2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
ANDREA SHORTER
President
KAY GULBENGAY
Vice President
NICKY CALMA
Commissioner
KAY GULBENGAY
Commissioner
DORKA KEEHN
Commissioner
JING XU LEE
Commissioner
CAROLENE MARKS
Commissioner
ANDREA SHORTER
Commissioner
EMILY MURASE, PhD
Executive Director
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COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Members Present Staff Present
Commissioner Nicky Calma Administrative Analyst Laura Marshall
Vice President Kay Gulbengay Policy Analyst Anu Menon Commissioner Dorka Keehn Policy Analyst Jill Tregor
Vice President Carolene Marks Grants Administrator Carol Sacco
Commissioner Katherine Munter (5:20 pm)
President Andrea Shorter
Excused: Commissioner Jing Xu Lee
I. CALL TO ORDER/AGENDA CHANGES
President Andrea Shorter called the meeting to order at 5:10 pm and welcomed all present. On the occasion of her first meeting as President, she thanked her fellow Commissioners, Department staff, and community partners for their work.
Action: Approved agenda. m/s/c/ (Marks/Keehn/Unanimous)
No public comment.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Action: Approved draft minutes from June 24, July 25, and August 13, 2008.
Action: Approved amended draft minutes from February 27, 2008.
m/s/c/ (/Shorter/Unanimous)
III. EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT DISCUSSION
A. Executive Director's Report
Explanatory document - The Executive Director's Report discusses the work of the Department according to the 5 principles of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Ordinance: Implementation of Women & Girls Human Rights, Right to Adequate Standard of Living, Right to Bodily Integrity, Right to Adequate Healthcare, and Human Rights of Girls to Education and Social Services.
Dr. Murase highlighted the Department's work providing assistance to the Human Service Agency on developing a new women's facility for permanent supportive housing. Commissioner Marks asked about the time commitment involved in the housing work, given that the Department does not have much time to work on health issues. Dr. Murase responded that the Department was invited to provide technical assistance to the project at the request of Dariush Kayhan of the Mayor's Office. Commissioners expressed support for the work. Commissioner Marks inquired about the status of the collaboration with the Department of Public Health on a proposed women's health coordinator. Dr. Murase responded that efforts were being spearheaded by the Human Service Agency.
Grants Administrator Carol Sacco reported that last year Combined Charities Campaign raised $1.5 million. This year, the City has a goal of raising $1.6 million. In past years, 100% of Department staff members have donated through the campaign, which runs through the month of October. Dr. Murase encouraged all Commissioners to also donate. President Shorter encouraged donations by Commissioners as well.
Policy Analyst Anu Menon reported that the Gender Equality Principles Initiative was kicked off last Friday, September 19 with an inaugural roundtable. Following the information session in May, 13 private sector entities have signed on to the Initiative. The roundtable focused on work-life balance and career development. Commissioner Gulbengay commended the Department on its progress, from initial discussions about the project to actually having companies commit to the Initiative. Ms. Menon stated that the next roundtable will be held on January 9, with a third roundtable scheduled for March, to coincide with Women's History Month. The Department hopes to feature the Mayor and CEOs of participating companies at the March event. Commissioner Keehn asked about common issues that surfaced during the roundtable. Ms. Menon responded that participants shared a concern about modeling of work-life balance among senior executives and the importance of making the issues relevant to all employees, including women without children and men.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Agenda and are considered to be routine by the Commission on the Status of Women. They will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Commission so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as a separate item. Members of the public may speak on each item listed on the Consent Agenda.
B. Resolution Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center
D. Resolution Recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month
E. Resolution Recognizing 10 Years of the Tall Ship Semester for Girls
F. Resolution Marking the 25th Anniversary of the Riley Center
Action: To approve the Consent Agenda.
m/s/c (Gulbengay/Munter/Unanimous)
Jodi Schwartz, Executive Director of LYRIC, expressed appreciation for the Commission's resolution commemorating 20 years of service. She provided annual reports and invited Commissioners to celebratory events. She introduced Emily Encina who is a member of the Young Women's Leadership Program which is partially funded by the Department. President Shorter explained that she had served on the board many years ago.
