Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 01.16.2024 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY JANUARY 16th, 2024 The ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR meeting on TUESDAY, JANUARY, 16TH, 2025, at the Boards and Commission Rooms #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 6:03 pm CST. Commissioners in Attendance: Hanna Huang (Chair) Seonhye “Sonny” Sin Pierre Nguyen Kuo Yang Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Sarah Chen (Vice-Chair) Anna Lan Fang Fang Satyajeet Dodia Lily Trieu Mohsin Lari Sabrina Sha Zahra Shakur Jamal-Hassan Nayer Sikder Padmini Jambulapati Staff in Attendance: Alejandra Mireles – Community Services Program Coordinator, Equity Office Eric Anderson – Program Coordinator, Office of City Clerk 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. 1 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 01.16.2024 1. Asian Desi Pacific Islander American Collective (ADPIAC shared with Commission the organization’s experience since Senate Bill (SB) 17 was passed. The ADPIAC shared that they have been cut out of all resources without notice and they are reaching out to any organization, for support. The ADPIAC also gave background information on the work the organization does at The University of Texas at Austin. They put the only graduation event for Asian American students, provide leadership training; and offer Asian friendly services for the city. ADPIAC said that they are asking for any funds outside of campus to supplement what the organization has lost because of SB17. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG shared with the Commission what SB17 generally does and that it became effective over the winter break. The Commission kindly asked the ADPIAC to return to another meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the COMMISSION’s REGULAR MEETING on NOVEMBER 14th, 2023. The minutes from the meeting of on NOVEMBER 14th, 2023, were approved on COMMISSIONER PIERRE NGUYEN motion, COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN’s second on a 14 – 0 unanimous vote. Discussion on updates from Jodi Schrobilgen, Director from the Hope Clinic. Jodi Schrobilgen shares the vision for Hope Clinic, to end barriers and to serve immigrants, regardless of financial services. Jodi shared that COA is a welcoming city, but there are not a lot of available health services and language is the biggest barrier. Jodi shared that the Hope Clinic uses the Jeenie Application to help with interpretation services. Hope Clinic serves people without transportation, who are holding two jobs, have no childcare, and do not understand the system. Hope Clinic provides primary care, and chronic disease (high blood pressure) that needs to be managed for the first time in their lives. Further, Jodi shares with the Commission that everything is provided to people who go the Hope Clinic for free; including medications; and people leave the clinic with everything they need; well woman’s exams; immediate and long term care. The presentation includes statistical numbers of people served, including population demographics. Jodi shares with the Commission that the Hope Clinic is overcoming the language barriers: associated with lower quality of care/outcomes; that the clinic is open during the day and night and that Jeenie is readily available and easy to use. She also shares that many people who go to the Hope Clinic would skip receiving health care or go to the ER. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG asks what the clinic’s short fall is because it received about $100k in funding. Jodi responds saying that Hope Clinic really needs double the amount received because people return multiple times, and they are only allowed to track visitors more than once. The direction has been that they are not allowed to use it for direct care; they often see critically ill patients trying to 2 ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 01.16.2024 use MAP and waiting for service. Asian American mental health or management directive from APH. COMMISSIONER ANNA LAN commends Jodi and the Hope Clinic for the tremendous work and asked about the discrepancy between highest the numbers in service of Asian American and use of language access. COMMISSIONER MOHSIN LARI suggests following up with support for immigrants to get into Medicaid (the APH money for the case manager that started in April 2023, is improving skills in navigating MAP/Medicaid) and that the organization Foundation Communities has printable resources in a variety of languages. COMMISSIONER FANG FANG asks about the relationship the clinic has with Seton or St. David’s foundations. Jodi responds that St. David’s foundation is one of the clinic’s biggest funders right now and that the Hope Clinic has just been awarded an Equity Mini Grant for the COA’s Equity Office. COMMISSIONER ZAHRA SHAKUI asks about the burden of managing APH requirements for the money. Jodi answers that although the burden is bigger than what was expected while they were being monitored; their new case manager has helped. However, there is a lot of reporting