HomeMy WebLinkAboutEquityDiversity 2016-11-03 MinutesEQUITY AND DIVERSITY MEETING MINUTES
November 3, 2016
Present: Joan Hernandez, Kathy Hougardy, Aaron Draganov,
Absent: None
Staff: Rachel Bianchi
Guests: Nancy Coogan, Dat Tran
Meeting was called to order at 5:15 p.m. With the Chair absent, Joan Hernandez led the
meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
Minutes from the October 6, 2016 meeting were forwarded to the December meeting due to
absences. The agenda was amended to include Jhana Williams of Reconnect to Opportunity to
speak.
Introduction of Jay Wittwer, Tukwila Fire Chief
Chief Wittwer introduced himself and provided information on his background.
Jhana Williams, Reconnect to Opportunity
Jhana provided an overview of what Reconnect to Opportunity does, which is working with
youth ages 16 to 24 to reconnect them with education and employment. She serves as a peer
advocate and focuses on the Renton and Tukwila areas. The program begins with a meeting, or
an intake session, and then youth are matched with a peer mentor to help them determine the
best path — i.e. education or employment — and then the mentor follows up with the youth.
Commission members asked questions and a discussion about the program and the importance
of meeting young people where they are ensued. Jhana ended by indicated she'd like to keep
working with the Commission. Perhaps there are opportunities for sponsorships or relationship
building. Commission members ask that she return in six months to provide an update on the
program.
Equity and Diversity
October 6, 2016
Page 2
Brainstorming for 2017 Work Plan
The group discussed various areas of a potential workplan for 2017. Specific discussion points
on the 2017 plan include:
• Do we do this work individually as a City government, or do we think about doing
something more collectively as a community?
• It would make sense to get approval from the Council if we were going to go down a
policy direction now, as opposed to doing the work of developing the policy and then
going to them; best to have them on board with the concept.
• Questions around scale remain - there are many options from a full - fledged program to
a policy; members seemed to coalesce around the idea of doing a policy.
• Dr. Coogan pointed out that there is grant funding for some of this work that the
commission could pursue.
• The Commission requested a high -level understanding about what other jurisdictions in
the area are doing in this space.
• There is interest in developing a resource list around equity and social justice issues for
the community.
• There is interest in hosting a joint meeting with the school district's equity team
sometime in 2017.
Commissioner Reports
Joan Hernandez shared that she had attended Wenatchee Mariachi concert at Highline, which
was a fundraiser. She would love to have them perform in Tukwila.
Meeting adjourned at 6:15.
NEXT MEETING — December 1, 2016