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Human Rights Commission Homepage
Location: Austin Energy Headquarters 4815 Mueller Blvd. Assembly Room 1st Floor Austin, TX 78723 — original pdf
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Monday, October 25, 2021 5:30 p.m. – Adjournment City of Austin/Austin Energy Headquarters 4815 Mueller Blvd. Assembly Room 1st Floor Austin, TX 78723 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 3. OLD BUSINESS (Brown, G./Weigel) a. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council for a World Human Rights Day Proclamation. (Brown/Museitif/Davis) a. Discussion and possible action on adding goals for July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. 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.
Location: City of Austin Permitting & Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Room 1401, Austin, TX 78752 — original pdf
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Monday, September 27, 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 June 28, 2021 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES and August 23, 2021 Regular Meetings. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council regarding approval of annual meeting schedules. (Davis/Casas) b. Discussion and possible action to approve the 2022 meeting schedule. (Davis/Casas) 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council regarding funding a public information and outreach campaign regarding medically unnecessary treatments on individuals born with intersex traits or variations in sex characteristics. (Weigel/Davis/Brown, G.) b. Discussion and possible action on adding goals for July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. (Brown, G./Weigel) c. 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 4. STAFF BRIEFINGS a. Amendments to City Code provisions related to Office of Civil Rights programs and activities by Carol Johnson, Director, City of Austin Office of Civil Rights. (Davis/Casas) 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.
20210927-002a Meeting Schedules — original pdf
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20210927-002a: Meeting Schedules WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous canceled board and commission meetings due to circumstances beyond the control of board members and City staff; and WHEREAS, boards that do not adopt an annual meeting schedule before the end of the year as the result of canceled meetings may not have meetings dates for the upcoming year; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Human Rights Commission encourages the Austin City Council to direct the City Manager and the City Clerk to propose alternatives for setting meeting schedules and meeting locations, including hybrid meetings, on the chance that any board is unable to adopt an annual meting schedule before the end of the year because of canceled meetings and direct the City Manager to suspend use of City ordinances that require in-person meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. Date of Approval: September 27, 2021 Record of the vote: 6-0; Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Weigel second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Caballero, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. Attest: Jonathan Babiak Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison
20210927-003a Intersex Rights and Healthcare — original pdf
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20210927-003a: Intersex Rights and Healthcare WHEREAS, the City of Austin has officially recognized Intersex Awareness Day since 2019 to raise visibility for a marginalized and often forgotten group that comprises at least 2% of the population; and WHEREAS, Mayor Adler made a proclamation that year to do better by intersex Austinites alongside Council Members Casar, Ellis, Renteria, Harper-Madison and then-Council Member Flannigan; and WHEREAS, that proclamation included the following: “Whereas | The City of Austin recognizes that intersex persons face violence, discrimination, stigma, harassment, and persecution on account of their sex characteristics, which do not fit binary notions of typical male or female bodies; and, “Whereas | We bear witness to this violation of basic human rights, and will strive to do better as a city—celebrating the diversity of all Austin residents, including intersex individuals, moving forward”; and, WHEREAS, the New York State legislature passed a resolution in 2021 (Assembly Resolution No. 432) formally condemning non-consensual and medically unnecessary surgeries performed on intersex children as violate their reproductive rights, gender identity and expression and body autonomy; and WHEREAS, this resolution abides by the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the American Medical Association Board of Trustees’ 2016 report, three former US Surgeons General and manifold additional medical and human rights experts and multinational organizations; and WHEREAS, the State of Texas leadership has shown blatant disregard and/or ignorance for science and human rights in 2021, especially in the areas of reproductive rights, gender identity and expression and body autonomy; and WHEREAS, parents across the city and state want to provide the best future for their intersex children but often rely on incomplete, biased or intentionally misleading information on how to do so from whichever doctor they arbitrarily have access to following labor and delivery and soon after; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin is committed to providing the most current, accurate, factual and rigorously tested information to its residents pertaining to their public health and wellbeing; and WHEREAS, in 2021, the New York City Council resoundingly passed a bill mandating the city’s health department to develop educational materials about how so-called “normalizing” surgeries on children born with variations in their sex characteristics are medically unnecessary and risk lifelong harm; and WHEREAS, there are accredited and qualified organizations, doctors and advocates that could assist Austin Public Health in the creation of a …
