May 14, 2026 Citizens' Advisory Commission on Disabilities

UM,

[00:00:01]

UH, IT IS CURRENTLY 1:00 PM ONE O'CLOCK.

FABULOUS.

UM, COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE, UH,

[ROLL CALL]

AND LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ WITH A WATERMELON HANDBAG NEXT TO HER.

YES, I HAVE A, A WATERMELON, UH, PURSE HERE, PURSE FOR SUMMER.

UM, HI, I AM COMMISSIONER MARISSA GONZALEZ.

UH, SHE HER PRONOUNS, BROWN HAIR PULLED BACK IN A LOW BUN AND A NAVY BLUE SHIRT LETS US STAND UP TO CANCER.

AND I USE A WALKING CANE FOR, UH, AID FOR VISUAL DISABILITY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER RANDY HOPE.

UH, CAUCASIAN MALE, MID FORTIES, A SHAVED HEAD, UH, WITH A BEARD, UH, AND EYEGLASSES, UH, WEARING, UH, RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, UH, CHECKED, UH, SHIRT.

AND, UH, HE, HIM PRONOUNS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UM, VICE CHAIR CHAKA GARBUTT WEARING, UM, A BLACK SWEATER, UM, BLUE WHITE POLKA DOT SHIRT.

AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE BLACK HAIR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, GRETCHEN SWANSON.

UH, CHAIR.

UH, SHE, HER OLDER WHITE WOMAN WITH WHITE CURLY HAIR GLASSES, DANGLING EARRINGS, WHITE TOP WITH A BROWN VEST.

HELLO, ARTHUR ROMO.

A MALE HISPANIC, UH, SENIOR MALE HISPANIC, DARK SHORT HAIR GRAY AT THE TEMPLES, SALT AND PEPPER MUSTACHE.

I'M WEARING A BLACK SHIRT TODAY WITH, UH, DARK GRAY PANTS.

COMMISSIONER JONES, UH, SHE, HER PRONOUNS, UH, WHITE PRESENTING MIDDLE AGED FEMALE.

TODAY I HAVE MY BROWN HAIR PULLED BACK IN A BUN AND A LIGHT BLUE SWEATER, AND I'M WEARING MY CITY ID, WHICH IS A RARITY.

HELLO, I'M KATE COD, SECRETARY JULIE DEAN.

I'M A CAUCASIAN WOMAN IN A MOBILITY SCOOTER WITH SHE HER HERS PRONOUNS.

I HAVE SHORT AUBURN HAIR GLASSES, AND I AM WEARING MY PRIDE TIE DYE DRESS IN HONOR OF PRIDE THIS WEEKEND AND A JEAN JACKET.

COOL.

SO IF YOU CAN CONFIRM, WE HAVE A QUORUM, I BELIEVE WE DO, WITH ONE EXCUSED ABSENCE OF COMMISSIONER VONG.

WE HAVE ONE.

YES.

UM, ARE THERE ANY, ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE, I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE, UM, OPENING REMARK TODAY.

I LIKE TO SORT OF SHAPE, UM, SORT OF SOMETIMES THE BIG PICTURE OF WHAT THIS COMMISSION, UH, NEEDS TO ADDRESS.

AND THIS MONTH IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH WE CANNOT HAVE TOO MUCH AWARENESS, NOT ONLY AWARENESS, BUT SERVICES, BENEFITS AND SUPPORT FOR, UH, PEOPLE IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH, UH, SERVICES.

AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT WHAT OUR CITY IS DOING.

ONE, THEY SORT OF TRACK THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS HAVING MENTAL HEALTH, CERTAINLY FOR THE ADULT COMMUNITY.

I DON'T THINK THEY, UH, THE CITY IS CURRENTLY ADDRESSING THE PERCENTAGE OF, UH, INCIDENTS FOR OUR YOUNGER POPULATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING MAYBE WE COULD PURSUE.

UM, WE DO KNOW THAT OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS ARE GETTING, UH, MORE AND MORE ADMISSIONS FOR WHAT THEY CALL DOUBLE CONDITIONS, PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC CON, UH, CONDITIONS OR DISEASES, ILLNESSES, AS WELL AS, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DISORDERS.

SO PEOPLE ARE COMING IN MORE COMPLEX INTO OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.

I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR ALL OF US AND PEOPLE WHO, UH, EITHER AT HOME OR WATCHING THIS, UH, LATER ON VIDEO THAT OUR CITY HAS SOME TOOLS.

ONE IS OUR COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE.

WE'VE HAD THAT PRESENTATION, AND OF COURSE WE KNOW WE NEED MORE STAFFING AND MORE HOURS AND JUST MORE INCLUSION WITH THAT PROGRAM.

BUT THE PROGRAM IS, UH, BEING INCREASINGLY USED AND TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR RESIDENTS.

BUT THERE'S TWO OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE WORTH NOTING THAT OUR CITY DOES.

ONE IS THE RACIAL AND HEALTH EQUITY DATA HUB.

REALLY IMPORTANT PLACE IF YOU WANT TO

[00:05:01]

IT'S VERY, IT'S A VERY EASY TOOL.

THAT'S THE RACIAL AND HEALTH EQUITY DATA HUB.

AND ALSO ON A YEARLY BASIS, OUR CITY DOES, UM, AN ANNUAL HEALTH UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THE HEALTH IN LONG BEACH.

SO IF YOU WANNA KNOW, UH, WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHAT WE STILL HAVE TO, UH, GO TOWARDS, IT'S EXCELLENT PLACE.

WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT WE ARE MOVING IN, UH, CERTAIN DIRECTIONS.

AND IT WOULD BE WORTH NOTING JUST FOR YOUR OWN EDIFICATION AND, AND WHEREWITHAL.

SOMETIMES WE MAY FEEL THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING, WHEN IN FACT THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

AND AGAIN, THESE ARE LONGER TERM OBJECTIVES.

SO, UH, WITH THAT, UM, PRIDE IN BEING A PART OF LONG BEACH, LET'S GO TO OUR AGENDA.

UM, I COULD HAVE A RECOMMENDATION.

THE FIRST ITEM

[1. 26-55108 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting of Thursday, April 9, 2026.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOTION SECOND.

EXCUSE ME.

