[00:07:19]
[00:07:19]
EVENING EVERYONE.UM, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS MEETING TO ORDER FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26TH, 2026.
CLERK, UH, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
[CALL TO ORDER]
HERE.SO FOR THE RECORD, UM, COMMISSIONER
[ROLL CALL]
ARCHULETA AND COMMISSIONER DELA, UM, ARE EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING.UM, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO TODAY'S MEETING.
UM, IF I MAY, I'M JUST GONNA INSERT SOME VERY BRIEF REMARKS, UM, THAT I WAS HOPING TO DO BACK IN JUNE WHEN WE HAD OUR ELECTION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, UM, THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING AS CHAIR AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR TRUSTING ME, UH, TO BE CHAIR.
AND, UM, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK SAM, UM, PERSONALLY.
'CAUSE I, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THE INAUGURAL CHAIR FOR THIS COMMISSION.
AND I KNOW AS A, WE'VE GONE THROUGH, THROUGH SOME, UM, A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED AND, AND A LITTLE BIT OF GROWING PAINS.
AND I JUST SAID, YOU DID AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB AND I REALLY HOPE TO BE, UH, ABLE TO CONTINUE ON THAT, UM, EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP THAT YOU TOOK US THROUGH.
SO TO ENSURE THE INCLUSION OF ALL MEETING PARTICIPANTS, I WILL PERIODICALLY REMIND COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROJECT YOUR VOICE WHEN MAKING COMMENTS OR ASKING QUESTIONS.
MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST ITEM, OR ITEM ONE IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND, 2026.
UM, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LAVALLETTE.
OH, ALAN HARPER GOT THERE FIRST.
[1. 26-55905 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Commission for Women and Girls meeting of Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
UP RIGHT THERE.[00:10:01]
THERE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, OR ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? NO.SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
AT THIS TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM, OR IF JOINING FROM THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR PRESS STAR, STAR NINE IF YOU'RE CALLING IN.
WITH HOW, WHAT DO I DO NEXT? DID YOU WANT TO GO TO TAKE A VOTE? YES.
SORRY, MY SCREEN IS NOT JUST, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A VERBAL VERBAL FOR NOW.
UH, PLEASE READ TO THE NEXT ITEM.
ITEM TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM KAMAI GIRLS IN ACTION ON EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION IN LONG BEACH, INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON THE CITYWIDE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN, AND ITS IMPACT ON WOMEN AND GIRLS IN LONG BEACH.
SO WE ARE JOINED BY PAULINA, SHE LEAD ORGANIZER.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE AN AMENDED MOTION TO MAKE.
[2. 26-55906 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Khmer Girls in Action on early care and education in Long Beach, including an update on the Citywide Early Childhood Education Strategic Plan and its impact on women and girls in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO GO.AND THEN YOU GONNA SAY, ALRIGHT, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? HAS IT BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED BY, OKAY.
COMMISSIONER, THERE IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA.
UH, THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, MOTION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, IT SHOULD BE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM KAMAI GIRLS IN ACTION, ON ITS IMPACT ON WOMEN AND GIRLS IN LONG BEACH.
DO I SAY, MAY WE MOVE IT NOW, OR, I WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE.
CHAIR, YOU WOULD, UM, YOU CAN MAKE THE AMENDED MOTION AND YOU WOULD NEED THE FIRST, THE MAKER AND THE SECOND OKAY.
SO MAY I GET A MOTION WITH THE AMENDED AGENDA ITEM? UH, SINCE YOU ARE THE MAKER OF THE AMENDED MOTION, YOU WILL NEED THE MAKER AND THE SECOND OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO ACCEPT YOUR AMENDMENT.
ASSUMPTION VIOLET AND MOSQUEDA APPROVE THE AMENDMENT? YES, YES.
WE CAN PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
SO MAY WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION? MM-HMM
MAY WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION? SO WE ARE JOINED BY FELINA, SHE WHO'S LEADING ORGANIZER, AND ANA LIM, THE COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR FROM KAMAI GIRLS IN ACTION.
THANK YOU ALL, APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, I'M THE LEAD ORGANIZER WITH MY GIRLS IN ACTION.
UM, ANA WILL BE GOING FIRST AND THEN I'LL BE TAKING OVER THE SECOND HALF.
UH, I, PAUL MENTIONED, YES, I'M KELLY, AND WE'LL GO, WE'LL JUMP STRAIGHT IN.
UH, WE'LL JUMP STRAIGHT INTO IT.
UM, AND THEN I'LL GET STRAIGHT INTO IT.
SO, BACKGROUND ABOUT K MY GIRLS IN ACTION.
ORIGINALLY IN 1997, WE WERE ORIGINALLY, UM, HOPE FOR GIRLS, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY FROM A, UM, A, A HEALTH PROGRAM WHICH WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT SOUTHEAST ASIAN YOUTH IN LONG BEACH.
UM, PARTICULARLY WOMEN, UM, TO HAVE, UM, CONNECTION, UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND OVERALL HAVING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND HEALTH, UM, AND WHERE THEY WERE AT.
HOWEVER, UM, IN 2002 WHEN HOPE FOR GIRLS KIND OF PHASED OUT AND THEY, UM, THE YOUNG WOMAN OF, UM, THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE PART OF HOPE FOR GIRLS WERE LIKE, NO, WE NEED TO KEEP DOING THIS.
AND THEY CONTINUED, UM, THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE POSITIVELY IMPACTING THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THEY ENDED UP BECOMING, UM, K MY GIRLS IN ACTION AND CONTINUED DOING THE WORK WHERE, UM, THEY CONTINUED TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND WHY IT WAS SPECIFICALLY, UM,
[00:15:01]
HURTING THEM AND WHY IN THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY COULD HEAL TOGETHER.AND THEN IT WASN'T IN TWO, 2011 THAT WE BECAME OFFICIALS 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT.
UM, SO JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR MISSION AND VISION.
SO MY GIRLS IN ACTION, IT, UM, OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD A PROGRESSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE LONG BEACH, UM, COMMUNITY THAT WORKS FOR RACIAL, GENDER, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE LED BY SOUTHEAST ASIAN WOMEN AND YOUTH.
UM, VERY, UM, POIGNANT OF WHAT THE, OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS WANTED SINCE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SOUTHEAST ASIAN WOMEN, YOUTH
AND, UM, WITH THAT WE ENVISIONED A SAFE, HEALTHY, AND JUST WORLD WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE FREE FROM OPPRESSION AND ARE ABLE TO DETERMINE THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES.
UM, THIS REALLY CAME OUT OF ALL THE, UM, FEELINGS OF OPPRESSION THAT OUR YOUNG WOMEN WERE FACING IN THE LATE, EARLY NINETIES, EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, UM, AND REALLY WANTING TO MAKE A CHANGE AND, UM, POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY AS A LOT OF FOLKS WERE IMPACTED BY, UM, INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA, UM, DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING IN LONG BEACH, UM, IN THE LATE NINETIES, EARLY TWO THOUSANDS ERA.
SO WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS? OUR MEMBERS ARE VERY, UH, OUR MEMBERS ARE SOUTHEAST ASIAN YOUTH.
SO THAT INCLUDES KAMAI, VIETNAMESE, MONG IAN.
UM, OTHERS MAY INCLUDE LIKE BURMESE, UM, TO NAME A FEW.
UM, SO A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS ARE ACTUALLY ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL AND, UM, THE CENTRAL PART OF LONG BEACH WHERE CAMBODIA TOWN IS.
SO THAT INCLUDES, UM, POLY HIGH SCHOOL AND WILSON HIGH SCHOOL.
AND BECAUSE, UM, OUR MEMBERS ARE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEY ARE AGES 14 TO 18 YEARS OLD.
SO, UM, TO GET INTO IT, UM, AMIGOS IN ACTION IS, UM, A LITTLE INTERESTING IN THE WAY THAT, UM, OUR MEMBERS ACTUALLY ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO JOIN AMIGOS IN ACTION.
UM, I'M GONNA SHORTEN IT TO KGA.
SO THEY ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO JOIN KGA KIND OF LIKE COLLEGE.
UM, THEY'RE ONLY ABLE TO JOIN KGA EITHER IN THEIR NINTH OR 10TH GRADE.
AND FROM THERE, UM, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CO TO MOVE UP TIER MM-HMM
SO OUR NINTH AND 10TH GRADERS, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN OUR YOUNG WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM OR OUR YOUNG MEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THESE PROGRAMS, UM, ARE, ARE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GETTING INTRODUCTION TO WHAT, UM, GENDER, UH, GENDER JUSTICE IS AND LIKE WHAT PATRIARCHY IS.
AND THEN THEY CAN MOVE OVER TO OUR YOUTH ORGANIZING LONG BEACH TIER.
AND THEN, UM, THEY'LL MOVE OVER TO OUR
UM, SO FROM HERE I'LL KIND OF EXPLAIN IT THROUGH, UH, WHAT YWE AND Y MEP IS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
SO, TIER ONE ARE NINTH OR 10TH GRADERS.
UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY SEPARATED BY GENDER.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S REALLY NECESSARY TO SEPARATE OUR YOUNG WOMEN AND OUR YOUNG MEN, UM, BASED OFF THEIR GENDER.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE, UM, GENDER QUEER MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO WHATEVER, UM, PROGRAM THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH, THEY COULD DECIDE WHICH COMFORT, UM, GEN, WHICH PROGRAM THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH WITHIN.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR YOUNG WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM REALLY FOCUSES ON GENDER JUSTICE, THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS, AND, UM, REALLY UNDERSTANDING LIKE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY AND THEIR, UM, COMMUNITY IDENTITIES, UM, TO, TO KIND LIKE AS A BASIS.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR YOUNG MEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM REALLY TACKLES THE IDEAS OF PATRIARCHY AND TOXIC, TOXIC MASCULINITY AND, UM, HOMOPHOBIA.
SO OUR YOUNG MEN COULD BE BE BETTER ALLIES TO OUR, OUR WOMEN AND OUR GENDER, UM, OR OUR QUEER COMMUNITIES, UM, TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE COMING INTO A SPACE, THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AND BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY COULD BECOME BETTER ALLIES TO ONE ANOTHER.
UM, SO ONCE OUR YOUNG, UM, OUR YWP YE PROGRAMS KIND, THEY KIND OF GRADUATE INTO OUR YOUTH ORGANIZING LONG BEACH PROGRAM, WHICH IS YLL BE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WHERE OUR YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN ARE ACTUALLY IN A CO-ED SPACE TOGETHER, WHERE, UM, THEY REALLY DEVELOP AND HONE IN ON THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, UM, AND THEN, UM, REALLY PLAN TOGETHER ON DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE'RE HOSTING AND, UM, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE LIKE, BECOME A LEADER.
LIKE THEY'RE WORKING ON PUBLIC SPEAKING, THEY'RE TAKING ON MORE ROLES AND TASKS THAT REQUIRE SOMEONE, UM, TO BECOME A LEADER.
AND THEN THESE, THIS IS, THIS PROGRAM IS RESERVED FOR OUR 10TH, 11TH, OR 12TH GRADERS, DEPENDING ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, YEAR THEY GRAD, LIKE GET INTO KGA.
UM, TYPICALLY WE WANT OUR 12TH GRADERS TO GO TO KUAI JUSTICE PROGRAM MM-HMM
BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY END UP HAVING TO REPEAT AS, UM, THEY COULD, COULD NEED THE, THE COMMITMENT, THE COMMITMENT TO DO SO.
UM, AND THEN OUR LAST YEAR IS OUR KUAI JUSTICE PROGRAM, WHICH IS RESERVED FOR OUR 11TH AND 12TH GRADERS.
AND IN THIS PROGRAM, OUR MEMBERS HERE HAVE, ARE REALLY STEPPED INTO THEIR LEADERSHIP.
THEY HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF RACE, CLASS, GENDER, AND ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING THEM.
AND THEY REALLY BECOME YOUTH ORGANIZERS WHERE THEY'RE A PART OF DIFFERENT COALITIONS, UM, AND REALLY BRINGING THEIR YOUTH EXPERIENCES IN LONG BEACH AND, YOU KNOW, BEING A PERSON OF COLOR, BEING A WOMAN OF COLOR, UM, BEING A QUEER PERSON OF COLOR AND BRINGING IT INTO THE COALITIONS THAT THEY'RE A PART OF, AND REALLY CREATING IDEAS AND, UM, WORK THAT WILL MOVE, UM, TO US TO A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WITHIN OUR, OUR, UH, KGA PROGRAMS IS
[00:20:01]
THAT WE ACT, WE ALSO OFFER A, UM, AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN A SENSE, ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAM.WE CALL IT LEARNING TO IMPACT FOR EMPOWERMENT, AKA LIFE.
UM, IN THIS PROGRAM, UM, OUR MEMBERS GET ONE-ON-ONE, UM, MENTORSHIP AND CHECK-INS ON ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, UM, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, OUR SENIORS GET SUPPORT IN, UM, OUR SENIORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION GET SUPPORT FROM OUR LIFE COORDINATOR.
AND, UM, THEY ACTUALLY BUILD OUT LIKE A LITTLE COHORT OF MEMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND THEY COULD RELY ON EACH OTHER FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT OR THAT BE LIKE WRITING ESSAYS OR, UM, NEEDING HELP WITH FAFSA OR, UM, JUST OVERALL, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING EACH OTHER AND ANSWERING, UM, EACH OTHER'S QUESTIONS.
AND FROM THERE, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO PO ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN WORK.
THANK YOU KELLY? UM, YEAH, SO KELLY KIND OF WENT OVER LIKE OUR PATHWAYS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WHERE WE WORK WITH OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.
UM, NOW I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT LIKE, SOME OF THE CAMPAIGN WORK THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY HOLDING AND OVERSEEING.
UM, SO KJ IS ACTUALLY THE ANCHOR ORGANIZATION, UM, FOR THE INVEST YOUTH COALITION, UM, THAT'S BASED HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, AND WE WORK PRIMARILY WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN LONG BEACH THAT LIKE WORK WITH, UM, THAT WORK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S, UM, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF RUNNING OUR, UH, FIFTH CYCLE OF THE, UH, YOUTH POWER PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS IN LONG BEACH ALONGSIDE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THIS IS LIKE A CITYWIDE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE DISTRICTS, UM, FROM ONE TO NINE, UM, TO REALLY ENGAGE THEM IN THE CIVIC WORK, UM, THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PART OF THE WORK, AND ALSO GETTING THEM, UM, STARTED ON LIKE MAKING PUBLIC DECISIONS ON LIKE PUBLIC DOLLARS AND HOW THEY'RE SPENT AND WHERE THEY WANT THAT MONEY TO BE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR INTEGRATED VOTER ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS PART OF OUR ELECTION WORK THAT WE DO, UM, YEAR ROUND, UH, WHETHER IT'S LIKE PHONE BANKING, DOOR KNOCKING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN, UH, WHICH WE'RE A PART OF THE, UM, BROTHERS, SONS AND SELF COALITION, UH, WHERE WE KIND OF OVERSEE, UM, THE THREE DIFFERENT PILLARS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER ON.
