Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting May 20, 2020 Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting to be held May 20, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (May 19, 2020 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the May 20, 2020 Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the board liaison at Joshua Robinson at 512-974-9006 no later than noon, (May 19, 2020). The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to joshua.robinson@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If this meeting is broadcast live, residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION Regular Meeting – May 20, 2020 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING BOARD MEMBERS: Vince Cobalis, Pramod Patil, Pooja Sethi, Kirk Yoshida, Molly Wang, Peter Chao, Sarah Chen, Catherina Conte, Debasree DasGupta, Nguyen Stanton, Kavita Radhakrishnan, Ketan Patel, Shubhada Saxena, Kuo Yang, and Hanna Huang MEETING CALL TO ORDER: 3:00 p.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Consider approval of minutes from the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission (AAQOLAC) meeting on February 18, 2020 and April 10, 2020. 2. OLD BUSINESS a. Workgroup Reports 1. AARC Workgroup 2. Health and Community Engagement Workgroup 3. Arts & Culture Workgroup 4. Human Resources Workgroup 5. Business Planning Workgroup b. Joint Inclusion Committee (Commissioner Stanton) Budget timeline/process c. Follow-up Items: 1. Update on AARC Masterplan 2. Update on the AARC Bridge 3. Results from prior Mini-Grant awards 4. Current status of City Budget process and …
AARC Workgroup meeting for the AAQoL Friday, May 15, 12:00pm -1:00 pm In attendance: Vince Cobalis, Sona Shah, Schiller Liao, Kirk Yoshida, Debasree DasGupta. Discussion on the AARC Phase 11 Master plan A request was made by CPRP director Kimberly Mcneely to delay the Commission support letter for a CMAR project to the city Council meeting scheduled for May 21st. Shared use of the adjacent Rutherford campus with the AARC campus would require a site review which has already been delayed. Also, there is a possibility for an EDA funding that could help supplement the AARC plan. Kimberly is trying to identify someone from PARD who could explore this opportunity. Schiller Liao spoke about the funding received from EDA towards construction of the AARC and will be looking for the application proposal from 2001 Sona to follow up on it as well. Use of the adjacent campus would reduce parking requirements at the AARC campus, however it would require changes made to the original design. An architect has not been selected yet. Sona to check on Christina Bies on how the timeline could be affected. Updates from the Center by Sona: Some of the programs need to be adjusted given the current situation. The senior program cannot be started until a vaccine for COVID becomes available. The Meals on Wheels contract is still ongoing. Any available resources are being shared with the seniors Events held when the Center reopens need to be adjusted according to spacing guidelines. Summer camps have not yet been cancelled but parents are being notified about the uncertainty. Refunds might have to be made. Developing virtual programs about racial issues and mental health. Exhibits are not being put up and the deadline for Call for Artists is being extended. Request to Commissioners for ideas for additional programs etc. Budget: There have been some budget cuts this year, however they have been able to allocate funds for a new projector the Center needed. Savings from the Senior meals program is being used towards translation and interpretation services.
Organization Project Description allgo’s QPOC Health and Healing Symposium will create a vital opportunity for Queer People of Color (QPOC) to connect to and benefit from culturally specific health and wellness information, resources, services, and practitioners, addressing the structural barriers that create significant health disparities for QPOC. Free health screenings: blood pressure, sugar/diabetes, HIV/STI testing; workshops: mental health, nutrition, wellness, harm reduction; and healing services: acupuncture, massage, y allgo In 2020, Austin Bat Cave’s (ABC) East Side onsite after- school program (East Side) will provide free one-on-one and small-group creative writing, tutoring, and homework instruction to 60 students from low-income families on the east side of Austin. We will serve 30 students each semester: 15 students from nearby Blackshear Elementary and 15 from Kealing Middle School. We will employ a 1:5 tutor-student ratio and our instructors will help students complete homework and learn the writing process. Austin Bat Cave Impact on Equity Research and experience demonstrate that culturally specific approaches are necessary to interrupt the ways that systemic racism, heterosexism, and transphobia impede full participation in the benefits of health and wellness services and increase the allostatic load for those bearing the brunt of these oppressions. Through this project, QPOC will be able to create meaningful connections with local QPOC health and wellness practitioners while also receiving direct health services and current culturally specific research based health and wellness information that will have long lasting benefits and lead to life changing outcomes. With approximately 72 percent of students from