IT'S BEEN, UH, MOVED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER UM, JONES AND SECONDED BY SECRETARY.

UH, DEAN.

UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS? WE CAN NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC JOINING IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM, SEEING NONE IN PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR, OR DIAL STAR NINE ON YOUR PHONE.

SEEING NONE, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

COMMISSIONER ADAMS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE ON THE MINUTES? YES.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.

AYE.

COMMISSIONER, HOPE ABSTAIN.

ARE YOU ABSTAINING BECAUSE YOU MISSED THE LAST MEETING? THAT'S CORRECT.

DID YOU REVIEW THEM WHEN YOU RECEIVED THE PACKET? I DID.

IF YOU DID, YOU CAN VOTE YES OR NO ON THE ITEM.

AYE.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER JONES.

AYE.

COMMISSIONER ROMO? AYE.

SECRETARY DEAN.

AYE.

VICE CHAIR GARBO AYE.

AND CHAIR SWANSON.

AYE.

MOTION CARRIES.

GREAT.

ITEM NUMBER TWO

[2. 26-54837 Recommendation to receive and file a report from Dr. Gary Hytrek and Wesley Rogers of California State University, Long Beach, regarding the Disability Data & Community Survey.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

HARRY, EXCUSE ME, GARY TRICH AND WESLEY ROGERS OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH REGARDING THE DISABILITY DATA AND COMMUNITY SURVEY.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? A MOTION? OOPS.

OKAY.

UM, I'LL SECOND.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ AND SECRETARY DEAN.

AND WE CAN WELCOME DR.

HETRICK TO THE PODIUM.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER, UH, GRETCHEN, OR I SHOULD SAY CHAIR GRETCHEN.

VICE CHAIR CHAKA AND COMMISSIONERS.

UM, I AM HERE TODAY.

I'M GARY HIT.

I AM AN OLDER WHITE MALE WEARING GLASSES, UM, GRAIN, UH, BROWNISH HAIR, BLACK JACKET.

I THINK THIS IS A BLUE OR NAVY LIGHT, NAVY SHIRT.

UM, AND I'M ALSO JOINED WITH, UM, MY COLLEAGUE AND, UM, PARTNER IN CRIME OR PARTNER IN RESEARCH.

WESLEY ROGERS.

UM, WESLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS WELL? HELLO? CAN PEOPLE SEE AND HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU, YES.

OKAY.

HI, UH, MY NAME IS WESLEY.

IT'S, I'M A GRAD STUDENT RESEARCHER WITH C-S-E-L-B, PARTNERING WITH, UH, DR.

HETRICK.

I HAVE, UH, BROWN HAIR, A PINK SHIRT, UM, AND BLUE HEADPHONES.

THANK YOU, WESLEY.

UM, AND I FORGOT MY PRONOUNS.

HE, HIM, HIS.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO THIS IS AN UPDATE WE WERE ASKED, UH, LAST MONTH.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

SO I'M HERE IN PERSON TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WESLEY IS ONLINE AS WELL.

SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

UM, THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE AND WHERE WE ARE, WE LAUNCHED OFFICIALLY OUR, UM, SURVEY PORTION OF THIS, THIS PROJECT IN JANUARY.

AND LET'S SEE IF WE'RE WORKING.

YES, WE ARE WORKING.

UM, SO THAT IS JENNIFER, I BELIEVE.

[00:10:01]

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE VERY LITTLE DATA IN LONG BEACH OR, OR, UM, REGARDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

IF WE ARE, UM, TO CREATE POLICIES THAT, THAT, UM, ARE INCLUSIVE, WE NEED TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE OUT THERE.

AND SO, I, I AM, I'M, I APPLAUD THE COMMISSION FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS PROJECT.

AND, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME BUMPS, BUT WE'VE, WE ARE COLLECTIVELY WORKING THROUGH THEM IN TERMS OF OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.

THE VISION REALLY HERE IS, AS I MENTIONED, TO, UH, CREATE A CITY IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE INCLUDED.

THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO THEIR POTENTIAL, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS IN LIFE AND, AND HAVE A CITY THAT SUPPORTS THOSE ENDEAVORS.

UM, SO THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE DATA WHERE WE ARE AS OF THIS WEEK, I THINK THE DATA, WE PULLED IT ON, UM, MONDAY.

SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY THIS WEEK'S DATA.

I'M GOING TO FINISH WITH THIS NEXT SLIDE, THIS SLIDE, AND THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND THEN I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO WESLEY, WHO'S GONNA WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE DATA.

AND THEN WHILE I'LL CLOSE IT OUT AT THE VERY END.

SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE A TOTAL, UM, NUMBER OF 386 SURVEYS.

THIS IS ONLY ENGLISH, UM, EXCUSE ME, ENGLISH IS 378.

WE HAVE A FEW SPANISH AND A COUPLE KAMAI, UM, SURVEYS.

WE ALSO HAVE 50 ISH, UM, SURVEYS THAT ARE, THAT ARE PAPER HARD COPIES THAT NEED TO BE INPUTTED.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSE TO 450 SURVEYS.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER, PROBABLY 160 NOW, SURVEYS THAT ARE PARTIAL.

SOME OF THOSE SURVEYS WE'RE HOPING WE HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THEM, WILL HAVE USABLE DATA.

UM, SO WE, SO THEY'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT LEAST 450 SURVEYS AT THIS POINT.

WE HAVE, WELL, INITIALLY WE, UM, HAD A TARGET NUMBER OF 10% OF THE POPULATION, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN ABOUT 4,000.

WE HAVE SINCE, UM, RENEGOTIATED THAT NUMBER.

AND WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON TRYING TO GET A THOUSAND SURVEYS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE FINE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS LONG AS WE HAVE A, A FAIRLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE.

AND SO WESLEY, RIGHT NOW, AND I ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE.

THIS IS NOT A REPRESENTATION OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION, WHICH WOULD BE REALLY SIMPLE.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS, UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SAY THE POPULATION THAT HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES, UM, EXIST IN THE CITY.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE AS A, AS A SORT OF THE PERCENTAGE OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION.

