[00:00:01]
RIGHT.[CALL TO ORDER]
UH, WOULD LIKE TO CALL TODAY'S EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.[ROLL CALL]
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER BUTLER.SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH, UH, CHAIR REMARKS.
PRIOR TO THAT, UM, CHAIR, I'M, AND COMMISSIONER LAURA AND COMMISSIONER FLORES ARE BOTH EXCUSED FROM THIS MEETING.
UH, AND THEN COMMISSIONER BUTLER, I BELIEVE IS IN THE RESTROOM, SO THEY'RE PRESENT AS WELL.
[CHAIR REMARKS]
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY.UH, THE DAY AFTER THE BIG ELECTION.
UH, MANY FOLKS, UM, COULD BE AT HOME, UH, WITH FAMILY, UH, PRACTICING SOME SELF CARE.
UH, AND I WANT TO APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR LEANING INTO OUR CIVIC DUTY AND JOINING US TODAY.
UM, AS, UH, THE OUTCOME, WHICHEVER WAY FOLKS FEEL ABOUT IT, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UM, WHAT DEMOCRACY IS MEANT TO DO, WHICH IS MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING ON THE PATH.
UH, I WANNA EXCUSE MYSELF WITH MY VOICE.
UH, I WAS RECENTLY COMING DOWN WITH SOMETHING, BUT I'M WEARING A MASK, UH, AND I DIDN'T WANNA MISS TODAY EITHER.
UM, SO I'M GLAD TO BE HERE WITH EVERYONE, UH, FOR THE, UH, RECORD, I BELIEVE, UH, FOR COMMISSIONER, UH, MCNEIL.
UH, SO MAYBE WE CAN UPDATE THE RECORDS SO THAT THAT SHOWS.
AND THEN, UM, I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT COMMISSIONER SHAW MCLOAN, UH, RECENTLY HAD A BIRTHDAY, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
LET'S GIVE THEM THEIR PRAISE,
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A, UM, A JAM PACKED AGENDA WITH PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, AND THEN FOCUSING ON SOME OF OUR ORIGINAL AGENDA ITEMS. UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, MADAM CLERK, CAN WE START WITH ITEM ONE, PLEASE?
[1. 24-55456 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Equity and Human Relations Commission meeting of Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2ND, 2024.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE? MOTIONS BY COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.
AND SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER BUTLER.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER ONE? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME, AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM ONE, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW, OR DIAL STAR NINE.
IF CALLING IN, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? ALL RIGHT.
ANY, UM, CAN WE PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE? DO YOU WANNA DO THE ALL RIGHT.
SO GO AHEAD AND TAP, UH, THE APPROPRIATE ONE.
IF YOU DON'T SEE IT, I CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL NAMES IN A MINUTE OR IN A SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE? YES.
[00:05:01]
MONTGOMERY? YES.UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, I WANTED TO ASK, UH, VICE CHAIR DR.
BATZ, IF YOU WOULD READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR THE DAY.
UM, TONIGHT, I ACKNOWLEDGE I AM SPEAKING TO YOU FROM THE TRADITIONAL ANCESTRAL AND UNSEATED TERRITORY OF THE GINO TVA PEOPLES, THE TRADITIONAL CARETAKERS OF THIS LAND, WHO WERE DISPOSED OF THEIR LAND, AND YET CONTINUE TO STEWARD THIS LAND TODAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO INVITE FOLKS IN TO PAUSE AND HONOR THEIR CULTURE, HISTORY, AND IDENTITY AND ANCESTORS, AS WELL AS THE LIVING ELDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND WHEREVER YOU ARE TODAY, I INVITE YOU TO PAUSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE WHOSE LAND YOU ARE ON, AND LET THEIR ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH INSPIRE YOU.
WE ALSO PAUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON THE FREE LABOR OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS, AND CONTINUES TO FUNCTION FROM THE LABOR OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR EVERY DAY.
LET'S TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO PAUSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR PAST AND GIVE HONOR TO THOSE WHOSE LANDS AND SHOULDERS WE STAND ON TODAY.
MADAM CLERK, MAY WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE?
[2. 24-55457 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Filipino Migrant Center on demonstrating solidarity with the Filipino community and highlights of their work. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER ON DEMONSTRATING SOLIDARITY WITH THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY AND HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR WORK.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ITEM, PLEASE? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DE LEON, AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COLE.
ALRIGHT, UM, I'M GONNA NOW PASS IT OVER TO STAFF TO START PRE THE PRESENTATION AND WELCOME OUR SPECIAL GUEST.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
AND I, I APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR, UM, HISTORIES, AND THEN ALSO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TODAY, UM, ITSELF.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER.
AND, UM, JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WORK.
UM, IF I DO GO OVER ON TIME, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
I WILL, I CAN DEFINITELY ADJUST.
UM, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF TODAY'S, SOME OF THE, THE PRESENTATION THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL IS REALLY AROUND JUST THE GENERAL HISTORY OF, OF OUR ORGANIZATION, THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND THEN ALSO ACROSS, UM, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AS WELL AS OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
AND THEN EVEN, UM, SOME OF THE CAMPAIGNS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND EVEN, UM, ARE CURRENTLY DOING RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, WHEN, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER OR FMC, IT'S OUR MISSION TO BE ABLE TO WORK FOR AN EMPOWERED FILIPINO COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S REALLY, UM, TAKING, UH, A LOOK AROUND AT, UH, LOCAL AND GLOBAL JUSTICE, UH, AS A FILIPINO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND A MIGRANT COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, WE, MANY OF OUR PEOPLE HERE ARE STILL SENDING THEIR HARD-EARNED MONEY BACK HOME TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
SO THAT'S WHY WE STILL TAKE, UM, THE, THE, THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL, UM, APPROACH TO OUR WORK.
AND THEN, UM, TO REALLY BE ABLE TO EDUCATE, ORGANIZE AND MOBILIZE OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES TO TAKING ACTION.
UM, AND REALLY FOCUSING ON, UM, THE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FILIPINOS, OFTENTIMES WE MIGHT FALL JUST LIKE, MAYBE, MAYBE MANY OTHER ASIAN GROUPS UNDER THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH, RIGHT? LIKE, WE'RE ALL WELL OFF, OR WE CAN SPEAK ENGLISH, OR WE'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE GENERATIONS, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, AND ONE THING THAT'S NOT LISTED HERE AS OUR VISION, BUT, UM, OUR VISION IS REALLY, UM, I'M NOT SAYING IT VERBATIM, BUT OUR VISION IS REALLY TO WORK FOR A SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT TORN APART BY AN URGENT NEED FOR SURVIVAL.
AND SO, UM, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH TODAY, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, RIGHT? THINKING ABOUT KEEPING OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER, RIGHT? AND HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER, UM, TO, UM, NOT JUST FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL, BUT TO REALLY BUILD AND LIVE IN A HUMANE SOCIETY.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BUILDING.
AND THEN FOR OUR HISTORY, WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2010, UM, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT, UM, LOW INCOME FILIPINOS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
WHILE WE SERVE SO CAL WIDE, A MAJORITY OF OUR WORK CONTINUES TO BE IN LONG BEACH, AND THEN ALSO IN CARSON, UM, AND THEN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, A, A LARGE PART OF OUR HISTORY, WHICH
[00:10:01]
I'LL SHARE IN OTHER SLIDES, ARE, UM, REALLY DOING COALITION WORK WITH FILIPINO AND NON FILIPINO ORGANIZATIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE MANY OF THESE ISSUES, UM, AFFECT MANY OF MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE BOARD AND FOR OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UM, WHICH I WILL ALSO SHARE MORE ABOUT.BUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR SERVICES ARE REALLY CENTERED AROUND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, AND BUILDING, UM, POWER WITHIN OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WITHIN OURSELVES, WITHIN OUR FAMILIES.
UM, AND WE ALSO PROVIDE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR LEGAL OR FOR LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT ISSUES, AS WELL AS, UM, EVEN LEGAL AND HEALTH CLINICS.
AND JUST REALLY BEING ABLE TO THINK ABOUT, UM, EMPOWERMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SOME OF OUR VICTORIES, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO ASSIST OVER 50 HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS, UM, HELPING PASS, UH, LOCAL AND STATEWIDE POLICIES AROUND IMMIGRATION AND LABOR ISSUES.
UM, WHICH I'LL SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT COALITION WORK.
UM, BEING ABLE TO RECOVER TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, UM, IN LOST WAGES OR IN STOLEN WAGES OF, UM, LOW WAGE WORKERS.
AND THEN BEING, UM, ABLE TO CO-FOUND MANY DIFFERENT, UM, LOCAL COALITIONS.
AND JUST THIS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE 50 PLUS, UH, HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS WHO, UM, WHO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A RECENT ONE FROM A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UM, SOMETHING I ALWAYS, YEAH, LET'S SEE IF I GET EMOTIONAL OR NOT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UM, KUYA IRWIN OR KUYA IS LIKE A SIGN OF RESPECT IN THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.
SO, KUYA IRWIN, UM, HE'S A TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR, AND ON THE LEFT SIDE, THAT IS HIS DAUGHTER WHO IS HUGGING WHEN HE WAS, WHEN HE LEFT THE PHILIPPINES, UM, SHE WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD, AND SHE'S 18 NOW.
SO, UM, IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO BEING SEPARATED FROM YOUR CHILD, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOW A YOUNG ADULT, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL REUNION AT, AT LAX.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, KUYA IRWIN, EVEN WITH HIS TRAFFICKING CASE THAT WE'VE ASSISTED HIM WITH, UM, YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, HE STILL CONTINUED TO, UM, SUPPORT OUR WORK.
HE STILL CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR OTHER FILIPINO TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR US, UM, AND, AND OUR WORK.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT QUOTE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS LIKE, REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE AND SEEKING HELP IS A COURAGEOUS STEP IN ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN THAT, UH, THE PERSON THERE, UH, THE SECOND TO THE RIGHT IN THE FMC SHIRT, UM, LESTER, HE'S ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, UM, RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, HE WAS ALSO A LABOR TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR HIMSELF, WHO WAS ALSO SEPARATED FROM HIS FAMILY, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AS WELL.
AND AS FAR AS, UH, SOME OF THE COALITION WORK, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING SOLIDARITY, RIGHT? HOW IT'S NOT JUST THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY THAT WE WORK WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, HELP WORK, UH, IN THE LANGUAGE ACCESS COALITION.
UM, JUST A DISCLAIMER THAT THAT PICTURE IS, UH, A LOGO OF THE PARTICIPATING ORGS FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THAT'S NOT THE CURRENT, UM, COMPOSITION, UM, BUT THE LANGUAGE ACCESS COALITION.
SO WHEN WE SEE, UM, THE OG KAMAI AND SPANISH SPEAKING INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATION IN CITY OF LONG BEACH SERVICES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WORK THAT WAS DONE THROUGH THIS COALITION AND CONTINUES TO BE DONE, UM, TO THIS DAY.
SAME THING WITH THE COALITION TO END WAGE THEFT, AND THEN ALSO THE SANCTUARY LONG BEACH COALITION, UM, WHICH THROUGH THAT WORK, UH, AROUND 20 17 20 18, UM, AND ON, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND WAS ALSO KIND OF BORN OUT OF THAT WORK, UM, WHICH I'LL ALSO SHARE MORE ABOUT.
UM, AND THEN JUST SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR HUN COMMUNITY RESPONSE, UM, IS REALLY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE OVER 4,900 PLUS HOT MEALS TO FAMILIES IN CARSON AND LONG BEACH, UM, TO DISTRIBUTE BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS, UM, AND, UM, EVEN HOLDING COMMUNITY GARDEN EXCHANGES FOR, FOR PEOPLE, UM, BEING ABLE TO RAISE OVER 60,000 IN DIRECT AID, UM, TO DISTRIBUTE TO FAMILIES.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, HELPING GET PEOPLE CONNECTED, UM, WITH, UM, COVID TESTS AND VACCINES.
