REGULAR MEETING OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 AT 6:00 P.M. PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1401/1402 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Joint Inclusion Committee 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, contact Ryan Sperling, 512-974-3568, ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Primary Representative: Justin Parsons (Chair) Nirali J Thakkar Member Commission: African American Resource Advisory Commission Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission VACANT Commission for Women Commission on Aging Richard Bondi Commission on Immigrant Affairs Diane Kanawati Commission on Veterans Affairs Early Childhood Council Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Human Rights Commission LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities VACANT Craig McNary Amanda Afifi Tannya Oliva-Martínez Jerry Joe Benson (Vice Chair) Lisa Chang Alternate Representative: Alexandria Anderson VACANT VACANT Teresa Ferguson Azeem Edwin VACANT Delphi Alvizo Dulce Castaneda Lila Igram Asher Knutson Gabriel Arrellano AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten 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. 2. Approve the minutes of the Joint Inclusion Committee regular meeting on August 26, 2026. Approve the minutes of the Joint Inclusion Committee special called meeting on August 12, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 3. Staff briefing regarding the Creative Reset Phase II: Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities and Museums. Briefing by Candice Cooper, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, ACME. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. 5. Discussion regarding the final schedule for home commission updates to the Joint Inclusion Committee Discussion regarding potential meeting dates and times for next year’s annual schedule. WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS 6. Report from the FY2026-27 Budget Follow-Up Working Group regarding the status of budget recommendations. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 7. 8. Approve a recommendation regarding recognition of recent Austin Police Department shooting and supporting measures to provide public accountability. Approve the formation of a working group to formulate budget recommendations for the FY2027-28 budget cycle. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin …
JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 The Joint Inclusion Committee convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at the Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. in Austin, Texas. Chair Parsons called the Joint Inclusion Meeting to order at 6:17 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Justin Parsons (Chair) Richard Bondi Lisa Chang Tannya Oliva-Martínez Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Jerry Joe Benson (Vice Chair) Diane Kanawati PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Joint Inclusion Committee regular meeting on July 22, 2026. The July 22, 2026 minutes were approved on Commissioner Chang’s motion, Commissioner Bondi’s second 6-0 vote. Commissioners Afifi, Alvizo, Castaneda, McNary, and Thakkar were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. Discussion regarding a schedule of future presentations on the activities of member commissions. Discussion was held. Discussion regarding departments and offices to ask to present at future commission meetings. 1 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 Discussion was held. 4. Discussion regarding a recommendation for the Accessible Austin Certification program and implementation of accessibility requirements. Withdrawn without objection. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Approve membership changes and discuss future areas of focus for the commission’s working groups. Discussion was held. No action was taken. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Discussion of meeting time and location for next year’s annual schedule - Chang Discussion and possible action regarding APD shooting- Oliva-Martínez Final report from Budget Follow-Up Working Group – Benson Formation of FY2027-2028 Budget Working Group – Benson ADJOURNMENT Chair Parsons adjourned the meeting at 7:21 p.m. without objection. 2
The Creative Reset Phase II Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities and Museums Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment July 2026 Why Now? Austin Has Changed. Our Cultural System Must Change With It. ▪ Austin's population continues to grow and diversify. ▪ Community expectations have shifted from simply preserving facilities to actively programming and activating them. ▪ Residents expect welcoming, accessible, vibrant public spaces that are open, responsive, and community-centered. ▪ The Creative Reset presented an opportunity to rethink how our facilities operate, not just maintain the status quo. Emma S Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center 2 Our Community Spaces Cultural Centers and Entertainment Complex Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex African American Cultural & Heritage Facility + Dedrick Hamilton House Asian American Resource Center Connelly-Yerwood “Pink” House Emma S Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural + Genealogy Center Museums and Art Center Montopolis Negro School Zilker Hillside Theater Dougherty Arts Center Elisabet Ney Museum UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum Susanna Dickinson Museum O. Henry Museum Old Bakery & Emporium 23rd Street Renaissance Artist Market 3 Our Approach The Creative Reset Phase II Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities and Museums Beverly Sheffield Hillside Theater Our Approach We designed this process around listening. Community Engagement Internal Assessment Staff Visioning Site Identity Exercise Operational Review Recommendations Implementation Plan Evaluation 5 Nearly a year of engagement ensured that our recommendations reflect both community priorities and operational realities. Elisabeth Ney Museum 6 Community: What We Heard The Creative Reset Phase II Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities and Museums ACME Creative Reset Engagement Community: What We Heard Activate our facilities More activity, more energy, more opportunities. Expand partnerships Collaborate with artists, nonprofits, schools, and community organizations. Improve customer experience Create welcoming, consistent, easy-to-access spaces. Reduce barriers Simplify processes and increase accessibility. Celebrate each site's unique identity Honor history while creating new opportunities. Brush Square Pun-Off Event 8 Staff: What We Learned The Creative Reset Phase II Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities and Museums Dougherty Arts Center Staff: What We Learned ▪ Staff are passionate and deeply committed to serving the community. ▪ Operational processes vary significantly across facilities. ▪ Administrative responsibilities often limit time available for programming and community engagement. ▪ Greater collaboration, shared services, and consistent expectations can improve efficiency while preserving each site's unique identity. ▪ Our facilities are aging. Staff Engagement Event 10 Our New Operating Model The Creative Reset Phase II Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE Recommendation 20260923-007: Recognition of Recent APD Shooting & Supporting Measures to Provide Public Accountability WHEREAS, on July 24, 2026, 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams II was fatally shot by Austin Police Department (APD) officers at a neighborhood park near Baden Lane and Dessau Road; and WHEREAS, subsequent official reviews and Austin Police Department disclosures revealed that Anthoneil Williams II was unarmed and the object in his waistband was a water bottle at the time officers discharged their weapons; and WHEREAS, while the shooting remained under active investigation, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis publicly stated that “all points” indicated the incident was a “suicide by police,” assigning a possible motive to Anthoneil Williams II before the completion of independent and thorough investigations; and WHEREAS, the National Police Accountability Project (NPAP), a national organization dedicated to police accountability and civil rights, specifically criticized APD's rapid characterization of Anthoneil Williams II's death as “suicide by cop,” raising concerns that assigning such a label before a meaningful investigation shifts attention away from questions of de-escalation, use of force, and governmental accountability; and WHEREAS, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), a national organization of police executives and law-enforcement professionals, recognizes that encounters involving individuals believed to be seeking a lethal police response should prompt specialized crisis intervention emphasizing time, distance, communication, patience, and de-escalation, and has documented that many such encounters can be resolved without the use of lethal force; and WHEREAS, terminology such as “suicide by cop” or “suicide by police,” particularly when used before an investigation has established a person's intent, risks shifting responsibility for a police- involved death onto the deceased, making that individual the perceived causal actor in their own death while prematurely shaping public understanding of the government's use of deadly force; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin should use neutral, fact-based language when communicating about police-involved deaths and should distinguish between evidence concerning a person's possible mental or behavioral health crisis and the separate question of whether officers' actions, tactics, de-escalation efforts, and use of force were appropriate; and WHEREAS, repeated patterns of officer misconduct, insufficient de-escalation, and unjustified use of force have historically inflicted severe trauma and deadly harm across Austin communities; and WHEREAS, civilian oversight bodies, including the Community Police Review Commission, require unfettered access to all body-worn camera footage, dispatch recordings, internal affairs files, and investigative materials to ensure true transparency, accountability, …
