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11-02-2017 MinutesCITY OF OCOEE Minutes of the Human Relations Diversity Board Regular Meeting Held November 02, 2017 I: CALL TO ORDER HRDB meeting was called to order by Chair Crown at 7:14 p.m. in Room 109 of Ocoee City Hall located at 150 North Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee, Florida. A. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Personal Reflection: Member Daily led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag; followed by Chair Crown asking for moment of personal reflection. B. Roll Call and Determination of Quorum: Secretary Mieras took roll call and determined quorum (8) was present. In Attendance (9): Chair Crown, Vice Chair Brown, & Members: Dawkins, Foster, Maxwell, Hershaw, Anderson- Robinson, & Daily. Member Hart arrived 7:26pm. Non -Voting Present: Ex-Officio Member Wright & Secretary Mieras. Absent (4): Members Vines, Calloway, Bell, & Osbourne. C. Review of Excused Absences: Members Vines & Calloway are excused absences. Members Bell & Osbourne are unexcused absences. D. Review Agenda for Tonight's Meeting: Chair Crown reviewed the agenda for tonight. E. Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed October 5th's meeting minutes. Motion made by Hershaw seconded by Brown and unanimously passed to approve the minutes with the written in changes correcting the budget total and stating Member Maxwell lead the Pledge of Allegiance. II: BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION A. Comments from Citizens/Public: None B. Budget Report: Ex-Officio Member Wright reported that as of this month the balance is $12,757.69. Ex-Officio Member Wright explained the HRDB needs a motion to approve payment for outstanding bills. Motion made by Daily, Second by Hershaw, and approved unanimously to pay $175.00 for five HRDB Shirts from BUniue Inc., $390.00 for an ad from West Orange Times Observer, and to approve Ex-Officio Member Wright to purchase updated business cards for HRDB members. C. Cemetery / EJI: Chair Crown announced the soil collection jars have not been delivered yet and asked if any further development has been made on determining the soil collection locations. Member Maxwell proposed the soil collection should be dictated by the HRDB. Member Maxwell reminds the board that obtaining the City Commissions blessing for the soil collection project is the ideal course of action and such blessing may be difficult to obtain since the jars represent a death toll the Each board, commission, or agency of this state or of any political subdivision thereof shall include in the notice of any meeting or hearing, if notice of the meeting orhearing in required, of such board, commission, or agency, conspicuously on such notice, the advice that, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the board, agency, or commission with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, he or she will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. The requirements of this section do not apply to the notice provided in s. 200.065(3). ALSO, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE 286.26: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, 150 N. LAKESHORE DRIVE, OCOEE, FL 34761, (407) 905-3105, 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. MORE THAN ONE COMMISSIONER MAY PARTICIPATE OR HEAR DISCUSSIONS REGARDING A MATTER WHICH WILL COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION FOR ACTION. City Commission has not approved. Chair Crown agrees that the board should strive for official approval; her goal is to get the marker approved first and then approach the City Commission about the soil collection project. D. Marker Final Wording: Each member received a copy of EJI's draft proposal (attached). Motion by Member Maxwell, Seconded by Anderson- Robinson, and approved unanimously that the historical marker language be accepted with the changes suggested and be finalized for presentation at the next possible City Commission meeting (approved wording attached). E. EJI Essay Scholarship: EJI provided a packet explaining their essay scholarship mentioned in the October 51h meeting (attached). Chair Crown will contact Kristin Congdon from EJI to confirm if EJI will sponsor an essay scholarship for Orange County on the Ocoee Election Day Massacre and the roles HRDB and EJI would have with the essay scholarship. Ideally the award presentation would align with HRDB's February elementary school essay contest and possibly a middle school art contest. Board members anticipate EJI will ask HRDB to help reimage the EJI packet for Orange County (Member Hershaw) and to assist with promotion. F. Other Business: Ocoee! A Novel: Member Maxwell shared his experience from the "Ocoee! A Novel" book signing with the board and announced he hopes to share a video of the event at the next meeting. Through this event the Winter Garden History Center has agreed to allow Member Maxwell to review artifacts relevant to the book. Member