HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Relations Commission - Minutes - 07/14/20161
City of Fort Collins Human Relations Commission (HRC)
July 14, 2016, 5:30 pm
Meeting Minutes
Location: CIC Room, City Hall West, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
Council Liaison: Council Member Bob Overbeck Staff Liaison: Beth Sowder Recorder: Michele Scalva
Present: Colleen Conway, Myles Crane, Johanna Ulloa Girón, Joseph D. Leske, Jimena Sagás, Preety Sathe, Nancy
Tellez
Absent: Victor Smith
Presenters and Community Members: Derek Getto and Nick Verni-Lau, Outreach Fort Collins. Community
Members: Kimberly Chambers, NoCoPRIDE Director and Eric Sutherland.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting commenced at 5:33 pm.
AGENDA REVIEW
With adjustments to the agenda, it was unanimously approved.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The June meeting minutes were unanimously approved.
PUBLIC INPUT
Eric Sutherland spoke about: 1) voted ballets not being counted in a recent election; and 2) changing City
districts impacting citizens’ rights and abilities to vote and asked for HRC support in addressing his concern.
Kimberly Chambers invited the HRC to attend PRIDE events July 21st-24th at Civic Center Park.
PRESENTATION
Derek Getto and Nick Verni-Lau spoke about the Outreach Fort Collins program that has been operational for
approximately one month. The program supports homeless community members by providing resource
referrals, de-escalating conflicts and negating disruptive behavior in the downtown area.
MEETING BUSINESS
HRC Awards Event Update: The program is scheduled for December 6th in the CIC Room, City Hall West and
being coordinated by the Media and Community Recognition (M&CR) Committee. Liaison Sowder will
coordinate a meeting with City Public Information Staff, M&CR Chair Vivo, and Commissioner Crane to discuss
award and event promotion.
Meeting Highlights Summary
1. Outreach Fort Collins represented by Derek Getto and Nick Verni-Lau gave a presentation
2. Human Relations Awards ceremony update given by Commissioner Mary Vivo
3. Equity in the justice system forum to be reviewed as a possible program by the Educational
Committee."
2
Work Plan Revisions: Tabled to the August meeting.
PSD Letter: Tabled to the August meeting.
Forum Request from Larimer County Commissioner Johnson: A forum about equity and the justice system will
be considered for the first quarter of 2017. Commissioner Crane will keep Commissioner Johnson informed of
event plans.
Police Ride-Along Reports: Commissioners Vivo and Leske shared highlights of their recent ride-along
experiences and praise for Fort Collins Police Officers.
COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Per Commissioners
Commissioner Ulloa Girón shared the following library events and updates:
Homeless Awareness Month events are being planned for November.
A library blog providing resources to learn about social justice and the Black Lives Matter movement was
created in response to community requests.
The library hosted activities to support community members seeking citizenship.
MSW students are interning at the library and assisting to meet patrons’ needs.
A recent Senior Law Day was well-attended.
The library has a Homebound Program where books are mailed to homebound patrons.
Commissioner Ulloa Girón shared stories of Muslim community members’ negative experiences while being
out in the community. Acting as an independent community member, she is coordinating a meeting to discuss
the issues.
Commissioner Ulloa Girón proposed that the HRC read books on inclusion and diversity and offered to organize
a series of books.
Commissioner Crane encouraged others to watch the Ted Talk titled The Danger of a Single Story.
Vice Chair Conway is coordinating speaker Beth Bruno to present on human trafficking.
Educational Outreach Committee Co-Chair Sagás clarified the October forum date is now October 26th, 7-8:30
pm (formally October 12th).
Per Staff Liaison
Liaison Sowder will invite Housing Authority Staff to share an update on the Redtail Ponds housing complex.
Liaison Sowder reported on planning efforts for the Multicultural Retreat scheduled for September 24-25th at
the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park.
CLOSING/Call for Adjournment
Commissioners unanimously approved adjournment at 7:34 pm.
Next HRC meeting is Thursday, August 11th at 5:30 pm in the CIC Room, City Hall West.