UM, AND THEN OUR NATIONWIDE WORK THAT WE'RE A PART OF IS KEEP, UM, KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER.
UM, AND I'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THAT WHEN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO JUST TO START OFF WITH THE BEST YOUTH COALITION, UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FIVE OTHER YOUTH, UM, ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE PART OF THIS COALITION WITH US.
UM, SO ONE OF IT BEING LIKE, UM, EDUCATED MEN WITH, UM, EDUCATED MENTORS WITH MEANINGFUL MESSAGES, UM, YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, LONG BEACH FORWARD.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SUCCESS AND CHALLENGES.
AND THEN, OH MY GOD, I'M BLANKING OUT ON THE LAST ONE.
OH, CONFLUENCES RISING, ALSO FORMERLY KNOWN AS, UM, UM, CCEJ.
SO WE HAVE A GROUP OF, UH, A, A COALITION THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING, UM, SINCE 2017, THE CREATION OF THE INVEST YOUTH COALITION.
UM, BUT IN 2020 WE, UM, PUSHED MEASURE US TO THE BALLOT TO REALLY ENSURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAD A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET TO WORK WITH.
UM, AND WITH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THAT, UM, BALLOT BALLOT INITIATIVE WHERE WE WERE, UM, TAXING THE OIL PRODUCTION TAX, UM, BY 15% MORE.
SO IT WAS 30%, UH, 30 CENTS TO THE, TO THE BARREL, UM, WHICH GENERATED THE CHILDREN FIRST, UH, THE FIRST EVER CHILDREN AND YOUTH FUND IN LONG BEACH.
UM, GENERATING ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR FOR US, UM, FOR UP TO 11 YEARS.
BUT DUE TO THE BUDGET DEFICIT THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, UM, IS PLANNING TO SUNSET A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
UM, SO THAT'S ALSO THE MONEY, UM, THAT WE GET FROM THAT YOUTH FUND, UM, TO REALLY PUSH THE YOUTH POWER PB PROCESS, UM, WHERE, UM, IT'S SET IN DIFFERENT, UM, AREAS.
LIKE WE HAVE DIFFERENT PHASES THAT WE OVERSEE WHERE WE START OFF WITH THE IDEA COLLECTION, LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY WANT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT, THAT HAVEN'T MET THEIR NEEDS YET.
AND THOSE AREAS THAT WE, WE KIND OF OVERSEE IS LIKE, UM, HEALTH AND WELLNESS PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, COMMUNITY CARE, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION WHERE THE TOP FIVE AREAS THAT WE MAINLY FOCUS ON.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I THINK IN OUR THIRD YEAR WE WERE, WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT 495 IDEAS THAT COME FROM YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, AND WHEN WE GET THOSE IDEAS, OUR YOUTH STEERING COMMITTEE WILL ACTUALLY GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM AND IDENTIFY, WHICH ARE THE TOP 25.
SOMETIME IT RANGES FROM 20, 25 PROGRAMS THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, LEADING THE CONVERSATION AND MATCHING THOSE IDEAS TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY, THEY KNOW THAT, UM, THAT CAN LEAD THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE WORK WITH THOSE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD THOSE, UM, PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE HAVE A VOTING FAIR WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE AGES, UM, 12 TO 26 CAN ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE SUMMER PROGRAMS THEY WANNA SEE GET FUNDED.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT IT BECOMES THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE WHERE THEY GET TO GET FUND THE, UH, THE FOLKS WHO RECEIVE THE MOST VOTES WILL ACTUALLY RUN THOSE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR FREE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO
[00:25:01]
ACTUALLY ATTEND.UM, AND JUST THIS YEAR ALONE, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO FUND 10 SUMMER PROGRAMS THIS YEAR.
THAT, THAT, UM, INCLUDED THROUGHOUT ALL THE GOALS I MENTIONED AROUND LIKE HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOO, LIKE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.
AND THEN NEXT CAMPAIGN WORK THAT WE CURRENTLY DO YEAR ROUND IS OUR INTEGRATED VOTER ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS LIKE A WAY WE ARE, WE'RE BUILDING POLITICAL, UM, POWER AND INCREASING THE, UM, VOTER, UM, PARTICIPATION AMONG, UM, YOUNG ADULTS, API COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEN VOTERS WHO, UH, VOTERS OF COLOR WHO LIVE IN, UH, LOW VOTER PROPENSITY AREAS, JUST SO WE COULD DO THAT ADDITIONAL CONTACT WITH THEM AND LIKE GET THEM TO THE POLLS.
UM, AND THIS IS, UM, THROUGH LIKE PHONE BANKING AND DOOR KNOCKING, LIKE THIS IS A PICTURE OF SOME OF OUR MEMBERS AND STAFF WHO WENT OUT FOR DOOR KNOCKING JUST LAST YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, SOME OF OUR STATEWIDE WORK THAT WE'RE A PART OF WHICH IS, UH, WITH THE BSS COALITION.
SO THIS IS A, A BASE, UH, LA BASED COALITION, UH, WHICH ADVOCATES, UH, FOR DECRIMINALIZATION BY DISRUPTING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE, UM, AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, UM, VIVA EDUCATION.
SO THERE'S THREE SPECIFIC PILLARS THAT, UM, BSS CAN CURRENTLY OVERSEES AND IS WORKING ON, WHICH IS DECRIMINALIZATION, UM, OF BIPOC YOUNG MEN NOW.
UM, AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF YOUTH ARRESTS, UH, UH, WITH THE, THE YOUTH CONTACTS WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM PRE-ARREST.
UM, AND THEN ALSO LIMITING, UM, HOW, HOW MUCH, UH, WHO COPS CAN ARREST, UM, AND CHA AND SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE OF THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF, UH, BOYS AND YOUNG YOUNG MEN OF COLOR WITH THAT ONE.
AND THEN THE YOUTH FUND FUTURES, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WORK OF LIKE IDENTIFYING LIKE THE LIVELIHOOD OF YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE AND INCREASING LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, JOBS, UM, HOUSING AND, UM, EMPLOYMENT.
AND THEN THE LAST PILLAR THAT WE CURRENTLY WORK WITH IS THE PEOPLE'S EDUCATION.
UM, BASICALLY TO REALLY PROVIDE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE, UM, AND DISMANTLING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON
AND THEN OUR NATIONWIDE WORK, UM, THAT WE ARE A PART OF IS ALSO LIKE OUR KEY FAMILIES TOGETHER CAMPAIGN, UM, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY TO, UM, TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THOSE IMPACTED BY DEPORTATION, UM, WHO ARE IN NEED OF LEGAL, UM, AID, UM, AND RESOURCES.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY ADVOCATING FOR $3 MILLION RIGHT NOW TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED WHO ARE IMPACTED BY ALL THE DEPORTATION AND ICE RAIDS, UM, UH, THAT IT'S CURRENTLY INCREASING IN THIS, IN OUR CITY AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN THIS BRINGS ME TO, UM, OUR, UH, SOUTHEAST ASIAN FREEDOM NETWORK.
THIS IS LIKE, UM, A BIG THING WE HAVE BEEN A PART OF.
WE, WE WERE ALSO ONE OF THE ANCHOR ORGANIZATION WHEN THIS FIRST BEGAN.
UM, THIS IS OUR NATIONWIDE WORK WHERE WE ARE WORKING, UM, AROUND ALL THE DEPORTATION WORK.
UM, AND REALLY LIKE ADDRESSING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON TO DEPORTATION PIPELINE.
ESPECIALLY LIKE FOR SOME OF OUR CAMBODIAN YOUTH WHO RESETTLED HERE AFTER THE KAMARI GENOCIDE.
LIKE THEY REALLY FACE A LOT OF, UM, UM, DISPROPORTIONATELY, UM, RESOURCES WHERE IT, LIKE THEY WERE EITHER ARRESTED OR LIKE, UM, UH, DROPPING OUT BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMS THAT FAILED THEM TOO.
THERE WASN'T ENOUGH RESOURCES TO REALLY SUPPORT THEM.
AND NOW WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT ONE IN THREE, UM, ONE IN THREE PEOPLE WHO GET PICKED UP BY ICE ALSO IS API.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE CAMPAIGN WORK AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
UM, AND THIS ALSO, UM, THESE, THESE OUTSIDE WORK THAT WE DO, ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHARING THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND ALSO REPING REPPING YOUNG PEOPLE AND BRINGING THEIR STORIES TO THE TABLE.
SO THEY ALSO REPRESENT US IN THESE SPACES AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? IS THAT YES, WE OPENING IT? YES.
AND CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HOW MANY, UM, YOUTH ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR ORGANIZATION AT THIS POINT? OR, OR WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THE NETWORK? YEAH.
SO YEAR AFTER YEAR IT CHANGES, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE WE'RE NOTICING THAT A LOT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE, UM, MOVING OUT OF THE CITY JUST BECAUSE OF HOW EXPENSIVE OUR CITY IS.
UM, BUT I CAN SAY SAFELY, UM, EACH YEAR WE HAVE ROUGHLY AROUND 50 TO YOUNG, UH, 50 TO 70 YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE, WE WORK WITH YEAR ROUND.
KEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I, I'M A BIG FAN OF KA MY GIRLS IN ACTION.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH THE, WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, UM, SOME MORE OF YOUR POLITICAL ACTION RESEARCH WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST EIGHT OR NINE YEARS?
[00:30:01]
CLINICAL RESEARCH, JUST OKAY.ACTION RESEARCH YOUR YOUTH ACTION RESEARCH WORK.
SO, UM, HOW WE CAME ABOUT THE, THE MEASURE US FUNDING, WE LITERALLY, WE DID A PAR, UH, A PAR PROCESS, WHICH IS, UM, PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY WANTED.
UM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO SURVEY OH, 757 PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND LIKE, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT THEY, THEY NEED THAT'S NOT MET.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAME UP WITH THE FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS OF WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE, WHERE YOUNG AND YOUNG AND ADULTS WANTED TO DO, WHICH WAS FOCUS AROUND THE YOUTH STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS OF, UM, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, COMMUNITY CARE, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION.
THOSE WERE ALL THE KEY AREAS THAT FOLKS REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON.
AND WITH THE, WHAT THAT SURVEY COLLECTION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE RESULTS BACK HERE TO CITY COUNCIL AND THEY WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE AND FILE IT AS A CITY OFFICIAL DATA, UM, BASED ON THAT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT LITERALLY STEMS US FROM LIKE, WE SEEING ALL THE DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED, AND THAT WAS JUST A SMALL PORTION, RIGHT.
AND I THINK BRINGING IT TO THE LARGER GROUP OF LIKE RUNNING THIS PB PROCESS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW REALLY AMPLIFIES THE NEEDS AND THE WANTS OF WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE WANT.
AND THAT RESEARCH HELPED PUT US THERE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT.
COMMISSIONER MELLINGER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE DOING GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, MIKE, ONE OF, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE YOUR FUNDING SUNSET EARLY, YOU WERE SPEAKING OF, UM, WHAT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES ARE YOU, HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED OR ARE YOU CONSIDERING? GREAT QUESTION.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCHING RIGHT NOW TO SEE WHERE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE CAN PULL FROM.
UM, BUT IF YOU KNOW OF ANY THAT YOU WANNA SHOOT MY WAY, I'LL DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BUT WE HOPE THAT WE CAN, UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING WITH OUR ORGANIZATION RIGHT NOW TOO, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A SOURCE RIGHT NOW, SO, UM, YEAH.
SO IF ANYONE HERE KNOWS OF ANY RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, FOLLOW UP WITH ME AFTER
AND THEN JUST QUICKLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND A SECOND, UM, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS? OR HAVE YOU GIVEN THAT ANY THOUGHT OR WHAT, WHAT, HOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? OOH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK SUPPORT IS DEFINITELY NEEDED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, US EMPOWERING OUR YOUNG WOMEN THAT WE WORK WITH TOO.
LIKE, SEEING YOU ALL HERE, I WAS JUST LIKE, OH MY GOD, I LOVE THIS SPACE.
LIKE, IT'S ALL WOMEN LED AND, UM, I THINK OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ALWAYS FEEL EMPOWERED WHEN THEY'RE, THEY SEE OTHER PEOPLE, UM, WHO IDENTIFY LIKE THEM TOO UP HERE TAKING SPACE TOO.
SO I THINK SUPPORT IS DEFINITELY A BIG FACTOR AND LIKE, UM, UM, GETTING THAT FROM YOU ALL.
AND THEN LIKE ALSO RESOURCES I THINK IS DEFINITELY ANOTHER THING THAT, UM, YOU MIGHT HAVE, YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT, UM, ARISE.
SO LIKE, JUST SHARING THAT WITH US, BUT ALSO LIKE IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE, I THINK THAT'S ALSO GREAT FOR US TOO.
UM, AND MAYBE EVEN DOING A MEET AND GREET WITH OUR YOUNG WOMEN THAT WE WORK WITH, UM, THAT WAY THEY CAN ALSO BE INSPIRED, CONTINUE TO BE INSPIRED, YOU KNOW.
KELLY, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD? NO, I THINK YOU GOT EVERYTHING.
DO YOU, DO YOU COALESCE WITH SOME OF THE GROUPS, UM, LIKE WOMEN'S SHELTER IN LONG BEACH THAT ARE DEALING WITH, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TEEN DATING VIOLENCE MM-HMM
DO YOU, ARE THERE, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU WITH SOME OF THOSE, LIKE FOR THE CHILD WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY, UH, DIP INTO FUNDING SOURCES WITH THEM? WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT FUNDING, BUT WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE WOMEN'S SHELTER.
WE WORK WITH THEM YEAR ROUND BECAUSE THEY ALSO COME IN TO DO HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, UM, WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE, THE TIMES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DATING, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY ARE AT LEAST THEY'RE PRACTICING SAFETY.
SO WE DO HAVE THE WOMEN'S SHELTER COME IN AND HOLD THAT.
UM, UM, UH, WHAT IS IT, FACILITATE THAT WORKSHOP FOR US.
UM, AND THAT'S HOW WE COLLABORATE YEAR AFTER YEAR.
