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EHRAC - ACTION ITEM: (1) Discuss the Potential for EHRAC to Hold a Community Conversation Surrounding World Events; (2) Consider Utilizing the Council Approved Work Plan Community Conversation Date Slated for February 2025 for the Aforementioned Community Conversation, or, Alternatively, Comply with the Approval Process to Request an Earlier Event ; and (3) Determine Next Steps as Deemed Appropriate.
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Meeting Date: October 22, 2024
Contact Person/Dept: Michelle Hamilton/Human Resources
Phone Number: (310) 253-5640
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/16/2024); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - Equity & Human Relations Advisory Committee (10/16/2024); (E-Mail) All City Staff (10/16/2024)
Department Approval: Dana Anderson, Human Resources Director (10/16/2024)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee (EHRAC) (1) discuss the potential of a Community Conversation surrounding world events; (2) consider utilizing the City Council Approved Work Plan Community Conversation event slated for February 2025 for the aforementioned Community Conversation, or, alternatively, comply with the approval process to request an earlier event; and (3) determine next steps as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
EHRAC 2024-2025 Biannual Report and Workplan
At its April 23, 2024, Regular Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to approve the attached Public Events and Budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year provided by the Public Events and Budget Ad Hoc Subcommittee (Attachment 1). The events were as follows:
2024
• July Committee meeting
• September: Extended (perhaps three-hour) program on Race Relations
• October: Committee meeting to include a Latino Heritage Month Speaker
• November: Transgender Day of Remembrance program
2025
• January: Committee meeting
• February: Community Conversation
• April: Committee meeting
• May: Diversity Awareness Projects program to launch the projects publicly.
At its June 25, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to submit to City Council the 2024-2025 Biannual Report (Attachment 2), which was based on the Proposed Events and Budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year and the Public Events and Budget Ad Hoc Subcommittee Report, and included the following events:
• Creation and dissolution of Ad Hoc Subcommittees as projects are requested, developed, completed and/or have evolved;
• Development of a Community Conversation centered on Race Relations;
• Latino Heritage Month Speaker;
• Transgender Day of Remembrance Program;
• Pursuance of the implementation of the Diversity Awareness Projects-
• Including the compilation and preparation of the history of the following Culver City Historical Sites:
o Kunisawa Farms
o Sebastian’s Cotton Club
o Pacific Electric Company Mexican Labor Camp
o Tongva ancestral land;
• Development of a Community Conversations Workshop for early 2025;
• Review, research, and make recommendations to the City Council, City Manager’s office and/or staff regarding the following if deemed appropriate:
o Land Acknowledgement Statement;
o Culver City Parks Soccer Prohibition Signage; and
o Other projects as assigned by the City Council, City Manager’s office and/or staff;
• Consideration of events and activities focused on the advocation for inclusion of Women and Girls;
• Outreach and communications Ad Hoc Subcommittee will continue to work on the development of marketing and outreach materials promoting EHRAC; and
• Lastly, EHRAC will be an integral part of community engagement activities as it relates to Phase I and II of the Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) project.
On August 12, 2024, City Council approved EHRAC’s 2024-2025 biannual workplan.
At its August 27, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to add an Indigenous Peoples’ Day Activity to the EHRAC Project/Event schedule, slated for October 2024.
At its August 27, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to move the Race Relations event to a later date to accommodate an event that was scheduled for the same evening at Culver City High School.
As of the September 17, 2024, Special Meeting, only one member could commit to producing a Transgender Day of Remembrance Program.
At its September 17, 2024, Special Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to remove the Transgender Day of Remembrance Program from the workplan due to the lack of member capacity to produce the event, and to move the Race Relations Event and the Latino Heritage Month Speaker Event to October 22, 2024. It is also noted that an additional EHRAC-driven proposed commemoration of Indigenous Peoples Day has not garnered the support from the committee members despite it being added to the EHRAC Event/Project Schedule.
At its September 17, 2024, Special Meeting, in response to public comments received, EHRAC achieved consensus to agendize a discussion surrounding the potential and capacity for holding a Community Conversation to provide a safe space for all community members to voice feelings about the current state of events in the world, with a particular focus on the war in Gaza and the feelings it has infused in the Culver City Community.
Status of EHRAC Workplan Items (as of October 1, 2024):
• Development of a Community Conversation centered on Race Relations:
o Originally slated for March in the 2023/2024 Biannual report;
o Postponed until May or June in April 2024;
o On August 27, 2024, event was postponed until a Later Date; and
o On September 17, 2024, event was scheduled for October 22, 2024.
• Latino Heritage Month Speaker:
o Latino Heritage Month Speaker slated for September 17, 2024;
o On August 27, 2024, event was postponed until a Later Date; and
o On September 17, 2024, event was scheduled for October 22, 2024.
• Transgender Day of Remembrance program:
o Voted into the work plan in June 2024 and slated for November 19, 2024;
o On August 27, 2024, one member available to populate the Subcommittee; and
o On September 17, 2024, consensus was achieved to remove the event from the workplan for lack of member time and capacity.
• Diversity Awareness Projects:
o Voted into the work plan in June 2022; continued through the July 2023 Biannual Report and workplan, and continued through the July 2024 Biannual Report; and
o Ad Hoc Subcommittee Members were in the process of gathering information for the website.
• Development of a Community Conversations Workshop for early 2025:
o No discussions have occurred nor have any actions been taken on this item at the time of this report.