Alicia Hill, Tall Ships Semester for Girls, thanked the Commission for the resolution marking the 10-year anniversary. Last year, the program took girls on a 6-week voyage to the Caribbean. Ms. Hill explained that the experience changed her life.
Mari Alaniz, Executive Director of the Riley Center, expressed appreciation for the Commission's resolution marking 25 years of service and invited Commissioners to a celebration on Sunday, October 5.
V. OLD BUSINESS
A. Strategic Plan Approval
Dr. Murase directed Commissioners to the revised Strategic Plan for FY08-09, included in their materials, she stated that it is similar to earlier drafts, though it has been reorganized based upon attempts by the Department to make program headings more intuitive. Commissioner Dorka Keehn suggested that Commissioners be assigned for each area. The following Commissioners were assigned to the respective areas:
Women's Human Rights - Vice President Gulbengay
Violence Against Women Prevention Commissioner Munter
& Intervention Grants Program
Justice & Courage Project Commissioner Keehn
Family Violence Council Andrea Evans (Former Commissioner and now designee)
Language Access Commissioner Lee
Trafficking President Shorter
Sexual Harassment Commissioner
Healthcare Commissioner Marks
Maxine Doogan, who identified herself as an Erotic Service Provider, commented on the trafficking portion of the strategic plan. She suggested that the strategic plan include an investigation into the number of convictions, a listing of industries that victims are trafficked into, and other data.
Slava Saska asked the Commission to consider both sides of the anti-trafficking issue. He stated that the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women sees things differently from the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women.
Action: To approve the 2008-2009 Commission Strategic Plan.
m/s/c (Marks/Calma/Unanimous)
B. Themes for Commission Meetings and Location for Community Meeting
Commissioners discussed the proposed schedule of topics.
Policy Analyst Anu Menon provided a suggestion for additional themes. Several months include updates from Departments that have completed a gender analysis. The Commission could also ask new departments to come forward to answer questions about the status of women employees and constituents served by that department. This could be a way to raise the visibility of the Commission with other departments, as discussed at the July 2008 Retreat. Commissioner Keehn asked if there are any areas that the Commission wants to educate itself on.
Commissioners discussed the gender budgeting training that the Department conducted with the Mayor’s Budget Office. This was the first time in the history of the U.S. that a municipality looked at its budget with a gender lens, and Department staff members are currently working with the Mayor’s Budget Office toward incremental implementation. Commissioners asked to have an update from the Mayor’s Budget Office on how this process worked for them, and discussed the best timing for it. President Shorter stated that this is a very important issue and should be central and core to how the City’s budget should be constructed. Because May and June are very busy months for the Mayor’s Budget Office, Dr. Murase suggested inviting representatives to the July Commission meeting. This will allow them time to analyze how the gender budgeting format worked. Vice President Gulbengay suggested also having representatives attend the December 17, 2008 Commission meeting, since budget instructions are released in December, to provide the Commission with their strategies for how they will be implementing a gendered framework in the upcoming budget cycle.
Beckie Masaki, Executive Director of the Asian Women's Shelter, recommended that the Commission hold its November community meeting on trafficking at Cameron House. Cameron House is funded by the Department as part of the Anti-Asian Trafficking Collaborative. Ms. Masaki asked that the Commission include as part of its regular agenda an update from Partner Agencies so that service providers can inform the Commission of their activities.
VII. PUBLIC COMMENT
President Shorter explained that the Commission and the Department is not permitted to take a position on ballot initiatives. Videographer Maxine Doogan identified herself. President Shorter explained that member of the public are entitled to videotape public proceedings.
Slava Saska, a union organizer for IWW and in favor of Prop K (decriminalizing prostitution), highlighted the mischaracterization of the issue by opponents of Prop K. He recommended that the community be involved in a dialogue with consensual sex workers.
Reverend Glenda Hope who has worked in the Tenderloin for 36 years and is a founder of the Safe House for Women stated that of the clients she works with, 75% of women reported extended periods of homelessness, 90% have mental health diagnoses, and 90% reported sexual abuse or rape. Reverend Hope objected to the provision in Prop K that would prohibit funding of services for prostitutes.
Suzy Wong, a 25 year veteran of housing issues, spoke against Prop K and expressed concern about the provision that would eliminate funding for services.
Carmen Rosales who works in the Mission District expressed concern about existing problems with drugs and violence, which she expects to worsen with the decriminalization of prostitution. She objects to the message to children that prostitution is OK.
Aileen Hernandez who serves on the board of Safe House spoke about the women's movement in the 1960s. She explained that the leaders in this movement concluded that there is no such thing as voluntary prostitution. She is very concerned about the elimination of funding to organizations that address the needs of women. She urged the Commissioners to read the proposition carefully.
Dara Sinara, Anti-Trafficking Coordinator at the SAGE Project, stated that the Commission would not be hearing from the women who are most impacted, the women who are regularly raped and violated as prostitutes. She fears that the proposition legitimizes pimps and trafficking.
Molly Ring, Outreach Worker at the SAGE Project, explained that the SAGE Project works to end the exploitation of women and stated that the proposition would ultimately cause harm to women.
Nora Del Vaca, stated that a similar ballot initiative was conducted in Berkeley but was voted down by 64%. She stated that Prop K would have a negative impact on women as it would take away the city's ability to fight pimps and trafficking.
Stacey has been a prostitute for 10 years, 5 years in San Francisco. She explained that when she started out, she had no money for food. One of her early clients abused her, but she was terrified to go to the police. She explained that her sex work enables her to pursue her bachelor's degree. She recently joined the St. James Infirmary staff as a grant writer and wants to improve the working condition for prostitutes.
Maxine Doogan is an erotic service provider and a proponent of Prop K. She and other sex workers submitted 12,000 signatures in support of Prop K. She stated that by decriminalization Prop K, prostitutes will no longer be afraid to come forward when they are victims of crime. According to Ms. Doogan, Prop K will promote public health and free up public monies to be directed to serious crimes.
Rachel West of the US Prostitutes Collective stated her belief that Prop K would have a life-saving impact on women. Ms. West stated that Immigrant women fear police raids. imprisonment, rape, and deportation.
Lori Daran, a 35-year veteran of nursing and legal action for women, stated that no women are safe when prostitute women are unsafe. She reported on a serial killer in Los Angeles that is targeting women victims. She expressed that Prop K will provide a public mandate to redirect police resources to serious crime.
Lela stated that women should determine their own destinies. She objected to negative views about sex and criminalizing prostitutes. She urged that police enforcement should be directed to kidnappers, panderers, and women abusers, rather than on mothers, sisters, and daughters. She explained that she is a student who is entitled to control her future.
VIII. ADJOURN
President Shorter, together with Commissioner Marks in absentia, asked that the meeting be adjourned in memory of human rights and women rights activist Del Martin.
Motion to adjourn the meeting in memory of Del Martin. m/s/c (Munter/Gulbengay/Unanimous).
Meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm.
The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers, and similar sound producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.
Explanatory documents: For copies of explanatory documents listed in this agenda, and other related materials received by COSW, please contact the Department on the Status of Women at 25 Van Ness Ave, Suite 130, San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: 415-252-2570, fax: 415-252-2575. Also, to the extent possible, documents will be available on the COSW website at http://www.sfgov.org/cosw.
Know Your Rights under the Sunshine Ordinance(Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)
Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decision in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review. For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance, or to report a violation of the Ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force at 415-554-7724. To obtain a free copy of the Sunshine Ordinance contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall, Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4689, phone: 415-554-7724, fax: 415-554-7854. Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can also be obtained from the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s website at www.sfgov.org.
Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements
Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code § 2.100] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the San Francisco Ethics Commission at 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 220, San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: 415-252-3100, fax: 415-252-3112; web site: sfgov.org/ethics.