BUT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT FUNDING YET.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOUR, UM, OH, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND JUST REALLY COMMEND THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TOUGH CONVERSATIONS UP HERE ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND, UM, JUST SAFETY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY.
AND SO THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS REALLY POWERFUL AND REALLY THE IS ANTIDOTE THE CORRECT, LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE THING THAT'S GONNA SAVE US REALLY THOUGH WE NEED MORE OF THIS.
SO I REALLY, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
[00:35:01]
THERE, AND I'M PROBABLY MISSING IT, BUT IS THERE A CONTACT NUMBER IF WE WANNA CONTACT YOU AFTER THIS MEETING OR IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN HELP, UM, AND MAYBE INDIVIDUALLY, IS THERE A PERSON THAT WE CAN CONTACT? OH, IT'S, YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY SHARE OUR CONTACTS.I DIDN'T BRING MY BUSINESS CARDS, BUT MY EMAIL'S SUPER SIMPLE.
IF YOU WANNA WRITE IT DOWN, IT'S SUPER SIMPLE.
AND THEN KELLY, DO YOU WANNA GIVE YOUR EMAIL TOO OR NO? OKAY.
SO IT'S GONNA BE MY FULL NAME.
UM, IT'S KELLY ANA, K-E-L-L-I-A-N A@KGB.ORG.
IF I MAY JUST HAVE LIKE ONE QUICK QUESTION, UM, REGARDING YOUR, THE BUDGET.
UM, I'M JUST KINDA CURIOUS, WHAT'S YOUR ANNUAL BUDGET FOR? 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS RUN AN AMAZING, SO MANY GREAT PROGRAMS MM-HMM
UM, AND I KNOW YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY, IT SAYS YOU'RE THIS, YOU'RE GOING GET, FUNDING'S GONNA BE, UM, AFFECTED GIVEN THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, SO MM-HMM
WHAT IS, WHAT'S YOUR CURRENT BUDGET AT THE PUBLIC? I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY SOMETHING I, OH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, I I, I KNOW LIKE, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW OUR ACTUAL NUMBER.
JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S MORE OF OUR FI FINANCE TEAM.
UM, I GUESS WE WILL, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? GOOD.
WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM OR IF JOINING FROM THE ZOOM, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR PRESS STAR NINE IF CALLING IN AND SEEING NONE, CHAIR.
SO PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE YES FOR MARIA AND TREASURER INC.
DID YOU WANNA GO TO ITEM THREE? YEAH, PLEASE, PLEASE.
UH, PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM.
ITEM THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM RANK CHOICE VOTING IN THE LBC REGARDING RANK CHOICE, VOTING, AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATION AND CIVIL CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOTION MOVED BY COMMISSIONER HARPER, SECOND BY LA VIOLET.
UM, CAN WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION? THERE YOU GO.
[3. 26-55907 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in the LBC regarding Ranked Choice Voting and its potential impacts on the representation and civic participation of women and girls in local elections. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
GOOD EVENING, AFTERNOON, WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS TIME WHERE IT'S KIND OF LATE, BUT THE SUN IS STILL OUT.UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T REMEMBER ME, WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES.
MY NAME IS RENEE, I'M A PART-TIME WOMAN AND ORGANIZER WITH RCB AND THE LBC AS WELL AS THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND I WANNA TALK TO YOU ONCE AGAIN ABOUT RANK CHOICE VOTING HEREIN.
UH, SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
I WANNA FIRST OF ALL CALL OUT AND THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER LEVIT, COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER FOR TAKING THIS ON AS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR YOU GUYS.
I'M SURE THIS WILL NOT BE NEW INFORMATION TO YOU WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON, BUT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM, LET'S DO A LITTLE BIT OF A REFRESHER ON WHAT RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS.
SO JUST TO TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, AT LEAST FEDERALLY, UH, WE CURRENTLY VOTE ONE TIME YOU VOTE FOR WHO YOU WANT AND WHETHER THAT'S THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS OR WHO YOU ACTUALLY WANNA VOTE FOR.
UH, THE PERSON WITH THE MOST VOTES GETS THE CAKE AND THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE ACTUAL MAJORITY.
AND IN MANY CASES, WE SEE THAT THAT'S NOT ALTERNATIVELY BANK CHOICE VOTING, ALSO KNOWN AS INSTANT RUNOFF, ALSO KNOWN AS MAJORITY WINS ELECTION.
THE WINNER OF THESE, AS IS NOTED, ACTUALLY EARNS A MAJORITY.
[00:40:01]
PLUS ONE.SO IN THIS SITUATION, VOTERS RANK AN ORDER OF PREFERENCE.
THEY GO, OKAY, I LIKE THIS CANDIDATE THE MOST.
I AGREE WITH ALL OF THEIR POLICIES.
THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE LESS POPULAR, BUT I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THEM AS MY NUMBER ONE.
IF THEY DON'T WIN, I'M OKAY WITH THIS PERSON BEING MY NUMBER TWO.
I AGREE WITH THEM ON SOME POLICIES AND THEY'RE BETTER THAN SOME OF THESE OTHER GUYS, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND YOU CAN RANK ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BALLOT WHEN THE VOTES ARE COUNTED.
IF NO CANDIDATE RECEIVES A TRUE MAJORITY, THE CANDIDATE WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF VOTES IS ELIMINATED AND THOSE VOTES HAVE, ARE REDISTRIBUTED TO THE VOTER'S SECOND CHOICE.
UNTIL A CANDIDATE WITH THE TRUE MAJORITY WINS, THIS IS THE CANDIDATE THAT EVERYONE IS AT LEAST OKAY WITH ELECTING, WHICH IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
NOW, IT'S A VERY SHORT REFRESHER OF WHAT RANK CHOICE VOTING IS, BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT NEW HERE AND YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY HAVE DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT RANK CHOICE VOTING IS.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON AS TO HOW IT IMPACTS YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS ARE THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
FIRST ALL I WANNA TALK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY IN RANK CHOICE VOTING.
WE HAVE SHORTER AND CHEAPER CAMPAIGN TIMELINES RIGHT NOW IN LONG BEACH.
WE HAVE A PRIMARY ELECTION AND WE HAVE A GENERAL ELECTION.
YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR, I'M SURE YOU VOTED AND YOU WILL BE VOTING THIS NOVEMBER.
UH, WE HAVE A STRETCH OF TIME WHERE CANDIDATES ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION, AND THIS CAN BE BETWEEN TWO AND 10 CANDIDATES, I THINK.
UH, WHAT I'VE SEEN ON THE BALLOT BEFORE, JUST AN INSANE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
UH, AND IF YOU GET TO BE THE TOP TWO, THEN YOU MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.
THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO WIN, YOU SHOULD ANTICIPATE A VERY LONG CAMPAIGN TIMELINE UNDER OUR CURRENT SYSTEM.
THIS TAKES A LONG TIME, IT TAKES HOURS OUT OF YOUR DAY.
WITH RANK CHOICE VOTING, WE CAN ACTUALLY GET RID OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION AND JUST DO IT ALL.
AS IS IMPLIED IN INSTANT RUNOFF IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.
YOU CAMPAIGN THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IF YOU WANNA BE ON TOP OF YOUR GAME, BUT, UH, IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND THEN THE ELECTION HAPPENS IN THE FALL IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN THAT'S IT.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPENS HERE.
FOR ONE, INCUMBENT PREFERENCES ARE REDUCED.
INSTITUTIONAL BACKING IS LEVELED.
IF YOU DON'T NEED THAT MUCH MORE FUNDS, THE BARRIER FOR WHO GETS TO ACTUALLY COME INTO THESE SPACES GETS LOWERED.
RIGHT? AND THEN FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE COMMISSION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS, I WANNA TALK ABOUT FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES.
NOW, I'M NOT HERE TO SUGGEST THAT WOMEN ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE TO CONSIDER THE FAMILY, BUT IN OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, THAT IS A HIGHLY DETERMINING FACTOR WHETHER A WOMAN IS ABLE AND FEELS ABLE TO, UH, GET THEIR NAME IN THE ELECTORATE RACE.
I WANNA AVERT YOUR ATTENTION HERE TO THE CHART HERE.
THIS IS A STUDY DONE BY HOWARD, JULIANA AND GODDARD, UH, AND TAKING A POLL FOR AMERICANS POINTING TO WOMEN HAVING TO DO MORE TO PROVE THEMSELVES FOR ELECTORAL OFFICE.
THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS HERE WHY WOMEN FEEL LIKE IT'S HARDER FOR THEM TO HAVE POWER IN THEIR GOVERNMENT.
BUT I WANNA GO TO THE HIGHLIGHTED OUTLINE SECTION.
FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES MAKE IT HARDER FOR WOMEN TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
AS YOU SEE, THERE ARE 84% OF PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE SURVEY, THOUGHT IT WAS AT LEAST A MINOR REASON THAT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR WOMEN TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHEAPER TIMELINES AND SHORTER TIMELINES FOR THESE CAMPAIGNS, THAT IS LESS TIME DEDICATED TO THE CAMPAIGN, MORE TIME DEDICATED TO YOUR FAMILIES.
WHEN YOU HAVE TO SPEND TWO FULL CAMPAIGN SESSIONS, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY GONNA TAKE TIME OUT OUT OF YOUR AFTERNOONS.
HOPEFULLY YOU AS AN ELECTED ARE KNOCKING ON DOORS.
YOU'RE TALKING TO VOTERS, YOU'RE TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY.
THAT WOULD BE OTHERWISE BE USED TO TAKE YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL, TAKE THEM TO THEIR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILIES IN ANY SORT OF WAY, AND CUTS THAT TIMELINE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPRING WHERE SCHOOL IS, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN AND, AND BRINGS THAT MORE TOWARDS THE SUMMER MONTHS.
MOVING ON, RANK CHOICE VOTING INCREASES VOTER TURNOUT.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR IN OUR PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN LONG BEACH OF THE ANALYSIS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST FIVE, SIX ELECTIONS BEFORE OUR LAST STRUCTURAL CHANGE, PRIMARY VOTERS TURNED OUT ABOUT 20 TO 30% ABYSMALLY LOW FOR AN ELECTION.
IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY DOUBLE THAT AMOUNT BETWEEN 40 60%.
SOMETIMES IT'S A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR AND THAT'LL BE HIGHER.
BUT AS WE CAN SEE HERE, JUST ACROSS THE BOARD,
[00:45:01]
WHEN VOTERS DON'T GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY, THEY MIGHT NOT EVEN GET A CHANCE TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.98,000 EXTRA PEOPLE VOTED IN THE GENERAL ELECTION THAN DID IN THE PRIMARY, BUT BY THEN THREE OF THE FOUR CITY COUNCIL SEATS WERE ALREADY CHOSEN.
ALL OF THOSE 98,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THOSE DISTRICTS DID NOT GET TO VOTE FOR WHO THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON WAS HAVING.
ONE DECISIVE NOVEMBER ELECTION WINNERS ARE CHOSEN WHEN THE MOST LONG BEACH VOTERS CAN PARTICIPATE.
LOW TURNOUT PRIMARIES, NO LONGER DECIDE RACES OR FORCED COSTLY RUN OUT OFFS.
AND, UH, LOOKING AT A PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH LINKS, RCB SPECIFICALLY TO INCREASE TURNOUT AND MOBILIZATION IN USCD ELECTIONS, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS, UH, PAPER BY THE DOWLING INSTITUTE.
IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T READ IT YET, IT'S HIGHLY INFORMATIVE.
UM, WE CAN SEE THAT HERE IN LONG BEACH, JUST, BUT IT APPLIES ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND THIS APPLIES TO WOMEN AS WELL.
WOMEN FOR MANY REASONS, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARY.
MAYBE THEY HAVE JOBS AND HOURS AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO FOCUS ON A PRIMARY RACE WHEN IT'S NOT IN THE NEWS.
MAYBE THEIR NEIGHBORS AREN'T TALKING ABOUT IT, THEIR LIVES ARE TOO BUSY, THEY HAVE TOO MUCH GOING ON, BUT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE GENERAL ELECTION.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WOMEN HAVING ACCESS, THAT COMES IN ALL FORMS. THAT COMES, UH, IN VOTERS GETTING TO ACTUALLY MAKE PROPER DECISIONS AND MAKE DECISIONS AT ALL.
AGAIN, IF THESE ELECTIONS ARE ALREADY DECIDED BY THE GENERAL ELECTION, THEN THESE WOMEN DON'T GET TO VOTE AT ALL.
AND IT'S NOT LOST IN ME THAT TODAY IS ACTUALLY WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY, WHERE WE CELEBRATE THE ADOPTION OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT.
UH, AND WE TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE HERE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE STILL STRUCTURAL THINGS THAT BAR WOMEN FROM VOTING, IF NOT BY LANGUAGE, BY LOGISTICS.
LET'S SHIFT NOW TO WHERE WE TALK ABOUT WOMEN ACTUALLY GETTING POWER AND RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
IN RANKED CHOICE VOTING CANDIDATES ACTUALLY HAVE TO COMPETE TO BE THE VOTER'S SECOND CHOICE.
THIS DOES NOT OCCUR IN OUR CURRENT ELECTIONS ATTACKING AN OPPONENT.
RISKS ALIENATING THAT OPPONENT'S SUPPORTERS, WHICH YOU MAY ACTUALLY WANT WOMEN ARE NOT COMPETITION IN A RANK CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM, BUT COULD ACTUALLY COLLABORATE AND COME TOGETHER.
WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR IDEALS FOR WHAT WE AS WOMEN WANT IN ORDER TO BOOST EQUITY IN LONG BEACH.
WE CAN ACTUALLY COME TOGETHER AND SAY, RANK ME FIRST, RANK HER SECOND, OR RANK HER FIRST AND ME SECOND.
THAT'S NOT A LOSS UNDER OUR CV, BUT IT IS A LOSS UNDER OUR CURRENT SYSTEM.
REWARDS COALITION BUILDING ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES AND VOTERS IN RCV CITIES REPORT MORE POSITIVE CAMPAIGNS AND MORE CANDIDATE OUTREACH WHEN CANDIDATES FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PITCH JUST FOR THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA VOTE FOR THEM SPECIFICALLY, BUT MAYBE SOME THAT AGREE WITH THEM SOMEWHAT, THOSE VOTERS GET TO HEAR FROM THEM AS WELL.
AND THAT'S DEEPLY, DEEPLY IMPORTANT.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I I DON'T WANNA JUST SPEAK IN PHIL PHILOSOPHIES HERE ABOUT WHAT WOMEN ARE ABLE TO DO.
