[00:07:02]
[00:07:02]
EVENING, EVERYBODY HERE IN THE THEATER.WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR IT'S 6 0 1 AND WE'RE STILL WAITING TO MAKE QUORUM.
UH, WELCOME TO THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS MEETING FOR MAY.
UH, AND WE HOPE TO GET STARTED, UH, SHORTLY.
[00:11:39]
PAUSE, BUT THIS WORKS RIGHT.AND COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ, UH, OVER HERE.
[CALL TO ORDER]
6 0 7, AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER, UH, FOR MAY 6TH, 2026.[ROLL CALL]
UM, COULD YOU TAKE A VERBAL ROLL CALL? COMMISSIONER BROWN.COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SAMME WEILL HERE, VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ PRESENT AND CHAIR COVINGTON PRESENT.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, COMMISSIONER DOCKERY AND COMMISSIONER COLE ARE EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? LOOK, CHRIS IS UP ON THE SCREEN.
[CHAIR REMARKS]
ASKED, UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN TO READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TONIGHT.WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE LIVE, WORK, AND GATHER ON THE TRADITIONAL, SACRED AND UNSEATED LANDS OF TONGVA, KI MIN AND HUMMA, AND OTHER INDIGENOUS GROUPS WHO CALL THESE GROUNDS HOME.
WE HONOR AND EXTEND GRATITUDE TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE IN PROTECTING THIS LAND.
WE ASPIRE TO UPHOLD OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ACCORDING TO THEIR EXAMPLE.
UH, THIS IS THE PART OF THE MEETING, UH, UH, WE PROVIDE, UH, UH, CHAIR REMARKS.
UM, CHAIR COVINGTON, DO YOU HAVE ANY REMARKS? YES.
UH, I JUST WANNA THANK, UM, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY.
UH, I KNOW SOME FOLKS ARE HERE TO JOIN US FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR IN THE MAKING, SO I'M EXCITED THAT WE GET TO IZE THIS ITEM, UH, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION.
UM, AND, UH, HAPPY PRIDE, UH, TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES, UH, MAY, FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW, IS PRIDE MONTH, UH, FOR LONG BEACH.
UH, SO IF FOLKS, UH, AREN'T ALREADY PLANNING TO SUPPORT THE LONG BEACH PRIDE FESTIVAL, UM, THE NEXT WEEKEND, UH, PLEASE DO BUY SOME TICKETS AND COME OUT TO, UH, DOWNTOWN AND SUPPORT THE SENSITIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO YOU, VICE CHAIR.
UM, CHAIR COVINGTON IS COMING TO US FROM, UH, UH, THE MARRIOTT IN OAKLAND.
[00:15:02]
VERY GOOD.I WISH I WERE IN OAKLAND AND YOU WERE SITTING HERE.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST ITEM? ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION
[1. 26-55038 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Equity and Human Relations Commission meeting of Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1ST, 2026.COULD I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ITEM? UH, WE HAVE TO DO IT, UH, VERBALLY.
SO IT WAS, UH, MOVED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BROWN.
UM, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE MINUTES FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? OH, YEAH.
IT SAYS THAT DOESN'T, SEEING NONE.
UM, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER ONE? IF THERE ARE ANY IN PERSON, 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 THE ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THAT'D BE WONDERFUL.
COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES? YES.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM? ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A
[2. 26-55044 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Coalition Against Anti-Blackness regarding justice for Black workers in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE COALITION AGAINST ANTI-BLACKNESS REGARDING JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS IN LONG BEACH.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ITEM? I SEE COMMISSIONER LARA AND COMMISSIONER SME WILD, UH, MOVED BY LAURA AND SECONDED BY SAM.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT.
I'M DANA NICKERSON AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF BLACK WORKERS OF LONG BEACH.
TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING ON THE STATE OF BLACK WORKERS IN LONG BEACH, AND I'M STANDING ON BEHALF OF THE COALITION FOR ANTI-BLACKNESS, AND I'M A PARTICIPANT IN LONG BEACH BLACK WORKERS CENTER, WHERE WE SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN ORGANIZING AROUND WORKERS' RIGHTS, UM, WELLNESS AND PROTECTIONS.
TONIGHT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
BLACK WORKERS HAVE BEEN SPEAKING UP FOR, FOR YEARS AND DECADES.
UM, I'M A RECENT RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, AND I'VE ENCOUNTERED QUITE A FEW THINGS IN MY, MY EMPLOYEE THAT LED ME TO SUPPORT LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ANTI OR ABOUT DISCRIMINATION PRACTICES, ABOUT INEQUITY, ABOUT THE VISIBLE HARM IN WORKPLACES.
AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS.
PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY'VE DONE WHAT THEY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET, UH, BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD, AND SOME HAVE EVEN TAKEN LEGAL ACTION.
AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THERE'S A PATTERN.
THE BLACK WORKERS CENTER DOES INTAKES WITH BLACK WORKERS AROUND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT INCIDENT AND IS, UH, ISOLATED INCIDENTS.
THERE'S DEFINITELY PATTERNS THAT WE SEE, THAT THERE'S BARRIERS TO PROMOTIONS.
UM, THERE'S PERFORMING AT HIGHER LEVEL WORK FOR LITTLE INCREASE IN PAY DISPARITIES IN DISCIPLINE AND OVERSIGHT.
AND ACROSS THE THE LONG BEACH CITY, THERE ARE WAGE GAPS IN UNDEREMPLOYMENT, LACK OF ACCESS TO LEADERSHIP ROLES, WHICH WE THINK WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN HOW THINGS ARE ABLE TO CHANGE.
WE DO HAVE AN EQUITY COM, UM, DEPARTMENT WHO IS LED BY AMAZING LEADERS.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF C CITY AND COMMUNITY CBOS COULD GET TOGETHER AND WORK ON THE ISSUES THAT WE FIND THAT ARE VERY DISPARAGING TO
[00:20:01]
OUR COMMUNITY.SO SOME OF THE KEY DATA POINTS THAT WE FOUND IS THAT BLACK WORKERS EARN 65, 30, 63 TO 65 CENTS LESS THAN WHITE WORKERS.
BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE TWO TIMES HIGHER THAN WHITE WORKERS IN LONG BEACH.
BLACK RESIDENTS MAKE UP 13 OR LESS THAN 13% OF THE POPULATION AND ARE MAJORLY UNDERREPRESENTED, UM, UNDERREPRESENTED IN HIGH PAYING ROLES.
AND WE KNOW NATIONALLY THIS PROBLEM EXISTS NOT JUST IN LONG BEACH.
SO WHY IT MATTERS IS THAT THERE'S A HUGE IMPACT ON FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A REDUCED INCOME IN WEALTH, WEALTH, WEALTH BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES OR CAPABILITIES.
THERE'S AN INCREASED ECONOMIC STABILITY, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STAND FOR IN MY CAREER, MY CONSULTANCY, IS AROUND PREVENTION OF BURNOUT.
WE KNOW THAT BURNOUT IS A HEALTH CRISIS, AND BLACK PEOPLE EXPONENTIALLY EXPERIENCE THE CHRONIC TOXIC STRESS FROM WORKPLACES.
THERE'S ALSO IMPACT ON THE CITY THAT THERE'S A LACK OF VALUABLE TALENT AND LEADERSHIP.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE BLACK PEOPLE THRIVE, ALL PEOPLE THRIVE.
UM, THERE'S REDUCED TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS THAT WE CALL ON TO SUPPORT US BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE STRUCTURES ARE NOT THERE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE COLLABORATION CAN COME INTO PLAY WITH THE COMMUNITY.
MORALE ACROSS THE CITY IS VERY LOW FOR BLACK PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE A EXPERIENCE OF JUST GOING TO WORK.
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT I INTERVIEW WITH.
THIS IS MY JOB TO TALK TO THESE PEOPLE AND SURVEY PEOPLE.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS NOT ISOLATED.
MANY PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A GOOD REASON TO GO TO WORK BESIDES A PAYCHECK, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WHILE BLACK, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD MYSELF ARE, I'VE BEEN DOING THE JOB FOR YEARS, BUT NEVER GIVEN A TITLE.
ALSO, I'VE BEEN GIVEN THE TITLE AND BEEN UNABLE TO, TO DO WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO.
THE RULES CHANGE WHEN IT'S MY TURN TO MOVE UP.
SPEAKING UP COMES WITH CONSEQUENCES.
MANY PEOPLE ARE FEARFUL OF RETALIATION EVEN WHEN PROTECTIONS ARE IN PLACE.
MANY PEOPLE ARE RETALIATED AGAINST, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTED BY LABOR UNIONS AND PROTECTIONS.
AND YOU FEEL INVISIBLE, LIKE THERE'S NO PROBLEM THERE.
AND WHAT'S DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS IS THAT YES, EVERY INDIVIDUAL'S PERCEPTION OF THEIR EXPERIENCE IS UNIQUE TO THEM AND WHAT THEY SEE IN THEIR LIFE.
YET THE STORIES ARE THE SAME AND CONSISTENT.
SO REACH RESEARCH CONFIRMS THAT BLACK PROFESSIONALS REPORT HIGHER WORK RATES OF WORKFORCE, WORKFORCE DISCRIMINATION AND ISOLATION.
AND WHAT RETALIATION IS ONE OF THE MOST CONTRIBUTING OUTCOMES AFTER REPORTING THIS DISCRIMINATION.
SO WHAT ARE WE LEFT TO DO? IT'S REALLY, UM, OUR HANDS ARE TIED AND WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME SUPPORT.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE COMMISSION TO SUPPORT US IN MAKING A RECOMMENDATION AROUND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE EQUITABLE WORKPLACES FOR BLACK PEOPLE.
SO WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS NEEDED IS TRANSPARENCY.
MORE PUBLIC REPORTING ON HIRING, PROMOTION, PAY, AND DISCIPLINE BY RACE, CLEAR CONSISTENT ADVANCEMENT CRITERIA.
SO INDIVIDUALS KNOW WHAT THEIR CAREER LADDERS MIGHT LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY ENTER THEIR CAREER.
ACCOUNTABILITY, WHERE WE HAVE INDEPENDENT REVIEWS OF COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THIS IS A MASS PROBLEM AND IT'S NOT BEING RESOLVED WITH THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN PLACE CURRENTLY.
UM, AND THEN CONSEQUENCES FOR INEQUITABLE PRACTICES, WE'RE LOOKING FOR PROTECTIONS FOR WORKERS AND ANTI-RETALIATION, UM, SORRY, ANTI-RETALIATION ENFORCEMENT.
WE NEED TO PROTECT BLACK WORKERS AND RESPECT THEM WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INVESTMENT IN LEADERSHIP.
PIPELINES FOR BLACK EMPLOYEES, MENTORSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS, INCLUDING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS THAT HELP PEOPLE TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO INDIVIDUALS.
UH, AND THEN MOSTLY WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT, NOT JUST TO BE ALLOCATED TO A DEPARTMENT AND EXPECT THEM TO HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR A PROBLEM THAT MANY PEOPLE IS TOUCHING.
AND SO, REALLY A, A EQUITABLE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, HEALTHY WORKPLACES WHERE WORKERS FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND BE BRILLIANT.
OUR CALL TO ACTIONS ARE THAT WE ARE ASKING THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION TO REQUEST A FORMAL REPORT ON THE STATE OF BLACK WORKERS IN LONG BEACH, UM, TO RECOMMEND PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN COME
[00:25:01]
TO THE TABLE AND BE HEARD, HEAR EACH OTHER, AND REALLY GET WHAT'S GOING ON.WE'RE CALLING FOR TRANSPARENT DATA, AND WE WANT A SUPPORT.
WE WANT SUPPORT FOR A BLACK WORKER E EQUITY PLAN WITH COMMUNITY INPUT THAT'S PARAMOUNT AND TANTAMOUNT WITH TIMELINES AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES.
AND THEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABOUT ANTI-BLACKNESS IN THE WORKPLACE.
PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE HEARD, SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE BEING TOLD TO DO WITH NO RESOLVE AND NOT EVEN ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP IN COURT CASES.
UM, WE HAVE CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT SPOKE TO A SITUATION WITH FIVE INDIVIDUALS RECENTLY.
AND SO WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HAS TO GO TO LITIGATE IN ORDER TO BE HEARD.
SO WE'RE ASKING THAT WE BE HEARD.
I'M ALSO SHARING WITH YOU THAT LONG BEACH BLACK WORKERS CENTER'S WEBSITE IS L-B-B-W-C.
WE'RE IN THE, UM, MIDDLE OF A CAMPAIGN AND A PETITION CALLED, AND OUR, UH, CAMPAIGN IS CALLED DIGNITY NOT DELAY.
AND WE'VE CAREFULLY STRATEGIZED WITH COMMUNITY WORKERS AROUND WHAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEM.
AND THESE ARE THEIR DEMANDS, WORKFORCE ANALYSIS.
IN 120 DAYS, THEY'D LIKE TO SEE A WORKFORCE ANALYSIS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE FEBRUARY, UM, COUNCIL MEETING, ONGOING TRANSPARENCY, INDEPENDENT TRUTH RECONCILIATION, WHERE WE CAN BE TRUSTWORTHY, TRANSPARENT, AND AUTHENTIC WITH EACH OTHER AROUND THE GAPS.
AND THEN WHAT WORKS ALSO, UM, WE LIKE WORKFORCE EQUITY POLICY, HIRING, CLASSIFICATION, AND PROMOTION.
THAT'S VERY CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE.
WAGE EQUITY AUDITS, ANTI-RETALIATION PROTECTIONS, TRAUMA-INFORMED PROTECTIONS FOR WORKERS, BLACK WORKER ADVANCEMENT.
AND THEN WE'RE ASKING THAT THE PROJECT BE FUNDED SO THAT IT CAN SUSTAIN THE TIMELINE THAT'S NEEDED.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, IS THAT WE FIND FUNDS FOR THIS PROGRAM TO OCCUR.
I'M NOT GONNA TAKE ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME.
I'VE THANK YOU CERTAINLY FOR YOUR LISTENING AND YOUR ATTENTION, AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION? NOT, NOT QUESTION.