our partner schools at-risk and 83 percent economically disadvantaged, ABC programs address an accessibility gap in Austin, which was named the most economically segregated major metro area in the U.S. (Badger, 2015). Our mission is to empower young voices and to create educational opportunities for those who have experienced marginalization due to economic status or identity-based discrimination and create an inclusive arts community. Youth arts education programs like ABC’s have been proven to be the most significant predictor of future arts creation and arts attendance (NEA, February 2011). In 2020, 60 under-served youth will participate in the East Side program. East Side creates a safe space and positive learning environment for youth during the high crime after- school hours, thus keeping our community safer, and sparks in our students a lifelong pursuit of arts experiences and creation. Outcome Areas Impacted Funding Amount Economic Opportunity and Affordability; Culture and Lifelong Learning; Health …
5/12/2020 email from PARD Director Kimberley McNeeley to AAQOL Chair Vince Cobalis Good Afternoon‐ Thank you for talking with me yesterday regarding the upcoming Council Agenda Item associated with the Construction Manager at Risk Project Management Request. As we discussed, bringing this item forward will likely also bring with it some questions about the progress associated with the recent Council Resolution related to looking at the adjacent property and the AARC property more holistically to determine shared use and even highest and best uses. In speaking to my colleagues, I know that the site review (as directed in the resolution) is delayed and will likely take a few more months. Additionally, I have been informed there may be EDA funding that can help supplement the AARC project. I contacted the Economic Development Department regarding the opportunity. More time is needed to determine if the project meets the appropriate criteria for consideration. This exploration and application process will likely not be complete by the May 21st Council Meeting. With all that being said, it is my hope you and the Commission will support PARD’s plan to delay going to Council. A delay will allow for the site review timeline to be confirmed/communicated and allow PARD to participate in the EDA funding exploration. This would mean PARD would postpone the item until later in June. Also, based upon our conversation about the master plan, if you have any additional feedback about the phases, Phase I‐the theater space in particular (other than a real desire to take advantage of share parking between the two sites) I welcome your feedback. I can be reached at 512‐974‐6722 if you’d like to discuss further. Best Regards, Kimberly McNeeley, CPRP, Director 512‐974‐6722
Brief Overview about Language Access Support from Austin Police Department and Communications & Public Information Office Richard Guajardo (Assistant Chief, Austin Police Department) Houmma Garba (Language Access Consultant, Communications & Public Information Office) Mei Fung (Asian Community Liaison, Austin Police Department) Austin Police Department When APD staff or police officers encounter someone who speaks a language other than English or Spanish, how do they identify the language need and provide translation and/or interpretation services? What kind of training do police officers receive for interacting with Asian communities? Communications & Public Information Office “iSpeak Austin” How do citizens learn about language access availability and how to use it? Austin Police Department and Communications & Public Information Office What can the Commission do to help support the Asian community about the language access availability from the city? Q & A
M E M O R A N D U M Austin Police Department Office of the Chief Spencer Cronk, City Manager Rey Arellano, Assistant City Manager Brian Manley, Chief of Police April 29, 2020 Preliminary Response to the Tatum Investigation TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: ______________________________________________________________________________ The Austin Police Department remains committed to working within our department, as well as within the community, to address the issues brought forward in the Tatum Law Independent Investigation in a collaborative and solution-based approach. It is important that we maintain the trust we have within the community and department and build trust in those areas where it is lacking. We will make all necessary changes to ensure our employees have a work environment and culture that promotes equity, fairness, and frees them from concerns of retaliation. The Department has put forth significant effort as an agency in the area of unconscious bias and racial and cultural sensitivity training, and we see the report as an opportunity to implement additional measures to ensure we are solidly on the path to improving as a Department. Our immediate and long-term actions will address the findings raised in the report, including: Institutional racism and sexism ▪ ▪ Fear of retaliation ▪ Doubts that substantive change would transpire ▪ File management and record retention ▪ Personnel management and training ▪ ▪ Equipment policies ▪ Implicit bias and racial/cultural sensitivity Internal Affairs investigations Departmental Culture, Fear of Retaliation, and Substantive Change While the report highlighted clear cultural