1. Simon called the meeting to order at 5:30.
Attendance: Simon, Yamaguchi, Geraghty, Houston, Tyler, Mendel, Singh, Fayvor, Seltzer (staff liaison)
Absent: DuQuenne
Guests: None
Geraghty read the Land Acknowledgement and Simon read the Labor Acknowledgement
 
2. M/S approval of February 1, 2024 minutes Mendel/Tyler, motion passes unanimously. 

3. Public Input: None 

4.Discussion of meeting date change for May. Simon explained the meeting date for May will change from May 2 to May 9.In addition, Simon noted the need to schedule a social gathering in May. Seltzer will send a doodle poll.
 
5.Muse will attend the April meeting.At the previous request of SERJ members, she will provide practical actions to move SERJ projects towards a transformation outcome.The subcommittee for Listening Circles will develop questions to provide Muse in advance and Simon and Houston will develop questions about the Labor Acknowledgement to provide Muse in advance.

6. Discussion to meet in person or continue with Zoom.
Generally, the group agreed in person meetings were best, but due to individual committee schedules Zoom worked best. The group agreed to schedule social gatherings each quarter.   
M/S Mendel/Tyler to continue with hybrid meetings and commit to meeting in person for a social gathering four times per year. Motion passes unanimously.

6. Update from members.
Tyler attended several recent meetings/gatherings including:

• the meeting with other committee chairs
• the story telling event at SOU
• the Ashland Together gathering at Carpenter Hall
• a meeting at the library hosted by BASE. He noted that all were well attended.

Mendel also attended the story telling event and a meeting of SOU black students.

Members reported on meeting with or trying to schedule time with their SERJ buddies:
Simon/Fayvor
Mendel/Houston
Yamaguchi/Singh 

7. Geraghty walked the group through her report of the History of Racism in Ashland. She noted that this was done at the mayor’s request at the SERJ June 2023 meeting.  There were several suggestions on elaborating and clarifying parts of the report.  Houston will draft a cover memo addressing those points.  Once the memo and final report are approved by SERJ, it will be forwarded to the mayor and Council.
 
8. Simon provided the background on the development of the Labor Acknowledgement and explained the statement is a way to acknowledge that this country was built on stolen labor. She noted that SERJ presented this to the City Council in August of 2023.  She asked SERJ members for ideas on where and how this statement could be read.  Suggestions include meetings at SOU, OSF, City committee meetings etc. Simon and Houston will develop questions to provide to Muse on how to move this project forward. Tyler and Yamaguchi will send the statement to Linda Peterson Adams for discussion and consideration at an upcoming committee chair meeting. Houston will bring this forward to OSF and Yamaguchi will bring it forward to SOU.
 
M/S Simon made a motion to form a subcommittee to advance the Labor Acknowledgement, Mendel seconded. Motion passes unanimously.
M/S Simon made a motion to promote the use of the land acknowledgment to other groups in Ashland.  Mendel seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
 
9. Tyler spoke of his interest in having SERJ developing a pamphlet that addresses Free Speech. While there is a lot of information online, he thinks having a hard copy to pass out at gatherings would be useful and make the information more available to the general public. Mendel offered to help Tyler and Tipp suggested also developing the pamphlet as a QR code for folks that prefer not to have paper. Houston suggested the ACLU and Southern Poverty League might already have a free speech pamphlet.
 
M/S Tyler made a motion that SERJ supports the concept of a free speech pamphlet.  Mendel seconded.  Motion passes unanimously.  Tyler and Mendel will work together, and Tipp will help to develop the QR code.
 
10. Other Updates. Geraghty noted that AAUW is no longer interested in developing training sessions.

11. Meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.  Next meeting date is April 4, 2024.