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Location: Via Videoconferencing — original pdf
Versión en español a continuación. Human Rights Commission Meeting August 23, 2021 Human Rights Commission to be held August 23, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (August 22, 2021 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the August 23, 2021 Human Rights Commission Meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov no later than noon, August 22, 2021 (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Reunión del HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION FECHA de la reunion August 23, 2021 La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (August 22, 2021 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3203 o jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono (debe ser el número que …
20210823 003b Public Health Recommendation DRAFT — original pdf
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20210726-003b: Public Health Crises and Vaccine Inequities WHEREAS, Covid19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted low income communities and communities of color; WHEREAS, solutions are not equitable in terms of digital access and transportation; and WHEREAS, the only way we can end this pandemic is vaccinating our population and reaching herd immunity; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Human Rights Commission recommends ease access to vaccine registration portals and administration of vaccines in a culturally sensitive manner by exploring all available means in order to create short, medium, and long-term solutions for public health crises and vaccine inequities in Austin. Date of Approval: July 26, 2021 Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ (Staff or board member can sign)
20210823 003c — original pdf
6/23/2021 Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US | HRW DONATE NOW I. Background July , “I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me” Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US A father plays with his daughter, who was born with atypical sex characteristics. Despite pressure from doctors, the parents chose not to elect medically unnecessary surgeries on their child. © 2017 Human Rights Watch Video Map Photo Gallery Summary https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/25/i-want-be-nature-made-me/medically-unnecessary-surgeries-intersex-children-us 1/124 6/23/2021 Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US | HRW Reader Advisory: This report contains graphic descriptions of traumatic experiences, DONATE NOW I. Background often affecting children. Intersex people in the United States are subjected to medical practices that can inflict irreversible physical and psychological harm on them starting in infancy, harms that can last throughout their lives. Many of these procedures are done with the stated aim of making it easier for children to grow up “normal” and integrate more easily into society by helping them conform to a particular sex assignment. The results are often catastrophic, the supposed benefits are largely unproven, and there are generally no urgent health considerations at stake. Procedures that could be delayed until intersex children are old enough to decide whether they want them are instead performed on infants who then have to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Intersex people are not rare, but they are widely misunderstood. Biology classes often oversimplify a fundamental reality. We are taught that sex is dimorphic: simply male or female. But sex, in reality, is a spectrum—with the majority of humans appearing to exist at one end or the other. In fact, as many as 1.7 percent of babies are different from what is typically called a boy or a girl. The chromosomes, gonads, internal or external genitalia in these children— intersex children—differ from social expectations. Around 1 in 2,000 babies is different enough https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/25/i-want-be-nature-made-me/medically-unnecessary-surgeries-intersex-children-us 2/124 6/23/2021 Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US | HRW that doctors may recommend surgical intervention to make the body appear more in line with DONATE NOW I. Background those expectations. Until the 1960s, when intersex children were born, the people around them—parents and doctors—made their best guess and assigned the child a sex. Parents then reared them per social gender norms. Sometimes the intersex people experienced harassment and discrimination as a result of their atypical traits but …
20210823 003c — original pdf
