HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-25 ad Hoc - Human Rights Committee Minutes 4,-om
Town of ReadingMeeting Minutes TOWN CLERK
READING, MA.
Board - Committee - commission - council: 111! AUG -6 Ah 10: 00
Ad Hoc Human Rights Committee
Date: 2019-03-25 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: School - Parker Location: Cafeteria
Address: 45 Temple Street Session: Open Session
Purpose: Introductory Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Vanessa Alvarado, Barry Berman, John Doherty, Sherilla Lestrade, David
Clark, Lisa Egan, Russ Graham, Josh Goldlust, Linda Snow Dockser, Elaine
Webb, Gina McCormick, Kyung Yu, Andrew Grimes
Members - Not Present:
Bob LeLacheur
Others Present:
Cadence Thomases
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
Ms. Alvarado called the meeting to order at 7:09 pm.
The goal of the meeting is to establish what the perfect Human Rights organization should
look like and how it should operate. The Committee will work to design a body that
advocates for Human Rights In Reading. The end date Is November 30, 2019, at which time
the Committee will make its recommendation on how to move forward.
Because these are official Town government meetings, minutes will be prepared and
presented for review and approval. There are fifteen members of the Committee, with a
quorum consisting of eight members. Public Comments will be held at the beginning and
end of each meeting. The meetings will be a safe space where people can feel free to speak
about any topic. While the conversations may be about sensitive topics, It is important to
remember that comments should be made and understood with good intentions. Meetings
will take place monthly, with additional meetings as needed.
Each person present Introduced themselves and provided a brief background, an
explanation of why Human Rights Is Important to them, and what they hope this Committee
will accomplish.
The Committee then broke out Into three groups for a brainstorming exercise to answer
three questions:
1) What does this community need?
• Input from (focus group) - representing people of every difference/diversity
we can find In our community
• Town website does not Include Korean Church In list of religious organizations
• More diversity with welcoming attitude and actions
• Education - experiential and academic on privileges
• Recognition of our existing diversity
Page I 1
• Long term diversity in Town leadership and staff
• Not to be defensive
• Acceptance of differing opinions - "yes/and"
• Expertise/Training to go from mistakes or hate to connection & repalr/healing
• Want Reading to be welcoming
• Inclusive
• Pro-active
• Fun times together
• Form relationships
• Pull together like we are family
• More conversatlons - make difficult conversations shift the culture
• FOOD!!! - Multicultural pot luck food from other cultures
• International Festival
2) What do we want this organization to do?
• Use data collected In the world caf€/community conversations Into
information
• Communication outreach to community
• Introduce ways to new thinking
• Empower people to speak In a respectful way
• Protocol for reports
• Documentation
• Record Keeping
• Level beyond solving crimes like restorative justice
• Commission able to take action
• Community training - start in the home or resources can be provided
• Define Reading as It really is, not as it is currently being portrayed
• Engage lots of people
• Educating people/Educational programming
o Parents
o Community members
• Help educate and create acceptance of economic diversity of our community
• Encourage dialogue
• Encourage different opinions
• Restorative Justice
• Broad-based solutions
• Model the behavior we like to seek
• Strategies on getting people to open up
• Set community expectatIons/goals/accountablllty/specifc goals
• Community Leader
• Fulfill the community needs that are yet to be established. Also need to
understand what worked &what did not before
• Create synergy/not duplicating efforts
• Bringing new ideas
• Reach out to new msldents/potential residents"Marketing package for
Reading"
• Drive by community Input
3) What do we want it to look like?
• What would an Inclusive &welcoming community feel like to
o An African American
o LGBTQ
o Young
o Older
o Disabled
• Data collection anecdotal &quantitative
• Proven best practices to apply here
• Rooted in data &listening
• Coalition/RCASA model - Integrated and representative of Reading
• Dynamic, unencumbered by"government process"able to actually accomplish
change
Page 12
• Meetings being Inviting and open so people feel safe to contribute
• Safe/Safe place to report Issues without fear
• Proactive in outreach and listening to all people representing every aspect of
diversity you can imagine
• Diverse membership, groups, sectors of the community
• Diverse stand-alone board
• Ethnic/Racial Diversity
• Manageable number- not too big
• Open Meeting taw??
• Engaged, culture of haw we want to learn from each other
• Committed to self-education
• "Listening Culture"
• Constant - a visible sign that Reading cares
• Broad-based involvement
• Welcoming
• Warm
• A Circle
• New paradigm outside of rigid structure
• Community Input
• Broad-based authority
Following the exercise, the Committee discussed agenda topics for the next meeting which
Include: discuss who the Committee should get Input from to determine what the
community needs; discuss how similar committees operate and are structured; compare
what other communities have done; compare what HRAC and RED have done; highlight
questions to ask if having difficult conversations; review the results of brainstorming; and
share Individual stories about why each member feels there needs to be a Human Rights
Commission. Mr. Grimes and Ms. Snow Dockser were tasked with researching different
types of models at the next meeting.
The next meeting will be held after the Annual Town Meeting.
The Committee discussed whether to have meetings recorded and broadcast by RCN. The
consensus was that while it is important to reach as many people as possible, having
regular sessions recorded might deter people from engaging in difficult conversations.
Because these are open meetings, anyone can attend and participate In the discussions.
However, It will be beneficial to have RCN broadcast special events, such as guest speakers
or community events. Having an easily accessible Committee website will also help to
communicate with the greater community.
Mr. Goldlust made a motion to adjourn at 8:41 pm, second by Mr. Grimes and
approved with a 13-0 vote.
Naae I s
I