WOMEN ACTUALLY WIN UNDER RANK CHOICE VOTING SYSTEMS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CHART HERE, THIS IS A STUDY DONE BY REPRESENT WOMEN, UH, IN 2026, LOOKING AT DATA FROM 2025 AS UPDATED AS THEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE CITY COUNCILS OF THE LARGEST 100 CITIES.
WE LOOK AT WOMEN AND THEY REPRESENT ABOUT 33% OF SEATS IN THOSE SPACES.
WHEREAS IF WE LOOK AT RCV ELECTED CITY COUNCILS, WOMEN SECURED 52% OF THOSE CITY COUNCIL SEATS.
THAT IS MUCH CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL DEMOGRAPHICS OF PEOPLE THAT 50 50 SPLIT, RIGHT? WE LOOK AT 22 CITIES, UH, USING RSV, UH, RCV UNDER THIS SYSTEM.
AND 12 OF THOSE CITY COUNCILS HAVE REACHED OR EXCEEDED GENDER PARITY IN THE BAY AREA.
SPECIFICALLY, THEY'VE BEEN HAVING A RANKED CHOICE VOTING SINCE 2004, AND THEY SAW AN IMMEDIATE SWITCH AND A LASTING SWITCH FROM BEFORE THEN TO AFTER.
THEN THEY ELECTED MORE WOMEN AND MORE DIVERSE CANDIDATES CONSISTENTLY SINCE 2004.
I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PHILOSOPHIES HERE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WOMEN ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO CONTROL, ASSERT AND GAIN POWER IN OUR SYSTEM, UNDERSTANDING THAT WOMEN HAVE A PERSPECTIVE AND A VOICE THAT MEN MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE.
OF COURSE, I AM NOT IMPLYING THAT THERE'S COMPLETE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN, BUT THERE ARE IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVES TO UNDERSTAND HERE.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LONG BEACH CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW HAS A FEMALE SUPER MAJORITY IN CITY COUNCIL.
[00:50:01]
THE CASE.LESS THAN A COUPLE OF ELECTION SEASONS AGO.
AND ACROSS TIME WE SEE THAT IT IS MALE MAJORITY OVERALL.
AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY, WE SEE THAT THERE ARE STRUCTURAL WAYS THAT WE CAN CHANGE OUR ELECTION SYSTEM SO THAT WOMEN GAIN MORE POWER IN OFFICE.
WHERE ARE WE NOW? IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I LAST TALKED TO YOU GUYS.
I THINK WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH SINCE THEN.
WE'VE BEEN MOVING A LOT SINCE THEN AS WELL.
TODAY WE HAVE 14 COALITION ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BACKING US, SOME OF WHICH ARE REPRESENTED BEHIND ME TODAY.
WE HAVE A PETITION, UH, OF ABOUT A THOUSAND RESIDENT SIGNATURES THAT SAY, YES, WE WANT THIS.
WE ARE TALKING TO THE PUBLIC REGULARLY AND WE SEE THAT OVER 80% OF PEOPLE THAT WE TALK TO DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND THEN AS SOON AS THEY FIND OUT WHAT IT IS, THEY GO, YEAH, THAT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
AND MOST RECENTLY IN APRIL, WE WERE ENDORSED BY THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSIONS FROM A VOTE OF NINE TO ONE THAT TACKLES DIFFERENT MARGINALIZED UH, COMMUNITIES.
BUT I WOULD BE REMISS TO SAY THAT THERE ARE NOT OVERLAPPING IN INTERSECTIONALITIES HERE TO CONSIDER.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE CONSIDERED IT EXTENSIVELY AS WELL AND THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
NEXT, WE HAVE A CHARTER AMENDMENT FULLY DRAFTED WITH THE KR CV GENERAL COUNCIL.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS LANGUAGE IS COMPLETE AND PROVEN BY LEGAL COUNSEL TO GO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEETINGS INITIATED WITH LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL OFFICE.
WE, THEY KNOW THAT WE WILL PUSH FOR IT AS LONG AS WE ARE HERE.
UH, I WANNA CALL OUT AS WELL THE LA CHARTER REFORM COMMISSION OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, RECOMMENDED THIS TO THEIR OWN CITY COUNCIL AS EARLY AS I BELIEVE MARCH OR APRIL OF THIS YEAR AS WELL.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU GUYS, UH, THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS COMPLETED YOUR REVIEW AND TO MY UNDERSTANDING, HAVE A DRAFT OF THE LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE CONSIDERING.
SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO PLACE A CHARTER AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT TO CONDUCT LONG BEACH ELECTIONS BY RANK CHOICE VOTING.
IT'S TOO LATE FOR THIS ELECTION, OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM US AGAIN BY 2028.
SO, UH, TO APPROVE THE DRAFT CHARTER AMENDMENT LANGUAGE SUBMITTED BY RCV AND THE OBC.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HELP US WHEN CITY COUNCIL KNOWS ABOUT US.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE KNOWS ABOUT US.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT US, BUT HAVING THE COMMISSION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS AS WELL AS THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ALONGSIDE US SHOWS THE POWER OF HOW MUCH WE CARE ABOUT THIS.
WE'VE DONE AS MUCH GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING AS, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO DO, BUT OF COURSE, YOU GUYS HAVE A PARTICULAR ACCESS AND VOICE THAT IS DEEPLY, DEEPLY IMPORTANT.
SO WE WOULD ASK THAT SHOULD YOU VOTE TO RECOMMEND THIS LETTER TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THAT YOU ALSO TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT'S OFFICE AND YOUR NETWORKS MAKE THE CASE FOR RANK CHOICE VOTING.
WE FOUND THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS IS.
AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, AS SOON AS THEY FIND OUT WHAT IT IS, IT SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IT'S CONSISTENTLY BEEN A GOOD IDEA IN ALL THE CITIES THAT HA AND STATES AND COUNTRIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED IT OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS.
HERE'S A CO HERE'S A SCREENSHOT OF, UH, SOME OF THE COALITIONS THAT ARE BEHIND US.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THESE LOGOS, BUT WE HAVE ACTIVIST COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT ARE EXPRESSLY POLITICAL, THAT ARE MAYBE ECONOMICALLY FOCUSED, JUSTICE FOCUSED.
UM, WE HAVE DEMOCRATIC CLUBS HERE.
WE HAVE POKEMON GO LONG BEACH.
I GOT SOME OF THEM BACK HERE BEHIND ME RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE INTEREST GROUPS OF LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT THIS.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? UH, COMMISSIONER, THIS IS A QUESTION I'VE BEEN ASKED.
WHEN, UM, YOU DROP THE PERSON WITH THE FEWEST NUMBER OF VOTES, HOW DID THEIR VOTES GET DISTRIBUTED UP THE LINE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE PERSON, THE NO AND AND GREAT PRESENTATION, AH, THANK YOU, VERY KIND.
THE PERSON WITH THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF VOTES GETS ELIMINATED.
AND THEN WHOEVER VOTED FOR THAT PERSON AS THEIR FIRST CHOICE, THEIR SECOND CHOICE THEN COMES INTO PLAY.
SO LET'S SAY PERSON A VOTED FOR CANDIDATE NUMBER ONE, PERSON B VOTED
[00:55:01]
FOR CANDIDATE NUMBER TWO AS A SECOND CHOICE, THAT GETS REDISTRIBUTED.AND THEN THAT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE TO ALL THOSE VOTES ARE RECOUNTED.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE AGAIN SEE IF SOMEBODY HAS REACHED A TRUE MAJORITY, THAT'S 50% PLUS ONE.
IF NOBODY HAS REACHED IT, THEN, THEN ALL OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE SECOND SMALLEST THAT GETS ELIMINATED AND THOSE PEOPLE'S SECOND CHOICE.
OR IF SOME PEOPLE WERE REDISTRIBUTED, THEN THAT PERSON'S THIRD CHOICE THEN GOES ON PLEASURE.
SO WHEN YOU SAID THAT BE, UM, UNDER RANKED CHOICE VOTING, THERE'S, YOU ONLY HAVE TO VOTE IN A GENERAL ELECTION, SO THAT'S FOR OUR LOCAL CITY, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR STATE ELECTIONS AND OUR COUNTY ELECTIONS? DOES IT CAUSE A DECREASE IN PEOPLE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE IN PRIMARIES WHEN THERE ISN'T A LOCAL, WHEN THEY ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL ELECTION? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO PRIMARY ELECTIONS DO STILL HAPPEN.
WE WOULD STILL RECEIVE A BALLOT FROM LA COUNTY FOR ANY PRIMARY RACES THAT ARE HAPPENING COUNTYWIDE OR STATEWIDE OR FEDERALLY MM-HMM
IT WOULD SIMPLY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PAGES ON YOUR BALLOT IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.
WHAT I'M NOTICING THOUGH, AND I KNOCK ON DOORS, UH, I CANVAS REGULARLY.
I'M IN DEEPLY ENGAGED IN VOTER TURNOUT OUTSIDE OF FRANK CHOICE VOTING.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T CARE ACTUALLY ABOUT LOCAL ELECTIONS IN THE PRIMARY RACE.
IN THIS PAST ELECTION, EVERYBODY WAS FOCUSED ON THE GOVERNOR.
AND WHEN I WENT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DISTRICT ONE CANDIDATES SAY, OH, WHO EVEN IS THAT? SO MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND THEN WHAT I'VE SEEN OUTSIDE OF THAT ATTESTED BY OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL, IS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARY RACES ARE LIKELY DOING SO FOR STATE AND LARGER ELECTIONS ANYWAYS, AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING AT THE LOCAL ELECTIONS.
AND WITH THIS ELECTION AND HAVING TO GO BACK AND RECOUNT, HOW MANY MORE DAYS DO YOU, UM, IN OTHER CITIES, HAS THAT EXTENDED THE VOTE OR THE RESULTS? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AS WELL.
SO THIS CAN TAKE UP TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UH, WE'LL, WE SEE THAT IN NEW YORK.
I, I BELIEVE IT TAKES TWO WEEKS FOR THEM TO FULLY COUNT VOTES.
HOWEVER, IN CALIFORNIA WE ALREADY HAVE A PRETTY EXTENSIVE VOTING COUNT TIMELINE.
UH, IF YOU RECALL IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION, UH, THE VOTES HAPPENED IN JUNE.
THEY WERE NOT CERTIFIED UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF JULY.
THAT GAVE US A MONTH AND A HALF.
SO WITHIN OUR CURRENT TIMELINE HERE IN CALIFORNIA, WHAT'S ESTABLISHED RANKED CHOICE VOTING CAN EASILY BE COUNTED IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WELCOME BACK.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE SIGNATURES THAT YOU'VE GATHERED.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A CITY OF A HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, ABOUT A THOUSAND SIGNATURES.
SO TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND, I'M WONDERING LIKE WHAT THAT EFFORT HAS LOOKED LIKE, HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN COLLECTING SIGNATURES? HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT EQUALLY ACROSS THE DISTRICTS? I JUST KIND WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT CAMPAIGN HAS LOOKED LIKE.
SO SINCE WE WERE NOT COLLECTING SIGNATURES AS PART OF A BALLOT INITIATIVE, AND INSTEAD WE'RE JUST TALKING TO VOTERS, IT REALLY IS JUST THE CAPACITY OF OUR GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS BEHIND US.
AND THAT'S AFTERNOONS, WEEKENDS, SOMETIMES UP TO PEOPLE'S DISCRETIONS.
AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION AND OUR COALITION IS GROWING, BUT ULTIMATELY THE PEOPLE THAT WANNA GO OUT TO OUR FARMER'S MARKET EVERY TUESDAY IS GONNA BE LIMITED OVER TIME.
AND ACTUALLY WE'VE TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK SINCE THE PRIMARY ELECTION, UM, SINCE THE PRIMARY ELECTION THIS YEAR, GOING BACK ABOUT A YEAR IS WHEN WE'VE COLLECTED THOSE SIGNATURES.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, ACROSS FARMERS' MARKETS AND ACROSS DIFFERENT, UH, LIKE FIRST FRIDAYS HERE IN UH, BIXBY AREA, AND THEN FOURTH FRIDAYS IN BIXBY KNOWLES.
UH, THESE SORTS OF COMMUNITY EVENTS IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN DOING OUTREACH AT MOSTLY AS WELL AS DIFFERENT PROTESTS AND WHATNOT WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY POLITICALLY ENGAGED AND, UH, MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT BANK CHOICE VOTING, BUT CERTAINLY CARE ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR ELECTIONS.
I'M ASKING BECAUSE I'M THE, I'M NOW AN AT LARGE COMMISSIONER AND I'M JUST, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO GAUGE HOW THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE FEELS ABOUT THIS WITHOUT MORE RESEARCH OR POLLING OR SOMETHING.
AND I WOULD PERSONALLY HESITATE TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WOULD AFFECT THE WHOLE, WELL, THAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO AFFECT THE WHOLE CITY WITHOUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BROADER COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE CONTINUING YOUR WORK.
I'M WONDERING, I KNOW POLLING COSTS A TON OF MONEY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I MIGHT SUGGEST JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S A BROADER WAY TO GET
[01:00:01]
MORE OF A SENSE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE THE LARGER, UM, COMMUNITY OR A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE RESIDENTS.WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT BACK WITH US.
POLLING IS EXPENSIVE, AS YOU MENTIONED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH LIMITED FUNDS.
AGAIN, AS A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, IT'S MOSTLY JUST BEEN UP TO THE VOLUNTEER HOURS OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH, AS I WILL SAY.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE THOUGH, THAT OF, OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SPEAK TO, THIS INCLUDES JUST REGULAR PEOPLE OUT WITH THEIR KIDS AT THE PARK TO PEOPLE THAT ARE MORE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
UM, WHEN WE TALK TO PEOPLE, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT RANK CHOICE VOTING IS.
AND THEN ABOUT 80% OF THEM FROM WHO WE'VE SURVEYED, JUST TALKING, UH, TO THESE PEOPLE IN PERSON.
AND THIS IS ACROSS ALL AISLES.
IT'S NOT JUST DEMOCRATS, IT'S NOT JUST REPUBLICANS.
WE'VE SEEN THAT ABOUT 80% OF THEM ARE BOARD, UH, OUR MAIN OPPONENTS SO FAR ARE JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY DEEPLY ESTABLISHMENT THAT ARE HAPPY WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BACK FOR HELPING COMMISSIONER LEVIT AND I UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER.
YOU'VE CONNECTED US TO RESOURCES.
UM, I YOU HELPED MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR LETTER AS WE AS REQUESTED THAT WE BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION'S MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN THE ONE WE TRIED TO GIVE LAST MONTH.
I THINK IT IS ONE OF THOSE TOPICS THAT THE MORE I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND, THE MORE IT CAME TO LIFE AND IT JUST DOES MAKE SENSE, GOOD SENSE TO ME.
