Item #9 Draft 2024-2025 Commission for Women Annual Internal Review — original pdf

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Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2025 Commission for Women ____________________________________ (Official Name of Board or Commission) The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: The purpose of the commission is to serve as an advisory body that advocates for and inspires 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. The commission shall develop goals and coordinate research for planning, programming, and action relating to opportunities, needs, problems, and contributions of women in the city. 1. Describe the board’s actions supporting their mission during the previous calendar year. Address all elements of the board’s mission statement as provided in the relevant sections of the City Code. (Reference all reports, recommendations, letters or resolutions presented to the City Council on mission-specific issues. If some of the elements of the mission statement were not acted on by the board in the past year, the report should explain why no action was taken.) A. Recommendations: The Commission for Women researched and approved the following recommendations aligned to the mission. These were submitted for consideration in the FY2025-26 budget cycle. The recommendations on the Funding for Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Actions was also included in the Joint Inclusion Committee's aggregate budget submission for FY2024-25. i. Recommendation 20241204-004: Support of Sunday Sessions ATX: Recommendation to Council to waive the ACE permitting fees for Sunday Sessions ATX. ii. Budget Recommendation 20250305-004 - 2025-26: FY26 Funding for i. The Collective Sex Crimes Response Model - with a focus on ensuring its formal completion and closure and a seamless transition to a future governance body such as the Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team (SARRT) ii. Menstrual equity supplies in public libraries iii. The Family Stabilization Grant Program iv. The Workforce and Childcare Division v. After-school programming geared toward building positive mental health in girls in Title 1 schools iii. Recommendation 20250604-008 - Opposition to Austin’s Automated License Plate Reader Surveillance Program B. Working Groups: The Commission for Women focused on issues regarding gender and race equity, economic equity, safety, and health for women and girls, with the following active working groups. i. Film Screening Working Group coordinated planning and sharing of information on the screening of Army of Women. ii. The FY26 Budget working group was established for commissioners to make Budget recommendations aligned with the commission’s mission. iii. A Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Working Group was formed to devise recommendations in support of the CSCRM’s project objectives until completion. iv. The Recognition of Equity for Women and Girls working group was formed to develop a program to recognize leaders in the community who advance equity for women and girls. v. The Quality of Life Study working group was formed for the Quality of Life Study process and held meetings with the City Demographer and University of Texas researchers for ongoing updates on the progress on the Quality of Life study. Community Engagement: The Commission for Women engaged with City C. initiatives and community members as follows: i. Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) - Commissioner Glasser and Commissioner Melendez represented the Commission for Women at regular meetings of the JIC until such time as Commissioner Bullard replaced Commissioner Glasser. Commissioners also represented at special called meetings on the budget, the legislative session, and the Commission participated in virtual forums with the JIC and Equity Office to solicit community input for the annual budget cycle. ii. Commissioner Scheihing was approved as a representative to the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan planning team. Briefings: The following briefings and presentations were held at Commission D. meetings: i. Austin Police Department Domestic Violence Unit / Special Victims Intervention Unit (Sergeant Tammy Varkony) gave a presentation on the work and critical needs of those units. ii. Presentation by Mia Johns, Executive Director, Dress for Success, on how the organization supports women in the Austin area in their career progression. iii. Presentation by Hanna Senko, Project Manager and Consultant, with an update on the Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Task Force actions and division of work. Presentation by Hanna Senko, Project Manager and Consultant, Collective Sex Crimes Response Model Task Force; Marcy Alonzo, Austin Travis County Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team (SAART) coordinator; Silvana Giono, Victim Services Supervisor, Austin Police Department; Allison Roper, Business Process Consultant, Austin Police Department; Chris Leleux, Lieutenant, Austin Police Department. iv. Presentation by the Anti-Defamation League Austin on their work locally to combat hate and antisemitism. The presentation was made by Courtney Toretto, Director of Policy for the Central Division, Anti-Defamation League Austin. v. Update from the Quality of Life Working Group in collaboration with the University of Texas research team and the Equity Office on their work completed to date, timeline, and progress toward the final Commission for Women's Quality of Life Study of Austin's Women and Girls Population. The presentation was made by Jessica Calderón-Mora, DrPh, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin, Alejandra Mireles, Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator, Equity Office, and Jaime Fuentes, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. vi. Presentation by Cierra Madison, Sunday Sessions ATX, and approval of a Recommendation to Council to waive the ACE permitting fees for Sunday Sessions ATX. The presentation was made by Cierra Madison, Founder, Sunday Sessions ATX. vii. Staff briefing regarding the City of Austin emergency language access plan from the Communications and Public Information Office and the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The presentation was made by Marion Sanchez, Community Outreach and Engagement Corporate Manager, Communications and Public Information Office; Houmma Garba, Language Access and Community Engagement Consultant – Corporate, Communications and Public Information Office; and David Alcorta, Community Engagement SpecialistLanguage Access, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. 1. Determine if the board’s actions throughout the year comply with the mission statement. (If any of the board’s actions were outside the scope of the mission statement, the report should explain the non-compliance issues.) The Commission for Women remains in compliance with the mission statement 1. List the board’s goals and objectives for the new calendar year. (Make sure the goals and objectives fall within the mission statement of the board/commission.) The Commission for Women goals are summarized below: ● Analyze needs and develop plans for a Quality-of-Life study focused on women/girls and gender equity. ● Analyze needs and make budget recommendations aligned with the quality of-life focus areas: economic equity, safety, health, and gender and race equity. ● Recognize leaders and organizations who are making an impact on Austin becoming the most equitable city for women and girls. ● Advocate for gender and race equity through the City of Austin annual budget process, initiatives of the Joint Inclusion Committee and Equity Office, and engagement with other quality of life and advisory commissions.