REGULAR MEETING OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION July 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. City of Austin, Permitting & Development Center, Room 1406 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr Austin, TX 78752 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 Ryan Sperling at (512) 974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Seonhye “Sonny” Sin, Chair Sarah Chen Zachary Dolling Hanna Huang Ahmed Moledina Sabrina Sha Nayer Sikder Kuo Yang Padmini Jambulapati, Vice Chair Sarah Xiyi Chen Hailey Easley Hugh Li Pierre Nguyễn Alpha Shrestha Nirali Thakkar AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 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 regular meeting on June 17, 2025. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Austin Police Department’s vision for the Asian American community in Austin with a data report about instances of hate crimes for Asian American community members. Briefing by Lisa Davis, Chief of Police, Austin Police Department. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 3. Updates from the Budget Community Engagement Working Group regarding the invite template of the upcoming Budget and Boba event. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Approve the 2024-2025 Annual Internal Review Report. 5. Approve updates to the membership of current Working Groups including the AARC Certifications and Awards Working Group, Food Security Working Group, City Manager’s Office Meeting Working Group, Budget Engagement Working Group, GraduAsian Graduation Event Working Group, and the Public Health and Safety Working Group. 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 date. Please contact Ryan Sperling, Office or …
Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2025 Asian American Quality-of-Life (AAQoL) Advisory Commission (Official Name of Board or Commission) The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: The Commission shall advise the City Council on issues related to the Asian American Resource Center and will provide ongoing guidance and support for the City's Asian American quality of life initiatives. 2023-2024 Accomplishments Long Term Accomplishments Continue to work with City staff on the Asian American Resource Center Developed and submitted budget recommendations to advance equity in ● (AARC) new performing arts center facility and bridge projects ● city services and other department activities ● transition of commissioner terms and vacancies ● resolutions on issues pertaining to diversity and inclusion Participate in the Joint Inclusion Commission in recommendations and Worked with the Commission Staff Liaison to navigate a significant Commission Actions Summary ● Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-004: Recommendation on the FY 2025-26 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Customer and Front Desk Support Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-005: Recommendation Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-008: Recommendation Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-007: Recommendation Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-006: Recommendation ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget for Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Senior Program Language Access ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget AARC Additional Staffing for Performance Pavillion ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget Marketing & Community Engagement Staff for Cultural Centers ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget related to Austin Public Health Immigrant Legal Services ● Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-009: Recommendation on the FY 2025-26 Budget related to APH Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mental Health ● Community Health Navigators ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget for Expanding Equity & Inclusion Trainings ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget Culturally Appropriate and Medically Necessary Foods during Emergency Operations ● on the FY 2025-26 Budget Parks and Recreation Expansion of Senior Programming Language Access ● American Quality of Life Study Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-010: Asian American Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-015: Updated Asian Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-014: Recommendation Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-012: Recommendation Recommendation - Recommendation 20250318-013: Recommendation Briefings/Presentations to the Commission Our commission received key briefings from City staff, local organizations, or other governmental bodies that provided us insight into how programs and projects within the City and how they relate to Asian American Quality of Life. ● ○ June 18, 2024 – Food & Anti-Hate Initiatives Food Plan Presentation Amanda …
Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Minutes June 17, 2025 Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Regular Meeting Minutes Tuesday, June 17, 2025 The Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission convened in a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at the City of Austin, Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Sin called the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting to order at 6:09 p.m. COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE: Seonhye “Sonny” Sin, Chair Padmini Jambulapati, Vice Chair Alpha Shrestha Nirali Thakkar COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE REMOTELY: Sarah Chen Sarah Xiyi Chen Hailey Easley Hanna Huang Ahmed Moledina Nayer Sikder Kuo Yang PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission regular meeting on May 20, 2025. The minutes from the meeting of May 20, 2025, were approved with an amendment to remove Commissioner Thakkar from the Budget Engagement Working Group on Commissioner Huang’s motion, Commissioner Chen’s second on a 11-0 vote. Commissioners Dolling, Li, Nguyễn, and Sha were absent. 1 Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Minutes June 17, 2025 STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding the work of the Austin History Center preserving Austin’s Asian American History. Briefing by Marina Islas, Community Archives Program & Exhibits Manager, and Akiko Kodama, Archivist II, Austin Public Library. Presentation was made by Marina Islas, Community Archives Program & Exhibits Manager, and Akiko Kodama, Archivist II, Austin Public Library. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. Discussion regarding progress on the Asian American Quality of Life Study. Presentation by Cheng Chow and Dr. Shetal Vohra-Gupta, University of Texas. Discussion was held. Presentation was given by Cheng Chow and Dr. Shetal Vohra- Gupta, University of Texas. Discussion of the commission’s goals and objectives for the calendar year, actions supporting their mission, and compliance with bylaws, with regards to the 2024-2025 Annual Internal Review. Discussion was held. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Final review and action to approve the 2024-2025 Annual Internal Review Discussion and possible action to update the membership of current working groups and create new working groups based on upcoming priorities Presentation from the City Demographer to present updates Briefing from Chief Davis about APD relations with Asian American constituents Discussion on 2025 Legislative policies that affect Asian American Austinites Discussion and possible recommendation to improve Board and Commissions training practices for incoming commissioners. ADJOURNMENT Chair …
Working Group Name Asian American Resource Center Commission Certificates and Awards Working Group Budget Engagement City Manager's Office Meeting GraduAsian Graduation Event Food Security Working Group Public Health and Safety Workgroup Community Engagement [Board/Commission Name] Active Working Groups Working Group Goal Regarding Phase II Expansion Plan and Pacific American Heritage Month programs Develop a framework for commission certificates for members of the public. Engage with the FY 2025-26 budget process and inform the community of the City's responses to City budget recommendations Plan meetings between Austin's Asian American and Pacific Islander community leaders and the City Members Creation Date Last Update Notes Unclear Commissioners: Sarah Xiyi Chen, Sonny Sin, Alpha Shrestha ? 5/20/2025 2/18/2025 Commissioners: Sarah X Chen, Hailey Easley, Niralli Thakkar, Zachary Dolling 3/18/2025 N/A Commissioners: Nguyen, Easley, Sarah Chen 7/16/2024 4/15/2025 Commissioners: Huang, Nguyen, Sha Commissioners: Jambulapati, Sha, Sin Sarah X Commissioners Lily Trieu, Kuo Yang, Pierre Nguyen, Padmini Jambulapati, and Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan 3/19/2024 3/19/2024 4/16/2024 2/18/2025 6/20/2023 1/16/2024 It is done as the graduation season is over. 1
