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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/10/2022 REAC MEETING MINUTESBremerton Race Equity Advisory Committee – Minutes Thursday, March 10th, 6:00 p.m. via Zoom SERVING THIS MEETING Tech Host: Quinn Dennehy Tech Co-host (monitors chat, etc.): Jennifer Chamberlin Facilitator(s): Sarah Van Gelder & Airen Lydick Land Acknowledgement: Airen Lydick Timekeeper: Glenna Matteson Notetaker: Jennifer Chamberlin & Anna Mockler OUR PURPOSE o To advise the City Council, by applying a race equity analysis to all aspects of governance; and o To maintain engagement with and accountability to other work being done throughout the Bremerton Community in service of Race Equity. OUR VISION Bremerton Race Equity Advisory Committee envisions a City that: o Strives to continually dismantle its own institutional racism, within policies, programs, budgets, initiatives, legislation, systems, and infrastructure. o Amplifies and joins racially, culturally, and socially integrated community endeavors toward equity, well- being, and liberation for all; and o Aspires to model for the nation a City in which people of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds can interact, form friendships, and participate fully in the community’s political, economic, educational, cultural, and civic endeavors. 1. Opening and Welcome a. Call meeting to order at 6:07 PM In attendance – Council Member Quinn Dennehy (Chair), Jennifer Chamberlin (Vice-Chair) and Anna Mockler. Community Members Airen Lydick, Sarah Van Gelder, and Glenna Matteson. Community Member Darryl Riley was absent. b. The land acknowledgement was read. c. REAC’s purpose and vision were read. d. Quinn welcomed Anna (replaced Jeff Coughlin). REAC members then introduced themselves. Mockler is deeply committed to race and gender equity, but confused by Committee – all people who can pass for white, as viewed by a 7-11 clerk in Wyoming, for example. Chamberlin is also committed to race equity but equally confused by the makeup of the Committee. Glenna is Latina, but she acknowledges that she has been fortunate all her life to be able to pass for white. Airen talks about history of Committee, notes that Darryl Riley is a member, even though absent today. Sarah Van Gelder moved to Bremerton for its racial equity & diversity. She believes that white people have a role to play in establishing racial equity. Quinn is in charge of Equity in some form at UW. Race equity has been part of his passion & his professional career since 2007. He believes that white people should be doing some of the heavy lifting, not asking BIPOC to do all the work. 2. Approval of This Meeting Agenda Approved unanimously Chamberlin asks why 2 10-min. sections for Public Comment. Airen suggests that we discuss this later. 3. Public Comments Person who identifies as “Taxpayer Mike” says this is the worst example of democratic government that he’s ever seen; and wishes we’d allow input from the public. Jessica Guidry admired the Tuesday meeting (REAC convo). Drake Evans reiterates his concerns that he was blocked from submitting his poll answers on Tuesday. Cristina Roark (Kitsap Strong) appreciates that community voice had opportunities to express themselves on Tuesday. 4. Approval of Minutes The December 9th, 2021 REAC Meeting Minutes were tabled. The February 10th, 2022 REAC Meeting Minutes were approved unanimously. 5. Update on Bremerton City Council’s Activities a. Action Item Follow-up: GARE Membership ▪ Has Bremerton yet completed the GARE membership application? Yes, it’s been approved, and funded. Council has to approve as well. ▪ How does Glenna get connected to serve as co-liaison for City of Bremerton’s GARE membership? Liaison can only be City employee, but Glenna & Quinn can co-liaise. ▪ How/when do we get City of Bremerton’s access code for the GARE member portal, so we can attend GARE Annual Member Meeting, if we want? Monday b. Action Item Follow-up: Getting on March 30th City Council Study Session Agenda? ▪ Bremerton REAC wants to report-back the summary of highlights and recommendations from our March 8th Community Conversation. Quinn will go to bat for that but there’s typically not a meeting on 5th Wednesday, nor do Committees typically present directly to Council. Anna notes that Council typically votes on a proposed action; having deep conversation isn’t really what they do. The staff, whom REAC hopes to affect, are under the Mayor’s control, not Council’s. Quinn will give it a shot, nonetheless! 