I MEAN, I, I WAS JUST TALKING WITH, UM, SOME STAFF THE OTHER DAY, AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS MARCH, THIS COMING MARCH, 2025 WILL MARK THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COVID SHUTDOWN HAPPENED IN THE US.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A VERY, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, RIGHT? AND IT FEELS ALMOST LIKE YESTERDAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT FEELS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE DID, UM, TO ADDRESS COVID,
[00:15:01]
UM, AND THE, THE EQUITY WORK THERE.AND THEN, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ALSO DO IS PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH.
SO, UM, THIS STUDY HERE WAS IN 2021 WHERE WE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIP PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH, UM, STUDY, UM, WITH THE UCLA ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW ARE FILIPINOS, UM, AFFECTED.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A HOSPITAL OR IF YOU HAVE FAMILY IN A CARE HOME, YOU WILL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE YOU MIGHT RUN INTO A FILIPINO CAREGIVER OR A FILIPINO NURSE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE WANTED TO REALLY BE ABLE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS OF OUR, UM, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE HAD OVER 400, UM, SURVEY RESPONDENTS AND 42 FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS.
AND YOU COULD SEE JUST SOME, I WON'T GO THROUGH EACH OF THE STATISTICS, BUT YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE, UM, OVER ALMOST TWO THIRDS FELT, UM, FEAR OF CONTRACTING COVID AT WORK OR GIVING IT TO THEIR FAMILY BY TRAVELING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BACK HOME, UM, OTHER OVER HALF FELT BURNOUT, OTHERS, YOU KNOW, FELT DEPRESSED OR HOPELESS.
UM, AND THEN EVEN, UM, ONE IN FOUR, CLOSE TO ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE REPORTED FEELING, UM, TREATED WITH, UM, LESS CUR COURTESY AND RESPECT, UM, DUE TO THEIR RACE OR ETHNICITY.
AND SO, UM, THOSE WERE SOME OF THE THINGS.
AND WE, THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO, UM, WRITE A POLICY BRIEF, WHICH WE PRESENTED TO THE, UM, CALIFORNIA API, UM, LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS.
AND MOST RECENTLY, UM, WE, UM, WE PARTNERED WITH, UH, THE FILIPINO, UM, OR THE LONG BEACH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, TO CONDUCT THIS, UH, FILIPINO COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
UM, SO THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD EFFORT WHERE WE PART PARTNERED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE, UM, KUBO ORGANIZING PROJECT, UH, LONG BEACH FILIPINO FESTIVAL, ST.
LUCIE CATHOLIC SCHOOL, UM, CPA, UM, WHICH IS BASED IN LA, BUT DOES WORK HERE, UM, AND ALSO A-P-A-A-I-T.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND THROUGH THIS STUDY, THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY, UH, IN-DEPTH PUBLICATION, RIGHT? WHICH I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, UM, TO LOOK INTO.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO CONDUCTING THEIR OWN HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AS WELL.
UM, BUT FOR THE FILIPINO ONES, WE FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ALMOST, UM, UH, 75%, YOU KNOW, SAID THAT THEY HAD A HISTORY OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, UM, OVER HALF WERE CONCERNED WITH DIABETES, AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, UM, CHRONIC CONDITIONS RIGHT, THAT EXIST, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN THIS ONE REALLY JUMPED OUT AT US WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CLOSE TO 53% OF PEOPLE WERE STRESSED OR WORRIED ABOUT, UM, BEING ABLE TO BUY NUTRITIOUS MEALS WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S AN ALARMING RATE WHEN YOU THINK THAT OVER HALF OF US, UM, OF OUR COMMUNITY IS WORRIED, RIGHT? LIKE, HOW CAN I GET HEALTHY FOOD? UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON SO MANY OTHER THINGS IF YOU CAN'T EVEN GET YOUR NEXT MEAL, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE OR DO ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO THAT, THAT HAS A BIG IMPACT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE THESE, WHILE THESE FINDINGS ARE DEFINITELY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNEW THAT THESE WERE HAPPENING.
AND WHILE THE, THE FINDINGS ARE ALSO HEAVY, WE WERE ALSO, UM, ABLE TO, UM, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, CREATE A, A HEALTH SERIES OUT OF THIS, OUT OF THESE, UM, HEALTH NEEDS RESULTS.
AND SO WE CALLED IT UNI, WHICH IS OUR HEALTH, OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE USED THIS DATA FROM OUR, FROM THE RESEARCH THAT WE WOULD, UM, CONDUCT, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO, LIKE, HOW CAN WE, UM, GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS, THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE FACE, AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW CAN WE TAKE ACTION TOGETHER? UM, AND THEN ANOTHER OBJECTIVE OF THIS WAS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES, UM, AROUND NUTRITION, HEALTH, AND WELLNESS.
UM, SO SOME EXAMPLES OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, UM, ARE LIKE HEALTHY FOOD SWAPS OF, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A FUN TEST THAT WE HAD, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE CERTAIN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HIGH SODIUM INGREDIENTS, RIGHT? SOMETIMES, OR, UM, IN SOME OF OUR DISHES.
AND SO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A POTLUCK AND DID THE HEALTHY FOOD SWAPS.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE ASKED OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY OUR ELDERS, LIKE, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS? AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, IT TASTED GREAT.
AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, WE SWAPPED OUT THIS, THIS, THIS INGREDIENT.
UM, THEY'RE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I HAD NO IDEA.
[00:20:01]
I THINK IT WAS A GOOD LESSON TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE IT CAN HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE, WE WERE ALSO, UH, FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH, UM, REGISTERED DIETICIANS.UM, ONE OF WHOM WAS, UH, AN INTERN JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, AND SHE'S NOW TEACHING AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
AND, YOU KNOW, SHE REACHED OUT AND WANTED TO WORK WITH US AGAIN.
UM, ANOTHER ONE IS WE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DO SOME COOKING DEMOS.
UH, WE DID A COMMUNITY GARDEN EXCHANGE WITH THE SANTA FE COMMUNITY GARDEN ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR CENTER IN, IN THE WEST SIDE.
UM, AND THEN EVEN OUR, UH, SOME OF OUR WALKING CLUB MEMBERS, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO EVEN BRING CROPS FROM THEIR, FROM THEIR GARDENS AND JUST DID A, A CROP SWAP.
SO THERE'S SOME K UM, SOME CHERRY GUAVA, UM, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THEN PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, WHO DON'T HAVE A GREEN THUMB WAS ALSO ASKING, UH, MANY GOOD GARDENING TIPS FROM, FROM THE, FROM MS. LEE, THE MASTER GARDENER AT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN.
UM, ANOTHER PART OF THE HEALTH PROGRAM THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE IS OUR SENIOR WALKING CLUB EVERY SATURDAY, UM, AT EIGHT 30 AT ADMIR ADMIRAL KID PARK, UM, WHERE WE DO A LOT OF EXERCISE, UM, HEALTH AND HEALTH EDUCATION.
SO, UM, SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE COME IN, DO BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS OR BLOOD SUGAR CHECKS, UM, HOW TO MONITOR OR HOW TO, UM, UH, BE AWARE OF STROKE SYMPTOMS. AND THEN ALSO FUN THINGS TOO, RIGHT? LIKE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS OR SOCIAL GATHERINGS.
UM, AND THEN EVEN FIELD TRIPS AND EXCURSIONS LIKE THIS, THAT PICTURE IN THE LOWER RIGHT IS AT THE, UH, THE JAPANESE GARDENS AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
SO THAT, THAT PROGRAM HAPPENS EVERY WEEK.
UM, AND WE ALSO TALK ABOUT, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP THROUGH THERE.
AND THEN, UM, I'D BE REMISS TO, TO NOT MENTION OUR, OUR YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH, UM, HAS REALLY BEEN AT THE CORE OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR FOUNDING, RIGHT? AND SO FROM REALLY DOING COMMUNITY ORGANIZING TRAINING, MOST RECENTLY WE HAVE ALSO BEEN DOING MULTIMEDIA TRAINING WITH, UM, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS WHO, WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, OFFERED THEIR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, UM, TO TEACH YOUTH HOW TO DOCUMENT, UM, THE STORIES.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED A FANCY CAMERA, YOU COULD JUST USE YOUR PHONE, RIGHT? UM, TO DOCUMENT THE STORIES OF OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE INTEGRATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WE'RE ALSO HAVING, UM, OUR YOUTH, UM, GO OUT THERE AND GO WALKING WITH US AND TALKING WITH NEIGHBORS.
AND THEN, UM, DEFINITELY WHAT'S IMPORTANT ARE THE INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUES.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, AS WITH MANY IMMIGRANT FAMILIES OR, UM, COMMUNITIES OF, UH, FAMILIES OF COLOR, UM, AND MANY, THERE ARE MANY GENERATIONS LIVING IN ONE HOUSEHOLD.
AND SO HAVING, HELPING BRIDGE THAT GAP, AND I THINK ONE THING THAT, UM, REALLY JUMPED OUT AT ME IS, UM, ONE OF THE YOUTH WHO'S HELPING, UH, INTERVIEW HIS GRANDMOTHER, YOU KNOW, WAS SAYING HE, HE UNDERSTANDS HER PERSPECTIVE MORE, UM, ABOUT HOW SHE RAISED HIM, UM, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING HER IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING HERE.
SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO BRIDGE THAT GR THAT GAP WAS ALSO IMPORTANT IN, OKAY.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO DO ONGOING WORK FOR, UM, DOMESTIC WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY AS PART OF THE CALIFORNIA DOMESTIC WORKERS COALITION.
UM, SO THERE'S OVER 350,000 DOMESTIC WORKERS ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, WHILE THERE WAS RECENT LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED, UM, THERE'S, THERE ARE STILL SOME LOOPHOLES, BUT, UM, DOMESTIC WORKERS, WHICH INCLUDES CAREGIVERS AND, UM, NANNIES AND HOUSEKEEPERS, UM, CONTINUE TO BE EXCLUDED FROM CAL OSHA PROTECTIONS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ONE OF THE, THE FEW, THE CLASS OF WORKERS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHO ARE EXCLUDED FROM THESE PROTECTIONS.
UM, SO WE CONTINUE TO DO ADVOCACY FOR THAT.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S PASSED MANY DIFFERENT, LIKE BILLS AND LEGISLATIONS UP UNTIL IT GETS TO, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, AND THEN IT GETS VETOED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THERE.
AND RELATED TO THIS IS ALSO A CAMPAIGN TO END WAGE THEFT, UM, SPECIFICALLY AT AMITY IN-HOME CARE SERVICES.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR ACTIVE CAMPAIGNS RIGHT NOW WHERE, UM, THERE'S THE, THE CEO OF THE COMPANY, UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S INFAMOUS FOR, RIGHT? INCLUDING NOTES ON HER EMPLOYEE'S CHECKS, LIKE, HEY, I KNOW IT'S PAYDAY, BUT DON'T, DON'T CASH YOUR CHECK YET UNTIL I, I SAY, YOU CAN, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU HAVE RENT TO PAY, IF YOU HAVE A CAR PAYMENT, IF YOU HAVE GROCERIES TO FEED YOUR KIDS, YOU CAN'T TELL SOMEONE NOT TO DO THAT, RIGHT? THAT'S ILLEGAL.
BUT SHE HAS DONE THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, UM, NOW, UH, A GROUP OF CAREGIVERS ARE, ARE COMING TOGETHER TO, UM, SPEAK UP AND FIGHT BACK ON, ON
[00:25:01]
THAT ISSUE TO, TO FIGHT WAGE THEFT.AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT LAST QUOTE FROM, UM, REI, UM, IS JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE DESERVE TO GET THE RIGHT WAGES AT THE RIGHT TIME THAT WE'RE OWED FROM OUR LABOR.
SO, UM, THERE'S ALSO A WEBSITE THERE THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE'RE WITH THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH, UM, WHERE YOU COULD SEE MORE INFORMATION.
