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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Ames Human Relations Commission Minutes 06/26/2025Minutes AMES HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Conference Room 233 City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue Thursday, June 26, 2025 Call to Order: Chair Annabella Marquez called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Commissioners Shawn Kenny, Pablo Suarez Beltran, and Chunhui Chen and Engagement Coordinator Casandra Eames were also present. Commissioners Zhengyuan Zhu, Sarah Nolin, and Marty Martinez were absent. Public Forum: No one came forward to speak. Approval of Minutes from May 22, 2025: Moved by Marquez, seconded by Kenny, to approve the minutes. Motion carried unanimously. Budget Update: Eames reviewed that the invoice for Ames Pride had been completed and that the invoice for the AAPI Celebration was currently being processed. She also noted that activities for Fair Housing Month did not require all of the funds that had been reserved. Moved by Marquez, seconded by Suarez Beltran, to reallocate the remainder of the Fair Housing Month funding to the Juneteenth Celebration. Motion carried unanimously. Iowa HRCs Gathering Review: Suarez Beltran reviewed the event summary document on Teams, noting that the RSVPs from Urbandale and Waterloo did not attend. West Des Moines is experiencing budget cuts, and Decorah has no budget. The Commissioners discussed a “citizen academy” program employed by West Des Moines to educate residents about local government, reflecting on possibilities for getting residents more engaged with the City. Chen advocated for the efficacy of going to community groups where they are already meeting rather than trying to draw people to a new program. Suarez Beltran next summarized the brainstorming regarding the 60th anniversary of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Consensus was reached on a campaign to have individual HRCs coordinate proclamations recognizing the anniversary in their respective communities. Each participating community would then submit a picture of the proclamation being awarded to be incorporated into a composite image or plaque. Moved by Suarez Beltran, seconded by Marquez, to continue pursuing the proclamation and plaque idea to commemorate the 60th anniversary pending the participation of at least six other commissions. Motion carried unanimously. Juneteenth Celebration Review: Marquez, Kenny, Suarez Beltran, and Nolin attended. Marquez reported excellent engagement with the maps. Suarez Beltran noted that the new canopy is larger than he expected. Eames reminded the Commissioners to take more pictures at events. Civil War/Civil Rights Bus Tour Review: Suarez Beltran, Marquez, Martinez, and Eames attended part or all of the bus tour. The Commissioners reported that there some technical challenges, but the tour was informative. AHRC Teams Update: Staff noted that commissioners had been given access and reviewed the basics of using the platform. 2024 Annual Report and Joint Meeting with the City Council: Eames explained that the report and joint meeting are on hold until the Iowa Office of Civil Rights (IOCR) provides the annual complaints data as requested. FACES Planning Update: Suarez Beltran reported that he recently sent outreach emails to several organizations regarding interest in Fostering Acceptance, Cultures, Ethnicities, Cultures, and Solidarity (FACES). Eames and Chen sent him several additional contracts. Update on Review of Municipal Code Chapter 14 – Human Relations: Eames heard back from two more cities since the previous update, but there was still no interest in partnering for a 28E agreement as those doing their own investigations are at capacity. The Commissioners discussed their desire for Ames’ code to reflect the Commission’s values. Staff explained that there must be a mechanism for enforcement in place before a change could be made, and a 28E agreement was the only viable option for enforcement mechanisms at this time. Upcoming Events: National Night Out is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, from 5:30-8:00 p.m., with setup starting at 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Ames Middle School. Suarez Beltran is the point person. Commissioner Announcements: Chen provided a summary of the AAPI Heritage Month Celebration on May 31 at Miracle Park. Approximately 120 people attended and there was good engagement. Eames discussed the idea of dignity as a concept for the Commission to reflect on and possibly promote, encouraging Commissioners to reflect on the meaning of dignity and its relationship to the Commission’s values. Next Meeting: July 24, 2025 Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m.