SO, AND WHAT I, I, I'VE, I'M LEARNING EVERY DAY IN THIS PROJECT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, AND AS YOU MAY, MAY KNOW AS WELL, UM, WHEN YOU ENTER INTO A NEW PROJECT, YOU REALIZE THAT YOU'RE REALIZING THINGS THAT YOU'VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT.

I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, CHAIR GRETCHEN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, AND, AND AS WELL AS WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS THIS IS ALSO AN EDUCATIONAL PROJECT.

A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE DON'T VIEW THEMSELVES AS HAVING A, ANY KIND OF CHALLENGE, ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY DO HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES.

BUT WE ALSO LIVE IN A CITY, OR EXCUSE ME, WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY IN WHICH IS IN, IS HEAVILY INDIVIDUALISTIC.

AND, UM, WE DOWNPLAY THIS NOTION OF THAT WE HAVE CHALLENGES.

AND MENTAL HEALTH IS AS, UH, UH, CHAIR GRETCHEN STARTED OUT WITH IS, IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST, UM, IGNORED BY, BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE ISSUES AS WELL AS THE, THE SOCIETY AS AS A WHOLE.

UM, SO WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS? SO WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING, STRUGGLING WITH THOSE NUMBERS.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BROADLY DEFINED IN SOME RESPECTS, IT'S NARROWLY DEFINED IN OTHERS.

WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE DEFINITION THAT, UM, IS USED TO CREATE THE PRIDE DISABILITY FLAG.

THAT'S A SLIGHTLY NARROWER DEFINITION, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE THE ONE THAT WE SHOULD USE BECAUSE WE STARTED THIS PROJECT WITH THAT IN MIND.

UM, AND WE ASK PEOPLE WHETHER OR NOT HOW THEY FIT IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THAT FLAG.

SO THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THOSE, UH, WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR SAMPLING GOALS AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

IN TERMS OF THE SURVEYS WE WE'VE RECEIVED, WE ARE OVERSAMPLING THE WHITE POPULATION.

UM, WE ARE UNDER SAMPLING THE HISPANIC LATINX.

WE ARE UNDER SAMPLING THE ASIAN API, UM, UH, COMMUNITIES.

UM, THE BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY WERE ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS.

UM, AGAIN, THE BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN IS A GOOD COMMUNITY, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF

[00:15:01]

IF WE USE SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEYS, THAT NUMBER GOES UP TO OVER 30%.

SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE.

I THINK, UM, MY, MY PERSONAL AND MY PROFESSIONAL, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY DECISION WOULD BE TO BE ABOVE THE 13 AND AS CLOSE TO THE TH YOU KNOW, NOT ABOVE THE 30.

SO SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE I THINK WILL BE OKAY IN TERMS OF OUR SURVEY COLLECTION.

UM, AND THIS IS, UH, THIS IS BASED ON THE, UH, DISABILITY PERCENTAGE BY RACE AND ETHNICITY IN LA COUNTY.

UM, UM, UH, WESLEY'S GOT SOME DATA A LITTLE BIT LATER THAT LOOKS AT THE STATE.

SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO WESLEY FOR THE LAST OR THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.

WESLEY.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GARY.

UM, IF YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, SO THE NEXT STAT IS ON GENDER.

UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE SLIGHTLY LOW FOR MALES, UM, BUT, UH, AND FEMALES, BUT IT'S AN ACCEPTABLE PERCENTAGE THUS FAR.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, THIS, UH, THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED OFF OF THE LA COUNTY DATA, WHICH ONLY LOOKS AT MALE VERSUS FEMALE, AND IT DOESN'T, UM, GO INTO TRANSGENDER STATUS AS WE DO.

UM, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IS THAT THERE IS A GENETIC LINK BETWEEN HAVING SOME DISABILITIES AND IDENTIFYING AS TRANSGENDER.

SO THAT IS TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOME MORE DATA LATER ON TO SEE HOW, UM, HOW OUR STATS LOOK GIVEN THAT FACTOR.

UM, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, BASED OFF OF JUST PERCENTAGES FOR MALE AND FEMALE, WE'RE DOING OKAY.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UH, FOR AGE, UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE GOOD FOR UNDER 18.

UM, WE ARE UNDER SAMPLING, OH, NO, NO, SORRY, WE'RE OVERSAMPLING FOR, UM, 18 THROUGH 64, AND WE ARE UNDER SAMPLING FOR THOSE, UM, ABOVE 65.

SO WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR, UM, NUMBERS THERE AND TRY TO TARGET SOME OF THE MORE ELDERLY POPULATION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

FOR COUNCIL DISTRICTS, UM, BY ORDER OF PRI, EXCUSE ME, BY ORDER PRIORITY, UM, WE NEED TO SAMPLE IN DISTRICTS 8, 9, 6, 7 AND FOUR.

UH, THOSE ARE BOTH IN, THOSE ARE ALL IN THE SINGLE DIGITS, WHEREAS THE OTHER, UM, COUNCIL DISTRICTS HAVE, UH, AT LEAST DOUBLE DIGITS.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UM, AND THEN FOR SOME OTHER DATA THAT WE WANTED TO SHARE, UM, FOR THOSE COMPLETING THE SURVEY, EITHER WITH THE HELP OF SOMEONE ELSE OR INDEPENDENTLY, UH, INDEPENDENTLY IS AT 72%, AND, UH, WITH HELP OF SOMEONE ELSE IS AT 28% FOR OUR CONNECTION TO LONG BEACH QUESTION, UM, REMEMBER FOR THIS ONE IT WAS MULTI-SELECT.

SO THESE NUMBERS ADD UP FOR OVER A HUNDRED, UM, BUT THE MAJORITY LIVE IN LONG BEACH WITH, UM, NEAR 80% THERE.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF THOSE WHO WORK AND GO TO SCHOOL.

UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER REASONS THAT PEOPLE COME TO LONG BEACH AS WELL.

SO THERE'S A, UH, BIG VARIETY, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS THAT ARE TAKING THIS SURVEY.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND, UM, THE LAST BIT OF DATA IS GOING TO BE THE DISABILITIES BY PRIDE COLOR.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE MULTI-SELECT, SO THE NUMBERS ADD UP OVER A HUNDRED, BUT WE HAVE ABOUT 50% OF, WITH PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE NUMBERS IN THE 40% FOR NON, UM, VISIBLE AND EMOTIONAL SLASH PSYCHIATRIC, UM, AND THEN NEURODIVERSITY AND SENSORY DISABILITIES IN THE, UM, THIRTIES AND TWENTIES.

