Summary of Reparations Commission meeting, May 15

Press release from City of Asheville:

The Community Reparations Commission is empowered to make short, medium, and long-term recommendations that will make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism. The task of the Reparations Commission is to issue a report in a timely manner for consideration by the City, County, and other participating community groups for incorporation into their respective short-term and long-term priorities and plans.

Find the meeting recording on YouTube at this link.

Community Reparations Commission Meeting – May 15, 2023

I. Call to Order, Welcome and Chair Remarks
Quorum was met.

II. Roll Call
Roll was called.

III. Action Item: Approval of Agenda and minutes
Agenda was approved.

IV. Review: April 24th Meeting Survey Data
Data was reviewed.

V. IFA Updates (15 minutes each)

A. Health & Wellness

IFA members discussed work is continuing around potential recommendations in the following areas:

Provision of access to free healthcare
Eliminate bias and implement accountability of staff and providers
Stop harms and decreasing barriers
African-American healing and healthy spaces
African-American representation in decision-making
Utilizing City and County leverage
Compensation with Resources
Funding, Training and Education

B. Education

IFA members discussed work is continuing around potential recommendations in the following areas:

Teacher recruitment and retention (compensation, policy review, funding support for Black educators)
Community based education programs (tutoring, mentoring programs)
School suspensions and expulsion (community review board, day treatment programs, professional development, advocacy and know your rights campaign)

VI. Additional Follow Up

VII. Old Business

A. Comprehensive Audit RFP due June 8th

VIII. New Business

Presentation starts at the 72:45 minute mark

Project data and research update:
Update on the status of current IFA data requests
New IFA data requests temporary hold starting June 15.

CRC retreat discussion.

Retreat discussion starts at the 108:00 minute mark

IV. Public Comment
No public comment this session.

X. Wrap-up
Meeting adjourned at 8:08 pm.

NEXT MEETING: The next meeting of the Community Reparations Commission is not yet scheduled as it might be replaced with the Commission’s upcoming retreat. More information will follow as it becomes available.

IMPACT FOCUS AREA UPDATES

HEALTH AND WELLNESS IFA:

Goal: To reduce racial health disparities.
Key harms addressed: Racial health disparities leading to the death of African Americans, higher infant mortality rates, inadequate access to health care, and overall lower quality of life and health outcomes.

Recommendations Overview:
Provision of access to free healthcare
Eliminate bias and implement accountability of staff and providers
Stop harms and decreasing barriers
African-American healing and healthy spaces
African-American representation in decision-making
Utilizing City and County leverage
Compensation with Resources
Funding, Training and Education

EDUCATION IFA:

Goal: To expand access to quality education and to reduce the opportunity and achievement gaps in the local public school systems.

Key harms addressed: Segregation and Desegregation of Public Schools order of 1972 & 1991, Racial Opportunity Gap, Loss of Community for Children and Families.

Recommendations Overview:
Teacher recruitment and retention (compensation, policy review, funding support for Black educators)
Community based education programs (tutoring, mentoring programs)
School suspensions and expulsion (community review board, day treatment programs, professional development, advocacy and know your rights campaign)

Stay Informed:
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