[00:00:01]
OKAY FOLKS, IF EVERYBODY COULD, UH, GET TO THE PODIUM.
WE'RE GONNA CALL TIME IN A MINUTE HERE.
[CALL TO ORDER]
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS MEETING TO ORDER FOR MARCH 25TH, 2026.MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE TIME.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[ROLL CALL]
COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.UM, VICE CHAIR ARCHULETA IS PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.
AND SO WE FIRST NEED STAFF TO READ THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT.
UH, ARCHULETA SHOULD READ HER STATEMENT FIRST.
VICE CHAIR ARCHULETA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ YOUR, UM, YOUR GOVERNMENT CODE STATEMENT.
THANK, PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 3 0.8 0.3, I HAVE JUST CALLED CIRCUMSTANCES AUTHORIZING MY REMOTE PARTICIPATION IN THIS PUBLIC MEETING.
I HAVE, UH, A NEED RELATED TO PHYSICAL OR MENTAL CONDITION.
ALSO, THERE IS NO INDIVIDUAL 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER PRESENT, UH, OR WITH ME.
THIS MEETING WILL FOLLOW THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER SECTION 5 4 9 5 3 0.8 C3 OF THE BROWN ACT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND AND ADDRESS THE BODY VIA A CALL-IN OPTION, AN INTERNET-BASED SERVICE OPTION, AND AN IN-PERSON AT THIS MEETING, UM, AS REFERENCED, UH, WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON THE AGENDA.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABSENCES TODAY, DO WE? OKAY, PERFECT.
UM, SO SEEING NO ABSENCES, WE'LL MOVE ON.
SO I WANTED TO SAY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE MARCH MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PACKED AGENDA THIS EVENING, BUT I STILL WANTED TO OPEN IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH BY NAMING AND REMEMBERING SOME LONG BEACH WOMEN, WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE HISTORY.
AND I'M JUST PROVIDING LITTLE SNIPPETS ABOUT THEM, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK THEM UP LATER IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEIR STORIES ALREADY.
DORIS TOPSY ELVER, OUR FIRST BLACK COUNCILWOMAN AND MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH BOARD OF HARBOR COMMISSIONERS, EUNICE SATO, THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN FEMALE MAYOR OF NOT ONLY LONG BEACH, BUT ANY US CITY MUSIC ICON.
JENNY RIVERA TENNIS PRO, BILLIE JEAN KING VOLLEYBALL, GREAT MISTY MAE TRAINER, CARMEN PEREZ, OUR FIRST LATINA HARBOR COMMISSIONER, AND A WELL-KNOWN ACTIVIST, BARBARA LONDON, THE ONLY WOMAN AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL IN WORLD WAR II FOR HEROISM AMONG MANY OTHERS.
[00:05:01]
ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ONE OF OUR GUEST SPEAKERS TODAY WHO IS COUNCILWOMAN TUA THRASH AND TUCK, WHO WILL ALSO BE SPEAKING ABOUT WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH TODAY.UM, SO THAT CONCLUDES MY WELCOMING REMARKS, BUT TO ENSURE THE INCLUSION OF ALL MEETING PARTICIPANTS, I WILL PERIODICALLY REMIND COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROJECT YOUR VOICE WHEN MAKING COMMENTS OR ASKING QUESTIONS.
UM, VICE CHAIR, I THINK THE SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT SILENT, NOT SILENT, BUT A LITTLE QUIET COMING FROM YOU.
SO IF YOU CAN SPEAK UP TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY TO, WHEN YOU'RE MAKING COMMENTS, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
SO, MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE CALL THE FIRST ITEM? ITEM NUMBER
[1. 26-54689 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Commission for Women and Girls meeting of Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS ITEM? SO MOVE SECOND.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LEVI VIOLETTE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DR.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? NO.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM ONE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM ONE.
IN THAT CASE, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE? COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM? ITEM NUMBER TWO
[2. 26-54690 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Councilwoman Thrash-Ntuk on the R.E.A.C.T. Strategic Framework and Women’s History Month. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN THRESH AND TOOK ON THE R-E-A-C-T STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO, UM, ALLOW OUR COMMISSIONER, DR.
STEPHANIE ENGEL TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM CHAIR.
MAY WE GET A MOTION FIRST? YES.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? MOTION.
NOW, IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE COMMISSIONER DR.
KEL INTRODUCE THIS ITEM, AND IF OUR PRESENTERS COULD PLEASE COME UP.
IT IS MY HONOR TO, UM, TO INTRODUCE DR.
UM, TO INTRODUCE UA THRESH INTU, UH, DISTRICT A, UM, THE DISTRICT, A COUNCIL PERSON WHO WILL PRESENT ON WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
AND, SORRY, I GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS HERE.
WE'RE USUALLY IN A DIFFERENT ROOM.
AND SEX TRAFFICKING AND REACT.
UH, TO THE WOMEN WHO SERVE ON THE WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S, UH, THE STATUS ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN COMMISSION HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND TO ALL THOSE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING, UH, AS COUNCILWOMAN UA THRASH INTO, UH, NORMALLY I GET TO SIT IN THOSE SEATS.
UH, BUT TONIGHT I'M HERE AS YOUR GUEST AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE AS A COUNCILWOMAN TO ENSURE THAT THE HISTORY OF WOMEN IN LONG BEACH, UM, IS HONORED AND UPLIFTED.
AS WELL AS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A PARTICULAR, UH, ISSUE ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, THAT HAS, UH, BEEN A PART OF A POLICY AGENDA THAT I'VE BROUGHT FORTH WITH MY OTHER COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY COUNCILWOMAN JOANIE, RICK SODE.
UM, SO FOR TODAY, UM, I, I SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE NOW WHEN THE PUBLIC COMES UP, UH, TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.
UH, TONIGHT I AM JOINED, UH, BY MY MOTHER.
UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED, UM, THAT MS. KATHLEEN, UH, IS HERE WITH ME THIS EVENING.
MOM, WHY DON'T YOU WAVE, UM, THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT, UH, DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
SO YOU'LL SEE THIS SLIDE HERE.
WE'LL GO OVER, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHERE THIS SLIDE COMES FROM.
UM, BUT THE ONE PERSON WHO IS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THERE IS THE FIRST LADY, UH, DR.
SHE IS, UH, CERTAINLY THE WIFE OF, UH, REX RICHARDSON, OUR MAYOR.
AND WE WORK TOGETHER TO HONOR WOMEN THIS YEAR.
SO HAVING, UH, BEEN ELECTED IN 2024, AND THEN BEGINNING SERVICE, UH, REALLY IN 2025,
[00:10:01]
I WAS THE VERY LAST WOMAN WHO WAS ELECTED TO OUR CITY COUNCIL.UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO IN MARCH WAS REALLY UPLIFT THE FACT THAT WE HAD SEVEN WOMEN ON OUR COUNCIL, WHICH WAS A HISTORIC NUMBER, UH, FOR OUR CITY.
AS A RESULT, I ASKED THE LONG BEACH HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN MARCH OF 2025.
AND DURING THAT TIME, THEY PRESENTED, UH, A DESCRIPTION OF WHO THE, THE WOMEN HAVE BEEN WHO HAVE SERVED ON OUR COUNCIL SINCE OUR CITY'S FOUNDING IN 1897, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN 25 WOMEN THAT HAVE SERVED ON OUR COUNCIL.
UH, AND FOR, UH, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IN 2025, WE BROUGHT TOGETHER AS MANY OF THE WOMEN WHO ARE STILL LIVING, UH, WITH US, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A PHOTO AND SHARE IN THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SERVE ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND AS YOUR CHAIR OPENED UP THE MEETING, UM, YOU NOTED, UH, FORMER COUNCILWOMAN, UM, DORIS TOPSY WARD IS THERE.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE A MOMENT, STOP BY THE EXPO CENTER THIS MONTH, THERE IS AN EXHIBIT THERE THAT HIGHLIGHTS, UH, HER LIFE AND LEGACY.
I JUST THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE LIFT UP THEIR NAMES AND WHO THEY ARE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW OUR, UH, SOCIETY HAS CHANGED, HOW OUR CITY HAS CHANGED, UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING.
I WON'T CALL OUT ALL OF THEIR NAMES, BUT I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE SOME, UH, THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT AND THANK, UH, RENEE SIMON FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN ENSURING THAT THIS KIND OF COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE, EXISTS WITHIN OUR CITY, UM, TODAY AS A RESULT OF HER COURAGEOUS EFFORTS TO CALL FOR A COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS.
MY NAME'S LAST, 'CAUSE I'M THE LAST ONE
THE LAST THIS YEAR, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN 2026.
UM, I WORKED WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO PUT FORTH AN INITIATIVE CALLED WHEN WOMEN LEAD.
UH, SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT GETS DONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS NOT DONE JUST BY THE WOMEN ON THE DAAS, BUT THE WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY 53 WOMEN FROM ACROSS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WHO ARE LEADING NONPROFITS IN OUR CITY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO STAY, WE TOOK THIS LOVELY PHOTO TO BE ABLE TO COMMEMORATE, UH, THEIR TIME.
AND THEY ALL RECEIVED CERTIFICATES ACCORDINGLY.
THESE UNSUNG, UH, SHEROES, UH, WERE ABLE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE LIFTED UP HERE IN OUR CHAMBERS.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE WOMEN THAT I WAS ABLE TO HONOR WHO HAPPEN TO HAVE NONPROFITS WITHIN MY DISTRICT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT IS SERIOUS THAT WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL ARE TACKLING.
AND THAT'S THE ISSUE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
UM, THIS UNFORTUNATE STAIN ON OUR SOCIETY AND WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND CERTAINLY ALONG LONG BEACH BOULEVARD, WHERE WE SEE IT MOST, UM, IS A PERSISTENT PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT DEGRADES THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WITHIN THE AREA, AND IT REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE A COORDINATED AND DATA-DRIVEN COMMUNITY RESPONSE.
PREVIOUSLY, THE COUNCIL HAD DIRECTED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT, AND MOST RECENTLY THIS YEAR, UM, MY COLLEAGUE AND I PUT FORTH SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CALLING THE REACT FRAMEWORK, WHICH ORGANIZES AND STRENGTHENS OUR CITY'S EFFORTS TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE.
UH, REACT STANDS FOR REPORT ECONOMIC INVESTMENT ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY BUDGET, AND TRI CITY PARTNERSHIPS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IS REALLY CRITICAL THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WHAT TO REPORT, WHO TO REPORT IT TO, AND WHAT INFORMATION, UH, THEY SHOULD BE GIVING TO AUTHORITIES.
PART OF WHY THIS IS ABLE TO THRIVE IS BECAUSE THERE IS AN ECONOMIC INVESTMENT IN THE PHYSICAL SPACE, AS WELL AS THE LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN WHO NEED ALTERNATIVES AND ACCESS.
THERE IS A NEED FOR ADVOCACY AT THE CITY LEVEL, THE COUNTY LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL, THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR RESOURCES TO HELP BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR ANYONE WHO DECIDES TO TURN AWAY FROM THIS LIFESTYLE.
AND WE WANNA CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE PART OF THE BUDGET.
WHERE SHOULD LIKES GO? WHERE SHOULD INVESTMENT BE? AND TRI-CITY PARTNERSHIPS, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT IS IMPACTED BY THIS.
AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT OUR NEIGHBORS JUST TO THE NORTH, UH, WITH THE CITY OF COMPTON AND THE CITY OF LINWOOD, ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING, UH, THESE SAME ISSUES RIGHT ALONG THE LONG BEACH BOULEVARD, WHICH WE ALL SHARE AMONG THE CITIES.
AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
SO HERE IS JUST ANOTHER, UH, SLIDE THAT SHARES WITH YOU WHAT THAT REACT FRAMEWORK IS.
[00:15:03]
SO AT THIS TIME, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME OUT REGARDING THIS TOPIC.I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, BUT KNOW THAT THERE ARE WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL WHO ARE ROOTING FOR YOUR SUCCESS AS A COMMISSION, UH, WHO WANT TO SEE WOMEN'S VOICES AND CHILDREN'S VOICES UPLIFTED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE AND RID OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AT THIS TIME, MADAM CLERK, WE CAN HAVE QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, BECAUSE I KNOW COUNCILMAN YOU HAVE ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT, UM, IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN HAVE OUR OUR OWN DISCUSSION IF WE NEED TO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M WONDERING SPECIFICALLY WHO'S RESPONDING AND, AND YOU KNOW, IN YOUR FRAMEWORK WHO'S, WHAT AGENCIES ARE ON BOARD RIGHT NOW THAT ARE RESPONDING AND, AND ADVOCATING FOR, FOR THE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE HUMAN TRAFFICKED? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WITHIN THE CITY, UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS TAKING THE LEAD AND COORDINATING BECAUSE OF LIMITED RESOURCES WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE'RE TALKING NOT JUST POLICE, UH, BUT EMERGENCY SERVICES.
WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH, WE HAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, WE HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE, ALL SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FROM AN INTERDISCIPLINARY STANDPOINT, OUR PART OF, UH, LOOKING FOR THOSE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS.
SO FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, CLEARLY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AND TALKING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEV AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ABOUT USES ALONG THE CORRIDOR, BUT WE'RE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, UM, AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
I THINK I SEE COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE TO THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR IN MARCH.
UM, QUESTION IS, UH, ARE THERE, UM, ANY PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO FORM WITH LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR THE SCHOOLS ALONG LONG BEACH BOULEVARD? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE VERY ACTIVE, UM, AND THEY ALL, UH, ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF MANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE CITY.
UM, LAST YEAR WE HOSTED A TOWN HALL WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBORS IN GENERAL.
WE ALSO HOSTED A SUMMIT, UM, THAT BROUGHT FORTH SURVIVORS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH SURVIVORS IN COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS POLICY, UH, PROFESSIONALS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN DO FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT.
SO THEY ARE, UH, ABSOLUTELY INVOLVED IN TERMS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS.
THERE WAS ONE MORE THING YOU ASKED, THOUGH, RELATED TO REGARDING THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
SO, YES, WE, I HAVE MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH SEVERAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, UM, REGARDING, UH, THE REACT FRAMEWORK.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE TAKING UP, UM, AS THE DISTRICT.
UH, WE HAVE ENCOURAGED THEM TO IDENTIFY, UH, NONPROFITS THAT CAN, UH, PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES AS WELL AS, UM, HELP YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.
UM, BECAUSE SEVERAL OF THE PRINCIPALS, UM, OF THESE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN HERE IN THE CHAMBERS, UM, SHARING WITH US WHAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING ON THEIR WAY TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND SOMETIMES EVEN DURING SCHOOL RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THEIR WINDOWS, VICE CHAIR, ARCHULETA.
I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING, UH, TO VISIT WITH US TODAY AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING, UH, UM, DATA, UH, AT THIS TIME.
UM, ARE THERE, UH, IS THERE ANY DATA, UH, REGARDING THE NUMBER OF, UH, PERHAPS, UH, YOUNG WOMEN THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, RESCUED? UH, AND ALSO IS THERE A, A PROCESS ONCE THESE WOMEN ARE RESCUED? IS THERE A PROCESS, UH, A SUPPORT PROCESS TO ASSIST THESE, UH, YOUNG WOMEN? SO IT IS A ROLLING BASIS NUMBER.
UM, I HAVE TO ADMIT, EVERY SINGLE, ANY INDIVIDUAL ONE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SAVE IS SUCH, UH, A MOMENT OF CELEBRATION, UM, THAT WE, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANY SPECIFIC NUMBERS, UH, WITH ME ON THE NUMBER OF YOUNG WOMEN THAT HAVE BEEN RESCUED, MOST HAVE BEEN RESCUED BY LBPD THAT ARE HERE, UM, IN LONG BEACH.
SO THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE KEEPING THOSE RECORDS ACCORDINGLY.
UM, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, EVERY TIME SOMEONE IS RESCUED, I DO TRY
[00:20:01]
AND HIGHLIGHT IT IN MY COMMENTS ON THE DAIS AND SHARE, UM, THAT AS WELL.UM, AND THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION WAS RELATED TO THE, THE PROCESS INVOLVED.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE YOUNGER RESCUE? SO WE DO HAVE SOME ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY, UM, WHERE, UH, WOMEN CAN GO IF THEY ARE MOVING OUT OF THAT LIFESTYLE.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SUMMIT THAT WE HELD IS THE NEED FOR LIKE STATE RESOURCES TO CREATE SAFE HOMES AND RECUPERATIVE, UH, SPACES, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG WOMEN TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON THE TRAUMA THAT THEY HAVE ENDURED, UH, TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT AND OUT OF THAT, AND TO BEGIN TO CRAFT A NEW LIFE FOR THEMSELVES.
BUT THERE'S MORE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED THERE.
I THINK I SAW COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IT IN HERE, BUT ARE, ARE YOU COORDINATING DIRECTLY WITH THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE HERE IN THE CITY? OR HOW ARE THEY INVOLVED? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, THE, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, OR WITHIN THE CITY, WE HAVE THE HUMAN, UH, TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE.
AND WE, AS THEY CONTINUE TO MEET, I OFTEN SEND STAFF, UH, FROM MY TEAM TO PARTICIPATE, UM, IN THEIR MEETINGS, UM, AND SUPPORT.
THEY WERE A PARTNER IN DEVELOPING THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, SUMMIT THAT WE HELD IN 2025.
AND MOST RECENTLY, UH, I INVITED THEM TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT WHO ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY.
AND WE HAD, UH, A SURVIVOR WHO SERVES ON THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, TASK FORCE, SHARE HER STORY RIGHT HERE IN THE DAIS, UM, IN FRONT OF, YOU KNOW, A FULL AUDIENCE, JUST SO BRAVE.
UM, SO WE ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE AND ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PARTNER WITH THEM.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NO, I HAVE MORE OF A STATEMENT, WHICH IS, UM, WE HAVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE TASK FORCE IN CAL STATE LONG BEACH TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT DATA QUESTION BY GETTING ANONYMOUS DATA FROM ALL OF THE, UM, OR AS MANY AS WE CAN OF THE ADVOCACY GROUPS AND HAVING STUDENTS, UM, MASTERS STUDENTS ANALYZE IT.
AND SO WE HOPE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PARTNER WITH YOU IN THE REACT EFFORT ON THAT ONCE WE HAVE THAT REPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY OPEN UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL FOR IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT? YES.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND COUNCIL MEMBER UA.
I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY FORUM DEDICATED TO UPLIFTING AND SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY.
AS YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH'S HOME TO A DIVERSE NETWORK OF NONPROFITS, ADVOCACY GROUPS, EDUCATORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS WORKING EVERY DAY TO ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS GENDER EQUALITY, EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH, AC ACCESS, AND SAFETY.
HOWEVER, MANY OF THESE EFFORTS OPERATE IN SILOS, LIMITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AND SHARED IMPACT.
AT THIS TIME, MANY WOMEN AND GIRLS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS COUNCIL MEMBER TUA MENTIONED, FACE SERIOUS, UM, AND INTERCONNECTED CHALLENGES INCLUDING SEX TRAFFICKING, GANG VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC ABUSE, AND EXPLOITATION.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THESE ISSUES, DISPORT, OH, I GOTTA SPEED UP, AFFECT WOMEN AND GIRLS.
SO, CREATING COMMUNITY C CREATING A COMMUNITY FORUM WOULD PROVIDE A SPACE TO CONNECT ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS, WORK ON BEHALF OF WOMEN AND GIRLS, STRENGTHEN AND STRENGTHEN PREVENTION AND RESPONSE EFFORTS RELATED TO SEX TRAFFICKING, GANG VIOLENCE, AND OTHER VIOLENCE.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO HELP IDENTIFY GAPS IN SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIP.
THIS FORM WOULD TAKE THE FORM OF A REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING, LISTING SESSIONS, OR EVEN A WORKING GROUP THAT INCLUDES COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVES.
IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT AND APPROACH TO SUPPORT WOMEN AND GIRLS ACROSS LONG BEACH.
BY BRINGING THESE VOICES TOGETHER, THE COMMISSION HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN COORDINATION, IMPROVE OUTCOMES, ENSURE THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS ACROSS ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SEEN, HEARD, AND PROTECTED.
[00:25:01]
CLERK.ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, ARE THERE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTERS? NO, THERE ARE NO ATTENDEES IN THE ZOOM THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
SEEING NO MORE COMMENT, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO.
THEN MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE? COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
I'M WONDERING, COUNCILWOMAN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND TAKING A PHOTO WITH US AND MAYBE WITH YOUR MOTHER IN FRONT OF THE DAIS IF SHE WANTS TO
EVERYBODY READY? UM, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER THREE, I BELIEVE.
[3. 26-54691 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Long Beach Justice Fund Coalition on recommendations to strengthen the Long Beach Values Act as it relates to women and girls in Long Beach; and if appropriate, establish an ad hoc committee to draft a letter to the Mayor and City Council expressing support of implementing the Coalition’s recommendations. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND COALITION ON RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT AS IT RELATES TO WOMEN AND GIRLS IN LONG BEACH.AND IF APPROPRIATE, ESTABLISH AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO DRAFT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL EXPRESSING SUPPORT OF IMPLEMENTING THE COALITION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? SO, MOVE.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER VIOLET SECOND.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
UH, SO TODAY WE ARE WELCOMING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND COALITION WHO ASKED IF THEY COULD PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION TODAY.
UM, SO PLEASE COME UP AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING, UM, AND GIVING US SPACE TO PRESENT TO YOU.
I'M A SENIOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER ON LANE'S LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY CAMPAIGN.
AND I'LL PASS IT ON TO MY COLLEAGUE HI COMMISSION.
FERNANDO VEDO, COMMUNITY LAWYER WITH ORLE.
UM, UH, WE ARE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND COALITION, UM, WHICH IS A COLLECTIVE OF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
UH, OTHER MEMBERS INCLUDE, UM, FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, MIGRANT GIRLS IN ACTION INCLUDE, AND A COUPLE MORE.
UM, AND SO TODAY WE WANNA, UM, TALK ABOUT, UM, MORE THAN ANYTHING WHAT SANCTUARY POLICIES ARE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE CITY LEVEL, THE IMPACT OF CURRENT ISSUES ON WOMEN AND GIRLS.