UM, BUT HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO THE BREAKDOWN OF DISABILITY IDENTITIES? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY , UM, AND THAT IS BECAUSE, UM, THERE IS NO REAL STANDARD FOR COLLECTING THIS TYPE OF DATA.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM DIFFERENT, UM, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, DIFFERENT MEDICAL STUDIES, UM, THE BREAKDOWNS OF TYPES OF DISABILITIES ARE DIFFERENT DEPENDING

[00:20:01]

BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME DATA FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTIVELY ON, UM, DISABILITY, UM, SSI, UM, AND, UM, THEY'RE CATEGORIES OF BREAKDOWN DON'T A HUNDRED PERCENT MATCH THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG ONES, WHICH IN MY OPINION ARE MUCH MORE, UM, INCLUSIVE AND, UM, IT'S LIKE, UH, A BROADER AND MAKES MORE SENSE INTUITIVELY CATEGORIES.

UM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, KIND OF SQUISH SOME OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER.

UM, SO IF YOU'LL LOOK TO THE CHART, UM, IN CALIFORNIA, THEY HAD DATA ON, UH, SEPARATELY FOR HEARING AND VISION.

THOSE KIND OF BOTH MATCH THE SENSORY CATEGORY.

UM, SO THE CALIFORNIA LEVEL IS AT 45%, AND CURRENTLY OUR SAMPLING IS ONLY 22% IN SENSORY DISABILITY.

SO WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR, UM, SAMPLING THERE.

UM, THE CALIFORNIA NEXT CATEGORY WOULD BE COGNITIVE, WHICH TO ME SEEMS SIMILAR TO NEURODIVERSITY AND EMOTIONAL SLASH PSYCH.

AND THAT'S AROUND 40%.

AND WE HAVE 38 AND 45.

SO THAT SEEMED, UM, VERY CLOSE TO ME.

UH, NEXT WE HAVE AMBULATORY, WHICH AGAIN, UH, IS MATCHING THE CALIFORNIA DATA.

UM, AND THEN SELF-CARE AND INDEPENDENT LIVING, UM, ARE ACTUALLY NOT, UM, COMPARABLE TO NON-VISIBLE.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDITING MISTAKE THERE.

UM, BUT, UH, SO THERE IS NO CALIFORNIA DATA ON NON-VISIBLE DISABILITIES.

UM, SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHETHER TO GO, WE NEED LIKE MORE OR LESS OF THAT DATA.

UM, AGAIN, NON-VISIBLE COULD BE ANY OF THE ABOVE CATEGORIES AS WELL.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE DATA ON THE, UM, GREEN, YELLOW, BLUE AND RED CATEGORIES, BUT NOT THE WHITE ONE.

UM, BUT OVERALL, WE'RE MATCHING, UM, THREE OF THE CATEGORIES, UM, IN TERMS OF HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, GARY.

SO, UM, LOOKING FORWARD, WE'VE SCALED BACK, AS I SAID, OUR, OUR SURVEY, UM, THE END DATE.

WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A NEW END DATE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS JUNE 30TH.

UM, AND WE REALLY AMPLIFIED OUR EFFORTS AT OUTREACH.

UM, UH, WE, WE HAVE OUR NEW A DA COORDINATOR, ARLA, UM, WHO IS, WHO IS, UM, UM, BEEN AMAZING AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM ON, ON BOARD.

UM, HE'S HELPING COORDINATE WITH, WITH THE OUTREACH.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN A REAL, REAL, REAL HELP.

UH, WE'VE DEVELOPED SOME NEW OUTREACH STRATEGY STRATEGIES.

WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS ON DIFFERENT WAYS TO OUTREACH, PHONE BANKING AND OTHER KINDS OF WAYS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE, WE'VE DISCOVERED, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT AGAIN, YOU LEARN AS YOU GO ALONG, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T SIMPLY, CANNOT SIMPLY SEND OUT A QR CODE AND EXPECT FOLKS TO, UM, SIGN IT, UH, YOU KNOW, TO FILL IT OUT.

UM, PARTICULARLY WITH THE POPULATION WE ARE FOCUSED ON, OFTENTIMES THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE THERE OR THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE THERE TO, TO HELP THEM GO THROUGH THE SURVEY.

SO IT'S A LOT MORE TIME CONS CONSUMING THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

UM, BUT WE ARE TRACKING EVENTS.

AND SO WE, UM, ARLA AND, UM, HAS, HAS, HAS PUT TOGETHER, AND LAN HAS PUT TOGETHER A TRACKING CALENDAR SO WE CAN ALL, IT'S A SHARED CALENDAR SO WE CAN TRACK THE EVENTS, AND THEN WE CAN COORDINATE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OR OUTREACH OUR OUTREACH TO THOSE EVENTS.

UM, WE'VE GOT, UM, SOME, UH, CAL STATE STUDENTS THAT ARE STILL WORKING WITH US.

AND OUR LIST IS, IS, UH, COORDINATING WITH THEM.

UM, SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO USE STUDENT INTERNS AND, AND GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS AS WELL, UM, TO HELP US WITH THE, UM, THE OUTREACH.

UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT GETTING OUR, OUR, UM, A THOUSAND SURVEYS THIS, THIS SUMMER.

AND THE UPSIDE IS, I JUST WANT TO END WITH A, A NICE UP NOTE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ADDED TO THE, WELL, WE, WE WANTED TO INCORPORATE IN THIS PROJECT IS INDI, UM, UM, UH, UH, INTENSIVE SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS.

AND SO WE HAD, WE ASKED FOLKS WHO FILLED OUT THE SURVEY TO SELF-SELECT.

WE HAVE WELL OVER A HUNDRED, UM, THE LAST TIME I LOOKED UP AT INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO, UM, TALK TO US MORE ABOUT THEIR CHALLENGES.

AND SO THAT KIND OF DATA IS, IS SUPER RICH AND,

[00:25:01]

AND SO AS WE DO THIS, UM, AGAIN AND AGAIN, UM, IN THE FUTURE, UM, IT'LL BE BECOME EASIER AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO TRUST THE CITY AND TRUST US TO, TO OUTREACH TO THEM.