UM, SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING BACK TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU OR A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO THE PARKS, WHICH PARKS ARE YOU GOING TO, WHICH YOU ALREADY SHARE WHICH FARMER'S MARKETS YOU'RE GOING TO, BUT WHICH PARKS, HOW ARE YOU MEETING THE, THE NEEDS OF NORTH LONG BEACH OR WHAT ARE THE WEST SIDE? HAVE YOU BEEN OUT DOING SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH THERE TO GET A DIVERSE IMPACT OR A DIVERSE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO I, I WILL ADMIT WE'VE BEEN MOSTLY AT, UH, BIXBY PARKS AND THE PLACES DOWNTOWN AND IN IN DISTRICT TWO AS WELL.
UH, WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF OUTREACH IN NORTH SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA CONTINUE DOING.
AND ACTUALLY WITH THE COALITION THAT HAS GROWN RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SPECIFIC INTERESTS THAT CATER TO SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES.
AND NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO REACH ALL THOSE PEOPLE, WHICH WE DO, BUT WE ARE INTENTIONALLY CREATING THIS COALITION SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE SPECIFICALLY REACHED OUT TO.
WE HAVE TRANSLATION SERVICES IN FILIPINO AND SPANISH AND KAMAI MYSELF AS HALF FILIPINO.
I AM IN CAMBODIA TOWN, SO I'M IN MACARTHUR PARK SOMETIMES AS WELL.
GORGEOUS NEW LITTLE PARK THAT'S OVER THERE.
UM, AND WE ARE TALKING TO THESE VOTERS, BUT AGAIN, IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND I WILL SAY AGAIN, YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM US A LOT MORE NEXT YEAR AS WE START RAMPING UP FOR THE 2028 ELECTION.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHEN YOU'RE GONNA SEE US KIND OF BLOW UP ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT UNTIL THEN, IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE BOTH INTERESTED IN AND ALSO RELYING ON OUR COALITION PARTNERS THAT SPECIFICALLY REACH THESE AREAS TO, AS OUR POINTS OF UNITY REACH OUT TO.
SO MY CONCERN, I I UNDERSTAND RANK CHOICE VOTING.
YOU, YOU, UM, ARE MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES DID SHARE ENOUGH.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES, YOU'VE ALSO BEEN IN JUNIOR LEAGUE, YOU ALSO BEEN IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, AND I HAVE SEEN YOU AROUND, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU AT, UM, AND I'VE ONLY SEEN YOU IN CERTAIN SPACES.
I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU AT, I HAVE NOT SEEN RANK CHOICE FOR VOTING IN, UM, YOUR COMMISSION, YOUR COMMITTEE IN DIVERSE SPACES.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY CONCERNING ME, THAT YOU ARE ONLY GETTING ONE VOICE OR YOU'RE NOT GETTING A FULLY DIVERSE VOICE AS YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UM, THAT THE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY IS GIVING PEOPLE MORE TIME AND THAT THIS WILL BECOME SOMETHING FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY VOTING IS HAPPENING, EVEN THOUGH WE ALREADY HAVE A FEMALE MAJORITY HERE AT, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND IN THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY, WHY WE NEED TO CHANGE NOW.
AND I KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE SAID, BUT NOW WE HAVE ALREADY MADE THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, WITH MY, WITH MY VOICE VOTES, I'M, I WAS BORN IN THE SOUTH WITH MY VOTE ALREADY BEING COMPROMISED, MY COUSINS, MY FAMILIES, OUR VOTE ALREADY BEING COMPROMISED IN LOUISIANA AND IN TEXAS.
I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY, WHICH YOU NOT HAVING ENOUGH VOTES, THAT THIS CAN BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES.
AND THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY CONCERNING ME.
NOT RIGHT NOW, NOT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BUT THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF PUTTING SOMETHING IN LIKE THIS FOR PEOPLE OF COLORS WHOSE VOTES ARE ALREADY SUSCEPTIBLE IN THIS, UM, IN THIS PERIOD OF OUR COUNTRY AND OF OUR, UM, RIGHT NOW.
[01:05:01]
AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU'RE GOING INTO THE SPACES.I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAME HERE THREE TIMES.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE A, THAT YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE ATTENDED JUNIOR LEAGUE, UM, OUR JUNIOR LEAGUE MEETINGS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AT THE DISTRICT FOR, UM, THAT THE DISTRICT FOR MEETINGS.
YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND BUT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN AROUND IN.
FOR SOMEBODY WHO HOPS AROUND ALL OF LA COUNTY.
I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU IN DIVERSE SPACES YET.
NO, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT IT.
I WILL SAY WE HAVE SHOWED UP TO DISTRICT EIGHT AND NINE EVENTS, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, VIC ODI AND THRA, UH, WERE SPECIFICALLY TO TALK TO THEM AND ENGAGE THOSE VOTERS AS WELL.
I'VE PERSONALLY SPOKEN, UH, TO VOTERS IN THE PARK THAT SAID, I'M FORMERLY INCARCERATED.
I DON'T THINK I CAN EVEN VOTE.
AND ME TELLING THEM, ACTUALLY, YOU CAN VOTE, AND ACTUALLY LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS NEW THING AS WELL.
SO I, I WANNA BE CLEAR TO YOU THAT IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE DISREGARDING THESE COMMUNITIES AT ALL.
AND IN FACT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME ALSO AS A PERSON OF COLOR, I ALSO GREW UP ON THE WEST SIDE, THAT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE ADDRESSED, AND THAT IS ON THE FOCAL POINT IN MY MIND TO MY UNDERSTANDING IN THE LARGER CAL RCV THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN THESE DIVERSE SPACES.
I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT IN PLACES LIKE THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AND IN NEW YORK CITY THAT WE SEE ETHNICALLY DIVERSE THINK, UH, PEOPLE BEING BOTH REACHED OUT TO AND GAIN MORE ELECTORATE POWER.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I SORT OF ALLUDED TO EARLIER, BUT I'LL REITERATE AGAIN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HAVING A FEMALE SUPER MAJORITY.
NOW THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT STRUCTURALLY BAKED INTO OUR SYSTEM, AND IT CAN BE RIPPED AWAY AT ANY MOMENT.
WHEN WE HAVE SYSTEMS LIKE RANK CHOICE VOTING THAT MAKE IT MORE FAIR THAN INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT, THEN WE SEE THESE DIRECT OR INDIRECT CONSEQUENCES OF REPRESENTATION HAPPENING.
SO IT IS BAKED INTO THIS SYSTEM THAT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE BEING REPRESENTED IN ELECTIONS, AND WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING SURE THAT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO REACHED OUT TO AS WELL.
THAT'S THROUGH TRANSLATION SERVICES, THAT'S THROUGH KNOCKING ON DOORS IN LOW PROPENSITY VOTING AREAS AND IN DIFFERENT DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
SO I DEFINITELY TAKE YOUR NOTE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE BUILDING ON, BUT I DO WANNA CHALLENGE THE FACT THAT IT, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE ADDRESSING BECAUSE WE ARE ADDRESSING IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, SO THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH THAT I DID ONLINE, EVERYTHING SOUNDS, SOUNDS GREAT.
UM, EVERYTHING SOUNDS VERY POSITIVE.
UM, I AM CURIOUS AS TO HEAR WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, LIKE THE CONS, RIGHT? WE HEAR ALL ABOUT THE PROS, THE BENEFITS, BUT WHAT IS YOUR KNOWLEDGE? WHAT'S BEEN YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THE CONS ARE ABOUT RANK CHOICE VOTING? TOTALLY THE MAIN CON, AND IT'S MORE A FAILURE OF RESPONSIBILITY THAN IT IS A CON INHERENT TO THE SYSTEM IS WHAT I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, MAKING SURE VOTERS ARE EDUCATED ABOUT THE NEW SYSTEM THAT IS FAR AND AWAY THE BIGGEST CON THAT WE'VE SEEN WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETIMES RANK CHOICE VOTING, FAILING THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES IT'S IMPLEMENTED.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT EDUCATION DOLLARS ARE SPENT WHEN THIS GETS IMPLEMENTED TO THE TUNE OF EVEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT VOTERS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S TRANSLATED IN EVERY LANGUAGE, AND IT'S REACHED OUT TO ALL THE PEOPLE.
IF THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, RANK CHOICE VOTING IS CONFUSING TO PEOPLE.
THEY, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
THEY MIGHT MARK THEIR BALLOTS WRONG.
THERE'S A LOT OF SPOILAGE THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THAT SITUATION.
AND SO I DEFINITELY DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CON, BUT AGAIN, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY ISSUE MORE THAN IT IS AN ISSUE INHERENT IN THE SYSTEM.
I'VE ALSO SEEN THAT IT IS CHALLENGED VERY MUCH BY LARGER MONEY, UH, INTERESTS AND INSTITUTIONAL BACKINGS.
IN FACT, THE DNC RECENTLY SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO REMOVE RANK CHOICE VOTING FROM THEIR PRIMARY CANDIDATES, UM, BECAUSE THEY SAID, I'M, I'M PARAPHRASING, BUT THEY, THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS, UH, USEFUL OR A GOOD USE OF DOLLARS OR A REPRESENTATIVE.
AND WHAT WE SAW IS ACTUALLY THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAME OUT
[01:10:01]
IN SPADES TO DEFEND IT AND SAY, ACTUALLY, YOU NEED TO KEEP THIS IN PLACE.AND SO THEY REJECTED THAT PROPOSAL AND THEY KEPT RANK CHOICE VOTING IN THERE.
SO THAT BEING SAID, RESPONSIBILITY ISSUE.
WE HAVE A HUGE TASK AHEAD OF US.
ARE WE TO GO FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION? AND WE WANNA DO THAT RESPONSIBLY, AND WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT.
AND THEN ALSO COMBATING A LOT OF THE NEGATIVE COMMUNICATIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE VERY STRICTLY DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN IN THIS SITUATION.
YOU ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE TO COMMIT TO A PARTY.
UH, LONG BEACH IS VERY GOOD IN THAT WAY, THAT WE HAVE NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS, BUT OVERALL, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ONE PARTY OR THEY ARE ANOTHER PARTY, AND THEY FOCUS MUCH LESS ON POLICIES.
AND THAT'S VERY GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE IN POWER NOW AND THE INSTITUTIONS THAT RELY ON THAT SYSTEM.
AND WITH RANKED CHOICE VOTING, WHEN PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CAN VOTE BASED ON POLICIES AND NOT SPECIFICALLY CHOOSE THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS, AND WE SEE A LOT OF MONEY BEING FUNDED TO CONFUSE VOTERS IN THAT WAY AS WELL AS TO WHAT THE POLICIES ACTUALLY ARE.
UH, BUT AGAIN, SO THE CONS COME FROM MONEYED INTERESTS COMING IN AND TRYING TO CONFUSE VOTERS HERE, AND A LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY, UH, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO VOTER EDUCATION.
WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM OR JOINING FROM THE ZOOM, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE, OR PRESS STAR NINE IF CALLING IN.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE RCB AND THE LBC AND I.
SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE CAMPAIGN FOR, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF IT.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, AND I, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IT GETS LOST, UM, THAT THIS IS JUST TO PUT RANK CHOICE VOTING ONTO THE BALLOT TO LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE LIKE THAT IS THE WORK.
IT'S NOT WHETHER OR NOT WE INDIVIDUALLY THINK THAT RANK CHOICE VOTING IS THE WAY TO GO, EVEN THOUGH I'LL, I CERTAINLY WILL BE VOTING FOR IT IF WE EVER GET IT ON THE BALLOT, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT GIVING THE VOTERS A CHANCE TO DECIDE.
UM, THE, THE, FOR ME, THE MAIN POINT, UM, THE, THE WAY THAT IT IMPACTS LONG BEACH THE MOST IS THIS ISSUE ABOUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE, WE KNOW THAT MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, AND BY THEN OUR CITY COUNCILORS ARE EVEN ALREADY DECIDED MOST OF OUR ANY PLACE WITH AN INCUMBENT.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOUR DISTRICT IS RUNNING A INCUMBENT, ALMOST ALWAYS IT GETS DECIDED AT THE PRIMARY.
AND SO YOUR GENERAL ELECTION VOTERS NEVER GET A CHOICE.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY COULD START VOTING IN THE PRIMARIES, BUT THAT DOESN'T TEND TO HAPPEN.
SO FOR ME, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR LONG BEACH, AGAIN, WE DO PRETTY WELL, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH DIVERSITY, WE DO PRETTY WELL HAVING WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH OUR ELECTIONS BEING DECIDED IN A PRIMARY WHEN WE KNOW MOST PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE WE'LL SEE.
AND THE ONE I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR LONG BEACH.
HI, I'M, UH, SEAN MIKEL MCMULLEN.
I'M A INNOVATOR IN RESIDENCE WITH THE LONG BEACH COLLABORATORY, WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON OUR VACANT LOT PROJECT HERE IN THE CITY AND TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO, TO DEAL WITH OUR VACANT LOTS IN THE RUN UP TO THE, TO THE 2028 GAMES.
UM, I'M ALSO THE FOUNDER AND A COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR WITH POKEMON GO LONG BEACH, UH, A MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY.
THERE'S ABOUT 11,000 OF US AND WE MEET IN PARKS ALL OVER THIS CITY.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF WITH POKEMON GO IS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COALITION.
WHETHER IT'S, UH, AGE, WHETHER IT'S YOUR RELIGION, WHETHER IT'S YOUR SEX, WHETHER IT'S YOUR, YOUR RACE OR YOUR SEXUAL BACKGROUND, WHATEVER IT IS, THERE'S IS NO OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN PART OF IN MY ENTIRE LIFE THAT IS MORE WELCOMING TO MORE PEOPLE THAN HAS BEEN POKEMON GO AND HAS BEEN POKEMON GO LONG BEACH.
UH, IT IS THE SINGLE THING THAT I AM PROUDEST OF, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT REASON.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I AM ALSO A CO-CHAIR OF RCV AND LBC AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
UM, FOR THE SAME REASONS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY AND I BELIEVE BELIEVE IN INCLUSION.
AND I BELIEVE EVERYBODY DESERVES A VOICE.
AND IT IS NOT LOST TO ME THAT TODAY IS WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY, 106 YEARS AGO, THE 19TH AMENDMENT WAS PASSED, GIVING,
[01:15:01]
OPENING UP OPPORTUNITY TO SO MANY MORE VOTERS THAT NEVER HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE.AND THE JOB WASN'T DONE THAT DAY.
'CAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO STILL DON'T HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING TAKEN AWAY THIS WEEK AS WE SPEAK, YOU KNOW, THE SUPREME COURT'S RULING ABOUT MAIL-IN VOTING, UM, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY.