AND THEN, UM, CLOSING UP IS, OR, YEAH, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS, YOU KNOW, TODAY HAS BEEN, AGAIN, A VERY HECTIC DAY, RIGHT? AND WE'RE THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY GETTING A LOT OF CALLS.
PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM.
AND SO, UM, PART OF THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FORTUNATE AND WE'RE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, UM, THROUGH THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UM, ALONGSIDE, UM,
AND SO, UM, YEAH, I, I THINK THE, THE JUSTICE FUND WORK IS, WILL BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT, THAT I, I, I WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT PICTURE IN THE LOWER LEFT THAT'S ACTUALLY AT THE US MEXICO BORDER WALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT, YOU REALLY SEE WHEN, UM, IT REALLY HUMANIZES THINGS AND PUTS THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S, UM, THE WORK THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
AND THEN, UM, THE LA THE LAST THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR WORK AROUND STOP, STOP ANTI-ASIAN HATE, UM, WE'VE HAD TWO SEPARATE CAMPAIGNS WITH, UM, TWO DIFFERENT FAMILIES, UM, WHO'VE EXPERIENCED ANTI-ASIAN HATE, UM, ATTACKS ON THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, SUFFERING BROKEN RIBS, INJURIES, UM, TRAUMA, RIGHT? AND, UM, HAVE EVEN NAVIGATED, UM, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, WHICH HAS BEEN A VERY LONG, ARDUOUS PRO PROCESS.
UM, EVEN US AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LEARNING ALONG THE WAY TO, UM, HOW DIFFICULT THE, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, UM, IS, UM, TO, TO NAVIGATE THROUGH FOR FAMILIES.
AND, UM, I THINK JUST THE THING THAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THROUGH, THROUGH THESE, THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN IS THAT THESE FAMILIES, THESE, THESE TWO FAMILIES, UM, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP AND FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND, UM, ARE, ARE REALLY GROUNDED AND STRONG IN THEIR PRINCIPLES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ASKED THEM LIKE, HEY, IT'S ALREADY, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING? AND THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T WANT THIS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME TO HAPPEN TO OTHER FAMILIES.
SO THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT JUST THEMSELVES OR, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE PEOPLE IN THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY, THEY'RE THINKING ON A LARGER LEVEL.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY INSPIRING TO SEE THEM, UM, CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.
SO, UM, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT WRAPS UP, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, MY PRESENTATION.
BUT I THINK, AGAIN, JUST THINKING ABOUT, UM, FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT TORN APART FOR URGENT NEED FOR SURVIVAL, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, AND ALSO THE, THE BEAUTIFUL STORIES THAT ALSO COME, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, THROUGH THE DIFFERENT STRUGGLES THAT WE FACE, THAT'S ALSO LIKE A, AN UPLIFTING MESSAGE.
I ALSO WANT TO CLOSE WITH, 'CAUSE, UM, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THAT HOPE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT HOPE, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WORK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'RE GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER TWO IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AND IF THERE'S ANY IN THE ZOOM FOR PUB FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW, OR DIAL STAR NINE IF CALLING IN, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
ALRIGHT, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA NOW GO INTO, UM, COMMISSION DISCUSSION.
UH, SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS OR TO PROVIDE ANY APPRECIATIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE, UH, AS WE DO, UH, GO DOWN THE LINE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, ASKING QUESTIONS OR SHARING, UH, AN ASK THAT I HAVE OF YOU, AND THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY ON, IS TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SHARE YOUR PRONOUN, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET INTO THE PRACTICE OF REMEMBERING AND USING OUR PRONOUNS, UH, WHEN WE'RE, UM, ENGAGING ON THE DAIS.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY FOLKS WHO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
[00:30:01]
YES, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, I HAVE, UH, COMMENTS.ANY QUESTION? UM, I'M COMMISSIONER JESSICA GILLETTE PRONOUNS, SHE, HER AND HERS.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU ROMEO, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE LONG BEACH FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
LONG BEACH IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, OR FMC, UH, WHICH PROVIDES RESOURCES TO ASSIST OUR FILIPINO RESIDENTS AS IT AIMS TO EDUCATE, ORGANIZE, AND MOBILIZE THE LOW INCOME AND WORKING CLASS FILIPINO FAMILIES, AS WELL AS ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE ISSUES THAT ARE, UH, FACED THAT, THAT OUR COMMUNITY FACES, UM, FROM LEGAL AND LABOR ASSISTANCE TO YOUTH PROGRAMS AND HEALTH INITIATIVES.
FMC CONTINUES TO UPLIFT THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AS A FILIPINO IMMIGRANT MYSELF, UH, WHO GREW UP IN A LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD, I WISH I HAD AN ORGANIZATION LIKE M MS FMC IN MY HOMETOWN.
I KNOW THAT THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS, IS ONE THAT TRIES TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
WE HAVE THIS MENTALITY OF NOT SEEKING OUT HELP.
SO HAVING FMC REDUCES THAT STIGMA TO GO OUT THERE AND, AND, AND SEEK OUT THAT HELP THAT'S AND RESOURCES THAT'S AVAILABLE.
ALSO, AS A MEMBER OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EMPOWERING OUR FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND ENSURING WE ARE SEEN AND HEARD, ESPECIALLY SENIOR CITIZENS, AND THOSE WHO ARE LIVING IN THE US WITHOUT THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHO, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, ARE THOSE WORKING HERE IN THE US AND SENDING THEIR WAGES BACK HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, HAVING VISITED THE FMC CENTER IN THE WEST SIDE MYSELF, I HAVE WITNESSED THE HAN SPIRIT, AND THAT'S A TAGALOG TERM.
BASICALLY, IT ENCOMPASSES COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL OF S SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.
LONG BEACH IS HOME TO MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE OF FILIPINO DESCENT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM LIVE IN LONG BEACH, WEST LONG BEACH, UH, MANY ARE NOT AWARE THAT IN 1992, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL DECLARED SANTA FE AVENUE FROM 20TH STREET TO SPRING STREET AS FILIPINO NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD, AS YOU KNOW, TO MANY OF THE FILIPINO ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS IN COMING TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO, TO UPLIFT THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
SOMETHING THAT FMC IS ALREADY DOING AND CONTINUES TO DO.
UM, IT'S MY HOPE THAT SOMEDAY WE CAN HAVE THE FILIPINO NEIGHBORHOOD VISUALIZED BY OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY LEADERS IN 1992, AND THAT A FILIPINO CULTURAL CENTER WOULD ONE DAY BE A PART OF OUR CITY.
AND THE ORAL HISTORIES THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT SOME OF THE, UH, YOUNG FOLKS ARE CONDUCTING, UH, IT'S MY HOPE THAT THAT BECOMES PART OF THAT, UH, CULTURAL CENTER.
AND IF YOU ARE, IF MFMC IS OPEN, UM, I'M AWARE OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT I VOLUNTEER WITH, IT'S THE ASIAN AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE INTERESTS ARE ALIGNED IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING, UH, THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HERE IN SOCAL.
SO, ALRIGHT, YOU'RE ALREADY CONNECTED.
UH, ANY RESPONSES? UH, JUST, YEAH, I, I, I AGREE WITH THAT VISION, AND I THINK ONE THING THAT I'M REALLY SEEING NOW, AS, YOU KNOW, FILIPINOS ARE, UM, COMING TO THE FOREFRONT CULTURALLY, RIGHT? UM, AND BEING RECOGNIZED OUTSIDE OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S, UM, I THINK THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL MOMENTUM THAT'S BUILDING, RIGHT? A CULTURAL MOVEMENT, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST GREAT AND I, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, EVEN AS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE, ARE ALSO POPPING UP.
RESTAURANTS ARE POPPING UP, UM, AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO, TO BRIDGE THOSE GAPS EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, RIGHT? BECAUSE, UM, I THINK WE WOULD, WE ALL WANT, UM, EQUITY AND, AND JUSTICE IN, IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I'M VICE CHAIR BATS, UH, PRONOUNS ARE SHE AND HER, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
UM, I LEARNED SO MUCH AND, UM, COULD RELATE TO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE HEALTHY FOOD SWAP IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
I, I, I TOTALLY ENVISION MAKING A POT OF GREENS AND HAVING TO EDUCATE MY MOM INSTEAD OF USING PORK, CAN YOU PUT SOME SMOKED TURKEY IN THERE? RIGHT? AND THEN SHE'S LIKE, OH, IT TASTES JUST AS GOOD.
UM, AND THE MULTI GENERATIONS, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE FOUR GENERATIONS AND WE'RE ALL VERY CLOSE, AND SO EXCHANGING THOSE STORIES AND THEY GET TO HEAR HOW MY MOM PICKED COTTON, AND WHEN THEY GO ON VACATION,
[00:35:01]
ACTUALLY DOING IT TO SEE, OH, WOW, GRANDMA, YOU DID THIS, OR, GREAT GRANDMA, YOU DID THIS.SO, UM, BEING ABLE TO TRANSFER THE OLDER KNOWLEDGE AND WATCH MY 6-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER TEACH MY MOM HOW TO WORK A COMPUTER, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU HAVE MULTI-GENERATIONS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE AS WELL.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY, I, I APPRECIATE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE FMC AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT YOU GUYS ARE THERE TO HELP UPLIFT OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY.
OTHERS, COMMISSIONER DELEON, UH, THANK YOU ROMEO, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I'M, I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE IN, IN A SPACE WHERE A GROUP LIKE FMC IS RECOGNIZED BECAUSE IT'S VERY RARE FOR, UH, MULTI-GENERATIONAL, UH, CROSS CLASS ORGANIZATION TO, UH, NOT JUST APPEAR, BUT TO GET STRUCTURALLY, UH, EMBEDDED IN A COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT, THAT WE SEE THE IMPACT, UH, AS DEEPLY AS WE'VE SEEN WITH FMC.
I THINK, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF NON-PROFITS THAT EXIST ACROSS THE US THAT ARE GREAT AT FUNDRAISING AND NOT GREAT AT IMPACT MAKING.
AND I THINK FMC IS A MODEL OF, UH, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ACTUALLY BE INTEGRATED IN A COMMUNITY, UH, TO BE DOING SO ACROSS LANGUAGE BARRIER, ACROSS CLASS BARRIER, ACROSS EDUCATION BARRIER, AND TO BE CENTERING YOUTH AND ELDERS AT ONCE, THAT IS INCREDIBLY RARE.
AND SO I REALLY WANNA CELEBRATE THAT THAT EXISTS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, AND IT'S A MODEL THAT I HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN SEE IN MANY MORE SPACES.
AND WE'VE GOT GROUPS LIKE MICRO GIRLS IN ACTION AS WELL IN LONG BEACH THAT DOES THAT.
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF GROUPS ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT FMC IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE THAT THAT HIGHLIGHTS THAT.
UH, I THINK IT'S ALSO AS AN EQUITY COMMISSION, WE SHOULD BE, UH, UH, DISTURBED WHENEVER WE SEE THE THINGS HIGHLIGHTED BY, BY ROMEO THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE SEEING THAT MAY OFTEN, UH, SLIP UNDER THE, THE HEADLINES.
I KNOW THAT TODAY, UH, THE BIGGEST HEADLINES ARE NATIONAL, BUT EVERY DAY UNDER THE BYLINE, THE PAIN IS DAILY, UH, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THESE QUESTIONS OF WAGE THEFT, THESE QUESTIONS OF, UH, VIOLATION OF DOMESTIC WORKERS' RIGHTS, UH, THAT HITS INCREDIBLY CLOSE TO HOME.
AND SO, UM, A QUESTION IF YOU WANT TO ANSWER IT, OR WE CAN ALWAYS CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK THAT, THAT FMC IS A, A COMMUNITY EXPERT ON ALL OF THESE LABOR ISSUES AND MIGRANT ISSUES.
