CC Minutes - 01/08/07 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

her intention to attend the university, because no one had brought that up before there. She said they wished her luck. She stated that a LEAD mentor helped her by assisting her with essays, talking to counselors, and helping her with financial aid forms. She was now attending Lane Community College (LCC). She said this made her want higher education training at Nuestro Lugar and because of this they started an academic support program. She explained that with the help of some students at the University of Oregon Family and Human Services (FHS) Department the center was providing mentors and workshops to help with training for higher education such as SAT preparation, and on strategies to keep up one’s GPA, among others. The help she received was “tremendous” in her pursuit of higher education. She underscored that teens want to go to college and succeed in life. th Caleb Pruzynski , 470 West 27 Avenue, spoke on behalf of Nuestro Lugar/Our Place Teen Center. He said he was glad to see the councilors again. He thanked the council and the City for the space that had been donated. He stated that teens were commonly ignored by society. To him and others, the center represented a change for the better. He reiterated his gratitude, adding that they had made one of his dreams come true. Jason Georgianna , 765 Minosa Avenue, owner of Pacific Coast Cage Fights, stated that he promoted cage fight events and was an instructor for students wanting to learn the sport. He thought the ordinance that sought to prohibit unregulated fighting and put some rules in place was a good step forward. He noted that the State was already working on a parallel process. He felt in spirit that it was a good thing as it was what the sport needed and it was good for the athletes to take up safe practices. He said he would object to a proposed amendment that would ban minors from spectating, though he supported banning minors from fighting. He stressed that regardless of the outcome of the vote on the ordinance, he planned to have all fighters have blood tests before they compete and to have medical insurance in place. He underscored that he intended to maintain his standards. He averred that a lot of young people train in jujitsu, kick boxing, and wrestling and wanted to see such events. He called it a legitimate form of self-expression. Rachel Rodriguez Parra , 2036 South Shasta, Vice President of the NAACP, announced that the Martin Luther King, Jr. March was planned for January 15 starting at 10 a.m. at EWEB. The march would proceed down Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the National Guard Armory where it would culminate with refreshments and a program of guest speakers. She stressed that it was a great day to commemorate a great man. Arbrella Luvert , 2036 South Shasta, member of the NAACP Executive Board, said members of the Executive Board attended the study circles on racism January 5 through January 7. She called it one of the “most outstanding things [she] had gone to.” She urged the council to participate in the study circles. She stated that the circles featured some of the best materials she had seen and they were very well done. She averred that Cindy Carlson and Dr. Phyllis Lee had done an “outstanding job” in training the group as facilitators. She believed that if the councilors had not experienced the process they were missing out on something as a city that would increase the dialogue. She pointed out that tension arose because of lack of dialogue. She strongly encouraged councilors to train as facilitators, to take the training, and to participate in the circles. She stated that the circles would be starting in a few weeks and she believed it to be an excellent opportunity for City staff and elected officials to help to move the council priority on race forward. th Eugene Drix , 307-½ East 14 Avenue, expressed his love for the City. He wanted to talk about the two holes in downtown Eugene. He said most people start from the ground up, but given that they were holes, we could start from below the ground. He commented that this showed the City was a living organism because “most living organisms have two holes.” He suggested the City fill the holes with things the City MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 8, 2007 Page 3 Regular Meeting