WE HAVE, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, DISCUSSION CO COMMENT AFTERWARDS.
UH, THIS IS HELP ME CLERK, UH, MADAM CLERK.
IF IT'S A COMMENT FOR THE PRESENTER, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND AND STATE IT RIGHT NOW JUST RELATED TO THE PRESENTER.
ONCE YOU GUYS WANNA HAVE DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COMMISSION, WE'LL DO THAT AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, WHAT SHE SAID.
WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU RECALL REAL QUICK? UH, COMMISSIONER LAURA.
UH, FIRST I JUST WANNA START WITH GRATITUDE FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND, UM, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR POSITIONALITY RIGHT INTO, IN THIS WORK, AND I KNOW IT'S OFTEN, IT PROVIDES THE COURAGE TO BRING THIS FORWARD WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY IT ALSO, UH, IS A POSITION OF, UM, OF, UH, WOW, HERE WE GO AGAIN.
SO, AND I THINK I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
UM, SO I, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THEN I CAN GO ON AND ON THAT.
UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE REFERENCES IN YOUR PRESENTATION TO DATA.
I APPRECIATE THE QUALITATIVE DATA, BRINGING THOSE TWO TOGETHER.
DO YOU HAVE A, DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE KIND OF A, UM, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT RIGHT IN THE MOMENT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO, LIKE, INCIDENCES IN TERMS OF DATA, LIKE OVERALL IN TERMS OF QUANTITY? UM, SO WE, AS WE DISCUSS, WE KIND OF HAVE THAT IN, IN THE FRONT OF OUR, OUR HEADS AS WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKE SENSE OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, YES, WE, WE DO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DATA AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, THE DATA THAT WE'RE COLLECTING THAT SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY TO BLACK MM-HMM
NOT JUST MINORITIES, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO COLLATE THAT DATA.
BUT YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE DO HAVE DATA TO NUMBERS, QUANTITIES, AND INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.
SURVEY RESULTS QUESTIONNAIRES.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING WE AS A COMMISSION CAN ACCESS? I WOULD LOVE TO, TO GET IT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
UM, CHAIR COVINGTON HAS HIS HAND UP IN OAKLAND.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, THE BLACK WORKERS CENTER FOR COMING OUT AND LEADING THE PRESENTATION AND
[00:30:01]
ALSO THE DIFFERENT COALITION MEMBERS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM AND SEE ALL DIFFERENT COMING OUT.UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, BEFORE WE GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF LIKE, UM, THE PROCESS, UH, AS A COMMISSION, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO AGENDIZE ANY ITEM FOR CITY COUNCIL.
UM, NOR CAN WE, UH, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UM, WE ARE AN ADVISORY BODY TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE AND REQUESTED ON THE, TO THE EQUITY S COMMISSION, UH, WE CAN SUBMIT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO I WANNA JUST, UM, SET EXPECTATIONS AS TO LIKE WHAT POWERS THAT WE DO HAVE.
UH, AND IN ADDITION, UH, FOR THE CONTEXT OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION, UH, AS A COMMISSION, OUR JURISDICTION IS FOR ALL, UM, RESIDENTS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY, UM, THAT RELATE TO EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS, UM, OR SOCIAL JUSTICE, UM, EXPERIENCES.
UM, SO AS, UH, WE ARE PREPARING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT ADDRESS, UM, SPECIFIC MATTERS OF EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT FALLS OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION.
UH, HOWEVER, IF ANY OF THE ITEMS DISCUSSED ARE PERTAINING TO ALL EMPLOYEE, ALL WORKERS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, WE CAN TAKE THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, WHEN WE OPEN UP, UM, UP THE COMMENT, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD, UM, DURING OUR DISCUSSION PORTION, UH, AS A COMMISSION.
UH, AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, WHEN WE OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO RESPOND, UH, TO ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR WITHIN, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ITEMS THAT WE WILL CONSIDER AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AS, UH, WE, UM, CONSIDER, UH, ACTIONS FOR THIS ITEM.
SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT.
UH, AND THE PRESENTATION WAS REALLY THOROUGH.
UH, I LOVED REVIEWING IT PRIOR TO TODAY.
UH, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO SUPPORTING, UM, MAKING A MOTION LATER TODAY, UH, FOR OUR AD HOC, UH, TO CREATE AN AD HOC SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO DEVELOP OUT A LETTER, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PRESENTING.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I THINK YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB IN PRESENTING THE MATERIAL.
I'VE NEVER WORKED FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BUT I HAVE WORKED IN THE GENERAL WORKFORCE IN CORPORATE AMERICA FOR THE BULK OF MY CAREER.
AND SO I CAN RELATE ONLY TOO WELL TO THE, UM, ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED HERE THIS EVENING.
MY, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH.
IS THIS THE FIRST FORMAL PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE MADE ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC? THE PRESENTATION TO THIS COMMISSION HERE TONIGHT? YES.
SO WE'RE KIND OF LIKE STEP ONE FOR YOU IN, IN THAT PROCESS? YES, WE'RE, YES.
UM, CAN I ANSWER WITH, WITH WHAT'S BEHIND THAT? MY, YES.
WE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO, UM, ORGANIZE FOR TWO YEARS MM-HMM
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOLID PATHWAYS TO GET CHANGE, TO MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN.
AND SO, NO WORD, THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST PRESENTATION, BUT TO, UH, UH, ONE OF OUR BODIES THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR LONG BEACH.
AND THEN, UM, WITH CHRIS, HE'S SUPPORTED, UM, US ORGANIZING.
SO HE'S, HE'S BEEN, UM, VERY SUPPORTIVE IN GETTING US OUT TO THE RIGHT PLACES.
WELL, I ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE YOU DID VERY WELL.
E EVERYTHING WAS LAID OUT, IT WAS CLEAR, CONCISE, VERY SUCCINCT.
AND, UH, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE YOU HAD PRESENTED IT BEFORE.
BUT, BUT YOU, YOU SAID YOU HAVEN'T.
AND I JUST, KUDOS TO YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE, BECAUSE I EXPECT THAT ANTICIPATE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT MANY TIMES MORE BEFORE A RESOLUTION IS, IS FOUND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ISSUES THAT YOU, THAT YOU PRESENTED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, UH, THIS EVENING.
YOU AND EVERYBODY THAT ELSE IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE BACKSTORY FOR THE BACKGROUND WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
WE WILL BE PRESENTING THIS MORE, THIS IS NATURAL CONVERSATION TO ME BECAUSE THIS IS THE CONVERSATION THAT'S REPETITIVE WITHIN MY WORK.
[00:35:01]
I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO HER.I, I, UH, IT WAS A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION, VERY EYE-OPENING, THINGS THAT, THAT I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT AND, UH, UH, AND AM EAGER TO LEARN ABOUT.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
I'M GONNA ASK IF ANY OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONERS HERE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER.
AND, UH, ECHOING THE, UH, THE CELEBRATION OF YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE'RE GLAD TO BE A PART OF THIS WORK, UH, A PART OF THE CAMPAIGN WORK FOR Y'ALL.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN DOING THE, THE LEG WORK OVER MULTIPLE YEARS OF BUILDING A COALITION AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH, I THINK.
SO OFTEN, UH, IDEAS WILL COME IN FRONT OF CITY BODIES WITHOUT THE WEIGHT OF COMMUNITY BEHIND THEM.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE DOING THE NECESSARY WORK OF BUILDING THAT COALITION FIRST, UH, AND COMING TO US READY, AND IT SHOWS IN THE QUALITY OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'D LOVE TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF, UM, WHICH SECTORS, UH, LIKE WHAT, WHAT SHARE OF BLACK WORKERS ARE IN DIFFERENT SECTORS HERE IN LONG BEACH, BECAUSE I IMAGINE AS WE EVENTUALLY GET TO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW TO, UH, IMPROVE THE CITY, THERE'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON WHAT TYPES OF JOBS PEOPLE ARE IN, RIGHT? YES.
UM, IF THERE'S SERVICE SECTOR POSITIONS, THERE'S DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS THERE VERSUS IN WHITE COLLAR POSITIONS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND SO, AND ALSO PUBLIC SECTOR, I KNOW THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION, BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD TO KNOW HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS CONNECTED TO IT.
SO DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF LIKE, DEMOGRAPHICALLY WHERE FOLKS ARE WITHIN THE, THE WORKFORCE HERE IN LONG BEACH? I, I DO HAVE THAT DATA AND I LIKE TO PRESENT IT AS, UM, AS MR. LAURA, UM, REQUESTED.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO, TO, AND, AND A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE HELPED US TO GRAB DATA LIKE FROM LB WIN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATING WITH, WITH, UM, INDIVIDUALS WITHIN, UM, DIFFERENT SECTORS WHO ARE SUPPORTING US IN GETTING INFORMATION.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
AND I THINK THE OTHER PIECE IS, UH, WHAT THE, LIKE, AGE DISTRIBUTION IS FOR THE CURRENT BLACK WORKFORCE HERE IN LONG BEACH.
BECAUSE I'M IMAGINING, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S DATA SUGGESTS A LARGER YOUNG WORKFORCE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A SET OF INTERVENTIONS FOR THAT VICE, IF IT'S AN AGING WORKFORCE, LIKE THERE'S A DIFFERENT CONSIDERATION.
SO DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF SORT OF THE, THE AGE DISTRIBUTION RIGHT NOW? I BELIEVE THE AGE DISTRIBUTION IS BETWEEN 30 AND 55 IS THE, THE MAJORITY OF THE WORKFORCE IN LONG BEACH.
THIS IS VERY HELPFUL, I THINK.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE WITH AN ACTION ORIENTED.
THERE'S, THERE'S ALREADY SOME THINKING HERE ABOUT ACTUALLY MOVING THIS TOWARDS, UH, AN AD HOC THAT WILL BRING A RECOMMENDATION OUT OF THIS.
SO I THINK THESE, THESE DATA POINTS ARE REALLY HELPFUL.
I THINK WE WANT TO BE GENUINELY EFFECTIVE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE PUT FORWARD BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN CALLS IN COMMUNITY LIKE THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
AND SO LET'S, UM, LET'S PUT SOME MEAT ON THE, ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT GO FORWARD.
REALLY EXCITED FOR THE NEXT WAVE OF CONVERSATIONS HERE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DELEON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER FOR MOVE TO PUBLIC CONDUCT? ANYBODY? OKAY.
UH, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM IN PERSON, UH, PLEASE, UH, LINE UP AT THE MICROPHONE.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ONLINE? JUST SO I KNOW.
AND YOUR, UH, THREE MINUTES WILL START, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SPEAK.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH, WITH DANA, AND SHE HAS A LOT ON HER PLATE, AND SHE'S VERY HUMBLE.
SHE JUST HAD A NEW ADDITION TO HER FAMILY.
HER DAUGHTER, UM, HAD A BABY YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE,
AND SO I HAVE SOME OF THE STATI, UM, STATISTICS THAT SHE SHARED WITH ME.
AND, UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH.
SO I HAVE SOME OF THE STATS THAT, UM, SHE, SHE SHARED WITH ME AND I HOPE I CAN GET THROUGH THEM.
UM, UH, MY NAME IS CAROLYN ESSEX.
I'M A LEGISLATIVE POLICY ANALYST, AND MY WORK FOCUSES ON ANALYZING POLICY FOR SCOPE, PUBLIC BENEFIT, IMPLEMENTATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND MEASURABLE, UM, MEASURABLE OUTCOMES.
I ALSO BELIEVE POLICY MUST DO MORE THAN SOUND GOOD.
IT MUST PRODUCE TANGIBLE RESULTS FOR THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCING THE GREATEST DISPARITY.
SO TONIGHT I WANT TO BE IN WITH THE DATA BECAUSE OUTCOMES TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT SYSTEMS. IN 2011, BLACK WORKERS REPRESENTED, UM, 14.9% OF THE CITY, UH, WORKFORCE, 844 EMPLOYEES OUT OF 5,650.
TODAY IN 2026, BLACK WORKERS REPRESENT 11.6% OF THE WORKFORCE,
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799 EMPLOYEES OUT OF 6,896.THAT IS A 3.3 POINT THAT IS A 3.3, UH, POINT DECLINE OVER 15 YEARS, UM, DURING A PERIOD IN WHICH THE TOTAL WORKFORCE GREW BY MORE THAN 1200 POSITIONS.
THAT IS REGRESSION AND THE DISPARITIES DEEPEN.
WHEN YOU EXAMINE WAGES IN ADVANCEMENT, BLACK WORKERS ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN LOWER PAYING POSITIONS, MAKING UP 16.2% OF JOBS UNDER 60,000, WHILE REPRESENTING ONLY 11.6% OF THE WORKFORCE OVERALL.
BUT IN THE HIGHER SALARY, UM, BANDS REPRESENTATION DROPS SHARPLY.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT DANA IS GOING TO SHARE, UM, SOME MORE, UH, OF THE DATA WITH YOU, BUT I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT EQUITY, THEN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY MUST BE BUILT INTO THE POLICY.
THAT MEANS A PUBLIC WORKFORCE EQUITY DASHBOARD UPDATED REGULARLY.
SO WE SEE HIRING PROMOTIONS AND PAY ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL HIRE PATHWAYS TIED TO CITY CONTRACTS AND MAJOR EVENTS.
SO PEOPLE BUILDING THE CITY HAVE ACCESS TO ITS OPPORTUNITIES, A WORKFORCE HOUSE STRATEGY, SO THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THE CITY CAN ACTUALLY LIVE IN IT.
AND A STANDING EQUITY AND AUDIT PROCESS, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO WHEN DISPARITIES SHOW UP, CORRECTIVE ACTION FOLLOWS.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING.
KEPT IT RIGHT AT THREE MINUTES.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ON THIS ITEM.
YOU KNOW, DANA DID A GREAT JOB.
I'M WAITING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT MY MESSAGE TO THE MAYOR, BLACK PEOPLE, BLACK POLICIES, WE NEED.
SPEAKER, MY NAME IS KESHAWN RAINS FROM DISTRICT ONE, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF DANA NICKERSON AND THE WORK AT THE LONG BEACH BLACK WORKERS CENTER.
