San Francisco
Youth Commission
Minutes
DATE: Monday, January 7, 2001
TIME: 5:00 pm
PLACE: City Hall, Room 416
1. Call to Order and Roll Call: Commissioner
Valdez called The meeting to order at 5:05 pm. Commissioners Present:
Allison, Arreguin, Campeau Chang, Fosselman, Kwong, Lantz, Martin, Mejia
, Ramos, Olawale, Valdez, Vedad, Villaluna Absent: Commissioners
Geodzhayev, Jacot-Bell, Ramos Staff Present: Nicole Derse,
Colleen Montoya
2. Motion to approve agenda: Commissioner
Valdez made a motion to dedicate this meeting in memory of Mr. Clemens,
a man who recently died while working on the Bay Bridge. Commissioner Valdez
also motioned to write a letter of remembrance on behalf of the Youth Commission.
Colleen informed the Commission that they could not take action because
it was not an item on the agenda, but they could still dedicate the meeting
in his memory, and Commissioner Valdez could write a letter on his own behalf.
There was a motion to apporve the agenda.
Motion Approved.
3. Approval of the Minutes of December
17, 2001: Commissioner Villaluna made a motion to approve the minutes.
Commissioner Mejia seconded the motion. Motion Approved.
4. Staff Report:
Colleen informed everyone that the next full
Youth Commission meeting would be tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January
22, due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. She told everyone to
pencil in the date, and we would confirm with them this week. She asked
the Executive Committee members to meet with her following the meeting to
schedule their next committee meeting.
Nicole handed out the peace cards created
through the San Francisco Service Community Collaborative that the Youth
Commission is a member of. She also handed out the Youth Commission’s January
calendars and reminded everyone to remember their committee meetings. She
also updated everyone on the City’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event on
Monday, January 21. Commissioners Villaluna, Vedad, Olawale, Fosselman,
Valdez, Allison, and Arreguin expressed interest in attending. Nicole told
everyone that Commissioner Mejia would be serving as the point person for
the event. She also announced that the staff position for the Student Advisory
Council is now open. She told people to talk to her for application details.
5. Officer Report:
Commissioner Valdez - Chair: Commissioner
Valdez addressed concerns about any inapporpriate behavior that he exhibited
at the last meeting. He also told the Youth Commission that he was featured
on Channel 4 as part of the "Speak On It" Event held at the ZEUM,
where he read the Youth Commissions September 11th Statement.
He also explained that he would be calling all of the Youth Commissioners
to check in about their experience on the Youth Commission.
Commissioner Villaluna - Community Affairs
Officer: Commissioner Villaluna presented the Outreach Update for the
first part of the term. She told everyone that the Youth Commission has
reached (at least) 1265 youth and 285 adults thus far in the term. She also
updated people on the status of the Youth Commission poster. She reminded
everyone about doing outreach for the Commission and encouraged everyone
to work together.
Commissioner Lantz - Operations Officer:
Commissioner Lantz had no report.
Commissioner Allison - Media & Public
Relations Officer: Commissioner Allison encouraged everyone to
contact Monee White from the Bloomberg News who is doing a story about youth
service and activism. She reminded everyone that the contact info was in
the Wednesday update. She also told everyone that she is working on updating
the Youth Commission’s Media Contact List so that it can be more accurate
and efficient.
Commissioner Arreguìn - Government
Affairs Officer: Commissioner Arreguìn apologized for any inappropriate
behavior exhibited at the last meeting. He reminded everyone of his office
hours, the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month from
4:00-6:00 pm. He told the Commission that copies of the Youth Commission’s
memo in opposition to Supervisor Yee’s resolution regarding the distribution
of SFUSD’s Proposition A Bonds had been sent to all of the members of the
Board of Supervisors. He encouraged and reminded everyone to set up meetings
with their appointing officers and/or their aides. He told everyone that
Commissioner Allison and he answered questions about the Youth Commission
at the Audit, Labor, and Government Efficiency Committee’s hearing on the
intraworkings of City Departments and Commissions which address youth issues.