AND WE WILL ALSO BE GOING OVER OUR DEMANDS THAT WE HOPEFULLY, UM, GET TO GET SUPPORT ON.
AND OF COURSE, WE'LL ALSO LEAVE SOME SPACE FOR, UM, QUESTIONS.
UM, SO TO BEGIN, THERE YOU GO.
UM, WE'VE ALL, WHAT ARE SANCTUARY POLICIES? WE'VE HEARD OF SANCTUARY CITIES MORE RECENTLY, THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, LAST YEAR MORE WHEN THERE WAS THE SANCTUARY CITY LIST, UM, CREATED.
UM, AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SANCTUARY POLICIES.
SO, SANCTUARY POLICIES ARE EITHER STATEWIDE OR CITYWIDE, UM, LEVELS THAT COULD BE IN PLACE TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES AGAINST DATA SHARING
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AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT COOPERATING WITH FEDERAL, UM, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.UM, HERE IN CALIFORNIA WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED SB 54.
AND IN LONG BEACH, WE HAVE OUR VALUES ACT.
UM, AND, BUT HOWEVER, WE THINK THAT THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT CAN GO BEYOND AND PROTECT EVEN MORE CITIZENS, UM, COMPARED TO SB 54.
SO I WANNA PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT AT FIRST.
UM, SO AS WE KNOW, WE'VE BEEN SEEING FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEAR, UM, FAMILIES HAVE BEEN RIPPED APART, UM, UNDER THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND SO AT THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO ARE DETAINED RISE, AND UNFORTUNATELY SO DO THE BRUTALIZATION AGAINST THEM, UM, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, OR ICE WAS MANDATED, MANDATED TO REPORT HOW MANY WOMEN OR PREGNANT WOMEN WERE IN DETENTION AND WERE DETAINED.
HOWEVER, THAT HAS SINCE GONE OUT THE DOOR, AND WE DON'T KNOW THOSE NUMBERS AS OF NOW.
UM, WE'VE SEEN, SOME OF US MIGHT HAVE SEEN ON SUNDAY NIGHT OR MONDAY MORNING THAT, UH, A MOTHER WAS DETAINED AT AN AIRPORT IN SAN FRANCISCO, UM, AND DETAINED AND SEPARATED FROM HER DAUGHTER.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT IS, ACCORDING TO MPI, IT IS ESTIMATED AROUND 60, 61,000 PEOPLE ARE DETAINED IN DETENTION CENTERS, AND ABOUT 40% OF THOSE DETAINEES ARE WOMEN.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE, AS THESE DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, GO IN PLACE MORE THAN ANYTHING TO PROTECT, UM, FAMILIES AND OR CHILDREN AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR DEMANDS THAT WE'RE HOPING YOU CAN SUPPORT.
FIRST OFF, UH, WE HAVE SB 54, UM, EXCLUSION AND EXPANDING PROTECTIONS.
UM, MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT JUST MEANS WE'RE TRYING TO CLOSE THE LOOPHOLES THAT ARE PRESENT IN SOME POLICIES.
UM, SB 54, AGAIN, THE STATEWIDE SANCTUARY POLICY HAS SOME HOLES IN IT, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO, AS OF NOW, SB 54 ALLOWS LOCAL ENFORCEMENT TO ASSIST IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SO THIS MEANS THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY MAY SHARE RELEASE DATES OF PEOPLE THEY'VE RELEASED FROM OUR CITY JAIL.
UM, AND IF THERE'S SOME, IF THESE FOLKS FALL INTO ANY EXCEPTIONS, IT CAN BE TAKEN BY ICE AND BE TAKEN TO A DETENTION DE DETENTION CENTER.
UM, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE WANT TO ENSURE WE PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS AND EVERYONE IN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
AND SO, IF THERE'S HOLES IN THE SCENES, IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR EVERYONE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE ASKING THAT THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT CAUSES THIS LOOPHOLE THROUGH CARVE OUTS, ENSURING THAT THE CITY DOES NOT SHARE ANY INFORMATION OF ANY RESIDENTS TO ICE PREVENTING ANY TRANSFER TO, UM, A DETENTION CENTER.
UM, THIS COULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A LIGHT LIFT FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THOUGH, UM, AS THE LONG BEACH CITY ONLY HANDLES MISDEMEANORS.
AND SO THESE EXCEPTIONS WILL ONLY APPLY MORE ON THE COUNTY LEVEL RATHER THAN THE CITY OR LOCAL LEVEL.
UH, WE ARE ALSO REQUESTING A STRONGER SIGNAGE.
SO LAST YEAR, UM, A RE A RECENT RECOMMENDATION WENT INTO EFFECT INTRODUCING VISIBLE SIGNAGE ON NON-PUBLIC DOORS, STATING THAT ONLY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL CAN ENTER.
UM, HOWEVER, WE ARE ASKING AND ADVOCATING FOR STRONGER STANCE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AGAINST FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE JUST FEEL THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD FEEL MORE SUPPORTED AND WITH STRONGER LANGUAGE AND SCIENCE, NAMING THE ICE IS NOT WELCOME ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND, UM, WE ARE ALSO ASKING TO, UM, FOR THE CITY TO RECOMMIT TO CLARIFY THE CITY'S PROVISION OF USAGE OF CITY PROPERTY.
AND SO WE ARE DEMANDING THE CITY MAKE A STATEMENT COMMITTING TO RESTRICTING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT'S USE OF PUBLIC CITY PROPERTY AND AMEND THE VALUES ACT LANGUAGE TO CLEARLY STATE ITS SPAN ON THE USE OF PUBLIC CITY SPACES FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO THIS CAN BE ANYTHING FROM STAGING, DETAINING, ARRESTING, UM, ACTIVITY DONE BY US.
UM, AND SO WE, WE RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR, UH, AND THE CITY DOES THIS ALREADY, HOWEVER, IT IS NOT CLEAR IN THE POLICY JUST YET.
AND SO WE WOULD REALLY BENEFIT, AND THE PUBLIC WOULD BENEFIT FROM A STATEMENT AND THE AMENDING OF THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT LANGUAGE TO CLEAR THIS UP, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS BETTER AND SAFER HERE IN THE COMMUNITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND I'LL PASS IT ON TO FERNANDO.
SO MOVING US FORWARD WITH, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER ASK THAT WE ARE DEMANDING OF, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, UH, AS A COMMITMENT TO ENFORCING THE ANTI MASK POLICY.
UH, NOT SURE HOW FAMILIAR YOU MIGHT BE WITH THIS, BUT A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, THERE WAS NEWS, UM, THAT THE STATE PASSED LAWS THAT WOULD, UH, REQUIRE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO NOT HAVE MASKS, AND THAT THIS WOULD BE ENFORCED SINCE THEN, THERE'S BEEN A LAWSUIT FROM THE GOVERNMENT AGAINST THIS.
UM, AND SO IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS WOULD BE A LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE PRACTICE.
HOWEVER, IF IT IS, UH, WE ARE URGING, UH, LVPD TO CREATE A PLAN, UH, IF THIS DOES GO INTO EFFECT, HOW ARE WE GOING
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TO ENFORCE THIS? AND A COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY STATING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEGALLY DO, UM, THAT WE WILL COMMIT TO DOING THAT AND WORK, UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE THAT PLAN AS TO HOW IS THAT GOING TO LOOK.UH, IN ADDITION, WE'RE CALLING FOR A BAN ON, UH, LOCAL SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WE'RE FOCUSED ON AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS AS WELL AS FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WE CAN POINT TO TWO EXAMPLES, UH, WHERE THESE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CAUSED HARM TO, UH, LOCAL FOLKS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, IN 2020, THERE WAS A REPORT OF, UM, AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER DATA FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH BEING SHARED TO IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, UM, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ICE.
UM, AND THE INFORMATION OF BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTORS, UM, ALSO BEING MISUSED, UH, SPECIFICALLY FROM FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL BEEN SEEING SO MUCH FUNDING IS GOING INTO, UH, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THERE'S AN INCREASING USAGE OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY FOR THEIR ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.
UM, AND SO IT'S TRULY VITAL THAT, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING THOSE TWO EXAMPLES AND OTHER, UM, IT'S ALSO, UH, CONSTITUTIONALLY QUESTIONABLE WHETHER THIS IS EVEN TECHNOLOGY THAT SHOULD BE USED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE CALLING FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO BAN THE USE OF THESE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES.
UM, ONE TO PROTECT ALL RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH FROM THE DANGERS OF, UM, THE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT, BUT ALSO, UM, IN ORDER TO REDUCE HOW MUCH DATA THE CI THE CITY IS COLLECTING THAT CAN BE USED AGAINST, UM, THEM FROM IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
BECAUSE THE LESS DATA YOU HAVE, THE LESS ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE THAT COULD BE MISTAKENLY, UM, OR INTENTIONALLY SHARED WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UH, IN ADDITION, UH, WE HAVE A, A COUPLE OF ASKS RELATED TO LBPD, UM, ENSURING NO COOPERATION, UH, WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND, UM, TAKING SIDE JOBS WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SO TO PREFACE, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF OF LBPD, UH, WHERE HE WAS ON THE SAME PAGE WITH BOTH OF THESE ASKS.
AND THAT, UM, UH, THE THINGS THAT I'M GONNA GO OVER, UH, WOULDN'T HAPPEN ANYWAY BECAUSE IT WOULD VIOLATE INTERNAL LBPD POLICY, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO TAKE A STEP FURTHER AND, UH, PUT THIS INTO OUR LONG BEACH VALUES ACT, UH, POLICY.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY I'M SPEAKING TO, UH, SOME LOOPHOLES WITHIN OUR CURRENT VALUES ACT, UM, WHICH ALLOW FOR LBPD TO COOPERATE WITH, UM, TASK FORCES AS LONG AS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, WHICH STILL LEAVES THE POSSIBILITY OF IF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS, UM, A PART OF WHAT THE TASK FORCE IS WORKING ON, ALBEIT NOT THE PRI PRIMARY PRIORITY, RIGHT? UH, THAT THEY WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, AND WE WOULDN'T WANT THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION, AT THE STATE LEVEL, THERE IS AB 50 37 THAT IS PENDING, UM, THAT WOULD PREVENT, UH, LOCAL ACTORS FROM TAKING SIDE JOBS WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WHILE THIS IS STILL PENDING, UH, WE, UH, ARE PUSHING FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO ADOPT THIS IN OUR VALUES ACT TO ENSURE THAT LBPD AREN'T TAKING SIDE JOBS WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CHIEF SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, ANY REQUESTS FOR SIDE JOBS WOULD GO THROUGH HIM AND THAT THAT WOULD VIOLATE THEIR INTERNAL POLICY.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE DOING ANYWAY.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT, UM, ADDED AND AMENDED INTO THE POLICY.
WE'RE ALSO CALLING FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF CITY CONTRACTS.
