March 28, 2012

COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
5:00 PM
City Hall, Room 408
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Members Present Staff Present
President Kay Gulbengay Executive Director Emily M. Murase, PhD
Vice President Julie Soo Media & Community Affairs Director Aimee Allison
Commissioner Alicia Gamez Outreach and Development Manager Stacey Hoang
Commissioner Nancy Kirshner- Grants Administrator Carol Sacco
Rodriguez Commission Secretary Cynthia Vasquez
Commissioner Becca Prowda
Commissioner Andrea Shorter
Commissioner Stephanie Simmons

I. Welcome
President Kay Gulbengay called the meeting to order at 5:04 pm. President Gulbengay requested moving the Human Rights Commission presentation up on the agenda.
Action: Approve amended agenda.
m/s/c (Soo/Simmons/Unanimous)

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Action: Approve minutes from February 22, 2012.
m/s/c (Shorter/Prowda/Unanimous)
No public comment.

A. Horizons Unlimited .
Executive Director Nora Rios Reddick provided an overview of services provided at Horizons which serves close to 6,000 clients per year. Ms. Rios Reddick introduced her colleague Shirley Nivel who is the Program Manager of Gender Specific Programs. Horizons is a community-based organization located in the northeast sector of the Mission District which provides job readiness services, substance abuse treatment and prevention services, youth specific employment services, and gender specific violence prevention services. The Mission of Horizons is to be a youth development and empowerment organization rooted in community service and advocacy. Culturally competent and linguistically sensitive programs are driven by the needs of the youth and reflect the diverse population they serve. Horizons primary goal is to engage, educate, and inspire youth. Horizon’s target population is at-risk Latino and other youth of color and their families who face multiple and persistent risk factors. The target geographic area is the predominantly Latino Mission District. Some of the prevention programs Horizons offers are:
• After-School Alternative Programming
• Strengthening Families Program
• Environmental Prevention: Media Messageing, Audio Production, Event/Campaign Development, Latinos for Alcohol Prevention, Youth Leadership
• Substance Abuse Prevention Education
• Operation: Alcohol Reduction
• The DJ Project

Ms. Rios Reddick explained that the gender-specific programs are intended to empower young women and men to become peer educators, community leaders, and stakeholders in their success. The Females Against Violence Program (FAV) is a 6 month peer education and leadership program for at-risk Latinas and other youth of color. The young women are ages 14-20, and are offered a stipend of $100 per month. They receive 50 hours of training on teen dating, domestic violence, sexual assault, and gang life. FAV has 2 cycles per year and meets 4 days of the week. After the young women complete the trainings, they conduct violence prevention workshops and presentations, which they in turn present at schools, other community and youth-based organizations.

Another program is Jovenes Education and Empowerment Program (JEEP), is a 6-month education and leadership program focused on young men’s cultural awareness, healing, violence prevention and intervention, self-esteem building, education on teen dating violence, and the promotion of healthy relationships amongst youth men and their families, partners, and peers. The young men develop and conduct educational presentations at high schools and other community based organizations.

Ms. Rios Reddick reported 80% of Horizons clients are Latino/Latina, 5% are African American, 5% Asian American, and 10% are Multi-ethnic.

Commissioners requested information on the next graduation ceremony so they may possibly attend.

Commissioner Shorter asked how the Commission can continue to support the work of Horizons and how they serve youth that identify themselves as Nortenos or Surenos, considering the agency’s location. Ms. Rios Reddick explained that although they are considered to be in Sureno “territory,” they provide “Late Night” events where Nortenos can access the services they provide after hours when it is safer for them to visit their locations. Ms. Rios Reddick recommended funding other similar youth services throughout the Mission District.

B. Report from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
Dr. Emily Murase reported that Outreach Manager Stacey Hoang, Department Fellow Janet Connor, Korean Researcher Sookja-Kim, and she traveled to New York for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women’s 56th Session, February 24 - 29, to be among over 6,000 delegates from around the world. At the Department-organized workshop on the proposed 5th World Conference on Women, over 60 women representing most regions on the world discussed why a 5th World Conference on Women is long overdue and why it should be in San Francisco. A large delegation of San Francisco women, including many 5WCW Steering Committee members, traveled to these meetings to promote the hosting of the 5WCW in San Francisco. Members of the delegation had key conversations with UN Women Secretary-General Michele Bachelet, and leaders of the All-China Women’s Federation and the African Women’s Congress. On International Women’s Day, March 8, President of the UN General Assembly Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser and UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon issued a historic statement declaring their support for a 5WCW in 2015. Dr. Murase introduced Media and Community Affairs Director Aimee Allison who will be spearheading this project.