AND SO WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE THEM BACK.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UH, WHAT ARE THINGS THAT IF THE NATION OR THE STATE ARE NOT PROTECTING FOR, FOR OUR WORKERS? ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU THINK THE CITY OF LONG BEACH COULD DO? UM, WHETHER, UH, IN POLICY, UH, WHETHER IN, UH, PLATFORMING, UH, TO FURTHER CREATE THOSE PROTECTIONS IF THE STATE IS NOT GETTING THERE FAR ENOUGH? I KNOW ONE IDEA PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HAS BEEN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, SO IT'S NOT HAVING TO GO RENEWED EVERY YEAR.
MAYBE THAT'S THE IDEA, BUT CURIOUS IF THERE'S, THERE'S POLICY CHANGES THAT THE CITY CAN IMPLEMENT THAT WE CAN HELP PUSH FORWARD AS A COMMISSION? I THINK, UM, LOCALLY, YOU KNOW, I, I, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE NUMBER, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF, UM, PENALTIES OR ENFORCEMENTS THERE ARE OF EMPLOYERS WHO COMMIT WAGE THEFT.
UM, I, I DO KNOW IN LA COUNTY AT TIMES, SOMETIMES IT'S A VERY, IT'S LIKE A, A DROP IN THE BUCKET.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE OR 200, BUT THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A CORPORATION, SAY LIKE TARGET OR STARBUCKS OR SOME BIG CORPORATION THAT'S, THAT'S NOTHING SIGNIFICANT, RIGHT? UM, TO THEM.
AND SO, UM, I THINK STRONGER AND STRICTER, UM, WAGE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, THE LABOR COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, ONE THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK INTO, UM, THAT WE'VE HEARD INFORMALLY, UM, THROUGH OUR, OUR NETWORKS AND OUR CONTACTS IS THAT, UM, THE LABOR COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IN LONG BEACH, UM, TAKE, CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM I THINK THREE TO FOUR YEARS TO PROCESS A WAGE CLAIM, UM, COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS WITHIN THE COUNTY WHERE IT'S, I THINK 18 MONTHS.
BUT THEN EVEN BOTH OF THOSE ARE BEHIND WHAT THE ACTUAL STATE MANDATED, UM, AVERAGE IS.
YOU KNOW? AND SO, AND WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT IT'S THE FAULT OF THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, CASEWORKER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK IF THERE CAN BE SOMETHING LOOKING INTO THE, THE LABOR COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, AND WHY IS IT TAKING LONG IN OUR CITY MUCH LONGER, OR EVEN TWICE AS LONG COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS, UM, OF THE COUNTY, RIGHT? AND, UM, THE DELAY IN WAGE CLAIMS, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NO SECRET AMONG WORKERS.
AND SO WHEN WE TRY TO DO PART OF OUR, OUR UPHILL BATTLE, AND, YOU KNOW, THE EDUCATION THAT WE DO IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TEACH THEM ABOUT LIKE HOW TO, HOW TO FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS, BUT UNDERSTANDABLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING, WHY AM I GONNA WAIT AROUND FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS? I'M JUST GONNA FIND ANOTHER JOB.
RIGHT? BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OWED THAT MONEY.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S PART OF THAT DUAL WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE FIRST THINGS THAT REALLY JUST JUMPED OUT IN MY MIND THAT, UM, WHEN IN,
[00:40:01]
IN RESPONSE TO COMMISSIONER DEON'S, UH, QUESTION.AND JUST TO VERY QUICKLY RESPOND TO THAT, I THINK IT'S A REMINDER THAT JUSTICE DENIED IS JUSTICE.
JUSTICE DEFERRED IS JUSTICE DENIED, RIGHT? AND THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE TWO YEAR, THREE OR FOUR YEAR, HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES, LIKE, UH, VERY FEW PEOPLE CAN MAKE IT A COUPLE MONTHS WITHOUT THAT JUSTICE, NEVERMIND, SEVERAL YEARS.
AND SO, IN MY MIND, UM, WHILE I DON'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE MOTION FOR LIKE AN AD HOC ON, ON THIS TOPIC, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT AS A COMMISSION, UH, VERY SOON.
ESPECIALLY AS WE MAY SEE CHANGES IN FEDERAL POLICY OVER THE COMING MONTHS AROUND LABOR.
UH, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COMMISSION TO ADVANCE, UM, UH, PEOPLE, FIRST WORKER, FIRST POLICIES HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO INOCULATE OUR COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR, MOST VULNERABLE, UH, UH, AGAINST ANY POTENTIAL REGRESSION IN, IN, IN LABOR PROTECTIONS TO COME.
AND SO, UH, UH, EAGER TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.
I'M EAGER REFER FMC AND ROMEO TO BE A PART OF THAT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DEION, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER SAM, WILL, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN YOUR MIC? THANK YOU.
UM, I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDED.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE TOUCHING ON, UM, SOME OF THIS, UH, UH, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, UM, WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTI-GENERATIONAL, UM, AND IT'S IN THE CONTEXT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION.
HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, ADDICTION, AND SUBSTANCE USE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH? SPECIFICALLY, WHAT STRATEGIES OR PROGRAMS DO YOU, UM, DO YOU IMPLEMENT TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CARE AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY THESE ISSUES? MM-HMM,
UM, WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THAT'S NOT A, AN AREA THAT WE, UM, TRADITIONALLY WORK ON, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, I CAN'T SPEAK TOO MUCH ON THAT.
BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY IN-HOUSE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, PROVIDERS.
BUT I THINK BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH, UM, OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO ARE TRAINED AND HAVE THAT BACKGROUND, UM, AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO MEET WITH THEM AND, AND DO THE VETTING AND FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND OUR PERSPECTIVE AND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM, UM, IS IMPORTANT FOR US.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO COULD PROVIDE THE SERVICES, BUT IF IT, IF IT'S NOT IN LINE WITH OUR O MISSION, THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE BEST FIT.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK FOR US TOO, OR THROUGH THE MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, I MEAN, THE, IS BEING ABLE TO CREATE THOSE, UH, CASUAL OR INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS WHERE IT, IT'S ALLOWING US TO, UM, BE, BE ABLE TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE, THEY TRUST US, UM, WITH VERY, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL THOUGHTS OR INFORMATION, RIGHT? AND, UM, EVEN WITH, YOU KNOW, THE OLDER GENERATION, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY MUCH A STIGMA, UH, OF MENTAL HEALTH, BUT WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS HOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT SO MUCH MORE OPENLY NOW.
AND, UM, THEY WERE SAYING THAT, WOW, IT FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS IN ALL MY LIFE AND NOW I HAVE A SPACE TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT IT.
AND SO I THINK EVEN BREAKING THAT, THAT STIGMA IS, IS A BIG, A BIG BREAKTHROUGH FOR US.
BUT DEFINITELY WANTING TO CONTINUE, UM, WORKING WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.
'CAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO TELL OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED OR TRAINED TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GET YOU CONNECTED WITH THE EXPERTS ON THAT.
AND WE'LL STILL PROVIDE THE SOCIAL SUPPORT.
AND I JUST HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT.
IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
WHEN YOU WERE CONDUCTING THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, DID IT INCLUDE QUESTIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH? YES, IT DID.
SO, UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR THE SAKE OF, UM, TIME, I, I DID, I ONLY FOCUSED A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE NUTRITION ASPECT, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF, UM, IN-DEPTH INFORMATION THAT, UM, THE, UH, THAT, THAT ARE COVERED IN THAT ASSESSMENT.
COMMISSIONER MC, DR. MCNEIL? YES.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
AS A PERSON WHO GREW UP IN FILIPINO NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS ORGANIZATION, AK BAYAN AND GABRIELLE LA WAS SOMEWHERE WHERE
[00:45:01]
I COULD REALLY DEEPEN MY CULTURE AND DEEPEN MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE I CAME FROM, GIVEN THAT MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ALWAYS AT WORK, UM, BEING RAISED BY MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE WAS A DOMESTIC WORKER AND AS WELL AS HER COWORKERS.AND I SAW THEM GO THROUGH BURNOUT AND I SAW THEM GO THROUGH FOOD INSECURITY.
SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING LIGHTS MY WHOLE HEART.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
AND IF I CAN MAKE A SUGGESTION TALKING ABOUT THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND CONNECTING OUR YOUNG FOLKS TO MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICES, SINCE FOLKS ARE A LOT MORE OPEN ABOUT THEM, WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN CALIFORNIA THAT OTHER STATES DON'T HAVE.
WE HAVE FUNDING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COACHING, AND THERE'S A PRIORITY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED WORKERS TO RECEIVE THAT FUNDING.
SO, UH, I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT.
AND CAL STATE LONG BEACH ALSO HAS SOME GRANT PROGRAMS THAT ALSO PREFER FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING THEIR LIVED EXPERTISE AND THEIR COMMUNITY-BASED EXPERTISE TO BECOME A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.
SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN IN THAT AREA, AND, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT AFTER THIS TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, SHARING.
MY, UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON.
UM, MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY, AND HE, UM, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE DEEP APPRECIATIONS TO THE FFMC FAMILY.
UH, BOTH YOUR MEMBERS AND YOUR MEMBER LEADERS HAVE BEEN DOING REALLY GREAT IMPACTFUL WORK IN CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
I REMEMBER COMING ONTO THE SCENE OF DOING COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORK AND BEING EMBRACED BY THE MFC ORGANIZERS.
UM, ONE OF MY STUDENTS ACTUALLY IS A MEMBERS OF YOURS.
AND SO, UH, THEY REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE CULTURAL EXCHANGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU OFFER.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD, UH, AS COMMISSIONER GILLETTE HAD MENTIONED, UH, MAKING IT OFFICIAL, HAVING A FILIPINO TOWN, UH, IN LONG BEACH.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BLOCK, BUT LET'S MAKE IT WHAT IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE.
UH, AND I'M EXCITED FOR ALL THE WORK THAT IS TO COME, UH, TO CLOSE OUT.
CAN YOU SHARE, UM, MAYBE LIKE THREE WAYS THAT FOLKS CAN SUPPORT THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING? YES.
UM, MOST IMMEDIATELY ON SUNDAY WE'RE HOSTING, UH, LIKE A TOWN HALL DISCUSSION, A POST ELECTIONS DEBRIEF IN OUR CENTER.
UM, SO WE WANT TO INVITE PEOPLE TO, TO JOIN US THERE, UM, FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF PROCESS COLLECTIVELY AND PROCESS TOGETHER.
UM, THE OTHER ONES ARE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, SIGN ON IN SUPPORT OF OUR END WAGE THEFT CAMPAIGN.
UM, THERE'S A SIGN ON LINK, UM, IN WITHIN THE SLIDES, UH, FOR THAT WEBSITE.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS TO, UM, I THINK VOL, NOW I'M IN MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROLE, BUT I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, PLEASE DONATE.
BUT
AND SO, ROMEO IS HELLA HUMBLE, SO I WILL SAY YES, DONATE TO FMC, DONATE YOUR TIME, DONATE YOUR MONEY, UH, ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE THAT, THAT Y'ALL ARE BUILDING.
UM, SO WITH THAT, MAY I HAVE, UH, THE VOTE PLEASE? SORRY, CAN I JUST SAY ONE LAST CLOSING? OH, YEAH, GO FOR IT.
UM, I, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, THIS TIME.
UM, WHEN I STARTED THIS PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, I THINK AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE NATURE OF THE DAY, I FELT KIND OF HEAVY HEARTED, RIGHT? BUT I THINK JUST THROUGH, THROUGH THIS WORK AND THROUGH THE TALKING AND THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE SHARING, I THINK IT'S ALSO VERY UPLIFTING.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LIGHTS THAT FIRE AND CONTINUES HELPS DRIVE AND LIKE, ACKNOWLEDGES AND AFFIRMS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS, IS GOOD AND NEEDED.
SO I, I JUST APPRECIATE ALSO, UM, EVEN JUST THE PERSONAL PICK ME UP AND ALSO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE WORK THAT OUR ORGANIZATION DOES.
SO FOLKS SHOULD HAVE ON THEIR SCREEN, THEY'RE VOTING.
UH, GO AHEAD AND VOTE, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, UM, WE'LL CALL, WE'LL CALL ON YOU TO GET YOUR VOTE.
IS IT NOT POPPING UP FOR A LOT OF YOU? OKAY.
[00:50:01]
CAN TAKE A VERBAL IF IT'S NOT ON YOUR SCREEN.WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROMEO.
AND, UM, DO CONNECT WITH, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS.
IF YOU WANNA STAY AROUND, THAT'D BE GREAT.
IF NOT, UH, COMMISSIONERS WILL GIVE YOU ROMEO'S CONTACT INFORMATION AFTERWARDS.
ALL RIGHT, SO WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
[3. 24-55066 Recommendation to receive and file a report from current Ad Hoc Committees; discuss anticipated Ad Hoc Committees for upcoming projects; and, if appropriate, take action to dissolve or create Ad Hoc Committees. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
NUMBER THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT FROM CURRENT AD HOC COMMITTEES.DISCUSS ANTICIPATED AD HOC COMMITTEES FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS, AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION TO DISSOLVE OR CREATE AD HOC COMMITTEES.
UH, MAY I, FOR, MAY I HAVE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO IF THERE'S REPORTS, I WOULD GIVE THE REPORTS FIRST AND THEN WE CAN DO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THERE'S DISCUSSION.
UM, SO WE'LL START WITH REPORTS.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO DID OUR MOTION IN OUR SECOND.
SO IT'S, UH, MOTIONED, UH, BY COMMISSIONER COLE AND THEN, UM, SECONDED BY SAMMY WHEEL.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? SAMUEL SAM? WELL, ALL RIGHT.
WELL, SO, UH, NOW IS THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE UPDATES, UH, ON OUR AD HOCS.
UH, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF, UH, FOUR AD HOCS, UM, THAT ARE IN, THAT ARE ACTIVE.
UH, WE HAVE OUR AD HOC ON INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS, OUR AD HOC ON HOMELESSNESS, OUR AD HOC ON EQUITY, UM, STATEMENT SLASH ASSESSMENT.
UH, AND THEN AN AD HOC ON PRESERVING L-G-B-T-Q AND BIPOC, UM, ISSUES.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE AD HOC ON INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS.
WHAT'S AN UPDATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE? UM, OUR UPDATE IS, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN UPDATE.
UM, WE'RE STILL WAITING TO MEET WITH THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMISSION ON YOUTH AND FAMILIES.
THERE WAS SOMEONE ON A SABBATICAL, SO THEY ARE JUST NOW GETTING BACK AND TONY IS WORKING WITH THEM TO GET SOME DATES SO WE CAN MEET AND CONTINUE OUR AD HOC WORK.
UH, AND IN ADDITION TO OUR REPORT BACK, UH, WE HAVE SOME NEWER COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN AN AD HOC AFTER WE DO THE UPDATES, THAT WILL BE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
UH, AND THEN, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMEONE WANTS TO RECOMMEND A NEW AD HOC AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT AFTER WE DO THE FULL, UH, REPORTS.
UM, YES, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, IF I MAY JUST ADD TO WHAT OUR AD HOC IS, ITS BARRIER BARRIERS TO EQUITY IN EDUCATION, UH, BARRIERS TO EQUITY IN EDUCATION.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR HOMELESSNESS AD HOC.
WHO'S GONNA DO IT? YOU, WE CAN SHARE IT.
IF YOU LIKE
WE HAVEN'T DONE A LOT, UH, WITH THE, THE HOMELESS AD HOC.
UM, WE DID HAVE A MEETING WITH, UH, SOMEONE FROM PUBLIC WORKS OR, OR, UH, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE DISCUSSED, UH, THE TINY HOUSES PROJECT, WHICH, WHICH GOT ME EXCITED ABOUT CREATING AN AD HOC.
AND THE UPDATE WAS, UH, UNFORTUNATE THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE LOCATION AT CALIFORNIA AND UM, SPRING STREET, UH, UH, WAS QUIETLY, UH, REJECTED.
UM, AND, UH, UH, THAT WAS, UH, THAT TOOK A LOT OF WIND OUTTA MY SAILS.
AND I LEARNED THAT THESE TINY HOUSES ARE SITTING IN A WAREHOUSE ALL THIS TIME IN THE INLAND EMPIRE.
AND, UH, THE LAST THAT I HEARD OF THEM THERE, TRYING TO PA THEM OFF ON THE COLLEGE, WHICH WOULD BE A, A, A GREAT THING.
YOU KNOW, WE, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE COLLEGE IS VERY INTERESTED IN THEM.
SO, UH, SHORT OF BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BUS HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT TO THIS WAREHOUSE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE TINY HOUSES THAT ARE PAID FOR AND JUST SITTING.
[00:55:01]
I, LIKE I SAID THIS, THE WIND'S OUTTA MY SAILS AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT DR.BATZ HAS TO SAY BEFORE I MAYBE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO, UM, YEAH, I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO SAY, MOVE TO THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS GROUP.
I RECOMMEND DISSOLVE THE AD HOC ANNAPOLIS ON HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT HAS TO BE A FRIENDLY MOTION, RIGHT? YES.
AN ALTERNATIVE MOTION, A FRIENDLY MOTION FRIENDLY.
A FRIENDLY, UM, SO, UH, IT WILL REQUIRE A SECOND.
IT WOULD REQUIRE THE MOVER AND THE SECONDER TO AGREE TO THE FRIENDLY.
SO WHOEVER ORIGINALLY MOTIONED, WHICH WAS COMMISSIONER COLE AND COMMISSIONER SAL.
SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL NEED TO I MAKE MOTION.
CAN YOU PLEASE TURN ON? I APOLOGIZE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO DISSOLVE THE, UH, UH, THE, THE AD HOC ON HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND ASKING, UH, YOU IN A FRIENDLY, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE TO, UH, A, A AMEND YOUR, UM, MOTION TO INCLUDE SAID DISILLUSION.
SO I AGREE AND RESOLVING I AGREE WITH THE MOTION.
IS THAT THE PROPER LANGUAGE TO USE? YES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND THE TIRELESS WORK, UH, THAT HAD WENT INTO IT.
UM, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK IN, IN A SYSTEM THAT IS UNWILLING, UH, TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE THE TOOLS, UH, AVAILABLE TO US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HOUSING.
UM, SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS AD HOC AND MAYBE IN THE FUTURE, UH, WHEN THE POLITICAL WILL IS AVAILABLE, UH, WE CAN REENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION AT A LATER TIME.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON, UH, TO OUR EQUITY STATEMENT AND ASSESSMENT.
WE'VE, UH, MADE SOME PROGRESS AND FOR SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON CRAFTING AN EIA, AN EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT, UH, A TOOL TO ASSESS HOW A DECISION MIGHT BY THE CITY MIGHT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT CERTAIN GROUPS AND HOW TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THOSE DISPARITIES.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW.
HAD TOOK SOME BACKGROUND RESEARCH, WE LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE DOING, AND FINALLY, UM, WHITTLE DOWN THE LANGUAGE TO A MANAGEABLE FORM.
AND NOW WE ARE AT THE POINT WITH OUR FABULOUS EQUITY OFFICE TO, UM, TO PUT TOGETHER A TEMPLATE THAT THE OFFICES MAY USE TO, UH, EVALUATE AS WE'RE GOING FORTH WITH CITY DECISIONS.
AND AT, AFTER THAT THEN WE'LL GO FORTH AND, UH, PRESENT TO OUR DIFFERENT CONSTITUENTS AND GET FEEDBACK WITH THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT TIMING
UM, BUT IT TOOK A LOT OF BACKGROUND WORK AND IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO GET THE WHEELS SPINNING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL TO SAY WE'RE AT A, AT A GOOD PLACE AND MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE, COMMISSIONER COLE.
AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR LAST AD HOC, WHICH IS THE PRESERVATION OF L-G-B-T-Q AND BIPOC, UH, COMMUNITY ISSUES WITH A FOCUS ON THE DEFACING OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MURALS AND ART THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO WE FINALLY RECEIVED AN UPDATE.
UM, AND WE HAVE A SCHEDULED MEETING FOR THE 18TH TO MEET WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL, SO THAT IS OUR UPDATE FOR NOW,
IT'S BEEN A WHILE, UM, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION NEXT MONTH.
UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, ON ALL OF OUR AD HOCS AND THE SURFACE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED.
UM, SO I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP, UM, TO SOME OF OUR NEWER COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OF THE ONES THAT ARE STILL ACTIVE, WHICH IS THE INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS TO EQUITY AND EDUCATION, UH, THE EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT AND ASSESSMENT, AND THEN THE AD HOC ON PRESERVING L-G-B-T-Q AND BIPOC ISSUES WITH THE FOCUS ON THE DEFACING OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, MURALS AND ART.
ARE THERE ANY, UM, NEWER COMMISSIONERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO
[01:00:01]
JOIN ANY OF THOSE AD HOCS? I SEE, UH, DR.I'D BE HAPPY TO JOIN THE FIRST ONE.
THE FIRST ONE, INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND EDUCATION.
COMMISSIONER SHA MALONE, I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THAT ONE AS WELL.
LET'S GO, UH, IN THE SAME FIELD.
SO WE GOT FIVE PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE AT THE MOMENT, UH, FOUR, UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF, OF THE FOLKS HERE TODAY, SO OH, YEAH, FOUR.
UM, SO IF, UH, FOR OUR REMAINING COMMISSIONERS, IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT YOU HAVE INTEREST ON, MAYBE YOU CAN JOIN ONE OF THE OTHER ONES, BUT I'M NOT GONNA STOP YOU IF THAT'S YOUR INTEREST.
UM, I, I JUST SEE IF I GET SOME CLARITY ON THE, UM, THE TWO COMMISSIONS OF INTEREST, UM, THE HOMELESS AS WELL AS THE L-G-B-T-Q, UM, FOR HOMELESS WAS THE PRIMARY INITIATIVE JUST FOR THE TINY HOMES.
IS THERE OTHER INITIATIVES HAPPENING AT THIS TIME? I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE TINY HOUSES AND THAT'S WHY I STARTED THAT.
UM, AND I, I SHOULD THANK STAFF TONY WORKED TO, UH, UH, UH, PROBABLY HARDER THAN I DID ON THIS TO SET UP MEETINGS WITH, UH, UM, DIFFERENT EXPERTS.
UH, IT JUST, UM, I GUESS IT JUST TOOK THE WIND OUTTA MY SAILS TO, TO SEE THOSE, THOSE, UH, UH, GO FROM A BIG CITY MEETING IN A PARK TO, UM, SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST NOT A, A GOOD PLACE FOR IT AND THEN IT BECOMES PARKLAND.
UM, UH, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I, THAT, THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE MAIN ASPECT FOR, FOR, FOR ME IN, IN STARTING THE, THE, UH, THE COMMISSION.
THE, I'M SORRY, THE AD HOC, THAT'S ALL.
AND TO ADD ON, UM, EVERY AD HOC HAS A SPECIFIC GOAL THAT THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, SO FOR THE HOMELESSNESS, IT WAS TACKLING THE ISSUE OF THE TINY HOMES, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PROGRAM THAT IS VIABLE ANYMORE, IT, IT RESULTS IN THE DISSOLVING OF THE AD HOC, UM, THAT INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS IS FOCUSING ON EDUCATION AND EQUITY.
UM, THE PRESERVING OF L-G-B-T-Q AND BIPOC AD HOC IS FOCUSING ON THE DEFACING OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MURALS AND ARTS IN THE CITY.
SO EVERY COMMISSION HAS ONE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS, UH, TO BRING, UH, TO BRING TO THE COMMISSION A RECOMMENDATION TO THEN SHARE WITH THE, THE, THE COUNCIL.
I THINK I'D BE INTERESTED IN, IN HOMELESS, UM, AS WE MOVE AS WE PROGRESS, UM, CONSIDERING THAT THERE'S KIND LIKE A CLEAN SLATE IF IT'S STILL GONNA BE AVAILABLE.
