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER THREE IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RIGHT TIME NOW OR THAT REMIND CALLING IN.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS HERE IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND AND THEN START AS A PARTICIPANT.
UM, I'M SORRY, THERE'S NONE THE, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, THERE'S NONE IN THE ZOOM, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE WITH, UH,
JUST AS A, AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, WHEN THIS COMMISSION SENDS A LETTER, THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL, AT WHAT POINT DOES THAT LETTER GET SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC? SO JUST FOR OUR CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, IS THAT, THAT IS YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT? 'CAUSE IF THAT'S YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAVE TO FAIR TIME.
PARDON? DID I SAY SOMETHING? NO, THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION.
I, I SAY IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER, THAT'S FINE.
I'M JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SEND A LETTER TO THE MAYOR CITY COUNCIL WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION, AT WHAT POINT IN TIME IS THAT LETTER MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE YOUR LETTER? UH, FOR, BECAUSE OF PROTOCOL, I CAN'T ANSWER DIRECTLY.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'LL TAKE THAT AS PUBLIC COMMENT AT SOME POINT.
I BELIEVE I CANNOT ANSWER THAT, CORRECT.
AS MUCH AS I MAY WANT TO, I CAN'T UNDER THE PROTOCOL.
SO I'M GONNA, WE'RE GONNA ASSUME THAT WAS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND THEN I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE, 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT IN FORMAL CHAMBERS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO THAT'S FINE NAVIGATE, BUT WE'LL TAKE THAT AS A PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M ASSUMING.
AND THEN ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS? SO I HAVE TO REFER TO THE CLERK TO FACILITATE.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN, NEXT PERSON CAN GO AHEAD AND COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, SO MUCH FOR THIS, UH, THIS INTEREST.
AND IT'S, I HAVEN'T BEEN
I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU REALLY WANT THE VOICES ON YOUR COMMITTEE AND IN YOUR ROOM.
UM, THE IDEA OF THE COMMISSIONER, UM, AS THE PARENT OF TWO NATIVE AMERICAN KIDS, IT'S BEEN CHECKED, WE'RE NOW FULL GROWN.
WE'RE NOT KIDS IN OUR SCIENCE, BUT, BUT NAVIGATING THROUGH THE SCHOOL
[00:55:01]
DISTRICT, IT, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A, UH, A JOURNEY IN WHICH YOU REALLY WISH PEOPLE KNEW MORE THAN THEY DID ABOUT, ABOUT THEIR, THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN AND THE, AND THE, AND THE, JUST HOW PEOPLE ARE, ARE FIT INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.THERE IS A PROGRAM WE HAD IN LONG BEACH CALLED
THERE'S FEDERAL FUNDING, TITLE IV FUNDING FOR EDUCATION.
AND IT REALLY WAS, WAS, UH, UH, DID SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS.
HAD LOCAL POWWOWS, HAD
THERE WASN'T, THERE HASN'T BEEN AN INDIAN CENTER HERE, I DON'T THINK, IN 40, 50 YEARS.
SO THE ONLY INDIAN CENTERS ARE IN, IN DOWNTOWN LA AND IN ORANGE COUNTY.
AND, AND JUST, JUST A QUICK BIT ABOUT HISTORY THAT I, I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL MORE RECENTLY IS THAT WHEN RELOCATION HAPPENED, DURING EISENHOWER BEEN TRIED TO LEGALLY TERMINATED, ERASED, LEGALLY ERASED AND JUST LIKE THAT AND, UH, AND PEOPLE WERE RELOCATED WITH LOTS OF ES THAT WEREN'T KEPT FROM RESERVATIONS TO CITIES.
UH, WE, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD A LOT MORE URBAN INDIAN PEOPLE, BUT IT WAS INTENTIONALLY, THEY WERE INTENTIONALLY SCATTERED.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT COMMUNITIES LIKE THE COMMUNITIES THAT CAME FROM CAMBODIA OR VIETNAM, WE SEE HOW PEOPLE NATURALLY CLUSTER TOGETHER TOGETHER, RIGHT.
AND FORMED A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE'S A CERTAIN STRENGTH THAT SUPPORTED THAT.
AND THAT WAS INTENTIONALLY NOT, THAT WAS NOT, DID NOT HAPPEN.
THERE'S A FEW PLACES, LIKE IN OAKLAND, THERE'S VERY STRONG CENTRALIZED COMMUNITY HERE.
AND SO I THINK BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, NATIVE PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, IS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS COMMUNITY IN ANY WAY WE CAN, HELPING PEOPLE FIND EACH OTHER.
JUST HAVING THE COMMUNITY ITSELF FIND EACH OTHER.
AND, AND THE SECOND THING IS THAT WE HAVE A CALIFORNIA NATIVE COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, WE'LL SIMPLY REMOVED, RIGHT? SO, AND THAT'S A SEPARATE, THERE'S A, THERE'S DIVISIONS THERE TOO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, COMMUNITY SPIRIT.
BUT, BUT PEOPLE NEED, NEED MORE SUPPORT IN THAT.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, AND THERE ARE COMMUNITY GROUPS.
UM, THERE'S A GROUP CALLED FRIENDS THAT PROVIDED THAT MY DAUGHTER WILL TALK ME MORE ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND THERE'S UM, THERE, THANKS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK INTO YOUR ATION.
I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH TALKING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION PERSONA.
MY NAME'S TA CHRISTEN AND I'M MY TRIBE IS THE OMAHA TRIBE THAT I GREW UP WITH
UM, AND ALSO ACTIVIST WITH MY MOM INVOLVED GETTING FRIENDS WITH
AND IN LONG BEACH AS WELL, WE HAD THE TURKEY TROTT AND WE'RE DOING RED FACE.
AND SO I WORK ON THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL, UM, AND RAISED BY KIND OF LIKE IN VALUES
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO ADDRESS MORE GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS ALSO THE, UM, THE DIVERSITY OF THE NATIVE POPULATION IN LONG BEACH.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A LONG CAREER, UM, BUT THE DIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH AND BEING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MORE FROM, UM, A DIASPORA FROM OTHER NATIVE NATIONS, INCLUDING MYSELF, MY FATHER, UM, AND HIS SIBLINGS WERE, UH, THEY WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOL AND THEY GOT, THEY, WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO THE RESERVATION, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEIR POUL ON ANY PART OF IT.
SO THEY ENDED UP IN ALL OF THE STATES, LIKE, SO MY UNCLE ENDED UP IN ARIZONA, MY DAD ENDED UP IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY I WAS BORN OUT OF, UH, THIS KIND OF CULTURAL GENOCIDE AND DIASPORA, WHICH WE HAVE ACTUALLY THE, UM, THEIR LARGEST NATIVE POPULATION IN LA COUNTY, UH, ACROSS THE NATION.
UH, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE FROM OTHER STATES OR OTHER TRIBES.
THERE'S OVER 500 RED FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES.
AND THEN, UM, CALIFORNIA NATIVES ARE NOT FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED, THEY'RE STATE RECOGNIZED.
SO THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NEEDED THAT ARE FEDERALLY BASED THAT OTHER TRIBES DO.
SO WE SUFFER THE SAME OR NOT OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE, I'M SORRY, BUT I MEAN CALIFORNIA, THE TONGA HAS, UM, THERE'S 76,
[01:00:02]
UM, FEDERAL UNRECOGNIZED TRIBES HERE.AND SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON THEIR FEDERAL RECOGNITION, BUT THEY SUFFER WITH THE SAME ISSUES THAT RESULT FROM THE GENOCIDE THAT OCCURRED HERE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SURVIVING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES AND THE NEW ONE IS JUST ABOUT SURVIVAL, BUT WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST RECIDIVISM RATES, UM, RATES OF, UH, RATES OF UM, UH, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND, YOU KNOW, OUR EDUCATION IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET A LOT OF SUPPORT.
SO I THINK THIS COMMITTEE CAN WORK ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD OF LIKE IN, IN W BUT YOU KNOW, PLACES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO AND LA COUNTY, EVEN LONG BEACH WITH TRAFFICKING, UM, ARE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WILL COME FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND END UP BEING VICTIMIZED HERE.