issues in need of attention, we have work to do to determine the breadth and scope of the issues, which is essential for developing actionable strategies to effectively address the problems. Accordingly, APD leadership has already taken the following steps: ▪ Held meetings with the respective presidents of the Austin Police Association, Austin Police Women’s Association, Amigos in Azul, Texas Peace Officers Association, and the Lesbian & Gay Peace Officers Association to better understand the concerns of their membership and discuss the path forward. All were willing to work together on these issues. ▪ Prior to the Tatum report being issued, APD was already working with the Equity Office on an equity assessment and had met with Joyce James, CEO and owner of Joyce James Consulting. Ms. James previously led the Center for Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and, in that role, she addressed issues …
Proclamation Be it known that Whereas, Austin residents who trace their ancestry to Asia and the Pacific Islands have contributed much to the City with their talents and hard work; these residents speak many languages, honor countless traditions and practice different faiths, but they are bound by a shared commitment to freedom and liberty, while the diversity among Asian/Pacific Americans adds to the cultural fabric of our society; and, Whereas, The Asian and Pacific Islander Community in Austin is the fastest growing demographic group, doubling roughly every twelve years comprising of approximately 8% of the City of Austin's population; and, Whereas, During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month we celebrate Austin’s AAPI communities by honoring the many contributions they’ve made over the years to our city’s culture and economy; and Whereas, In the wake of COVID‐19, AAPI communities are experiencing fear and anxiety as more and more hate crimes against their community are reported; and Whereas, The Asian American Quality of Life Commission was created in 2014 to represent the growing Asian and Pacific Islander Community in the City of Austin and brings this proclamation forward today; and Whereas, It is critical that we stand together as one Austin, now, more than ever; Now, Therefore, I, Steve Adler, Mayor of the City of Austin, Texas, do hereby proclaim May 2020 As Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in Austin. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Austin to be affixed this 1st Day of May in the Year Two Thousand Nineteen _____________________________________________ Steve Adler, Mayor, City of Austin
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQOLAC) REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 The AAQOLAC convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 via Conference Call Chair Vince Cobalis called the Commission Meeting to order at 3:15 p.m. Commission Members in Attendance: Vince Cobalis, Sarah Chen, Kirk Yoshida, Nguyen Stanton, Kavita Radhakrishnan, Debasree DasGupta Shubhada Saxena, Ketan Patel, and Pooja Sethi Staff in Attendance: Rey Arellano, Assistant City Manager Bryan Manley, Chief of Police Richard Guajardo, Assistant Police Chief GuiMei Fung, Community Liaison (APD) Houmma Garba, Language Access Coordinator (CPIO) Joshua Robinson, Commissions Liaison (Equity Office) CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: N/A 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 2. OLD BUSINESS The Commission did not take action on the February 18, 2020 and April 10, 2020 meeting minutes. a. Workgroup Reports: 1. Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Workgroup: No update provided. 2. Health and Community Engagement Workgroup: No update provided. 3. Arts and Culture Workgroup: Commissioner Patil provided an update on his meeting with the University of Texas at Austin Asian/Asian American Faculty and Staff Association. 4. Business Planning Workgroup: No update provided. Budget timeline/process b. Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC): Commissioner Stanton provided an update on the 2021 Budget Recommendation. c. Follow-up Items: 1. Update on AARC Masterplan – Commission Cobalis provided an update. See memorandum from Director Kimberly McNeeley in backup materials. 2. Update on the AARC Bridge 3. Results from prior Mini-Grant awards – See backup document 4. Current status of City Budget process and COVID-19 impact – No updated provided. 3. STAFF BRIEFING a. Austin Police Department Safe Initiative b. The Austin Police Department system for providing language support when interacting with the community – Assistant Police Chief Richard Guajardo, Community Liaison GuiMei Fung and Language Access Coordinator Houmma Garba provided a presentation over APD’s Language Access Support system. c. Overview of the “Tatum Report” and draft implementation plan – Assistant City Manager Rey Arellano and Austin Police Chief Brian Manley provided A presentation and overview of the Tatum Law Independent Investigation. 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action to proclaim May 2020 as Asian American - Pacific Islander Cultural Heritage Month – Commissioner Chen moved to send proclamation to the Mayor Adler’s Office. Commissioner Yoshida seconded. Vote was 9-0. b. Information Sharing – Commissioner Saxena and DasGupta provided information to share. 5. FUTURE AGENDA a. Analysis of Austin Police Department’s Racial Profiling Data joint …
