REGULAR MEETING of the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION APRIL 16, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101 301 W 2ND ST, AUSTIN, TX 78701 Some members of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Eric Anderson at (512) 974-2562 or eric.anderson@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Hanna Huang, Chair Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Hailey Easley Nayer Sikder Mohsin Lari Satyajeet Dodia Pierre Nguyen CALL TO ORDER Sarah Chen, Vice Chair Kuo Yang Luan Tran Anna Lan Sabrina Sha Padmini Jambulapati Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission meeting on March 19, 2024. STAFF BRIEFING 2. Staff briefing regarding the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan from Cara Bertron, Planning Department. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. 9. Presentation by Nirali Thakkar on the Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Senior PhotoVoice Project. Presentation by Lila Valencia, City Demographer on City of Austin demographics and changes to the Census Bureau race/ethnicity definitions. Discussion of a meeting between the new Central Health CEO and Chair Huang. Discussion of a 2024 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month proclamation. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 7. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 8. Update from the Asian American Resource Center (AARC) working group regarding Asian Pacific American Heritage Month programs and the Phase II Expansion Plan. Update from the GraduAsian Graduation Event working group regarding a potential event. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 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 …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MARCH 19, 2024 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 19, 2024 The Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission convened in a Regular meeting on March 19, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd St. in Austin, Texas. Chair Huang called the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting to order at 6:08 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Hanna Huang, Chair Satyajeet Dodia Pierre Nguyen Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Sarah Chen, Vice Chair Padmini Jambulapati Anna Lan Sabrina Sha Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Nayer Sikder Luan Tran Lily Trieu Commissioners Absent: Mohsin Lari Kuo Yang PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission on February 20, 2024. 1. 1 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MARCH 19, 2024 The minutes from the meeting of February 20, 2024, were approved on Commissioner Nguyen’s motion, Vice Chair Chen’s second on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Tran was off the dais. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Discussion of a 2024 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month proclamation. Discussed. Commissioner Sha offered to work on a proclamation. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Approve the creation of a working group on food security. The motion to approve the creation of a working group on food security was approved on Commissioner Sin’s motion, Commissioner Nguyen’s second on a 12-0 vote. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Commissioners Jambulapati, Sha, and Sin were added to the working group without objection. Approve the creation of a working group related to a GraduAsian graduation event. The motion to approve the creation of a GraduAsian graduation event working group was approved on Commissioner Nguyen’s motion, Commissioner Sha’s second on a 12- 0 vote. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Chair Huang, Commissioner Nguyen, and Commissioner Sha were added to the working group without objection. Select an Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission member to represent the Commission to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process. The motion to select Commissioner Lan to represent the Commission to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process was approved on Chair Huang’s motion, Commissioner Lan’s second on a 12-0 vote. Commissioners Lari and Yang were absent. Action was taken on …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION APRIL 16, 2024 Austin History Center (C05767, PICA 24201, PICA 29995); Chen Chen Wu; City of Austin Plan Vision Historic preservation in Austin actively engages communities in protecting and sharing important places and stories. Preservation uses the past to create a shared sense of belonging and to shape an equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and economically vital future for all. Joe’s Bakery, anonymous, Amy Moreland/ Austin’s Atlas Community-Based Process 12 months 1,100 working group hours Input from 300+ people Icons from the Noun Project: Community by Gan Khoon Lay, focus group by mikicon, committee by Adrien Coquet Community-Based Process “Being part of the working group was a great experience mainly because the members had diverse backgrounds, but the same goal. It was a rare learning experience.” Michelle Benavides Ursula A. Carter Linda Y. Jackson Brenda Malik Emily Payne Gilbert Rivera 1 Brita Wallace* 1 Justin Bragiel 2 Mary Jo Galindo* Meghan King* Alyson McGee 1 Rocio Peña-Martinez* JuanRaymon Rubio 2 Bob Ward 1 Noel Bridges 1 Jerry Garcia 1 