I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THE DEMANDS BEING RAISED HERE ARE NOT RADICAL, THEY'RE REASONABLE, MEASURABLE, AND LONG OVERDUE.
BLACK WORKERS IN THIS CITY DESERVE MORE THAN STATEMENTS ABOUT DIVERSITY.
IF THE CITY TRULY BELIEVES IN EQUITY, THEN EQUITY MUST BE VISIBLE, NOT ONLY IN LANGUAGE, BUT IN OUTCOMES.
THAT MEANS RELEASING TRANSPARENT WORKFORCE DATA AROUND HIRING, PAY, RETENTION, AND PROMOTIONS BY RACE.
COMMUNITIES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GUESS WHETHER DISPARITIES EXIST.
THE DATA SHOULD BE PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE AND ACTED UPON.
IT MEANS ADOPTING A REAL WORKPLACE EQUITY POLICY WITH ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS, TIMELINES, AND CONSEQUENCES.
POLICIES WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY BECOME PUBLIC RELATION TOOLS INSTEAD OF INSTRUMENTS FOR CHANGE.
IT MEANS CREATING INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS FOR REPORTING, DISCRIMINATION, AND RETALIATION.
WORKERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEAR PUNISHMENT, ISOLATION, OR CAREER HARM SIMPLY FOR SPEAKING UP ABOUT INEQUITY IN THE WORKPLACE.
AND IMPORTANTLY, THIS CITY MUST INVEST IN ACTUAL PATHWAYS FOR BLACK WORKERS TO ACCESS LEADERSHIP ROLES, HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS, AND LONG-TERM CAREER.
EQUITY CANNOT STOP AT ENTRY LEVEL INCLUSION WHILE LEADERSHIP REMAINS INACCESSIBLE.
AND FINALLY, THE CITY MUST FULLY SUPPORT AND FUND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S RACIAL EQUITY INITIATIVES, NOT SYMBOLICALLY, BUT MATERIALLY.
IF RACIAL EQUITY IS TRULY A PRIORITY, IT MUST BE REFLECTIVE IN STAFFING, INFRASTRUCTURE, FUNDING, AND IMPLEMENTATION.
LONG BEACH OFTEN PRESENTS ITSELF AS ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND DIVERSE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THAT THOSE VALUES EXTEND BEYOND BRANDING AND INTO GOVERNANCE.
I URGE THIS COMMISSION AND CITY LEADERSHIP TO TAKE THESE DEMANDS SERIOUSLY AND ACT WITH URGENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND INTEGRITY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS? COME ON DOWN.
UM, MY NAME IS NICOLE, UH, ROSS.
AND I AM A BRAND, AND I HAVE, UH, I REPRESENT MYSELF AS MY OWN BUSINESS, THEREFORE AS A AFRICAN AMERICAN, OR WE, WE SAY BLACK NOW.
SO, AS A BLACK WORKER, UM, IN, IN THIS CITY, RETIRED, UM, IN MY YOUTH, ACTUALLY AT 41, I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT MYSELF AS MY BUSINESS, UM, TO YOU ALL TO CIVIC CHAMBER, UM, TO MY CITY, TO CITY PARTICIPANTS, ADMINISTRATORS,
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UM, DR.EDUARDO, LAURA, UM, NOLA ROSSWELL, UH, JOSHUA DELEON, JOHN SCHULTZ, RICHARD BROWN, ROBBIE BUTLER, UH, ROBY BUTLER, EMETTE FLORES, AND KIANA MONTGOMERY, AS WELL AS OTHERS THAT ARE PRESENT IN THE ROOM.
HOWEVER, UM, BEING A CITIZEN OF THE CITY WITH RELATIONSHIP TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ETHICS AND INTEGRITY AND INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY, THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, UM, IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S SO MUCH, UM, FLUCTUATING ALL AROUND US.
I, I JUST HAD TO SHOW UP AND, UM, UH, MAKE MY POSITION.
I HAVE, UM, SEVERAL ISSUES ON THE TABLE WITH THE CITY.
UM, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL EXPERIENCES WITH RELATIONSHIP TO THE PRESENTER.
UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE WORK FIELD THAT I, MY KAISER DOCTOR, THANK GOD, UH, RETIRED ME FROM ON A PERMANENT DISABILITY TO, TO ESTABLISH AND CREATE MY FAMILY.
UM, AS I BEGAN MY MARRIAGE, UM, I, I WAS ABLE TO HAVE GREAT, UM, EFFORTS AND, UH, UM, UM, RELATIONSHIPS CREATED WITH, UH, BEING A CALL CENTER DIRECTOR FOR ULTRA MOBILE.
AND WITH ULTRA, THERE WAS A SITUATION THAT HAPPENED.
SO I WAS, WE WERE ABLE TO SETTLE AND MOVE FORWARD.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WITH TIME PASSING, UM, UH, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THERE WAS AN ATTACK ON, ON BLACK PEOPLE, UH, WITH OUR, OUR PROFILES AND OUR IDENTITIES.
AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY BEEN A, UM, A VICTIM OF THAT.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, UH, BECAUSE THE SITUATIONS THAT WERE CREATED HAVE CAUSED, UH, A LOT OF DETRIMENTAL, UH, THINGS THAT HAVE RESULTED.
SO IN MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
YOU KNOW, THREE MINUTES IS NOT A LOT OF TIME, GUYS.
UM, AND NOW I'M DOWN TO 10 SECONDS.
SO I REALLY JUST WANTED TO, TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE MY PRESENCE KNOWN AND JUST, JUST SAY THAT, HEY, I AM HERE AND I'M GONNA BE ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
NOT TO BE A, A ANNOYANCE, BUT IT'S HAPPENING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH EVER ANNOYANCE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SPEAKING.
I HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE YOU BEFORE, SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT, UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BLACK WORKERS AS WELL.
I'VE GROWN UP HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW GROWING UP ARE THE SAME THINGS.
LONG BEACH HAS BEEN DIVERSE FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
UM, I'M OVER 50, SO I'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE IN THE 50 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, IT'S THE SAME ARGUMENTS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE FACES CHANGE, THE POLICIES DON'T REALLY, AND EVEN WHEN WE DO CHANGE THE POLICIES, THEY'RE NOT ENFORCED.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S KIND OF TIME, DON'T YOU THINK IT'S KIND OF TIME, IT'S 2026 AND THINGS ARE THE SAME AS THEY WERE IN THE SEVENTIES WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID.
AND I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A BLACK WOMAN GROWING UP IN LONG BEACH AND HAVING WATCHED THE FACES OF THE WORKERS CHANGE AND SOME MOVE UP AND SOME DON'T, AND IT'S LIKE, WHY IS THAT? CAN WE NOT JUST BE FAIR, IT'S 2026.
CAN WE FINALLY HAVE EQUITY? WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND BEG FOR THE DIGNITY OF HAVING A JOB IN A DECENT WAGE.
AND THE THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ENJOY THAT TIME SHOULD HAVE PASSED IN THE SIXTIES.
I MEAN, CALL ME CRAZY, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE WE KEEP HEARING THE SAME RHETORIC OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
OH, WE'RE, WE TAKE EVERYBODY SERIOUSLY.
IT'S A BUNCH OF RHETORIC UNLESS YOU'RE LIVING THAT LIFE.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT AFRICAN AMERICAN OR BLACK OR WHATEVER, YOU IDENTIFY AS, IF YOU'RE NOT ONE OF US, THEN PLEASE PUT YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE SOME CHANGE.
NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT, NOT JUST PONTIFICATE AND PROFILE AND LOOK FANCY AND HAVE A MICROPHONE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS AND SAY ONE THING, AND THEN NOTHING CHANGES.
I REALLY BESSE YOU TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW CHANGE CAN BE CREATED AND WHAT YOUR ROLE IS IN CREATING IT, AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? UH, SEEING NONE IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM AS WELL, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UH, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, JUST WAVE AT ME AND I'LL CALL ON YOU.
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BUTTONS HERE TONIGHT.UM, APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO, WHO SPOKE UP ON, ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
UM, MY QUESTION, UH, EITHER FALLS ON THE SHOULDERS OF CITY ATTORNEY, UH, WILSON, OR CHAIR COVINGTON.
I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND WHAT IS OUR PARAMETERS AS A COMMISSION.
I KNOW CHAIR CUMMINGTON MENTIONED SOME, AND I SAW THE EMAIL FROM WILSON, BUT I THINK, UH, IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO ALSO HEAR, AND ALSO TO REMIND FOR US AS A BODY, WHAT OUR PARAMETERS ARE.
LIKE, ARE WE AS WRITTEN IN THIS AGENDA ITEM, IT'S, UH, RECEIVING FILE? LIKE ARE WE ABLE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATION? IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S COMING LATER, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, FOR TONIGHT, THE PURPOSE IS JUST TO RECEIVE A, AND FILE THE PRESENTATION.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM WHERE FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEES MM-HMM
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION'S FREE TO, TO FORM A SPECIFIC, UH, AD HOC COMMISSION IF THEY WANT, IF THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT TAKING SOME FUTURE, UH, ACTION OR MAKE AN ADVICE, UH, IN THE ADVISORY CAPACITY TO, UH, COUNCIL.
LAURA, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MAYBE ONE COMMISSIONER DE LEON? YEAH.
I'LL JUMP IN AND WE'LL PASS IT DOWN.
YEAH, WE'RE HELPLESS SO THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY LOOKS LIKE
UM, I GUESS, UM, SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, UH, BY, UH, BY FOLKS AROUND SPECIFICALLY LIKE PUBLIC SECTOR.
SO CITY OF LONG BEACH POSITIONS, AND THEN OTHER COMMENTS AROUND THE, LIKE, WORKFORCE GENERALLY.
UM, IS THE, DO WE KNOW IF THE WORKFORCE, THERE'S A CIVIL SERVICE OR A CIVIL OR WORKPLACE COMMISSION THAT IS GONNA RECEIVE THAT AS WELL? IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? HAVE THEY BEEN REACHED OUT TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION FOR SOME OF THESE VERY, LIKE, CITY LONG BEACH EMPLOYEE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, I'M, I'M NOT PERSONALLY AWARE IF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION HAS BEEN, UH, REACHED OUT OR CONTACTED ANY, ANY CAPACITY MM-HMM
UM, TYPICALLY THOUGH, IF THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CITY'S EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES OR INTERNAL POLICIES, THEN IT, THAT THE UNDER HR OR THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION WOULD BE, I, I WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE, UH, BROUGHT IN AT SOME POINT.
BUT AS OF NOW, I, I DO NOT, I CAN'T CONFIRM IF THAT HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED ALREADY.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'LL PROBABLY END UP DOING IS, IT SOUNDS LIKE DURING THE, UM, AD HOC PORTION WHEN WE FORM AN AD HOC, UH, COMMITTEE TO WORK ON THIS, UM, IT MAY BE THAT, UM, FOR THE PRESENTERS THAT THERE'S ANOTHER COMMISSION ON THE LIST TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR TOWARDS, TO GET REALLY HYPER-FOCUSED RECOMMENDATIONS ON HERE'S HOW THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS A, AS AN EMPLOYER.
AND ON OUR END, WE CAN REALLY HELP WITH, HERE'S HOW WE CAN IMPROVE, UH, LIKE THE STANDARDS OF EMPLOYMENT IN LONG BEACH AS A CITY.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THESE CAN OPERATE IN HARMONY, UH, TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S HELPFUL BECAUSE, UH, I WAS A LITTLE UNCLEAR AS TO LIKE, WHERE THE, WHERE THE LINES WERE, AND I WANT US TO BE ADDITIVE, UM, AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO YOU, YOU HAD A COMMENT? NO.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU HAD A COMMENT.
CHAIR COVINGTON'S HAND IS RAISED CHAIR COVINGTON.
OH, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP LOOK THE LITTLE HAND IN THE CORNER THERE.
UH, TO ADD ON TO COMMISSIONER DEON, UH, THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO US AS A COMMISSION THAT FALL WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION BECAUSE IT AFFECTS ALL, UH, BLACK WORKERS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN LOOK INTO AND ADVOCATE THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT IF IT PERTAINS TO SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES, SPECIFIC GRIEVANCES, UM, UNDER THE CITY'S POLICY, UM, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT UNDER OUR PURVIEW.
UH, THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, OR A COMPLAINT WILL HAVE TO BE FILED WITH THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FALL WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
UH, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? UH, I'LL JUST SAY, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO SPOKE HERE, UH, TONIGHT.
THIS IS, UH, UM, I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO SPEAK UP, TO WALK UP TO THAT DAAS TO SPEAK TO ANYBODY IN THE CITY.
I'VE, I'VE STOOD THERE AND, AND I HAVE TO HAVE A, AN AGENDA IN FRONT OF ME.
I HAVE TO HAVE AN AGENDA IN FRONT OF ME TONIGHT.
I JACKIE RAISED HERE, AND IF I SCREW UP, I'M, I'M GONNA BE IN LIKE, A LOT OF TROUBLE.
AND THE, THE, THE CLERKS WARN ME TO STAY ON AGENDA.
UH, BUT I, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR, YOUR SHARING YOUR, YOUR VIEWPOINTS AND WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT AND HAVING US BE YOUR, UH, UM, YOUR FIRST STOP ON WHAT I HOPE IS SUCCESSFUL,
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UM, UH, UH, PATH, UH, THROUGH THE DIFFERENT, UH, CITY COMMISSIONS AND COUNCILS AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UH, UM, LAWS AND, AND POLICIES.UH, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
UM, AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THE CLERK TO, UH, THIS WILL BE RECEIVED IN FILE, AND I'M GONNA ASK THE CLERK TO, UH, CALL A VERBAL VOTE.
COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES? YES.
MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE? ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION
[3. 26-55043 Recommendation to review, discuss, and, if appropriate, approve the transmittal of a letter from the BIPOC Preservation Ad Hoc Committee to City Council, outlining recommendations related to the preservation and restoration of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Artworks in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO REVIEW, DISCUSS.AND IF APPROPRIATE, APPROVE THE TRANSMITTAL OF A LETTER FROM THE BIPOC PRESERVATION AD HOC COMMITTEE TO CITY COUNCIL OUTLINING RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ARTWORK IN LONG BEACH.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ITEM? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BUTLER.
