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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-05-2019 Supporting Documents CITY OF OCOEE 40//r 150 N. Lakeshore Drive Ocoee, Florida 34761 O C O e e 407-905-3100 florida SPEAKING RESERVATION FORM l DATE City Boards �J / / // k7)NAME/�l/ 91f- /749X t! I PHONE# - 71-.5/225 ADDRESS �� O `�?7i /Tun/ • ZIP CODE 7 / E-MAI4�k 1770 e,,y1/€ 6 L, C t I want to address the Board about: i37e'Q/ I� ('cr1�_ /SEX01 Chi/Le5 /1/1' Do you have a prepared statement, or other document(s) from which you will address the Board? No Yes if yes, please attach copy of same to this Reservation Form. All proceedings before the Commission shall be governed by the Civility Code —see back The following time limits to speak are in effect: Public Hearings: petitioner presentation - 15 minutes; citizen comments - 5 minutes per speaker; petitioner rebuttal - 5 minutes. Open to Public— Citizens Comments - 3 minutes per speaker, per meeting. TO: Ocoee City Council 5 March 5, 2019 150 North Lakeshore Drive Ocoee, Florida 34761-3271 FM: William E. Maxwell Chairman, Memorial Marker Committee Human Relations Diversity Board 150 N. Lakeshore Drive Ocoee,Florida 34761-3271 Subj: Request for Media Coverage and Support Gentlemen: The above request is predicated on the existence of a need that was created upon the acceptance by the Human Relations Diversity Board of an invitation extended to the City of Ocoee to participate in a National Symposium being held at the University of Florida, in Gainesville on 21 —23 March 2019. a. Background: In June 2018, I received a written invitation via email from Dr. Paul Ortiz, Director, Samuel Proctor's Oral History Department, University of Florida in Gainesville, to participate in a Panel/Speaker role during the conduct of a Symposium honoring the opening of the Joel Buchanan Archive of African American Oral History on 21-23 March 2019. Although I felt completely capable and qualified to speak accurately on the history of Ocoee; instead, I felt this was a golden opportunity for our Human Relations Diversity Board(HRDB)to provide for our community, an in depth look at how it fulfills one of its assigned purposes of educating city officials and our citizens. The request/suggestion was brought to the HRDB, which unanimously voted to approve the attendance and participation of a Panel of five(5) of its members to accompany Mayor Johnson to the University of Florida, Gainesville to represent the City of Ocoee in this National Symposium on African American History and the unveiling of 600+Oral History Collections at George A. Smathers Libraries. b. Coordination Meeting: On 16 October 2018, a coordination meeting was held at the University of Central Florida with Dr. Paul Ortiz, Ph. D., Director of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, University of Florida, Gainesville. c. Meeting Purpose: The purpose of the meeting was to discuss, review and gain approval of the proposed theme for our Ocoee Panelists' participation in the 21 —23 March 2019 Symposium for the Unveiling of the Joel Buchanan Archive of African American Oral History. This meeting concluded with Dr. Ortiz's approval of the Topic Outline submitted for his evaluation, and a confirmation of the invitation for our attendance and participation. d. Approved Theme for the Symposium Panel Presentation: "Ocoee, One-Hundred Years of Reconciliation and Accountability.' e. Rationale for this Request: The theme of the Symposium at the University of Florida: "From Segregation to Black Lives Matter: is a Symposium and Celebration of the Opening of the Joel Buchanan Archive of African American Oral History. This National Symposium on African American History and the Unveiling of 600+ Oral History Collection at George A. Smathers Libraries will attract Community leaders and Educators from all corners of this country. It creates a National stage on which our City and Mayor can clearly demonstrates the efforts being put forth by the Ocoee to portray to the state and nation, its newly adopted attitude on cultural diversity. A request for authorization to travel was prepared, submitted and funding has been approved and set-aside for lodging,travel, meals and per diem for each individual who will be travelling to the University of Florida at Gainesville, Florida. To date, there has been no appropriation for media coverage and capture of the event. f. Within less than a year's time since the "unanimous attitudinal change"of heart of our leaders, we have managed to elect an African American to a position of authority in city government; adapt a declaration of intent to never oppose equality of all people within the City, again; install a Memorial Marker and conduct a Memorial Service in honor of those individuals whose lives and properties were taken; and declared the 2nd day of November each year to be a"Day of Remembrance"for those residents of Ocoee and West Orange County who lost their lives and property through an act of domestic terror; and that any future cultural public event held by the City during the first week of November shall acknowledge the terrible events of November 1920 that sought to disenfranchise a group of citizens and shall emphasize the community's need for cultural diversity. g. The participation of our citizens in this National Symposium,telling the story of Ocoee's history... "Ocoee, One Hundred Years of Reconciliation and Accountability."Represents the truest form of telling how our City has grown, and is growing into the"most diversified municipality"with a population under 50,000 inhabitants within the state of Florida; and that our efforts to diversify the culture within our City could be used as a model for other cities throughout; to create and demonstrate their hope for a diverse culture, which can grow out of the past acts of