AND SO, LIKE LIZ SAYS, WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP TO SAY THAT WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THIS.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND SEE IF THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND IF THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, WE'RE GONNA ASK THEM TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND PUT IT TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND ASK THEM, DO YOU LONG BEACH THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD IDEA FOR US? THAT'S DEMOCRACY
AND SO, YEAH, THAT'S, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.
WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, SAY THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, AND TO PASS THAT ALONG TO CITY COUNCIL FOR US.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS YOUR INAUGURAL AGENDA ITEM.
AND IT'S NOT LOST ON US, AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF IT.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD A COUPLE, UM, UH, ADDITIONS TO RENEE'S ANSWERS TO A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS.
SO THE SIGNATURES THAT WE GATHERED, WE ALSO ASK FOR PEOPLE'S ZIP CODE SO WE CAN ACTUALLY TELL WHICH PART OF THE CITY, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I CAN'T PULL IT UP ON MY PHONE, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET FOR YOU.
AND WE DO HAVE, I WANNA SAY ALL THE DISTRICTS REPRESENTED.
UM, DEFINITELY NOT EVENLY REPRESENTED, BUT, UM, ON THERE.
UM, AND THEN ONE OTHER POINT THAT I WANTED TO SAY REGARDING THE CONS, UH, EDUCATION PIECE.
SO RENEE IS COMPLETELY ON POINT THAT WE, WE NEED TO HAVE VOTER EDUCATION.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THEY HAVE DONE EXIT POLLS IN CITIES THAT USE RANK CHOICE VOTING, AND PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND IT AND THEY SAY THAT THEY LIKE IT.
AND, UM, I THINK AFTER THE FIRST ONE, MAYBE TWO ELECTIONS, THERE'S LIKE MAYBE SOME SLIGHT CONFUSION.
WE NEED TO DEFINITELY TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO DO THIS, BUT IT'S NOT A LONG-TERM THING THAT PEOPLE CANNOT HANDLE.
UM, I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR LONG BEACH CITIZENS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT REALLY TRUSTING THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE ELECTIONS AND THE EXIT POLLS.
UM, THEY USE THIS IN CITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA, I BELIEVE OAKLAND AND ALAMEDA AND SAN FRANCISCO.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE NOT THE FIRST, BUT, UM, BUT, BUT ALSO FORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S USED AND, UM, WE CAN LOOK AT THE RESULTS FROM THERE AND SEE THAT PEOPLE, THEY GET IT.
UM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE TAUGHT AT THE BEGINNING, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT, THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
MY NAME IS CLIFFORD PINKERTON AND I ACTUALLY DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM, UH, LOS ANGELES FOR THIS.
I AM GETTING MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AND I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR RANK CHOICE VOTING SINCE 2022, WHERE I KNOCKED ON DOORS IN EVANSTON, ILLINOIS AND, UH, TALKED WITH PEOPLE WHO KNEW ABOUT IT OR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, AND ENGAGED IN A BACK AND FORTH.
AND, AND MOST OF THE TIME WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT'S A COMMON SENSE MEASURE THAT THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE THEIR TRUE PREFERENCE REGARDLESS OF HOW POPULAR THE PEOPLE WHO THEY SUPPORT ARE.
IT INCENTIVIZES CANDIDATES TO CAMPAIGN POSITIVELY AND, AND ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CROSS ENDORSEMENT.
AND IT SAVES MONEY, UM, BY PREVENTING RUNOFF ELECTIONS ENTIRELY.
AND SOMETIMES, UH, UM, DEPENDING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, NOT EVEN HAVING PRIMARY ELECTIONS BEYOND THIS.
I SEE MY ROLE AS VOLUNTEER OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR LOS ANGELES AS, UM, ADDRESSING APATHY AND VIOLENCE MITIGATION AT A TIME WHERE POLITICS IS AT A BOILING POINT AND PARTIES HOLD A LOT OF POWER.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS DO EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO IMPLEMENT COMMON SENSE REFORMS, SPECIFICALLY MULTI-MEMBER RANKED CHOICE VOTING, BECAUSE
[01:20:01]
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO, TO ALLOCATE REPRESENTATION IN ACCORDANCE TO PEOPLE'S TRUE PREFERENCE, UM, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF THE POPULARITY OF THE, THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.SO I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WAS A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION AND I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE HAVING A WONDERFUL EVENING.
MY NAME IS SHARI, OUR GOODLEY FARR.
UM, I ALSO CARPOOLED 'CAUSE OF CARBON EMISSIONS WITH CLIFF.
UM, SO I GREW UP IN ORANGE COUNTY.
I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE I WAS EIGHT.
I'VE BEEN LIVING IN LA UM, LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR I COLLECTED OVER 15,000 SIGNATURES FOR THE UPCOMING BALLOT INITIATIVES FOR THE STATEWIDE ELECTION.
SO I ALSO HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY, UM, HOW THEY THINK, HOW THEY, YOU KNOW, OPERATE AND WHAT THEIR TRUE, YOU KNOW, DESIRES.
AND ALSO, UM, HOW, LIKE, THE ONE THING I CAN SAY IS WHILE THESE BALLOT INITIATIVES THAT WE CAME ACROSS WERE VERY DIVISIVE, UM, THE ONE THING THAT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON I SPOKE TO COULD AGREE ON WAS RANKED CHOICE VOTING WAS THAT.
AND IF ANYTHING, BUT, AND, AND ALSO THE ONE THING THEY WOULD, WOULD ALWAYS AGREE ON WAS LIKE, EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE
SO THOSE ARE TWO VERY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THAT.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY I'M ALSO INSPIRED TODAY, I'VE SPOKEN TO LA CITY COUNCIL MULTIPLE TIMES, IRVINE CITY COUNCIL TILL I GUESS 12:45 AM AND THEN
LIKE TO SEE, UH, STRONG WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND LIKE EVEN THE, THE YOUTH, UH, LEADERS THAT WERE SAYING EARLIER, I WANNA SEE MORE OF THAT AS WELL.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THE SUPER MAJORITY OF WOMEN ON CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE KIND OF FUTURE THAT WE CAN GET TOWARDS, UH, TO REALLY EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD FROM OUR HISTORY NATIONWIDE, STATEWIDE, CITYWIDE, UM, AND RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN SEE THAT, THAT BEING A BIG PART OF IMPROVING DEMOCRACY AND IMPROVING OUR ELECTIONS.
SOME LAST LITTLE FACTS I WANNA MENTION, UM, LOCALLY, UM, SO IN CALIFORNIA, UH, OAKLAND FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR FIRST MAYOR, UH, UH, FEMALE MAYOR UNTIL RANK CHOICE VOTING.
UM, AND SINCE THEN THEY'VE, THEIR LAST FOUR FEMALE MAYORS CAME BECAUSE OF THEIR RANK CHOICE VOTING.
UM, HUNTINGTON BEACH RECENTLY DID ORDER, UH, RANK CHOICE VOTING TO BE USED FOR THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH BECAUSE WHEN A LATIN COMMUNITY SHOWED HOW, NOT USING IT WITH THE VOTER RIGHT VOTING RIGHTS ACT, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED, UM, WAS, UH, MAKING IT, THEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO SUE IN HUNTINGTON BEACH.
YOU KNOW, UH, JUDGE ORDERED, MAYOR ORDERED FOR THEM TO IMPLEMENT IT.
UM, AND THE LAST COUPLE THINGS, SOMEONE SAID, WELL, HOW CAN WE JUST IMPLEMENT SOMETHING SO NEW TO, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE CITY WITHOUT ENOUGH? I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT SENTIMENT.
UM, BUT I WANNA JUST MENTION OUR ELECTIONS.
THE FIRST PASS, THE POST CONCEPT REALLY HISTORICALLY CAME FROM WHEN WE FOUNDED OUR CONSTITUTION AS A COUNTRY.
AND SO IT'S LIKE THE FIRST PASS THE POST CAME FROM LITERALLY THE HORSE RACES WHEN THE HORSE COULD PASS THE POST.
AND WHERE DID WE GET ALL OF OUR ORIGINAL INFORMATION? ENGLAND, AND, AND THESE THINGS.
WE ONLY HAVEN'T CHANGED THINGS 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND THE LAST TWO, UM, STATS I WANNA MENTION IS THE CA, CALIFORNIA BAY AREA CITY'S, UH, EXIT POLL IN 20 24, 90 2% UNDERSTOOD RANKERS VOTING WELL, 70% WANTED TO KEEP OR EXPAND RCV AND MORE LOCALLY IN REDONDO BEACH, 87% OF THE VOTERS SAY THEY UNDERSTOOD RCV WELL.
AND, UH, 70 SOMETHING ELSE IS GOOD IN THERE.
I'VE LIVED IN LONG BEACH FOR 30 YEARS IN THE WEST SIDE.
AND MY CONCERN IS I WAS JUST INVOLVED WITH COLLECTING SIGNATURES, UH, FOR A LONG BEACH INITIATIVE.
AND THERE WAS, I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE A GOOD SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA, YOU COULD PUT SOME IN THE BALLOT, BUT THERE'S, IT MEANS THERE'S TONS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, PAID VOLUN, PAID PEOPLE.
AND THAT WAS A CONFLICT 'CAUSE WE WERE DOING ONE FOR WHAT'S CALLED BLOCK THE CUTS.
AND WE WOULD RUN INTO, FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS, TONS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR STATEWIDE INITIATIVES.
AND 'CAUSE PEOPLE WOULD COME UP TO, AND IT'S PROBABLY HAPPENED TO EVERY ONE OF YOU, SOMEONE SAYS, OH, I'VE ALREADY SIGNED THAT.
AND THEY HAVE LIKE 10 PETITIONS AND THEY GET PAID, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A GOOD SYSTEM.
BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT HARD TO GET SIGNATURES WHEN YOU HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT VOLUNTEERS.
SO THEN WHEN, UM, WHEN IT WAS JUST A LONG BEACH INITIATIVE, WE STILL HAD OTHER GROUPS TRYING TO COLLECT SIGNATURES, AND IF YOU WEREN'T INSIDE, OUTSIDE OF ANY VAUGHN'S OR YOU KNOW, OTHER SUPERMARKET, THERE'D BE TONS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE AND THEY, THEY'RE PAID PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S ABOUT MORE OF INCENTIVE TO COLLECT THEIR SIGNATURES, UM, ON THE DIVERSITY.
UM, AND PART OF IT IS THAT THE COMMUNITY, TO GET PEOPLE OUT THERE AND, AND FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT IT, UM, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE.
I GREW UP IN THE BAY AREA AND I SAW IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET, UM, A GOOD MAYOR AND, 'CAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PERSON WHO WAS ONE, WHO'S
[01:25:01]
THE CURRENT MAYOR, BUT, UH, IT TOOK A WHILE.SO IT, IT'S, I THINK IT'S A VERY UNEVENLY UNDERSTOOD SYSTEM BECAUSE WHAT PEOPLE SAID, I KNOW WHERE I LIVE, WE JUST HAD A PRIMARY AND THAT WAS IT.
I MEAN, I LIVED IN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT AND I MEAN, I, I THINK IT WAS PART OF OUR CHOICE OF VOTE OF CANDIDATES WAS NOT THAT GOOD.
UM, AND THE PERSON, WELL, I, I SUPPORTED, BUT NOT, NOT PUBLICLY, BUT I THINK THAT, 'CAUSE I'M INVOLVED WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE ANY CONFLICT.
SO I THINK THIS IS, UM, GOING WELL THROUGH, UM, THE CITY, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONS HAVE, UH, UH, SUPPORTED IT.
AND WHAT IT REALLY IS, IT'S LIKE A LOT OF THINGS ON THE BALLOT, IT'S TO VOTE ON IT FIRST, THEN IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET IT DONE.
SO ONLY THING I WON'T VOTE ON IF SOMEONE HAS A PETITION TO DO THE DEATH PENALTY, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE VOTED ON.
SO I WON'T SIGN THEIR PETITION BECAUSE I'M AFRAID THE WAY THINGS ARE.
BUT ALSO WHAT'S GOING ON IN WASHINGTON IS REALLY CONCERN.
I, I MEAN THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL ON VOTING 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE, YOU KNOW, TO BE TESTED FIRST.
SO THAT'S A CONCERN, UH, UH, THAT I HAVE, THAT WE HAVE TO GET OUR STUFF TOGETHER IN CALIFORNIA.
AND TRUMP, TRUMP HAS EVEN ATTACKED CALIFORNIA 'CAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE TO BECOME A GOVERNOR, BUT RONALD REAGAN GOT ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, IT TOOK AND THEN HAD COMPLAINTS WHEN IT WAS SOMEONE THEY SUPPORTIVE AND, AND, AND WENT IT OUT, UH, WENT OUT THE PROPER WAY.
HI, MY NAME IS KAREN WILSON AND I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LONG BEACH AREA WITH MY COLLEAGUE ON THE BOARD, DEB HAR CLARK, WHO'S HERE.
WE
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RE REITERATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT'S IN OUR LETTER.
UM, WE STILL FEEL THE SAME WAY.
I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN ABOUT EVERY VOTER NEEDING TO UNDERSTAND THIS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE.
WE AGREE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING IN THE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WHEN WE WERE FORMED AFTER THE 19TH AMENDMENT WAS PASSED, IT WAS TO HELP PEOPLE DEAL WITH THEIR PRECIOUS VOTE.
AND YOU NEED TO BE EDUCATED, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND, AND THEN YOUR VOTE REALLY COUNTS.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT RANK CHOICE VOTING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING IN UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
WHERE RIGHT NOW THE SYSTEM IS STACKED AGAINST NEWCOMERS AND WE WANNA SEE MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE VOTING PROCESS.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY OUR MESSAGE.
WE ALSO WANT IT TO BE, UH, ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT THE WAY THAT THE VOTES ARE COUNTED.
AND THAT'S WHY LOS ANGELES COUNTY IS WORKING ON ITS VOTE COUNTING SYSTEM NOW.
SO OF COURSE WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS.
SO THOSE ARE THE MESSAGES THAT WE HAVE.
TAKE YOUR ONE PRECIOUS VOTE, MAKE IT COUNT, GET EDUCATED.
AND THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE'RE PARTICIPATING WITH, UH, LONG BEACH LIBRARIES.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE DOING A PRESENTATION IN EVERY LIBRARY, PROS AND CONS ON THE BALLOT MEASURES.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S ENCOURAGING HOW MANY PEOPLE WE GET FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS.
NEVER DONE IT AT THE LIBRARY BEFORE.
WE DID OUR FIRST ONE LAST SATURDAY.