He also told everyone that Supervisor Gavin Newsom has expressed interest
in co-sponsoring a hearing with the Youth Commission in regard to school
based wellness centers. He updated the group on the status of legislation
introduced by Youth Commissioners; Commissioner Villaluna’s resolution mandating
crisis intervention training for the San Francisco Police Department was
picked up by Supervisor Ammiano and passed by the Board of Supervisors on
January 7, 2002, Commissioner Kwong’s resolution urging the City to fund
programs which encourage family communication will be introduced by Supervisor
Peskin on January 14, 2002 with numerous potential co-sponsors.
6. Committee Report:
Education Committee: The Education
Committee had no report.
Public Health Committee - The Public
Health Committee had no report.
Youth Recreation & Services Committee
- The Youth Recreation & Services Committee had no report.
Youth Justice Committee - The Youth
Justice Committee had no report.
Housing Committee - The Housing Committee
had no report.
Public Comment: There was no public
comment.
8. Announcements:
Commissioner Kwong announced that the Human
Rights Commission’s Youth and Education Committee had a rolling deadline
for new members. He encouraged the Commissioners to attend their next meeting
on February 6 from 4:30-6:00 pm.
Commissioner Allison announced that there
were several events this weekend to sign up children and youth for health
insurance. She told everyone to talk to her if they wanted details.
Someone reminded the Youth Commission about
the City Attorney’s swearing in ceremony on Tuesday, January 8. All of the
Youth Commissioners are invited to attend.
Commissioner Villaluna told everyone about
the Poverty Heroes Project, which honors people in poverty communities who
have resisted. The community can honor people in this awards ceremony.
9. Legislation Introduced: There was
no legislation introduced.
10. Old Business:
A. Discussion and possible action
re: Youth Commission Mid-Year Retreat to be held Friday, January 18th
and Saturday, January 19th, 2002 at St. James Episcopal Church
Colleen gave everyone the logistics for
the retreat and reminded them to bring food to share.
Nicole explained the goals and agenda for
the retreat and asked for volunteers to help plan various parts of the
retreat.
Icebreakers/Group Activities: Commissioners
Villaluna, Martin, Campeau
Diversity Workshop: Commissioners Lantz,
Fosselman, Olawale
District Meetings Workshop: Commissioner
Valdez
Budget Advocacy Workshop: Commissioners
Arreguin, Geodzhayev
Speaking Up, Speaking Out Workshop: Commissioners
Allison, Chang, Kwong
Logistics: Commissioner Mejia
possible roles the Youth Commission could
play. The Commission voted unanimously to collaborate with Coleman Advocates
on Speak Up For Kids Day.
11. New Business:
A. Discussion and possible action
re: Authorization of Absences for Commissioners Allison, Jacot-Bell, Campeau
and Fosselman (December 17th meeting), Commissioner Kwong (December
3rd meeting). December 17th: Commissioner Allison:
excused, Commissioner Jacot-Bell: absent, Commissioner Campeau: excused,
Commissioner Fosselman: absent. December 3rd: Commissioner Kwong:
excused
B. Discussion and possible action re: Presentation
by Elizabeth Colton, President of the
Board, International Museum of Women,
on the International Museum of Women. Elizabeth Colten described the
plan and goals for the museum. She told the Commission that the museum
will hopefully open on Pier 26. Elizabeth Colten focused on the need for
female representation in history that often excludes women and girls.
She also emphasized the community focus of the museum and told the Commission
that the museum would include a teen center with programming specifically
for young women and girls. Commissioner Allison motioned to formally support
the International Museum of Women. Commissioner Vedad seconded the motion.
Commissioner Valdez said the support would be followed by a resolution.
The Commission voted unanimously to support the International Museum of
Women.
C. Discussion and possible action
re: Presentation by Tajel Shah, Department of Children, Youth and
Their Families, on DCYF’s Community Needs Assessment findings. Tajel
Shah presented the information gathered through DCYF’s 11 district meetings
held throughout the fall. She highlighted the findings based on the City’s
four benchmarks for success: Children & Youth Are Healthy, Children
& Youth Are Ready to Learn and Are Succeeding in School, Children &
Youth Live in Safe, Supportive Families and Healthy, Viable Communities,
and Children & Youth Contribute to the Growth, Development and Vitality
of San Francisco. Tajel Shah expressed interest in continuing to work with
the Youth Commission as DCYF starts to implement recommendations from the
community.
12. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned
at 6:40 pm.