SO AT THE MOMENT, IF THE CITY WERE TO CONTRACT WITH A VENDOR THAT VIOLATES THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT, THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE THAT EXISTS IS THAT THE CITY MAY, THAT IT MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FROM FUTURE CITY CONTRACTS, NO TEXT ON, WELL, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THE ACTIVE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING? UM, AND THE LANGUAGE OF MAY ISN'T, ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH, RIGHT? UM, AND SO FOR US, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CONTRACTS TO STIPULATE, UH, THAT CONTRACTS WOULD BE TERMINATED AND THAT AN APPROPRIATE LEGAL PROCESS WOULD TAKE PLACE, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, STOP, UH, ESSENTIALLY CANCEL THAT CONTRACT WITH THAT VENDOR WHO'S HARMING, UH, THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND SHARING THEIR INFORMATION AS WELL AS FOR THE CITY TO COMMIT TO NOT CONTRACT WITH COMPANIES THAT HAVE A HISTORY OF SHARING OR SELLING DATA WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AN EXAMPLE I CAN PROVIDE IS JUST RECENTLY, UM, THE CITY, UH, WHEN IT HAD A CONTRACT WITH LEXINEXIS, UH, WHICH IS A RESEARCH DATABASE, UH, THAT IS USED BY, UM, BY LAWYERS.
UH, BUT THEY HAVE CONTRACTS WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND ARE KNOWN TO SHARE AND SELL DATA TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
UM, AND SO ALTHOUGH THIS PROVISION WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, UH, NECESSARILY IMPACT EXISTING CONTRACTS, IT WOULD FORBID THE CITY FROM, UM, CONTRACTING WITH OTHER VENDORS WITH, UH, THAT KNOWN HISTORY SO THAT WE CAN PREVENT, UM, UH, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES DATA BEING SHARED, UH, FOR THE INTENTION OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE'RE ALSO CALLING FOR A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AS OF TODAY, IF THERE WERE VIOLATIONS TO THE VALUES ACT,
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UH, IT WOULD BE AT IN THE HANDS OF AN INTERNAL DISCIPLINARY BODY IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO DISCIPLINE THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES FOR ANY VIOLATIONS.HOWEVER, FOR US, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE POLICY HAS TEETH, RIGHT? AND SO CAN, UM, CAN, UH, CAN THE CITY ESSENTIALLY PUT MONEY WHERE ITS MOUTH IS AND HAVE, UH, PROVIDE STANDING FOR FOLKS TO, UH, SUE IF THERE WERE ANY VIOLATIONS TO HOLD, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTABLE, BUT THE CITY, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY, UH, NOT ONLY IS INCLUDING THIS VALUES ACT, BUT IS COMMITTING TO IT AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING, UM, THE POLICY SO THAT THEY'RE PROTECTING, UM, OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
AND SO OUR ASK FOR THE COMMISSION, UH, IS TO ESTABLISH AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO DRAFT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE ADOPTION OF OUR COALITION'S, UH, DEMANDS, UM, IDEALLY BEFORE THE END OF APRIL.
UM, I SAY THAT BECAUSE, UH, IN OUR ADVOCACY, WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS CAN BE AGENDIZED AND HOPEFULLY ADOPTED IN MAY.
UH, SO WE'RE REALLY CONNECTING WITH, UH, DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS TO HOPEFULLY GET A LETTER IN PLACE TO SHOW THAT COMMISSIONS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THESE ASKS, UM, IN THE HOPES THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE, UH, APPROVED IN MAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY.
I THINK, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST, JUST BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TOO MUCH.
UM, SO MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM THREE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
AND IF THERE'S ANY IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE.
IF OUR PRESENTERS WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK UP, AND THEN I THINK HOW I'D LIKE TO FRAME THIS, IF WE COULD, IS QUESTIONS FIRST AND THEN MOVE INTO MORE DISCUSSION AMONGST US.
SO, UM, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ADA? YES.
I WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON MAYBE ANY EXAMPLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, OF OTHER COALITIONS OR MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE, UH, GARNERED PO POSITIVE RESULTS, UM, SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE.
SO FOR A NUMBER OF PROVISION, UH, PROVISIONS THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR, THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES, A LOT OF STATES THAT HAVE THIS.
UM, TO START OFF WITH THE SB 54 EXCLUSIONS, ACTUALLY AMONG THE STATES THAT HAVE, UH, SANCTUARY PROVISIONS TO PROTECT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, CALIFORNIA'S AN OUTLIER IN THAT THEY HAVE EXCEPTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR SOME FOLKS', UM, UH, RELEASE STATES TO BE SHARED TRANSFERS TO ICE DETENTION CENTERS, WHEREAS OTHER STATES ACTUALLY NEVER HAD THOSE EXCEPTIONS TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO CITIES DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THE EXTRA ADVOCACY OF, WELL, AS A CITY, LET'S GO FURTHER SO WE CAN CLOSE THOSE GAPS.
UM, HOWEVER I CAN SPECIFICALLY SPEAK TO, UH, HUNTINGTON PARK, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER CITIES IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE DONE THIS AS WELL.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED.
UM, IN TERMS OF SIGNAGE, UM, WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAS IMPLEMENTED SOME, UH, STRONG SIGNAGE THAT GOES BEYOND THE LANGUAGE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, AND A LOT OF THE, UH, COMMITMENTS TO NOT USING CITY PUBLIC SPACES, UH, FOR STAGING.
ALSO CHICAGO, NEW YORK CITY ALSO, UH, RECENTLY PASSED A POLICY.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF EXAMPLES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UM, EITHER AT THE STATE LEVEL OR CITY LEVEL THAT HAVE A NUMBER OF THE PROVISIONS THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ALAN HARPER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I KNOW OLAY IS DOING MULTIFACETED WORK ACROSS THE COMMUNITY IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO I'M CURIOUS HOW, AND MAYBE JUST AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR SUPPORT OF THIS WOULD BE, WHAT WAS YOUR PROCESS IN DECIDING LIKE, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE THINK SHOULD GO FORWARD, WHY THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT? LIKE, WHAT WAS, MAYBE SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR LIKE, BACKGROUND AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT.
SO FOR US, I THINK WE WERE REALLY INTENTIONAL, UM, WITH OUR COALITION TO HAVE, UM, FOLKS THAT REPRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF, OF, OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR US AT
HOWEVER, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT DOESN'T COVER THE ENTIRE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, AND SO WE WERE INTENTIONAL TO HAVE FOLKS, UH, SUCH AS THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, UM, UNITED CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ALSO, UH, SAW A GAP IN TERMS OF HAVING, UH, FAITH-BASED LEADERSHIP AND, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED TOO.
UH, SO WE, OUR ACTUALLY MOST RECENT EDITION IS CLUE.
UM, SO WE REALLY WERE INTENTIONAL ABOUT BEING AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE AND HAVING ORGANIZATIONS, UM, THAT HAVE CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE IN LONG BEACH, SO THAT AS A COLLECTIVE WE CAN ASSESS WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ISSUES OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE FACING, AND WHAT ARE WAYS THAT OUR VALUES ACT.
AND, UM, I DO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE PRAISE
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TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.WE DO HAVE A PRETTY STRONG, UH, VALUES ACT ALREADY, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO MAKE IT BETTER.
AND SO WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH THAT BRAINSTORMING SESSION OF, OF WHAT ARE AREAS THAT CAN, UH, BE IMPROVED AND, YOU KNOW, UM, WE ALSO LOOK THROUGH WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES? WHAT ARE OTHER STATES THAT HAVE THESE EXISTING POLICIES, AND WHAT DO THEY HAVE THAT WE DON'T? UM, AND SO THROUGH A LOT OF THAT COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESEARCH, WE CAME THROUGH, UM, THESE EIGHT ASKS, UH, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE TRULY THINK THAT IT CAN, IT CAN DO A LOT TO PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? I, I HAVE ONE, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
UM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I, THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION, UM, I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE LIKE WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND IT.
CAN YOU CAN GIVE, HELP ME UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UH, IN, UH, DIFFERENT POLICIES, LAWS, RIGHT? YOU MAY HAVE, UM, A REQUIREMENT TO DO A SET ACTION OR A PROHIBITION FROM DOING AN ACTION.
UH, BUT UNLESS THERE'S A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION, UH, EMBEDDED INTO THE POLICY ITSELF, FOLKS WON'T HAVE, UH, WHAT'S CALLED STANDING TO BE ABLE TO SUE IN COURT.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, AN EXAMPLE, UH, THAT, THAT SOMETIMES WE, WE TALK ABOUT WITH, WITH FOLKS IN THE CITY AND DECISION MAKERS, UM, IS THE A DA.
SO IF THERE WERE, UH, A BUILDING OR A LOCATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, UH, IT WOULDN'T, IT'S NOT LIKE FACILITATING ACCESS FOR FOLKS WITH VARIOUS DISABILITIES.
UH, THE, THAT EXACT LAW IS WRITTEN IN A WAY WHERE ANYONE COULD SUE.
SO EVEN IF I DON'T HAVE A DISABILITY, BUT I SEE THERE'S A BUILDING THAT ISN'T PROVIDING ACCESS TO, UM, UH, DIFFERENTLY ABLED FOLKS, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE BUILDING.
SO EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT IMPACTED, I COULD SUE.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR ISN'T A BROAD, UM, KIND OF STANDING LIKE THAT WHERE ANYBODY COULD SUE BECAUSE OF COURSE WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY WOULD HAVE, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT LIABILITY.
SO FOR US, IT'S MORE ABOUT IF SOMEONE WERE TO SUFFER, UM, A VIOLATION OF THE VALUES ACT, WHICH LED TO THEIR DATA BEING SHARED WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SUE TO SUE TO HOLD THE, UM, THE CITY ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, MONEY ISN'T GOING TO BE THE SOLUTION FOR THE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY IF THIS RESULTS IN, UH, ONE OF THEIR LOVED ONES BEING DEPORTED.
UH, HOWEVER, OUR HOPE IS THAT THIS CAN BE AN EXTRA PUSH FOR THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE THEY COMMITTING TO THIS POLICY, BUT THAT THEY'RE, UH, COMMITTING TO ENSURING THAT, UM, UH, CITYWIDE THAT VIOLATIONS AREN'T HAPPENING, AND THAT THEY'RE DOING THEIR UTMOST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROTECTING THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AS THEY SHOULD ACCORDING TO THE LETTER OF THE POLICY.
UM, I SEE VICE CHAIR ULTA'S HAND IS UP.
UH, AND I TOO, UH, WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR BEING WITH US, UH, THIS EVENING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AM, IT, IT CONCERNS ME, UH, ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HIGHLIGHT REGARDING THE, UH, FACE RECOGNITION AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, LICENSE PLACE, WHICH I, I, I WAS AWARE OF THAT, BUT THE FACT THAT, UM, THIS INFORMATION THAT IS BEING COLLECTED, I IS, UM, IS SHARED WITH OTHERS IS A CONCERN AND NOT, IT SHOULD BE A CONCERN NOT JUST FOR, UH, IMMIGRANTS, BUT FOR ALL OF US, BECAUSE THAT'S, TO ME, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, UM, SCARY SITUATION TO, UH, KNOW THAT OUR INFORMATION IS OUT THERE AND CAN BE SHARED WITH ANY PARTICULAR AGENCY OR ORGANIZATION.
SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU, UH, WORKING WITH ANY MAYBE, UM, STATE OR FEDERAL, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE MORE INSIGHT AS TO HOW OFTEN THIS IS DONE? UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
UH, SO SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE DATA AND THE FREQUENCY OF HOW MUCH IS DONE, UM, NOT EXACTLY, UH, WE ARE PART OF THE, UH, LA SANCTUARY COALITION, UH, WHICH ACTUALLY RECENTLY PARTNERED WITH U-C-U-C-L-A LAW TO DEVELOP A MODEL POLICY OF WHAT, UM, DIFFERENT SANCTUARY POLICIES COULD INCLUDE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS AREN'T USED.
UM, SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE ON THIS.
UM, I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH THE EXACT, UH, STATISTICS OR WHAT GROUPS MIGHT HAVE THAT INFORMATION, UM, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING I CAN LOOK INTO AND SEND, UH, OVER IF THAT IS OF INTEREST.
UH, BUT WE DO KNOW IT'S, IT, IT IS AN ISSUE, UM, THAT CITIES AND STATES ARE COMBATING, UH, NATIONWIDE, UM, AND IS REALLY CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY, UM, BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH DATA'S BEING GATHERED.
UM, JUST OFFHAND, I RECALL THAT, UH, AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER, UH, DATA HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS RETAINED FOR TWO YEARS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE NOT ONLY IS IT COLLECTING A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST AT ANY MOMENT IN TIME, BUT THAT INFORMATION IS ALSO BEING RETAINED FOR OVER, YOU KNOW, FOR TWO YEARS.
AND SO THAT'S A LOT OF DATA THAT'S BEING AMASSED, UM, WHICH
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IS SCARY, AND, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AS YOU, AS YOU, AS YOU MENTIONED.UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THOSE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE TO AVOID GATHERING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THERE'S NO DANGER OF THAT BEING SHARED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OH, GO AHEAD.
JUST LAST QUESTION, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN, UH, THE CITY ENFORCES THAT ICE NOT USE PUBLIC SPACE? WHAT IS THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT ENFORCES THAT? WHAT, YEAH.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A RECENT CONVERSATION, UH, WITH THE MAYOR TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, AND SO INITIALLY, UH, IN OUR READING OF THE POLICY, IT WAS THAT THIS ISN'T THE PROTECTION THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
UM, BUT HE SHARED THAT ACTUALLY WE'RE READING THIS, UH, AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO IT IS, AND THAT'S WHY KIND OF OUR ASK IS MORE CLARITY AND A COMMITMENT.
UM, BUT HE EXPLAINED THAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IF, UH, ANY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT WOULD WANT TO DO STAGING AND CITY PROPERTY, UM, THAT THEY WOULD COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, THAT IT REQUIRES A PERMIT TO DO SO.
UM, AND THAT IF THEY DON'T, AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE TO REQUEST THE PERMIT, THEY WOULD DENY IT.
UM, AND IF THEY WERE TO CONTINUE TO BE IN THAT SPACE, THEY WOULD GIVE THEM A FINE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY, REALISTICALLY, IS THAT GONNA DISSUADE THEM FROM USING THE SPACE? NO, BUT IT IS A LOT MORE THAN OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
UM, AND SO I THINK THE MOST THAT WE CAN ASK THE CITY TO DO IS, IS WHAT WE'RE PUSHING FOR.
UM, AND SO THAT'S CURRENTLY WHERE THAT STANDS.
UH, BUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT I'LL, I'LL NOTE IS THAT, UH, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHIEF OF LBPD, THEY DID MENTION THAT IF THEY WERE EVER, UH, PRESENT FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THAT THEY WOULD TURN ON THEIR BODY CAMERAS, WHICH COULD HELP FOLKS BECAUSE, UH, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, A A LOT OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR, UM, DOCUMENTING IS VERY ESSENTIAL FOR FOLKS BECAUSE IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE, UM, THAT CAN POTENTIALLY HELP TO SERVE, UH, THAT PERSON'S DEPORTATION CASE OR, UH, LITIGATION TO STOP, UM, A PRACTICE THAT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS USING SO THAT THAT CAN BE, UM, RULED, UM, ILLEGAL IN THE FUTURE SO THAT PRACTICE CAN STOP.
SO, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UM, I HAD ONE, WHICH WAS FOR THE COLLECTION OF DATA, THE LICENSE PLATE READING AND THE FACIAL RECOGNITION.
ARE YOU ASKING THAT THOSE NOT BE USED AT ALL, OR ARE YOU ASKING FOR PROVISIONS THAT THE DATA NOT BE SHARED WITH OTHER AGENCIES? YEAH, SO IDEALLY IT WOULD BE A BAN.
UM, UH, AS WE MENTIONED, LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF DANGERS OF STORING, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S INFORMATION IN THAT MANNER.
UM, AND SO FOR US, WE'RE CALLING FOR A BAN.
UH, THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATIONS, UM, INTERNALLY, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL BE TRANSPARENT IN THE COALITION OF, WELL, HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT WE WOULD GET A BAN VERSUS A COMMITMENT TO NOT SHARING THE DATA? AND FOR US, THE DANGERS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST HOLDING THE DATA IN OF ITSELF OR ENOUGH FOR US, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S A HARDER PUSH, IT'S A PUSH THAT WE WANNA MAKE, UH, BECAUSE WE TRULY WANT TO PROTECT THE INFORMATION OF ALL LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, UM, NOT JUST THE SHARING OF DATA.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED THERE.
IF I MAY JUST CLARIFY A FEW THINGS ON CURRENT PRACTICE.
SO JUST FOR THE COMMISSION'S, UH, AWARENESS, UM, OUR OFFICE, IN ADDITION WITH THE C UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE RECENT REVISIONS TO THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT, IN ADDITION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT.
THAT SAID, DATA SHARING RELATED TO, UM, A LPR AND FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.
UM, WE DO HAVE DATA PRIVACY, UH, GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN UPDATED, AND IT IS NOT A PRACTICE, UM, TO SHARE THAT DATA WITH, UH, FEDERAL AGENCIES PER THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT.
UM, A TOY CAN ADD MORE TO THAT.
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO, UM, I'LL, I'LL JUMP IN AFTERWARDS ABOUT THE STAGING.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT ARE, IS ACTUALLY CURRENT, UH, CITY POLICY AND PRACTICE.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS A TOY WILSON, I'M ONE OF THE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEYS.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS AND FACIAL RECOGNITION, CURRENT CITY POLICY DOES NOT USE SURVEILLANCE TOOLS FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THE A-L-A-L-P-R DATA IS NOT SHARED WITH FEDERAL OR OUT-OF-STATE AGENCIES.
SO THE REALLY, I THINK THAT THE CONCEPT THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS DATA IS BEING SHARED FREELY, BUT THAT THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.
UM, IT'S NOT BEING SHARED, UH, FREELY AT ALL.
AND IF IT IS SHARED, IT'S REALLY LIMITED TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
UM, BUT THE DEPARTMENT POLICY EXPRESSLY EXCLUDES FEDERAL ACCESS TO IT.
UH, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE ALREADY, UH, I I I WOULD SAY BENCHMARKS AND, AND PROTECTIONS AND BARRIERS THAT ARE ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED, UH, WITH CURRENT CITY, CITY PRACTICE AND POLICY.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE, THE LONG BEACH, LONG BEACH CITY DOES NOT USE TECHNOLOGY, UH, AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE DO HAVE, IT'S NOT USED TO TARGET INDIVIDUALS BASED ON ANY IMMIGRATION STATUS.
UM, AGAIN, THAT GOES LINE WITH THE, THE CURRENT LONG BEACH VALUES ACT.
[00:55:01]
OF THESE ARE, AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY COMMISSION WHERE THIS, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN, UH, ADDRESSED.AND SO THAT'S WHY I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE JUST NOT FULLY AWARE OF KIND OF CURRENT PRACTICES RIGHT NOW.
AND THOSE ARE, THAT'S JUST TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, THE DATA SHARING, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
I KNOW THAT WAS A, THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
AND, UM, LEMME GET MY NOTES HERE.
SO THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION, WHY THAT'S NOT RECOMMENDED IS BECAUSE THE, THE PROPOSAL ESSENTIALLY WOULD CREATE NEW LAWSUITS FOR THE CITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, STAFF CANNOT REALLY RECOMMEND TO, TO COUNCIL TO GO AHEAD AND JUST CREATE A, A, A NEW PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
UM, IT'S, IT'S GONNA SIGNIFICANTLY EX EXPAND THE CITY'S LIABILITY AND EXPOSURE.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THE CONCERNS REALLY, THE CURRENT PRACTICE WAS SET UP SO IT CAN, THE CONCERNS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH EXISTING REPORTING MECHANISMS. I, I KNOW THE CITY HAS SEVERAL, UH, UH, PORTALS WHERE COMPLAINTS CAN BE, CAN BE, UM, SUBMITTED THERE AND KIND OF DEALT WITH ON, ON THAT ON THAT END.
AND, AND SO THAT'S WHY THE PROPOSAL, IT'S REALLY THE CONCERN.
THE MAIN CONCERN IS THIS, THE CREATION OF NEW LAWSUITS, UM, TO THE CITY.
THERE WAS, UH, JUST GOING BACK TO THE STRONGER SIGNAGE.
SO RIGHT NOW, CURRENT CITY PRACTICE IS ALREADY, UM, WE ALREADY USE AUTHORIZED ACCESS ONLY SIGNAGE IN NON-PUBLIC, UH, FACILITIES.
UH, STAFF HAVE BEEN, UM, SPECIFICALLY TRAINED THAT, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF WARRANTS ARE RE ARE REQUIRED FOR NON-PUBLIC ACCESS.
UH, ANY TYPE OF RESTRICTIONS ON FEDERAL AGENCIES MUST BE NEUTRAL IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE.
AND, UH, THE SIGNAGE I THINK DOES TIE IN A LITTLE BIT WITH THE, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE FOURTH, THE FOURTH ITEM, WHICH WAS, UH, THE REQUEST TO ENFORCE THE ANTI MASK POLICY.
UM, BUT THERE, UH, OUR CITY HAS, OUR OFFICE HAS DONE SOME RESEARCH, AND SO THE COURTS HAVE ALREADY ENJOINED PARTS OF SB UH, 6 27 AND SOME OF THE, THE MASK AND I ID PROVISIONS.
SO THAT'S, THE COURTS HAVE ALREADY, UH, KIND OF STEPPED IN ON THAT.
SO THAT'S NOT REALLY A, JUST A FREE FOR ALL.
UM, AND AGAIN, I, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS KIND OF A LONG LIST AND I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, BUT DEFINITELY IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TO ADDRESS THEM.
UM, WELL, SINCE STAFF IS HERE TO HELP US WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE IT.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION, UM, THAT CAME UP FOR ME AS I WAS, UM, HEARING THIS PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS ON, YOU KNOW, THE ENFORCEMENT OF PUBLIC SPACE LBPD, HAVING TO ENFORCE THAT NOT BEING USED BY ICE AND THEN THE MASK BAN, UM, WHICH I CERTAINLY THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENFORCE.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS ASSESSED IF OTHER CITIES OR MUNICIPAL AGENCIES ARE DOING THAT OUTSIDE OF LONG BEACH, JUST BECAUSE I'M WONDERING WHAT THAT COULD, COULD THAT PUT OUR POLICE IN ANY KIND OF DANGER OR HOW TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE CLASHING WITH FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THIS HAS COME UP IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
AND, AND SO THAT OUR OFFICE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ONGOING, OUR OFFICE IS STILL DOING SOME RESEARCH RIGHT NOW TO COMPARE TO WHAT OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND AGENCIES ARE DOING.