• Review, research, and make recommendations to the City Council, City Manager’s office and/or staff regarding the following if deemed appropriate:
o Land Acknowledgement Statement:
o Presented to City Council on September 23, 2024
§ Council achieved consensus to approve the “Long Written Form” (full EHRAC proposed Land Acknowledgement) for posting, and a condensed version crafted by Councilman Puza consisting of the first sentence and last paragraph of ERHAC’s proposed Land Acknowledgement for reading at Council meetings.
o Culver City Parks Soccer Prohibition Signage:
o Research has been conducted by staff and ad hoc subcommittee into the history of the signage and its inception. However, it has been noted that updates to the Municipal Code directly related to this topic have resolved this issue via an updated and approved policy and the resulting re-signage plan and budget line item/Capital improvement project for all Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) parks, buildings and facilities was approved by City Council on May 20, 2024.
o Other projects as assigned by the City Council, City Manager’s office and/or staff:
o No other projects have been assigned at the time of this report.
• Consideration of events and activities focused on the advocation for inclusion of Women and Girls:
o No discussions have occurred nor have any actions been taken on this item at the time of this report.
• Outreach and communications Ad Hoc Subcommittee will continue to work on the development of marketing and outreach materials promoting EHRAC:
o ERHAC Promotional Materials Ad Hoc Subcommittee was created in July 2024
• Lastly, EHRAC will be an integral part of Community engagement activities as it relates to Phases I and II of the Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) project:
o Phase I presentation and request for information occurred in May of 2024
§ Only one (1) member responded to the Keen Independent Research’s inquiry.
o Phase II of the REAP is slated to start in 2025.
§ Phase II will seek to further involve ERHAC in community outreach and engagement activities.
Status of EHRAC projects not on the Workplan:
• Indigenous Peoples’ Day Project
o Ad Hoc Subcommittee lacked the capacity to proceed with outlined deliverables.
o Project to be tabled for a future date in 2025.
• EHRAC Promotional Materials
o Concepts were presented at the September 17, 2024, Special Meeting
o The 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. event was expressed as the anticipated completion and distribution date for such materials.
o To date, no samples or drafts have been provided.
DISCUSSION
Staff recommends that should consensus for a Community Conversation be achieved, the Community Conversation should be held in February 2025 due to the following considerations:
1. The Council-approved Biannual Report (Attachment 1) already has a Community Conversation slated for February 2025;
2. A Community Conversation event prior to February 2025 is not on the EHRAC workplan and will demand an excess of resources and staff time that have not been accounted for, and would require additional City approval;
3. Members’ lack of capacity/time and resulting cancellation(s) and/or rescheduling of previously approved events or projects (Attachments 1 and 2);
4. The lack of sufficient staff time to properly plan and give the event its due consideration;
a. NOTE: Staff recommended to the EHRAC Chair that an experienced facilitator be utilized for the proposed event to ensure the discussion remains within the scope of a “safe space for the community to voice their feelings about World Events,” due to the strong interest in this event and the sensitivity regarding the public’s concerns. The event would not result in any recommendation to the City Council regarding a ceasefire resolution, as such topic has specifically not been assigned to EHRAC by City Council, and a facilitator would help keep the discussions on track. Further, it is important to note that the proposed event will not necessarily lead to a new City Council assignment to EHRAC, but is instead an opportunity for members of the public to express their feelings in a safe outlet; and
5. With the cancelation of the Transgender Remembrance Event there are no EHRAC meetings scheduled for November or December 2024.
However, should EHRAC wish to hold the event independently of the approved February 25, 2025, Community Conversation, the City of Culver City Council Policy Statement 3002, Section VII, Paragraphs 7 and 8 (Attachment 3) requires additional City Council approval be obtained.
City of Culver City Council Policy Statement 3002 - Section VII, Paragraphs 7-8:
A CBC may only advise on, plan, host or produce an event that is included in the approved Department Work Plans, approved CBC Work Plans, or otherwise approved by City Council. In order for a CBC event to be considered for City Council approval, the CBC must identify the following minimum information:
(1) Amount of City Staff time required;
(2) Other City resources needed;
(3) Amount of City funding requested; and
(4) Any other information requested by City Staff that may be necessary for City Council to have an informed discussion.
Process for a Community Conversation to be added to the workplan for City Council Approval prior to the pre-approved February 2025 date:
1. At its October 22, 2024, meeting, EHRAC must achieve consensus to make a request to add the item to the workplan.
2. If consensus is reached, EHRAC has two options:
a. EHRAC would wordsmith and approve a script for a designated Member (approved by the body) to bring to the next City Council meeting as an “Item from Members, CBCs and Staff” to ask for consensus from the Council to agendize the request for a future meeting to be determined by the City Clerk who is responsible for management of City Council meeting agendas;
i. NOTE: City Council determines such requests at the end of its meetings; or
b. EHRAC would request of staff to add an item and staff report for Council to consider adding the item to the workplan (subject to staff availability, department, and/or City Manager approval);
i. NOTE: The soonest agenda availability for such request is possibly the December 9, 2024, City Council meeting.
3. If City Council approves the work plan change, then EHRAC would be allowed to proceed to plan the event.
a. NOTE: It is in City Council’s sole discretion to approve a change to a workplan based on the information provided; as such, there is no guarantee said requests will be approved.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Currently, there is no reported associated fiscal impact with this agenda item at this time.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2024-10-22_ATT 1_ Public Events and Budget Ad Hoc Subcommittee Report_04112024
2. 2024-10-22_ATT2_EHRAC Biannual Report - July 2024_FINAL_07172024
3. 2024-10-22_ATT3_ City of Culver City Council Policy Statement 3002_10-23-2023
MOTION
That the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee:
1. Discuss the potential of a Community Conversation surrounding world events;
2. Consider utilizing the City Council Approved Work Plan - Community Conversation event slated for February 2025 for the aforementioned Community Conversation, or, alternatively, comply with the approval process to request an earlier event; and
3. Determine next steps as deemed appropriate.