Jolene Kiolbassa 1 Debra Murphy 2 Misael Ramos* Maria Solis* 1 Caroline Wright 1 *Drafting Committee member 1 Phase 1 only 2 Phase 2 only Julia Brookins* Ben Goudy 2 Kevin Koch Robin Orlowski 2 Mary Reed* 1 Erin Waelder 1 Amalia Carmona 2 Hanna Huang* 1 Kelechi Madubuko Leslie Ornelas 1 Lori Renteria 1 Equity-Based Preservation Plan REVIEWING THE DRAFT Neal Douglass, Oct. 1949, ND-49-346-02, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. Draft Plan Goals 1. Tell Austin’s full history 9. Proactively identify important places 2. Recognize cultural heritage 10. Follow good designation practices 3. Preserve archaeological resources 11. Support stewardship of community 4. Stabilize communities assets 5. Support environmental sustainability 12. Be strategic with review 6. Engage communities equitably 13. Protect historic resources 7. Support people doing the work 14. Implement the plan collaboratively 8. Engage new partners What We Preserve Parade and mural unveiling (The Austin Chronicle), San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation Think broadly. • Recognize Austin’s rich and complex history through active listening, inclusive research, and interpretation • Better recognize and protect legacy businesses, murals, and archaeological resources • Use preservation tools to support community stabilization and environmental sustainability Who Preserves Invite and support. • Help people access knowledge, resources, and decision-making power • Streamline and explain historic review and designation processes • Support craftspeople, commissioners, and staff • Engage new partners …
AARC Workgroup Meeting Agenda/Notes • Purpose: Follow activities and updates affecting the Asian American Resource Center’s programs, Master Plan, Phase 2 and more. • Commissioners: Hanna Huang, Kuo Yang, Satyajeet Dodia, Luan Tran, Pierre Nguyen • Citizens: Vince Cobalis (NAAO), Kirk Yoshida (former AAQoL Commissioner), Debasree Dasgupta (NAAO), Schiller Liao (NAAO) • Relevant City Employees: AARC Staff, Laura Esparza (MCP Division Manager), PARD planning staff • Link to previous Workgroup Meeting minutes: https://app.box.com/s/gogzwhx8i32wnhrl9m54jww0e4yry1g1 Date: 4/15/2024 @ 12pm Location: Teams (organized by Tony Vo) Attended: Tony Vo, Christina Bies, Leslie Perez, Seon-Ju Seung-Bickley, Fabian Duran, Satyajeet Dodia, Hanna Huang, Vince Cobalis, Debasree DasGupta, Lila Grace Pandy Agenda: 1. AARC Staff Updates (departures, hires, delegation) a. Marketing Rep – Seon-Ju Seung-Bickley b. Rec Specialist (Senior Program) - next Monday c. Supervisor – hiring freeze, has to stop process and notify all applicants, Fabian is acting currently. Supervisor position didn’t go through market adjustment (Event Coordinator position earns more than it currently) d. Division Manager – Hanna sent some recs to Jodi Jay 2. AARC Program Updates a. World Taichi Day April 27 b. CelebrASIA May 18 – AAQoL Posting? c. Citizenship Clinic w/ American Gateways May 4 (USCIS will be present as well) d. Asian American Professionals Summit May 3 e. 4 Exhibits currently – Seniors photovoice, senior archiving, vessels: handle with care, Julia Lee artist talk 3. AARC Building/etc updates a. AC been doing well so far b. PARD rainy day fund is ½ mil – could cover major hvac failures 4. NAAO donor wall - a. Contractor secured, NAAO to approve funding at next meeting b. Next Steps: AARC needs mockup to go through PARD approvals, Schiller to follow up, then contract is drafted before construction & work can happen c. Moved from outside to main hallway next to Foyer d. Contract will also address what to do with existing wall 5. Phase 2 discussion & updated timeline a. Staff updates i. Christina is now at Capital Services Dept ii. Leslie Perez now PARD Liaison iii. Jackie Armstrong from Capital Services Dept taking notes b. Completed preliminary design in March programming session c. Multipurpose space 750 sq ft (30x25 ~50 occupants) connected to an Exterior multipurp platform/porch i. Kitchenette/BOH circulation 100sf ii. Will be near middle of lawn area outside of critical root zone of heritage trees iii. Concepts – Bar, Cavern iv. Staff & Commissioners shared feedback v. Pricing …
Community Health Improvement Project (CHIP) Proposal: Understanding the Needs of Older Adults in Austin, TX through a Community-Engaged, Participatory Lens by Implementing a Photovoice Methodology Presented To: City of Austin, Commission on Aging City of Austin, Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Proposal Prepared by: Nirali Thakkar, MSSW-MPH Candidate Culture &Arts Activity Specialist, Asian American Resource Center Under the Guidance of: Van Doan, Culture & Arts Education Coordinator, Asian American Resource Center Tony Vo, Culture & Arts Education Manager, Asian American Resource Center Rafael Samper-Ternent, Associate Professor, UTHealth Science Center School of Public Health Table of Contents Executive Summary The Growing Portion of Older Adults Imagining an Age-Friendly City Gaps in Bringing Diverse Perspectives to the Age-Friendly Austin Survey What is Photovoice, and How Can it Address the Engagement Gap? Photovoice at the Asian American Resource Center Integrating Intergenerational Voices Bringing Together Participant Photos Why Replicate this Project? Final Thoughts Appendices References Adapting and Replicating the Project: A Step-by-Step Guide and Helpful Practices 14 2 3 3 3 4 5 6 12 13 14 17 18 25 3 Executive Summary This community