12/08/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Collas-Dean reported that the commission had obtained a retraction for a local newspaper article maligning a school organization of minority students e as a "street gang," along with an apology from City police for providing inaccurate information. She noted that the commission had produced a brochure written in both English and Spanish, in anticipation of the new immigration amnesty law that could bring an influx of Hispanics. She passed around copies of the brochure and said copies had been distributed to local churches and hospitals. Ms. Collas-Dean said the commission during the past year had testified before the Community Development Committee at a public hearing on minority loan programs, it had attended the "Undoing Racism" workshop sponsored by City police and a 4J School District task force, it had provided a speaker for a Martin Luther Ki ng, Jr. time capsule event, and it had encouraged the formation of a non-profit monitoring group on behalf of parents and children of minorities, Eugene Monitoring and Advisory Committee (EMAC). Ms. Callas-Dean said that in the three months since the publication of the bilingual brochure, the commission had responded to seven discrimination- related complaints. The commission had conducted interviews, investigated, written letters, and made referrals as needed. The commission also had conducted a drive to encourage minorities to apply for all human servi ce agency employment openings, she said. Ms. Collas-Dean said the Commission on the Rights of Minorities had provided the impetus to establish the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration as a destination point activity for Eugene. She thanked the City Council for its support for the proposed dance troupe from the Philippines. Ms. Collas-Dean e explained that she had felt the dance troupe was appropriate for the festival because of common principles of non-violence, but she had not anticipated the negative community reaction that had caused the booking to be canceled. She noted that the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration now was being organized by City staff in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services (PARCS), which she thought had pleased the entire community. Ms. Collas-Dean said she thought the most important issue to emerge from the discussion, for the commission, was the need for cross-cultural communications among all minority groups in the community, so that all could be proud of the rich heritages they brought to the community. E. Commission on the Rights of Women Ms. Payne reported on the activities of the Commission on the Rights of Women. She noted that the group had participated in a "Women on the Move" Conference, distributing information about City boards and commissions. She said the legislative group within the commission had joined forces with the Women's Rights Coalition, the Children's Services lobby, and the Oregon Pay Equi ty Coalition. She said the commission had written letters and testified on State legislation with regard to gay rights and pay equity, and it had produced a pamphlet about the rights of women and services available to them in the community. Ms. Payne passed around the pamphlet, adding that the commission also had developed a mailing list of interested parties. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session December 8, 1987 Page 4