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COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
5:00 PM
Visitacion Valley Middle School
450 Raymond Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94134
Members Present
President Andrea Shorter
Vice President Williams
Commissioner Andrea Evans
Commissioner Jing Xu Lee
Commissioner Carolene Marks
Commissioner Katherine Munter
Staff Present
Executive Director Emily Murase, PhD
Secretary Jennifer Baker
Grants Administrator Richard Eijima
CEDAW Analyst Kim-Shree Maufas
Justice & Courage Analyst Colleen Montoya
Policy Analyst Carol Sacco
I. CALL TO ORDER / AGENDA CHANGES
President Andrea Shorter called the meeting to order at 5:20 pm. Executive Director Murase introduced additional resolutions under imperative agenda with a purely commendatory finding.
Action: Resolutions 2006-022 through 2006-025 were added to the consent agenda. m/s/c (Marks/Munter/Unanimous)
No public comment.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES .
Action: Approved draft minutes from March 22, 2006 with minor corrections. m/s/c (Williams/Marks/Unanimous)
No public comment.
III. PRESIDENT’S REPORT
President Shorter thanked those in attendance from the Visitacion Valley community for hosting the Commission’s monthly meeting at Visitacion Valley Middle School. She also congratulated the Department on the Status of Women (Department) and thanked the several community advocates who helped secure $800,000 is additional funding for violence-prevention programs.
IV. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
A. Executive Director
Executive Director Murase provided the Commission a written report summarizing the work of the Department in each of the areas of the Commission’s Strategic Plan: the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)’s Implementation of Women & Girls Human Rights, the Right to an Adequate Standard of Living, the Right to Bodily Integrity, the Right to Adequate Healthcare, and the Human Rights of Girls to Education and Social Services.
Dr. Murase thanked Commissioners Andrea Shorter and Dorka Keehn for their help in securing the additional funding for violence-prevention programs, which she noted passed after a second reading in front of the Board of Supervisors on April 25. She reported that she will be working with accounting and department staff in the coming weeks to firm up contracts for the supplemental funds. An invitation was extended to the Commission to attend the City Employee Night at the Asian Art Museum on May 11, 2006 from 5pm – 9pm.
V. 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.
Action: Approved Consent Agenda. m/s/c (Williams/Munter/Unanimous)
A. Res. 2006-014: Resolution recognizing May as Women’s Health Month
B. Res. 2006-015: Resolution recognizing May as Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month
C. Res. 2006-016: Resolution recognizing James Dierke as Administrator of the Year for middle grades by the Association of California School Administrators
D. Res. 2006-017: Resolution recognizing the San Francisco Women’s Rehabilitation Foundation Stepping Stone’s 44th Anniversary Gala
E. Res. 2006-018: Resolution recognizing Asian Women’s Shelter Building a New World: Justice Across Borders
F. Res. 2006-019: Letter to Mayor in support of funding for the UCSF Trauma Recovery Center
G. Res. 2006-020: Resolution recognizing the contributions of Bernice Casey to the Commission
H. Res. 2006-021: Resolution recognizing April 26, 2006 as The Day of Silence®, a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bullying and harassment unacceptable
I. Res. 2006-022: Resolution recognizing May 5th as Cinco De Mayo
J. Res. 2006-023: Resolution recognizing Partners Ending Domestic Abuse and the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium
K. Res. 2006-024: Resolution in honor of San Francisco Safety Awareness for Everyone (SAFE)
L. Res. 2006-025: Resolution Commending Ljiljana Raicevic for Advancing Women's Human Rights
President Shorter acknowledged former Executive Secretary for the Commission Bernice Casey, thanked her for her service to the Department and Commission, and wished her well in her new position.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Adjusted Commission 2006 Calendar
Dr. Murase provided the Commission with a proposed meeting calendar. After discussion, the Commission decided on the following: a Special Meeting to be held June 8, 2006 from 12:00 – 1:30 at a location TBD; changing the July Retreat from Friday, July 14 to Friday, July 28, all day at a location in the Richmond District TBD; changing the December Commission meeting from Tuesday, December 19 to Tuesday, December 12, 5:00 – 7:00 pm at City Hall, Room 408; the Department and Commission Holiday party to be held Friday, December 15 at a location TBD.