SO, I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES HERE THAT NEED TO MAKE VERY SERIOUS, UNFORTUNATELY.
WELL I JUST WANNA SEE ONE MORE THING ABOUT EDUCATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.
UH, WE'RE NOT SEEN, WE'RE NOT SEEING, YOU DON'T GET A SEAT AT THE TABLE, SO PLEASE, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND JUST A REMINDER, THE PUBLIC, I I WE ARE UNDER SUCH STRICT LAW 'CAUSE TRUST ME, IT PAINS ME TO CUT CUFF PEOPLE.
THAT'S NOT HOW I OPERATE IN MY OWN HOME.
SO, BUT I DO HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN RULES, SO IF YOU HEAR ME REPEATING THAT, YEAH, IT'S NOT HAVE TO CALL.
UM, SO I'M GONNA REFER TO THE CLERK.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL NUMBERS? NEXT PERSON.
I 100% SUPPORT MY MAID OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS 'CAUSE I KNOW WHAT GENOCIDE LOOKS LIKE AND THE ERASURE OF OUR CULTURES.
AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE ON THIS LAND ARE SUPPORTED.
AND I THINK THE YOUNG LADY WAS PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THERE'S SO MANY, UH, OBSTACLES THAT OUR NATIVE, UH, CHILDREN FACE.
AND SO I'M 100% IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN ARAB AMERICAN, POSSIBLY MUSLIM AMERICAN OFFICE COMMISSION.
I THINK THE TIME HAS COME AND I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, UM, THE TIME OR A MATTER THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AS COMMISSIONERS THAT UNDERSTOOD OUR STRUGGLE AND OUR PAIN, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE LIKE THAT.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THE COMMISSIONERS THAT FEEL THE PAIN OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THAT ARE WILLING TO DIG IN.
I MEAN, YOU'RE A VERY, VERY UNIQUE COMMISSION, HONESTLY.
AND THE MORE THAT I SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, THE MORE I REALIZE HOW BLESSED WE ARE, BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY POWERFUL VOICES FOR US THAT CAN HELP US CARRY THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS? HEY, COMMISSION.
I'M A TWO YEAR RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH.
THIS IS THE GREATEST CITY THAT I'VE EVER LIVED IN.
A HUGE REASON MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE RACIAL DIVERSITY PRESENT THAT MAKES THIS A STRONG, STRONG COMMUNITY.
WHAT I DO NOT APPRECIATE IS THE USE OF RACIAL DIVERSITY AS A VIRTUE OR JUSTIFICATION FOR VIRTUALLY SIGNALING AND, AND JUSTIFICATION FOR HATE SPEECH.
THAT'S WHAT I SAW ON DECEMBER 19TH AT THE CITY CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND IT DOES, THAT WAS BORN OUT OF THIS, THIS, UH, COMMISSION.
I BELIEVE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND BE STRONGER.
I MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT VISION OR WHAT, UH, QUALITY MEANS OR HOW WE GET THERE, BUT I'M AN APPLICANT, UM, TO JOIN THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE IN 10 YEARS IN E-COMMERCE, I'VE BEEN AN EXECUTIVE AT AMAZON, UH, AS WELL AS A COMPANY THAT FACILITATED, UH, ENTREPRENEURS SELLING OFF THEIR BUSINESSES WHERE THEY STARTED SOMETHING FROM NOTHING AND TURNED IT INTO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, THE INTERNET DOESN'T KNOW RACE.
THE INTERNET DOESN'T KNOW, UH, WHO YOU VOTED FOR, WHERE YOU CAME FROM FACILITATING THAT.
MY VISION REALLY FOR, AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION WOULD TO, TO GET A THOUSAND KIDS IN LONG BEACH WHO COME FROM SOCIOECONOMIC DIFFICULTY, CREATE A BUSINESS, AND ARE ABLE TO CHART THEIR NET, NET WORTH BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT TO ME IS, WOULD BE, WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE.
AND I'M SEMIRETIRED RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I DID APPLY FOR THIS COMMISSION.
AND WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS, THIS AGENDA ITEM IS BECAUSE THE, USING A QUOTA OF SOMEONE'S RACE AS A REASON TO JOIN A COMMISSION ISN'T, ISN'T, ISN'T A VIRTUE.
AND I, I DON'T, I WOULD HATE FOR YOUR, YOUR INFLUENCE THAT YOU CLEARLY HAVE WITH THE MAYOR, BE USED TO STEER US TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF WHERE I MAY BE EXCLUDED.
WHAT I AM ASKING FOR IS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND DO SOMETHING BIG.
I'VE, IF YOU LOOK AT MY RESUME AND
[01:05:01]
MY APPLICATION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH ANYONE.I, I GOT A BUILDING IN AMAZON, BUILT IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
IT EMPLOYS A THOUSAND PEOPLE NOW.
I KNEW IT WOULD SAVE THEM A LOT OF MONEY, AND I KNEW THAT IT WOULD CREATE A BUNCH OF JOBS FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS.
UM, I I, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF HEAT, UM, IN THE PAST COUPLE IN THE PAST MONTH.
IT WAS NOT A PROUD DAY IN OUR CITY ON DECEMBER 19TH, BUT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO BE A PART OF, UH, REBUILDING THOSE EFFORTS AND, UH, BECOMING STRONGER TOGETHER.
SO, UM, YEAH, UH, AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE TODAY AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS IN PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? SEE NONE FACULTY, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UM, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR BRINGING IN SOME CONCRETE, UH, CONCRETE, UH, REALLY MEMO HERE WITH, UH, SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I WANNA GO BACK TO A COMMENT I MADE IN THE PRIOR AGENDA THAT'S ALSO RELATED TO, TO HERE.
AND IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION, I HAVE GOTTEN THE IMPRESSION THAT THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE RULES ARE
AND I THINK IN JUST AT A GLANCE THAT I THINK THIS SHOULD CAPTURE THAT.
UM, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S THERE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IN CONTEXT, KNOWING THAT INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES COME FROM A BROAD, UH, SPECTRUM OF THE WORLD.
BUT THIS IS VERY SPECIFIC TO, TO THIS AREA.
NOW REGARDING KIND OF MY OWN STANCE.
I COME FROM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.
AND IF I REMEMBER MY STATS CORRECTLY NATIONALLY, WHO UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO GENOCIDE, LESS THAN 1% OF COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS RESPONSIBLE, IDENTIFIED, THEY NO, DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION EARLIER.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT HORRENDOUS HISTORY, I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, RIGHT? TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THIS EXTREMELY, UNFORTUNATELY, VULNERABLE COMMUNITY THAT HAS AGENCY AND A LOT OF VOICE, RIGHT? AS WE CONTINUOUSLY SEE IN THIS COMMISSION, UM, IN TERMS OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD SAYING THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES IN.
I DON'T SEE THIS NECESSARILY, UM, AS A QUOTA.
THIS IS TRYING TO RECTIFY, UM, HUNDREDS OF YEARS, RIGHT? IN, IN WAYS THAT WE CAN'T HEAR AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF FAILURE TO HAVE EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION DUE TO THE HISTORY OF GENOCIDE OF OUR INDIGENOUS, UH, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO, SO I WANT TO UPLIFT THAT THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE POWER OF BIRTH AND EDUCATION IN, IN, IN, IN LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THAT ATROCIOUS HISTORY AND UPLIFTING THE COMMUNITY, HOW WE CAN AS EQUITABLE PARTNERS, RECOGNIZING THEIR VOICES IN AGENCIES AS WE'VE SEEN A WAY, NOT JUST TONIGHT'S MEETING, BUT IN PRIOR MEETINGS, UM, HERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, LETTING MY SUPPORT TO THIS.
UH, BUT AS OTHER COMMISSIONERS PERHAPS SPEAK, I'M GONNA REVIEW AND REVIEW 'CAUSE WORDS MATTER, LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT IS CAPTURED HERE.