COMMISSIONER BUTLER MOVES? YES.
I, WE GOTTA FIX THESE BUTTONS 'CAUSE PROBABLY SECONDED BY SEMI WHILE THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
OH, YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK BAD.
YOU'RE ALL MAKING ME LOOK BAD.
AND, OR FIRST WE WOULD NEED A PRESENTATION FROM THE BIPOC PRESERVATION AD COMMITTEE.
SHOULD I READ THE LETTER? OH, I, I GUESS WE SHOULD DO THAT FIRST BEFORE WE VOTE.
COMMISSIONER BUTLER, READ THE LETTER.
SO THE LETTER READS, DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT DEFACEMENT OF BIPOC ARTWORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THESE PIECES REPRESENT OUR PRIDE AND IDENTITY, AND THEIR PRESERVATION IS VITAL FOR HONORING OUR DIVERSE HERITAGE.
WE URGENTLY CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO COMMIT TO RESTORING THE DEFACE BIPOC ARTWORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT DELAY.
ON JUNE 17TH, 2024, THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ESTABLISHED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE DEFACING OF BLACK AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY ART AND TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS PRESERVATION IN LONG BEACH.
SINCE ITS CREATION, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE HAS MET SEVERAL TIMES TO STRATEGIZE, IDENTIFY KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AND GATHER INFORMATION REGARDING THESE INCIDENTS.
AS PART OF ITS EFFORTS, THE COMMITTEE COORDINATED MEETINGS WITH THE LONG BEACH ARTS COUNCIL TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE AND EXPLORE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.
THE ARTS COUNCIL PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO THE CURRENT PROCESS FOR RESTORING DEFACE ARTWORK, AND EXPLAINED THE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN CITY OWNED INSTALLATIONS AND ARTWORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, EACH OF WHICH FOLLOWS DIFFERENT RESTORATION PROTOCOLS.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY SHARED THAT LONG BEACH ONCE HAD A DEDICATED COMMUNITY SPACE WHERE LOCAL ARTISTS COULD COLLABORATE AND CREATE, WHICH WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN REDUCING DEFACEMENT OF MURALS AND OTHER PUBLIC ARTWORKS.
THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION OF LONG BEACH IS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITHIN THE CITY, AIMING TO INSPIRE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT AMONGST ALL RESIDENTS.
A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THIS MISSION INVOLVES ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACED BY BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITIES BY FOCUSING ON BIPOC ISSUES.
THE EHRC SEEKS TO ENSURE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED GROUPS RECEIVE EQUITABLE TREATMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES PROMOTING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND HARMONIOUS COMMUNITY.
THE COMMISSION WAS INFORMED THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN MURALS AND STATUES WERE BEING DEFACED AROUND THE CITY, RESULTING IN THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION TO PRIORITIZE DEFACING AFRICAN AMERICAN ART IN THE COMMUNITY.
DEFACING ART CAN MANIFEST UNDERLYING SOCIAL TENSIONS,
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CULTURAL DISRESPECT, OR TARGETED DISCRIMINATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ARTWORK REPRESENTS OR IS CREATED BY BIPOC ARTISTS.THE EHRC ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS AND CONFRONTING ACTIONS THAT MAY UNDERMINE COMMUNITY COHESION AND RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY.
THE EH, HRCS FOCUS ON BIPOC CONCERNS AND ART DEFACEMENT UNDERSCORES ITS COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING EQUITY, CULTURAL APPRECIATION, AND MUTUAL RESPECT WITHIN LONG BEACH.
TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED PRESERVATION OF BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY ART IN LONG BEACH, THE A, THE EHRC RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS, IMPLEMENT PROTECTIVE COATINGS, ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVED LIGHTING, AND CREATE DESIGNATED SPACES FOR GR FOR GRAFFITI ARTISTS TO REDUCE DEFACEMENT, INCREASE FUNDING, ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING IMPROVED LIGHTING AND WALL RESTORATION TO HELP SAFEGUARD PUBLIC ART.
I'M THE NUMBER THREE DESIGNATED CREATIVE SPACES.
ESTABLISH A DESIGNATED SPACE WHERE GRAFFITI ARTISTS CAN CREATE FREELY FOSTERING ARTISTIC EXPRESSION WHILE REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF FU DEFACE MET.
WE ASK THAT ACTION BE TAKEN ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROTECT AND CELEBRATE THE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS IN LONG BEACH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO PRESERVE THE CITY'S DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE.
THE UNDENIABLE IMPACTS OF DEFACING BLACK AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART IN THE CITY INCLUDE, IT DECREASES COMMUNITY MORALE.
IT INCREASES RESIDENTS LEVELS OF AGGRAVATION.
I'M SORRY, IT INCREASES RESIDENTS LEVELS OF AGGRAVATION, FRUSTRATION, AND POSSIBLE RETALIATION.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF GRAPHICS INCLUDED OF THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
STATUE, WHICH IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE MLK JUNIOR PARKS PARKING LOT.
THEY CLEARLY SHOW THE GRAFFITI STATUE.
THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THE CLEANED UP FIGURE, WHICH IS NOW BORDERED BY A RECENTLY REPLACED SHORT WROUGHT IRON WROUGHT IRON FENCE.
SO THE EHRC IS OPTIMISTICALLY HOPEFUL THAT OUR SUGGESTED NEXT STEPS WILL BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED AND IMPLEMENTED EXPEDITIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S THE END OF THE LETTER.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER.
ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR COMMISSIONER BUTLER ON THE PRESENTATION? SEEING NONE, UH, WILL NOW TAKE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN PERSON, UH, CAN SPEAK UP, UH, CAN STEP UP TO THE PODIUM AND, UM, AND BE HEARD.
I THINK THAT THAT LETTER, UM, UH, SPEAKS TO THE ANTI-BLACKNESS THAT WE CONSTANTLY RECEIVE, UH, FROM SOCIETY.
AND, AND I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT IT, IT IS A GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON AND THE TRAUMA THAT COMES WITH, UM, BEING COMPLETELY BULLIED BY SOCIETY FOR NO REASON.
IT'S EXHAUSTING, RIGHT? AND I THINK WE COME BEFORE THESE BODIES TO RAISE OUR HAND, RAISE AWARENESS, LIKE, DO SOMETHING IN YOUR POWER TO END THIS.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT, UM, I WISH TO DO, AND, AND, AND I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND, AND WE WILL BE ON THE BALLOT, BUT WHAT I WANNA DO, I WANNA SEE A ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA.
AND I WANT THE SCHOOLS TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY, TAKE IT REAL SERIOUSLY, AND MAKE IT A CORE PART OF THE CURRICULUM WHERE THE STUDENTS HEAR ABOUT ANTI-BULLYING, UM, UH, BEHAVIOR AND HOW TO CARRY THEMSELVES,
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AND THAT THEY HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR IT.BECAUSE I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I RAISED MY SON IN THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND HE WAS BULLIED RELENTLESSLY.
AND IT, HE WAS THE ONE THAT WOULD, IF HE DEFENDED HIMSELF, HE WOULD GET IN TROUBLE.
WHAT IS A KID SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THEY'RE BEING BULLIED, WHEN THEY'RE BEING CALLED RACIAL SLURS, WHEN THEY'RE BEING KICKED, WHEN THEY'RE BEING PEED ON? WHAT IS A KID SUPPOSED TO DO? AND THEN THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GET, OH, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO OSTRACIZE YOU AND SET YOU ASIDE.
AND THEY DO NOTHING TO USUALLY, UH, WHITE CHILDREN.
THEY DO NOTHING TO, UM, GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT YOU DID WAS COMPLETELY WRONG.
WE DON'T CARRY OURSELVES IN THIS SOCIETY, BUT WHAT IS ENFORCING WHEN THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING? IT'S ENFORCING THAT.
IT, IT GOES, AND IT, IT REACHES INTO ADULT LIFE.
AND, AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT EVERYONE THAT HAS THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, JUST DO IT AND KEEP POUNDING AND POUNDING UNTIL PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS HAS GOTTA STOP.
BECAUSE IF WE WERE LIKE, SORRY, YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED, BUT IF WE WERE LIKE, LIKE OTHER PEOPLE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS DURING HI.
COULD YOU, COULD YOU START, UM, COULD YOU START OUR TIME OVER AGAIN? I'LL BE, THERE YOU GO.
SO, UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO PUT MY 2 CENTS ON IT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THAT THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN TO TALK ABOUT DEFACE OF ART.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO DEMEAN BLACK PEOPLE.
UM, THE ATTACKS ARE SPECIFIC, THEY'RE DIRECTED.
I THINK THAT THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T HEAR IN THE LETTER WAS SOME TYPE OF RECOURSE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FOUND GUILTY OF THESE CRIMES.
THAT'S THE THING I DIDN'T HEAR.
MAYBE IT WAS THERE AND I JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT.
BUT I THINK THAT, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE LAST SPEAKER SAID, WHEN THESE THINGS GO UNCHECKED, IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT IT'S OKAY.
AND AS LONG AS WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, PEOPLE WILL THINK IT'S OKAY.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUT MONEY ON THIS SITUATION, TRYING TO FIX IT BY FIXING THE DAMAGE AS OPPOSED TO FIXING THE PROBLEM.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO WHATEVER POWER YOU MAY HAVE IN THAT CAPACITY.
MAYBE RECOMMEND SOME TYPE OF RECOURSE.
HOW DO YOU STOP THIS? OF COURSE, EDUCATION WOULD BE ONE WAY, BUT SOMETIMES EDUCATION IS NOT ENOUGH.
YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND BEFORE IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE OUR COMMUNITY STARTS FIGURING OUT A DIFFERENT WAY.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALWAYS CALM, WE'RE ALWAYS CIVIL.
WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW THE RULES AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, AND WE MEET THE SAME END END.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WHATEVER POWER YOU HAVE TO HELP CORRECT THE COURSE OR HELP PEOPLE CORRECT THEIR OWN COURSE, THEN LET'S DO THAT.
UM, I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT, UM, TO BOTH PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, UM, LONG BEACH, I WAS RAISED IN LONG BEACH, UM, AFTER SIXTH GRADE.
AND THEN MY, MY DAD WAS MILITARY, UH, AIR FORCE AND, UM, BORDER CUSTOMS PATROL.
AND, UM, I, WITH THE ART SITUATION, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED.
UM, I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN TARGETED.
I DON'T KNOW, UM, WHAT MORE I CAN DO.
SO I, I JUST TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO, UM, DO EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK, UM, AND FILE ALL THAT I COULD FILE, UM, PRESS ALL THAT I CAN PRESS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE PAYOUT PART, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS AN INTERRUPTION OR SOME TYPE OF INTRUSION WHEN IT COMES TO MY MONEY, UM, FROM MY BANKING TO MY, UH, UH, WHAT IS THAT? UH, FROM CHASE TO A, UH, UH, CORPORATE AMERICA, UH, UH, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
UM, THAT'S A, WHAT IS THAT? A, UM, A DIFFERENT STYLE OF BANKING OUTSIDE OF JUST THE
[01:10:01]
GENERAL CONSUMER, UM, BANKING.IT'S, IT'S JUST EVERYTHING HAS BEEN INTRUDED ON WHEN IT COMES TO MY PRIVACY AND MY PRIVACY RIGHTS.
AND LIKE, IT GOES BACK TO CONSTITUTION, MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
AND THEN WITH THE BULLYING, IT'S, IT'S OUT OF CONTROL BECAUSE IT GOES FROM A, A, UM, A LEVEL IN MY YOUTH, WHICH I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IN, IN ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH OR, OR EVEN HIGH SCHOOL, HONESTLY.
UM, BUT BEYOND IN THE WORK FIELD, AFTER THAT, UH, WORK FIELD, I WAS ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL BEYOND THE WORK FIELD, UM, JUST IN GENERAL AMERICAN PUBLIC THESE DAYS, IT SEEMS LIKE AFTER, UH, TRUMP'S WALL WENT UP, UH, THERE WAS A, A DRAMATIC CHANGE WITH THIS ATTACK ON, ON MY CULTURE, UM, BECAUSE OF MY CLEAR BACKGROUND, UM, MY CLEAR CREDIT AND MY CLEAR CRIMINAL RECORD THAT PEOPLE WENT AFTER.
AND THEN IT JUST, THEY CAME FOR ME.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A EXTREME CHALLENGE TO JUST KEEP MYSELF ABREAST OF, UM, MAINTAINING MY COMPOSURE AND PATIENCE, UM, THROUGH GOD'S WILL IS, IS, IS WHERE I GET MY STRENGTH FROM.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY, UH, HONESTLY, THAT, THAT I CAN DEAL WITH IT.
BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING MORE ENFORCING THAT CAN HAPPEN.
UM, BECAUSE BEING IN THE ELEMENT RIGHT NOW HAS BEEN A RESULT OF THE BULLYING FOR ME PERSONALLY.
AND I NEED TO, UM, FIGURE OUT HOW I CAN, UH, IMMEDIATELY ADJUST THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS AGENDA ITEM? SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AND SO WE WILL MOVE TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.
AND THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT PROVIDED COMMENTS.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE LETTER THAT I READ, UM, CAROLYN, YOU, YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING INTERESTING, AND I'M SORRY.
UH, YEAH, YOU, UH, YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR REMARKS, UH, RIGHT, GENERALIZED, YOU CAN'T SPEAK TO, RIGHT.
THE, THE SUBJECT OF BULLYING CAME UP AND THE SITUATION WITH DEFACING, THE ARTIFACTS IN THE CITY IS A FORM, A SUBTLE FORM OF BULLYING WHEN YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT.
UH, IT'S NOTHING THAT WE HAD REALLY DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, BUT IN THINKING ABOUT IT, IT, IT, IT IS A FORM OF INSULT.
IT, IT, IT, IT'S A SUBTLE FORM OF, OF BULLYING FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES.
IT'S LIKE BULLYING A NEIGHBORHOOD OR THERE, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, KIND KIND OF LOOSELY.
BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE ARE SUGGESTING THOUGH, IS A WAY TO REPAIR AND PRESERVE THESE ARTIFACTS WITHIN THE CITY.
WE, WE WE'RE REQUESTING THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SO THAT A SYSTEM CAN BE IN PLACE, PUT, PUT IN PLACE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THEM, THE RESTORATION, AND THE FUTURE PRESERVATION OF THEM.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST A ONE SHOT DEAL WHERE YOU JUST REPAIR SOMETHING.
SO THAT, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO OFFER.
BY WAY OF CLARIFICATION, WE DON'T WANNA JUST FIX THE PROBLEM.
WE WANNA PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, SENSE TO ME.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER LAURA? UH, I WANT TO THANK THE BIPOC COMMITTEE FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BODY, UM, AND EXTENSIVE WORK TO ARRIVE, UM, AT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, MY, I I, I'M WONDERING IF YOU'RE OPEN TO IT, FRIENDLY ON THAT SECOND PARAGRAPH, IT SAYS, WITHOUT DELAY, UH, AFTER THINK PUTTING SPECIFIC TIMELINES MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN THE PROCESS.
UH, THE THING THAT I'M NOT TOO KNOWLEDGEABLE ON IS, UM, WHAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIMELINE, UM, WITHOUT DELAY MEANS TO ME DO ASAP.
RIGHT? UM, SO ONE WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE, WHAT WOULD CONVEY A SENSE OF URGENCY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGING THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS IN THE CITY TO GET THIS DONE.
BUT PUTTING THAT DEADLINE, I THINK MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN THEY CAN ALWAYS KIND OF FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT I THINK THAT WITHOUT DELAY LEAVES, IT'S SO OPEN-ENDED.
AND FOR INTERPRETATION, WE PUT A DEADLINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF US AS BODY CAN HELP EACH OTHER FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT DOWN LINE WOULD BE, UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE LETTER, RIGHT?
[01:15:05]
HAVE A, SORRY.WE HAVE A POTENTIAL, UH, FRIENDLY, UH, SPOKEN, UM, WELL, BEFORE I CAN MAKE IT, WE'D HAVE TO LAND.
ID HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A, A DEADLINE, AND I JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CONTEXT TO KNOW WHAT WOULD WORK AS A DEADLINE.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION THAT HAVE MORE CONTEXT ON IT, THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT A DEADLINE.
IS THAT, I MEAN, THIS IN THEORY, IF WE MAKE THIS OUT OF THE COMMISSIONED BODY TODAY, IT TAKES SOMEONE, HELP ME OUT FROM THE STEP, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE IT TO CITY COUNCIL? ROUGHLY A MONTH AT THE VERY LATEST, TWO MONTHS, A MONTH.
SO THEN BY THE TIME THEY GET IT, AND THEN GIVE THEM THE DEADLINE, SO THEN WE'D PROBABLY DO THREE MONTHS FROM NOW.
WITHOUT THE DELAY JUST MEANS ME.
IT'S NOT, NOT CONCLUDE, LIKE THAT CAN BE INTERPRETED SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OUR LETTER OR FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS MM-HMM
UH, AND THE SHIELD PLAN, UM, IT'S STILL BEING WORKED ON TO
UH, AND IN THE LETTER WE REQUESTED THAT THEY COME BACK IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.
UM, AND SO IF, BECAUSE WE PUSH IT OUT TO THREE MONTHS, THAT'S REALISTIC.
UM, AND THEN AT LEAST GIVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SOME URGENCY TO CONSIDER WHETHER THEY WANNA AUTHOR AN AGENDA ITEM ON THE MATTER OR NOT.
UM, SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THREE MONTHS.
UM, WILL IT HAPPEN? I'M NOT TOO SURE.
UH, THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN CONFIRM IS WITH ADVOCACY ON ALL OF OUR PARTS TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AND ASKING THEM TO AGENDA THE ITEM, UH, AND GETTING SOME CONFIRMATION, WHETHER THEY'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT IT OR NOT, THAT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER IT WILL HAPPEN.
AND SO WE SUBMIT THE LETTER, WHICH, UM, IS OUR OBJECTIVE FOR TONIGHT.
SO I, I THINK THREE MONTHS IS REALISTIC.
WE COULD SAY LIKE AUGUST 31ST.
UM, SO COMM, THAT'S EVEN MORE TIME.
COMMISSIONER BUTLER, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO, UH, CHANGE OF WORDS HERE? UH, WHERE IS IT WITHOUT DELAY? I JUST READ IT.
SO IT WOULD READ, UH, WE ORIGINALLY CALLING THE CITY COUNCIL TO COMMIT TO RESTORING THE DEFACED BIPOC ARTWORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY BY AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
DOES DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? COMMISSIONER BUTLER? CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? UM, YEAH, YOU ACCEPT IT.
UM, THE, THAT SPECIFIC WORDING IS A LITTLE BIT HARDER, UM, BECAUSE CURRENTLY, UM, EVERY ART PIECE THAT HAS BEEN DEFINED HAVE BEEN EITHER COVERED UP, WHICH, WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN, UH, OR RESTORED.
UM, SO CURRENTLY THE MARCH LUTHER KING STATUTE HAS BEEN RESTORED.
UH, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME OTHER INCIDENCES, UM, AFTER, UH, THAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT, UH, WHERE THE SIXERS ARE REFERENCED IN THE LETTER.
UM, AND WITH SUPPORT OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, DR.
JULIE SORO, UM, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, QUICKLY WITHIN TWO WEEKS TIME, UM, RESTORE, UM, THE STATUE AND OTHER, UM, POTENTIAL FACING OF PROPERTY AND ARTWORK.
UM, BUT THE PROCESS TO RESTORE AN ART FEE THAT IS ACTUALLY A, A MULTI-MONTH PROCESS.
SO IN TERMS OF, UM, IN TERMS OF THE LETTER, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST SAY THAT CITY COUNCIL DETERMINES A PROCESS BY AUGUST 31ST OF HOW THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, ADDRESS THE DEFACING OF, UM, BLACK AND BIPOC PARTS IN THE CITY WORK.
THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY, THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL LAYER OF CONTEXT.
SO THEN REALLY IT'S THAT SECOND PARAGRAPH WE WOULD TWEAK IF COMMISSIONER BUTLER'S OPEN TO IT, TO, WE URGENTLY CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO COMMIT TO A PROCESS FOR RESTORING THE DEFACED BIPOC ARTWORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY BY AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
SO IT'S INCLUSION OF THE PROCESS.
DO YOU ACCEPT THAT? FRIENDLY? THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
AND WHO, UH, WHO SECONDED IT? COMMISSIONER SANAY WILD.
[01:20:01]
EXCEPT, OKAY.OH, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU CAN, UH, REVISE THAT, UH, THAT MOTION, UH, AND READ IT BACK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS ON THIS? IS IT OKAY IF, UH, COMMISSIONER LARA, UH, REPHRASES THE AMENDMENT MOTION? YES.
SO, UH, THE FRIENDLY, UM, WOULD READ IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH NOW IS WE URGENTLY CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO COMMIT TO A PROCESS FOR RESTORING THE DEFACED BIPOC ARTWORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY BY AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
COMMISSIONER, UM, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER DE I, I DO HAVE SOMETHING I WANNA SAY 'CAUSE IT'S GOING TO EAT ME ALIVE IF I DON'T SAY IT.
UM, THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS, EHRC, I THINK THAT'S REPETITIVE.
I THINK THEY KNOW WHAT OUR COMMISSION IS AND WHAT WE DO.
YOU'RE KIND OF JUST STATING OUR MISSION.
I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THAT ENTIRE PARAGRAPH OUT.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT PARAGRAPH BELOW, IT SHOULD GO UNDER PARAGRAPH THREE, WHICH STATES ON JUNE 17TH, I THINK IT FLOWS BETTER.
AND THEN IT CAN GO INTO PARAGRAPH FOUR AS PARTS OF ITS EFFORTS, THE COMMITTEE COORDINATED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE LETTER FLOWS FINE, IN MY OPINION, FROM THERE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY? I THINK YOU MIGHT NEED TO REPEAT THAT SLOWER SO THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT IT FOR THE, THE RECORD.
WHAT EXACTLY, DO YOU NEED ME TO REPEAT EVERYTHING? YES.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE THE ONES THAT MAKE THE REVISIONS.
SO YOU SAID TO GET RID OF PARAGRAPH FIVE? YES.
STRIKE THAT ENTIRE PARAGRAPH OUT.
AND THEN THE PARAGRAPH BELOW IT, PUT THAT UNDER PARAGRAPH THREE.
SO PARAGRAPH THREE IS ON JUNE 17TH, AND IT ENDS IN THE WORD INCIDENTS.
SO AFTER THAT PARAGRAPH, THEN I WOULD PUT PARAGRAPH SIX, WHICH IS, THE COMMISSION WAS INFORMED THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN MURALS.DOT DO.
AND THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THE MAKER AND SECONDARY OF THE MOTION, UM, APPROVE THOSE REVISIONS, WHAT SHE SAID.
COMMISSIONER BUTLER, DO YOU APPROVE THE AMENDED MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY? UH, I DO.
SO BOTH AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN NOTED.
UH, UH, COMMISSIONER WASHINGTON.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? QUICK COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER DE LEON? YEAH, YOU WERE, YOU WERE, YOU WERE RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND JUST LIKE, REALLY QUICK COMMENTS HERE, UM, THERE, THIS IS, I THINK, REALLY WELL TIMED THAT WE'RE DOING THIS AT THIS MONTH.
UM, BECAUSE THIS SUMMER THERE'S GOING TO BE THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
AND SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS OUT OF OUR COMMISSION NOW SO THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN REFER TO, UH, DURING THOSE BUDGET OVERSIGHT CONVERSATIONS, DURING THOSE BUDGET FORUMS. AND THE PUBLIC CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
I, UM, THOSE, THOSE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND, UH, COMMUNITY CAN AND SHOULD SHOW UP TO THESE MEETINGS AND, AND, AND SAY WHAT THEY WANT THE BUDGET TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND THAT CAN INCLUDE BOTH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THIS LETTER, ON THE TOPICS WE'VE COVERED, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING TODAY.
UM, BUT WE'RE ENTERING A VERY HIGH STAKES PERIOD WHERE THE, THE DEFICIT IN THE CITY IS PROJECTED TO BE REALLY BIG.
UH, AND IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO COMMUNITY, UH, SAYING WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY WANT, UH, AND THE CITY THAT WE WANT TO BUILD TOGETHER.
AND SO I THINK, LIKE, I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION TOO.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS LETTER IS NOT A BUDGETARY LETTER.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT OF HERE AS A COMMISSION, AND WE WANT THE COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION.
AND ALSO I THINK THAT THIS IS VERY WELL TIMED.
AND SO I REALLY, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GETTING TO MOVE ON IT NOW.
AND I HOPE THAT THIS CAN HELP INFORM THE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE SUMMER SO THAT THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT WORK HERE IN THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY BUDGET INPUT INTO THE CITY, UM, REALLY MEETS OUR NEEDS THAT WE'RE NOT THE ONES ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT GETS FUN AND WHAT DOESN'T.
SO, REALLY EXCITED THINKING, CONGRATULATIONS, COMMISSIONER, FOR, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK, UH, AND
[01:25:01]
IT'S REALLY, REALLY EXCITING TO SEE.ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? CHAIR COVINGTON HAS HIS HAND RAISED.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL LET HIM TALK CHAIR.
UM, I WANNA SEND MY BE APPRECIATIONS TO THE BIPO AD HOC.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE LABOR OF LOVE, UH, WITH MULTIPLE, UM, BARRIERS AND, UH, CHALLENGES AND HOOPS THAT YOU ALL HAVE GONE THROUGH.
UH, I'M PROUD TO HAVE SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE AT ONE POINT, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND FLORES, UH, WHO'S BEEN FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC.
UH, HE BROUGHT IT FORWARD WITH OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHO JOINED THE AD HOC OVER TIME, UH, AND ANYBODY WHO HAVE SERVED AS ON THE AD HOC AS WELL.
UH, AND WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE A HUGE ANTI-BLACK MULTI ISSUE, NOT ONLY IN OUR CITY, WHICH IS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BUT HERE IN THE NATION, UH, AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THIS ITEM, THE LETTER AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO, THERE'S BEEN HOURS UPON HOURS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS PARTICULAR LETTER.
AND I AM SO PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN PUT INTO IT.
UH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERS WHO ARE IN THE ROOM, UH, THE COALITION FOR ANTI-BLACKNESS, UH, AGAINST ANTI-BLACKNESS.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY THIS MAY BE AN ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION, UH, IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
UH, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, SUPPORTING THE LETTER MOVING FORWARD TO CIVIL COUNCIL.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
I'LL ASK MADAM CLERK TO CALL FOR A VERBAL VOTE.
COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES? YES.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR? ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A
[4. 26-55045 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. ]
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 DISCUSS OR TO DISSOLVE OR CREATE AD HOC COMMITTEES.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ITEM? UH, UH, FIRST MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LAURA.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BUTLER.
UH, COULD I, UH, OR MAY WE HAVE, UH, EACH AD HOC PROVIDE A REPORT? UM, WE HEARD FROM, UH, BUTLER, ANY FURTHER COMMENT ON YOUR, ON YOUR AD HOC, ANY REPORT ON YOUR AD HOC BEYOND YOUR LETTER, WHICH WAS VERY THOROUGH.
WELL, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE AD HOC COMMITTEE HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB AT STAYING ON TASK AND, AND SEEING THIS PROJECT THROUGH TO THE END.
WE ARE VIRTUALLY AT THE END, ALMOST.
UM, SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, KUDOS TO MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT ON THE COMMITTEE FOR TONIGHT.
THAT WAS A NICE SUCCINCT REPORT.
UH, WHAT OTHER, UH, COMMITTEE DO WE HAVE THAT MAY HAVE A REPORT? I DON'T HAVE THE LIST OF COMMITTEES IN FRONT OF ME.
SO JUST BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE, WAIT, UH, OH, THAT'S YOU.
UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UM, AD HOC, UM, AT THIS POINT, SINCE WE HAVE CONCLUDED, UH, THE BUSINESS OF THE BIPOC AD HOC COMMITTEE, UH, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, DISSOLVE THE COMMITTEE.
[01:30:03]
WAIT, UM, MAY I SPEAK? APOLOGIES.I COULD, I COULD BARELY SEE YOU AROUND.
UM, CHAIR COVINGTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REMINDING US THAT WE NEED TO DISSOLVE OUR AD HOC AS OUR BUSINESS IS DONE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE DISSOLVE THE BIPOC PRESERVATION AD HOC.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER FLORES.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
WE WOULD JUST BE A FRIENDLY TO, TO DISSOLVE THE BIPOC PRESERVATION AD HOC.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND COMMISSIONER LARA, DO YOU APPROVE THIS AMENDMENT TO DISSOLVE? UH, I APPROVE.
WE'LL PUT THAT IN PLACE AND MOVE ON WITH A REPORT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND OURS WILL BE PRETTY QUICK.
UM, WE HAVE CONFIRMATION FROM, UH, JAY KELIN, WHO, UH, HAS A MAJOR ROLE WITH THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RESPONSE WORK HERE IN THE CITY.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE STANDING UP A MEETING.
THANK YOU VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ FOR REALLY BEING THE RELATIONSHIP LEAD ON THAT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT MEETING SOON.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS, OUR INTENTION IS TO BRING THE TOPIC TO, UH, THE COMMISSION AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO STRENGTHEN, UH, EQUITY AND THE EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RESPONSE PROCESS HERE IN THE CITY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE LIST OF, UH, OF THE, OF THE AD HOCS.
OH, IT'S, THOSE ARE THE FINAL TWO.
WHERE'D THIS COME FROM? WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE.
WELL, WELL, AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOWN TO ONE AFTER THIS, SO THAT'LL BE EASY TO REMEMBER.
UH, ARE THERE, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? JUST A CLARIFICATION.
WAIT, ARE WE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE OR THIS AN OR AS A WHOLE AS WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, EACH, EACH, UM, AD HOC COMMITTEE IS GIVING A, UM, A PRESENTATION.
UH, CAN THERE BE FURTHER DISCUSSION AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT? YOU CAN HAVE DISCUSSION YES.
AFTER THE, AFTER THE, UH, AFTER PUBLIC.
WE'LL, WE'LL GO TO A COMMISSIONER COMMENT AFTER WE CLOSE THIS OFF AND GO TO A PUBLIC COMMENT.
WELL, AT THIS TIME, UH, WE CAN ALSO MAKE A FRIENDLY TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL AD HOC.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE AN AD HOC TO, I DON'T KNOW THE FORMAL WAY OF SAYING THIS, BY THE WAY, TO SEE WHAT IS FEASIBLE.
UM, FROM THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT WE RECEIVED EARLIER, THE CALLS TO ACTION, THERE'S FIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO YEAH.
CREATE AN AD HOC TO GO OVER THESE ISSUES AND SEE WHAT WE AS A COMMISSION CAN DO.
IS THAT OKAY? SO AN AD HOC FOR AGAINST THE STATE OF YEAH.
WELL, TO ADDRESS IT, I'LL HELP YOU WITH THAT MOTION.
THAT'S A MUCH BETTER WAY OF PUTTING IT.
SO FOR THE MINUTES, WE'LL UM, GO WITH, UM, ESTABLISHING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED BY THE COALITION AGAINST ANTI-BLACKNESS REGARDING JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS IN LONG BEACH.
UM, AND TO DEVELOP A LETTER, UM, OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE THE MARON CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
DO WE, UH, DO WE, WE JUST UNDERSTAND COVINGTON CHAIR COVINGTON.
UM, ONE ADDITION IS, UM, NOT ONLY TO CONSIDER, UH, FROM THE COALITION AGAINST ANTI-BLACKNESS, BUT TO PARTNER WITH THE COALITION AGAINST ANTI-BLACKNESS.
SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENGAGE THE GROUP.
UM, FOR THE SCOPE, IT'S YOU'RE EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY AND THEN WRITING THE LETTER.
DOES THE, UH, MAKER AND SECONDER APPROVE
[01:35:01]
THE AMENDMENT TO CREATE THIS NEW AD HOC, UH, COMMISSIONER LARA AND COMMISSIONER BUTLER? YES.UM, DO WE HAVE TO, I, I THINK WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST.
WHENEVER WE MAKE THE MOTION, WE ALSO HAVE TO INCLUDE THE MEMBERS OF SAID AD HOC.
DO WE DO THAT NOW OR LATER? UM, WE CAN DO THAT NOW.
IF YOU'RE READY OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TIME TO THINK IT THROUGH, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.
OR DO FOLKS NEED TIME? AND, YOU KNOW, MOST FOLKS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE LIKE YOU HAVE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING ON THE, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF IT YET, BUT THE, THE, THE AD HOC FOR ADDRESSING ANTI-BLACKNESS? I JUST, I JUST HAVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
DO WE HAVE A, OR A QUESTION, DO WE HAVE, UM, THE, UM, AD HOC, ARE WE, UM, FORMING THE AD HOC FOR THE LISTENING SESSION FOR THE SUMMER TODAY? SO THE LISTENING SESSION THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING FOR THIS SUMMER RELATED TO HEALTHCARE, ARE WE ALSO FORMING THAT TO THIS EVENING? OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FORM THAT AD HOC, YOU DEFINITELY CAN BRING THAT TO THE FLOOR.
WE'RE GONNA DO ONE AT A TIME, BUT YES.
BACK TO THE ANTI-BLACKNESS, AD HOC, UH, OR THE POTENTIAL OF SAID AD HOC.
IS THERE SOMEONE, UH, ARE THERE, WHO IS INTERESTED IN BEING ON THAT? COMMISSIONER WASHINGTON, UH,
CAN CAN I ASK YOU TO PLEASE REPEAT THE NAME OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT WE ARE CREATING RIGHT NOW? I, I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ANTI-BLACKNESS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE AD HOC AGAIN? LET'S GO WITH JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS.
WHAT SHE SAID, JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS.
YOUR HIGH JUSTICE FOR AD AD HOC.
OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA NAME THE AD HOC CHAIR.
COVINGTON HAS HIS HAND RAISED.
SO WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY AND CHAIR COVINGTON HAS HIS HAND RAISED, OH, SORRY.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IT AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT TO GET ONE OR TWO MORE.
UM, WE HAVE BUTLER AND D DE LEON, SO THAT'S, THAT'S FOUR.
AND THEN WE CAN PROBABLY ADD MORE IN THE FUTURE IF THEY WANNA JOIN ABS.
AND, AND WE, WE VERY WELL MAY BE HAVING SOME NEW COMMISSIONERS COMING ON SOON.
SO, UH, UH, UH, WE WANNA LEAVE, WE CAN LEAVE SPACE FOR THEM AS WELL.
UM, UH, SO MADAM CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO ADD THAT, UH, TO THE EVER GROWING LIST OF FRIENDLIES? YES.
WE'VE CREATED THE JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS AD HOC COMMITTEE TO CONSIST OF COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY, CHAIR COVINGTON, COMMISSIONER BUTLER, AND COMMISSIONER DE LEON.
UH, I WILL TURN IT TO, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER SAMIN.
SAME, SAME WHILE I, I SEMI WHILE SEMI, SEMI WHILE I'M SORRY.
I, I I'VE NEVER SAT HERE BEFORE.
COMMISSIONER NOLAN, YOU COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER NOLAN, UH, UH, YOU HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR, UH, AN ADDITIONAL YES.
UM, SO I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CREATE THE AD HOC FOR THE LISTENING SESSION HAPPENING IN THE SUMMER RELATED TO HEALTH EQUITY.
YOU'D LIKE TO, UH, CREATE A FRIENDLY TO THE CURRENT MOTION? NO, NO.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE SECOND AD HOC, WELL, THIS IS, THIS IS ADDING AD HOC, BUT WOULDN'T THAT BE A, UH, UH, ADJUSTING THE CURRENT, UH, JUST THE POINT OF CLARITY.
SO SESSION NUMBER THREE, AS YOU ALL DECIDED IN THE, UM, THE RETREAT LAST MAY IS ACTUALLY FOCUSING ON EDUCATION ACCESS AND QUALITY.
[01:40:02]
WHEN IS THE HEALTH ONE? THAT IS LATER IN THE SUMMER.SO THAT WOULD BE SESSION NUMBER FOUR, SO LATER IN AUGUST.
THEN I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE OTHER AD HOC ON JUSTICE.
YOU, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, YOU WANT TO JOIN THE AD HOC ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE? NO, NO.
BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE TRYING NOT TO BE ON THE, TO TRY NOT TO DOUBLE UP.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN AD HOC, DARE I ASK? OH MY GOODNESS.
DO WE HAVE AN AD HOC FOR THE NEXT LISTENING SESSION? NO, NO.
IT HAS, IT HAS NOT BEEN CREATED YET.
WE DO, WE DO NEED TO CREATE IT THOUGH, UM, SO THAT WE'RE, UM, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE DIRECTION.
UM, AND SOME NOTES, AND IT WOULD BE JUST BASED ON THE EDUCATION.
SO BASED ON THE NOTES I HAVE FROM THE RETREAT, UH, THE, UH, UH, LISTENING SESSION NUMBER THREE IS EDUCATION, ACCESS AND QUALITY TO TAKE PLACE UP UNTIL THE MONTH OF JUNE AND THE SUMMER.
UM, AND THE COMMISSIONERS THAT VOLUNTEERED BACK IN MAY WERE COMMISSIONER COLE, SCHULTZ, COVINGTON, AND LARA.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY REVISIT THAT AND, AND ESTABLISH THAT TONIGHT.
AND THEN SEE YOUR CAPACITY AND AVAILABILITY TO BE IN THE AHA.
SO THE FOLLOWING COMMISSIONERS WHO SIGNED UP FOR THIS AHA, ARE COMMISSIONER COLE SCHU, MYSELF AND DR.
SO JUST TO COMMISSIONER LAURA ONE, AND I THINK I JUST HEARD FROM, FROM, UH, UH, TONY RIGHT NOW, THE COMMITMENT BACK WHEN WE DID THE RETREAT WAS TO IDEALLY HAVE THIS LISTENING SESSION DONE JUNE SLASH SUMMER, CORRECT? MM-HMM
I CAN RECOMMEND TO A FRIENDLY, AND I THINK I'M THE ONE THAT PUT THE MOTION FORWARD TO CREATE THE AD HOC.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA STICK TO THE TIMELINE AND WE SHOULD, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES, WE NEED TO GET THE BALL ROLLING ON IT.
SO I WILL, I WILL PUT FORTH A FRIENDLY TO CREATE AN AD HOC FOR THIS LISTENING SESSION, COMMUNITY, UH, LISTENING SESSION COMMITTEE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, UM, AND THOSE TWO OTHER SUB AREAS THAT DON'T, DON'T HAVE MEMORIZED ACCESS AND QUALITY.
AND THEN DURING DISCUSSION, ONCE WE KNOW WHERE ALL THE CHIPS LINE WHERE WE'RE AT, WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHO'S JOINING WHICH, WHICH AD HOC OR, OR THIS PARTICULAR AD HOC, BUT AT LEAST I CAN GET, GET THE BALL ROLLING ON IT FOR NOW.
SO SINCE I PUT THE MOTION FORWARD, I ACCEPT, UH, I ACCEPTED WHO SECONDED IT.
WILL YOU LEAD THAT AD HOC? YES.
THE QUESTION WAS, NOW YOU SAID YES.
I'LL SAY IT ON MY, WILL YOU LEAD THAT AD HOC COMMISSIONER LAURA? YES.
IF THERE'S WIGGLE ROOM ON THE TIMELINE, I CAN, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMITMENTS AT WORK, BUT SUMMER IS LIGHTER.
SO IF IT'S TOWARDS THE END OF SUMMER, I CAN DO THAT.
IDEALLY IT WOULD BE IN AUGUST.
IF, IF, IF NOT, WE COULD POTENTIALLY PUSH IT BACK.
UM, WE MADE THAT, UM, UM, AMENDMENT IN THE PAST FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR
UM, I JUST, SUMMERS ARE LIGHTER FOR EDUCATORS, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WORKABLE.
WE'VE CREATED THE LISTENING SESSION FOR EDUCATION ACCESS AND QUALITY.
UM, AND SO FAR COMMISSIONER LARA HAS COMMITTED TO THAT AD HOC.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSION FOR THE ONES THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED COMMISSIONER COLE, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR SCH AND CHAIR COVINGTON.
YEAH, WE'RE IN, I MEAN, CHRIS, UH, COVINGTON, YOU'RE IN.
SO THE MEMBERSHIP IS COMMISSIONER COLE COM.
CHAIR COVINGTON, AND COMMISSIONER LARA SO FAR, AND I
[01:45:01]
DON'T HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SAY ON THAT.UH, UH, AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THIS, ANY OTHER, DARE I ASK ANY OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, COMMENTS, UH, ON THIS SUBJECT? NOT AT THIS TIME, NO.
UH, PLEASE, UH, COULD YOU JUST REREAD WHATEVER WE JUST DID AND CALL FOR A VOTE SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND REREAD IT PUBLIC.
BUT WE DO NEED TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL.
SO I'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
UM, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SO PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC OF RELATING TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEES AND THE REPORTS THAT WERE GIVEN TODAY.
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'RE ANY IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW.
UM, BUT JUST, UH, WITH RELATIONSHIP TO THE ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY REGARDING WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED FOR ITEM FOUR.
UM, I WAS JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN, UM, HOW WOULD, HOW WOULD I KNOW HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, AND WHAT WOULD THE PROCESS BE, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY? UM, THERE WAS LIKE LIGHT DISCUSSION ON, UM, THE MOVE FORWARD PROCESS ON ONE IN THE FUTURE, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE LISTENING SESSION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE YET TO CREATE, KIND OF, SO I, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? FANTASTIC.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE, UM, SEEING, SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON WITH THE VOTE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND REITERATE THE AMENDED MOTION.