BUT THERE IS A REAL NEED FOR FOLKS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES.

AND, AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK THE COMMISSION FOR, UM, JUMP STARTING THIS, THIS PROJECT.

AND SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU DR.

HITER.

UH, BEFORE WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS, ARE THERE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? ANYTHING TO JUST CHECK BEFORE WE CONTINUE? WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION.

OKAY.

PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

NOW, SEEING NONE, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ATTENDEES IN THE ZOOM TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT VIRTUALLY THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY.

SO WE CAN TAKE IT BEHIND THE RAIL AND HAVE DISCUSSION.

UM, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE, UM, HAD EXPERIENCES, UM, ACQUIRING INFORMATION.

I THOUGHT WE'D GO TO THOSE FOLKS.

UM, AND THAT, UH, WE'LL GO TO ALL EACH OF US TO TALK ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THIS.

THIS IS A K COT EFFORT.

THIS IS NOT A CITY STAFF EFFORT.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

SO THIS IS A GOOD TIME.

WE HAVE SIX MORE WEEKS TO SHARE.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE FOUND THAT WORK, THAT DON'T WORK THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, UM, WORK? AND I THOUGHT I WOULD START WITH COMMISSIONER ROMO.

HI, COMMISSIONER ROMO.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, I WORK AT A LOCAL NONPROFIT AND WE DO SOME, UH, ART, ART.

IT'S ART TERRA FIELD, BUT WE DO SOME ARTWORK, IT'S MOSAICS AND THEN, UH, DO IT ABOUT ONCE A MONTH.

AND GRETCHEN MENTIONED THAT SHE'D LIKE TO COME OUT AND MAYBE, UM, OFFER THE SURVEY TO SOME OF THE PART PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE GONNA BE DOING THE MOSAIC.

AND SO I USUALLY PUT A MEMO OUT OR AN EMAIL AND I MENTIONED THE SURVEY AND THE, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME WITH, IT'S KIND OF AMAZING.

MORE PEOPLE CAME THAT USUALLY COME TO THE MOSAIC.

THERE'S A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT COME, THEY'RE REGULARS TO THE MOSAIC.

AND, UH, THE PERSONS LIVE AT THIS NONPROFIT.

IT'S ABOUT 84 PEOPLE THAT LIVE AT THE NONPROFIT.

AND OF THOSE 84 PEOPLE, UH, AT THAT TIME, HALF OF 'EM ARE IN A GROUP AND THEN HALF OF 'EM ARE OUT OF THE GROUP.

SO ROUGHLY 40, I THINK WE HAD 39 PERSONS FILL OUT THE SURVEY, WHICH WAS KIND OF AMAZING.

AND THEN WE GIVE THEM AN INCENTIVE.

UM, MOST OF THEM TURNED DOWN THE INCENTIVE, BUT THEY EITHER DIDN'T NEED IT OR THEY JUST REALLY WANTED TO BE A PART OF.

AND THEN WHEN YOU EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT WE NEEDED THEIR HELP, IT, IT KIND OF BOOST, IT BOOSTS THEIR PARTICIPATION.

I THINK THEY WENT AND GOT PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, AND THE FACT THAT SOMEONE BEING THERE, NOT JUST THE QR CODE, THERE WAS TWO INTERNS, AND SO THOSE PERSONS THERE, HELPING THEM WALK 'EM THROUGH THE SURVEY, IF THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND A QUESTION OR THEY WERE CONFUSED, I THINK IT REALLY HELPED.

IT WAS A BENEFIT THEN JUST GIVING, LIKE GRETCHEN WAS SAYING, BEING OUT AN OUTREACH POSTING, GIVING THEM THE QR CODE, BUT ACTUALLY BEING THERE AND, AND JUST HELPING THEM BE THERE AND THEN THANKING THEM.

UM, I WAS AMAZED AT THE OUTCOME.

I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS GONNA BE THAT MANY PEOPLE.

IT KIND OF PUT A, A LITTLE SHORT STOP ON OUR MOSAIC PROJECT, BUT MOST PEOPLE WANTED TO DO THE SURVEY AND IT REALLY WORKED OUT GOOD.

SO I COULD SEE BEING A PERSON AND BEING THERE TO HELP THE PEOPLE AND THE TWO INTERNS THERE WERE REALLY HELPED OUT A LOT.

AND I THINK IT, IT WAS, UH, A BENEFIT TO THAT.

AND 39 IS WHAT WE GOT.

SO THAT'S NOT BAD BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE ABOUT 85 PEOPLE AT ONE GIVEN TIME.

HALF THOSE PEOPLE WERE IN GROUPS.

SO THAT, THAT WAS A REMARKABLE OUTCOME.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

UH, 39.

THAT'S THE HIGHEST IN A SINGLE ACTIVITY.

A AND UH, B THAT WAS DONE IN AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES.

WOW.

SO IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT OF TIME, BUT IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME.

AND HAVING THE VOLUNTEERS THERE, UH, WE HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF INTERNS WHO ARE REALLY, UM, PROFICIENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AND GUIDE PEOPLE THROUGH IT.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, JACKO, HI.

UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE SURVEY WITH, UM, CUSTOMERS WHO CAME INTO LONG BEACH TRANSIT FOR THE DOW LIFT INTERVIEWS.

AND I ALSO HAD A VOLUNTEER ASSISTING WITH THE PROCESS AS WELL, WHICH HELPED US CONNECT WITH MORE CUSTOMERS AND GATHER, UH, VALUABLE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

[00:30:01]

BUT I ALSO WANNA ALSO SAY THAT, UM, WE ALSO MET YESTERDAY AND OUR A DA COORDINATOR ALSO GAVE ME SOME GOOD, UM, RESOURCES ON HOW TO MOVE IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE DO THESE SURVEYS.

UM, GETTING GROUPS TOGETHER WAS A GREAT THING THAT HE MENTIONED YESTERDAY.

SO, UM, I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GONNA TURN OUT.

I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA MEET OUR GOAL AND I'M HOPING THAT WE MEET OUR GOAL.

UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GAR.

UM, COMMISSIONER DEAN, YOU HAD EXPERIENCE? HI.

UM, YEAH, I, UM, BROUGHT MS. GRETCHEN TO OUR BELMONT SHORE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION MEETING, AND SHE, UM, EXPLAINED, SHE DID A LITTLE PRESENTATION, EXPLAINED TO EVERYONE HOW IT WORKS.

I'M NOT SURE IF, UM, IF THERE WERE, IF SHE WAS ABLE TO SEE ANY RESULTS FROM IT, BUT, UM, I THINK IF WE CAN GET TO MORE, UM, RESIDENT AND, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

UM, I ALSO THINK, UM, OR I, AND I AM WILLING TO GO TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UM, UCC, THE UNITED CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.

UM, AND I'M FRIENDS WITH, I WORK WITH, UM, UH, GENTLEMAN THAT'S VERY STRONG IN THE KAMAI COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, I WOULD TOTALLY BE WILLING TO DO THAT TO SET UP A, AN EVENT AT THE UCC.

UM, AND, AND ALSO, UM, MAYBE AT THE SENIOR CENTER, WE COULD DO A FEW EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, PULL AN ART.

UM, I, I'M SURPRISED AND AMAZED AT THE NUMBERS THAT, THAT ART BROUGHT IN, THAT THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

SO YEAH, IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO, TO COPY THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

PULLING AN ART.

OKAY.

I AM LIKING IT.

.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S A T-SHIRT.

OKAY.

UH, WHY DON'T WE START ON THIS END OF THE TABLE.

UH, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ OR COMMISSIONER HOPE, OR COMMISSIONER ADAM.

I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AN INTERNAL COMPETITION TO TRY AND BEAT ART .

UM, I THINK HE SET A GREAT PRESIDENT, UM, AS SOMEONE WITH A VISUAL DISABILITY WHO HAS TAKEN THE SURVEY.

UM, I HAD MY PERSONAL ASSISTANT ASSIST WITH IT.

UM, PRETTY SIMPLE.

DIDN'T TAKE TOO LONG.

UM, SO THE INTERNS, AND I KNOW GRETCHEN HAS DONE A LOT OF SITTING WITH FOLKS AND, AND TAKING THEIR INFORMATION, UM, IS VERY HELPFUL.

WOULD'VE TAKEN ME LIKE THREE HOURS TO TRY TO DO IT BY MYSELF.

BUT THAT'S ANYTHING ON THE WEB.

SO, UH, WANTED TO SEE IF, UH, WE ARE ALREADY SCHEDULED TO BE AT THE SPECIAL OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES, WHICH TAKE PLACE AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE THE SECOND OR THIRD WEEKEND OF JUNE.

UM, BUT IF NOT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO ADVERTISE THIS AND TO HAVE, UH, A TABLE AND TO HAVE INTERNS THERE TO HELP.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO, TO HELP STAFF THE TABLE.

UM, DO WE HAVE THAT ON OUR SCHEDULE? AND IF NOT, I'M HAPPY TO COORDINATE IT WITH THE TEAM.

IT'S JUNE 6TH AND SEVENTH.

OKAY.

AND ARE WE ALREADY PLANNING TO BE THERE? DO WE KNOW? WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE WILL KNOW, I THINK IS WHAT, THAT'S EXCELLENT.

OKAY.

I'LL, I'LL OFFLINE, UM, WITH THE TEAM AND YES.

UH, WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS.

AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH.

AND WE WILL NEED FOLKS TO STAFF.

I CAN, I CAN DEFINITELY STAFF ON THE SIXTH.

COOL.

AND THEN, UM, JULIE'S COMMENT MADE ME THINK, UM, WE HAVE IN DISTRICT THREE, THE NAPLES ISLAND PANCAKE BREAKFAST MIGHT BE THAT EXACT SAME DAY.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IT OFFHAND, BUT I THINK IT'S THAT WEEKEND.

UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ASK, UH, OUR CHRISTINA DUGGAN, UM, OUR COUN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

AND IF WE HAVE EXTRA FLYERS ON HAND TODAY, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM AND GET THEM TO HER.

UM, I HAVE POSTED ON SOME OF THE GROUPS ON FACEBOOK, LIKE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY FORUM, BELMONT SHORE COMMUNITY FORUM.

I'VE SEEN JULIE ALSO HAS POSTED.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS RESULTED IN ANY SURVEYS, BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL TAKE ON THE, UH, THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUMMER GAMES PROJECT.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER, DID YOU WANT TO RESPOND? NO, CHAKA.

I'M GOOD.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE GOOD.

OKAY, COMMISSIONER.

HOPE, CERTAINLY.

THANK YOU.

UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO,

[00:35:01]

UH, BOTH, UH, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS, UM, AT ONE OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.

UH, AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT HAS, UH, RESULTED IN, UM, A FEW SURVEYS OR, UM, SOME SURVEYS, UH, GETTING IN.

UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO INQUIRE, I KNOW IT'S VERY SHORT NOTICE, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, LONG BEACH LGBT PRIDE, UH, THIS WEEKEND.

AND SO I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, GET A NUMBER OF SURVEYS, UM, UH, TAKEN.

AND IS THERE ANY EFFORTS, UM, BEING DONE TO DO SO? THAT'S A QUESTION WHICH WE NEED TO, UH, PONDER.

I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE WANT TO DO IT.

UH, WE'RE COMPETING WITH OTHER SURVEYS DURING PRIDE EVENT 'CAUSE THERE'S THOUSANDS, SO THAT'S GOOD.

STAY, UH, I HAVE IT ON MY, I'M LISTING THESE OPPORTUNITIES.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

HOPE.

UM, COMMISSIONER ADAMS. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE GROUP.

I THINK, UH, DR.

UH, YOU, UH, DONE A WONDERFUL JOB, AND I KNOW IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROJECT THAT I WAS REALLY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE BEGINNING.

UM, IT WAS, IT'S, IT'S AN HONOR TO SEE THE, THE EFFORT.

AND I KNOW THAT AS WE SEE WHEN SOMETHING'S LIKE THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND THAT WE GOTTA GET THE COMMUNITY TRUST AND, AND GET THEM TO BUY IN TO SEE, TO DO SURVEYS, THIS JUST LET US KNOW HOW MUCH WORK WE HAVE TO DO AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO IT'S A GOOD KICKOFF FOR US.