UH, AND WE HAVE A BUNCH MORE COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
SO, UH, HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT THERE.
WE, WE DID SEND, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS INFORMATION ON THE LIBRARY PRESENTATION SO THEY COULD GET IT OUT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
AGAIN, VOTER EDUCATION IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.
AND WE, UH, BELIEVE THIS MEASURE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE SYSTEM AND VOTE AND GET EDUCATED.
I REGISTERED VOTER, HAVE BEEN IN LONG BEACH ON AND OFF FOR 20 YEARS.
I VOTE IN EVERY SINGLE ELECTION, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL I AM SUCH AN EAGER BEAVER TO SIT DOWN WITH MY BALLOT.
I RESEARCH EVERY SINGLE JUDGE.
I RESEARCH EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE.
I RESEARCH EVERY SINGLE PROPOSITION, AND THEN I SHARE WHAT I'VE LEARNED WITH THE PEOPLE OR IN MY CIRCLE.
AND THIS LAST ELECTION, THIS LAST PRIMARY IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAT DOWN WITH MY BALLOT.
I DID NOT THINK THERE WAS ANYBODY OR ANYTHING ON THAT BALLOT THAT WAS GOING TO LEAD MY CITY FORWARD, THAT WAS GOING TO LEAD MY STATE FORWARD, THAT WAS GOING TO LEAD MY COUNTRY FORWARD OUT OF THIS REALLY DIRE MESS THAT WE'RE IN.
AND I'VE NEVER FELT THAT WAY BEFORE.
AND I THINK THAT RANK CHOICE VOTING IS A WAY TO GET CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT THAT PEOPLE CAN BE EXCITED ABOUT.
THAT IT'S NOT THE SAME ENTRENCHED PEOPLE THAT CAME UP THROUGH THE RANKS WHO MADE A DEAL IN A BACKROOM SOMEWHERE TO GET ON THE CITY COUNCIL
[01:30:01]
TO GET INTO A POSITION OF POWER TO GET INTO WHICHEVER OFFICE.I HAVE PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO ELECTIONS AT EVERY LEVEL IN THIS STATE.
I HAVE BEEN TO MORE MEETINGS THAN I CAN COUNT.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT A PLACE OF URGENCY NOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRACY IS IN PERIL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS KILLING IT IS APATHY.
THERE IS, IT IS SO HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO VOTE.
IT IS SO HARD FOR ME TO RALLY PEOPLE, FOR ME TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY IT'S URGENT THAT THEY VOTE, WHY IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE.
I, MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITIZEN IS TO BE INFORMED AND TO MAKE A CHOICE.
RANKED CHOICE VOTING GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR SOMEBODY THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT AND NOT A SAFE CHOICE.
AND THIS LAST ELECTION, THERE WASN'T A SAFE CHOICE.
SO I HELD MY NOSE AND I VOTED.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I'VE DONE THAT.
SO I'M, I'M HOPING YOU'LL GIVE THIS SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I WANNA SEE MORE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ALL OF YOU LEADING OUR COUNTRY.
ARE THERE ANY VIRTUAL COMMENTERS? NO.
NO ONE RAISED THEIR HAND IN THE ZOOM.
COMMISSIONER MELLINGER? YEAH, IT'S NOT COMING UP, BUT YES.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, CHAIR, UM, NI ARE WE ALLOWING ABSTENTIONS FOR THIS VOTE? NO.
ALL COMMISSIONERS WERE PRESENT FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, ANINE STATION IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
DID YOU WANT TO GO TO ITEM FOUR CHAIR? I, SO, UH, WE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ON ITEM THREE AND, UM, GIVEN AND GIVEN THAT WE HAVE, UM, A SEVEN ITEM AGENDA, I MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO LAY OVER ITEM SIX UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
OH, DID YOU? NO MOTION IS NECESSARY AS CHAIR, YOU HAVE THE DISCRETION TO LAY OVER ITEMS TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO LAY OVER ITEM SIX.
UH, PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM.
ITEM FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO REVIEW, DISCUSS, AND IF APPROPRIATE, APPROVE THE TRANSMITTAL OF A LETTER TO FROM THE RANK CHOICE VOTING AD HOC COMMITTEE TO THE CITY COUNCIL OUTLINING RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADOPT RANK CHOICE VOTING IN LONG BEACH.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? SO MOVE.
SO IT'S BEEN MOVED BY OH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HARPER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MALINGER.
[4. 26-55908 Recommendation to review, discuss, and, if appropriate, approve the transmittal of a letter from the Ranked Choice Voting Ad Hoc Committee to City Council, outlining recommendations to adopt Ranked Choice Voting in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
SO TURN IT OVER TO RANK CHOICE SUPPORTING AD HOC TO BEGIN.I DON'T THINK WE CAN ADD MUCH MORE THAN HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID EXCEPT THAT THIS IS A DRAFT, A UPDATED LETTER FROM THE ONE THAT WE PRESENTED LAST MONTH.
WE ADDED MORE DATA AS WAS REQUESTED AND WE CHANGED THE ASK A LITTLE BIT JUST TO ALIGN MORE WITH WHAT RAIN CHOICE VOTING LONG BEACH IS ASKING.
UM, AND THAT WOULD, THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK CITY COUNCIL THAT'S WHAT THE UPDATES WERE.
[01:35:01]
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION TO THIS ITEM? COMMISSIONER MELLINGER? UM, I HAVE SORT OF A QUESTION OR MAYBE A SUGGESTION.SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE ACTION ITEMS ARE UNDER THE SECTION ARE REQUEST TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE LETTER THAT YOU'D BE ASKING THEM TO ACT UPON.
SO NUMBER ONE, IMPLEMENT A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA PROVIDING FOR AN ELECTION TO BE HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO CONDUCT LOCAL ELECTIONS BY RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
UM, I THINK MAYBE THE LANGUAGE NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED THERE, JUST SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANNA HOLD A, A SPECIAL ELECTION TO CONSIDER RANKED CHOICE VOTING JUST BECAUSE OF THE WORDING.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE YEAH, A GREAT EXPENSE.
SO I AM, I, LET'S SEE, LET ME SEE IF I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR HOW TO CHANGE THAT.
UM, SOMETHING LIKE IMPLEMENT A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL FOR, UM, THIS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT REGULAR ELECTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WOULD BE, BUT 2028 PROBABLY SO, OR FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT I JUST, I DON'T WANNA SEND SOMETHING TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OFFICE WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ASKING THEM TO HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION WHEN WE HAVE A BUDGET DEFICIT.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, OKAY, I GUESS I HAVE SOME MORE.
SO I PERSONALLY THINK RANK CHOICE VOTING SEEMS LIKE A GREAT IDEA.
UM, I JUST DO STRUGGLE WITH OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS COMMISSIONERS AND CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING DIFFERENT DISTRICTS OR THE CITY AT LARGE AND NOT HAVING REALLY A CLEAR GRASP ON HOW THOSE COMMUNITIES FEEL OR IF THEY'VE BEEN APPROPRIATELY REACHED OUT TO MYSELF PERSONALLY, I STRUGGLE WITH THAT AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH A YES VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE OF THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME I HEAR WHAT OUR VISITORS HERE ARE SAYING ABOUT, WELL JUST PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE THEN.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF MY STRUGGLE WITH THIS ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M COMFORTABLE BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN ALIGN THAT INTERNALLY WITH ANY KIND OF RESOLUTION AT THIS POINT.
BUT I DO CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE HAS DONE.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVEN'T ENGAGED ELECTORATE HERE PRESENT.
SO, BUT THAT'S, THOSE ARE JUST MY COMMENTS AND CONCERNS AND, UM, ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
I, UM, I FEEL LIKE GETTING IT ON A BALLOT IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT, GIVING PEOPLE A CHANCE AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND ALSO, UM, ALL THE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT REPRESENT RANK CHOICE VOTING, I THINK ARE GONNA SPEED OFF RIGHT NOW AND, UH, START EDUCATING PEOPLE SO THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY GETS EDUCATED ON IT SO THAT BY THE TIME WE CAN VOTE ON IT, PEOPLE REALLY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I THINK, UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO GET IT ON THE, ON THE BALLOT FOR THE 2028 ELECTION.
UM, OH, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY THE MOTION CHAIR, UM, WAS THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? IT IS.
I'M JUST STRUGGLING WITH, DO YOU NEED ME TO GIVE YOU A PRECISE WORDING ON THE FRIENDLY? UM, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE OKAY IF WE JUST SAY AS AMENDED.
UM, BUT I THINK THE MOTION OR SECONDER WOULD NEED TO ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY.
AND THAT SUGGESTION WAS JUST TO AMEND THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE, WE WOULD BE SUGGESTING THIS FOR A FUTURE REGULARLY SCHEDULED ELECTION RATHER THAN HOLDING A SPECIAL ELECTION ONLY FOR THIS ITEM.
JUST TO MAKE THAT LANGUAGE MORE CLEAR.
IS, UH, COMMISSIONER HARPER AND MELLINGER, YOU GUYS, I DID MAKE THAT, YES.
SO YOU ARE OKAY WITH THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YEAH, I GUESS I'M, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT IT WOULD BE, JUST BECAUSE THIS ASK KIND OF ALIGNS WITH WHAT THE, OUR CALL OUR SISTER COMMISSION, THE, UM, OTHER COMMISSION PUT FORTH.
SO I WOULDN'T WANNA CONFUSE THE
[01:40:01]
LANGUAGE IN TERMS OF HAVING MULTIPLE ASKS.UM, BUT IF WE'RE PROVIDING FOR AN ELECTION, I, I MEAN IT COULD JUST, I MEAN, COULD IT BE IMPLEMENT A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA TO INCLUDE IN AN ELECTION TO BE HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING VOTERS TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS OPPOSED TO PROVIDING FOR BUT TO BE INCLUDED IN.
WOULD THAT FEEL, I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE VAGUE ENOUGH THAT IT WOULD
EITHER WAY I THINK THAT SOLVES IT.
CAN WE JUST SAY THE NEXT ELECTION, COULDN'T WE JUST SAY THE NEXT ELECTION? NO, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE TIME TO PUT IT ON THE, THE NEXT ELECTION IS NOVEMBER, 2026.
WELL, HOW ABOUT THE, THE ONE AFTER THAT
SO IMPLEMENT A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA TO BE INCLUDED IN AN ELECTION TO BE HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS.
SO INSTEAD OF PROVIDING FOR IT WOULD BE TO BE INCLUDED IN YES.
IS THAT, CAN I MAKE THAT MY FRIENDLY OR IS THAT LIKE A FRIENDLY TO THE FRIENDLY? YEAH, WE, WE CAN CLEAN THAT UP.
SO NOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? YEAH, WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.
SO AT THIS TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM OR IF JOINING FROM THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR PRESS STAR NINE.
IF YOU'RE CALLING IT, I CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I THINK YOU SHOULD VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LETTER FOR
I AM A VOTER HERE AND I CARE VERY DEEPLY AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, VIRTUAL COMMENTARIES? IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE ATTENDEES IN THE ZOOM, SO THAT CONCLUDES BOTH THE COMMENT.
PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER'S VOTE.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.
SO IF, IF A COMMISSIONER ABSTAINS THAT IS NEITHER A YES OR A NO VOTE, SO THE COMMISSION STILL NEEDS A MAJORITY OF THIS, OF THE SEATS OF THIS COMMISSION, WHICH IS, UH, FOUR, I BELIEVE, TO PASS THIS MOTION.
AND WITH THAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE VOTE CHAIR? YES, PLEASE.
IT'S NOT COMING UP HERE, BUT I'LL, AND IT LOOKS LIKE OUR SYSTEM IS HAVING LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT IT PASSES BY A VOTE OF FOUR.
ITEM FIVE IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO REVIEW, DISCUSS, AND IF APPROPRIATE, APPROVE THE LONG BEACH AREA MENTORSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
LIST DISSEMINATION PLAN AND FUNDING FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LANKER, SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER ANKLE.
[01:45:01]
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE MEMBERSHIP AND EDUCATION AD HOC.ALRIGHT, TEAM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AND THEN, UM, FILL IN AS NEEDED.
UM, SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AS WE KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT.
AND SO THIS IS THE LIST OF, AND AS I'M SPEAKING, I'M, I'M REMEMBERING ONE THING THAT WE DIDN'T EDIT THAT WAS THE, THE TITLE OF THIS DOCUMENT
[5. 26-55909 Recommendation to review, discuss, and, if appropriate, approve the Long Beach Area Mentorship and Empowerment Programs for Women and Girls list, dissemination plan, and funding for graphic design services. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN LONG BEACH THAT WE WOULD LIKE THAT WE PROPOSE IS, UH, PUT FORTH IN THE EQUITY NEWSLETTER AND POTENTIALLY ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC AT THE LONG BEACH LIBRARIES.UM, SO THEN HERE WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, BRINGING TO YOU ALL THESE, THIS IDEA TO POTENTIALLY FUND SOME GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICE TO MAKE IT MORE VISUALLY APPEALING, UM, BEFORE IT IS DISTRIBUTED.
SO TEAM, LET ME KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING.
IS THERE A SPEC I MISSED THE LAST MEETING.
IS THERE, UM, DID THE COMMITTEE ARRIVE AT A SPECIFIC NUMBER FOR THE FUNDING REQUEST OR IS THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION? IT'S, UH, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE ALREADY ALLOCATED, I BELIEVE $5,000 FOR THIS TYPE OF, OH, DO YOU MEAN JUST FOR THE GRAPHIC DESIGN? MM-HMM
NO, WE DIDN'T DISCUSS A NUMBER FOR THE GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIFICALLY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT FALLS UNDER THE $5,000 THAT WE ALREADY ALLOCATED FOR OUTREACH.
SO IF THE COMMISSION RECALLS, THIS IDEA CAME UP AT OUR FIRST RETREAT A FEW YEARS AGO TO DEVELOP SOME PROGRAMMING AROUND MENTORSHIP FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
AND AS WE GOT FURTHER INTO THINGS AND LEARNED OUR ROLES BETTER, WE REALIZED PROGRAMMING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CREATE OURSELVES.
SO WE PIVOTED TO INSTEAD TAKE AN ACCOUNTING.
WE REALIZED THERE WAS NO RECORD REALLY, OF ALL MENTORSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY.
SO WE DECIDED TO, UM, PIVOT OUR AD HOC AND DO THAT RESEARCH AND THEN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
SO, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE DISCUSSION HERE IS, I KNOW THAT THE, UM, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY STAFF HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT THEY ARE HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT IN THEIR NEWSLETTER.