health improvement project (CHIP) proposal identifies a need for public health professionals and city staff to implement unique engagement methods to include older adults in the planning and development of age-friendly cities in alignment with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) framework. This need is especially prevalent in Austin, TX, where older adults represent the fastest-growing population group. Photovoice is a method that encourages participants to take photos that display their experiences, perspectives, and needs on a specific topic. This method has been used successfully with older adults in different settings. The Asian American Resource Center, a city-funded pan-ethnic center in Northeast Austin, implemented a photovoice project and an intergenerational session between February- March of 2024 with a cohort of 14 participants. The organization’s project serves as an example of successful community engagement for the City of Austin to adapt and replicate at its centers to best understand the needs of older adults. This proposal uses the terms older adults and senior programming participants interchangeably—with senior programming participants aligning with language used within the City of Austin. The Growing Portion of Older Adults Older adults aged 65 and older represent a large and growing proportion of the U.S. population. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that from 2034 onwards, there will be 83.7 million older adults in the US, …
HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE OF THE AARC IN FACILITATING THE W ELL-BEING OF OLDER ADULTS Culture & Arts Activity Specialist and Graduate Policy Intern, Asian American Resource Center To n y Vo Cu lt u r e & Ar t s Ed u c a t io n Ma n a g e r , As ia n Am e r ic a n R e s o u r c e Ce n t e r S e n io r P r o g r a m P a r t ic ip a n t s , As ia n Am e r ic a n R e s o u r c e Ce n t e r N ir a li Th a k k a r AGENDA 0 1 NATIONAL AND LOCAL INCREASE OF OLDER ADULTS 0 2 THE AARC AS A MEANINGFUL SP ACE FOR OLDER ADULTS 0 3 0 4 AARC’S P ROGRAMMING FUTURE HEAR FROM P ROGRAMMING P ARTICIP ANTS OLDER ADULTS IN AUSTIN Between 2010 -20 20 , t h e Asia n p o p u la t io n w a s t h e fa st e st - g ro w in g ra c e /e t h n ic it y g ro u p a m o n g o ld e r a d u lt s in Au st in . Th is is p a rt ic u la rly a p p a re n t in No rt h w e st a n d No rt h e a st Au st in . W ORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: AGE- FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES • The age -friendliness framework helps cities and communities plan for a setting where older adults can actively participate in society and age in place. • Since 2016, the City of Austin has shifted to this framework. Each year, the Commission on Aging provides recommendations to councilmembers across all 8 domains. P HOTOVOICE AT THE AARC • Our process focused on respect and social inclusion from the age -friendliness framework. • Participants received a photo journal (translated to Mandarin and Korean) with 6 prompts related to this domain. They took/selected one photo of their life to answer each question. 14 Participants AAPI and other ethnic minorities 6 6 Weeks Participants learned new technology (Airdrop) and connected with …
ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER SENIOR PROGRAMMING: NEEDS ASSESSMENT Prepared by Nirali Thakkar MPH Candidate, Intern TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to the AARC and Senior Programming ... 1 Purpose and Method ... 2 Strengths to Maintain ... 3 Quantitative Perspective: Strengths ... 4 Participant needs ... 5 Quantitative Perspective: Needs ... 6 Anticipated Changes ... 7 Follow up with Seniors ... 8 Appendix ... 9 C R A A e h t o t n o t c u d o r t n i i n A The Asian American Resource Center, or AARC, is a city-funded, pan-ethnic space housed in North Austin. First opened in 2013, the center hosts programming across the lifespan, including educational programming across the lifespan, artist exhibits, and family events. Its mission is accessible at this link: The AARC hosts a robust senior program on Monday- Thursdays from 10-1PM. Seniors in the program are able to register to receive transportation to the AARC at pre-determined stops through the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department. In addition, they can register to receive Meals on Wheels programming. Registered participants of the AARC enjoy a variety of wellness activities such as tai-chi, Bollywood, yoga, and ping-pong. The AARC welcomes community partners such as Austin Public Health, Austin Free Net, and more to offer technology, health education, and gardening classes. Finally, seniors with an interest in strengthening their English skills are able to participate in English corner with volunteers twice a week. To learn more about the senior program, click here. 1 Purpose and Method: The purpose of this report is to present a needs assessment for the senior program at the AARC. To inform this assessment, we utilized 2 forms of data collection. All questions and interviews were translated to Mandarin to increase the span of participants that were included. 1. 2. First, a total of 10 (n=10) seniors participated in semi- structured interviews. Seniors were asked to reflect on their experiences at the AARC and provide feedback. The results of these semi-structured interviews provided one set of data that informed seniors' needs for the program. In addition, the AARC hosted a "Lunch with the Manager" series. Twice in July, the AARC manager brought in dessert to celebrate the seniors who had a birthday in July. In the first session, he summarized feedback from the interviews and the changes in progress as a result of the feedback. …