terror,bigotry, despair and disgrace that threatens all humanity. h. We will tell how we intend to move this outreach effort forward by creating an "educational syllabus"of instruction using the principles,techniques and skill sets contained in the concept of Instructional Design (ID)to formulate a template of African American history...Ocoee, specific to be submitted to the Orange County Public School System(OCPSS) for review, evaluation, accreditation, adaptation and integration into the curriculum of today's middle-school's history classes being taught to our children at eighth grade level, which are presently devoid of any and all facts related to this very dark chapter of our City's history. i. This introduction should be made specifically at the Middle School level of instruction during the beginning semester/quarter of the eight grades. We believe the students are only then approaching a state of maturation (chronologically, emotionally and psychologically)to be able to embrace, grasp and accept the true essence of the magnitude of what the story conveys to them. j. Media Coverage Needs: It is my solemn belief that the entire contents of this symposium should be given full media coverage from the opening gavel to the closing benediction. Attendance and participation in events captured on video can be used for future educational requirements such as board member training sessions. Our Panel's version of the"Ocoee Story,"will become invaluable towards embellishing the City's efforts at enhancing cultural diversity. The captured digital footage combined with footage from other events in the City (the Downtown Development Construction, MLK Parade and Celebration, Black History Essay Contest, Founder's Day, Spring Fling and The State of the City) could and should be converted into a documentary depicting the total essence of change that is taking place in the City within the past two years. One knowledgeable Camera Person could very effectively provide the necessary coverage of the events of the Symposium with some constructive guidelines on what's to be captured on video. Finally,the City's leadership has taken great measures to acknowledge, recognize and denounce the very sordid acts of past history through the development, publication and release to the public, the Proclamation of 20 November 2018; but there is still much to be accomplished. The Proclamation can be a mechanism for affecting the change needed to solidify the dedication of resources necessary to establish a program of educational training in Race Relations. This training must be extended to the City officials and staff in an outreach effort to promote a"Top Down,"approach to changing the existing culture in the daily workplace. Yes,the leadership of the City has embraced the concept of Change. However, there must be positive indicators emplaced throughout every facet of the current and future administrations, which will reveal a manifestation of reality as it relates to human behavior. There must be the acquisition of an outside source of expertise training,which specializes in human behavior,the workplace culture, and Race Relations as it relates to Cultural Diversity in order to reap the fullest benefit of the intentions expressed in the proclamation. Respectfully submitted, 1 //jam , , William E. Maxwell Chairman, Memorial Marker Committee Human Relations Diversity Board 150 N. Lakeshore Drive Ocoee,Florida 34761-3271 r ti v i g0 N I i i n .. _. ;., i , i -,- 1 -ow ....„ .g.:. - ris - _ ,. .,,, , , 4 8 z J. ( N - lig i __ .ISI �, � i oti, -,/ L ..*: \ ,.. , \ , 4 i 'if - ". \ 1 1 . ,..., e.-- I ,_4 1. % I 4 4 .tel cy) C) — O O q 0 C14 O N O g CS CU RI g E-1 W11.41. p q tn ri:4 11...1.2 ril _...1 ... „4 OM � � *pia � k Oni 4:41 � X k "" � � � a � O _ A4- roo ° > 2 P < li a, PO ') p Public Open House Silver Star Road Presented by MetroPlan Orlando Complete Streets&Concept Development *1-- metroplan orlando �O A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PARTNERSHIP 401. I-N SILVER STAR RD ocoee COMPLETE STREETS STUDY Ilorid° Join Us for an Informational Forum! Palm Drive i G �l � ;� 0 , Y d `� N.T .S. aa c aW Silver Star Road r —� o r 0 I 1 C .* C r atim Wo g: Q r QO 1 ttti L Q W Franklin Street E 1 — : Starke �1'o Z = Lake WINTER I OCOEE So I City GARDEN or Hall rt E Oakland Avenue !•A EM a eet Magnolia Street g o I d i1 � I 4 _ I Floral Street v a Lafayette Street 7Ocoee Business Parkway -. W Ohio Street , I I ! T Woman's Club of Ocoee Project Overview 4 North Lakewood Drive The Silver Star Road Complete Streets Study evaluated options to Ocoee, FL 34761 provide a lower cost alternative to roadway widening with improved safety while including an extension of the West Orange Trail to Let Us Know What You Think! Downtown Ocoee. MetroPlan Orlando is leading the study, working Thursday, March 1432019 directly with City of Ocoee, to develop recommendations that support y> the overall Downtown Vision while maintaining a safe and reliable 5:30 to 7:00pm connection to SR 429 and destinations to the east. Drop in anytime between 5:30 and 7:00pm. For information regarding the Silver Star Road Complete Streets No formal presentation will be given. Study, you can visit MetroPlan Orlando's website at: https://metroplanorlando.org/board-comm ittees/working- For more information, contact: groups/silver-star-road-study/ Nick Lepp,AICP, CTP Director of Transportation Planning Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, MetroPlan Orlando age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. Persons wishing to express 407-481-5672 x324 their concerns relative to MetroPlan Orlando compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting our Title VI coordinator/public information manager, nlepp@metroplanorlando.org Cynthia Lambert,at 407-481-5672 x320 or info@metroplanorlando.org.