UM, SO THERE, THAT ONE, I DON'T HAVE A, JUST A CONCRETE ANSWER JUST, JUST FOR TONIGHT'S PURPOSES.
UM, BUT MYSELF AND MILLICENT COULD DEFINITELY GET BACK TO YOU, BUT IT, IT JUST, IT IS ONGOING.
SO OUR OFFICE IS ALWAYS KIND OF MONITORING ANY, ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO OUR RESEARCH IS STILL ONGOING.
DO, UM, DO ANY OF OUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF SINCE THEY'RE OFTEN READING CONTEXT? WELL, JUST BACK TO THE SURVEILLANCE ISSUE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SURVEILLANCE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT IMMIGRATION, CORRECT.
AND NOT ABOUT GANG RELATED ACTIVITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ARE YOU, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT FACIAL RECOGNITION HAS BEEN USED IN SOME OF THE RECENT, UH, YOU KNOW, CRIMINAL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN LONG BEACH OR THE VIOLENT ASSAULTS OR WHATEVER.
SO ARE YOU TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, ABOUT SURVEILLANCE WHEN IT'S USED AGAINST IMMIGRANTS? YEAH, SO FOR US, AND ALSO PARTIALLY TO RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS MENTIONED, UM, BY, UH, STAFF AS WELL, UM, IS THAT FOR US IT'S ABOUT THE GENERAL USAGE OF AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER TECHNOLOGY AND FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.
UM, AND, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CURRENT POLICY PROHIBITS THE KIND OF SHARING.
AND SO, UH, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY ISN'T DOING THAT FREE SHARING OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, HOWEVER, THE EXAMPLE I POINTED OUT IN 2020 WAS WHERE, UH, UM, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A MISTAKE THAT LED TO THAT SHARING OF INFORMATION.
UM, AND SO FOR US IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC FOR, UH, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, IS THIS SPECIFICALLY ON, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT? UM, FOR US, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT PROTECTS AGAINST THE SHARING OF DATA, UH, WHICH AGAIN, UH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AN, UM, AN APPLAUSE FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH 'CAUSE WE TRULY DO HAVE A STRONG POLICY.
UH, BUT IF YOU HAVE THE DATA TO BEGIN WITH, MISTAKES CAN BE MADE SUCH
[01:00:01]
AS THAT IN 2020 WHERE THAT INFORMATION WAS ULTIMATELY SHARED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.AND SO FOR US, IT'S ABOUT A BAN ON HAVING THAT SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE THAT THAT DANGER DOESN'T EXIST.
UM, EVEN THOUGH, AGAIN, PRAISE TO THE CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT FREELY SHARING THAT INFORMATION AND THERE ARE THOSE PROTECTION PROTECTIONS IN PLACE, BUT MISTAKES CAN HAPPEN.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER, JUST, UH, TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY, UM, AS A RESULT OF THE MISTAKE THAT OCCURRED IN 2020, UM, THE OPTION ON THE PLATFORM THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT USES FOR SHARING, UM, THAT DATA, IT, IT'S NO LONGER EVEN AN OPTION FOR, UH, LBPD TO SHARE THAT WITH ANY OF THE FEDERAL AGENCIES.
SO THAT'S ALREADY BEEN REMOVED, THAT ACCESS HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CITY.
DO OUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUEST SPEAKERS OR FOR STAFF? ANY POINTS OF DISCUSSION THAT OUR COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP ABOUT THIS? OKAY, I HAVE ONE.
UM, WHICH IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD AND HAVING INTEREST IN AND WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
I THINK, UM, FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY, I CERTAINLY SEE VALUE IN, IN SOME ASPECTS OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING OF US.
UM, I COULDN'T LIKE WHOLESALE SIGN OFF ON A TOTAL ENDORSEMENT JUST 'CAUSE FOR ME, FOR THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HINDER POLICE'S ABILITY TO, TO CAPTURE FOLKS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND LICENSE PLATE READING IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE, BUT I WOULD SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, STRONGER LANGUAGE AROUND NOT SHARING THAT DATA.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU KNOW THE COMMISSIONERS WANNA DISCUSS THIS FURTHER, I KNOW YOU'RE MAKING A SPECIFIC REQUEST AROUND AN AD HOC TO DRAFT A LETTER.
I WOULD, I'M NOT SUGGESTING, BUT I WOULD BE OPEN IF TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL STRONGER ABOUT THAT WRITING A LETTER.
BUT MAYBE WE'D, THERE'D BE A CONVERSATION AROUND IS IT WHOLESALE, ENDORSING EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, OR ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, COMPONENTS THAT WE WANT TO ENDORSE.
ANY DISCUSSION BEYOND THAT? COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER? UM, YEAH, THANK YOU.
I GUESS I WOULD, WHAT I HEAR FROM WATER LA, WHICH I MIGHT, I'M, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT IS A REQUEST FOR THE COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORT TO ASK THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO STRENGTHEN THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT, TO DO MORE, TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND ALL OF US AGAINST ICE.
SO I THINK I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO SEE THE COMMISSION SUPPORT THAT EFFORT, EVEN IF IT MEANS LIKE, MAYBE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT EXPERTS IN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TOPICS, BUT THAT WE COULD SAY, YES, WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
THAT'S NOT JUST A FEW INDIVIDUALS, BUT THEY'VE DONE COMMUNITY WORK TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR LONG BEACH TO DO MORE FOR US TO STAND UP, TO DO MORE, TO PUT THOSE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE, TO PUT THE, THE TEETH IN THE ACT.
AND SO I THINK IF THIS IS ONE WAY THAT WE COULD ALSO SUPPORT THAT EFFORT, I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE TOWARDS THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? YEAH, I MEAN, I, I, I REALLY, I AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER THAT I THINK LONG BEACH COULD DO MORE.
UH, I, THE, THE LIST, I, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS WITH A, A COUPLE THINGS, BUT I DO AGREE WITH, UH, UM, COMMISSIONER HARPER THAT I THINK THEY, IF WE COULD SUPPORT THEM IN SOME WAY WITHOUT MAYBE EXPLICITLY STATING THINGS, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S A, A POSSIBILITY.
UM, JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
I THINK IF THAT, IF YOU TWO OR TO FORM AN AD HOC OR I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARY FOR THEM TO WORK TOGETHER IF THEY HAVE TO FORM AN AD HOC, IF THE TWO OF THEM ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON A LETTER OR CAN THEY JUST WORK ON IT? 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF AD HOCS.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE JUST SO THAT, UM, WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS ARE COMING FROM THIS BODY ARE, ARE BEING REFLECTED IN THAT LETTER.
UM, SO WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN IN ISOLATION.
VICE CHAIR CHTA? YES, I TOO, UH, UH, WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE CREATE AN AD HOC AND THAT, UH, WE, WE WORK ON, ON A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
SO STAFF,
UM, DO WE NEED TO MAKE A, LIKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THAT OR CAN WE JUST, WE, UM, NO, WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE ANY FRIENDLY TO THE CURRENT AGENDA ITEM.
UH, IT ALREADY REFLECTS IF APPROPRIATE TO, UM, UH, FORM AN AD HOC.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHICH COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO SERVE ON THAT AD HOC
[01:05:01]
COMMITTEE.WHO, SO I KNOW COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, VICE CHAIR ARCHULETA.
AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAVE MORE THAN THAT.
IS THAT RIGHT? CAN WE REPEAT THE, UH, MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED? VICE CHAIR ULTA, COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER AND COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
AND SO, COMMISSIONERS, AS YOU KNOW, OUR RULE OF THUMB AND RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU DON'T SERVE ON MORE THAN TWO.
UM, GIVEN THIS IS A TIME SENSITIVE ONE AND WILL LIKELY WRAP UP IN ONE MONTH, I'M COMFORTABLE, UM, IF THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO DO THEIR WORK WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME.
OTHERWISE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONSIDERED, UH, UM, SUN SETTING ANOTHER COM, UM, AD HOC COMMITTEE AT THE, AT, UM, WHEN WE GET TO ITEM FIVE, COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED, CAN YOU COMMIT TO, UH, DRAFTING THIS LETTER WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, BY THE END OF APRIL? YES.
I THINK ACTUALLY IT WOULD REALLY NEED TO BE IN TIME FOR OUR NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE COULD SEND IT ALONG, WHICH IS, WHAT IS IT, THE THIRD WEEK OR THE FOURTH WEEK OF APRIL 4TH.
ALRIGHT, THEN I THINK WE'VE GOT IT.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TREAT IT AS AN AMENDED MOTION SO THAT WE CAN SPECIFY THE, THE MEMBERS THAT ARE JOINING.
SO, UM, THE MEMBERS ARE GOING TO INCLUDE VICE ULTA, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ AND COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
AND THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS, UM, COMMISSIONER LA VALLET.
AND COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, IF YOU APPROVE THIS AMENDMENT.
AND FOR THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE, JUST A REMINDER, AS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO FORM THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT COME, UM, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME TO WORK WITH THE JUSTICE FUND COALITION.
LIKEWISE, I WILL BE INVITING IN THE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, WHO, UM, HAS LED ALMOST ALL OF THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, UH, THE DIRECTION THAT, UH, HE HAS ADVISED THE CITY ON, UM, AND THE WORK THAT, UH, WE HAVE DONE THUS FAR.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WAS, UH, WE HAVEN'T HEARD IT ALL, UM, IN, IN THIS DISCUSSION.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MORE DISCUSSION IN THAT CASE.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE? COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR PRESENTERS.
AND AS YOU HEARD, WE'VE FORMED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, SO YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM US, UM, BEFORE THE END OF APRIL FOR YOUR TIME.
OKAY, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM,
[4. 26-54692 Recommendation to discuss recent allegations of sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez and Jeffrey Epstein and the impact on women and girls in the City of Long Beach, and, if appropriate, take action to transmit a letter to the Mayor and City Council outlining policy recommendations. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS RECENT ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY CAESAR CHAVEZ AND JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND THE IMPACT ON WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION TO TRANSMIT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OUTLINING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE VICE CHAIR ARCHULETA TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING CHAIR MILLINGER AND MS. ALANA GRANT FOR ACCOMMODATING THIS LAST MINUTE AGENDA ITEM REGARDING SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE.
UM, AS THE COMMISSION CHARGED WITH ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN'S SAFETY AND WELLBEING, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS SEXUAL ABUSE AND TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS TO THE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND CITY COUNCIL.
THEREFORE, WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT CITY COUNCIL TAKE ACTION TO PUBLICLY DENOUNCE SEXUAL ABUSE, STAND WITH THE SURVIVORS, AND COMMIT TO CREATING A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN OUR CITY.
AND I HOPE THAT THE COMMISSION, UH, WILL JOIN US IN THIS ENDEAVOR AND SUPPORT THE,
[01:10:01]
UH, LETTER THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEND TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ITEM? MOTION.