Action: Approved Adjusted Commission Calendar. m/s/c (Shorter/Williams/Unanimous)
Dr. Murase asked the Commission to let Secretary Jennifer Baker know of any planned absences from future Commission Meetings. She noted that a record of three unexcused meeting absences is grounds for removal from the Commission.
B. Visitacion Valley Beacon Center
Executive Director Eli Horne provided the Commission with an overview of the work and programs of the Visitacion Valley Beacon Center, including tutoring, English language classes, and after-school activities for 150 children per day at the Center, amounting in service to approximately 1200 community members per year. He reported on girl-specific outreach of the Center, including a partnership with the Girls After School Academy, focusing on girls’ health, language outreach, and social activities within Visitacion Valley. Mr. Horne noted that the top two problems facing the area are domestic violence and gang violence and asked for the Commission’s help in crisis intervention and outreach, especially towards the youth of the community.
Public Comment
Sharen Hewitt, founder and director of the Community Leadership Academy and Emergency Response project (CLAER), expressed her concerns regarding the devastating psychological impact manifested in the community by the area’s continued exposure to violence, due in-part to several deeply-rooted community problems. Specifically concerned about the impact on young members of the community, she tailors CLAER’s programs to the youth of Visitacion Valley. Commissioner Carolene Marks offered to meet with Ms. Hewitt to help her craft a presentation for a future Commission meeting.
Ameerah Ali, of Mercy Housing and formerly of AIM High in Visitacion Valley, reported on the service gap she believes exists in offering supportive family development services in Visitacion Valley, specifically among women and their children. Through the Visitacion Valley Youth Council, which she co-founded, Ms. Ali works to engage teenagers in positive change through community activities, violence-prevention programs, and a focus of health and education. Ms. Ali expressed a concern about the absence of any grocery store in Visitacion Valley.
Shay Sayon, Vice President of the Visitacion Valley Youth Council, and Sayisha Warr, Secretary of the Visitacion Valley Youth Council, reported on the activities of the Youth Council, an effort to keep youth off the streets in Visitacion Valley by engaging them in meaningful group gatherings and activities. Ms. Sayon asked about youth participation on the Commission and President Shorter invited both young women to speak with her at the conclusion of the meeting to get information about the Girls’ Committee. Commissioner Marks also responded with her desire to have a youth position added to the Commission, citing a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle regarding youth participation in city government across the country.
Jackson Sayon, father of Shay, spoke about the extreme need he perceives in Visitacion Valley for more experienced and accomplished female educators.
Shanelle Williams, also of CLAER and a former Youth Commissioner, expressed her concerns regarding employment opportunities for women and public transportation in Visitacion Valley, noting that a large percentage of women in the community are heads of household making less than $15,000 per year, not college educated, and in need of support from city agencies.
C. Neighborhood Services
Kriztina Palone, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services Liaison to Districts 5, 10, and 11, discussed the various city services available in District 11, and specifically in Visitacion Valley. Ms. Palone reported on a survey sent out in March about services in the area, noting that the results were being compiled with help from the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and would be addressed at an upcoming community meeting. Preliminary data indicates that the biggest concerns of the community are gun violence and housing. She directed anyone interested in completing the survey to contact Kevin Blackwell at the Visitacion Valley Beacon Center and agreed to supply the Commission with a copy. President Shorter invited Ms. Palone and David Onek of MOCJ to speak at a future Commission meeting regarding their work on the survey.
D. Community Input
Community members provided information to the Commission about programs and services in the Visitacion Valley community, as well as voiced their concerns about issues affecting women and girls in the area.
Laura Leale, National Director of Development for the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR), highlighted the efforts of her organization to find a cure for Lupus. Ms Leale reported that 90% of all reported Lupus cases are women. Ms. Leale is particularly interested in partnering with the Commission to promote lupus research and in particular, the November 4th Walk-A-Thon for a Lupus cure.