and tracking and there is a need in the community for management services, and less reporting. COMMISSIONER KUO YANG asks if there will be a possibility of other clinics opening up in the north side of Austin. Discussion on updates regarding city executive leadership vacancies and hiring of those positions. COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN shares that the city is finishing the interview process for the deputy city manager position which COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG had previously given the city feedback on what the qualifications for the position should include. COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN was a part of a panel that met with three candidates. Jesus Garza will make the final decision. Discussion and possible action for scheduling a strategic Asian American Quality-of-Life Advisory Commission planning meeting(s) in the beginning of 2024. Special called meeting will be 1/30 – encourage to attend in person; big discussion items; where we start assigning budget recommendations. Discussion and possible action on a Resolution Condemning Hate & Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza. COMMISSIONER LILY TRIEU provides the Commission with background information and overview; resolution in response to the conflict; have seen a rise in hateful actions against the community. Other cities in the US have passed similar recommendations, as well as the COA’s Human Rights Commission have passed and other commissions are considering at this time. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG reads the recommendation; COMMISSIONER LILY TRIEU reads the descriptions and whereas and be it further resolved; finally COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG reads the rationale. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3 2. 3. 4. ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 01.16.2024 COMMISSIONER SARAH CHEN suggests writing the entire name of the Commission in the last Whereas. COMMISSIONER SONNY SIN asks if matrixes could be added and COMMISSIONER LILY TRIEU responds that if the recommendation is too specific, they couldn’t be implemented. COMMISSIONER PIERRE NGUYEN acknowledges the importance of advocating for justice, shares with the Commission the wondering of the extent of local politics in international policies and asks about the local connection. COMMISSIONER HANNA HUANG shares that the recommendation is multi layered and that it is not just about a cease fire in Gaza; the conflict in Gaza is impacting people in the city. COMMISSIONERS HANNA HUANG and LILY TRIEU share that when meeting with the Council Arab Islamic Relations, some members of the organization are experiencing threats of violence. COMMISSIONER MOHSIN LARI shares that the recommendation is very well written, and that COMMISSIONER MOHSIN LARI knows of family members who have experienced incidents. COMMISSIONER ZAHRA SHAKUR shares that the recommendation language is balanced, although the city doesn’t have an international role – cities around the us are acknowledging the pain community members are facing. COMMISSIONER LILY TRIEU shares that it is the role of the Commission to advocate for people who personally live in the city who are being impacted and urges the Commission to take action on this today. COMMISSIONER MOHSIN LARI asks to add the word immediate. COMMISSIONER PIERRE NGUYEN thanks the Commission for holding space and having the discussion with him. As a member of the service, war is often difficult to process. Recommendation PASSES on COMMISSION MOHSIN LARI’s motion, COMMISSIONER PIERRE NGUYEN’s second on a 14-0 unanimous vote. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 5. Budget Workgroup (Commissioners Sarah Chen, Hanna Huang, Sabrina Sha, Mohsin Lari, Pierre Nguyen, and Sonny Sin) – Updates on the FY25 Budget Recommendation Process. To be discussed for items during the Specially Called Meeting on January 30th. Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Workgroup (Commissioners Hanna Huang, Kuo Yang, Lily Trieu, Anna Lan, Satyajeet Dodia, Kirk Yoshida and Vincent Cobalis) – Updates and discussion on Phase II, staffing & budget, friends of AARC group development. Joint Inclusion Committee (Commissioners Sonny Sin, Nayer Sikder, and Hannah Huang) – General update and discussion on the coalition building work of the JIC. Not attended. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 4 6. 7. ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 01.16.2024 COMMISSIONER SONNY SIN requests more information on the city’s food plan and food security and the Office of Sustainability will be coming to the Commission during its February regular meeting for an update on its food plan. Commission discusses opening the discussion on SB17 to other universities during the next meeting – inviting ACC and St. Edward’s culturally inclusive centers. ADJOURNMENT: 7:23 p.m. The minutes were approved at the JANUARY 30th, 2024 meeting on COMMISSIONER PIERRE NGUYEN’s motion, COMMISSIONER LILY TRIEU’s second on a 10-0 vote. (Absent: Commissioners Kuo Yang, Anna Lan, and Mohsin Lari) 5