Population Change and Demographic Trends for Austin’s Asian American Population Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission April 16, 2024 Austin’s population has been doubling every 20 to 25 years. Recent growth has been at a slower rate. 1,137,983 961,855 974,447 Period of greatest growth 656,562 Period of fastest growth since 1900 251,808 National Ranking: 73rd 67th 56th 42nd 27th 16th 14th 11th 10th Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Censuses 1870 – 2020; 2022 Vintage Census Bureau Population Estimates; 2025, 2030 CoA Projections. 2 1,250,000 1,000,000 750,000 500,000 250,000 .974 million 4,428 0 The Asian population has always been a part of Austin’s growth history. 900000 800000 700000 600000 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 0 First time Hispanics were broken out from White. Black population split into “free” and “slave”. Initially measured simply as “Chinese”. “Mexican” included in Other Race. White Hispanic Black 1850 628 1860 2505 1870 2813 1880 7407 1900 1890 10956 16414 22366 27928 38209 73025 114652 161806 184859 232324 287166 353706 385271 452994 1950 1930 2000 1960 2020 1940 1970 1990 1980 2010 1920 1910 American Indian & Alaska Native Asian & Pacific Islander Population 9 10 1 8 2 14 22 27 29 4 40 10 107 39 184 170 622 1,003 1,756 1,967 2,002 3,642 14,141 31,421 49,560 86,381 1 989 1615 3587 3610 5822 7478 6921 14861 17667 24413 29845 42118 55824 66738 60760 66002 5014 9868 36623 64766 106868 200579 277707 312448 Asian & Pacific Islander Population American Indian & Alaska Native Black Hispanic White Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Census 1790-1990; Texas Demographic Center 1980-2000; data.census.gov 2010-2020 3 Asian & Pacific Islander Population, Austin, 1880-2020 100,000 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 - 86,381 86,381 500% 400% 300% 200% 100% 0% -100% 49,560 31,421 14,141 10 8 22 14 27 29 40 107 184 622 3,642 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Asian & Pacific Islander Population Percent Change Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Census Statistics for Large Cities and Other Urban Places in the U.S. 4 Where do Austinites come from? Place of Birth, 2022 Total Population Hispanics Asians Born in Texas Born in other US State Native born, outside US Born in Another Country 48% 32% 2% 18% 58% 13% 2% 27% 19% 18% 2% 61% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2022 1-Year Estimates Note: …
REGULAR MEETING of the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MARCH 19, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM #1101 301 W 2ND ST, AUSTIN, TX 78701 AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Eric Anderson at (512) 974-2562 or eric.anderson@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Hanna Huang, Chair Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Lily Trieu Nayer Sikder Mohsin Lari Satyajeet Dodia Pierre Nguyen CALL TO ORDER Sarah Chen, Vice Chair Kuo Yang Luan Tran Anna Lan Sabrina Sha Padmini Jambulapati Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission on February 20, 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS Discussion of a 2024 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month proclamation. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. 4. Approve the creation of a working group on food security. Approve the creation of a working group related to a GraduAsian graduation event. Select an Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission member to represent the Commission to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process. Update the Asian American Resource Center (AARC) working group membership. Approve a recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Customer and Front Desk Support. Approve a recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Senior Program Language Access. Approve a recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Signature Programs. Approve a recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for an Equity Office Data Analyst Associate position. Approve a recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Immigrant Legal Services. Approve a recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health. Approve a …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 02.20.2024 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 20th, 2024 The ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION convened a SPECIAL meeting on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th, 2024, in the Boards and Commissions Room #1101 in City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701). Chair HANNA HUANG called the ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING to order at 6:11 pm CST. Commissioners in Attendance: Hanna Huang (Chair) Kuo Yang Padmini Jambulapati Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Sarah Chen (Vice-Chair) Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Pierre Nguyen Sabrina Sha Nayer Sikder Mohsin Lari Commissioners Absent: Lily Trieu Anna Lan Satyajeet Dodia Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Staff in Attendance: Alejandra Mireles – Community