UM, AND I MEAN, OF COURSE LGBT LGBTQ BIPOC, BUT DO I HAVE TO JUST CHOOSE ONE? SO TECHNICALLY YOU CAN JOIN TWO.
UH, IT'S FROWNED UPON, UH, BECAUSE OF CAPACITY.
UM, BUT IT, IT'S NOT, UM, YOU CAN JOIN TOO IF YOU CHOOSE TO.
IF, IF THAT'S A DECISION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UM, SPECIFIC TO THE HOMELESS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A FRIENDLY TO DISSOLVE, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TO DO A FRIENDLY TO REINSTATE AND YOU'LL HAVE TO, UM, SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN.
THERE'S A MINIMUM OF TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO START AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
OH, I GOT, SO WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER BUTLER, I SEE YOUR HAND.
UM, SO I'LL GO TO YOU AND THEN DE LEON, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED AS WELL.
UM, MY QUESTION SLASH COMMENT IS ACTUALLY FOR COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.
UM, DO, DO YOU KNOW DUKE GIBBONS? I, I, I, I KNOW OF, I KNOW OF MR. GIBBONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION, BUT I KNOW HE DOES GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I, I KNOW HE'S THE COMMISSIONER, I THINK PROBABLY WITH PARKS, PARKS AND RECS, BUT HE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION HERE IN THE CITY, AND HE'S DOING A MAJOR WORK WITH THEM.
AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THIS WOULD WORK, BUT I THINK IF YOU LOOP HIM INTO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOUR EFFORTS, THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY MAKE SOME REALLY GOOD PROGRESS.
UM, I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND, AND I KNOW HE'S REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT ASSISTING
[01:05:01]
WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION.UM, I, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE COULD DO TO HELP YOU, BUT I KNOW HE COULD AND WOULD BE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH REACHING OUT TO HIM.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW, WHAT THE ACTUAL PROTOCOL IS WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT WE ALL HAVE ONE THING IN MIND, AND THAT'S MAKING LONG BEACH BETTER.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T MIND ASSISTING YOU WITH CONTACTING HIM IF YOU NEED HIS CONTACT INFORMATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I, OH, I, I, I, I WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, I, I CAN PRETTY MUCH FIND ANY NUMBER.
UH, AND I, I APPRECIATE, UH, UH, EVERYBODY'S RENEWED INTEREST IN THE HOMELESS
UH, THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO, UM, SUPPORT, UH, UH, THE TINY HOMES PROJECT AT THAT LOCATION.
UH, AND THEN THEY STARTED, WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER LOCATION AND, UM, AND IT, AND IT NEVER, UH, AND IT GOT PASSED OFF INTO, UH, UH, UM, LIMBO.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, AND, AND I HOPE THAT PERHAPS SOMEONE WOULD, UH, UH, MAKE A MOTION IN THE FUTURE WITH AN OBJECT, UH, WITH, WITH A, UH, UM, AN OBJECTIVE, UH, GOAL, UH, IN MIND.
BUT I DON'T, UH, SEE A PATH RIGHT NOW FOR, UM, THE, THE OBJECTIVE GOAL OF THE CURRENT MAKEUP OF DR.
BATS AND I ON THE HOMELESS AD HOC.
UH, AND THIS ALSO FREES, UH, PEOPLE UP TO BE ON OTHER AD HOCS.
AND, UH, IT'D BE GREAT IF SOMEONE CAME BACK, UH, WITH AN OBJECTIVE GOAL.
YOU AND I CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M STILL GONNA LOOK FOR THOSE HOUSES, YOU KNOW, I TO, WELL, LET'S GET THE HOUSES OUTTA WAREHOUSES OR WHEREVER THEY ARE, AND LET'S GET SOME WARM BODIES IN THOSE HOUSES, I THINK IS THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT'S COLD OUTSIDE.
IF I JUST PUT MY JACKET ON, IT'S COLD IN HERE,
WELL, I APPRECIATE THE CONNECTIONS.
I DO, UH, ENCOURAGE, UM, FOR THE OFFLINE CONVERSATIONS TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND IF THERE IS RENEWED INTEREST, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK NEXT MONTH, UM, AND PROPOSE THE, THE AD HOC TO COME BACK, OR, UM, IF THERE'S ENOUGH FOLKS RIGHT NOW WHO WANT TO DO ANOTHER FRIENDLY TO DISSOLVE THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND JUST KEEP THE HOMELESS, UH, AD HOC GOING WITH THE SAME FOCUS, YOU COULD DO THAT TODAY.
UH, AND IF NOT, BASED OFF OF CONVERSATIONS THAT COULD BE HAD, UH, AFTER TODAY'S MEETING, AND IF THERE'S A RENEWED OBJECTIVE FOR THE HOMELESS, UM, EMERGENCY THAT WE'RE STILL FACING, UH, WE CAN DEFINITELY BRING THAT BACK, UM, WITH WHOEVER'S INTERESTED IN SHARING THAT WORK, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA DO COMMISSIONER SALMON WHEEL AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER DE LEON HAS BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY.
SO JUST, UM, JUST TO TOUCH ON THE, THE TINY HOME PROJECT.
SO THE AGENCY THAT I WORK WITH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST OPERATORS OF THE TINY HOME PROJECTS WITHIN LA COUNTY.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE, UH, BEEN DEEPLY INGRAINED IN AND HAVE STARTED IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
UM, I THINK LONG BEACH WAS CONTEXTUALLY, UM, A POINT OF DISCUSSION AT ONE POINT.
I DON'T KNOW THE CONTEXT BEHIND CALIFORNIA AND SANTA FE OR WHEREVER THE LOCATION IS.
UM, THAT'S WHAT GRAVITATED ME TOWARDS THE, UM, THE HOMELESS, UM, AD HOC.
BUT JUST SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE, I, IT'S, IT'S LIKE, UH, I HAVE, I HAVE PROBLEMS MAKING DECISIONS.
YOU KNOW, I, I
UH, UH, SO I'M, I'M, I'M HESITANT IN, IN DISSOLVING SOMETHING THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE SHOWING INTEREST IN.
I JUST, UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK TONY
[01:10:01]
JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT BASED ON ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THE AD HOC, UM, THE FINDING WAS THAT CURRENTLY AT THIS MOMENT, THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THE TINY HOMES TO GO.SO WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF THE A OF THE AD HOC BEING FOCUSING ON HOMELESSNESS AND THE TINY HOME PROJECT, WE REACHED A RESOLUTION WITH THAT SPECIFIC AD HOC.
THE, THE LAND THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING WASN'T VIABLE, UM, TO SUSTAIN THE TINY HOMES FOR HEALTH REASONS.
UH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THAT'S WHAT THEY STUDY, SAID.
AND THEY, UH, UM, THEY CREATED MUCH NEEDED PARK SPACE, UH, YEAH.
AND EVEN THERE, LIKE, CONFUSED ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE, ANYWAYS, WE'RE GOING ON A TANGENT.
UH, I WILL SAY, UH, WITH THE INTEREST THAT IS AVAILABLE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ, UH, OR, UH, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE HOMELESS, UH, UH, TOPIC AND, UH, DEVELOPING A NEW OBJECTIVE.
UH, THE RULE FOR BROWN ACT IS YOU CAN'T TALK TO MORE THAN FOUR PEOPLE, UM, ON A SPECIFIC ISSUE.
SO, UM, DON'T DO MORE THAN THAT, UH, OR STAY UNDER THAT NUMBER AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, I, I, I'M GONNA KEEP MY, MY FRIENDLY IN PLACE WITH, UH, WITH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE, UH, AND, UM, THE SECONDER.
UH, BUT I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, OF A NEW HOMELESS, UH, UM, AND, AND LIFTING UP ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO CHAIR THAT, UH, AND, AND MIGHT EVEN JOIN THAT, UH, IN THE FUTURE WITH, WITH, UH, IF THERE WAS A OBJECTIVE GOAL.
SO, UM, THANKS FOR THE, UH, PUT ME ON THE SPOT.
AND THE SUPPORT, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING IS SUPPORT, UH, YES.
SO, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER DELEON, WHO'S BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING.
UM, IS THERE A COMMISSION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN? YEAH.
OR, AND, AND FOR THE RECORD, I, IF THERE'S A GOOD CONVERSATION, I WILL, I'LL BE AS PATIENT AS ANYONE NEEDS.
UM, AND I THINK ACTUALLY THERE'S GONNA BE REALLY INTERESTING, IT LOOKS LIKE MEASURE A LA COUNTY IS GOING TO PASS, AND THAT'S GONNA BE A $1.1 BILLION ANNUALLY TOWARDS VARIOUS PROGRAMS RELATED TO ADDRESSING THE IN-HOUSE CRISIS.
AND SO THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT COME OUT OF, UH, AS WE GET A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF, UH, WHAT THAT BILL WILL, WILL CREATE.
PERHAPS WE COULD BRING SPEAKERS, UH, UH, AROUND MEASURE A AND HOW IT'S GONNA BUILD ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND THAT COULD HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE ARE GAPS WITH THIS NEW LEGISLATION IN PLACE, UH, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADDRESS AS A GROUP.
AND SO, MAYBE I, I WAS SUPPOSED TO PICK A COMMISSION, SORRY, BUT THAT'S KIND OF, UH, I THINK IN MY MIND, UH, A REALLY, UH, USEFUL POTENTIAL NEXT STEP, UH, EVEN WITHOUT AN AD HOC IN PLACE FOR US AS A COMMISSION TO BRING IN EXPERTS ON MEASURE A AS IT'S IMPLEMENTED, UH, TO REALLY LOOK AT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AS IT ROLLS OUT COUNTYWIDE.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, ASSUMING THE POLLING RESULTS HOLD $1.1 BILLION, UH, UH, EVERY SINGLE YEAR WITH NO SUNSET, IT'S GONNA, UH, BE A REALLY BIG CHANGE FROM HOW LA COUNTY HAS HISTORICALLY ADDRESSED THE INHOUSE CRISIS.
AND, AND I THINK IN WAYS THAT ARE EXCITING.
SO, SUGGESTION FOR, FOR FUTURE COMMISSION MEETING, UM, IN TERMS OF WHICH COMMISSION OR AD HOC I WANNA JOIN, UM, UH, I WOULD JUMP LOVE TO JUMP INTO THE EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT ONE.
AND, UM, WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE INTO ANY NEW AD HOCS, UM, THAT FOLKS WANT TO OFFER.
I HEARD SOMEONE WANTED TO CREATE ONE, SO I'LL OPEN THAT SPACE, BUT IF NOT, WE CAN MOVE ON AS WELL.
I WASN'T, AND I WASN'T INTENDING TO STACK MY CONVERSATION, SO LET THE NOTES REFLECT THAT
UM, WELL, UH, COMING IN, I THINK, UH, ONE THING THAT WAS REALLY ANIMATING ME ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF THIS COMMISSION IS THE IDEA THAT WE AS A SPACE CAN BE A MICROPHONE FOR ISSUES THAT OFTEN SLIP BEHIND, UH, OR ARE NOT, UH, ARE, ARE EASILY FORGOTTEN AS, AS, AS THE MARCH OF, OF POLICY ISSUES GOES FORWARD.
AND, AND ONE OF THOSE FOR ME IS THE FACT THAT, UH, THERE ARE REALLY DEEP EQUITY IMPLICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THE CITY.
UH, AND IT'S ACTUALLY VERY FITTING THAT ROMEO WAS HERE BECAUSE, UH, ROMEO AND FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER IS BASED IN WEST SIDE LONG BEACH.
AND WE ALL IN THIS ROOM KNOW VERY DEEPLY THAT 17 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY GAP, UH, EQUITY NUMBER THAT THAT, UH, FOR A LOT OF US ANIMATES OUR WORK.
THE IDEA THAT THERE CAN BE TWO DECADES OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN SOMEONE BORN ON ONE SIDE OF THE CITY AND THE OTHER, AND THAT THAT IS UNCONSCIONABLE AND WE NEED TO FIX THAT.
RIGHT? UH, AND A BIG PART OF THAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL.
