City and County of San FranciscoDepartment on the Status of Women

COSW Meeting Information - May 28, 2014 - Meeting Minutes

COSW Meeting Information - May 28, 2014

COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

4 – 6 pm

City Hall, Room 408

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco, CA  94102

Members Present:

President Nancy Kirshner-Rodriguez                                           

Vice President Andrea Shorter                                                                                                                     

Commissioner Amy Ackerman

Commissioner Alicia Gamez

Commissioner Julie D. Soo

Commissioner Mary Jung

 

Staff Present:

Executive Director Emily M. Murase, PhD

Associate Director Carol Sacco                                                                                                                      

Fiscal & Policy Analyst Stephanie Nguyen

Executive Management Assistant Iris Wong

Women’s Policy Director Minouche Kandel

Legislative Director Elizabeth Laferriere

Gender Equality Principles Program Coordinator Tara Gamboa-Eastman

 

  1. CALL TO ORDER/ AGENDA CHANGES                              

President Kirshner-Rodriguez welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at 4:08 pm. She called for an action to amend the agenda to add a resolution for Renee Golanty-Koel.

Action: To amend agenda and add a resolution for Renee Golanty-Koel        m/s/c (Gamez/Jung/Unanimous)

Action: To approve the meeting agenda as proposed.                                       m/s/c (Gamez/Soo/Unanimous)

 

  1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Action: To approve draft minutes from April 23, 2014.                                      m/s/c (Ackerman/Soo/ Unanimous)

 

  1. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT  

Vice President Shorter arrived at 4:30 pm.

Dr. Emily Murase directed Commissioners to her written report. Below are the topics that Dr. Murase highlighted:

  1. Family Friendly Workplace and Fair Chance Ordinances

Legislative Director Elizabeth Laferriere is working with Office of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Human Rights Commission to develop an outreach and evaluation plan for the Family Friendly Workplace and Fair Chance Ordinances.

  1. U.S. Department of Labor Regional Summit on Working Families

Dr. Murase, President Kirshner-Rodriguez, and Ms. Laferriere have been invited to attend the White House Summit on June 23.

  1. Violence Against Women Community Needs Assessment

The results of the study will be presented to the Commission in July.

  1. Budget

Mayor Edwin Lee will announce the budget for FY14-15 on Monday, June 2, at 10 am.

  1. Staff Changes

Iris Wong joined the Department as the Executive Management Assistant.

 

  1. 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: To approve the Consent Agenda                                              m/s/c (Soo/Jung/Unanimous)

  1. Resolution Recognizing the 40th Anniversary of Equal Rights Advocates (ERA)

ERA Executive Director Noreen Farrell thanked the Commission for its partnership with ERA, and welcomed Commissioners to attend its 40th Anniversary Luncheon on Tuesday, June 17.

  1. Resolution Recognizing Cynthia Vasquez

Commissioners expressed appreciation for Ms. Vasquez’s service to the Department and Commission.

  1. Resolution Recognizing David Assmann upon his retirement from the Department of the Environment

Deputy Director David Assmann recalled that his first assignment at the Department of the Environment was to conduct a gender analysis in partnership with the Department, and stated his hope that his successors will continue to work with the Commission.

  1. Resolution Recognizing the 35th Anniversary of Community United Against Violence (CUAV)

Pablo Espinoza accepted the resolution and thanked the Commission for its support in addressing issues of violence in the LGBT community.

  1. Resolution Recognizing Tina Shum upon her retirement from Cameron House

Ms. Shum expressed that it was an honor and a privilege to work within the San Francisco community, and stated that the Commission is a great partner to work with. Cameron House Director of Social Services Yolanda Kwong thanked Ms. Shum for her hard work over the past 33 years and expressed that it was an honor to work with her.

  1. Resolution Urging All Efforts to Release Abducted Nigerian Schoolgirls

Linda Fadeke Richardson recognized the Commission as the first city agency in San Francisco to stand by the Nigerian community over the kidnapped school girls. She stated that she is going to take the resolution to a United Nations Association meeting, and encouraged other policy bodies to adopt similar statements.

Beverly Upton, Executive Director of the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium, expressed her gratitude for Ms. Shum’s and CUAV’s work. She also thanked President Kirshner-Rodriguez and other Commissioners for their support in expanding funding for the Violence Against Women Prevention and Intervention Grant Program.

 

  1. DEPARTMENT GENDER ANALYSES          

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  1. Animal Care and Control Department Gender Analysis

Director Rebecca Katz of the Animal Care & Control Department and Captain Denise BonGiovanni responded to the gender analysis questions.

Director Katz explained that the Safe Pets program provides free shelter for pets of violence survivors. In particular, the program benefits women survivors of domestic violence who may be concerned about the safety of their pets.