UM, SO AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE LAST WEEK REGARDING THE SEXUAL ABUSIVE ALL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MR. CAESAR CHAVEZ, UM, AS THE VICE CHAIR EXPRESSED, UH, WE FELT THAT THE COMMISSION OUGHT TO REQUEST ATTENTION TO THE MATTER BY OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LAST NIGHT THE COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADDRESS THE RENAMING OF FACILITIES AND, UM, CITY ASSETS AND PROPERTIES.
HOWEVER, I DO STILL THINK SENDING A LETTER WOULD MAKE OUR THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER CLEAR AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, UM, WHILE ALSO, YOU KNOW, REQUESTING THAT THEY REMAIN ENGAGED WITH US IN THE SURVIVOR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THAT'S MY PIECE ON THAT.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO OPEN, UH, THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
SO THANK YOU BOTH, UM, VICE CHAIR AND CHAIR FOR DRAFTING THE LETTER.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M IN SUPPORT.
I THINK I'M ON THE SAME PAGE AS YOU, UM, CHAIR.
ANY OTHER, OH, UH, COMMISSIONER OR DR.
ENGEL? I THINK COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
NO, I MEAN, I, I FULLY SUPPORT ABSOLUTELY.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE CITY MOVED FORWARD WITH IT LAST NIGHT.
I WAS GONNA SAY THE SAME THING.
I, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR PUTTING THE LETTER TOGETHER.
I THINK IT'S A STRONG LETTER AND, AND I THINK WE CAN SUPPORT IT.
SORRY, I, I THINK OUR VICE CHAIR'S FROZEN, SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
VICE CHAIR, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
AS LONG AS WE CAN HEAR EACH OTHER, I THINK WE'RE OKAY.
UM, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS COMMISSIONERS.
UM, DID, I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, JUST SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE LANGUAGE.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD AMEND THE LETTER SLIGHTLY BECAUSE THE COUNCIL ALREADY TOOK UP THE RENAMING OF FACILITIES, OR IF YOU THINK IT'S STILL APPROPRIATE TO SEND IT AS IS.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND AMEND TO UPDATE THE LETTER.
UM, THEN I THINK THAT UNDERLYING PORTION WE WOULD WANT TO AMEND TO SAY, UM, SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, WE RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH RENAMING SUCH, UM, PROPERTIES AND FACILITIES AND ASK THAT THEY ALSO, UM, CONSIDER NAMING THEM FOR WOMEN LEADERS IN ADDITION TO, I THINK THEY WERE CONSIDERING LEADERS IN THE FARM WORKERS MOVEMENT AND, UM, LOCAL LATINO LEADERS, I BELIEVE IS WHAT THEY VOTED ON.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE CHANGE I SUGGEST.
SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, DOES THE ORIGINAL MAKER AND SECONDER AGREE WITH THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO UPDATE THE LETTER? AND THAT'S GONNA BE COMMISSIONER ENGEL AND COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
UM, MADAM CLERK, CAN WE MOVE? OH, I'M SORRY.
SORRY, COULD I ASK, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THIS PART, THE RE IN SUPPORT OF, AND THEN IT LISTS PEOPLE.
WHAT'S THE BACKGROUND THERE? IS THAT TIED INTO WHAT THE CITY WAS VOTING ON OR, I ACTUALLY DID NOT WRITE THE RE I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE COME.
SO THIS WENT THROUGH MULTIPLE DRAFTS, UM, BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE VICE CHAIR.
AND I THINK THAT IS A LEFTOVER FROM A PRIOR DRAFT.
IS THAT RIGHT? FOR STAFF? YES.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE EARLIER ITERATIONS.
JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANT THE SUBJECT LINE TO BE.
UM, I THINK MAYBE, UH, REGARDING SUPPORT FOR THE COUNCIL ACTION ON THE AGENDA ITEM FROM LAST NIGHT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ITEM NUMBER WAS.
AND THEN A REQUEST FOR, UM, INCLUSION BY THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND SURVIVOR COMMUNITY AS THEY PROGRESS.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.THAT WAS, YES,
IT'S BASICALLY THE TITLE THAT, OH, OKAY.
THE COUNCIL WOULD SEE AND IT SAYS IN SUPPORT OF DOLORES HUERTA AND, AND THE OTHER SURVIVORS, UM, BUT IS A LITTLE LESS SPECIFIC TO THE ACTUAL ASK THAT, THAT WE'RE MAKING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? DO WE NEED OUR SECOND AND MOTION OR TO AGREE TO THAT TOO? YES.
SO MOVE AND COMMISSIONER KEL? YES.
NOW I BELIEVE WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UM, CHECK FOR VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UM, IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM FOUR, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FOUR.
AND NO FURTHER DISCUSSION? CORRECT.
MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE? COMMISSIONER ELLEN HARPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
THANK YOU MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM.
[5. 26-54693 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. ]
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.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM MOVED? THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER DONATO, SAT, MAY I HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
UH, ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE INTO REPORTS.
UM, DO ANY OF MY FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING WANT TO SPEAK TO OUR COMMITTEE WORK? OKAY.
UM, WE WERE INVITED TO A RECENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMMITTEE MEETING.
HOWEVER, I GOT THE INVITATION, I THINK THE DAY BEFORE OR THE DAY OF, AND I, I COULDN'T MAKE IT MYSELF.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY DID YOU, OF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE HAVE BEEN IN FREQUENT COMMUNICATIONS WITH THEM OVER MAKING SURE WE'RE INCLUDED AS THE PROCESS GOES FORWARD, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE WORK WAITING FOR SOME PHASE OF THEIR RESEARCH TO BE CONCLUDED.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING UPDATE.
UM, WOULD COMMISSIONER ADA OR, AND OR COMMISSIONER DR.
ENGLE, LIKE TO PROVIDE UPDATES ON MENTORSHIP AND EDUCATION? OKAY.
WE HAD A MEETING, UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS, TWO WEEKS AGO, I THINK LAST ONE WEEK AGO.
AND WE HAD A, WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE, A BOARD MEMBER FROM, FROM FOUR GIRLS WHO IS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US RIGHT NOW, COME AND SPEAK ON FOUR GIRLS, AND SHE'S THE BOARD MEMBER FOR JUNIOR LEAGUE LONG BEACH.
UM, AND SHE SPOKE ABOUT WHAT BOTH ORGANIZATIONS CAN DO AND HOW THEY CAN GET SUPPORT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE WAITING FOR THAT INFORMATION TO GO TO BOTH BOARDS TO SEE HOW THEY CAN CREATE BETTER PARTNERSHIPS, BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A PARTNERSHIP.
WE ALSO RECEIVED SOME ORGANIZATIONS FOR MENTORSHIPS THROUGH, UM, THROUGH MS. SAMANTHA VELA.
UM, AND YES, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, WITH CREATING A MENTORSHIP, UM, MENTORSHIP CONNECTIONS, UM, FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
COMMISSIONER MEDA, YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, I JUST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SINCE OUR, UH, OUR, UM, PARTNER IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, GETTING TO WORK.
WE'VE, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
AND SAMANTHA ALSO, UH, IS ON THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF LONG BEACH, SO WE HAD A PRETTY ROBUST CONVERSATION JUST FROM THOSE, THOSE THREE ORGANIZATIONS THERE, AND SOME GOOD LEADS ON SOME MENTORSHIP
[01:20:01]
PROGRAMMING.UM, WE'VE, OR AT LEAST I'VE STARTED SENDING OUT OUR INFORMATION COLLECTION FORM.
UM, I SENT THAT TO SOME FOLKS IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE INDUSTRY TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WE ARE COLLECTING DATA AS WELL.
BEFORE WE CONTINUE, IF WE CAN PLEASE TAKE A SHORT BREAK TO FIX TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ZOOM.
AND THEN WE CAN RESUME ONCE WE HAVE CONNECTION WITH VICE CHAIR ARCH.
WELL, LET'S TAKE A RECESS UNTIL YOU HAVE FIXED THE ZOOM.
LIKE WHO? HI, ALANA, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE AUDIO, THE, THE, UH, SETTINGS.
COMMISSIONERS, CAN I INVITE YOU BACK TO THE DIOCESE? IT SEEMS LIKE OUR TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.
UM, CAN WE END OUR RECESS? YES.
JUST TO CONFIRM WE HAVE QUORUM.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
AND CHAIR MELLINGER? I AM HERE.
OKAY, SO MOVING ON TO OUR SAFETY AD HOC COMMITTEE.
DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE? I BELIEVE THEY'VE NOT RECONVENED YET.
[01:25:01]
SO, AND I'M NOT SURE.I, I GUESS WE HAVE TO TALK TO ALANA ABOUT WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING.
SO LET'S MOVE TO RANK CHOICE VOTING, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ALLEN HARPER AND LEVI VIOLET, CAN YOU PROVIDE US AN UPDATE FOR HOW YOUR PROGRESS IS GOING ON YOUR LETTER OR YOUR, YOUR RESEARCH OR OUR RESEARCH? YEAH.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME INFORMATION ON THE PROS AND CONS, BUT WE, WE WANNA SET A MEETING WITH, UH, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND, UH, COMMISSIONER ALAN HARPER.
UH, REQUESTED DATES, WHICH WERE THIS WEEK AND WE DIDN'T HEAR BACK.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE REQUESTING DATES TO MEET WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE.
IS THAT JUST FOR YOUR AD HOC COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH THEM? YES.
UH, ALANA, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD TO THAT? NO.
I THINK, AND NOW WE HAVE A NEW AD HOC COMMITTEE AS WELL, SO WE'LL HAVE TO ADD THAT.
BUT THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE, THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ON, UM, THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, COALITION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORTS COMMISSIONERS? UH,
FOR THE MENTORSHIP AND EVALUATION, UH, NOT EVALUATION, MENTORSHIP AND EDUCATION MM-HMM
UM, AD HOC, I REALIZED I DON'T HAVE AN ESTIMATED TIME FOR YOUR COMPLETION, UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, OH.
UH, ALL OF OUR AD HOCS ARE TASK AND TIME BOUND, SO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THAT TO ADD TO OUR LIST.
UM, WE HAVE YOUR NEW, UM, LIKE PURPOSE STATEMENT, BUT NEED THAT, UH, DEADLINE.
I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO CONFER WITH EACH OTHER ON THAT.
AND THEN ALSO JUST ON NOTE, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT, UH, UH, QUESTIONNAIRE CAN BE SHARED WITH THE FULL COMMISSION.
SO ONCE YOU'RE READY, I'D BE HAPPY TO DISSEMINATE THAT TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION SO THAT THEY, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT OUTREACH IS SHARED BY THE FULL BODY.
YEAH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, I THINK WE'RE READY FOR THAT TO BE SHARED OUT NOW.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER THE NEXT TIME WE MEET.
BUT I, AND IT MAY BE OVER AMBITIOUS, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO END BY OUR, THE END OF OUR YEAR, LIKE OUR, OUR FUNCTIONAL YEAR IN JUNE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE GOAL.
MAKE A, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE MENTORSHIP AND EDUCATION, UM, AD HOC.
I KNOW WE HAD MADE A COMMITMENT AT OUR VISION MAPPING AND PLANNING DAY TO PARTNER WITH JUNIOR LEAGUE THIS YEAR, BUT THAT IS NO LONGER GOING TO HAPPEN, UM, THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO PARTNER FOR THEIR CONFERENCE FOR NEXT YEAR.