Services Program Coordinator, Equity Office Eric Anderson – Program Coordinator, Office of City Clerk CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 1 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 02.20.2024 The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. a. Sergio Torres, Food and Resilience Coordinator, Office of Sustainability: follow up from 2021 food plan; start the process of compiling all the content from over the past two years which has included 21 workshops and 2,000 people. The office is creating a draft plan which should be ready for review and feedback from March 18-april 18. Love to hear from the Commission during a presentation or workgroup for feedback to the draft food plan in a future meeting. There will also be an online survey and an online review meeting on April 3 via zoom. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the COMMISSION’s SPECIAL MEETING on JANUARY 30th, 2024. The JANUARY 30th, 2024, the minutes were approved on COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN’s motion, COMMISSIONER SONNY SIN’s second on a 9-0 vote. (Absent: Commissioner Lily Trieu, Anna Lan, Satyajeet Dodia, and Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan.) STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Brie Franco, Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, 2023 Legislative Update. COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN asks what the efforts were to deflect AE bills. Answer, to mitigate taking away from those investors into the AE (the city) to get the return (go back to the budget). COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG asks between now and the next sessions, what can the Commission do to help the work in the city. Answer, given some of the Commission’s priorities, find …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-010 Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for an Equity Office Data Analyst Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Associate position Motioned by: Description Seconded By: Equity Office Data Analyst Associate position Data Equity for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities is a pressing issue that affects and informs the services we receive or do not. It is defined by the group AAPI Data as 1) inclusion and incorporation of community expertise and research expertise to 2) ensure equity in all stages and aspects of data and research, including: ● design and development ● collection, compilation, processing, ● analysis, dissemination, and preservation The AAQoL has received various staff and program presentations since our creation and one of the leading trends we see is that there is very little data collection that speaks to the nuances of how or if our broad AANHPI community is served. A Data Analyst Associate FTE position is recommended to be added to the Equity Office to complement the work they are doing with a data analyst associate that can assist in helping the Equity Office stay up to date on national data equity trends, assist with data analysis that can provide deeper insight into systematic issues and trends in available City data, and/or consult with other departments on data equity models and trends. Recommendation An ongoing amount of $95,000 is recommended to cover 1 Data Analyst Associate FTE. Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Government that works for all; Equity of City programs and resource allocation Department Equity Office Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-011 Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Immigrant Legal Services Motioned by: Description Seconded By: Austin Public Health Immigrant Legal Services The Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission (AAQoL) strongly recommends continued funding for the Austin Public Health (APH) Immigrant Legal Services program in the FY 2024-25 budget. This program plays a critical role in supporting the well-being of Austin's immigrant population. APH Immigrant Legal Services currently has 2 contracts in place for American Gateways and 1 contract in place for Catholic Charities, all of which are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The recent closure of Refugee Services of Texas has further reduced options for legal immigration assistance available in the community for refugees, many of whom are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries.We strongly recommend continued funding for the APH Immigrant Legal Services program at a level that allows it to meet the growing needs of Austin's immigrant population Contractors for this program provide critical legal assistance to immigrants in Austin. The program helps immigrants navigate the complex legal system, with a focus on areas like citizenship, deportation defense, and access to public benefits. Recommendation Ongoing funding of $700,000 is recommended to continue services currently being provided along with a suggested $100,000 increase to meet community legal needs from the closure of nonprofits serving refugees in our community. Department Austin Public Health (APH) Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Government that works for all; Equity of City programs and resource allocation; Safety: Fair administration of justice Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-012 Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health Subject: Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Austin