Per the CEDAW Ordinance, Captain BonGiovanni provided an analysis of gender, age, and ethnicity for the top 3 classifications of female and male employees. The four highest positions occupied by women are Director, Deputy Director (currently vacant), Manager, and Veterinarian: two employees are white and over 50 years of age, and one is under 50 years of age. The three highest positions occupied by men are Animal Care supervisor, Assistant Animal Care Supervisor, and Assistant Field Services Supervisor: two employees are over 50 years of age, one is white, one is Filipino, and one is African American under 50 years old.

Commissioners asked about child abuse intervention training of staff. Director Katz stated that there is a definite link between animal abuse and family violence. Her staff members are mandated to report abuse, including family violence.

The agency functions both as a public protection agency and a health and human services agency. Director Katz recognized her dedicated staff members who generally work under different conditions. She expressed that her staff are underpaid for the level of work demanded on the job. She explained that officers have the same training as probation officers and have the power of arrest and detention, but are compensated at much lower rates. Commissioners expressed interest in working on the wage disparity issue.

  1. Gender Analysis of the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF)

Director Maria Su reviewed the update document provided to Commissioners.

She explained that this is year 1 of a 3 year process in the lead-up to the next round of funding. This year focuses on the Community Needs Assessment. She reviewed data on DCYF funding disaggregated by gender. She also reported that DCYF provides $2 million in funding girl-specific programs.

Director Su stated that the Department is a great partner with DCYF, and provides helpful input on questions in its provider survey which was distributed to more than 500 providers. She also expressed her appreciation for the Department in connecting DCYF with Alliance for Girls, who helped the agency frame a provider specific focus group and middle-school girl’s focus group.

Director Su reviewed data found from a survey issued by DCYF to its grantees as part of the Community Needs Assessment. The survey found that the most recurring unique needs facing young women six to 17 years of age are self-confidence and improved body image. In groups of young women who are 18 to 24 years old, one of their unique needs is support with relationship.

Discussion focused on afterschool programs administered through DCYF (school-based as well as community-based) and the Recreation & Park Department. Commissioners thanked Director Su for taking into consideration the Commission's concerns stated at a previous meeting.

 

  1. Resolution Recognizing Renee Golanty-Koel

Action: To approve resolution honoring Dr. Renee Golanty-Koel                         m/s/c (Jung/Shorter/Unanimous)

Kathy Johnson accepted the resolution on Dr. Golanty-Koel's behalf, and stated that she will deliver the resolution to Dr. Golanty-Koel the next day.

Dr. Jane Bernard-Powers, Co-Chair, Democratic Women in Action, and Roberta Guise, Co-Chair of Public Policy, Association of American University Women – San Francisco Chapter, both thanked the Commissioners for their recognition of Dr. Golanty-Koel.

 

  1. REPORTS

 

  1. Cities for CEDAW

President Kirshner-Rodriguez announced that Mayor Edwin Lee, Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, and Mayor Mary Ann Lutz of Monrovia have submitted a resolution supporting the Cities for CEDAW Campaign to be considered at the US Conference for Mayors in Dallas, Texas in June.

  1. Family Violence Council

Dr. Murase announced that the Family Violence Report has been completed, and a draft will be provided to Commissioners. A final presentation of the report is planned for the July meeting.

  1. Justice and Courage

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 4, 9 – 11 am at City Hall Room 408.

  1. Human Trafficking

Commissioner Soo reported that the next San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking Conference will be sponsored by Senator Mark Leno, and will take place on Wednesday, December 3.

Commissioners discussed possible trafficking involving panhandling women with young children taking place in the Financial District. Dr. Murase will follow up with Police Sergeant Tony Flores, and will provide an update at the next Commission meeting.

  1. Status of Girls

Alliance for Girls had its second annual conference earlier that day. President Kirshner-Rodriguez, Dr. Murase, Policy Fellow Gamboa-Eastman, and Legislative Director Laferriere attended. The conference had over 100 participants from a broad array of backgrounds.

  1. General Commission Business

Discussion focused on scheduling the Joint Commission Meeting with the Health Commission, now slated for Tuesday, September 16.

 

  1. AGENDA FOR FUTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS

Commissioners suggested that the following items be discussed at upcoming meetings.

  1. Agenda Items for Joint Commission Meeting
  2. GEP Initiative update
  3. Budget update

 

  1. PUBLIC COMMENT

Wendy, a member of the public, asked about the Commission’s services for female caregivers caring for their own family who have their own personal family issues. She explained that caregiving responsibilities interrupt careers and affect career and life balance. Commissioners suggested discuss this issue with the appropriate policy body, the Department of Aging and Adult Services.

 

  1. ADJOURNMENT                                                                 

President Kirshner-Rodriguez proposed to adjourn the meeting in honor of Ruby Gim, a longtime staff member of the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center, Maya Angelou, former US Poet Laureate and San Francisco resident, and Mary Burns, Founder and President of Kasimu Education Fund, all of whom passed away in the past month.

Action: To adjourn the meeting  in honor of Ruby Gim, Maya Angelou, and Mary Burns.                                   

m/s/c (Shorter/Ackerman/Unanimous)

 

Meeting was adjourned at 6:35 pm.