HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem A: Plan for Communities of Color Meeting
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Work Session: Plan for Communities of Color Meeting
Meeting Date: November 30, 2005 Agenda Item Number: A
Department: Human Resource and Risk Services Staff Contact: Lauren Chouinard
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5663
ISSUE STATEMENT
This is a meeting between a small group of people representing local communities of color and the City
Council to develop a plan for a broader “Communities of Color” meeting in early 2006. The meeting
being planned is an action item from the council’s priority to develop a City Council position on racial
issues.
BACKGROUND
The council’s priority on race was one of eight priorities identified in February 2005. The action plan
for this priority was approved in August 2005. One emphasis of the action plan is to hear from the
communities of color and solicit their perspectives on race and race relations in order for the council to
gain a better understanding of the issues. One of the action plan items is for the council to meet with a
broad group of representatives of the communities of color. This work session is preparation for that
meeting. Staff has invited six to eight representatives to share their thoughts and ideas with the council
on how to structure the larger meeting, which would be scheduled for late January or February 2006.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
This item relates to the City Council’s priority issue on race.
COUNCIL OPTIONS
After hearing input from the community representatives, the council may hold a meeting with a larger
group of communities of color representatives in early 2006. The council may:
A. Hire a facilitator skilled in working with issues of diversity and race, or
B. Hold the meeting without the services of a facilitator.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends that a facilitator with experience in diversity and race issues be hired to
facilitate a meeting between the council and representatives of the communities of color.
L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M051130\S051130A.doc
SUGGESTED MOTION
Move to direct staff to hire a facilitator experienced in diversity and race issues to facilitate a meeting
between the council and representatives of the communities of color.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Memo dated November 17, 2005: Council Priority on Race – Proposed Calendar of Activities
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Lauren Chouinard
Telephone: 682-5663
Staff E-Mail: lauren.d.chouinard@ci.eugene.or.us
L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M051130\S051130A.doc
ATTACHMENT A
Central Services
Human Resource
And Risk Services
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 101
M
Eugene, Oregon 97401
EMORANDUM
(541) 682-5061
(541) 682-6831 FAX
www.ci.eugene.or.us
Date:
November 17, 2005
To:
Mayor Piercy and City Council
From:
Lauren Chouinard, 682-5663
Subject:
Council Priority on Race – Proposed Calendar of Activities
Based on a review of the overall action plan for council’s priority on race and on council’s additional
input in the work session on August 8, 2005, we propose that the initial activity on this priority focus on
an education process with two components. First, you indicated a strong need to hear from the community
on issues of race. Second, you committed to self and group exploration of the topic to build a broader
base of knowledge. The following set of action items is responsive to both those components.
Part of the self-education process has been accomplished by attendance at the September “privilege”
training sponsored by the Interagency Coalition for Diversity and Equity. That training laid an excellent
foundation for understanding how individuals without privilege are subjected to both overt and subtle
forms of disparate treatment and discrimination every day in our community.
We are moving ahead on next steps and have invited a handful of community of color representatives to
your November 30 work session to help plan a meeting between council and a broad representation of the
communities of color. The focus of the 45 minute work session item on November 30will be to get ideas
on a preferred structure and process for the broader meeting as well as to ask for input on areas of race
relations that will be valuable to explore with a larger community group.
Next, we will set up the broader communities of color and council meeting as a workshop of a few hours
in January. Following the January meeting with the communities of color you will meet with the Human
Rights Commission (HRC) in February. The purpose of that meeting will be to dialogue on issues of race
and to develop a racism response plan.
By the end of February you will have heard from the communities of color and worked with the HRC to
hear their perspectives and develop a racism response plan. These steps will provide a good background
for a facilitated council discussion on race, which we will schedule for sometime in April. The creation of
a new Council Resolution on Race could be a product of this discussion.
Several of you expressed a desire to hold a work session focused on some of the high profile race-related
incidents and issues of the past. That will be scheduled for May or June.
We recommend using a facilitator for the communities of color meeting, the meeting with the HRC and
the facilitated council discussion on race. We are currently exploring options of facilitators who have
extensive training in the areas of race and diversity. We believe it would be advantageous to use one
facilitator throughout those three activities for continuity.
Proposed Calendar Summary:
?
November 30 - Council work session to gather input on January communities of color meeting
?
January – Council meets with broad group of communities of color representatives
?
February – Council meets with HRC to explore race issues and develop racism response plan
?
April – Council meets to have facilitated discussion on race
?
May or June - Work session on high profile race related incidents and issues of the past
While the proposed calendar of events is focused on council as a team, we encourage you to continue
your individual pursuits of becoming more knowledgeable on issues of racism and diversity. As
previously mentioned, the privilege training was a good foundation for that effort. Joining one of the
Racism Study Circles is another avenue for individual exploration. Human Rights and Human Resources
staff will keep you apprised of local training opportunities as they arise. Another action item on the plan
encourages each of you to discuss the issues of racism and diversity when meeting with individual or
groups of your constituents.
Please contact me at 682-5663 if you additional suggestions or if you have concerns about the proposed
calendar of events.
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