I THINK A DISCUSSION TO HAVE NOW WOULD BE WHERE ELSE COULD IT BE DISSEMINATED AGAIN ONCE IT'S, UM, SORT OF BEAUTIFIED
UM, I KNOW THAT PRINT COSTS CAN BE KIND OF PROHIBITIVE, SO IT MIGHT HAVE TO BE SOME KIND OF DIGITAL, BUT I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE REST OF THE COMMISSION THINKS.
DID, WAS THERE ANY, UH, COLLABORATION OR CAN THERE BE WITH CAL STATE LONG BEACH OR LONG BEACH CITY? 'CAUSE THERE ARE PROGRAMS LIKE SAFE AT THE BEACH, UM, AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT DEAL WITH EMPOWERMENT.
AND I'M WONDERING IF, IF CAL STATE LONG BEACH OR, OR LONG BEACH CITY HAS PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE INCLUDED ALSO, WOMEN'S SHELTER HAS OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND FOR THE CHILD DOES TOO.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THOSE, I I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY CAN BE PART OF THAT, BUT I YES, WE WERE LOOKING AT EDUCATION MENTORING PROGRAMS FOR THIS ONE.
DOES CAL STATE LONG BEACH HAVE A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR, FOR GIRLS, WOMEN AND GIRLS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, UM, WHETHER THEY DO OR NOT, BUT THEY HAVE A TITLE IX PROGRAM AND THEY DO A LOT OF WORK.
I THINK IT'S WORTH FINDING OUT IF THEY, THEY DO SAFE AT THE BEACH.
SHELLY ERICKSON DOES THAT PROGRAM AND THAT REALLY LOOKS AT, UM, SAFETY FOR YOUNG GIRLS ON CAMPUS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO I, I THINK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY.
THE EDUCATION ON SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE THINKING IN THOSE TERMS AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH, UH, TAKING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT AND, AND, UM, UM, IF DEF ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A CONTACT, BECAUSE PART OF THE, THE, THE THING THAT WE, THE THE, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IN DOING THIS WORK IS THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS EXIST AND OPERATE IN SILOS.
[01:50:01]
AND THAT UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEBODY THAT'S IN THIS ORGANIZATION OR THAT'S WORKING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, A QUICK GOOGLE, GOOGLE SEARCH WILL NOT RENDER THIS LIST.SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE COMMISSION AND SO THEN WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK IN THOSE ARENAS.
WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ORGANIZATIONS, THAT THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE WOMEN AND GIRLS OF LONG BEACH, UM, AS A WHOLE.
UM, I DO KNOW THE PERSON, THE TITLE IX PERSON AT, AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND I WILL SEND A TEXT AFTER THE MEETING.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT MY COMMENT WAS.
I, I'D LIKE IF IT'S POSSIBLY INCLUDE THE PLAN, THE, YOU KNOW, HOW TO MARKET IT AND ALL THAT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, ALSO DUNNO IF IT'S OKAY TO SAY, BUT LIKE, THAT'S ONE OF OUR KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN WE, WHENEVER WE DO HAVE THE CONFERENCE, UM, THE IDEA IS TO HOPEFULLY MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, INVITE THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVE THEM GATHER, GATHER AND MEET AND, AND, YOU KNOW, EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND THEN HELP ONE ANOTHER OUT.
I THINK WE COULD PUT A LITTLE MORE, UM, INTO LIKE A PLAN.
BUT I ALSO THINK, UM, SOMETHING I, I HOPE A FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS WOULD AGREE WITH IS MAKING THIS SORT OF LIKE A LIVING DOCUMENT MM-HMM
BECAUSE IT'S POSSIBLE WE MISS THINGS AS POSSIBLE AS WE DISSEMINATE IT THAT OTHER FOLKS ARE GONNA WANNA ADD TO IT.
UM, SO I THINK MAKING IT DIGITALLY AVAILABLE WILL MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE, UM, SO THAT WE'RE NOT SORT OF MARRIED TO THE LIST AS IT IS TODAY.
THAT, THAT GOES WITH THE WHOLE HAVING MAYBE A QR CODE YEAH.
AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE THAT CAN BE EASILY EASIER, EASIER TO UPDATE THAN, YOU KNOW, A FLYER OR A STOCK CART, WHATEVER.
ANY ADDITIONAL, ANY OTHER? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT THE GIRL SCOUTS HAS A REALLY BIG PRESENCE IN LONG BEACH AND THEY DO, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING WORK.
UH, SO, AND, AND, UH, WE MIGHT HAVE A PRESENTATION, UM, THAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD GROUP TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF EDUCATION MANAGE MENTORING.
ARE WE, UM, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PRE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ZOOM MEETING.
UM, SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT CHAIR.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY CHAIR, UM, YES, FOR THE MOTION.
UM, DO YOU HAVE, UH, LIKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR IT? BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE SAYS IF, IF APPROPRIATE, APPROVE OR RECEIVE AND FILE, PLEASE RECEIVE AND FILE JUST TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS.
AND IS THAT, UM, THE MOTION, IS THAT FRIENDLY FOR THE MOVER AND SECONDER APPROVED? YES.
COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER? YEAH, HER PHONE ISN'T WORKING.
UM, PLEASE, UH, RELATING OVER SIX.
SO PLEASE, UM, READ THE NEXT ITEM AGENDA.
ITEM SEVEN IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE
[01:55:01]
A REPORT FROM CURRENT AD HOC COMMITTEES.DISCUSS ANTICIPATED AD HOC COMMITTEES FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION TO DISSOLVE OR CREATE AD HOC COMMITTEES.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM? MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MILLINGER? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ENGEL.
MAY WE HAVE EACH AD HOC PROVIDER REPORT? START OFF WITH HUMAN
[7. 26-55911 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. ]
TRAFFICKING PLEASE.UM, SO HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WE WERE IN TOUCH.
THEY WERE, UH, INTERESTED IN COMING TO PRESENT THIS MONTH, BUT CLEARLY WE HAD A JAM PACKED AGENDA, SO HOPEFULLY WE COULD GET THEM ON THE AGENDA FOR SEPTEMBER AND I THINK THEY'D BE INTERESTED IN COMING BACK AND GIVING ANOTHER PRESENTATION ON WHERE THEY'RE AT.
WELL, WE JUST HEARD WE'RE GOOD.
UM, AND RANK CHOICE VOTING WE HEARD.
SO I THINK WE COULD SUNSET RANK CHOICE VOTING UNLESS YOU, Y'ALL WANT ANOTHER PRESENTATION?
UM, ALSO WONDERING IF I MAY, UM, WANTED TO STEP OFF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AD HOC MYSELF PLEASE.
AND, AND I ASKED TO BE TAKEN OFF, UH, A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO AND I WAS STILL LISTED AS BEING ON IT, UH, OFF OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AS WELL.
SO CHAIR, JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE CLEANER, CAN WE JUST REAUTHORIZE THE, THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH THE STATED MEMBERS? IT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER ELLEN HARPER AND COMMISSIONER MALLINGER.
OKAY, ANY COMMENTS? AND OH, NO WONDER.
YOU WANNA SIT UP COMMITTEE? YES.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, CAN YOU PLEASE, UM, SPEAK UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEAR? UM, GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER.
I WOULD LIKE TO, I PROPOSE SETTING UP A NEW AD HOC FOR ALONG WITH ALICE TO, TO CREATE, UM, TO CREATE A PROPOSAL FOR THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF WOMEN COMMISSIONERS NACW TO HOST THEIR CONFERENCE IN 2027 IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
WE WILL SET UP THIS CON, WE WILL SET UP THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE SO THAT WE COULD SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL BEFORE OCTOBER 15TH AND WOULD LIKE TO SET THIS UP AND GET OTHER PEOPLE TO JOIN US WITH VOLUNTEERING.
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD, ALICE? YEAH.
OCTOBER 15TH SOUNDS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, BUT, UM, BUT, UH, WE HAD A GOOD MEETING.
I THOUGHT STEPHANIE AND, UH, TRACY AND I, UM, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A HUGE CONFERENCE.
IT'S, WHAT WAS IT? THEY HAD, UH, ABOUT 70 PEOPLE THEY THOUGHT MIGHT ATTEND, BUT, UM, WE WERE THINKING IT WOULD BE BIGGER BECAUSE WE COULD GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO LONG BEACH.
'CAUSE LONG BEACH IS EXCITING AND, UM, THEY WOULD PAY FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
UH, THEY WOULD DO THE CONTRACTS, UM, THEY WOULD WORK WITH US TO SET UP THE PROGRAMS. THEY WOULD GET SPEAKERS THAT ARE LOCAL.
UM, THEY'LL NEED MEETING ROOMS, LOW RATE HOTEL ROOMS, UH, YOU KNOW, NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE PRETTY TYPICAL FOR ANY CONFERENCE.
AND, UH, I THINK STEPHANIE AND I GOT PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
IN ADDITION, LAURA RICHARDSON, THE FORMER CITY COUNCIL PERSON FROM LONG BEACH, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN FROM LONG BEACH, IS ON THE STATE COMMISSION.
WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR, WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS SUCH AS THE CITY OF CARSON AND CITY OF BURBANK TO BRING IN TO HELP RUN THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENS.
WE DON'T HAVE LONG BEACH DOESN'T HAVE TO DO IT BY, BY ITSELF.
I THINK WE ARE AT AN ADVANTAGE TO HAVE IT IN LONG BEACH, BEING THAT, UH, STATE SENATOR, SENATOR, REPRESENTATIVE LAURA RICHARDSON IS, UM,
[02:00:01]
IS ON THE STATE COMMISSION, UM, IS ON THE STATE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME.AND WE CAN GET ASSISTANCE FROM HER IDEALLY.
UM, HAVE EITHER OF YOU REACHED OUT TO THE, OR SPOKEN TO ANYBODY? 'CAUSE UM, COMMISSIONER LA VIOLET, YOU WERE REFERENCING, UM, CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU'D SPOKEN TO THEM OR IF YOU JUST HAD RESEARCHED THAT.
TRACY IS IF FOR, FOR THOSE OF US WHO DO NOT REMEMBER, TRACY IS THE COMMISSIONER FROM SANTA BARBARA.
I JUST WANNA KEEP KEEP TIME IN MIND.
IT'S GETTING VERY CLOSE TO EIGHT 30, SO YES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENT ON THIS? OKAY, PLEASE.
WHAT, JUST WANNA SAY THAT, SORRY, CAN WE JUST ONE NOTE ABOUT THE AD HOC, THE PROPOSAL IS DUE OCTOBER 15TH, 2026? YES.
SO JUST AS A NOTE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME WITH THE PROPOSAL AT THE NEXT SESSION.
READY TO BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION.
I, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR CHANGES? YES.
AND I DO HAVE TWO QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT.
FOR LETTERS, WE DO NEED SUPPORT LETTERS FROM THE MAYOR AND OTHER PEOPLE.
DO WE NEED TO, DO WE WRITE THOSE OR DO, OR IS THERE SOMEONE IN YOUR OFFICE THAT WRITES THAT? UM, I'M, SO COULD YOU, UM, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE? SO THE MAYOR, WE NEED LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
WHO WRITES THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT? IS THIS SOMEONE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE COM UH, ONE OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES? OR IS IT A COMMISSIONER THAT WRITES THE LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE, THE NATIONAL? NO, TO THE, TO THE MAYOR REQUESTING SUPPORT.
SAYING THAT THEY WILL, THAT THEY WANT THE CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN LONG BEACH.
SO THE MAYOR WILL BE, I I WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WHO ON, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY WOULD WRITE LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO THE MAYOR TO SAY, TO GET HIM TO WRITE THE LETTER TO WHOM? EXACTLY.
UM, THAT, THAT, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE QUES THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IT WOULD PROBABLY, UH, WE COULD, UM, TALK INTERNALLY TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD SENT THE LETTER.
I I DO HAVE CONCERN ABOUT TRYING TO GET IT DONE BY OCTOBER 15TH.
JUST LOOKING AT MY SCHEDULE, IT'S, IT'S, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AD HOC, I WOULD ALSO SAY WORKING IN CONFERENCE, THE CONFERENCE KIND OF WORLD, IT CAN TAKE, YOU HAVE TO GET CONTRACTS WITH MAYBE A HOTEL FOR ITS MEETING SPACE OR THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, UM, THERE'S A, SORRY, JUST GIVEN THE TIME MM-HMM
I'M WONDERING IF IT'S OKAY IF WE CAN EXPLORE THIS FOR MAYBE THE NEXT YEAR, BUT KNOWING NOW THAT WE WON'T, WE'RE INTERESTED IN THIS.
WELL, I, I DO LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE IT FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, WITH CONFERENCES AND I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER BY OCTOBER 15TH.
SO WE PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY THE VOTE, OR I'M SORRY, NOT THE VOTE, THE MOTION.
UM, RIGHT NOW I HAVE DISSOLVING THE RANK CHOICE AD HOC.
UM, REESTABLISHING THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AD HOC WITH TREASURER ANKLE AND COMMISSIONER MELLINGER, I'M SORRY, ALAN HARPER? YES.
AND THEN WHAT WAS THE AD HOC NAME THAT WE ARE ESTABLISHING? COULD YOU RESTATE THAT FOR THE RECORD? CAN WE JUST CALL IT CON UPCOMING CONFERENCE? UPCOMING CONFERENCE, YES.
AND THAT WOULD BE MEMBERS ARE TREASURER, KEL AND COMMISSIONER LAVA? YES.
THAT WILL BE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
AND DID YOU WANT TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS CHAIR? YES.
AT THIS TIME, UM, IF ANY MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON SITE, PLEASE LIGHT UP AT THE PODIUM OR RAISE YOUR HAND IN THE ZOOM MEETING AND SEEING NONE IN THE ZOOM MEETING.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO A VOTE CHAIR? YES.
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YES.AT THIS TIME, IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON A NON
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Commission for Women and Girls on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING ONCE THE TIME IS ESTABLISHED.NO ADDITIONAL NON AGENDA PUBLIC ITEMS WILL BE HEARD.
AND SEEING NONE IN THE ZOOM AS WELL.
CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT WE NEED TO WRAP THIS UP.
I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I WON THE RAFFLE AND, UM, YOU CAN STRIKE THE, THE OTHER PART FROM THE RECORD.
BUT, UM, I'M GONNA BE LEADING THE, UH, LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL VAN.
I'M GONNA BE CONDUCTING, UH, NEXT JULY.
AND YOU'RE ALL INVITED, UH, TO WATCH THE SPECTACLE.
THAT WILL BE
IF I HAD A BUCKET LIST, CONDUCTING AN ORCHESTRA WOULD BE
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
PART OF IT.I DECLARE THE MEETING ADJOURNED.