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2 <br />Whole Eugene Community United (WeCU) <br />A Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission <br />Vision Statement <br />Our vision is a City of Eugene that is welcoming to all people and is committed to the <br />human rights of every person. We come together from different races, religions, <br />ethnicities, abilities, genders and orientations to promote inclusion, equal access to <br />education and services, fair treatment and community safety for all. An attack against one <br />of us is an attack against all of us. We believe that, through sharing our cultures, we raise <br />awareness, understanding and respect among us, for the sake of each other. Together, we <br />are strong and proud, and we strive to make Eugene a great city for everyone. <br /> <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATIONS IN MARGINALIZED VOICES REPORT <br />BENEFITS TO THE CITY OF EUGENE <br />MAY 2018 <br /> <br /> From a human rights perspective, those who are experiencing human rights violations – in this <br />case the right to be free from discrimination – should take the lead in defining the problems they are <br />experiencing and in identifying solutions. For this reason, in 2016-2017, Eugene Human Rights <br />Commissioners Bonnie Souza and Ken Neubeck invited people from marginalized communities to review <br />and help shape the questions asked in ten focus groups and used contacts from these marginalized <br />communities to help identify participants and organize the groups. The Commissioners functioned <br />primarily as note-takers for the focus groups so as to concentrate on capturing the participants’ words <br />and voices, and they shared a draft of their findings and recommendations with all participants to get <br />feedback before preparing their final report. The recommendations made here flow from what was <br />heard during the focus group discussions and from the feedback Commissioners received from the <br />participants on the draft of their report. <br /> <br />GOALS ATTAINABLE WITHIN A SHORT TIME FRAME <br /> <br />1. Implement a rapid response policy for immediate public response by top City officials (e.g., <br />Mayor, City Council Chair, City Manager, Chief of Police) to hate crimes and other activities that <br />threaten or bring harm to vulnerable communities in Eugene. People with power and voice need <br />to show vulnerable communities they care. <br /> <br />Benefits to City of Eugene: Rapid response policy <br />Incidents of violence, bias, and prejudice can traumatize entire minority communities because they send <br />the message that minority residents are neither welcome nor safe in the larger community. A swift <br />response direct from authority figures can mitigate and help erase that trauma, because the counter- <br />message that we are supported and valued comes from the leaders of the majority. It is a powerful <br />statement of community values embracing diversity and the entirety of who we are, especially those of <br />us who are most vulnerable. It also sends a message to those who would commit those acts of violence <br />and hate, that it is not safe for them to do so, that they are not supported in any way by the City. <br />September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1