HomeMy WebLinkAbout23 12 07 minutes SERJAC
Social Equity and Racial Justice Committee
Minutes
December 07, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
1. Simon called the meeting to order at 5:00
Attendance: Simon, Yamaguchi, Geraghty, Houston, Seltzer (staff liaison), DuQuenne (council
liaison), Dahle (council liaison)
Absent: none
Guests: SERJ applicants, Allison Mendel, John Tyler, Neeta Singh
2. Yamaguchi the Land Acknowledgement and Simon read the Labor Acknowledgement
3. M/S approval of June minutes Yamaguchi/Geraghty, motion passes unanimously.
M/S approval of September minutes Houston/Yamaguchi, motion passes unanimously.
M/S approval of November minutes Geraghty/Houston, motion passes unanimously.
4. Public Input: none
5. Welcome and Introductions
Simon welcomed the new SERJ applicants and invited each to introduce themselves.
Allison Mendel is a retired attorney from Alaska and have lived in Ashland for five years.
She did a lot of civil rights work and was the plaintiff attorney in the same-sex marriage
lawsuit against the State of Alaska.
John Tyler is a retired attorney and has lived in Ashland since 2009. He has been
educating himself about anti-racism and would like to see some action on how to mitigate
this.
Neeta Singh has lived in Ashland for 21 years. She owns two businesses and feels she
understands this community and has been involved in SOU International Festival for
several years.
6. Geraghty announced the opportunity for joint training with AAUW to be conducted by Common
Ground Conversation. The cost is $3500 for the half day training. AAUW will pay two thirds of
the cost ($2,333) and SERJ would pay one third of the cost ($1,166). The training will occur
during the first quarter of 2024 and the date will be determined by the availability of Common
Ground.
Simon announced a second DEI training opportunity with Anyania Muse, former SERJ member
and currently the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Oregon Shakespear Festival.
Muse has conducted similar training in her career. The cost is $1000 for two sessions to be
conducted during the SERJ January meeting and either at the February meeting or the March
meeting.
The group is eager for both sessions to occur and discussed the challenge of the funding.
Currently there is approximately $1600 available for training, which was a contribution from
Southern Oregon Travel. DuQuenne will reach out to Southern Oregon Travel to determine if it
has additional funds available for SERJ. The group agreed that it would use the current funds for
the DEI training with Muse and seek additional funding to cover the Common Ground
Conversation training with Mike and Emily Greene.
General will follow up with AAUW and Simon will follow up with Muse. Seltzer noted that she
will need an invoice from Muse.
M/S approve the expenditure of $1000 for DEI training with Muse, motion passes unanimously.
7. BIAS Victim Reporting
Simon spoke about the recent hate crimes toward the Jewish community in Ashland and stressed
the importance of victims reporting hate crimes to the Oregon Department of Justice Bias and
Hate Crime Hotline. She asks how SERJ can get the word out about the Hotline. Mendel,
Houston, Yamaguchi, Simon and Dahl volunteered to help get the work. Seltzer will post a news
item on the website about the Hotline.
8. Update from Council Liaisons
Duquenne noted that the celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King Day will occur at the Ashland
Armory on Oak Street on Monday, January 15, 2024. She asked for volunteer to possible sell
MLK tishrts. Singh, Tyler, Mendle, Yamaguchi and Geraghty volunteered to help with the event.
Seltzer informed the group that the City Council will review the Action Plans submitted by the
City Advisory Committees at its study session on Monday, December 18. Each committee will
speak briefly (less than five minutes) about its adopted Action Plan for 2024. Simon will speak on
behalf of SERJ. Following the discussion is Commission/Committee Appreciation Event.
Committee members are invited to attend; Duquenne will forward the invitation to the four SERJ
applicants.
9. Indigenous People’s Day
Houston gave a brief update of the events of Indigenous People’s Day held at SOU in early
October.
10. Listening Session
Geraghty presented her concept for the Listening Sessions approved by SERJ as part of its 2024
Action Plan. The sessions will likely start later in the spring and she asked for SERJ volunteers
to help with those sessions. Mendle, Tyler and Houston volunteered. Houston noted the
importance of paying the people asked to lead the sessions. She suggested seeking a grant,
possible the Oregon Community Foundation, and will work with Geraghty to identify other
funding opportunities.
11. Adjourn the meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.