AND SO FAR, I THINK THE INTENT GLANCE CAPTURED HERE, UH, FELLOW COMMISSION.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER? THANK YOU.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR, UM, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK THAT IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION IN THIS COMMISSION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MATTERS.
AND, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO, UH, I THINK WE HAVE VACANCIES AS IS, RIGHT? SO I KNOW THAT WE, I, I 100% SUPPORT THIS AND I WANT US TO CONTINUE TO KEEP, UM, REACHING THROUGH OUR NETWORKS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS NETWORKS TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE ARE ACTIVE VACANCIES NOW.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL THIS ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY GETS TO, UM, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY, UM, APPLY.
AND THERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK 15 TOTAL SEATS WHEN WE'RE ALL FULL.
UM, SO THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM, UM, FOR EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION, UM, EVEN WHEN WE CENTER AND, UM, INCLUDE VOICES AND, UM, MARGINALIZED FOLKS THAT SHOULD
[01:10:01]
BE HERE AND SHOULD BE REPRESENTED.UM, SO JUST WANNA YEAH, EXPRESS TO MY SUPPORT FOR THIS AND, AND REMIND US THAT WE HAVE CURRENT VACANCIES.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOUR COMMENTS, UH, REMINDED ME, WHICH IS A GOOD PARALLEL IN SOME WAYS, RIGHT? WE, WE JUST, UH, WE'RE STARTING, UM, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, A COMMISSION ON, UH, WOMEN AND GIRLS YEAH.
AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, UH, WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE POPULATION.
SO SOME MIGHT ARGUE AND WHY, BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW HISTORICALLY THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN SO MANY SECTORS AND FACETS OF COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPOWER, RIGHT? GENDER, THAT COMMUNITY, ALL THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONTEXT.
PEOPLE JUST GONE OFF FROM THE CONTEXT, EVEN
AND IT'S, IF WE'RE DOING EQUITY WORK THROUGH AN INTERSECTION LENS, THEN THAT'S OUR CHARGE, ESPECIALLY THE ROADMAP THAT WE PUT FORWARD COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO USING INTERSECTIONALITY.
WE CERTAINLY, WE NEED TO LIVE UP TO, TO THOSE IDEALS OF THAT, THAT, THAT INTERSECTIONALITY PIECE.
AND I'VE HEARD OF PEPPER THROUGHOUT THE COMMENTS OF THE MISSIONS INTERSECTIONALITY.
SO WE'RE VERY MUCH UP TO SPEED AND FAMILIAR WITH THAT FRAMEWORK AND, AND WHAT IT ENTAILS.
SO, SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND REMINDING ME OF MAKING THOSE PARALLELS THERE.
CAN WE DO A QUICK RESET? UH, YES, YES.
UH, I AM GETTING AN ASK FOR RECESS, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT ASK.
'CAUSE I, I ALSO COULD USE THAT RECESS
BUT, UM, CHRIS, I'M SORRY, COMM, VICE CHAIR, KAMAL.
SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO USE THE RECESS FOR TAMAL, CAN WE TAKE, UH, TEN FIVE MINUTES? 10 MINUTES? FIVE MINUTES, FIVE MINUTE QUICK LITTLE RECESS.
WE'RE GONNA OFFICIALLY RECONVENE AND START THE MEETING, UH, FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ONLINE.
UM, PRIOR TO THE SHORT, UH, RECESS, UM, I WAS JUST DELIVERING SOME COMMENTS AND WHAT I'M GONNA WEAVE THROUGH NOW, UM, IS JUST A REMINDER, UH, TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE SOME, UM, PRETTY STRICT GUIDELINES, RULES, UH, EVEN LAWS, IF YOU WILL, IN TERMS OF HOW WE CONDUCT MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T RESPOND DIRECTLY TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LEAVE THINGS THAT COME TO OUR ATTENTION THROUGH, THROUGH OUR COMMENTS.
AND SO I WANNA, UH, JUST SHARE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THE LETTER THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING IN THIS CURRENT AGENDA ITEM WAS PUBLISHED FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, THIS PAST MONDAY.
AND SO IT CAN BE ACCESSED ONLINE, OR IF YOU REACH OUT TO MEMBERS OF OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY, BOTH, UH, ALONA AND TONY HERE, THEY CAN ALSO, UH, SEND THIS CORRESPONDENCE, UH, TO FOLKS IF, UH, YOU CAN'T FIND IT ON, ON ONLINE.
UM, BUT THAT'S OUR CURRENT AGENDA ITEM.
I PRETTY MUCH HAVE WRAPPED UP, UM, MY, UH, MORE CONCEPTUAL COMMENTS.
UM, AND AGAIN, A LOT OF RATITUDE HERE, THOUGH, THINK MINOR.
I THINK ALL OF US SAW THIS, BUT JUST TO BE TECHNICAL HERE, I I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS.
UH, I THINK WE JUST NEED A MINOR LITTLE TECHNICAL CHANGE.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS THERE TWICE.
OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS IS, IS A PRETTY STRONG LETTER ROBUST, AND IT, UM, COINCIDENTALLY CAPTURES MUCH OF WHAT WE HEARD, UM, IN SOME OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO, UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
ANY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE AD HOC.
UM, I JUST HAVE AN ADDITIONAL, UH, COMMENT.
AND SO, UH, AS THIS IS ONE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, UM, GREATER VOICE AND, AND, UH, REPRESENTATION ON THE COMMISSION, UM, I AM ALSO GOING TO GIVE AN INVITATION TO OUR NATIVE COMMUNITIES IF THERE ARE STILL ARE ITEMS ISSUES, UH, EQUITY SPECIFIC, UH, CHALLENGES THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE TAKING ON OUR AD HOC COMMITTEE WHO IS MADE UP OF DR.
BATS AND ALSO COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UM, WE ARE OPEN AND WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ITEMS THAT ARE MOST PRESSING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST ONE STEP IN A LONGER LINE OF, OF OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO I DON'T WANNA DELAY, UH, THE NEED FOR SUPPORT.
SO IF THE SUPPORT IS THERE, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR ANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UM, AND WE CAN BE ABLE TO STRATEGIZE AND SUPPORT YOU.
AND ALONG THOSE LINES, THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR COING.
AND ALONG THOSE LINES, SOMETIMES MEMBERS OF ALL WONDER HOW DO WE GET A OF YOU AND, AND ALL THAT, IF YOU REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, UH, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY FORWARD MESSAGES, UM, UH, UH, TO US, UM, UM, WHEN THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE WAY OF HITTING THIS.
[01:15:01]
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONER? YEAH.HAVE OFF COMMITTEE GREAT PRESENTATIONS.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK TO GENERALIZE AT THE NEXT MEETING, BRINGING OUR COMMISSION DOWN TO 13 MEMBERS.
SO OUR QUORUM ISN'T SUCH A SHORT, UH, I'VE NOT, I WOULD NEVER CRITICIZE ANYBODY FOR BEING LATE.
I'VE BEEN LATE, BUT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE LATE AND COME INTO A FUNCTIONING MEETING AND, AND NOT HAVE US WAITING FOR YOU TO BE LATE TO MAKE FORUM.
MM-HMM,
WE HAVE NOT HAD, UH, I DON'T THINK, UH, THE FULL 15, UH, SINCE WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE 15.
CORRECT ME IF I'M, IF I'M, IF I'M WRONG ON THAT.
UM, I'M ALL FOR HAVING EVERY VOICE HEARD THAT, UH, THAT WANTS TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION AND WANTS TO SPEAK, UH, UH, FOR THEIR WANTS TO REPRESENT THEIR GROUP.
BUT, UM, I THINK WE DO A DISSERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AND WE DO A DISSERVICE TO OURSELVES, UH, BY NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE QUORUM.
UH, SO, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE AGENDIZE WITH THE, UH, UM, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, AGENDIZE, UH, A VOTE TO FRAME THE COMMISSION DOWN TO 13, WHICH WOULD BE A QUORUM SEVEN.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND IF MEMORY SERVES CORRECTLY, IT WAS A LITTLE WHILE AGO, AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY TAYLOR SHARED WITH US DURING A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS.
