1. REGULAR MEETING of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS OCTOBER 7, 2024 AT 6:30PM AUSTIN CITY HALL 301 W. 2nd ST. ROOM 1101 AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live 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 Gunjen Mittal, 512- 972-6104, gunjen.mittal@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Melissa Ortega, Chair Miriam Dorantes, Vice Chair Adrian De La Rosa Luis Osta Lugo Victor Martinez Aditi Joshi Shweta Padmanabha Jeanne Canan Kaba Kevin T. Countie CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA The first 10 speakers signed up 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 Approve the minutes of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING on 9/16/2024. STAFF BRIEFING DISCUSSION ITEMS DISCUSSION AND ACTION 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Staff briefing regarding general update and invitation for the Commissioners to spread the word about the citizenship clinic from Rocio Villalobos, Program Manager, Equity Office. Discussion on planning a retreat for all Commissioners in the coming months. Presentation by Amanda Rohlich, Business Process Consultant Sr., Food Policy Advisor, Office of Sustainability, on the Austin/Travis County Food Plan. Discussion and approval of the Commissioners attending the Joint Inclusion Committee’s FY26 Community Input Sessions on October 2nd, October 16th, November 6th, and November 20th, 2024. Discussion and approval of The Commission on Immigrant Affairs' Regular Meeting schedule (dates and location) for 2025. Discussion and approval of the Joint Inclusion Committee’s Regular Meeting schedule (dates and location) for 2025. 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. TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT …
(COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS) MEETING MINUTES (16, September, 2024) COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 16, 2024 AT 6:30PM AUSTIN, TEXAS The COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS convened in a SPECIAL CALLED meeting on 16, September, 2024 at 301 W. 2ND ST. in Austin, Texas. Chair Melissa Ortega called the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS Meeting to order at 6:53 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Melissa Ortega, Miriam Dorantes Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Vice Chair Victor Martinez, Aditi Joshi, Shweta Padmanabha, Adrian De La Rosa, Jeanne Canan Kaba Board Members/Commissioners not in Attendance: Luis Osta Lugo, Kevin Countie PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING on 2/5/2023. The minutes from the meeting of (2/5/2023) were approved on ADITI JOSHI’S motion, SHWETA PADMANABHAM’S second on a (7-0) vote. COMMISSIONERS LUIS OSTA LUGO, KEVIN COUNTIE absent DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Introduction and welcome of new Commissioners. The Chair, Commissioner Ortega, welcomed the new Commissioners: Shweta Padmanabha, Jeanne Canan Kaba, Miriam Dorantes and asked them to introduce themselves. (COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS) MEETING MINUTES (16, September, 2024) DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION 3. Conduct officer elections for Chair and Vice Chair The motion to approve Commissioner Melissa Ortega for Chair was approved on ADITI JOSHI’S motion, SHWETA PADMANABHAM’S second on a (7-0) vote. COMMISSIONERS LUIS OSTA LUGO, KEVIN COUNTIE absent The motion to approve Commissioner Miriam Dorantes for Vice Chair was approved on Miriam Dorantes’s motion, Adrian De La Rosa’s second on a (7-0) vote. COMMISSIONERS LUIS OSTA LUGO, KEVIN COUNTIE absent DISCUSSION AND ACTION membership. 5. Review and discuss the scope of the Quality-of-Life Study working group and update Current members of QOL Study workgroup are: Commissioners Aditi Joshi, Melissa Ortega, Victor Martinez and Adrian De La Rosa, All in favor for Commissioner Miriam Dorantes to join. Commissioner Ortega speaks on why it’s important to continue discussing why the CoIA should review all the budget recommendations. Victor Martinez voiced that he feels it’s not important to review the recommendations because he feels it’s a better use of time to work on future budget recommendations, since the budget has already been passed. Adrian also feels that this is a good opportunity to dig into the work Rocio Villalobos feels it can be a useful exercise of thinking about the Commission and what they want to consider to follow what the …