Dawkins asked the board to prepare for HRDB's role past educating the public about these events. HRDB needs to prepare to help people hurt by the past and to lead them to see how far the city has come. Members expressed the need to prepare concise message points to respond to these issues. HRDB Essay Contest: Motion by Member Dawkins, Seconded by Hershaw, and passed unanimously to make 2018's essay contest awards the same value as the previous year as well as approve the 2018 Essay Contest Schedule (listed below). Awards from Previous Year: Grand Prize (1): A prize valued at $250.00 1st Place (Per each school): Prize valued at $50.00 Merit Awards (based on number of quality submissions): Certificate of merit, goodie bag, & Chick-fil-a coupon 2018 Essay Contest Schedule: November 31't Distribute Instructions January 26th Submission Deadline February 12th 6:00pm Essay Review February 28th 6:30pm Awards *Award date & location dependent on venue availability. The Board will check with the Parks & Recreation Department and Lakeshore Center construction schedule to verify availability. Each board, commission, or agency of this state or of any political subdivision thereof shall include in the notice of any meeting or hearing, if notice of the meeting or hearing in required, of such board, commission, or agency, conspicuously on such notice, the advice that, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the board, agency, or commission with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, he or she will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. The requirements of this section do not apply to the notice provided in s. 200.065(3). ALSO, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE 286.26: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, 150 N. LAKESHORE DRIVE, OCOEE, FL 34761, (407) 905-3105, 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. MORE THAN ONE COMMISSIONER MAY PARTICIPATE OR HEAR DISCUSSIONS REGARDING A MATTER WHICH WILL COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION FOR ACTION. G. Set Next Agenda: Chair Crown, along with input from the board, set the agenda for the next meeting, which will be held on December 7th, 2017, said Agenda was established as listed below: I. CALL TO ORDER A. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Personal Reflection B. Roll Call and Determination of Quorum C. Review of Excused Absence(s) D. Review Agenda for Tonight's Meeting E. Review of Minutes from November 02, 2017 II. BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION A. Comments From Citizens/Public B. Budget Report C. Review HRDB City Commission Presentation D. EJI Essay Scholarship Updates E. MLK Essay Contest F. MLK Parade Logistics Route into Mall G. Other Business 8 H. Set Next Agenda for January 4th, 2010 I11. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS IV. ADJOURNMENT III: QUESTIONS/COMMENTS: IV: ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. AUTHENTICATION: These are the official minutes of the Ocoee Human Relations Diversity Board, as accepted by the Board at a meeting held on the date shown below. Any amendments to the minutes as originally prepared by the Secretary are indicated a b ve. Presiding 0 Icer Date Each board, commission, or agency of this state or of any political subdivision thereof shall include in the notice of any meeting or hearing, if notice of the meeting or hearing in required, of such board, commission, or agency, conspicuously on such notice, the advice that, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the board, agency, or commission with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, he or she will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. The requirements of this section do not apply to the notice provided in s. 200.065(3). ALSO, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE 286.26: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, 150 N. LAKESHORE DRIVE, OCOEE, FL 34761, (407) 905-3105, 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. MORE THAN ONE COMMISSIONER MAY PARTICIPATE OR HEAR DISCUSSIONS REGARDING A MATTER WHICH WILL COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION FOR ACTION. HRDB Approved 11-2-17 THE OCOEE ELECTION DAY MASSACRE November 2, 1920 In 1920, black residents in the Ocoee area owned land and businesses and were eager to vote. Despite a terrorizing Ku Klux Klan march through the Orlando streets on October 30, 1920, Mose Norman and other African Americans attempted to vote. They were turned away. After seeking advice from Orlando Judge John Cheney, Norman again attempted to vote. Armed whites stationed at the polls immediately assaulted him. Reportedly he fled to the home of his friend and business comrade, July Perry. A mob, seeking to capture Perry and Norman, surrounded and attacked Perry's home. Perry suffered a severe wound during the raid and was arrested and jailed. The next morning, November 3, 1920, a lynch mob took Perry from his cell, beat him severely, and