AND SO I'LL JUST CHECK IN WITH OFFICER.
I HAVE EQUITY IN CASE I'M INCORRECT.
UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS NOW PART OF OUR BYLAWS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND THE FIFTH, AND THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES, BUT IF IT'S, I MEAN, I'M OPEN TO IT IF IT IS DOABLE WITHIN THE CONFERENCE OF DIRECTOR WORK WITH, SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF CHECK IN AND I'M SEEING HAND HERE, COMMISSIONER, I'LL CALL COMMISSIONER IN A SECOND, BUT I ALSO WANNA ASK THE OFFICE OF EQUITY IN TERMS OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE IN TERMS OF THAT.
'CAUSE I, I HEAR YOU, COMMISSIONER SCHITZ.
AND THAT'S BEEN, UH, IN, IN BETWEEN MEETING, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CHECK IN TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ITIES IN THE PROCESS IN EVERY SINGLE MONTH TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S CHECK IN TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE KNOW AND SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TACKLE.
UM, AND IF WE'RE BLOCKED BY ANY LEGAL CHALLENGES, THEN, THEN WE NEED TO BE AWARE.
COMMISSIONER, YES? JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
THIS CONVERSATION ISN'T RELATING TO THIS ITEM.
SO, UM, YOU WANT PUT THE AGENDA THAT THIS CONVERSATION, NEXT ONE YOU CAN DISCUSS THIS.
SO IF I CALL COMMISSIONER REZ RIGHT NOW, IF THAT COMMENT, WE DON'T KNOW YET, BUT IF THAT COMMENT IS ON THE RESPECT, THEN WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT IT.
YOU SAID CHECK IN, COMMISSIONER GUTIERREZ.
SO, WELL, IS IT NOT RELATED TO, UM, ADDITIONAL COMMISSION APPOINTMENT? I MEAN, LIKE, WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE IS LIKE APPOINTING A MEMBER OF THE, UM, COMMITTEE TO THE COMMISSION.
SO WE'RE
WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHY MAYBE COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ HAD THAT IDEA BECAUSE OF, I DON'T WANNA ASSUME, BUT I'M GUESSING THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, COMMISSIONER
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY IF THAT'S, IT SEEMS RELATED TO ME AND I ACTUALLY SEE, UH, RUBISH, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE LINE SO I CAN NUMBER THREE.
SO, AND ITEM NUMBER THREE, APPOINTED A MEMBER OF THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY TO THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
AND SO IN THE CONTEXT OF MEMBERSHIP RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 15 SPOTS OF WHICH, UH, REMIND ME OF SOMEBODY.
HOW MANY ARE VACANT RIGHT NOW? I THINK THAT'S, WE CAN ONLY HAVE THREE.
I WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING A AMERICAN, UH, REPRESENTATION, UH, AS LONG AS IT DID GO OVER 13.
WHY DON'T I RECOMMEND THIS? I CAN, I CAN, IN MY PREP WORK IN BETWEEN MEETINGS, I CAN LOOK BACK WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, UM, AND SEE WHAT, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, UH, CAN BE DONE.
AND IF THERE'S AVENUE OR PATHWAY OR SOMETHING, WE CAN, UM, DRAW WHOEVER I CAN CHECK IN WITH THEM TO SEE IF THAT AN AGENDA ITEM BASED ON WHAT IS SHOULD, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO
[01:20:01]
EVERYONE? AND THEN WE WORK, I'LL CHECK.I'LL DO THAT CHECK BECAUSE I, I, I THINK I CAN SAY THIS WITHOUT VEERING TOO FAR OFF FROM THE
I HEAR YOU AND I HEAR PROBABLY OTHERS SOME WAY, 'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN AT COUPLE MEETINGS ALREADY WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING IN FORUM.
SO I WANNA JUST RECOGNIZE THAT I HEAR YOU AND I, I RELATE IN THAT SENTIMENT.
SO I'LL DO WHAT I CAN TO CHECK IN TO SEE WHAT PATHWAYS THERE ARE ANY I I'LL JUST CHECK IN.
UM, SO AS IT RELATES TO, UM, THE THIRD RECOMMENDATION, UM, WHICH ALSO, UM, RELATES TO MEMBERSHIP, UM, I BELIEVE IN OUR, WHEN WE REDID OUR ORDINANCE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD A WHOLE SECTION UNDER MEMBERSHIP WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF REPRESENTATION THAT WE WANT TO HAVE ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, IS THE OFFICE OF EQUITY ABLE TO PULL THAT UP JUST TO, UM, REMIND US IF I, I AM JUST CURIOUS IF INDIGENOUS, UM, COMMUNITIES WERE ACTUALLY ON THAT ORIGINAL MEMBERSHIP AND, AND PART OF THAT MEMBERSHIP AS WELL INCLUDED EXPANDING, UM, TO 15 MEMBERS SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ENOUGH SPACE FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VOICES THAT WE NEED TO HEAR AND HAVE ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND SO, UM, THAT WAS, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER A WHOLE, UH, LONG PROCESS TO GET THERE THAT REQUIRED, UM, TWO VOTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT AN ORDINANCE THAT CHANGED THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
SO IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THAT, IT WOULD HAVE TO, UM, BE DONE THROUGH THAT, THAT PROCESS.
UM, BUT YEAH, IF YOU COULD PULL THAT PART UP, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
OR AT AN, A FEATURE IF IT WAS LIKE HANDY EMAIL AS SOON AS WE HAVE, YEAH, WE CAN EMAIL THAT.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH COMMENTS TO, UH, REGARDING THIS AGENDA, NEVADA COMMITTEE BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE? ANYTHING ELSE?
UM, SO WE HAVE THE MOTION OPEN FOR THE FLOORS.
I'M GONNA REFER TO, UH, MADAM CLERK FOR THE, OKAY.
WE, UH, UH, HAVE THIS FINAL AGENDA ITEM.
AND TO BE QUITE FRANK, I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE, UM, TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS AS A RESULT OF JUST HAVING FULL AGENDA PUBLIC, BECAUSE I SPEAK LOT TOO.
SO AS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW, UM, IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET, AND I, I, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, REALLY THEY DO.
SO WE ALL SEE IT, RIGHT? WE ALL RECOGNIZE IT'S SO MUCH WORK FOR US, BUT WE NEVER HAVE TIME IN THE PUBLIC TO ADEQUATELY GIVE THEM TIME TO SHARE WITH US UPDATES.
SO, SO THAT, UM, IS A LARGE PART, PART OF MY ASSIGNMENT IN, UH, UM, MOVING THIS AGENDA ON BOARD AND, AND GIVING US, UH, AN UPDATE.
SO
SO WE SORT WISH YOU A VERY, UH, WE'LL START WITH A VERY, UM, HAPPY YEAR.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR THIS 1 24.
UM, OUR, UH, FIRST AVENUE WOULD BE, UH, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, UH, TOGETHER WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEAR'S
AFTERWARDS, THERE WILL BE A CELEBRATION FROM NOON TO 5:00 PM AT MARK LUTHER, UH, JUNIOR PARK.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE CONTINGENCY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
WE CAN SEND YOU ALL THE DETAILS YOU CAN SO YOU CAN PARTICIPATE WITH US IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
UM, SECOND UPDATE IS THAT LAST SEPTEMBER, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND WE'RE BROUGHT TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS FISCAL YEAR WE HAVE THE MOST FUNDING STRUCTURAL AND ONE TIME, UM, THAT OFFICE OF EQUITY HAS EVER RECEIVED.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, WITHIN THIS FUNDING, UH, $25,000 WAS APPROVED FOR THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, ALSO KNOWN AS KCO, AND THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION FOR, UH, AND SPECIFICALLY FOR TRAINING AND UNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE'VE ESSENTIALLY SPLIT THE FUNDING DOWN THE MIDDLE, GIVEN EACH COMMISSION $12,500.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH CAPE COD TO DECIDE HOW THEY'RE, THEY WILL LIKE TO PRIORITIZE, UM, THE USES
[01:25:01]
FOR THIS FUNDING.AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THE SAME WITH WHAT THE EQUITY IONS COMMISSION.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON, UH, SO AS Y'ALL KNOW, UM, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE.