6/23/2021 Op-Ed | Don’t forget the “I” in LGBTQIA+ | amNewYork AMNY Newsletter Tackle the city, with our help. Subscribe Boroughs ⌵ Business Events Games Digital Editions Webinars Podcasts Contact Us Op-Ed Op-Ed | Don’t forget the “I” in LGBTQIA+ By NYC Councilmember Daniel Dromm 0 comments Posted on June 21, 2021 F Ho X Photo via Getty Images https://www.amny.com/opinion/op-ed-dont-forget-the-i-in-lgbtqia/?fbclid=IwAR3F34c9kMlZSFdQ7TbUotQT1KWAlJwxTEnkpETw8GkOmaf05Oc1DAS9wc4 1/7 ___Flipthroughtoday’spaper 6/23/2021 Op-Ed | Don’t forget the “I” in LGBTQIA+ | amNewYork Facebook Twitter Print More 2 Ea Ta ou S Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC I founded Queens Pride 29 years ago to be a welcoming space for all the borough’s diverse communities. Through the years, I excitedly watched as this colorful celebration, with a serious political message, grew. It seems every country is now represented. The transgender presence, always there from the beginning, is ubiquitous at this point. Many others of all stripes ock to an event that is grounded in family, friends, and neighbors, not corporations. And, of course, so many straight allies have come to stand with us, which always makes me swell with emotion. If asked to distill the essence of Pride, I would say it is about creating a home for all who do not conform to rigid societal notions of gender and sexuality. One group is taking this a step further and challenging the idea of what “normal” bodies should look like: the intersex community. Eliot Glazer, Thank You For Coming Out (While Staying In) Thank You for Coming Out 00:00 00:00 SUBSCRIBE: RSS iTunes Spotify Stitcher Amazon Google Play LATEST “Intersex” is an umbrella term for differences in sex traits or reproductive anatomy. Intersex people are born with these differences or develop them in childhood. There are many possible differences in genitalia, hormones, internal anatomy, or chromosomes, compared to the usual two ways that human bodies develop. According to the United Nations, up to 1.7 percent of the world population are born with intersex traits. Medical professionals often encourage parents and guardians to agree to procedures to treat intersex traits and variations in sex characteristics, even when such procedures are medically unnecessary. Despite the prevalence of these violations of basic human rights, there is no federal or state law …
Draft Minutes 04.26.21 — original pdf
REGULAR MEETING HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES MONDAY, April 26, 2021 The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, April 26, 2021 via teleconference in Austin, Texas. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 5:44 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Human Resources Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of March 22, 2021 were approved on a vote of 9-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. b. The minutes from the special called meeting of April 19, 2021 were approved on a vote of 8-0-1: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Museitif abstained. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on Human Rights Commission Officer Elections for Chair and Vice Chair. (Davis/Brown, J.) The Commission voted to override the term limits provisions in the bylaws for the election of the office of Chair by a vote of 9-0: Commissioner Garry Brown motion, Commissioner Museitif second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. The Commission elected Sareta Davis to the office of Chair on a vote of 9-0: Commissioner Santana motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were 1 Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. The Commission elected Isabel Casas to the office of Vice Chair on a vote of 9-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were …
Draft Minutes 06.28.21 — original pdf
REGULAR MEETING HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES MONDAY, June 28, 2021 The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, June 28, 2021 via teleconference in Austin, Texas. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 5:36 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Weigel. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Human Resources Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of April 26, 2021 were approved on a vote of 6-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, and Commissioner Jamarr Brown were absent. NOTE: The audio recording of the meeting malfunctioned. This item will be returned to a future agenda for action. 2. NEW 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) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. b. Discussion and possible action on setting goals for July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. (Davis/Casas) The commission discussed this item. The Commission voted to continue the current goals unchanged for the coming year on a vote of 6–0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, and Commissioner Jamarr Brown were absent. NOTE: The audio recording of the meeting malfunctioned. This item will be returned to a future agenda for action. 1 c. Discussion on the 2020-21 Annual Internal Review Report. (Davis/Casas) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. d. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation regarding Public Health Crises and Vaccine Inequities. (Museitif/Davis) The Commission discussed this item. The amended recommendation was adopted on a vote of 6–0: Commissioner Museitif motion, Chair Davis second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, and Commissioner Jamarr Brown were absent. NOTE: The audio recording …
Draft Minutes 07.26.21 — original pdf
