Item 1: April 22, 2026 Draft Minutes — original pdf

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JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026 The Joint Inclusion Committee convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, Apri 22, 2026, at the Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., in Austin, Texas. Chair Afifi called the Joint Inclusion Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Amanda Afifi (Chair) Richard Bondi (Vice Chair) Jerry Joe Benson Lisa Chang Craig McNary Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Diane Kanawati Bryce Laake-Stanfield Nirali Thakkar Justin Parsons PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Hector Ordaz – General/Budget APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Joint Inclusion Committee regular meeting on March 25, 2026. The minutes of the March 25, 2026 meeting were approved on Commissioner Benson’s motion, Commissioner Chang’s second on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Parsons and Thakkar were off the dais. Commissioners Melendez, Bullard, Oliva-Martinez, and Igram were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 1 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026 2. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Levers of Economic Mobility Index. Presentation by Gary Aaron, Business Process Consultant Sr., and Shivani Datar, Business Process Specialist, Austin Equity & Inclusion. Withdrawn without objection. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Presentation regarding Long Covid awareness and its impact on the LGBTQIA+ community. Presentation by Katie Drackert, Clear the Air ATX, and Dr. Michael Brode, Medical Director, UT Post Covid Clinic. Withdrawn without objection. 4. Discussion to compile questions from commissioners to ask Austin Police Department staff. Discussion was held. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 5. Update from the Community Conversation Working Group on outreach to community members to prepare questions for a quarterly briefing request for Austin Equity and Inclusion. Update by Commissioner Thakkar. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Discussion on the commission’s current working groups and whether any should be dissolved, and possible approval of changes to working group membership. Discussion was held. The Independent Equity Office and Human Rights Office Working Group, Budget & Policy Priorities Working Group, and Emergency Preparedness Working Group were dissolved without objection. Craig McNary was added to the Digital Access working group without objection. 7. Discussion regarding the JIC’s recently-approved budget recommendations, and possible approval of the formation of a working group to follow-up on this year’s budget recommendations. Discussion was held. No action was taken. 8. Conduct officer elections for Chair and Vice Chair. Commissioner Laake-Stanfield nominated Chair Afifi to serve as Chair. Chair Afifi did not accept the nomination. Vice Chair Bondi nominated Commissioner Benson. Commissioner Benson accepted the nomination. Commissioner Thakkar nominated Commissioner Parsons Commissioner Parsons accepted the nomination. to serve as Chair. The nomination period for Chair was closed without objection on Commissioner McNary’s motion. 2 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026 The motion to elect Commissioner Benson as Chair failed on a 4-3 vote. Those voting aye were Chari Afifi, Vice Chair Bondi, and Commissioners Benson and Kanawati. Those voting nay were Commissioners Laake-Stanfield, Parsons, and Thakkar. Commissioners Chang and McNary abstained. Commissioners Melendez, Bullard, Oliva-Martinez, and Igram were absent. The motion to elect Commissioner Parsons as Chair was approved on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Bensons and McNary abstained. Commissioners Melendez, Bullard, Oliva-Martinez, and Igram were absent. Commissioner Laake-Stanfield nominated Commissioner Benson for Vice Chair. Commissioner Kanawati seconded. Commissioner Parsons nominated Commissioner Thakkar for Vice Chair. Commissioner Chang seconded. The nomination period for Vice Chair was closed without objection on Commissioner McNary’s motion. The motion to elect Commissioner Benson as Vice Chair was approved on a 6-0 vote. Those voting aye were Chair Afifi, Vice Chair Bondi, and Commissioners Benson, Kanawati, Laake-Stanfield, and McNary. Those voting nay were Commissioners Parsons and Thakkar. Commissioner Chang abstained. Commissioners Melendez, Bullard, Oliva-Martinez, and Igram were absent. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Public safety working group update Budget working group update Levers of economic mobility update Long covid awareness ADJOURNMENT Chair Afifi adjourned the meeting at 7:56 p.m. without objection. The minutes were approved at the DATE meeting on BOARD MEMBER’s motion, BOARD MEMBER second on a (vote count) vote. 3