Ms. Allison introduced Delphine Jacquin with Deloitte, who explained that she will be working with the Department, Steering Committee, Consultant Paul Oliva, and a group of 5-7 volunteers from Deloitte to prepare a presentation for the Mayor and Board of Supervisors to get their full support to host the conference. Ms. Allison reported that the Steering Committee will be developing a list of 100 prominent women to help support and participate in the 5WCW. Commissioners suggested a list of possible women to contact locally and internationally.

III. 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: Approve consent agenda.
m/s/c (Soo/Shorter/Unanimous)

A. Resolution Recognizing Den Quinsay
B. Resolution Recognizing March 12 as the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts USA
C. Resolution Recognizing the Contributions of Michiya Hanayagi

Trina Merriman, leader of the San Francisco Service Unit of Girl Scouts, thanked the Commission for its support. She explained that the Girl Scout mission is to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.” Through the Girl Scout leadership experience, girls discover, connect, and take action to positively impact their communities. A diverse group of Girl Scouts, ranging from Brownies to Ambassadors, introduced themselves and shared with the Commission their favorite cookies as well as their best Girl Scout experience. Dr. Murase thanked all the parents for supporting their daughters at Girl Scout meetings, events and cookie selling.

Madame Michiya Hanayagi thanked the Commission for acknowledging her work in introducing the Hanayagi School of Japanese Classical Dance to North America and for sharing Japanese culture with the wider community, including appearing in every Cherry Blossom Festival and Grand Parade since its inception 45 years ago.

IV. NEW BUSINESS

A. Human Rights Commission
Beverly Popek , Acting Contract Compliance Officer, provided an overview of the local business enterprise program. Ms. Popek explained that the Human Rights Commission (HRC) is designated in Chapter 14B of the City’s Administrative Code (Local Business Enterprise and Non-Discrimination in Contracting Ordinance) to oversee assistance to small and micro local businesses to increase their ability to compete effectively for City contracts. Firms apply to be certified as: Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), or Other Business Enterprise (OBE). In order to participate in San Francisco’s LBE program and receive bidding discounts for city contracts, a firm must first be an HRC-certified Local Business Enterprise (LBE). To become an LBE, a firm must meet both of the following requirements:
1) Local (i.e. have had your principle place of business in San Francisco for at least six months or be located within the SFPUC Water System service area as defined by zip code); and
2) Economically disadvantaged, which relates to the type of business and average gross receipts for the last three years.
Ms. Popek reviewed how the LBE works.
• LBE Subcontracting Goals: The Human Rights Commission establishes project-specific LBE subcontracting participation goals on most City-funded projects and contractors bidding on these projects must satisfy the LBE participation goals for their bid to be deemed responsive.
• LBE Bid Discounts: When LBEs bid on City projects at the prime contracting level they may be eligible for a bid discount ranging between 2% - 10%.
• Micro Set-Aside Contracts: Small firms often lack the capacity and/or capital to effectively compete against large firms when bidding on City contracts. Consequently, their participation is often limited to serving as a subcontractors to larger firms. In an effort to increase the capacity of small firms San Francisco has devised a "Micro Set-Aside Program" whereby smaller contracts are carved out specifically for “micro-LBEs”.
• Surety Bond & Financial Assistance Program: The Surety Bond & Financing Assistance Program is designed to help LBE contractors who are participating in City construction projects obtain and/or increase their bonding and financing capacity.

The HRC designates Micro, Small, and SBA LBEs with woman-ownership greater than or equal to 51% as being “Woman Owned” (WBE). The Top 5 WBE certification categories are Interior Design, Architectural, Community Relations/Public Affairs, Computer Graphic Arts, and Environmental Advisory Services.

In the 1st and 2nd Quarter of FY2011/2012:
• 5 of 67 contracts awarded to WBEs
• WBEs received $3.6M in Subcontract Awards
• WBEs were awarded $8.4 out of $132M

HRC also holds monthly workshops for business, the 1st Wednesday the certification process is reviewed, the 2nd Wednesday the bid on City contracts are reviewed and the 3rd Wednesday the insurance and security bond process is reviewed.