THAT SAID, WE ARE FACILITATING OR CONVENING A COHORT OF NINE DEPARTMENTS TO CREATE OUR FIRST, UM, UH, SET OF RACIAL EQUITY ACTION PLANS.
UM, THAT'S AN EFFORT THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
IT'S HAD A START AND STOP HISTORY, WHICH, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO IN FURTHER DEPTH AT ANOTHER TIME WITH Y'ALL ON.
BUT I AM MENTIONING THIS TO YOU 'CAUSE WE ARE REACHING THE SIXTH OF OUR SEVEN SERIES SESSION, UM, SEVEN SESSION SERIES.
SO THIS, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A TRAINING TO DEVELOP THESE PLANS USING AN ANTI-RACIST FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND THE NEXT STEP, OF COURSE WOULD BE TO DO SOME MODIFICATIONS, GOING THROUGH SOME INTERNAL REVIEWS.
UH, AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PRESENT THIS FRAMEWORK AND THE METHODOLOGY TO YOU ALL.
UM, 'CAUSE IT IS INFORMED BY THE RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE INFORMED BY OTHER DATA SETS AND OTHER, UH, GUIDING DOCUMENTS SUCH AS THE 2030 STRATEGIC VISION, UH, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, UH, STRATEGIC PLANS AS WELL.
SO WE WANT Y'ALL TO SEE JUST HOW, UM, THE ARC OF, OF THAT PROGRESS LOOKS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT'S ALSO WRITTEN INTO THE MISSION FOR, OR NOT THE MISSION, BUT ORDINANCE FOR THE EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
SO JUST PLANTING, SEE NOW WOULD LOVE TO COME TO
AND THEN JUST ONE LAST, UM, UPDATE IS LAST FALL WE, UH, LAUNCHED TWO RFPS, UM, TO, UH, SEEK COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, JUST SUPPORT OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAMS AND OUR LONG BEACH JUSTICE WORK PROGRAM.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE REVIEW, WE'RE CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS LIKE RECEIPT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO IDENTIFY AND PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONTINUING OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS WORK AND OUR
AND THEN ACTUALLY, LET'S COME A, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION FOR EVERYONE.
FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE ASK FOR THE $25,000 IS SPLITING IT IN HALF.
UH, THE QUESTION IS, UH, AND, AND I PROBABLY HAVE ASKED US DURING THE MEETING, UM, OH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
I CAN'T ASK MY QUESTION AGAIN.
SO LET'S CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST AND WE'LL ASK MY QUESTION.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO KEEP ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW OR DIAL CALL IN.
AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF PUBLIC HERE IN PERSON, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR.
UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UM, SEEING NONE IN THE ZOOM, ARE THERE ANY HERE IN PERSON, SEEING NONE IN PERSON? THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
AND THEN IF BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE DISCUSSION, CAN I PLEASE HAVE A FIRST SECOND? OF COURSE.
CAN I GET A FIRST AND I SEE VICE CHAIR COVINGTON.
CAN I SEE? OH, I SAW
SO MY QUESTION, UM, NOW THAT I CAN ASK IS BY WHEN DO WE NEED TO SPEND, UH, THE 12,000 IDEALLY BEFORE, UM, SEPTEMBER.
BEFORE SEPTEMBER? SO A TENTATIVE IDEA I HAVE IS MAYBE IN, IN PREP WORK AND IF IT WORKS OUT, MAYBE AN AGENDA ITEM TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH US IN TERMS OF HOW WE, I CAN PUT TOGETHER A TENDER BUDGET,
SO JUST A DESCRIPTION OF HOW OUR ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR FACILITATED THIS EFFORT.
AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE MAKING THEIR VOTE TOMORROW AT CAPE COD.
UM, SHE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH LIKE THEIR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
UM, THEY HAVE MORE SEATS LIKE THAT IN ADDITION TO THE CHAIR.
HAVE THEY HAVE THE SECRETARY AND OTHER SEATS, UM, ON THEIR EXECUTIVE COMMISSION COMMITTEE.
BUT, UH, THEY MET, THEY FORMULATED JUST A PROPOSAL OF FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND ARE PRESENTING THAT TO THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION TOMORROW FOR APPROVAL AND MODIFICATION.
SO THEY'RE JUST THESE LIKE OVERARCHING BUCKETS.
ONE ABOUT BRANDING, ONE ABOUT, UM, POSSIBLY A COMMUNITY STUDY.
UM, ANOTHER ON, UM, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING THAT OUR, THAT COMMISSION FACILITATES FOR THE COMMUNITY DISABILITIES.
AND THEN I'M BLANKING ON THE FOURTH ONE, BUT THAT'S HOW THEY PITCHED IT TO THAT GROUP.
SO WE COULD WORK TOGETHER, OR IF YOU WANNA FORM, UH, YOU KNOW, AN AD HOC, THAT'S
[01:30:01]
AN OPTION TOO.SO I'LL RETURN OUR PREP MEETINGS.
I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, UM, DEBRIEFING MEETINGS AFTER EACH MEETING, SO IT'S NICE CHAIR MYSELF AND THEN, AND TONY SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW DO THIS.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO GET THE COMMISSION'S INPUT ON SOMETHING LOOK LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST USE OF THIS 12 $500.
SOMETHING THAT I'M HEARING ON FOR, FOR MONTHS NOW.
AND I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS NOT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MONEY, BUT I'M CONNECTING
RIGHT? THAT'S A, SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME STRATEGIC WAYS WE CAN TAP IN
UH, I WANNA LIFT, UH, THE COMMENTS REGARDING THE DR.
MON THE KING PARADE FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON SATURDAY.
I KNOW SOMETIMES CONCERN SOME PEOPLE ARE OUT OF TOWN, UH, BUT I KNOW WE'VE SHARED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS OFTEN AS WE CAN.
UM, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA BE OUTTA TIME.
I'LL BE DOCTOR, SO I'M PROBABLY, I ACTUALLY WILL BE THERE.
SO, AND I PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH, UH, TONY ONE.
UM, AND I'M BRINGING MY HUSBAND AND SO, SO, UM, YEAH, IF ANYONE'S THERE, PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH ALONE AND TONY SO WE CAN PUT ACCORDINGLY.
THEY'RE STARTING WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER THIS ROOM LENDS ITSELF TO SO MUCH INFORMALITY.
SO
I COULDN'T OPEN THE FORM TO RCP.
UM, CAN THE BABIES COME? OKAY.
SO WE'RE ALL MARCHING TOGETHER.
AND THEN IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WEAR AS A TEAM? I THINK WE COULD DECIDE ON THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE OKAY.
UM, WE'LL HAVE LABORS ON SITE FOR YOU ALL SIGNED BEFORE THE PARADE EVEN BEGINS.
JUST BEING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH REMOTE.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, UM, I MAY NEED MORE OF A COMMENT.
I KNOW WE WERE DOING OUR, UM, ORDINANCE, UH, MODERNIZATION A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
THE RACIAL EQUITY ACTION PLANS HAD COME UP IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS THOUGH I WAS JUST READING OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, AND I DON'T THINK THOSE MADE IT INTO THE FINAL, INTO THE FINAL LANGUAGE UNLESS I'M MISSING IT.
I JUST KIND OF SKIMMED IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, THOUGH, ONE OF OUR DUTIES IS TO, UM, OF COURSE, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP UP WITH PROGRESS AND ON THE ACTION ITEMS IN THE, THE CITY'S RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF OUR ROADMAP.
UM, SO I GUESS MY COMMENT IS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE RACIAL EQUITY ACTION PLANS.
VERY MUCH I THINK WE'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN, UM, WE'VE BEEN ANTICIPATING THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.