hanged him at the entrance of the Orlando Country Club. His lifeless body was shot repeatedly. Mobs of white men from surrounding cities traveled to the northern quarters of Ocoee to join local white citizens in torching the homes and businesses of black residents. For two days the mob burned 25 black homes, two black churches, and a masonic lodge. Reports of black residents killed in the violence range from six to over 30 casualties. Survivors fled, never to return; the black community of Ocoee was forced out. Decades later, people of all races in Ocoee come together to acknowledge this hateful history in hope of a better future. The Equal Justice Initiative 2018 RACIAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA Thousands of black people were the victims of lynching and racial violence in the United States between 1877 and 1850. The lynching of African Americans during this era was a form of racial terrorism intended to intimidate black people and enforce racial hierarchy and segregation. Lynching was most prevalent in the South. After the Civil war, there was violent resistance to equal rights for African Americans and an ideology of white supremacy led to violent abuse of racial minorities and decades of political, social, and economic exploitation. Lynching became the most public and notorious form of terror and subordination. White mobs were usually permitted to engage in racial terror and brutal violence with impunity. Many black people were pulled out of jails or given over to mobs by law enforcement officials who were legally required to protect them. Terror lynchings often included burnings and mutilation, sometimes in front of crowds numbering in the thousands. Many of the names of lynching victims were not recorded and will never be known, but over 300 documented lynchings took place in Florida alone. Orange County had thirty-three documented lynchings —the highest of all counties in the state. The Equal Justice Initiative 2018 2017 Racial Justice Essay Contest Equal Justice Initiative The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is pleased to announce a scholarship contest open to all public school students grades 9-12 attending high school in Travis County where prizes totaling $5000 will be awarded to winning participants. The scholarship contest coincides with EJI's forthcoming dedication of a marker in Austin, Texas. The marker will memorialize three African Americans who were lynched in Travis County on August 14, 1894. Scholarship winners will be announced and recognized at an event unveiling the historical marker in November 2017 in Austin. Eligibility The 2017 Racial Justice Essay Contest is open to all public schools students in grades 9-12 living in or attending school in Travis County, Texas. Guidelines for Entries The history of racial inequality and economic injustice in America has created continuing challenges for all Americans. The lives ofAfrican Americans have been profoundly impacted by the era of slavery, the era of racial terror that continued from the end of Reconstruction until World War II, the era of Jim Crow and racial apartheid that produced the civil rights movement, and the present-day era of mass incarceration. EJI has documented over 330 lynchings of African Americans in the State of Texas, between 1877 and 1950. We believe that a deeper understanding about our nation's history of racial injustice is important to addressing contemporary questions of social justice and equality. (1) Students should review at least one of the following three websites: http://racialiniustice.ei L org http://Iynchinginamerica.eii. r http:l/voicesofthecivilrightsmoveme.nt.com (2) Students should then select one of the historical events featured on the sites as a focus topic for their essay. Entries can focus on any event referenced in those websites. The sites present hundreds of historical entries, short essays, and video testimonials highlighting historical events and issues in our nation's racial history. Students are encouraged to even read beyond what is featured on these websites, and also independently consult other sources about their selected event. (3) After selecting and exploring their chosen historical event, students should respond to one of the following prompts with a 700 to 800 word essay: i. Think about the historical event you've selected. Think about the children related to both sides of the violence or injustice. What are the major challenges that might prevent those children from living peacefully? Do you think it is possible for those children to overcome those challenges? If yes, why and how? If no, why and what should they do? E These websites feature commentary on the history of racial and economic injustice in the United States. Using the historical entry you selected, discuss how the history of racial and economic injustice can explain a specific contemporary issue. Do you see economic and social impacts of this history in your community today? If so, what are those impacts? Can awareness