UM, THE STATS THAT ROMEO SHARED, UH,
[01:15:01]
AND AGAIN, VERY, VERY FITTING THAT HE WAS HERE TODAY, UH, IS THAT, OH, SOME OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS WERE ASTHMA AND CANCER, RIGHT? UM, AND I KNOW THIS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A LOT OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO, UH, LIKE, LIKE MY DAD, WHEN HE CAME IN FROM THE PHILIPPINES, UH, THE FIRST PLACE HE LIVED WITH HIS FAMILY, WITH HIS PARENTS AND HIS SIBLINGS WAS IN WILMINGTON.AND UNDERNEATH WILMINGTON IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST RESERVOIRS OF OIL IN THE WORLD.
UH, AND THE WILMINGTON REFINERIES, UH, AND THE COMMUNITIES AROUND IT ARE HEAVILY IMPACTED, UH, BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF MASSIVE OIL, UH, REFINERY, UH, ACTIVITY.
UH, AND, AND SO IN MY MIND, UH, UH, THERE IS A VERY CLEAR EQUITY IMPLICATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT OUR CITY FACES.
I ALSO WORK PROFESSIONALLY IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SPACE, SO I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT TO OFFER IN THAT WORLD AS WELL.
UM, AND SO MY PROPOSAL IS TO, UH, CREATE AN AD HOC, UH, FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
I HAVE SOME LANGUAGE THAT I'VE SHARED WITH, UH, TONY AND ALANA.
UM, IT'S ALSO EASILY AVAILABLE IF YOU WANT TO REFERENCE IT.
I MADE A BITLY, SO IT'S EASY TO LOOK UP
YOU JUST TYPE THAT IN AND IT'LL PULL UP.
UM, BUT THE LANGUAGE IS BASICALLY, AS SUCH, THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION WILL FORM AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL FOCUS AREAS FOR THE COMMISSION AT THE INTERSECTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL, OF EQUITY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND A JUST TRANSITION IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
THE AD HOC COMMITTEE WILL CONDUCT A REVIEW OF EXISTING RESEARCH, HOLD A SERIES OF ACTS, FINDING MEETINGS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE'LL CONCLUDE BY PRESENTING THESE FINDINGS OF THE JANUARY, 2025 MEETING.
UM, THE INTENTION OF THIS, UH, AD HOC IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMISSION'S WORK IS THAT THIS WILL DISSOLVE IN JANUARY WITH THE SPECIFIC NEXT AD HOC THAT WOULD FOCUS ON WHATEVER ISSUE IS HIGHLIGHTED THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UH, AND SO I HAVE A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT I THINK WE CAN MEET WITH, UM, IN THE AD HOC MEETING.
UH, AND I'VE ALREADY STARTED TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE, UH, A ROBUST GAME PLAN, UH, IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, UH, AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME FOLKS IN HERE, AT LEAST ONE BECAUSE WE NEED THAT.
BUT, UH, ANY NUMBER OF FOLKS HERE TO JOIN THAT.
SO, UH, THIS WOULD BE MY FIRST THING TO PROPOSE.
SO I THINK THE PROPER LANGUAGE WOULD BE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO FORM AN ADOC COMMITTEE USING THE LANGUAGE I JUST DESCRIBED.
I WOULD JUST OFFER MAYBE DROP THE DATE, UH, FROM THE MOTION, BECAUSE THE
I DOUBT YOU'RE, OH, NO, EXCUSE ME.
I HOPE THAT YOU CAN MEET YOUR GOAL, BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S CHALLENGES WITH SCHEDULED ALIGNMENT, SO JUST DROP THE DATE, UM, AND THEN YOU CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH THE, THE GOAL BY THE SAID DATE.
UM, AND I DO HAVE IT, UM, DO YOU NEED IT READ MORE OR SO BEFORE WE DO THE SECOND? YEAH.
SO THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION HAS TO CREATE AND DISSOLVE AD HOC COMMITTEES SO HE CAN COMMISSIONER DE LEON POSE THAT AS A FRIENDLY YEP.
UM, SO IF COMMISSIONER COLE AND COMMISSIONER SAM WILD WOULD LIKE TO ACCEPT HIS FRIENDLY, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND AMEND THE MOTION TO INCLUDE THE CREATION OF THAT AD HOC TO DISSOLVE THE HOMELESS AD HOC COMMITTEE AND TO ADD THE NEW MEMBERS INTO THOSE THAT, UM, THAT, UM, WERE ADDED TO THE EXISTING AD HOCS.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE COMPLETE, UH, AMENDED MOTION.
AND DO WE HAVE TO DO SIGNUPS BEFORE WE DO THE MOTION? BECAUSE IT REQUIRES, UM, IT REQUIRES MEMBERS.
SO WHEN WE'RE CREATING THE AD HOC, I WOULD RECOMMEND ALSO, UM, INCLUDING, INCLUDING, UM, ADDING THE MEMBERS, BECAUSE THAT WAY IF WE ADD THE MEMBERS TODAY, THEN YOU CAN START MEETING IMMEDIATELY.
SO IF WE DON'T ADD ANY MEMBERS TODAY, THEN YOU CAN'T START WORKING.
UM, BEFORE WE ASK FOR THE MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER FOLKS THAT WANT TO CREATE ANOTHER AD HOC? ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS INTERESTED IN JOINING, UH, THE AD HOC ON IDENTIFYING FOCUS ISSUES ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE? OKAY.
WELL, AS THE HEAD OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
UM, SO SORRY, I'M JUST TAKING NOTES 'CAUSE I'M GONNA HAVE TO READ ALL THIS IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE MEMBERS,
[01:20:01]
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COMMISSIONER COLE AND, UH, COMMISSIONER SAM WHEEL, UH, TO SEE IF THEY ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY.I DO ACCEPT AND HOPE THAT A HOMELESS AD HOC RES AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
LOOK AT THE POWER Y'ALL ACCEPT.
UM, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, THE REPORT DONE, UH, WE'RE GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, SEEING NONE IN PERSON, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE IN THE ZOOM.
HEY, BILL, CAN YOU HEAR US? WHAT'S UP, BILL? YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.
BILL, IS IT WORKING NOW? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
CAN YOU HEAR US? BILL? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.
CAN YOU HEAR US, BILL? YOU CAN, YOU'RE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START SPEAKING.
MY AUDIO WAS, UH, NOT COOPERATING.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE REAL QUICKLY THAT, UM, I SENT AN EMAIL TO TONY THAT HE WILL SHARE WITH YOU, UH, VERY TIMELY.
AFTER THE ELECTION THIS COMING SATURDAY, I'LL BE DOING AN IN-PERSON FORUM ON L-G-B-T-Q AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
I'LL DEFINITELY BE COVERING, UH, THE STATE, THE COUNTY, UM, AND OUR CITY ON HOW TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED.
UM, DEFINITELY REPORTING A STUDY THAT CAME OUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THAT FOCUSES SPECIFICALLY ON LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
UH, SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, UH, PLEASE SEE THE EMAIL THAT I SENT TO TONY, WHICH HE WILL DISTRIBUTE TO YOU.
UH, IT'S RSVP UH, THANK YOU, AT 10:30 AM ON SATURDAY.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION, ANY DISCUSSION ON, UH, OUR MOTIONS AND CHANGES TO OUR AD HOCS? SEEING NONE.
UM, MME. COOK, DO YOU WANNA READ OFF THE MOTION OR DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT BECAUSE I GOT IT? YOU CAN GO FOR IT.
I HAVE EVERYONE LISTED, BUT I FEEL LIKE YOU'D BE ABLE TO WORD IT.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO A VOTE, UM, TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE UPDATES ON THE CURRENT AD HOCS, UH, TO DISSOLVE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS WITH THE FOCUS ON THE TINY HOMES PROJECT, AND, UH, CREATE, UM, A NEW AD HOC WITH THE FOCUS OF IDENTIFYING FOCUS ISSUES, FOCUS AREAS AROUND EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE ISSUES, UM, TO COME BACK AT A FUTURE DATE, UH, WITH THE FINDINGS OF WHAT SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE THAT THEY'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF, UH, VICE CHAIR DR.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL, OH, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
MY CHICKEN SCRATCH GOT THE BEST OF ME.
AND THEN THE NEW MEMBERS, OH, FOR THE OTHER AD HOCS, UM, WE HAVE ADDED COMMISSIONER MCNEIL AND COMMISSIONER SHA MALONE TO THE INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ADDED COMMISSIONER DEION TO THE EQUITY STATEMENT.
I'M SORRY IF I'M BUTCHERING THE AD.
AND THEN WE ARE ADDING ALSO COMMISSIONER SUMAY WILD TO THE L-G-B-T-Q BIPOC AD HOC COMMITTEE.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE VOTE FOR THE AMENDED
[01:25:01]
MOTION.I'LL CALL NAMES IF YOU DON'T SEE IT ON YOUR SCREEN SHORTLY.
ALRIGHT, WELL CONGRATULATIONS COMMISSIONER DE COMING IN STRONG WITH THE ADDITION OF A NEW AD HOC.
AND ALSO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, UH, FOR LEANING IN AND STEPPING UP AND SUPPORTING AND JOINING THE AD HOCS THAT WERE PROVIDED TONIGHT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
[4. 24-55067 Recommendation to receive and file a monthly update from the Office of Equity. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.SO, UH, JUST TWO BRIEF UPDATES.
UM, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY IS FULLY STAFFED.
HEY, UH, YEAH, IT'S VERY EXCITING.
WE'VE GROWN AND WE'RE FULLY STAFFED.
UM, WE JUST, UH, SO KIMBERLY MARSHALL JUST JOINED THE TEAM.
UH, HER ROLE IS, UM, EQUITY, UH, SHE'S THE NEW RACIAL EQUITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SPECIALIST.
UH, ANOTHER UPDATE IS THAT AS PART OF, UH, THE CITY'S THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, ONGOING EFFORTS TO ENHANCE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR THE COMMUNITY, THE CITY ANNOUNCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS FIRST EVER STANDALONE MASS EVACUATION AND SHELTER IN PLAN AND SHELTER IN PLACE.
PLAN, THE NEW PLAN WILL EXPAND UPON EXISTING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLANS TO SAFEGUARD RESIDENTS SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELLBEING DURING AND AFTER AN EMERGENCY OR NATURAL DISASTER.
AS PART OF THE PLAN'S DEVELOPMENT LED BY THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHELTER TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL HAZARDS THROUGH A PUBLIC, UH, SURVEY AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN PERSON NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH, 2024.
UM, MAY I HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT? CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE.
CAN WE GET A FIRST AND SECOND BEFORE? OH, YES.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AND IF THERE'S ANY IN THE ZOOM FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FOUR.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? HEARD? NONE.
UH, MAY WE CALL FOR A VOTE, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER BUTLER? YES.
AND COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY? YES.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Equity and Human Relations Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
CAN WE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.AND IF THERE'S ANY IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ON THE AGENDA IS COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS.UM, SO AS WE, UM, DO SHARE HOW PLEASE REMEMBER TO ANNOUNCE YOURSELF AND YOUR PRONOUN, UH, AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, SO WE'LL START ON THIS END.
WE'RE GONNA GO IN LIKE THIS DIRECTION.
SO IF ANYONE, UH,
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE FACT THAT ON THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER THE NINTH FROM 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM MY CHAPTER OF, UM, OF MY SORORITY IS HOSTING A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOP.
THIS IS EXTREMELY TIMELY, UM, CONSIDERING THE CLIMATE OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE.
IF YOU HAVE YOUNG ADULTS IN YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, JUST ASSOCIATES, WHATEVER THE WORKSHOP IS FREE.
UM, IT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE AT LA HARBOR COLLEGE.
[01:30:01]
IN THE STUDENT UNION BUILDING, MULTIPURPOSE ROOM 1111 FIGUEROA PLACE, WILMINGTON, CALIFORNIA.I AM GOING TO SEND THE INVITATION FLYER TO TONY AND ASK THAT HE SEND IT TO ALL OF YOU.