Public Health Seconded By: Austin Public Health Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health Date: March 19, 2024 Motioned by: Description The Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission would like to recommend that the City increase funding for mental health services. In 2020, Austin Public Health (APH) put out a Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) 004 Asian Pacific Islander Mental Health Services that our commission also supported and recommended. There were two applicants and two awarded agencies: Northwest Austin Universal Health Clinic (NAUHC) for $100,000 and Young Women’s Christian Association (also known as YWCA) for $50,000. With the closure of NAUHC, the $100,000 API Mental Health amount was awarded to Get Up Project d/b/a Hope Medical Clinic to provide health education and navigation services prioritizing the Austin Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. While case management services are essential for the AAPI community, their use is very different from the original scope and intention of the RFGA. Given that the funding for mental health for this past fiscal year was diverted to case management, the need is higher than ever to access essential mental healthcare for Austin’s Asian community. Our recommendation would be an ongoing amount that not only is applied to AAPI Mental and Behavioral Health but also to fund a Mental Health Directory specific to mental health specialists who work with members of Austin’s Asian community. The funds would go towards building community-building activities along with the creation of an updated directory of mental health specialists by language and by specialty. Recommendation Ongoing $100,000 for AAPI Mental & Behavioral Health Direct Services One-time $20,000 funding to support administrative maintenance, directory expansion, and client matching for an Asian Behavioral Health Network Department Austin Public Health Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities: Health & Environment: Enjoying a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally. A. Health conditions among the public B. Accessibility to quality health care services (physical and mental) Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-013 Subject: Pacific Islander (AAPI) Austin Public Health Social Services Case Management Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Asian American and Seconded By: Date: March 19, 2024 Motioned by: Description AAPI Case Management Austin Public Health (APH) currently has a $100,000 grant awarded to Get Up Project d/b/a Hope Medical Clinic to provide health education and navigation services prioritizing the Austin Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The clinic, whose patients are 46% Asian (primarily refugees), provides free primary healthcare. The grant has allowed them to add a case manager to the staff who is consistently booked full with referrals for social service assistance and referrals after being identified for needing additional social services at the medical clinic. In addition, they have tracked over 6400 minutes of language interpretation used in the past year for patients needing language access from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Case management with language interpretation requires longer appointments due to the use of a language interpretation service and/or device. High healthcare costs disproportionately affect uninsured adults and those with lower incomes, which are represented in Austin’s Asian community. These communities tend to forgo or delay medical care due to cost or lack of trust. Case management can coordinate and maintain more efficient workflows for healthcare providers, including scheduling appointments, billing, and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and accurately. Research has shown the effective results of case management. Studies have shown that 10% of patients make up 70% of healthcare spending. By investing in case management, the coordination of care can include preventive care, such as screenings and treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure. This will go a long way to ensuring that preventable conditions do not turn into chronic conditions. Having access to bilingual case managers ensures that important and complicated health information can be communicated with patients in their preferred language. $150,000 in one-time funding for Asian American and Pacific Islander case management services Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities: Health & Environment: Enjoying a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally. Health conditions among the public Accessibility to quality health care services (physical and mental) Recommendation Department Austin Public Health Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-014 Date: March 19, 2024 Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Community Health Seconded By: Community Health Navigators (CHNs) Subject: Navigators Motioned by: Description Currently, the City has two Master Agreements MA - 4700 - NG160000053 (since 2017) and MA - 4700 - NG220000094 (since 2022) for Community Health Navigator (CHN) services to the Asian American community that is inclusive of recruiting, hiring, training, direct services of translated health navigation and administration. Both contracts are coming to an end with this fiscal year. The current contractor, Asian American Resource