FIRST ONE IS TO DISSOLVE THE BIPOC PRESERVATION AD HOC COMMITTEE.
SECOND WOULD BE TO CREATE THE JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH MEMBERS, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY, CHAIR COVINGTON, COMMISSIONER BUTLER, COMMISSIONER DELEON, AND COMMISSIONER SAM, ME WILD, AND TO CREATE THE LISTENING SESSION FOR EDUCATION ACCESS AND QUALITY AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH MEMBERS, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER COLE, VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ, CHAIR COVINGTON, AND COMMISSIONER LARA.
UM, FOR THE LISTENING SESSION, WE HAVE TO AMEND IT 'CAUSE COMMISSIONER COLE ISN'T HERE AND HASN'T GIVEN CONSENT, EVEN THOUGH SHE GAVE CONSENT IN THE PAST.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO INCLUDE, UH, HER IN IT WITHOUT HER BEING AT A MEETING, UM, ADDING HERSELF TO THE, OKAY.
WE WILL REMOVE COMMISSIONER COLE.
THE NEW MEMBERSHIP IS VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ.
CHAIR COVINGTON, AND COMMISSIONER LARA.
I THINK WE CAN GO TO A VOTE ON THAT.
UH, ALSO B BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE, UM, JUST, UM, SINCE WE'RE ON THIS ITEM, AND SORRY FOR ME, I INTERJECTING, UM, BUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO SHARED ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
UH, I DO WANNA JUST INFORM FOLKS, UH, IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE ITEM, UH, THEY CAN DEFINITELY EMAIL TONY, UH, AT THE, IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, THERE IS COPIES OF THE AGENDA, UM, WITH TONY'S EMAIL.
TONY IS OUR, UM, STAFF LIAISON.
UH, AND THOSE QUESTIONS CAN BE EMAILED OVER TO TONY AND THEY CAN BE, UH, RESPONDED TO ABOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, AND THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
UM, ALSO IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, THERE ARE VALIDATIONS, UM, SO THAT PARKING IS FREE TONIGHT AS WELL.
CHAIR COVINGTON IS PAYING FOR YOUR PARKING TONIGHT.
MAKE SURE YOU, YOU GET, UH, USE YOUR TICKET FROM THE PARKING GARAGE AND, AND THERE ARE VALIDATIONS IN THE BACK.
UH, UH, I'M NOT PAYING FOR THIS THING AGAIN.
[01:50:01]
SCHULTZ? YES.AND TO WHOEVER NEEDED ME THINK
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL ITEM NUMBER FIVE? ITEM NUMBER FIVE
[5. 26-55046 Recommendation to receive and file a monthly update from the Office of Equity. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ITEM? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LAURA.
SECONDED BY BUTLER, UM, STAFF TONY? YEAH, IT'S JUST A FEW, FEW MINOR UPDATES FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
SO, UM, THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY SURVEY HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 30TH, AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY NEEDS YOUR HELP WITH IDENTIFYING AND PROVIDING WARM HANDOFFS TO, AND CONNECTIONS TO PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP US IN THE DATA COLLECTION PROCESS.
SO PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CONNECTED AND OR KNOW IF ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN DIRECTLY CONNECT TO SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE GATHERING THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
UH, SECONDLY, THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IS LOOKING FOR A LOCAL, FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, JOB TRAINING AND MENTORING.
A SURVEY IS LIVE NOW AND WILL AND WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT ON WAYS TO, WAYS THE COMMISSION CAN CONSIDER THE ORGANIZATIONS IN ADVANCING THE NEEDS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN LONG BEACH.
UH, UH, JUST A QUICK REMINDER, UM, UH, THE 43RD ANNUAL LONG BEACH PRIDE FESTIVAL WILL TAKE PLACE ON MAY 17TH, MAY 16TH, 17TH, WITH A PARADE ALONG OCEAN BOULEVARD ON SUNDAY, MAY 17TH.
AND IT'S A TWO DAY FESTIVAL AT THE MARINA GREEN PARK.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANNA GIVE YOU ALL THE WARNING THAT JUNE, THE JUNE MEETING WILL BE OUR ANNUAL PICTURE DAY.
SO I KNOW I USUALLY SURPRISE ALL OF YOU, SO THIS TIME YOU GET A FAIR WARNING.
I'LL BE TAKING ALL OF YOUR PHOTOS.
UM, SO YOU CAN TAKE THE LOVELY PHOTO FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT.
DO, UH, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS ON TONY'S REPORT? WELL, THAT'S GOOD.
UM, I JUST, I LOST MY PLACE HERE.
UH, WE'LL NOW TAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SUBJECT OF THE A OFFICE OF EQUITY REPORT.
IF THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
NOW, IS THERE ANYBODY ON ZOOM? MADAM? THERE IS.
OH, BUT THEIR HAND WAS NOT RAISED.
SO NONE IN THE ZOOM, BUT WE HAVE ONE IN PERSON.
JUST ONE, JUST ONE QUESTION ON THE FILE.
UM, THE MONTHLY UPDATE IS, IS THAT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING, BUT IF SOMEONE COULD LET ME KNOW HOW THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO IF THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, I CAN GO AHEAD AND, UH, RESPOND.
YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT IT? NO, NO, NO.
I CAN GO AHEAD AND RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.
UM, IF THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES.
SO THIS, UH, THE MONTHLY UPDATE IS A VERBAL PRESENTATION, SO THERE ISN'T AN ATTACHMENT.
SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND LISTEN TO THE RECORDING AFTER THE MEETING IS OVER.
IF YOU WANTED TO, UH, LISTEN TO THE MONTHLY UPDATE THAT WAS GIVEN VERBALLY.
THEY ARE, UH, THE VERBAL UPDATES USUALLY COME FROM OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.
SO I CAN GET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND ADD YOU TO OUR NEWSLETTER AS WELL.
ANY MEMBER, ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? NO.
NONE IN THE ZOOM AND NONE IN PERSON.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FIVE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS AGENDA? ITEM? OH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG HERE.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES? YES.
THA THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A LOT OF WHERE WE REALLY TOOK YOU FOR A RIDE THERE.
[01:55:01]
FOR, UH, UH, FOLLOWING ALONG ON THE AGENDA ITEM.UM, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA TAKE, UH,
[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.]
NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENTS, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON OR COMMENT.YOU KNOW, I JUST WROTE THIS LAST NIGHT BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME, KNOW MY STORY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PAIN AND ANXIETY BEHIND MY PAIN, BEHIND MY SMILE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP YESTERDAY, NOT JUST FOR, NOT JUST TO SUPPORT ME, BUT THE, THE MAN SUPPORT FOR BLACK WORKERS.
AND I'M TRULY SORRY THAT THE ANGER AND THE FRUSTRATION I FELT AFTER YEARS OF DISCRIMINATION AND MISTREATMENT ON THIS JOB, CITY, CITY COUNCIL, NOT GIVING A DAMN ABOUT IT.
AND REX PUBLICLY DISRESPECTED ME.
AND EVERY BLACK WORKER IN THE CITY BOILED OVER LAST NIGHT.
WHILE I DO, WHILE I DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT I SAID TO HER ABOUT REX, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT I APOLOGIZE FOR THE WAY I REACTED TO HIS BLATANTNESS, HIS BLATANTNESS, AND OVER DISRESPECT.
I TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT, AND ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT MY ACTIONS HAD ON ANY OF THE PEOPLE I'M FIGHTING FOR, I PROMISE I WILL CONTINUE TO GROW, AND I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR BLACK WORKERS WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY OVERLOOKED AND DIS IS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
FOR REX TO BE OUR MAYOR, AND ME AS THE FOUNDER OF THE COALITION AGAINST ANTI-BLACKNESS, I BELIEVE WE BOTH CAN DO BETTER.
I'M STANDING HERE AGAIN TODAY FOR THE SAME REASON I'VE BEEN COMING FOR YEARS.
FOR YEARS, I'VE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT RACIAL DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WORKFORCE.
I'VE SHARED MY EXPERIENCES AND THE EXPERIENCES OF MY COWORKERS.
THIS IS NOT JUST COMPLAINTS, BUT IT'S A LIVE REALITY FOR MY SELF.
AND EVERY BLACK WORKER THAT YOU TUNE A BLIND EYE TO YOU HAVE ALLOWED A SYSTEM THAT LIMITS OPPORTUNITY, SUPPRESSES ADVANCEMENT, AND CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE BLACK WORKERS ARE NOT JUST UNDERVALUED, BUT ACTIVELY AND SYSTEMICALLY HARMED THROUGH, THROUGH THRIVE.
DENYING FAIR ACCESS TO SAFE, EQUITABLE EMPLOYMENT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THE PAYCHECK.
IT AFFECTS EVERY PART PART OF OUR LIVES.
IT IMPACTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH, OUR FAMILIES, OUR ABILITY TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND OUR ABILITY TO SIMPLY GO TO WORK WITHOUT STRESS, FEAR, AND HARASSMENT.
THE DAMAGE, THE DAMAGE DOESN'T JUST, THE DAMAGE DOESN'T STAY ON THE JOB.
IT IMPOUNDS IT BECOMES A CYCLE.
AND THE CYCLE EXISTS BECAUSE OF INACTIONS.
YOUR INACTIONS, YOUR LACK OF ACTIONS HAS RENDERED A RACIAL RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE PLAN, USELESS.
NO POLICY, NO ACCOUNTABILITY, NO MEASURABLE PROGRESS, JUST MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FUTURE CONVERSATION.
NO ACTIONS HAS MADE YOU PART OF THE PROBLEM.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ENSURE THAT BLACK WORKERS IN THIS CITY RECEIVE THE SAME PROTECTION, SAME OPPORTUNITY TO RESPECT AS EVERYONE ELSE? BECAUSE WE ARE.
YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED ASKING ANYMORE.
WE ARE DEMANDING ENFORCEABLE POLICY THAT DIRECTLY ADDRESS DISCRIMINATION, INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, REAL AUTHORITY, NOT SYMBOLIC, INCLUSION, TRANSPARENT REPORTING.
A REAL CON, REAL CONATION OCCURS.
THIS, WHAT WILL YOU, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT BLACK WORKERS IN THIS CITY THE SAME PROTECTION EVERYONE ELSE? WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE PRIORITY CHANGE? CLEAR.
WE DEMAND, PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT.
WE DEMAND INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE WHERE BLACK PEOPLE HAVE A VOID THAT LEAVES THE CHAIN.
BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE THINGS, THIS COUNCIL, NOT M THIS, THIS COUNCIL IS NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM MANAGING THE OPTIC OF THE PROBLEM.
BLACK PEOPLE ALONE DESERVE BETTER.
YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED THIS TIME FOR THIS COUNCIL TO DO OUR TAX DOLLARS.
PAID THEM TO DO THAT BLACK WORK ASKED.
ANY OF THE ME, ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU.
[02:00:01]
IT TAKES, I'M SORRY.CAN YOU PLEASE START YOUR COMMENT AGAIN? THE MICROPHONE WASN'T ON.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS KESHAWN RAINS FROM DISTRICT ONE, AND I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT MS. DANA NICKERSON AND THE BLACK WORKER CENTER OF LONG BEACH.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COMMISSIONER KIANA MONTGOMERY FOR MAKING THE MOTION TO CREATE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE ANTI-BLACKNESS TAKING PLACE IN THE WORKPLACE FOR THE JUSTICE FOR BLACK WORKERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE NAME FOR THAT.
AND ALSO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO STEPPED UP TO BE A PART OF THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE SHARED HERE TONIGHT IS REALLY JUST A MICRO DOSE OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN THIS CITY.
ANTI-BLACKNESS IS SOMETHING THAT PERMEATES THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THROUGHOUT OUR WORKERS, THROUGHOUT OUR RESIDENCES, THROUGHOUT OUR TENANCY, THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP.
EVERY BUSINESS, EVERY PLACE IN THIS CITY IS IMPACTED BY IT.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK EACH OF YOU FOR SHOWING UP, FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HEARD.
AND AGAIN, SHOUT OUT TO COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY FOR TAKING THAT FIRST STEP.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE IN THIS MEETING TONIGHT, AND I WANNA COME HERE MORE OFTEN.
AND, UM, I JUST, UH, WANNA SHARE SOME THINGS.
UM, UH, I COME TO THIS CHAMBER ALMOST EVERY TUESDAY, AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGY AND IMPACT OF ANTI-BLACKNESS BECAUSE ANTI-BLACKNESS IS ALIVE, ACTIVE, AND PRESENT IN EVERY SOCIO-ECONOMIC SPACE.
WHEN I SIT IN THIS ROOM ON TUESDAYS AND WATCH THE PRESENTATIONS, THE PHOTOGRAPHS, THE RECOGNITION RECOGNITIONS, THE RECOGNITIONS OF WORKERS, THOSE MOMENTS MATTER.
THEY MODEL WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE, WHAT ACCEPTANCE LOOKS LIKE, WHAT BELONGING FEELS LIKE.
AND THOSE LISTENS STAY WITH PEOPLE.
THEY SHAPE WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL BELIEVES IS POSSIBLE FOR THEMSELVES.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE BLACK RESIDENTS MAKE UP ROUGHLY 12% OF LONG BEACH POPULATION, BLACK PEOPLE REPRESENT APPRO APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF THE CITY'S UNHOUSED POPULATION.
THERE IS ALSO NEARLY A 10 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY GAP BETWEEN BLACK MEN AND WHITE MEN IN LONG BEACH.
SO, WHEN I SAY A LOT OF US, A LOT OF US, I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY, WORKING, CONTRIBUTING, SERVING, SURVIVING, AND STILL NOT FULLY REFLECTED IN THE OUTCOMES.
UM, MS. NICKERSON SAID SOMETHING POWERFUL IN HER PRESENTATION ABOUT FEELING, UH, WORKERS FEELING INVISIBLE IN THESE SPACES, ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK WORKERS AND ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK MAN, UH, FEELING INVISIBLE.
AND A LOT OF US ASSUME EVERYONE HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THE DOOR IS TECHNICALLY OPEN.
