2007_Human Rights Comm Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of ~~ Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes May 8, 2007 Presen t: Chair Janet Delmore; Commissioners Bob Venters; Tam McGehee and Philip Crump. Absent: Commissioners Thelma McKenzie and Pam Bosch. Others Present: Rowzat Shipchandler, Manager of "Facing Race - We're All in This Together," anti-racism initiative for the Saint Paul Foundation, and Recording Secretary Sheila Stowell. Call to Order: Chair Delmore called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Approval of Minutes Commissioner Crump moved and Commissioner Venters seconded approval of the March 13, 2007 meeting minutes as presented. Motion carried 4/0. Commissioner McGehee moved and Commissioner Venter seconded approval of the April II, 2007 meeting minutes as presented. Motion carried 4/0, with Commissioner Crump abstaining. Presentation by Rowzat Shipchandler, Project Manager for "Facing Race" We're All in This Together," a Saint Paul Foundation anti-racism initiative Chair Delmore introduced Ms. Shipchandler, who proceeded with the presentation. Ms. Shipchandler provided background information on the Foundation and the initiative and discussed racial disparity issues in the community, state and nation. Ms. Schipchandler noted the involvement of Dakota, Ramsey and Washington Counties in social issues of our day and the Foundation's plan to playa pro-active role in reducing racial disparities through education, supporting strong families, encouraging economic development and through creating anti-racist communities. Ms. Shipchandler summarized the start of the program through an awards program with a donation from a major donor and the results of the study and a random survey as well as focus groups, leadership groups and determinations of systematic or institutional racism. Ms. Shipchandler referred Commissioners to the Foundation's website for more detailed survey and study information. Discussion among Commissioners and Ms. Shipchandler included difficulties in addressing the racism problem and assumptions that our culture had moved beyond racism issues; the nature of racism and verbalizing issues; measurements in schools and in work environments; cross-racial factors (i.e., personal relationships, violence); and development of a DVD (with a new version available in August ofthis year) as a tool to initiate discussions regarding racism in the workplace or other social settings.