of history strengthen the ability of community members to change their current realities? iii. A myth of black inferiority and white supremacy was developed to justify slavery in the United States, and that narrative of racial difference was never explicitly challenged by the 13' Amendment that abolished slavery. Based on your examination of the historical entry you chose, do you think narratives of racial difference continue to shape American society? If so, how can we change these narratives? What myths do you see shaping the way people in your community responds to each other? Submission Details Contestants should include the attached entry form and provide their name, home address, email address and telephone number. Entrants should provide the name of the school they attend, their grade level, title of the submission, historical event referenced, and a word count. Submissions must not be longer than 800 words and no less than 700. Entries that are not the original work of the student will be disqualified. Essays along with the application form must be submitted by Monday, November 6, 2017 via email to Gabrielle Daniels at the Equal Justice Initiative at gdaniels@eji.org or via mail to the following address: Equal Justice Initiative c/o Gabrielle Daniels 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Awards Scholarship awards will total $5000. Winners will be notified via phone or email, and receive their awards and scholarships at a historical marker dedication ceremony planned for November 2017. EJ1 Scholarship Contest Application Form 2017 Racial Justice Essay Contest Travis County, Texas The Equal Justice Initiative is a nonprofit human rights organization providing legal services to the poor, incarcerated, and condemned. We challenge over -incarceration, excessive punishment, and unconstitutional conditions of confinement in American jails and prisons. EJI fights against abuse of children in the criminal justice system and the criminal prosecution of bids as adults. We are working to reform how police, prosecutors, and prisons treat the mentally disabled and other disfavored and vulnerable people, and we provide services to formerly incarcerated people. EJI is changing the way we talk about racial injustice in the United States by re-examining our country's history of enslavement, racial terror, segregation, and racial subordination. We produce reports, studies, documents, and interactive tools designed to advance social justice and protest for human rights, and we work with communities across the country to support criminal justice reform and improve the status of poor people and people of color. Entry Form and ParentfLegal Guardian Waiver Form Student Name: Student Email Address: School Name and Grade Level: Title of Entry and Word Count: Home Mailing Address: City, State, Zip Code: Parent/Legal Guardian Name: Parent/Legal Guardian Phone Number: Parent/Legal Guardian Email Address: Student Signature Date Parent/Legal Guardian Signature Date Entries along with this application form must be submitted by Monday, November 6, 2017 via email to Gabriel Daniels at the Equal Justice Initiative at gdanicls@cji.org or via mail to the following address: Equal Justice Initiative♦Gabrielle Daniels*122 Commerce Street+Montgomery, AL 36104 Winners will receive $5000 in scholarships and other prizes. Students use entries from EJI project sites or afftliate sites to respond to essay prompts. Guidance Counselors, Social Studies Teachers and English Teachers will have further in- structions. Essays will be judged based on use of Critical Thinking, Research, and Writing Skills. The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) invites all public students grades 9-12 attending high school in Travis County to participate in a scholarship contest. Scholarship winners will be publicly announced and recognized at an event scheduled to take place in November 2017. Essays along with application form must be emailed by Monday, November 6, 2017, to Gabrielle Daniels (EJI) at gdaniels@eji.org or mailed to : Equal Justice Initiative c/o Gabrielle Daniels 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 334-269-1803 2017 Racial Justice Essay Contest Open to all Travis County Public High School Students (Grades 9 --12) Essay: 700 word minimum 800 word maximum $5000in scholarships and other prizes. Deadline: Monday, November S, 2017 Mieras, Justin From: Wright, Joy Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2017 12:17 PM To: 'Kathleen'; 'William Maxwell'; 'Braundon Vines'; 'Ira Calloway'; Keller, Joel; 'Nicole Dawkins'; 'Paul Hershaw'; 'Sandria Foster'; 'BillieJean Dailey'; 'Tbrown113 @knightsmcf.edu'; 'Sisiori@att.net'; 'Brown, Travis i_.; 'daralenebell@gmail.com; 'rada64 @aol.com'; 'osbournesteve67@gmail.com' Cc: Mieras, Justin Subject: FW: Essay Competition Attachments: EA 2017 Travis County Racial Justice Essay Contest.pdf; Travis County.Essay Competition Announcement.pdf Greetings, Please read the emails below, and the attached for discussion