Agenda Packet 9-12-18 Work Session

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4 “Marginalized Voices in Eugene” A Report by Eugene Human Rights Commission Anti-Discrimination Work Group June 2017 Introduction Between February 2016 and April 2017, the Anti-Discrimination Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission hosted 10 focus groups comprised of people from communities of color and the Muslim and LGBTQ communities in Eugene. The purpose of the focus groups was to listen and learn about the experiences of marginalized individuals living in Eugene at this moment in time and to glean possible ways that the City could help make Eugene a more welcoming, comfortable and safe place for these particular communities and for all of Eugene’s residents. The focus group participants all live in Eugene and are members of the following communities: African American, African American/Biracial Youth, Asian American, Latinx, Latinx Families, Muslim, Native American/Alaska Native, Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ and Trans. We want to note that, while the above groups represent a significant number of marginalized individuals in Eugene, there are certainly others. These include members of the Jewish community, which in recent months has increasingly become a target of blatant bigotry, bias and hate, as well as people who are homeless, those with disabilities and undocumented immigrants. While focus group participants made it clear that they do not speak in behalf of their entire community, their personal stories do reflect common experiences of many others. In the attached appendices, we are providing significant raw data in order to offer the Mayor and City Councilors a better understanding of the life experience of a large number of Eugene’s residents, many of whom are members of marginalized and vulnerable communities. Although not a quantitative or scientific study, participants in these focus groups provided valuable information for the City to reflect on as it considers the recommendations in this report. Methodology Human Rights Commissioners Bonnie Souza and Ken Neubeck co-chaired the Anti-Discrimination Work Group. Both planned and facilitated each of the focus groups, often with the assistance of one or two community members who helped put together the list of invitees for individual groups and, at times, arranged invitations and helped plan the food as well. The Office of Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement (HRNI) provided staff support and other Commissioners assisted us in a variety of ways. We cannot be more thankful or appreciative of everyone’s efforts; without them, it would have been a much greater challenge to complete this project. Each of the focus groups included between 6 and 10 people, with at least two youth (ages 17-27) in each group, and met for two hours, including one-half hour for dinner and an hour and a half for discussion. A set of questions was prepared prior to hosting the first focus group, taking into consideration feedback from individuals in the different communities about the questions we September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1