Bring true diversity of ideas to the DEI Committee
(formerly the Multi Cultural Advisory Committee)
Blank form PDF Samples:
Application to Serve on the Committee
Bring true diversity of ideas to the DEI Committee
(formerly the Multi Cultural Advisory Committee)
Blank form PDF Samples:
December Meeting Minutes
December 14, 2021
This meeting was conducted via Zoom due to a National and State Public Health Emergency Declaration, whereas social distancing is recommended to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
Board Members Present:
Motier
Haskins, NY
Lisa
Cohen
Nahom Abegaze, DEI Ethiopia
Tigray War:
www.hrw.org/news/2021/06/22/un-rights-council-needs-address-china-ethiopia-systemic-racism-and-climate-change#
Adrien Logsdon,
Christina Cox,
Susan Metrican
Board Members Absent:
Ken Malloy
Also Present:
John Loin
Marg Dwyer
Anne Walton
Lucy Ruiz
Adrien Logsdon called the meeting to order at 4:33 pm. Motion was made to approve November meeting minutes. Motion seconded. Minutes approved.
Adrien recapped the committee’s recent presentation to the city council. Discussion and insights followed.
Discussed our Statement of Intent we hope to have passed by the city council in the near future. Anne Walton from the local Sierra Club chapter suggested we make it a Declaration, which may help to frame policy, and to create a common vocabulary with defined terms.
Marg Dwyer and Anne Walton presented on their work with the local chapter of the Sierra Club and asked for assistance in connecting with a more diverse, potentially younger demographic. Brainstorming ensued. Some ideas: library programs and volunteer opportunities for families with young kids to engage parents, short-term volunteer program with defined parameters for college students.
Lucy Ruiz introduced herself - she is a Project Manager in the Human Resources Dept. at MIU, and is involved with their DEI committee. She works closely with our current member, Nahom Abegaze, and is interested in joining the committee - she is particularly passionate about seeing more diversity in city government here in Fairfield, and in tackling poverty on the local level.
John Loin introduced himself - he attended in order to see if this is a committee he’d like to be a part of. John has worked for many years with Habitat for Humanity, helping to set up the local chapter and is also heavily involved with Rotary International. He recently ran for city council.
Nahom presented his latest draft of the online survey we’re developing for the city of Fairfield. Discussion followed on how to go about promoting it outside of our own acquaintances - Lucy had the excellent idea of holding a raffle for folks who take the survey.
John Loin asked if anyone was willing to share any personal experiences of racist or prejudiced behavior that members have experienced here in Fairfield. Some of the experiences that were shared: being followed around a store by security, being told to leave an establishment for no given reason, yelled racial and homophobic slurs from car windows, and being denied service at a store with vocalized questioning of citizenship status as an excuse. John asked if we thought the situation was improving or getting worse - the consensus was that the climate of prejudice was not improving, but getting more pointed, louder and more frequent.
Educational component led by Motier Haskins on Ageism. Discussion followed.
Motion was made by Motier Haskins to adjourn the meeting at 6.06pm. Adrien Logsdon seconded. Motion carried.
Agenda: https://cityoffairfieldiowa.com/DocumentCenter/View/8295/Agenda-w-attach
Fairfield Media Center recording
Proposal for Current Culture Advisor Committee
DEINatural.org
Council did not act on this proposal