REGULAR MEETING HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES MONDAY, July 26, 2021 The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, July 26, 2021 via teleconference in Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Isabel Casas called the Board Meeting to order at 5:36 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Weigel. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Business Process Consultant, Office of Civil Rights CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of April 26, 2021 were approved on a vote of 6-0: Vice Chair Casas motion, Commissioner Museitif second. Voting in favor were Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Weigel. Chair Davis, Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, and Commissioner Griffith were absent. By unanimous consent, the Commission agreed to take up the minutes from the June 28, 2021 meeting at a future meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Introduction of Carol Johnson, Civil Rights Officer, City of Austin Office of Civil Rights, followed by discussion regarding Human Rights Commission and Office of Civil Rights. (Davis/Casas) Carol Johnson, Civil Rights Officer, City of Austin Office of Civil Rights addressed the Commission and answered questions. The Commission took no action on this item. 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) The Commission did not discuss this item due to a loss of quorum before this item was taken up during the meeting. The Commission took no action on this item. b. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation regarding Public Health Crises and Vaccine Inequities. (Museitif/Davis) 1 The Commission discussed this item. Commissioner Museitif moved adoption, Vice Chair Casas second. The Commission lost quorum during the discussion of this item. The Commission took no action on this item. c. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council regarding funding a public information and outreach campaign regarding medically unnecessary treatments on individuals born with intersex traits or variations in sex characteristics. (Weigel/Davis) The Commission did not discuss this item due to a loss of quorum before this item was taken up during the meeting. The Commission took no action on this item. d. Discussion and possible …
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20210823-003b: Public Health Crises and Vaccine Inequities — original pdf
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20210823-003b: Public Health Crises and Vaccine Inequities WHEREAS, Covid19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted low income communities and communities of color; WHEREAS, solutions are not equitable in terms of digital access and transportation; and WHEREAS, the only way we can end this pandemic is vaccinating our population and reaching herd immunity; and WHEREAS, the Human Rights Commission encourages community groups and the Health District to meet unvaccinated people of color in their own communities; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Human Rights Commission recommends easy access to vaccine registration portals and administration of vaccines in a culturally sensitive manner by exploring all available means in order to create short, medium, and long-term solutions for public health crises and vaccine inequities in Austin. Date of Approval: August 23, 2021 Record of the vote: 6-0; Commissioner Garry Brown motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Weigel. Chair Davis, Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. Jonathan Babiak Jonathan Babiak, Staff Liaison Attest:
Location: Via Videoconferencing — original pdf
Versión en español a continuación. Human Rights Commission Meeting July 26, 2021 Human Rights Commission to be held July 26, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (July 25, 2021 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the July 26, 2021 Human Rights Commission Meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov no later than noon, July 25, 2021 (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Reunión del HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION FECHA de la reunion July 26, 2021 La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (July 25, 2021 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3203 o jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono (debe ser el número que …
20210726 003b Public Health Recommendation DRAFT — original pdf
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20210726-003b: Public Health Crises and Vaccine Inequities WHEREAS, Covid19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted low income communities and communities of color; WHEREAS, solutions are not equitable in terms of digital access and transportation; and WHEREAS, the only way we can end this pandemic is vaccinating our population and reaching herd immunity; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Human Rights Commission recommends ease access to vaccine registration portals and administration of vaccines in a culturally sensitive manner by exploring all available means in order to create short, medium, and long-term solutions for public health crises and vaccine inequities in Austin. Date of Approval: July 26, 2021 Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ (Staff or board member can sign)
20210726 003c — original pdf
6/23/2021 Op-Ed | Don’t forget the “I” in LGBTQIA+ | amNewYork AMNY Newsletter Tackle the city, with our help. Subscribe Boroughs ⌵ Business Events Games Digital Editions Webinars Podcasts Contact Us Op-Ed Op-Ed | Don’t forget the “I” in LGBTQIA+ By NYC Councilmember Daniel Dromm 0 comments Posted on June 21, 2021 F Ho X Photo via Getty Images https://www.amny.com/opinion/op-ed-dont-forget-the-i-in-lgbtqia/?fbclid=IwAR3F34c9kMlZSFdQ7TbUotQT1KWAlJwxTEnkpETw8GkOmaf05Oc1DAS9wc4 1/7 ___Flipthroughtoday’spaper 6/23/2021 Op-Ed | Don’t forget the “I” in LGBTQIA+ | amNewYork Facebook Twitter Print More 2 Ea Ta ou S Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC I founded Queens Pride 29 years ago to be a welcoming space for all the borough’s diverse communities. Through the years, I excitedly watched as this colorful celebration, with a serious political message, grew. It seems every country is now represented. The transgender presence, always there from the beginning, is