THIS IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I'M THE SOCIAL ACTION CHAIRPERSON OF, UH, OF MY CHAPTER.
AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I'M REALLY, REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND I JUST WANNA SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY.
SO AGAIN, ATTENDEES WILL LEARN THE APPLICABLE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS THEY POSSESS WHEN CONTACTED BY THE POLICE DURING CONSENSUAL ENCOUNTERS, DETENTIONS, AND ARREST.
THEY WILL ALSO LEARN ABOUT FING THE POLICE AND PROTEST RIGHTS AND LAWS, UH, THE PRESENTERS OR RETIRED LAPD OFFICERS, AS WELL AS CURRENT LAPD OFFICERS.
SO THERE WILL BE A Q AND A PORTION OF THE PROGRAM, AND YOU'LL GET A CHANCE TO ASK ALL THOSE MORNING QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE SO THAT WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER THE POLICE FOR ANY REASON, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHTS ARE.
AND I'M GONNA KIND OF DEFER TO COMMISSIONER COVINGTON WHO TOLD ME THAT AS A RESULT OF ATTENDING A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOP, IT HELPED HIM A LOT.
SO AGAIN, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S FREE OF CHARGE, AND ALL OF YOU WILL GET THE INVITATION AS SOON AS I SEND IT TO TONY, AND TONY SENDS IT OUT TO ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND REMEMBER, IT'S THIS SATURDAY.
UH, SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME, UH, PLEASE DO CONNECT.
ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? ALRIGHT, GO.
UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, SO THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE AREA LEADERSHIP TEAM SALT EIGHT WILL BE HOSTING A SALT EIGHT PERIOD RECOGNITION HOLIDAY CELEBRATION ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2024 FROM 10 TO 12.
UM, I WAS JUST NOTIFIED THAT I'M GETTING AWARD
AND I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE, UM, MY, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO BE IN ATTENDANCE.
SO, UM, TONY ALREADY SENT THE, THE EMAIL OUT AND I THINK ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS REGISTER, BUT IT'S HERE AT THE BETTY, UM, THE, THE BETTY EVENT CENTER HERE IN LONG BEACH.
SO I'D LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO COME.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE PUBLIC ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH AT ROSE SEAFOOD PATIO.
LONG BEACH FILIPINO FESTIVAL IS HOSTING SALAMA SHORES.
IT'S A TAGALOG AWARD, MEANING THANK YOU SALAMA SHORES.
THERE WILL BE FOOD, RETAIL, AND MUSIC FROM 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM AT ROW SEAFOOD PATIO.
UM, I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO SHARE MY REFLECTIONS.
AFTER THE RECENT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS, UM, THE ELECTION PERIOD HAS SPARKED SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION ACROSS THE NATION.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT EMOTIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH FOR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS ALWAYS, OUR COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING UNITY, RESPECT, AND UNDERSTANDING REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL OUTCOMES.
SO THIS IS A MOMENT TO COME TOGETHER AND UPHOLD OUR MISSION TO SERVE ALL RESIDENTS AND ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS, HOPES, OR QUESTIONS THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY HAVE AND REMAIN DEDICATED TO FOSTERING OPEN DIALOGUE, POSITIVE DIALOGUE, AND SUPPORTING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL VOICES FEEL HEARD AND RESPECTED.
UM, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED IN HIS EMAIL, LET'S ALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP ALL RESIDENTS SAFE REGARDLESS OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE FROM THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, WHO THEY LOVE, OR EVEN WHO THEY VOTED FOR.
AS I ALWAYS SAY, TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.
SO LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATION COMMISSIONERS, AND IF THEY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY FEEL WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS A SAFE SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? UH, NO.
UM, AUTISM NIGHT OUT RETURNS ON, UH, NOVEMBER 25TH.
WE HAD A REALLY SUCCESSFUL, UH, DAY BEF UH, WEEK OF THANKS, UH, HALLOWEEN, ONE WHERE THE KIDS CAME, WE HAD A LITTLE MINI TRICK OR TREATING.
[01:35:02]
UM, WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING THE COST AGAIN THIS TIME.UM, SO IT'S $30 FOR ADULTS, UH, $20 FOR YOUTH.
IT'LL BE A HOLIDAY BUFFET, IT'LL BE A, A THANKSGIVING, UH, UH, BUFFET.
UM, AND IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO THE BOATHOUSE, UH, UM, EVEN IF YOU, YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING AUTISM, YOU, YOU MIGHT WANNA COME AND CHECK IT OUT BECAUSE YOU DON'T, UH, EVER GET TO GET A MEAL FOR $30 AT THE BOATHOUSE.
UH, JUST AN AMAZING, UH, WATERFRONT RESTAURANT.
UM, UH, IT COULD BE LOUD AND NOISY AND KIDS RUNNING AROUND, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, IT, IT, IT'S AWESOME.
UM, UH, THIS MONTH, UH, AGAIN, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE A HOLIDAY FAIR.
UH, AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE A VERY PATIENT SANTA CLAUS THERE THAT WILL SIT FOR, UM, PHOTOS WITH, UH, WITH, UH, ANYONE EXPERIENCING AUTISM OR, OR NOT.
UH, YOU KNOW, HOW DIFFICULT THAT CAN BE SOMETIMES IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCING AUTISM.
SO IT'S A CHANCE TO GET AN EARLY, UH, PHOTO WITH SANTA AND MAYBE FOR YOUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CARDS.
BUT, UH, HE'LL BE THERE DOING PHOTOS AND, UH, WE HAVE OTHER, UM, NETWORKING RESOURCES LIKE, UH, UH, UH, MIRACLE, UH, MIXED MIRACLE ARTS, UH, A MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO DEDICATED TO, UH, UH, KIDS WITH, UH, FAMILIES EXPERIENCING AUTISM.
UM, AND IT'S JUST A, AN AMAZING, UM, EVENING.
UH, WE HAD ABOUT 50 PEOPLE, UH, WHICH WAS A LARGE GROUP FOR OUR, OUR, OUR FIRST ONE BACK IN A YEAR.
UM, WE'VE GOT DATES THROUGH, UH, THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, YOU'D BE ABLE TO REGISTER ONLINE PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
UH, BUT, UH, MARK, UM, UH, PLAY PLAY LONG, BEACH'S NONPROFIT, OUR WEBSITE, PLAY LB.COM.
UM, AND, UH, AND ANOTHER COUPLE DAYS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO REGISTER DIRECTLY WITH THE BOATHOUSE AND PRE-BUY YOUR TICKETS, AND, UM, AND COME AND COME AND HAVE A BUFFET DINNER AT THE, AT THE, AT THE BOATHOUSE WITH US.
UH, BEFORE WE GO ON THIS SIDE, COMMISSIONER SHA MALONE, I WANTED TO ASK, UM, ALL AGES, ALL, ALL AGE, ALL AGES, ALL ABILITIES, ALL ALL OF IT.
WE, WE CALL IT AUTISM NIGHT OUT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF RELATED, UH, UM, SPR DIAGNOSES THAT, UH, UH, UH, SO, BUT EVERY, EVERYONE'S WELCOME AND I'D, I'D ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO COME OUT, UH, THAT IS, IS INTERESTED IN EQUITY TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND AGAIN, UH, GET A REALLY GOOD DEAL ON A BUFFET, ON A HOLIDAY BUFFET MEAL.
IT'S USUALLY, BOATHOUSE IS CLOSED ON MONDAY, SO THEY OPEN IT UP FOR THIS SPECIFICALLY.
UH, YOU COME IN, SIT WHEREVER YOU WANT, AND, UM, AND HAVE A, YOU KNOW, WORLD CLASS FOOD.
UH, UM, UH, NO ORDERING OFF THE MENU.
IT'S, IT'S A BUFFET, UH, BUT UH, IT COMES WITH A DRINK.
UM, IF I CAN ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THAT'D BE GREAT.
IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT RESTAURANT.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER DEON, UH, WANTED TO SHARE THAT THERE'S A, A SERIES OF, UH, HEALTH NEEDS AND STRENGTH WORK GROUP, UH, SORRY, THE, UH, THE CITY'S BLACK AND LG BT QIA TWO S PLUS HEALTH NEEDS AND STRENGTH WORK GROUP IS HAVING A BUNCH OF, UH, COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS COMING UP.
AND I THINK THESE ARE SOMETHING WE SHOULD, UH, SHARE TO OUR NETWORKS.
I JUST REALIZED I HAVE NOT INTRODUCED MYSELF THE WHOLE TIME, JOSH DELIO, AND HE, HIM, HIS, SORRY.
UM, BUT THERE'S A FEW SESSIONS COMING UP I'LL SHARE WITH TONY, UH, TO DISTRIBUTE WITH THE GROUP.
UM, BUT THESE ARE AVAILABLE FOR US TO AMPLIFY WITH OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT'S A CHANCE TO INFORM THE, UH, KIND OF CITY'S COMMUN COMMUNITY COMMITMENT TO THE EQUITY, UH, AND RACIAL RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE.
UH, AND SO, UH, PARTICIPANTS ALSO GET A GROCERY GIFT CARD AND LUNCH AND DINNER.
SO A VERY LUCRATIVE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, UH, ON MAKING SURE TO SHARE WITH A LOT OF OUR YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, BROADCAST AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UM, THE NEXT ONE'S ON THURSDAY, UH, NOVEMBER 14 AT 6:00 PM AT LONG BEACH FORWARD, THERE WILL BE A LATINX FOCUSED ONE.
UM, SATURDAY 11, UH, 16 WILL BE A BLACK, UH, COMMUNITY FOCUSED ONE AT EARTH LODGE.
AND THERE'S A SERIES OF OTHER ONES COMING UP.
UM, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY GET OUR COMMUNITIES' DATA, UH, INTO, UH, CITY REPORTS AND HOPEFULLY FROM THERE INTO POLICY.
AND SO I'LL SHARE THAT WITH TONY TO DISTRIBUTE SHORTLY.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONER KAHN.
LET ME, UH, ONCE AGAIN TAKE THIS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATE THE COMMISSIONER, DR.
[01:40:01]
THANK YOU.AND TODAY'S MY LAST DAY FOR THE COMMISSIONER MEETING, FOR THE COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, WHAT SAID TO INFORM EVERYONE, BECAUSE THE, I HAVE MY PERSONAL COMMITMENT, THAT'S WHY THAT, UH, I DECIDED TO RESIGN FROM MY POSITION AS THE COMMISSIONER FOR EQUITY AND HUMANIZATION COMMISSION, IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO WORK ALONGSIDE FROM THE OFFICE OF MAYOR TO OFFICE OF EQUITY, ESPECIALLY ALL THE DEDICATED COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT, FRIENDSHIP, AND INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE THAT THIS ROLE HAS PROVIDE OVER THE PAST.
I THINK UP TO NOW, IT'S ALMOST MORE THAN A YEAR.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WISH, UH, EVERYONE CONTINUE TO SUCCESS AND WITH ALL THE BEST WISHES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND, UM, SHARING YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ALL OF US.
UH, AFTER WE ADJOURN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO, UH, THAT WAY YOU CAN HAVE IT, UM, AS A PART OF YOUR MEMORY, MANY MEMORIES, UH, THAT YOU HAVE AS A, A COMMISSIONER, UH, AND ALWAYS, UH, THE COMMISSION.
EITHER THIS ONE OR OTHER ONES ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO YOU, UH, IF YOU'RE READY TO APPLY AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I THINK THAT COVERS ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, I WANT TO APPRECIATE, UH, VICE CHAIR DR.
BATS ON REITERATING OUR PURPOSE AND OUR MISSION, UH, AND OUR VALUES AS A COMMISSION.
UH, THIS IS THE COMMUNITY'S COMMISSION.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGING, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ELEVATE THE PRIORITIES, THE ISSUES, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AND ADOPT.
[ADJOURNMENT]
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING AND, UH, I OFFICIALLY ADJOURN OUR MEETING.