UM, AND I, I WOULD JUST ASK US TO THINK ABOUT AS COMMISSIONS, BUT ALSO ALSO OF EQUITY STAFF AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN, UM, BE MOST HELPFUL IN CONTRIBUTING TO, UM, THE FEEDBACK AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I KNOW I THINK YOU'RE, YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE STARTING WITH METHODOLOGY, UM, BUT EVEN JUST ONCE THOSE PLANS ARE DEVELOPED, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF MECHANISM WHERE WE CAN, UM, ACTUALLY GIVE THAT KIND OF LIKE, FORMALIZE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GIVE.
UM, THAT WAY IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SHARED AND ATTRIBUTED TO US.
SO YEAH, BASICALLY I WANNA BE, MAKE SURE WE'RE PARTNERS IN, IN THE WORK AROUND THESE EQUITY ACTION PLANS.
UM, THE ONES CONFIRM THAT THE IN DUTIES, SO CHAPTER TWO, SECTION B, THAT'S WHERE IT CALLS EX UH, EQUITY ACTION PLANS.
AND THEN, UH, YEAH, WE SEE YOU ALL AS, UH, FACILITATING OVERSIGHT IN SOME FORM, UM, AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND HELPING US THINK ABOUT ONE, HOW WE CENTER COMMUNITY VOICE, MAKING SURE THESE ACTION PLANS ARE, YOU KNOW, REFLECTIVE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND THE OPERATIONS OF OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND CITY SERVICES.
UM, SO YEAH, LOOKING FORWARD TO JUST BRINGING UP BRINGING THIS JOURNEY TO YOU ALL BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
GREAT VICE CHAIR, UH, COVINGTON, UH, ONE THING THAT ALSO CAME TO MIND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER AD HOC COMMITTEE.
IT'S THE INEQUITY COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE.
UM, SOCIAL INEQUITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY INSTITUTION.
SO THIS IS ALSO THIS, OR BUILDING UPON, UH, THIS SPECIFIC WORK, UH, CAN FILL INTO THAT WORK AS WELL.
[01:35:01]
DIDN'T ESTABLISH THAT ONE YET.SO IT'S THE EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T INFORMED THAT ONE YET.
YEAH, ONE MORE QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
UM, I, I JUST WANT, OR I GUESS A COMMENT, I ALSO, UM, THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA FOR THE GENDERIZED, UH, CONVERSATION AROUND THE FUNDING.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA REMIND FOLKS THAT WE, I THINK IN ONE OF OUR DECEMBER, OR MAYBE IT WAS THE NOVEMBER MEETING, UM, IN MANY OF OUR MEETINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO DO, UM, TEACH-INS AND LISTENING SESSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, REALLY HOPING WE CAN ADD THAT TO OUR LIST.
AND OF COURSE IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED IN A OFFICIAL AGENDA ITEM, BUT JUST WANTED TO REMIND FOLKS THAT WE HAVE THOSE ASPIRATIONS.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ALRIGHT, THE ITEM, UM, HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN MOVED, SO I'M GONNA REFER ME THE CLERK AGAIN FOR A VOTE TO FILE A RECEIPT.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT NOT RELATED TO ANY OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS. SO AGAIN, THAT, UH, FALLS UNDER THE ROLE OF THE COURT TO CALL OUT FOR PUBLIC AGENDA, UM, NON AGENDA.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HEARING PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA, HAND FEATURE, OR NINE, THERE'S NONE IN THE ZOOM.
SO BEHIND YOU, YOU'RE IN PERSON.
SO THE FIRST PERSON MINE'S NON AGENDA.
THAT RELATES TO MY QUESTION BEFORE.
AND YES, I SAW THAT YOU DID ATTACH THE LETTER TO THE MAYOR OPPOSED ONE HERE.
UM, YOUR NOVEMBER 8TH LETTER TO THE MAYOR ABOUT THE PROXIMATION WAS SENT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 8TH.
OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T ATTACHED TO ANY AGENDA BECAUSE IT WAS AFTER YOUR NOVEMBER 1ST MEETING.
I NOTICED THAT IT WENT PUBLIC ONLINE THE SAME DAY THAT YOUR LETTER WENT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC ON THE SAME DAY THAT YOU SENT IT TO THE MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
WHEN I SAY YOU, I MEAN YOU SIGNED WITH DR. LARA, BUT IT CAME ON THE COMMISSION.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS MADE INTO A PUBLIC, UH, ON PUBLIC ONLINE SITE.
YOUR LETTER THE SAME DAY THAT IT WENT TO THE MAN CITY COUNCIL.
I WISH I COULD ADD, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT, I CAN'T REALLY, OKAY.
WE JUST HAVE, WE WE CAN HEAR YOU AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN AT SOME POINT.
HOW DOES THAT GET ADDRESSED? I GUESS THE QUESTIONS ON WERE THAT, WAS IT PUBLIC ON THE GENDER AGE AND IT SO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, I CAN'T, I CAN'T ANSWER THE PROCESS.
THE CITY STAFF DIRECTOR TO STAFF AFTERWARDS.
SO IF YOU TOUCH BASE WITH CITY STAFF AND WILL THAT, WILL THAT ANSWER BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC? IF YOU WANT IT IN WRITE CAN DO IT VIA EMAIL.
THIS IS THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
FIRST, UM, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, FOR COMING TODAY, UH, LISTENING TO WHAT I HAD TO SAY, UM, A LITTLE DISINGENUINE OR FEELING A LITTLE BIT SLIGHTED, RECOMMENDED TO, UH, GO DOWN TO MORE MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS AFTER I PROPOSED, YOU KNOW, MY CANDIDACY.
BUT, UM, I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE ON, UM, I'M HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY STAY.
I, I THINK THAT WE AIM ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THIS COMMISSION IS NOBLE.
AND NOT ENOUGH CITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ARE DOING MY FEAR, UM, IN THE WAY THAT THE COMMISSION HAS ADDRESSED AND CONDUCTED ITSELF.
AND WHAT IT'S CHOSEN TO FOCUS ON, UM, HAS DISTRACTED US FROM THE MISSION PROVIDING A MORE EQUITABLE PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO, IF ANYTHING, ADDING THAT DIVERSITY OF THAT OPINION TO YOUR COMMISSION SHOULD BE A, A TOP FOCUS FOR YOU AS YOU LOOK AND REFLECT BACK ON WHAT HAPPENED, UM, OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS.
[01:40:01]
I KNOW THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOUR OWN BELIEFS, UM, AND, AND HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR PLAT AND HOW YOU SHOULD USE YOUR PLATFORM MAY HAVE BEEN IN CONFLICT, UH, THROUGH THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND INTO DECEMBER.UM, BUT YOU CAN START WRITING THAT BY BRINGING IN DIVERSE OPINIONS TO THIS COMMISSION.
UM, THAT WILL ALSO HELP MOVE, UH, THE, THE, THE GOALS THAT THE STRIVE TOWARDS EQUITY, UM, IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I'M A VERY EFFECTIVE PERSON,
I WOULD SAY WITH YOUR $12,000, UH, IN, IN YOUR FUNDING, PLEASE PUT 500 OR A THOUSAND OF IT INTO, UH, FINANCE, PERSONAL FINANCE AND EDUCATIONAL RELATED GAMES.
HOST, UH, SOME SORT OF CHALLENGE FOR THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET EXCITED AND COMPETE, UH, IN THE REALMS OF PERSONAL FINANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
THAT IS GOING TO BE A CRUCIAL, CRUCIAL WIN FOR US IN RECTIFYING THE IMAGE AND THE SCORN THAT HAS BEEN DIRECTED TOWARDS THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND, AND TAKEN AWAY, UM, FROM, FROM YOUR, UH, WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR MANDATE REALLY, AND YOUR VISION AND YOUR MISSION.
UH, WE MAY NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT UH, I THINK WE CAN AGREE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING FOR REFERENCE, UM, CLERK.
SO NOW, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
YOU ARE AN AMAZING COMMISSION.
YOU'VE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK IN THIS CITY THAT HAS CROSSED ALL RACIAL LINES, INCLUDING OUR CAUCASIAN COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.
ON DECEMBER 19TH, WHAT YOU DID AND WHAT YOU MOVE FORWARD WAS AN AMAZING AND BOLD STEP.
PEOPLE DID NOT WANNA END SLAVERY.