at tomorrow's meeting: EJI Scholarship Program Thank you! Joy Porter Wright Community Relations Manager City of Ocoee 150 North Lakeshore Drive I Ocoee, FL 134761 407.905.3100 x9-1530 I FAX 407.905.3151 iwright@ocoee.org I ocoee.org I Ocoee TV Ch. 493 1 Facebook From: KGCongdon [mailto:kgcongdon@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, October 27, 2017 1.40 PM To: Crown, Kathleen M. Cc: Wright, Joy; Evan Milligan; Kiara Boone Subject: Fwd: Essay Competition Good afrernoon Kathleen, ,See the note below from EJI detailing the scholarship program, which I know you will be talking about next week at the Diversity Board meeting. Please feel free to contact Evan directly if you have questions about the scholarships. Begin forwarded message: From: Evan Milligan <emillialan _.eji.org> Subject: Essay Competition Date: October 27, 2017 at 1:16:1 b PM EDT To: KGCongdon <kgcongdon(q)gmail.com> Cc: Kiara Boone <kboonega eii.org> Kristin, Hi! Thank you for the update! Please find below and attached an example of the essay competition packet that we typically email/mail out to schools. This is an example of what we've sent to fatuity in Austin, Texas leading up to a marker installation we plan to do there this December. Please let me know if anything is unclear. We won't be using the calendars as a prompt, we are using content from websites to simplify the process. In order to effectively roll out the competition, it's important to have a list of Orange County public schools and preferably contacts (ideally with functioning email addresses) identified within each school as well as the school system's central office if possible. Sending emails to counselors and faculty members rarely produces the outcome of students from that school submitting thoughtfully written essays. Sending the emails and mailing the packets is a first step. However, the important next steps involve following up with phone calls and in person visits so that the faculty have a personal sense of the faces and voices behind the effort. Most counselors and 9-12 public school faculty are overwhelmed by physical mail, email messages, and managing student/parent interactions. Our communications will be easily lost absent thorough follow up. ER staff are able to make some follow up phone calls, but it is always helpful to involve members of the local community who may have personal relationships with these faculty members or members of the public school system's central office staff. Evan ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Evan Milligan <emilliganaQ eii.org> Date: Mon, Oct 9, 2017 at 4:28 PM Subject: ER Scholarship Competition To: erika.montoyagaustinisd.org Cc: Gabrielle Daniels <g_daniels ch.or >, Abigail Gellman <ag lln-an eii.org> Erika We are excited to announce our Racial Justice Essay scholarship Competition open to all public school students, grades 9-12, attending high school in Travis County. Selected winners will receive $5000 in scholarships and other prizes. Attached is the scholarship announcement which includes the guidelines for entry, submission details, and the parent/legal guardian waiver form. I've also attached a flyer with the essay competition details. All scholarship entries must be submitted by Monday, November 6th, 2017. The winners will be notified via phone or email, and receive their awards and scholarships at our historical marker dedication ceremony in Austin during November 2017. We've asked the students to use entries from the following websites as source material for their essays: • ht!p://racialinjustice.eji.org • http://Iynchinginamerica.eji.org • http://voicesofthecivilijzhtsmovement.com Our staff and Austin based supporters will be following up on this email within the next week. We look forward to answering any questions you may have. You can find more information about our racial justice essay competition Jere, here and here. You can also find information about our founder and Executive Director, Bryan. Stevenson, in any of the links below. We hope that your students can participate in this opportunity. Thank you for your consideration Best, Evan Milligan Evan Milligan Law Fellow Equal Justice Initiative 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Office: 334-269-1803 Cell: 334-590-1702 Connect with us! Facebook Twitter Instagra€n www. e' i.or Bryan Stevenson: http://time.com/col Ieotion-poost/3823265/bryan-stevenson-2©15-time- I OO/ https://www.ted.co€n/talks,,b[ya€i stevenson_we�need to talk about an injustice lotus:/Iw�vw.brook[ynmuseuni.org/exliibitions!ask/legacy of lynching litt12://www.oprah.co€nlown-super-soul-sundaei'bEyan-stevenson-why beingtough-on-crinic-corrupts-us-video https.://ww-w.youttibe.com/watch?v--Rh2i7xA&NFw https://www.voutube.com/watcli?v=vYM3HAVPPG8&t--9s hqps.,//www.youtube.com/watr,h?v=3BWTl14pkQLEk Evan. Milligan Law Fellow Equal Justice Initiative 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Office: 334-269-1803 Cell: 334-590-1702 Connect with us! Facebook Twitter Instagram www.eji.org