NOT TO SAY THAT WE CAN'T PARTNER WITH THEM IN OTHER CAPACITIES, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO DO.
AND THEN I THINK AT A PRIOR MEETING, WE'D RESET OUR GOAL TO INCLUDE THE MENTORSHIP, UM, THE LIST OR THE REFERENCE GUIDES AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS IN THE CITY.
ENGEL, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? NO, THAT WAS OKAY.
UM, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT REPORTS? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MADAME CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM FIVE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FIVE.
AND THEN MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Commission for Women and Girls on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
WILL NOW TAKE NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL FOR, UM, NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM.
THAT CONCLUDES PUB NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO WE WILL BE MOVING ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONERS
[01:30:01]
MAY REPORT ON ANY PREVIOUS OR UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS, SHARE RELEVANT INFORMATION OR RECOMMEND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER, DR.I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LONG BEACH IS HOSTING A GIRLS, A GIRLS SUMMIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS ON APRIL 26TH FROM NINE 30 ISH TO THREE O'CLOCK.
UM, DURING THIS TIME, WE WILL PRO, WE WILL PROVIDE YOUNG STUDENTS, 100 STUDENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, UM, LIVING IN THE LONG BEACH AREA WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT COLLEGE, CAREER AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES.
DURING THIS TIME, WE WILL ALSO HAVE FORMER FORMER CITY COUNCIL PERSON STACY MUNGLE SPEAK AS LONG AS WELL AS LOCAL COLLEGE STUDENTS TO TELL, UM, AND PEOPLE IN NON-TRADITIONAL CAREERS DISCUSS THE OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHWAYS TO NON-TRADITIONAL CAREERS AND COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES AT LOCAL COLLEGES, ESPECIALLY CAL STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT, AS WELL AS CAL LUTHERAN.
UM, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AND IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, I DO.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, URGE YOU TO GO TO THE JUNIOR JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LONG BEACH WEBSITE AND REGISTER.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? OH, UM,
OH YEAH, I'LL GO BEFORE THE VICE CHAIR.
UM, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE, OH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND.
UM, SO YOU, AT YOUR DESKS, AT YOUR SEATS, YOU HAVE HANDOUTS FOR THE DISABILITY DATA COMMUNITY SURVEY.
AND SO WE ARE, UH, APPROACHING OUR FINAL MONTH OF HAVING THE SURVEY LIVE.
I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY SHARE, UM, THAT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES TO LAUNCH THE DISABILITY DATA AND COMMUNITY SURVEY.
IT'S THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, A COMPREHENSIVE INITIATIVE, UM, SUPPORTED WITH, UH, ONE-TIME FRONT FUNDS FROM THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO FOCUS ON BRIDGING CRITICAL DATA GAPS, UH, THAT WILL HELP US INFORM POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES FOR THE CITY'S DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UH, IT'LL ALSO HELP, UH, AS WE PREPARE FOR THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, THIS, UH, SURVEY IS GONNA HELP US TO ESTABLISH LOCALIZED DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE'S AN AMAZING VIDEO ON OUR, UH, A DA PAGE ON THE CITY'S, UH, CITY'S WEBSITE, UM, THAT ACTUALLY FEATURES ONE OF OUR VERY OWN COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, UH, DONDO SAP IS IN THERE, UM, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER CITY, UH, LEADERS.
AND SO, UH, AS WE APPROACH THIS FINAL PUSH TO GET AS MANY SURVEYS COMPLETED, WE ARE ASKING YOU ALL TO SHARE, UM, WITH ANY FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW.
UM, THE SURVEY CAN BE COMPLETED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MEANING FOLKS WHO LIVE, WORK, LEARN, PLAY, AGE, OR VISIT LONG BEACH, UM, TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OR THE NEEDS, UH, THAT, UM, THEY'D LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED WHEN IT COMES TO BOTH INFRASTRUCTURE, QUALITY OF LIFE, HEALTH, ET CETERA.
UM, HOUSING, ALL OF THE, IT'S, IT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY.
40 MINUTES, NOT 40 MINUTES, FOUR 40 QUESTIONS, BUT IT SHOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES.
SO, UM, WE ARE ASKING ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING YOU ALL TO, TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD, UM, FOR A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, INITIATIVE.
AND I'M SORRY, VICE CHAIR, I MISSED YOUR RAISED HAND.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS AND I, BUT THE FIRST THING IS THAT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONGRATULATE OUR, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, ELLIS LA VIOLETTE FOR, UH, HER RECOGNITION BY THE, UH, LOS ANGELES COUNTY COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AS A COMMUNITY, UH, SHERO.
UH, SHE WAS HONORED BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN AND IN PARTICULAR, UM, YOU KNOW, HER, THE, HER EXTENSIVE WORK IN THE AREA OF, UM, SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND, UM, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO I WANT US TO CONGRATULATE HER ON THIS, UH, AWARD WELL DESERVED AWARD.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? AND I, WELL, I ALSO HAVE, UH, CAN WE DO THE VIDEO NOW OR SHOULD WE WAIT? OH, LET ME, I HAVE ONE, I HAVE TWO BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND THEN IF WE DO STILL HAVE THAT VIDEO, WE CAN SHARE IT.
UH, LET'S SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER MY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I, I HAD INVITED, UM, FORMER COUNCILWOMAN JERRY KY ACTUALLY TO PRESENT
[01:35:01]
THIS EVENING BECAUSE, UM, SHE'S WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT IN LONG BEACH AND HOW LONG BEACH CONTRIBUTED TO THE HISTORY OF THAT MOVEMENT.SHE'S ACTUALLY DONE SOME LOCAL TOURS ON IT.
WE COULDN'T ALIGN ON A DATE, BUT I LET HER KNOW.
I, I THINK IF SHE CAN MAKE A FUTURE DATE, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FOR US.
UM, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'LL BE JOINING US AT A FUTURE DATE.
AND THEN TO, UM, THE WOMEN WHO I NAMED AT THE START OF THE MEETING, THERE IS ACTUALLY, I THINK THERE'S A CITY ARTICLE, UM, ONLINE ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE'S ALSO ONE ON VISIT LONG BEACH.COM.
UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN READING MORE ABOUT THE HISTORIES OF THOSE WOMEN, IT'S CALLED, I THINK IT'S CALLED LONG BEACH WOMEN WHO MADE HISTORY.
SO IF YOU WANNA READ THEIR STORIES.
UM, AND NOW VICE-CHAIR ARCHULETA HAD A VIDEO FOR US THAT SHE WANTED TO SHARE TO COMMEMORATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
SO IF STAFF IS ABLE TO QUEUE THAT UP, WE WOULD LOVE TO WATCH THAT.
AND THIS WAS A VIDEO THAT WAS, UH, PRESENTED, UH, ON THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY BY MS. UH, UH, AN NALA, UM, ACH PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
LINA, WHEN A WOMAN RAISES HER VOICE, SHE'S TOO EMOTIONAL WHEN SHE STANDS HER GROUND, SHE IS DIFFICULT WHEN SHE LEADS, SHE'S TOO AMBITIOUS.
IF SHE WEAR DARK SUITS, THEY WHISPER.
WHY DOES SHE ALWAYS LOOK LIKE A MAN? BUT OH MY GOSH, IF SHE SHOWS UP IN COLORFUL DRESSES AND HIGH HEELS, WHEN WOMEN LEAD NATIONS THROUGH CRISES, THEY ARE LUCKY.
YET, IF THEY STUMBLE, IT BECOMES THE BIGGEST CRISIS.
YES, WE HAVE HEARD IT ALL AS F GENERATIONS OF WOMEN BEFORE US EVEN MORE DIRECTLY.
AND WITH THIS TONE, YOU ACT LIKE A WOMAN.
YOU RUN LIKE A GIRL, AS IF IT IS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.
YET, HISTORY HAS PROVED OTHERWISE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO NEGOTIATE THEM AGAIN.
WHEN GIRLS REMAIN IN SCHOOL, ECONOMIES GROW ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WHEN WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKFORCE, PRODUCTIVITY RISES ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
WHEN WOMEN SIT AT PEACE TABLES, AGREEMENTS LAST LONGER ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
WHEN WOMEN LEAD INSTITUTIONS, THEY ARE MORE RESILIENT.
SO LADIES, IT'S TIME TO FLIP THE NARRATIVE.
TODAY WE ARE RECLAIMING LIKE A WOMAN BOLDLY AND PROUDLY AS SPORTS STARS.
SERENA WILLIAMS ONCE SAID, YOU CALL US CRAZY.
WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT CRAZY CAN DO.
WIN LIKE A WOMAN LEAD, LIKE A WOMAN, CHANGE LIKE A WOMAN, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF BACKLASH, WHEN IT CAN FEEL AS THOUGH WE ARE FORCED TO FIGHT THE SAME OLD BATTLES AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BATTLES FROM 80 YEARS AGO WHEN ANOTHER SO-CALLED DIFFICULT WOMAN, DR.
HANSA METTA FROM INDIA SHOWED WHAT CHANGE LIKE A WOMAN CAN ACHIEVE BY INSISTING TO CHANGE ONE SINGLE WORD IN THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
SHE CHANGED THE WHOLE MEANING OF IT, AFFIRMING THAT ALL HUMAN BEINGS AND NOT ONLY MEN, ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS.
SO THEIR EXCELLENCIES, ESPECIALLY DEAR GIRLS OUT THERE NEXT TIME, THEY TELL YOU AGAIN THAT GENDER SENSITIVE LANGUAGE OR STANDING UP FOR YOUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IS SOMETHING SO-CALLED WOKE.
RESIST LIKE A WOMAN RESIST LIKE HANS META AND REMIND THEM THAT WOMEN RIGHTS ARE NOTHING NEW BUT HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED IN THE DNA OF THIS INSTITUTION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
MARKING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IN 2026, LIKE A WOMAN MEANS THAT WE WILL NOT STOP FIGHTING FOR EQUAL REPRESENTATION AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS, INDEED LIKE A WOMAN EMPATHIC AND AMBITIOUS IN SUITS AND IN
[01:40:01]
COLORFUL DRESSES UNTIL THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN ARE FREE.AND GIRLS WORLDWIDE ARE NOT BEING FORCED ANYMORE TO MARRY BEFORE THEY FINISH SCHOOL.
UNTIL WE SEE JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE, WHETHER IT OCCURS AT HOME OR AS PART OF EXPLOITIVE SEXUAL SLAVERY, NETWORKS AS EXPOSED IN THE EPSTEIN FILES UNTIL WOMEN ARE EQUALLY PAID AND REPRESENTED, WHETHER IN NEWSROOMS, IN BOARDROOMS, IN GOVERNMENTS, AND YES, AT THE HELM OF THIS INSTITUTION, OUR UNITED NATIONS.
YES, THANK YOU VICE CHAIR CHOTA FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
I THINK UNLESS THERE ARE FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, I THINK THAT THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO CLOSE OUT OUR MEETING FOR TODAY.
SO IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, I
[ADJOURNMENT]
DECLARE THE MEETING ADJOURNED.UH, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE TIME.