Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting of the Human Rights Commission - Location: City of Austin Permitting & Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Room 1406, Austin, TX 78752
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Monday, November 22, 2021 5:30 p.m. – Adjournment City of Austin Permitting & Development Center 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Room 1406 Austin TX 78752 CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Sareta Davis, Chair Isabel Casas, Vice Chair Malenie Areche Jared Breckenridge Kimberly Brienzi Garry Brown Jamarr Brown Kristian Caballero Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Alicia Weigel CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA Citizens 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. a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s September 27, 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2021 Regular Meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council for a World Human Rights Day Proclamation. (Brown/Museitif/Davis) 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action related to Campaign Zero’s 8 Can’t Wait initiative and recommending Austin Police Department address inappropriate use of force by implementing a Duty to Intervene policy for officers. (Casas/Davis) b. Commissioners will report on and discuss the status of the Commission’s key priority areas of concern for 2021-2022, including plans and strategies for meeting those key priority areas of concern: i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights 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 Jonathan Babiak, Office of Civil Rights, at (512) 974-3203 for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please contact Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3203 or visit http://www.austintexas.gov/hrc.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20211122-002a: Human Rights Day Proclamation WHEREAS, Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10 — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).; and WHEREAS, The UDHR is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being; and WHEREAS, Article 2 of the UDHR states, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”; and WHEREAS, The COVID-19 crisis has been fueled by deepening poverty, rising inequalities, structural and entrenched discrimination, and other gaps in human rights protection; and WHEREAS, Certain base elements of American society are working to strip away human rights by using fear and intimidation to deny access to the ballot box, women’s healthcare, and freedom of expression and to freedom from harm by irresponsible gun owners; and WHEREAS, Every American has a right to lead healthy lives, but there are many elected officials in Texas and across America who work to normalize unnecessary deaths by stating that grandparents owe our society a death and by doing all they can to make it easier for every human, regardless of age, to contract a deadly disease; and WHEREAS, The United States Declaration of Independence states that we are granted “with certain unalienable Rights, that amongst these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Austin City Council strongly encourages its residents to: Stand up to every person and organization who are working to take away the basic human 1. rights of freedom of expression, to being housed affordably, to wide access to voting, and to all forms of healthcare. 2. Pursue your happiness wherever you may find it and to share it with your community. Date of Approval: November 22, 2021 Record of the vote: 6-1; Commissioner Garry Brown motion, Chair Davis second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Brienzi voted against. Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Caballero, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. Attest: Jonathan Babiak Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison
