Commission for Women Regular Meeting of the Commission for Women - Location: 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1401 & 1402
REGULAR MEETING of the COMMISSION FOR WOMEN WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022, 12:00PM PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1401 & 1402 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR. AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 Some members of the Commission for Women 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 Kiarrah Carlisle, (512) 978-1879, Kiarrah.Carlisle@austintexas.gov CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Rebecca Austen, Chair Neva Fernandez Juliana Gonzales Jocelyn Tau Pam Rattan Desiree Bermea Flannery Bope, Vice Chair Diana Melendez Josephine Serrata Priscilla Cortez Vanessa Bissereth AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 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 Commission for Women regular meeting on May 4, 2022. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Presentation by Carlos Soto, Research Analyst, Community Action Network (CAN) on women and children, with discussion and possible action. 3. Approve updates to Working Group members. 4. Elect new alternate for the Joint Inclusion Committee. 5. Discussion and possible action regarding the City of Austin annual budget process. 6. Discussion and possible action regarding the impact of the Supreme Court Dobbs decision on women and girls in Austin. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 7. Update from Working Group on Homelessness. 8. Updated from Working Group on Safety. 9. Update from Working Group on Health. 10. Update from Working Group on Recognition of Equity for Women and Girls. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Presentation from the City Manager’s Office and Police Research Forum (PERF) regarding Resolution No. 20190131-077 on evaluation of Austin Police Department’s sexual assault investigations. 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 call Kiarrah Carlisle at (512) 978-1879 or Kiarrah.Carlisle@austintexas.gov , for additional information; TTY users’ route through Relay …
City of Austin Commission for Women Community Reception & Hall of Fame City of Austin Commission for Women Who We Are An 11-member advisory body advocating for and inspiring the city council and city manager to prioritize women’s quality of life, so that Austin becomes the most equitable city in the nation for women and girls. • Rebecca F. Austen (Alter), Chair • Juliana Gonzales (Harper-Madison) • Flannery A. Bope (Pool), Vice Chair • Diana Melendez (Renteria) • Desiree V. Bermea (Fuentes) • Pam D Rattan (Kelly) • Vanessa Bissereth (Vela) • Josephine V. Serrata • Priscilla G. Cortez (Tovo) • Jocelyn Tau (Adler) • Neva Fernandez (Ellis) Our Values The Commission for Women defines “women and girls” as individuals who identify as female, including those who are transgender and non-binary. • We prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion • We raise awareness, are a resource, and take action through our expertise on women's issues • We recognize the achievements of women who make an impact on equity • We collaborate among the community and city leadership to accomplish collective goals • We are tenacious and drive results Women’s Hall of Fame Since 2011, the City of Austin’s Commission for Women has hosted an annual induction ceremony and celebration for the Women’s Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame Inductees 2011: Jody Conradt, Bertha Means 2012: Nora Comstock, Shudde Fath, Willie Mae Kirk, Bettie Naylor 2013: Lulu Flores, Carol Keeton, Harriet Murphy, Janis Pinnelli 2014: Olga Campos-Ben, Dorothy Richter, Kelly White 2015: 2016: Montserrat Garibay, Jackie Goodman, MariBen Ramsey 2017: Robbie Ausley, Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette, Jane Claire Hervey, Ann Howard, Patsy Woods Martin, Jill Ramirez 2018: Gigi Edwards Bryant, Jeanne Goka, Celia Israel, Sarah Weddington 2019: 2020: Not held due to pandemic 2021: Not held due to pandemic 2022: Fall Community Reception will kick-off 2023 Nominations Process Community Reception 2023 Hall of Fame Launch The Community Reception will allow women and girls in our community to connect and network in-person, while learning about the Commission’s work and celebrating the launch of the 2023 Hall of Fame nominations process. Connect Network Learn Celebrate Fall 2022 Community Reception & 2023 Hall of Fame Kick-Off September 2022 5:30 – 7:00 PM Location TBD 2023 Women’s Hall of Fame Nominations Timeline September 2022: Nominations Open December 2022: Nominations Due February 2023: Inductees Announced Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Celebration March 2023 5:30 – 7:30 …
COMMISSION FOR WOMEN RECOMMENDATION 20220713-6: Support the GRACE Act July 13, 2022 Seconded By: Flannery Bope Date: Subject: Support the GRACE Act Motioned By: Rebecca Austen Recommendation to Council WHEREAS, the Commission for Women (“Commission”) of the City of Austin (“City”) serves as an advisory body that advocates for and inspires the City Council (“Council”) and City Manager to prioritize women’s quality of life, so that Austin becomes the most equitable city in the nation for women and girls; and WHEREAS, all people have a basic human right to bodily autonomy, safe and effective medical treatment, and control over private medical decisions; and WHEREAS, access to safe and legal abortion is a deciding factor in long-term health, safety, and quality of life; and WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the 1973 landmark ruling, Roe v. Wade, which previously prevented individual states from directly banning abortion care; and WHEREAS, cisgender women and girls, transgender men and boys, non-binary people, and others who can become pregnant are restricted from access to abortion in Texas and many other states; and WHEREAS, Texas Senate Bill 8 bans abortions after six weeks gestation and allows private citizens to sue abortion providers, Texas House Bill 1280 criminalizes abortion at the felony level with a sentence of up to 99 years in prison and no exception for rape or incest, and Article 4512 from the 1925 penal code has been put forth as still in force and states that whoever furnishes the means for procuring an abortion knowing the purpose intended is guilty as an accomplice; and WHEREAS, Black and Latina individuals, and those of all races living in poverty, will likely be disproportionately impacted by bans and criminalization of abortion; and 1 WHEREAS, children and adults who get pregnant through sexual assault, rape, incest, sex trafficking and other forms of sexual violence will experience forced pregnancies; and WHEREAS, individuals who are denied abortion access are at risk of experiencing increased anxiety and other mental health issues; and WHEREAS, individuals who identify as female in Austin are experiencing higher levels of poor mental health overall than males (per data presented to the Commission by the Community Advancement Network on July 15, 2022), and transgender and nonbinary individuals in Austin are disproportionately impacted by mental health issues and access to care and resources (per the LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life study), compounding the mental health impacts …