IT WAS LEGAL AT ONE TIME AND IT MADE THE MASTER VERY ANGRY WHEN SLAVERY WAS ENDED BECAUSE THEY LOST THEIR LABOR.
SO THEY KEPT IT IN THE 13TH AMENDMENT THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE INCARCERATED ARE STILL SLAVES IN THIS COUNTRY.
ON THAT SAME NIGHT, I MEANT WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THIS COMMISSION.
MY SISTER JASMINE CALLED ME AND SAID THAT AHMED AND HIS 15-YEAR-OLD SON WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR HOME.
THEY WERE STRIPPED, THEY WERE TORTURED, THEY SAT ON THE GLASSES, THEY WERE URINATED ON BY ID OF SOLDIERS.
THEY WERE THEN SENT OUTSIDE AND WERE SHOT AT AS BOMBS DROPPED ALL AROUND THEM.
HIS 15-YEAR-OLD SON IS NOT ABLE TO EVEN KEEP ANYTHING DOWN, EATS SLEEP BECAUSE OF THE FEAR.
TOMORROW, SOUTH AFRICA BRINGS A CASE AGAINST ISRAEL IN THE I-C-I-C-J COURT, AND THEY BRING IT UNDER THE GENEVA, I'M SORRY, THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION, WHICH IS A TREATY THAT ISRAEL SIGNED ON.
OKAY? AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY SOUTH AFRICA'S ABLE TO BRING THIS CASE FORWARD.
AND THE REASON THEY CAN BRING THIS CASE FORWARD, IF YOU LOOK ONLINE AND SEE THE DOCUMENTATION, THAT DOCUMENTATION CLEARLY OUTLINES THE GENOCIDE THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN GOSSIP.
WE HAVE LIVED SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS ALL OF OUR LIVES.
AND MY MOM ALWAYS REMINDED ME THAT THE ACTIONS OF OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD NEVER DIVIDE US OR SEPARATED US.
AS FOR DIVIDING US, YOU UNITED US, 70% OF THIS COUNTRY WANT TO CEASE FIRE.
IT WAS NOT PEOPLE SUPPORTING THE PRO-PALESTINIAN CAUSE THAT HAVE CALLED COUNCIL OFFICES, EMAILED THE MAYOR, EMAILED EVERY SINGLE STAFFER, INTIMIDATING THEM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS STAFFING HAVE BEEN THREATENED AND INTIMIDATED BY THE OPPONENTS BECAUSE SOMEONE IS ANGRY.
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AN EQUITABLE COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN IS ALWAYS GONNA BE UNCOMFORTABLE, ALWAYS.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU ARE LEADERS IN SAVING LIVES.
THERE IS NOWHERE ELSE THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT CITY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN BIRTHED THEN FROM THIS COMMISSION.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SOLIDARITY FOR HUMANITY, REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL POSITIONS.
THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR PALESTINIAN, ARAB, MUSLIM AND JEWISH COMMUNITIES, OUR JEWISH COMMUNITIES, OUR SUFFERING, THE WAY THAT WE ARE WITH ANTISEMITISM, AS WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH.
NEXT PERSON YOUR TIME STARTED NOW.
UM, CHRISTENSON, UM, I, I'M, I'M GONNA SAY THAT THIS IS UNRELATED TO AN AGENDA ITEM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S REGARDING NATIVE AMERICANS.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS A TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN GOING AROUND AND I WAS AT ONE OF THEIR MEETINGS AND THEY, PEOPLE COME, NATIVE PEOPLE
[01:45:01]
ARE ENCOURAGED, BUT ANYBODY CAN ATTEND.BUT NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO TELL, TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE SHARING THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES, BUT MANY ARE SHARING EXPERIENCES OF THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS PASSED OUT ORALLY, RIGHT? MORE HISTORY.
AND, UH, IT IS, IT IS PRETTY INTENSE.
THE WOMAN WHO IS KNOWN FOR ALWAYS SMILING, JACKIE, SHE'S AN EDUCATOR, CULTURAL EDUCATOR, TALKED ABOUT HOW HER MOTHER WAS SO HARSH WITH HER AND COULDN'T SHOW HER LOVE.
IT WAS STUNNING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU JUST, THERE'S SO MUCH LOVE COMING OUTTA JACKIE.
BUT SHE'D BEEN RAISED IN A BOARDING SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND AT FIRST I FELT LIKE, HOW CAN WE HAVE RECONCILIATION? I GET SOUTH AFRICA, THE, THE, THE, THE SOUTH AFRICAN WHITE PEOPLE, THEY LOST
SO MAYBE YOU CAN'T HAVE RECONCILIATION AND YOU CAN HEAL BECAUSE THE OPPRESSOR IS NOT IN CHARGE ANYMORE.
THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE HERE.
SO, UH, SO THAT I THINK IS, BUT I DO THINK THE TRUTH PART FITS.
AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, THE TRUTH, TRUTH SEEMS TO BE DEPEND ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
I, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY ENCOURAGED BY BLACK LIVES MATTER.
I, IT WAS ONE OF, I, I COULDN'T GET OUTTA THE CAR 'CAUSE IT WAS COVID, BUT MY DAUGHTER GAVE THE OPENING LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR ONE OF THE MAIN EVENTS.
SO I STAYED ON THE PARKING STRUCTURE AND LOOKED DOWN.
AND I, WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE AND TURNED HOME, ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE COMING DOWN BROADWAY FROM EAST LONG BEACH, MOST OF THEM, WHITE, ALL FOR BLACK LIVES MATTER.
I WAS NEVER PROUDER OR HAPPIER OR MORE RELIEVED.
YOU KNOW, WHEN OBAMA, I WAS RELIEVED.
I RAN WHAT DROVE UP AND DOWN HONKING MY HORN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU COME FROM A, THE OPPRESSOR RACE OR YOU COME FROM THE OPPRESSOR BUS IN, IN ANY GIVEN TIME.
IT ISN'T JUST WHITE PEOPLE, BUT, AND THEN YOU DON'T WANNA BE IDENTIFIED WITH THAT.
BUT, BUT WHAT WE SAW LATER IS WE DIDN'T REALLY CUT OUR POLICE BUDGET.
AND I'VE EVEN HEARD SOME MEMBERS OF THE CITY SAY, THAT WAS NOT A GOOD TIME BECAUSE WHAT, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOMEBODY WAS LIKE RIDING GRAFFITI ON THE STORE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO ME IT WAS A GREAT DAY.
I, I FRANKLY CANNOT COMPREHEND WHY ANYBODY WOULD SAY THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAD ANYTHING TO REGRET.
IF ANYTHING, YOU, YOU LED THE, YOU LED THE WAY.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN THESE CALLS AND THESE ABUSIVE CALLS TO PEOPLE IN POWER AND INCIDENTS, THE MAJORITY OF THE CALLS AND THE SUPPORT IS COMING, THANK YOUS FROM EVERYBODY.
SO, UH, MOMENT TIME STARTS NEGATIVE.
UM, I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING, BUT TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WISH I WAS HERE.
THEY
SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SOLIDARITY.
UM, AND I WENT TO STANDING ROCK FROM DECEMBER TO JANUARY, BUT WAS STILL THERE.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT I MET SO MANY PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND REALLY LIKE HELPING HEAL BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE KIND OF, THE WAY THIS COMMITTEE SEEMS TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER, UM, FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
AND I HAVE THE PALESTINIAN FRIENDS THAT I MET OUT OF THERE, UM, AND THEY, THIS WAS BEFORE THE MORE RECENT, UM, BOMBINGS, BUT, BUT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED OPPRESSION.
AND UM, AND TWO OF THEM WERE ONE.
AND ONE ISRAELI YOUNG MAN WAS IN HIS TWENTIES, AND HE CAME TO STANDING ROCK WITH HIS BEST FRIEND WHO WAS PALESTINIAN.
AND THEY BOTH LIVED IN GAZA IN AN APARTMENT, AND THEY WERE BEST FRIENDS.
AND THEY CAME TO STANDING ROCK TO SHOW SOLIDARITY FOR INDIGENOUS.