ubiquitous at this point. Many others of all stripes ock to an event that is grounded in family, friends, and neighbors, not corporations. And, of course, so many straight allies have come to stand with us, which always makes me swell with emotion. If asked to distill the essence of Pride, I would say it is about creating a home for all who do not conform to rigid societal notions of gender and sexuality. One group is taking this a step further and challenging the idea of what “normal” bodies should look like: the intersex community. Eliot Glazer, Thank You For Coming Out (While Staying In) Thank You for Coming Out 00:00 00:00 SUBSCRIBE: RSS iTunes Spotify Stitcher Amazon Google Play LATEST “Intersex” is an umbrella term for differences in sex traits or reproductive anatomy. Intersex people are born with these differences or develop them in childhood. There are many possible differences in genitalia, hormones, internal anatomy, or chromosomes, compared to the usual two ways that human bodies develop. According to the United Nations, up to 1.7 percent of the world population are born with intersex traits. Medical professionals often encourage parents and guardians to agree to procedures to treat intersex traits and variations in sex characteristics, even when such procedures are medically unnecessary. Despite the prevalence of these violations of basic human rights, there is no federal or state law …
20210726 003c — original pdf
6/23/2021 Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US | HRW DONATE NOW I. Background July , “I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me” Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US A father plays with his daughter, who was born with atypical sex characteristics. Despite pressure from doctors, the parents chose not to elect medically unnecessary surgeries on their child. © 2017 Human Rights Watch Video Map Photo Gallery Summary https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/25/i-want-be-nature-made-me/medically-unnecessary-surgeries-intersex-children-us 1/124 6/23/2021 Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US | HRW Reader Advisory: This report contains graphic descriptions of traumatic experiences, DONATE NOW I. Background often affecting children. Intersex people in the United States are subjected to medical practices that can inflict irreversible physical and psychological harm on them starting in infancy, harms that can last throughout their lives. Many of these procedures are done with the stated aim of making it easier for children to grow up “normal” and integrate more easily into society by helping them conform to a particular sex assignment. The results are often catastrophic, the supposed benefits are largely unproven, and there are generally no urgent health considerations at stake. Procedures that could be delayed until intersex children are old enough to decide whether they want them are instead performed on infants who then have to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Intersex people are not rare, but they are widely misunderstood. Biology classes often oversimplify a fundamental reality. We are taught that sex is dimorphic: simply male or female. But sex, in reality, is a spectrum—with the majority of humans appearing to exist at one end or the other. In fact, as many as 1.7 percent of babies are different from what is typically called a boy or a girl. The chromosomes, gonads, internal or external genitalia in these children— intersex children—differ from social expectations. Around 1 in 2,000 babies is different enough https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/25/i-want-be-nature-made-me/medically-unnecessary-surgeries-intersex-children-us 2/124 6/23/2021 Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US | HRW that doctors may recommend surgical intervention to make the body appear more in line with DONATE NOW I. Background those expectations. Until the 1960s, when intersex children were born, the people around them—parents and doctors—made their best guess and assigned the child a sex. Parents then reared them per social gender norms. Sometimes the intersex people experienced harassment and discrimination as a result of their atypical traits but …
Draft Minutes 04.26.21 — original pdf
REGULAR MEETING HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES MONDAY, April 26, 2021 The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, April 26, 2021 via teleconference in Austin, Texas. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 5:44 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Human Resources Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of March 22, 2021 were approved on a vote of 9-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. b. The minutes from the special called meeting of April 19, 2021 were approved on a vote of 8-0-1: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Museitif abstained. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on Human Rights Commission Officer Elections for Chair and Vice Chair. (Davis/Brown, J.) The Commission voted to override the term limits provisions in the bylaws for the election of the office of Chair by a vote of 9-0: Commissioner Garry Brown motion, Commissioner Museitif second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. The Commission elected Sareta Davis to the office of Chair on a vote of 9-0: Commissioner Santana motion, Commissioner Griffith second. Voting in favor were 1 Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were absent. The Commission elected Isabel Casas to the office of Vice Chair on a vote of 9-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner Santana. Commissioner Areche and Commissioner Weigel were …