Community Advancement Network Presented to the City of Austin’s Commission for Women by: Carlos A Soto July 13, 2022 WWW.CANATX.ORG 2022 CAN WORK PLAN PRIORITY Ensuring an Equitable Economic Recovery (new) Addressing Community Mental Health & Wellness (new) Improving Language Access and Resources (continuation) Equity in the Pandemic Response (and emergency response generally) (continuation) WE ARE SAFE, JUST & ENGAGED HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES Travis County Crime Declined 3% From 2015 to 2020 Travis County Voter Turnout Increased 10% From 2016 to 2020 in Travis County African-American adults are 2.8 times as likely To be booked into jail than White adults Property Crime Increased 10% From 2019 to 2020 in Travis County OUR BASIC NEEDS ARE MET HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES In 2019, the Travis County Poverty Rate was 12% (It was15% in 2015) The Food Insecurity rate decreased to 13% in 2019 (It was 16% in 2015) The Poverty Rate for African- Americans and Hispanics is 2 times higher than it is for Whites 41,130 children in Travis County were Food Insecure in 2019 (In 2013, that number was 63,780) OUR BASIC NEEDS ARE MET INCOME Source: Table S1701 Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates Sources: Table S1701 Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table B17001 Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Sex by Age, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates OUR BASIC NEEDS ARE MET HOMELESSNESS • Homelessness rates were stable between 2020 and 2021 for women in Austin/Travis County. Source: HMIS Snapshot: 2021 Homelessness Prevalence Estimate in Austin/Travis County, TX; published May 21, 2021 by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). WE ARE HEALTHY HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES The percentage of adults without health insurance declined by 12 % in Travis County from 2017 to 2019. In 2020, the percentage of adults that smoke was 11% in the Austin MSA, compared to 20% in 2008. The Obesity Rate in Travis County increased from 23% to 27% In the period from 2016 to 2020. For this indicator, we also report inequities by sex, race, and income WE ARE HEALTHY UNINSURED • Between 2016 and 2020, 11.6% of Travis County women and girls of all ages were uninsured, compared to 13% of Travis County men and boys of all ages. Source: Table S2701: Selected Characteristics of Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates. WE …
Commission for Women Working Group Membership Updated July 2022 Homelessness Rebecca Austen Flannery Bope Pam Rattan Safety Health Desiree Bermea Neva Fernandez Juliana Gonzales Josie Serrata Amanda Lewis* Flannery Bope Juliana Gonzales Diana Melendez Josie Serrata Jocelyn Tau Vanessa Bissereth Priscilla Cortez Diana Melendez *Community participants Recognition of Equity for Women and Girls
Commission for Women REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, July 13, 2022 The Commission for Women convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., Permitting & Development Center; Rooms 1401 & 1402 in Austin, Texas. Chair Rebecca Austen called the Commission for Women Meeting to order at 12:16 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Flannery Bope, Vice Chair Juliana Gonzales Pam Rattan Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Rebecca Austen, Chair Diana Melendez Jocelyn Tau Josephine Serrata Neva Fernandez Priscilla Cortez Desiree Bermea (Camera Off) Staff in Attendance: Kiarrah Carlisle, Office of Civil Rights PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Tamela Saldana – Introduction as Acting Director of City of Austin’s Office of Civil Rights. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the Commission for Women regular meeting on May 04, 2022. The minutes from the meeting of (05/04/2022) were approved on Chair Austen’s motion, Commissioner Rattan’s second on a (9-0) vote. (Commissioner Desiree Bermea was in virtual attendance, but camera was off. Commissioner Vanessa Bissereth was absent) 1. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and possible action on Presentation by Carlos Soto, Research Analyst, Community Action Network (CAN) on women and children. Discussion was held. No action was taken. Discussion and possible action on approval updates to Working Group members. The motion to approve updates to Working Group members was approved on Chair Rebecca Austen’s motion, Vice Chair Flannery Bope’s second on a 9-0 vote. (Commissioner Desiree Bermea was in virtual attendance, but camera was off. Commissioner Vanessa Bissereth was absent) Discussion and possible action to elect new alternate for the Joint Inclusion Committee. The motion to approve Diana Melendez as new alternate for the Joint Inclusion Committee was approved on Chair Rebecca Austen’s motion, Vice Chair Flannery Bope’s second on a 9-0 vote. (Commissioner Desiree Bermea was in virtual attendance, but camera was off. Commissioner Vanessa Bissereth was absent) Discussion and possible action regarding the City of Austin annual budget process. Discussion was held. No action was taken. Discussion and possible action regarding the impact of the Supreme Court Dobbs decision on women and girls in Austin. Discussion was held. No action was taken. Approve a recommendation to support the GRACE Act The motion to approve the recommendation 20220713-6: Support the GRACE Act (description of recommendation) was approved on Chair Rebecca Austen’s motion, Vice Chair Flannery Bope’s second on a (8-1) vote. (Commissioner Pam Rattan abstained. …