Center Inc. dba Asian American Community Health Initiative (AACHI) is currently providing services to some of the most vulnerable Asian subpopulations including Burmese, Korean, Nepali, Vietnamese, Syrian, Iraqi, and other Arabic-speaking communities. CHN services in these languages are not available from any other agencies or non-profits in the Austin area. The loss or gap in the continuation of these contracts or their replacements would have a detrimental effect in the health inequities for the most vulnerable pockets of the local Asian American community. This recommendation seeks to sustain and increase funding for CHN services to the Asian American community. CHNs provide an essential service for Austin’s Asian community, which has language access needs spanning multiple communities. During the pandemic, a Texas A&M COVID contract supported a local provider hiring three bilingual Community Health Navigators who served the Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese-speaking communities. The expiration of the funding period has resulted in less than 150 clients and no dedicated bilingual CHN for the Chinese-speaking community. Navigating the healthcare system can be a challenging task for native English speakers. For non-native English speakers, this challenge can be nearly impossible to overcome. Yet, accessing adequate health care services, is an essential service that some may say is a basic human right. Community health navigators assist Austin’s non-native English speakers in scheduling appointments, filling out required paperwork, applying for and understanding health insurance benefits, and many more essential services. Austin’s Asian community is diverse with many non-native English speakers. The lack of language access services isolates many Austin residents, preventing them from participating in civic life, which can lead to feelings of isolation. The lack of language access services is especially acute when dealing with healthcare. The inability to access adequate diagnoses and care can lead to a multitude of poor, and in many cases preventable, …
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-015 Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for the We All Belong Austin Against Hate Campaign Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for the We All Belong Austin Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Against Hate Campaign Motioned by: Seconded By: We All Belong Austin Against Hate Campaign Description July 2023, the City launched an anti-hate education and outreach initiative called “We All Belong” to streamline access to tools to report hate crimes and incidents, making it easier for community members to keep Austin safe. This was during a disturbing upward trend that has continued in hate crimes in the city that were anti-Semitic, racist, and homophobic and was as directed by council in a 2021 resolution. Just in February of this year, a stabbing attack in West Campus of a group of South Asians was classified as a hate crime after the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a wide- alert about the context around the crime and held a press release at City Hall following it. Prior to that, news reports did not mention the use of racial slurs and targetting of the victim, who is Palestinian American. Our commission sees the continued need for the We All Belong Austin against the anti-hate campaign and wants to see it continue its reach to along with staying current and updated with current news communities targeted disproportionately for their race, ethnicity, or religion. Recommendation $350,000 in one-time funding is recommended to sustain the program and campaign Department Communications & Public Information Office Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Government that works for all; Equity of City programs and resource allocation, Safety, Proactive Prevention, Community Trust & Relationships Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-007 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Customer and Front Desk Support Seconded By: AARC Customer & Front Desk Support Motioned by: Description The Asian American Resource Center (AARC) facility within the Parks and Recreation Department’s (PARD) Museums & Cultural Programs Division has an FY2024-2025 under- resourced need for front desk support that has been identified and requested since 2020. Pre- 2020, the AARC has garnered over 50,000 visitors at its peak. In the first full fiscal year back from the pandemic closures and adjusted hours, visitor and program attendance is already back at over 30,000 in FY2022-2023. Currently, the AARC is the only cultural facility in PARD without a dedicated FTE for Front Desk and Reception support and is entirely staffed by temporary staff. This poses a lot of issues to turnover, training, and support needed to appropriately respond to citizen inquiries and needs when they visit the facility during the 46 hours a week the facility is open to the public currently. Due to a budget cut in the current budget year, their temporary staff budget has been reduced almost from $135,000 to $121,915, with front desk staff support taking $65,000 or more than 50%. Reductions in temporary staffing to other AARC programs have been necessary to maintain appropriate staffing at the reception area for visitor assistance and safety. Recommendation Ongoing funding in one of the following options is recommended: ● 1 Administrative