Cindy Choy of Chinese for Affirmative Action and the Visitacion Valley Parents Association for Limited English Proficiency expressed concerns about the language barriers that prevent parent involvement in their children’s lives at school. She voiced her concern that parents who are not fluent in English are helpless in monitoring their children’s progress since many school flyers are not translated into languages other than English and the issue of language access has yet to be addressed by the School Board. Ms. Choy also noted that many crimes go unreported because parents are unable to communicate with authorities.
Idell Wilson, Producer, host, and team-leader with “IdEal03 TV Show,” expressed her concern about unseen illnesses in women, namely illiteracy, diabetes, and anger, and the lack of attention and funding devoted to education and prevention.
Charisse Smoller, Director of the Visitacion Valley Community Senior Center, reported that her Center serves over 100 seniors every day, more than 80% of whom are women. Ms. Smoller is specifically concerned about the levels of poverty that she sees at intake at the Senior Center, as well as her observation that many senior members of the community are concerned about violence in the community, especially at night.
Vincent Chao, Principal at Visitacion Valley Elementary School, reported that he is optimistic about the state of affairs in Visitacion Valley. He agreed that there is a real need for education about health and nutrition, and called for more training and employment opportunities for women and more after-school activities for girls in Visitacion Valley. President Shorter invited Mr. Chao to formalize this call for services in a letter to the Commission.
Julie Kavanaugh, Executive Director at the Visitacion Valley Community Center, reported on the work of The Visitacion Valley Grapevine, a local publication and website that relies entirely on submissions from community members. The Grapevine will be publishing its 25th Anniversary issue in August and Ms. Kavanaugh urged residents of Visitacion Valley to submit materials either electronically at visvalley@earthlink.com or by contacting Len Appiano, volunteer editor of the paper, at (415) 467-9300.
Chelena Starks of CLAER highlighted the need for more training opportunities and jobs with livable wages in Visitacion Valley. She thanked the Commission for bringing a meeting to the community and asked that they continue to be a presence in the area.
VII. REPORTS
A. Health
Commissioner Marks provided the Commission with a handout on women’s health and reported that she is working with Policy Analyst Kim-Shree Maufas on breast cancer in underserved communities in San Francisco. Commissioner Marks also noted that she endeavors to begin work with the Mayor on women’s universal healthcare reform in Bayview/Hunter’s Point.
No public comment.
B. Justice & Courage
Dr. Murase directed the Commission to her Executive Director’s Report for a full report on the Justice & Courage Project.
No public comment.
C. CEDAW
Vice President Angela Williams reported that the May CEDAW Committee was cancelled and that a report on the gender analysis of the Department is forthcoming.
No public comment.
D. VAW Grants Program
Commissioner Katherine Munter directed the Commission to the Executive Director’s Report for a full report on the VAW Grants Program, specifically the supplemental appropriation. She congratulated all who worked to secure the supplemental and reported that as the Department is continually assessing the needs of the entire community, she urges community organizations to be in contact with the Department regarding upcoming funding opportunities.
No public comment.
E. Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women
Vice President Williams reported that the Friends have a meeting scheduled in two weeks.
No public comment.
F. Economic Development
Vice President Williams reported that both she and the Department will be participating in the upcoming Small Business Week, organized by the Small Business Commission, focusing on women’s economic issues.
No public comment.
VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT
Daisy Anarchy of Sex Workers Organized for Labor, Human, and Civil Rights thanked the Commission for its resolution on Bernice Casey and noted that she looks forward to working with Ms. Baker and the Department on moving the exotic dancer legislation forward. She stated that she is upset about the latest draft version of the legislation, specifically regarding the language regulating private booths. Ms. Anarchy also stated her concern about the role of the Entertainment Commission in the legislation. President Shorter asked Ms. Anarchy to substantiate her concerns in a letter to the Commission.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
American Sign Language interpreters and a Sound Amplification System provided upon request with 48-hour advance notice to
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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.
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