Agenda Packet 7-8-19 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Working in a helping profession with an emphasis on serving individuals with severe mental illness has provided me with the gift of hearing vulnerable, intimate stories from individuals who have been violated or discounted. I have also been privileged to witness those same individuals demonstrate significant resilience and courage as they choose the hard work of healing. My training in trauma informed care and time served on my workplace trauma informed committee has refined my perspective on how to engage with people who have experienced suffering and pain in a meaningful way, and also to see that few of us in this world have escaped the impact of some trauma within our lifetime. By spending time under the Washington/Jefferson St. Bridge or in my office, listening to the stories without an agenda to fix or to diminish, I have developed a personal practice of honoring the humanness in myself and how it mirrors the humanness in the other. My understanding of human emotion and its relationship with the system in which we live and work can be used to partner with the work done by the Human Rights Commission to protect, respect and fulfill the rights of our fellow community members. 1 How has your employment and/or volunteer experience prepared you to do the work of a Human Rights Commissioner? Please be specific. Basic interactions with coworkers, neighbors, family or community members provide the opportunity to engage with someone in respect and curiosity, or misinformed judgment. Through my own experience as a young female, I have known the role of being the recipient of the latter. By knowing this experience personally, and being invited into countless stories of marginalized individuals that have been misunderstood or disrespected, I have developed an internal drive to educate myself about the diversity of those around me. Likewise, I often find myself in circles of individuals with similar privilege and socio- economic status. It is in these circles that I have a platform to share my discoveries in effort to cultivate mutual respect, generous assumptions and grace amongst my peers in relation to those who seemingly don't look, think or act like us. This commonly happens within my faith community gatherings and smaller peer groups as we discuss others who hold different political views or faith perspectives. I understand a primary role of a Human Rights Commissioner to be one who is sensitive to the human rights issues in our community, skillful in listening to how those issues are impacting our community members, and confident in providing a solution-oriented voice to those issues and impact from appropriate platforms. This is what I work to practice within my own social circles and peer groups today. 2 How has your personal experience prepared you to do the work of a Human Rights Commissioner? Please be specific. My perspective on this ranking is certainly influenced by my work experience and passions. Within that context, I believe that three of the most urgent human rights issues in Eugene are homelessness, mental health and racial discrimination. The housing deficit in Lane County is very apparent and is marked by many complex factors including the economy, behavioral health, criminality and generational poverty. Not only is this issue pressing because of the ongoing increase in need, but also because there is momentum to capitalize on, that can benefit from the counsel of the Human Rights Commission. With plans for supported housing in the works and movement toward collaboration of local governments to resolve this issue, it strikes me as an imperative time to dedicate energy and innovation toward it. 3 What do you see as the three most pressing human rights issues in Eugene? Select the most important and explain why. Britni D'Eliso HRC - Round 1 Applications July 8, 2019, Meeting – Item 4