SO I'M VERY PROUD OF IT, AND I THINK THE FUTURE HAS A LOT PLANNED FOR US.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

UM, COMMISSIONER JONES? YEAH, I HAVE A, A COUPLE THOUGHTS, BUT RELATIVE TO THE SURVEY, I'M SUPER COMPETITIVE, SO I'M THINKING OF ALL THE WAYS TO GET MORE SURVEYS IN ART.

AND SO ONE THING I'M THINKING, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU HAVE MAYBE LIMITED, UM, RESEARCH IN THROUGH THE NONPROFIT THAT I RUN.

WE ARE VERY CONNECTED TO THE SENIOR CENTER.

SO I'M THINKING LIKE EL DORADO'S, DISTRICT FOUR HAD LIKE A LOW TURNOUT.

MAYBE THERE'S A DAY WE SET UP AT THE, THE SENIOR CENTER, RIGHT? UM, I THINK SILVERADO'S DISTRICT SIX.

UM, SO I THINK SETTING UP KIND OF LIKE SOME ACTIVATIONS WITHIN THE SENIOR CENTER WOULD BE EASY FOR ME TO HELP WITH JUST, UH, BASED ON HOW I'M CONNECTED.

UM, WE HAVE SENT OUT THE SURVEY IN OUR LAST TWO NEWSLETTERS, MARCH AND APRIL, AND WE HAVE ABOUT A 10,000 PERSON DATABASE.

BUT HOW MANY, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A WAY OF SEEING, UM, HOW MANY OF THOSE SURVEYS HAVE BEEN FILLED OUT OR HOW MANY FOLKS, UM, BASED ON LIKE OUR DONATION SYSTEM AND RIGHT.

OUR, OUR FOLKS WHO IDENTIFY AS SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY.

UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO SAY TOO, TOO, WESLEY, LIKE I'VE BEEN THROUGH TWO GRADUATE PROGRAMS, ONE AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND ONE AT UC, IRVINE.

AND I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT RESEARCH IS.

AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE RESEARCHING FOR A FACTION OF TIME AND THEN YOU GRADUATE.

I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE SURVEY THAT YOU'VE CREATED IS THAT THIS IS GONNA CONTINUE, UM, PAST WHEN YOU GRADUATE.

AND THAT OFTEN IS NOT THE CASE, RIGHT? YOU'RE STUDYING SOMETHING FOR A, A FACTION OF TIME AND THEN YOU MOVE ON.

SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL FOR BOTH OF YOU TO BE PROUD OF.

UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER JONES? COMMISSIONER DEAN.

YEAH.

UM, JUST TO ADD ON TO, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO SAID IT, BUT, UM, EVENTS, WE HAVE SO MANY EVENTS IN THE CITY, AND, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, I SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH, WHO I WORK FOR, WE'RE DOING A FREE EVENT IN FRONT OF THE AQUARIUM ON JUNE 13TH.

AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TOTALLY HAVE A BOOTH SET UP, UM, WITH, UM, S OR YEAH, INTERNS, ASSISTANTS, WHATEVER, UM, WHO CAN, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THEN AND THERE, GET PEOPLE TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY.

BUT, UM, YEAH, IF WE CAN JUST BOUNCE OFF OF THAT, UM, ONE OF THE GOOD WAYS TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THERE'S EVENTS IS ASIDE FROM LIKE THE CITY NEWSLETTER, THE ALL OF THE, UM, DISTRICT'S NEWSLETTERS, WHICH I GET ALL OF THEM.

SO, UM, IF YOU NEED ME TO DO SOME RESEARCH, I CAN DO THAT.

BUT, UM, YEAH.

UH, THANK YOU.

SO I THINK WHAT, UM, THE, THE, UH, C COMMUNITY SURVEY TASK FORCE COMMITTEE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT OUR NAME IS NOW, WE'RE EVOLVING, UH, ALONG THE WAY IS TO CONNECT EACH OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO A REAL WORK PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ONE THING TO THROW OUT A POSSIBILITY, BUT THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE IT STAFFED AND HAVE AN INTRODUCTION.

AND THE GROUP NEEDS TO ACCEPT US TO BE ON THE GROUNDS IN DOING THIS, BECAUSE EACH SURVEY TAKES ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES.

I'LL JUST, UH, CAP THIS OFF.

UM,

[00:40:01]

AND WE DIDN'T DO AN ART, BUT WE DID A HEART OF IDA, WHICH WAS LIKE 34, CLOSE, VERY CLOSE.

UM, AND WE HAD SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS, NURSING STUDENTS, VOLUNTEER INTERNS FROM HEART OF IDA, AND THEY HAD AN INCENTIVE, THEY HAD A, A DONATION COME TO THEM SO THEY COULD GIVE OUT A $5 GIFT CARDS, AND PEOPLE REALLY RESPONDED TO THAT 'CAUSE THAT'S MEANINGFUL.

AND THAT WAS FOR FOOD.

SO IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THEIR LUNCH AND THEY WERE THERE AND THEY WERE HAVING AN EDUCATIONAL, AND THEN THEY COULD SPEND ANOTHER 15 TO 20 MINUTES TO DO SOMETHING, UH, THAT THEY WERE, UM, INTERESTED IN.

UH, AND THEY STAYED THROUGH THAT 15, 20 MINUTE PERIOD, AND THEY APPRECIATED THAT GIFT CARD.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND, UM, AS, UH, WE WORK THROUGH THIS, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU, UH, STEPPING UP AND STEPPING OUT ON THIS.

THIS WILL BE GREAT FOR, UM, OUR COMMISSION NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

AND I THINK THAT WE CAN GO TO JUST A QUICK COMMENT CHAIR.

UM, UH, I, I KNOW YOU'VE, YOU'VE ALSO BEEN ENGAGING IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRADITIONAL OUTREACH VIA TABLING, AND THEN HENCE ALSO HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, SHIFTING ENGAGEMENT TO, TO FOCUS ON, UH, OUTREACH WITH SPECIFIC GROUPS AND POPULATIONS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SPEAK A LITTLE MORE ON THAT.