A Food Plan for Austin-Travis County Commission on Immigrant Affairs October 7, 2024 1 Today’s Topics ● Background ○ What is a food system ● How we Created the Austin Travis County Food Plan ○ What did Plan co-creation process look like? Who participated? ● What’s in the Plan and What’s Coming Next ○ Plan vision, goals, and strategy highlights ○ Next steps 2 2 Background 3 Some Food for Thought 4 Food Production: Where our food comes from, including everything from farming to ranching Food Processing & Distribution: What happens to food from where it is grown to when it reaches your plate, including how food is moved and processed. Food Markets & Retails: Where food is sold, purchased, or provided cost-free. Food Consumption & Access: How we eat our food, who struggles to get enough food, and what impact our consumption has on our health. Post-Consumption & Food Waste: What happens to the parts of food we don’t eat and the impact of food waste on the environment. Food Justice: How systemic racism & colonization impact how the food system works — or doesn’t work — for each member of our community. 5 Some of Our Food System Challenges Disasters and severe weather events: Winter Storms Uri and Mara Rapid community growth and planning for land use Supply chain disruptions: COVID-19 pandemic The climate impacts of the food system 6 How We Co-Created the Food Plan 7 Origins • • In June 2021, Austin City Council directed the City Manager to initiate a planning process. In December 2022, Travis County Commissioners Court approved formal Travis County participation in the plan. Why a Food Plan? • Sets clear goals and strategies to move toward a more equitable, sustainable, resilient food system. • Builds on existing plans and initiatives from the County, City, and community to tackle key food system issues. • Centers equity and the lived expertise of those most impacted by the current food system. 8 8 Project Timeline Phase 0: Planning for the Plan Phase 1: Vision Development Phase 2: Goal & Strategy Development Phase 3: Review and Ground truthing 2021 – Jan 2023 Mar – Aug 2023 Aug 2023 – Feb 2024 Mar – Aug 2024 ● Website launch 📶 4 World Cafes ☕ ● ● ● ● Building Community Awareness 📰 Release of State of the Food System Report 📚 Onboarding Planning Consultant⭐ Recruitment of …
COMMISSION ON IMMIMGRANT AFFAIRS MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 7, 2024 COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2024 The Commission on Immigrant Affairs convened in a regular meeting on Monday, October 7, 2024, at 301 W. 2nd St. in Austin, Texas. Chair Ortega called the Commission on Immigrant Affairs Meeting to order at 6:46 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Melissa Ortega, Adrian De La Rosa Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Vice Chair Miriam Dorantes, Victor Martinez, Shweta Padmanabha, Jeanne “Canan” Kaba, Luis Osta Lugo, Kevin Countie PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING on 9/16/2024. The minutes from the special called meeting of September 16, 2024, were approved with the following amendment on Commissioner Martinez’s motion, Chair Ortega’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Joshi was absent. The amendment was to revise the action for items 8 through 14 to read “Withdrawn.” DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. Staff briefing regarding general update and invitation for the Commissioners to spread the word about the citizenship clinic from Rocio Villalobos, Program Manager, Equity Office. The presentation was made by Rocio Villalobos, Program Manager, Equity Office. Discussion on planning a retreat for all Commissioners in the coming months. Discussed. COMMISSION ON IMMIMGRANT AFFAIRS MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 7, 2024 4. Presentation by Amanda Rohlich, Business Process Consultant Sr., Food Policy Advisor, Office of Sustainability, on the Austin/Travis County Food Plan. The presentation was made by Amanda Rohlich, Business Process Consultant Sr., Food Policy Advisor, Office of Sustainability DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Discussion and approval of the Commissioners attending the Joint Inclusion Committee’s FY26 Community Input Sessions on October 2nd, October 16th, November 6th, and November 20th, 2024. Discussed with no action. Chair Ortega, Vice Chair Dorantes, Commissioner Countie, and Commissioner Kaba indicated they may attend the October 16, November 6, and November 20, 2024, sessions. Discussion and approval of The Commission on Immigrant Affairs' Regular Meeting schedule (dates and location) for 2025. The motion to approve the Commission on Immigrant Affairs 2025 meeting schedule was approved on Commissioner Martinez’s motion, Commissioner De La Rosa’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Joshi was absent. Discussion and approval of the Joint Inclusion Committee’s Regular Meeting schedule (dates and location) for 2025. Withdrawn. 6. 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None. A motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:14 was made by Commissioner Martinez and approved …