AND THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP THAT I WITNESSED.
AND, UM, AND MY OTHER PALESTINIAN FRIEND WHO TAUGHT ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY, IT'S NOT, IT'S IT'S NOT ABOUT SUPPORTING HOUSE LAND ISN'T POLITICAL.
IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE OPPRESSED, THE WATER'S BEING SHUT OFF, THEY'RE BEING, CHILDREN ARE DYING ON BOTH SIDES.
I MEAN, THIS IS A WAR AND THIS IS A GENOCIDE.
UM, ISRAEL HAS MORE POWER AND MONEY TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF CONTROL MORE OF WHAT PEOPLE IN GODS CAN'T LEAVE.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING OPPRESSED, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN OUR GOVERNMENT IS SUPPORTING THE ISRAELIS.
WE ARE FUNDING THEIR WEAPONS BECAUSE, UM,
I MEAN, ALL OF IT'S BAD, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I STAND WITH PALESTINE AND ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T, UM, YOU'RE TURNING IT INTO A POLITICAL THING'S, NOT THERE'S CHILDREN DYING HERE.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
[01:50:01]
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER MEMBERS IN THE PUBLIC, NONE THAT CONCLUDES AN NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HAVE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS GIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND, UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A HUGE PART OF THE AGENDA BECAUSE THINGS COME TO OUR RESPECTIVE ATTENTION.
UM, AND THIS IS A FORUM SPACE TO ANNOUNCE THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT IS OFTENTIMES RELATED TO THE, THE CHURCH OF HUMAN EQUITY IN, IN HUMAN RELATIONS.
SO, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY EVENTS, UM, SHOUT OUTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR, UH, RITUAL, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALSO
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ONE, THINK AGAIN FOR ALL YOU GUYS COMING OUT AND SHARING YOUR STORIES.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
UM, I DID WANNA SAY SHOUT OUT FOR MLK PARADE, UM, FOR WHOEVER'S, UH, GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
BUT ON MONDAY, LEADERSHIP LONG BEACH, ON ACTUAL MLK DAY, WE, UM, HAVE DIFFERENT GROUPS WHO, UM, ARE PUTTING ON ACTIVITIES.
UM, MY PERSONAL GROUP, WE ARE PLANTING TREES IN THE AID DISTRICT TO COMBAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE THAT'S, UM, IN THAT DISTRICT OF THE 9 0 8 0 5.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT GROUPS.
AND FROM SENIOR TECH TO, UM, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING SENIORS, I'M USING TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU CAN, UH, LOG INTO THE LEADERSHIP LONG BEACH WEBSITE AND LOOK UP THEIR MLK DAY.
AND IF YOU HAVE TIME ON MLK DAY, JOIN ONE OF THE GROUPS.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHARING IN THAT, THAT INVITATION TO NOT JUST ALL US, BUT THE PUBLIC.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? I HAVE ONE, UM, IN, IN, IN IT AS FOLLOWS.
SO THE L-G-B-T-Q CENTER, UM, HAS INVITED, AND MY APOLOGIES FOR FORGETTING THE NAME OF THE ARTIST.
UH, HE'S A PHOTOGRAPHER AND I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL SEEN IT, BUT THERE HE'S THE NO ON, I REMEMBER NO PROPOSITION EIGHT, UH, A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO DID A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS BACK AT, BACK AT, DURING THE
UH, THE CENTER IS BRINGING THE PHOTOGRAPHER THIS SATURDAY.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, BE THE INFORMATION OR THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD, UH, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE AFTERNOON AND NO R VPS REQUIRED.
YOU SHOW UP, THERE'S A CHARGE, RIGHT? AND YOU CAN HAVE YOUR NO ON DATE PHOTO AND THEY BECOME VERY ICONIC.
UM, SO BASICALLY YOU WEAR WHITE, UH, T-SHIRT.
UM, THEY, THEY GIVE YOU THE DUCT TAPE, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU GET NO ONE, NO ONE HATE.
I THINK NOW THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE USING AND THEY'RE VERY POLISHED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS, AND YOU GET A COPY OF THAT AND YOU'RE PART OF THAT PARTICULAR
AND, UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE CENTER DOES THIS AND, AND RECENT SEND MEMORY.
UM, AND YEAH, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT EVENT.
SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE OR YOU HAVE ANY PICTURE TAKEN, UM, UH, BY ALL MEANS SHOW UP AT THE CENTER.
AND, UH, WHEN IS IT AGAIN? IT'S THIS SATURDAY ACTUALLY THIS SATURDAY THE AFTERNOON.
SO, UM, WHAT TIME? AND THERE'S SOCIAL, IT'S ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA.
I WAS TRYING TO LOG INTO THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA.
I THINK IT'S IN THE AFTERNOON AND THERE'S A GOOD WINDOW PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THERE CAN BE A LOT OF HUSTLE AND BUSTS IN THE CENTER AS OF LATE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE EVENTS THAT THEY DO.
SO ANYONE CAN JUST SHOW US ALLIES ALL KNOW IT'S THE CENTER, BUT WE, WE LOVE ALLIES, SO BE ALLIES.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
YOU KNOW, SINCE WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT SUPPORTING, UM, ETHNIC ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSES IN LONG BEACH, THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM PILOT PROGRAM IN LONG BEACH CALLED SHOP LONG BEACH.
AND SO WHAT IT'S DOING IS IT'S, UM, PROMOTING, UM, THE BUSINESSES IN LOWER TO MODERATE INCOME AREAS, SPECIFICALLY OWNED BY ETHNIC, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO SHOP LONG BEACH.ORG, YOU CAN BECOME A, A CONSUMER AND YOU EARN POINTS AND THOSE POINTS TURN YOU CAN USE AT, UM, ETHNIC SHOPS THAT ARE STIPULATED.
AND SO THE CITY'S REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB TO HELP WITH ECONOMIC RECOVERY, SPECIFICALLY IN WEST LONG BEACH, CENTRAL LONG BEACH, NORTH LONG BEACH, SO THAT THOSE DOLLARS THAT THE CITY PROVIDES AS REWARD PROGRAM DOLLARS GO BACK TO THOSE, UM, ETHNIC BUSINESS OWNERS.
UM, IF YOU DOORDASH, WHICH I DO OFTEN, THEY, THERE'S AN EMAIL YOU CAN SEND IT IN AND YOU WILL STILL GET FOR SUPPORTING, UM, THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE SHOP.
YES, I'VE HAD TO DO THAT A FEW TIMES BECAUSE I
[01:55:01]
SO I THINK THE, THE, THE MOST, UH, I GUESS IDEAL WAY TO END TONIGHT'S MEETING IS, UH, IN CELEBRATION OF THE UPCOMING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
UM, THERE ARE TWO QUOTES THAT QUICKLY COME TO MIND, I'M SURE WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH IT.
I KNOW THAT WORD BY WORD AND IT MIGHT GET A WORD BY
AND THEN THE MORAL ARC, UH, UH, THE MORAL A
AND I ALWAYS SEE THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE, UM, BECAUSE WHAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE IS THAT ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN AD HOCS AND THAT MEETING AND, AND THIS IS, THIS IS THE PUBLIC PACING, RIGHT? AND THEN THERE'S ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE THE AGENDA ITEMS FORWARD.
AND THAT THAT IS, THAT MORAL, THE UNIVERSE'S ALL THE WORK.
IT IT'S A LONG, LONG WORK, BUT WE PUT IN THE TIME AND THE EFFORT AND LISTEN TO COMMUNITY AND MOVE FORWARD, AND THEN WE SEE THE LABOR AND, AND VISUALS AND MOVING
SO, SO REALLY, UM, IN, IN THE SPIRIT OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR, ALSO HAVE A LOT OF ATTITUDE FOR WORKING ALL OF YOU.
UM, AND I WILL, IF I REMEMBER MY CORRECT PROTOCOL, I CAN NOW OFFICIALLY CALL THE MEETING TO CLOSE.
UM, AND I ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE, THE CLERK, BUT SHE KNOWS ALL THE RULES, RIGHT?