Specialist FTE (40 hours/week) at $65,000 for salary and bilingual pay ● .75 Administrative Speciality PTE (30 hours/week) at $52,000 for salary and bilingual pay plus an additional $20,000 (6 hours/week) temporary staffing for an entry-level administrative specialist ● $72,000 of total temporary funding was dedicated to Office Attendant I and II positions accounting for 63 hours a week total throughout the year. Inclusive of 2 staff for evening shifts for safety, training, and increased staffing for large events and rentals. Department PARD/Museums & Cultural Arts/AARC Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Culture & Lifelong Learning: Quality of cultural venues, events, programs, and resources; Quality of lifelong learning opportunities. Government That Works for All: Condition of City facilities and technology; Public engagement and participation; Equity of City programs and resource allocation. Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-008 Date: March 19, 2024 Subject: Center (AARC) Senior Program Language Access Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget for Asian American Resource Seconded By: AARC Senior Program Language Access Motioned by: Description The Asian American Resource Center (AARC) facility within the Parks and Recreation Department’s (PARD) Museums & Cultural Programs Division has a robust senior program that served 4,712 participants and served about 6,300 meals within the FY2022-2023 year alone. In the AARC budget from FY2022-2023 and FY2023-2024, there has been a significant unmet need for additional funding for expanded Senior Language Access. The AARC has $43,198 in FY2023-2024 budgeted and faced a reduction due to PARD budget cuts already halfway through the year. Of this budget, most of the funding is utilized for Mandarin-language interpretation. The AARC staff has identified a need for Vietnamese and Korean interpretation for activities as well as to better serve seniors with language barriers for 1- 2 days of the week during the senior programs at the facility. As the only senior program in the city with language access for Asian languages consistently available, it is essential that the AARC has the budget needed for additional language interpretation services to expand equitable access to more of our Asian American seniors. Recommendation Ongoing addition of $15,000 is recommended for language interpretation to add Vietnamese and Korean-interpreted activity days to the AARC senior program Department PARD/Museums & Cultural Arts/AARC Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Culture & Lifelong Learning: Quality of cultural venues, events, programs, and resources; Quality of lifelong learning opportunities. Government That Works for All: Condition of City facilities and technology; Public engagement and participation; Equity of City programs and resource allocation. Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest:
Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission FY2024-2025 Draft Budget Recommendations Summary Item Title Dept Cost/Asks Summary 20240318- 007 AARC Customer & Front Desk Support PARD AARC front desk has been staffed w/ temporary staff or full-time staff w/ other duties for 10 years now. They need a permanent position or more funding to maintain customer service & safety at reception/lobby 20240318- 008 AARC Senior Program Language Access PARD 20240318- 009 AARC Signature Programs PARD 20240318- 010 Data Analyst Associate FTE Equity Office Of the $43k budgeted, most is used for Mandarin interpreter being provided for the Chinese seniors. To diversify and expand reach of senior participation, AARC need add’l funds for Vietnamese & Korean language interpretation requests. Preserve and expand the budget for AARC Signature Programs Saved for future recommendation $95,000 ongoing for 1 Data Analyst Associate FTE Complements the Equity Office work in staying up to date on national data equity trends, assists with data analysis that can provide deeper insight into systematic issues and trends in available City data, and/or consults with other departments Options: $65k ongoing for 1 Admin FTE, or $52k ongoing for .75 Admin PTE + $20k add’l in temp staffing, or $72k ongoing for temp office attendants $15k ongoing for services - interpretation in Vietnamese & Korean 20240318- 011 Immigrant Legal Services APH 20240318- 012 AAPI Mental Health APH 20240318- 013 AAPI Social Services Case Management APH Ongoing funding of $700,000 is to continue services currently being + a suggested $100,000 increase to meet community legal needs from the closure of nonprofits serving refugees in our community. $100k ongoing for AAPI Mental & Behavioral Health Direct Services $20k one-time Asian Behavioral Health Network $150k one- time for AAPI Case Management on data equity models and trends. AAPI Data Equity is a big need and hole in particular in the City Currently 2 contracts in place for American Gateways and 1 contract in place for Catholic Charities, all of which are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The recent closure of Refugee Services of Texas has further reduced options for legal immigration assistance available in the community for refugees, many of whom are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. 2020 grant for API Mental Health was $150k and awarded to YWCA (50k) and NAUHC (100k). NAUHC closed and Hope Project received the 100k in 2023 but for case management …