BUT AN OPEN DOOR DOES NOT GUARANTEE EQUAL ACCESS, BECAUSE A LOT OF US ARE NOT SEEN THROUGH THE SAME WIND.
AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE CONSISTENTLY UNSEEN, UN UNDERESTIMATED, OR EXCLUDED, THEY COMPLETELY INTERNALIZED THAT.
THAT AFFECTS CONFIDENCE, THAT AFFECTS ASPIRATION.
IT AFFECTS MENTAL HEALTH, IT AFFECTS PHYSICAL HEALTH OPPORTUNITY AND ULTIMATELY THE OUTCOMES.
AND, AND LASTLY, WE BEGIN EVERY MEETING WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SO THE QUESTION IS SIMPLE TO ME.
ARE WE TRULY LIVING THAT? BECAUSE IF WE ARE NOT, THEN IT IS NO LONGER A A PLEDGE.
IT, IT BECOMES, UH, A PERFORMANCE.
SO THANK YOU AND I EVERYONE PLEASE HAVE A BLESSED EVENING WHEN YOU GO TO BED.
THINK ABOUT BLACK CHILDREN THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
IT'S GOING TO STOP, AND ALL OF US HERE ARE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD? OKAY.
UM, WITH BEING A TARGETED BLACK AMERICAN, UM, RAISED IN BEING, HAVING BEEN RAISED IN LONG BEACH, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UM, AND THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR, UM, THE, THE FIGHT THAT MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER HAVE BOTH,
[02:05:01]
UM, SERVED OUR COUNTRY FOR MY, MY FATHER, YES, MY MOTHER DID NOT SERVE, BUT DEFINITELY MY FATHER.AND WITH HER, UH, RAISING ME AND WITH HIM, YOU KNOW, RAISING ME, UH, I, I HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MY LIFE.
I FEEL WHEN IT COMES TO MY EDUCATION, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSITY AND WHEN IT COMES TO INCLUSION, AND WHEN IT COMES TO MY SPIRIT.
AND SPIRIT IS SUCH A POWERFUL THING, UM, THAT I HAVE LEARNED TO, UM, MANIFEST INTO SOMETHING MORE.
AND WITH THAT MORE, IT HELPS ME, UM, TO BE A BETTER COMMUNITY MEMBER AND, AND, AND LISTENER AND, UM, PERSPECTIVE TAKER SO THAT I CAN ENHANCE WHAT I NEED TO FULFILL THE I AM IN MY LIFE.
UM, HOWEVER, I AM NOT LIVING TO INTERNALIZE MY SUFFERING AND SILENCE IN OUR COUNTRY FOR THE BLOODSHED THAT HAS BEEN SHED FOR THE, THE, THE CIVIL RIGHTS, FOR OUR PROTECTIONS, FOR OUR, OUR OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND FOR OUR FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED, UM, THUS FAR.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, THE, THE ATTACKING AND THE TARGETING THAT THEY HAVE, HAVE, UH, SUBMITTED OR, OR THAT THEY'VE DONE TO ME, BASICALLY, UM, IT FOLLOWS ME FROM STATE TO STATE.
UM, I'VE MOVED TO DIFFERENT STATES.
UM, THEY, THEY TARGET MY PROFILE AND MY, MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND MY DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER.
I, I HAD TO COME OUT OF RETIREMENT.
I WENT BACK INTO THE WORK FIELD AND MY DOCTOR WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? AND I'M LIKE, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
AND, AND EVEN WITH THAT, EVEN MY DIRECT DEPOSITED IS, IS IS TARGETED, SO I CAN'T WORK.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR A LISTENING EAR.
I AM PRETTY SURE IT'S THE LAST TIME TONIGHT, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS.
I KNOW THAT, UM, I COME OFTEN TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND I KNOW THERE, THEY TAKE A BEATING, YOU KNOW, FOR THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE SOMETIMES, RIGHTFULLY SO, YOU KNOW.
BUT I KNOW THAT IT'S, UM, SOMETIMES INTERESTING TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO PEOPLE'S STORIES AND, UM, CRAWL THROUGH THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES.
I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL FOR SOME RANDOM REASON.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST THE WEIGHT OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE ON THIS SIDE.
YOU KNOW? UM, PEOPLE ASSUME THAT YOU ALL HAVE PERFECT LIVES BECAUSE YOU SIT THERE, I KNOW BETTER.
BUT ALSO IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE IMPRESS UPON YOU WHAT OUR LIFE IS LIKE.
IF YOU DON'T WALK IN THIS WALK, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
WHEN YOU SEE US GET UPSET OR FRUSTRATED OR AIR OUR GRIEVANCES IN A WAY THAT'S NOT SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO, UM, STAY CONNECTED TO THE REALITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS ASKED, DID YOU THINK ABOUT US AS BLACK PEOPLE TONIGHT? WHEN YOU GO HOME, IF OUR ISSUES WERE NOT CLOAKED IN BLACK SKIN, WOULD THEY RESONATE MORE? IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO IMAGINE SOMETIMES WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE TO BE ON YOUR SIDE, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT HAVE TO WORRY EVERY TIME YOU WALK INTO A BUSINESS, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE JUDGED IMMEDIATELY OR LATER.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE JUDGED.
WHETHER YOU'RE JUDGED HARSHLY OR LESS HARSHLY, YOU'RE STILL GONNA BE JUDGED.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE SOMETIMES TO NOT BE TREATED THE WAY WE GET TREATED.
IT'S, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE A WAY OF LIFE.
WHEN I WAS RAISED, IT WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS JUST HOW IT IS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.
BUT I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THE PEOPLE IN THIS WHO MAKE THE DECISIONS LOSE TOUCH WITH THAT.
IT'S A LOT EASIER TO GET GO ALONG, TO GET ALONG, I THINK IS HOW THE PHRASE GOES.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES OUR ISSUES GET OVERLOOKED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA RUFFLE TOO MANY FEATHERS, BECAUSE THEN IT MIGHT COMPROMISE YOUR COMFORTABLE POSITION.
BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION, THEN MAYBE IT'LL FEEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
[02:10:01]
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.I KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE TIME, BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO LISTEN.
THERE'S ONE THING TO BE HEARD.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO BE LISTENED TO.
AND SO I HOPE THAT AFTER ALL THESE COMMENTS AND, AND SELF-EXPRESSION AND PEOPLE'S SHARING OF THEIR INNER PARTS WITH YOU, THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY THINK ABOUT IT AND WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE TO BE US.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM CAN ONE TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AD AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES NON-AD AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR, UH, FOR SPEAKING.
IT, UH, YOUR VOICES ARE SO IMPORTANT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
FROM, UH, COMMISSIONERS? WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, IN YOUR DISTRICT? WHAT'S GOING ON? YOUR WORK? COMMISSIONER LAURA? IT'S MORE OF A BROAD ANNOUNCEMENT AS OPPOSED TO AN EVENT.UH, I THINK GIVEN THE TOPICS TODAY, IT IS NECESSARY FOR ME TO ANNOUNCE THAT PEOPLE WERE HEARD AND I LISTENED.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE MESSAGES THAT HAD A A, A CLEAR THROUGH LINE.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT, UH, ANNOUNCE USING THIS VERY LIBERALLY THAT, UM, THIS ALSO COMES ON THE HEEL OF AN UNFORTUNATE, MY PERSONAL OPINION, UH, DECISION BY THE SUPREME COURT.
THAT REALLY, REALLY, UM, THE, UH, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, JUST REALLY ENDING VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHICH CREATES ANOTHER LAYER OF ANTI-BLACKNESS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT LOST ON ME.
IT IS NOT LOST ON, UH, HOPEFULLY ANYONE IN THIS ROOM AND BEYOND IT.
AND SO I, I HOPE THAT MY TAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT PIECE LIBERALLY, UH, REALLY, UH, HELPS TO REALLY SOLIDIFY THE THEMES THAT RAN THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY INVITE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO AN EVENT HOSTED BY THE LA COUNTY JUSTICE CARE AND OPPORTUNITIES DEPARTMENT, UH, THE WHITTIER, L-G-B-T-Q CENTER, LOS ANGELES CENTERS FOR, UM, ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE, AS WELL AS THE L-G-B-T-Q CENTER HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UH, WE ARE HOSTING AN EVENT THIS FRIDAY, MAY 8TH, UM, FROM SIX TO 7:00 PM UM, AT THE L-G-B-T-Q CENTER OF LONG BEACH.
UM, YOU'LL GET TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHAT, HOW WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE, UM, WITH THE COUNTY.
SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS? COMMISSIONER BUTLER, THANK YOU.
UM, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I, I'VE BEEN GETTING, UH, ALERTS ALL DAY ABOUT THE COYOTES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I JUST REALLY ASK EVERYBODY, OR CAUTION EVERYBODY TO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU GO HOME.
THEY ARE NOT AFRAID OF US ANYMORE, AND THEY'RE ROAMING THE STREETS AS IF THEY BELONG HERE.
SO JUST BE CAREFUL, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR SMALLER PETS, AS MANY OF YOU HAVE.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? UH, COMMENTS, UPDATES? JUST WAVE AT ME.
THEN BRIEFLY, UH, I HAVE A COMMENT.
UH, I'M SORRY, WHAT DID I MISS? SOMETHING I WAS GONNA SAY.
SO, UH, THE, THE CHAIR HAS HIS HAND UP TO YOU.
UH, GET, WELL, LET ME, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU WRAP IT UP, CHAIR, BUT, UH, BRIEFLY, I'D LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, IT'S MAY, RIGHT? UH, AND, UH, FOR CHAIR COVINGTON AND MYSELF, UH, OUR TERMS, UH, I THINK NEXT MEETING IS OUR LAST MEETING AS CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
AND, UH, WITHOUT MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH ANYONE, I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, UH, UH, WHO YOU'D LIKE TO LEAD US FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
WE'LL BE HAVING ELECTIONS, UH, AT THE NEXT, UH, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR NOMINATIONS, THIS IS THE TIME FOR VOLUNTEERING YET.
BUT THINK ABOUT, UH, UH, UH, WHERE, WHERE YOU WANT TO BE SITTING.
UM, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION FOR, FOR FIVE YEARS.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN, IN THE, UH, IN THE CHAIR SEAT, RUNNING A MEETING.
AND, UH, UH, AND, AND I APOL, OH, WELL, I HAVE A FAN CLUB.
[02:15:01]
THE CLERK STORE AS IMPRESSED AS YOU ARE.'CAUSE I, I TRIED TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE, ALL THE AGENDA STUFF.
UH, AND, AND I JUST, I SO APPRECIATE, I THINK THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE, THE BEST ITERATION IN, IN FIVE YEARS.
THAT THE, THAT THIS COMMISSION, I THINK WE'VE REALLY COME FROM A RAGTAG GROUP OF ACTIVISTS TO, UH, A, A, A CITY BODY THAT, UM, I'M JUST REALLY PROUD TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UH, SO THINK ABOUT, UH, UH, LEADERSHIP.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LEAD, UH, UH, OR WHO YOU WANT TO LEAD THIS, UH, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR WILL BE, UH, WILL BE OPEN, UM, UH, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT STAY PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK, UH, AT ONE OF OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS IN THE CHAMBER HERE, UH, THEY'RE CURRENTLY TAKING, UH, APPLICATIONS FOR COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE OPENINGS ON THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, AS WELL AS A, A HOST OF OTHER CITY COMMISSIONS.
AND RIGHT NOW, JEFF WILLIAMS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, I THINK THEY'RE STILL TAKING APPLICATIONS.
UH, YOU CAN GO ONLINE, UH, AND, AND, AND SEE ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UH, UM, MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UH, UM, UH, I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME, SOME PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, STEP UP AND, UH, AND, AND JOIN US IN OUR, UM, QUEST FOR, UH, EQUITY, UH, UH, IN OUR CITY.
UM, AND THAT'S MY, UH, THAT'S MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICE CHAIR.
UM, AS A PART OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENT, DEEP APPRECIATION TO OUR VICE CHAIR FOR CHAIRING, UH, HIS FIRST MEETING.
I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON, BUT IF Y'ALL WANNA GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, UH, PLEASE DO SO.
UH, IT'S MUCH DESERVED CLAP ON MY END.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR FILLING IN FOR ME.
I APOLOGIZE THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE IN PERSON.
I HAVE A WORK OBLIGATION IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, UM, THAT DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO BE IN PERSON.
UM, I WAS, UH, DITTO TO ANYBODY WANTING TO STEP INTO LEADERSHIP, UH, AS A PART OF THIS COMMISSION.
UH, MANY OF OUR TERMS END IN JUNE.
UH, SO IT'S A REMINDER TO COMMISSIONERS TO CHECK IN ABOUT OUR TERM LIMITS, UH, AND ALSO CHECK IN WITH OUR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR REPRESENTATIVES WHO APPOINTED US INTO THIS POSITION TO MAKE SURE, UH, IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE INTO ANOTHER TERM OR NOT.
UM, SO PLEASE DO THAT WORK, UH, AND DEEP APPRECIATION TO EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO, UM, STAYED THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL, UH, THROUGH THE AD HOC, UH, TO BRING A LETTER FORWARD AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND, UH, END, UM, JUNE OR THE PARTICULAR TERM FOR ALL OF US, UM, WITH ONE ADDITIONAL STEP FOR ADJUSTMENT.
UH, AS A REMINDER, IT IS PRIDE MONTH IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A BOARD MEMBER FROM LONG BEACH PRIDE ON OUR COMMISSION.
UH, SO PLEASE DO SUPPORT LONG BEACH PRIDE.
UM, THE ORGANIZATION AND THE LGBT COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE HAVE ENDURED MANY ATTACKS, UM, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BOTH FUNDING AND PO, UH, THROUGH POLICY.
AND SO THE BEST WAY TO GIVE BACK IS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIDE FESTIVAL, COME OUT THROUGH THE PRIDE PARADE, UH, AND BE OUT AND SUPPORT OUR, OUR LARGER LGQ COMMUNITY.
UH, SO THANK YOU ALL, AND I'LL PASS IT BACK TO OUR VICE CHAIR TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
[ADJOURNMENT]
THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS AND I DOUBT THERE WILL BE, I DECLARE, UH, THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY.