AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION Regular Meeting – September 7, 2021, 5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. Central Library 710 West Cesar Chavez St., Austin, Texas PDC Room 1405 Event Center AGENDA CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS Daryl Horton, Chair (Mayor Appointee) Mueni Rudd (District 2) Cherelle Vanbrakle (District 4) Vacant (District 6) Rashida Wright (District 8) Elaina Fowler, Vice Chair (District 10) Greg Smith (ARA Appointee) Vacant (District 1) Clifford Gillard (District 3) Dr. Chiquita Eugene (District 5) Serita Fontanesi (District 7) Ellen Sweets (District 9) Quincy Dunlap (AAUL Appointee) Nelson Linder (NAACP Appointee) Roger Davis (GABC Appointee) AGENDA CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting on the August 7, 2021. 2. SPECIAL PRESENTATION, DISCUCSSION AND POSSIBILE ACTION a. b. Visit Austin Overview of Recruitment of African American Conferences to Austin - Tom Noonan. President and CEO of Visit Austin Racial Equity Anti-Displacement Tool - Brion Oaks, City of Austin Equity Officer and Nefertitti Jackmon, Nefertitti Community Displacement Prevention Officer 3. WORKING GROUPS a. Safety b. Economic Opportunity and Affordability c. Health and Environment d. Culture and Lifelong Learning Program new guidelines 2. Recommendation of the Carver Museum e. Government That Works for All 1. Recommendation in Support of Economic Development Cultural Arts Funding 1. Joint Inclusion Committee – August 25th Meeting Update- Greg Smith 2. Joint Inclusion Alternate Member Election 3. Retreat discussion 4. SPECIAL PRESENTATION, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY ALLIANCE COMMUNITY UPDATE – DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. The Austin Revitalization Authority – Greg Smith, President b. The Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce – Roger Davis Member c. The Baptist Minister Union – Rev. Daryl Horton, President d. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People e. The Austin Area Urban League – Quincy Dunlap, President and CEO f. Cultural Arts – Clifford Gillard 5. Future Agenda Items 6. Announcements ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Linda Hayes at Economic Development Department, at (512-974-6282), for additional information; TTY users’ route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the African American Resource Advisory Commission, please contact …
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION Recommendation Number: 20210907‐3d.1: Support for Creative Space Project the African American Resource Advisory Commission WHEREAS (the "Commission") is authorized by Austin City Code§ 2‐1‐101 to advise the City Council on issues related to the quality of life for the City's African American community; and WHEREAS the Commission is specifically authorized to recommend programs designed to alleviate any inequities that may confront African Americans in social, economic, and vocational pursuits, including (1) health care; (2) housing, including affordable housing, home ownership, and homelessness; (3) entertainment opportunities for professionals and students; (4) employment; and (5) cultural venues, including museums, theaters, art galleries, and music venues; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin has invested significant resources in developing and executing initiatives that help accelerate the growth of the Creative Arts industry infrastructure; and WHEREAS, collectively, Austin’s Creative Arts ecosystem generates productive, social, cultural and economic benefit; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin has detailed Strategic Direction 2023 to “strive to create a complete community where every Austinite has choices at every stage of life that allow us to experience and contribute to all of the following outcomes: Economic Opportunities, Mobility, Safety, Health and Environment, Culture and Life‐long learning, and Government that Works for All of Us”; and WHEREAS, March 2017, the Mayor’s Task Force issued a report on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities that is inclusive of a list of recommendations aimed at the dismantling of institutional racism and systemic inequities in the City of Austin and the Austin region; and WHEREAS, African Americans account for 8% of the population in Travis County, 13% of African Americans live below the poverty line, 34% of the homeless population are African Americans and 25% of those serving sentences in Travis County Jail are African American men and women. In addition, 34% of children in low‐income homes do not receive any learning support services while African American children make up 90% of children in low‐income homes, and over 95% of brain development occurring in children by the age of 5; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin is the fastest growing metropolitan city with a declining African American population; and WHEREAS, on August 5, 2020, Mayor Steve Adler highlighted the institutional racism and systemic inequities that exist in our community and across the country, and referenced actions taken by other southern cities; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s Economic Development …
