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: …