6. Reflection on MAR 8th Community Conversation - “Getting to Racial Equity” Airen reads through the PowerPoint presentation recapping poll results. What can we do that will specifically embody the results of this Convo? Anna presents WSDOT’s method: get high schoolers as interns, then they’re poised for entry-level or higher jobs in line with City’s commitment to promotion from within. Glenna says she started at public library at 16, and that snowballed into many opportunities for her, in a way that working at a restaurant did not. Sarah (?) says important to have BIPOC mentors for BIPOC interns. Policy makers should always be thinking about how to increase access to job, funding, other opportunities. Glenna asks if Council could create a Race Equity Strategy Plan that would incorporate all aspects of systemic race equity & integrate into City. Quinn thinks this is a good idea, we could move to hire a consultant to create such a plan. Airen talks about GARE annual meeting, we could learn there more about how to hire such a consultant. Quinn says, yeah, GARE and the community, both. Action Items: 1) Use GARE a training program in using a race equity lens at City level 2) Investigating the hiring of a consultant to establish a Race Equity Strategy Plan 3) Access to jobs & elected positions & funding 7. Our REAC’s First 18 Months - Successes, Barriers, Appreciations, Hopes Tabled 8. Reflections on the Resignation of City Council Vice President Leslie Daugs Tabled 9. Working Team Reports No Reports a. Change The Power b. Educate & Communicate c. Business & New Economy 10. Old Business a. Filling the Three (3) Bremerton REAC Vacancies Quinn will reach out to past applicants (already interviewed, not yet interviewed) on status of the vacancies. 11. New Business a. Establish Roles for April 14th Meeting: i. Tech Host: Quinn ii. Tech Co-host/Helper: TBD iii. Land Acknowledgement Reader: Glenna iv. Timekeeper: Sarah v. Notetaker: Airen vi. Facilitator: Quinn vii. Agenda Creator: Quinn 12. Public Comment Drake Evans wants to know why no one has reacted to his comments. Quinn says he’ll get back to him. Annika Turner of Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center (KIAC) wanted to thank REAC for the Tuesday night Convo. Repeats points made in her email, e.g., interpretation. Anna and Sarah compliment Annika on her email, Sarah at greater & more specific length. Glenna notes that her colleague, Priya Charry, runs an Anti-Racism Learning Circle every 2nd Thursday, 5-6, downtown Bremerton Library. 13. Closing Remarks Meeting adjourned at 7:47 PM. Bremerton Race Equity Advisory Committee – Minutes Thursday, March 10th, 6:00 p.m. via Zoom 14. Reflection on MAR 8th Community Conversation - “Getting to Racial Equity” Airen shared the results from the meeting polls (priorities). Glenna suggested the GARE membership be used to train employees and policy makers. Quinn recognized that relying on experts can benefit Bremerton (for smaller employee base). Anna emphasized the importance of reaching out to younger individuals for internship opportunities. Sarah hoped training for mentors or supervisors would be in place for this kind of program. Jennifer recognized that change in culture takes time and that there must be “buy in”. Airen pointed out that our method of engagement for Bremerton should mirror methods or strategies being used by community partnerships. The GARE Conference will be a great opportunity to get more information on how to frame the conversation for Council. 15. Our REAC’s First 18 Months - Successes, Barriers, Appreciations, Hopes Tabled 16. Reflections on the Resignation of City Council Vice President Leslie Daugs Tabled 17. Working Team Reports No Reports a. Change The Power b. Educate & Communicate c. Business & New Economy 18. Old Business a. Filling the Three (3) Bremerton REAC Vacancies Quinn will reach out to past applicants (already interviewed, not yet interviewed) on status of the vacancies. 19. New Business a. Establish Roles for April 14th Meeting: i. Tech Host: Quinn ii. Tech Co-host/Helper: TBD iii. Land Acknowledgement Reader: Glenna iv. Timekeeper: Sarah v. Notetaker: Airen vi. Facilitator: Quinn vii. Agenda Creator: Quinn 20. Public Comment Provided by Drake Evans and Annika Turner. 21. Closing Remarks Meeting adjourned at 7:47 PM.