I, I GOT ABOUT A THIRD OF WHAT YOU SAID.

IT HAS TO BE SAID LOUDER FOR ME TO HEAR.

OH, I'M SO SORRY.

UM, YEAH, JUST, JUST, UM, QUICK COMMENT.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION SO AS WELL ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRADITIONAL OUTREACH THAT IS FOCUSED ON TABLING AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND HENCE ALSO SHIFTING, UH, FOCUS TO ENGAGE MORE GROUPS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SHARE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT.

OKAY.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, BECAUSE WE ARE FINDING, UH, TABLING IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY THAT WE NEED TO BE WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE FOR A GOOD HALF HOUR OR HOUR.

AND WE HAVE SORT OF CONTROL OF THE ROOM IN THAT WE'RE THE SPEAKER AND WE'RE THE ACTIVITY.

SO PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE SITTING THERE AND WE HAVE, UH, OUR VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS GOING AROUND FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER, EITHER WITH A TABLET OR A SMARTPHONE, OR WITH A PAPER SURVEY.

SO WE ARE COLLECTING THE DATA RIGHT THERE, AND IT TAKES A GOOD 15 TO 20 MINUTES PER PERSON TO DO IT.

WE FACILITATE ALMOST ALWAYS WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE.

WE TAKE THEM THROUGH QUESTION BY QUESTION, UM, AND GIVE THEM A SENSE OF HOW FAR ALONG THEY ARE.

UH, AND THAT REALLY KEEPS THEM ENGAGED.

WE HAVE FEW, WE'VE ONLY HAD A COUPLE THAT HAD TO GET UP AND I DON'T USE THE RESTROOM OR GO SOMEPLACE.

UH, GENERALLY THEY STAY.

UM, AND AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTEN A, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COMMIT TO THAT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION AND ADDITION.

SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE CAN POINT TO COMMISSIONER DEAN .

WELL, NO, THE, SO THE OUT OF THE, UM, STATISTICS THAT WESLEY WENT THROUGH, IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THERE'S LIKE A FEW IMPORTANT GROUPS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.

ONE IS, UM, HEARING IMPAIRED AND THEN VISION IMPAIRED, AND THEN A API AND LATINO.

IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I'M, I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING, BUT IT FEELS LIKE WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET TO THOSE PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY.

YES.

AS WE'RE ALL THINKING AND BEING COMPETITIVE, THINKING CAMP'S ON FOR THAT.

EXCELLENT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'LL VOTE IF WE WERE TO VOTE, WHAT'S OUR ROLL CALL ON THIS? WE'RE STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.

WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER ADAMS A ADAMS AYE.

COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.

AYE.

COMMISSIONER, HOPE.

AYE.

I RECEIVED YOUR AYE.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER JONES.

AYE.

COMMISSIONER ROMO? AYE.

THANK YOU SECRETARY DEAN.

AYE.

VICE CHAIR GART AYE.

AND CHAIR SWANSON.

AYE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, IT'S A GREAT TEAM TO WORK WITH AND, UH, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM, SO IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS.

UM, NOW WE'LL, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

MOVE ON.

THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER THREE

[3. 26-55109 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Port of Long Beach on current and upcoming community engagement efforts, including harbor tours, and the measures being taken to ensure accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

[00:45:01]

MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOTION? I'LL SECOND.

GOT IT.

YEP.

GOOD.

AND WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER JONES AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER.

HOPE, UM, MAYBE HAVE THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

HI THERE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? I CAN, WHEN YOU SPEAK RIGHT INTO THE MIC.

IT'S REALLY GOOD.

OKAY.

MY NAME IS ALICE CASTANOS.

MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER AYA.

I AM A LATINA WOMAN IN MY FORTIES, AND I AM WEARING A BLACK SHIRT AND GLASSES, BLACK SWEATER GLASSES.

THANK YOU.

SO, YEAH, SO I'M WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.

I'M A COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST AND I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY SPEAK ON SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT FUN STUFF.

WANNA MAKE SURE WE, UM, ARE ENSURING OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

AND, UM, I WILL START OFF WITH A BRIEF HISTORY, BUT YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OH, WE'RE SORRY.

OH, I'M SO SORRY.

SO, REALLY QUICK, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW.

UM, I HAVE A FEW SLIDES ON JUST SOME HISTORY.

WE ARE THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND WE, UM, OVERSEE A $300 BILLION TRADE ANNUALLY.

WE'RE A PREMIER GATEWAY FOR OUR TRANSPACIFIC TRADE.

WE ARE THE DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE ENTIRE WORLD, RIGHT? SO, UM, OUR ONE OF THE BEST, UH, TOP VOTED BEST WEST COAST SEAPORTS IN NORTH AMERICA FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS NOW.

AND, UM, ONE OF ONLY 18 US STRATEGIC SEAPORTS CRITICAL TO OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY.

IN 2025, WE MOVED OVER 9.5 MILLION CONTAINER UNITS, UM, HERE AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, WHICH WAS AN ALL-TIME HIGH.

AND HERE WE HAVE OUR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.

THE LONG BEACH BOARD OF COMMISSIONER OF HARBOR COMMISSIONERS IS COMPOSED OF FIVE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD AND THE, UM, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SETS POLICIES AND THEY APPOINT OUR CEO, UH, THE APPOINTMENTS.

THE COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND CONFIRMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

OUR MEMBERS SERVE UP TO THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS, UM, AS BOARD OFFICERS ARE ELECTED ANNUALLY EACH JULY, OUR PORT LANDS ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA AND CANNOT BE SOLD TO PRIVATE COMPANIES.

AND THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE DISTRICT UNDER THE TIDE LINES TRUST FOR COMMERCE, NAVIGATION, FISHERIES AND RECREATION.

HERE WE HAVE, UM, OUR BEAUTIFUL LONG BEACH GATEWAY, UH, BRIDGE.

AND WE HAVE IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2026, UH, TOTAL OF 24 25 $0.3 MILLION, WHICH SUPPORTS SAFETY, WATER QUALITY FACILITIES, QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE THAILAND ZONE, ALONG WITH THE CITY'S SEVEN MILE COAST.