B. The Adult Probation Department
Chief Wendy Still and Jessica Flintoft, Director of the Reentry Division, provided an update on the department’s gender equity work. The Department supervises 6,106 per day (4,638 on felony probation, 52 on mandatory supervision, and 222 on post-release community supervision. The Department conducts 175 presentence investigations per month.Currently, women account for 63% of the workforce, a marked increase over the 44% in 2009. Women of color are represented at all levels of the workforce (131 total), including management (30%), supervising probation officers (42%), deputy probation officers (49%), and other (47%). The ethnic breakdown of the workplace better reflects the community being served.

Chief Still discussed work-life initiatives including a Recruitment & Retention Committee, expanding flexible schedules, and planning for an improved lactation room. Of the 6,106 clients, 83% are male and 16% are female. Of the 1,008 women under supervision, 58% are African American, 26% are White, and the remainder are single digit percentages of Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Other. The highest percentage are 26-35 years old (37%), 36-45 years (23%), 45 years + (23%), and 18 - 25 years (18%).

Chief Still also reviewed approaches to supervision, including a family-focused probation model. She reviewed gender informed practices at the department and concluded with examples of the influence of the Commission’s Justice & Courage Domestic Violence Policy Reform Committee:
• Improved batterer certification process
• Continued use of Language Line for expanded language access.
• New domestic violence unit dedicated to 18 - 25 year old probationers
• New staff in the Bayview District funded by a federal Violence Against Women Act grant
• New domestic violence unit dedicated to child abuse intervention
• Completed 2012 domestic violence law training update.

Commissioners thanked Chief Still for her tremendous leadership at the department and expressed strong support for the many advances in gender equity reviewed in the presentation.

Dr. Murase acknowledged Kathy Black and Beverly Upton, Justice and Courage Oversight Panel members, for their work with the Panel and making significant changes and recommendations. Having all criminal justice agencies use the Language Line to expand language access was a recommendation by the Oversight Panel in the Domestic Violence Victim Safety & Accountability Audit. Another accomplishment was the 52-week child abuse intervention program that the City piloting after focused attention by the Family Violence Council.

V. Executive Director's Report
Dr. Murase highlighted key parts of the Executive Director's report. Dr. Murase reported on the successful luncheon with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova to the launch of the Friends’ Conversations with Exceptional Women luncheon series. The Director-General was interviewed by CEDAW Women’s Human Rights Honoree Noosheen Hashemi, Founder of the HAND Foundation, on the need for greater science education for girls and science career opportunities for women.

Dr. Murase reported that, together with Commissioner Gamez, Commissioner Rodriguez, Commissioner Shorter and Department staff, she attendeded a rally with House Leader Nancy Pelosi at the Women’s Building in support of the Affordable Healthcare Act that requires critical health coverage for Americans.

Dr. Murase reported that, on March 28, she and Grants Administrator Carol Sacco attended the Business Case for Lactation Accommodation Forum that reviewed how employers can promote health and gender equity in the workplace. Specifically, the organizers provided technical assistance, information, and resources for employers seeking to improve lactation accommodation for women and babies.

Dr. Murase was also very pleased to announce that State Senator Leland Yee had named Beverly Upton, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Consortium, Woman of the Year.

VI. Reports
Commissioner Kirshner-Rodriguez reported on the successful inaugural San Francisco Women in Government Luncheon. This luncheon is dedicated to creating a platform to discuss, promote, and inspire women in local government by sharing experiences, mentoring, and networking. They hope to have similar gatherings 4-5 times a year.

Commissioner Shorter reported that members of the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel members including Beverly Upton, Kathy Black met with Human Services Agency Director Trent Rhorer to discuss social services for domestic violence survivors. They also met with Human Resources Director Micki Callahan and senior staff to discuss a workplace domestic violence policy for city employees.

President Gulbengay reported that she attended the Friends Board meeting and that the Friends had a successful luncheon with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. They continue to plan for the September 24 CEDAW Luncheon.

Commissioner Gamez reported that the Santa Barbara Commission passed a resolution supporting the 5WCW being hosted in San Francisco. She plans to participate in the Association of California Commissions for Women’s quarterly Board conference call in April.

Commissioner Gamez expressed concerns about recent statements to the press and asked about the media protocol for the Commission. She asked that the issue be placed on a future meeting agenda.

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT

VIII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 pm.
m/s/c (Soo/Kirshner-Rodriguez/Unanimous)
No public comment.

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