Social Equity and Racial Justice Commission
Minutes
September 1, 2022, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
1. Call to order: 5:09
Attendance: Yamaguchi, Gillis, Simon, Choudhary, Williams, DuQuenne (council liaison), Seltzer (staff liaison), non-voting members Angela Decker, Juan Miguel Santiago
Absent: None
Guests: Public Art Commissioners Ken Engelund (chair) and Cassie Perkins
2. Approval of Minutes June 2022:
Due to time constraints this item was moved to the October 6 meeting.
3. Public Input: None
4. Simon welcomed Decker, Santiago, Engelund, Perkins and invited each person to give a brief introduction of themselves.
5. Perkins gave a brief presentation about the Say Their Names Coalition and noted the PAC commitment to the importance of cultural diversity and the diversity of art and artists. Engelund noted the timeline of the process of STN to PAC.
The sculpture by Michah Blacklight named Ancestors Future: Crystalizing Our Call, is scheduled for the City Council meeting on September 20.
SERJ members discussed what they can do to support the project.
M/S Simon/Gillis moved to write a letter to the City Council stating SERJ support of the sculpture and to submit the letter to the City Recorder for inclusion in the council packet for the September 20 meeting and approving Gillis and Williams to write and submit the letter. Motion passes unanimously.
6. Simon presented a brief overview of the proposed commission restructuring.
7. Yamaguchi provided an update on the celebration of the Pride parade and Indigenous People’s Day.
SERJ members who will walk in the parade are to meet at Union Street and Siskiyou Blvd. at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 8. Each person should wear a different colored t-shirt and notify Seltzer which color they will be wearing.
SERJ in conjunction with Catalyst will host a viewing of art by Native American artist Isabella Saavedra on first Friday, October 7 in celebration of Indigenous People’s Day from 4:00 – 6:00.
SERJ members are asked to bring either drink or food to to provide to the public. Yamaguchi noted that since Indigenous People’s Day is a holiday, it is unlikely that SOU will host a celebration.
DuQuenne noted that Pride will have a presence at several locations on First Friday.
Meeting adjourned: 6:35 p.m.
