San Francisco Youth Commission
Minutes
Monday, September 17, 2012
5:15pm-8:00pm
City Hall, Room 416
1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

Mia Shackelford, Chair Nicholas Persky, Vice Chair, Paul Monge-Rodriguez, Co-Legislative Affairs Officer, Rachel Brodwin, Co-Legislative Affairs Officer, Vanessa Warri, Communications & Outreach Officer
Sarah Armstrong, Angel Carrion, Brian Chu, Kyron Covington, Alex Guzman-Ramos, Christine Huynh, Lily Marshall-Fricker, Mia Tu Mutch, Vee Taumoepeau, Eric Wu, Ariel Yu

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

Chairperson Mia Shackelford called the meeting to order at 5:21 p.m.
The roll was called. Commissioners present: Sarah Armstrong, Rachel Brodwin, Angel Carrion, Brian Chu, Kyron Covington, Iris Alejandra (Alex) Guzman-Ramos, Christine Huynh, Lily Marshall-Fricker, Paul Monge-Rodriguez, Mia Tu Mutch, Nicholas Persky, Mia Shackelford, Veiongo (Vee) Taumoepeau, Vanessa Warri, Eric Wu, Ariel Yu.

There was quorum.

Staff present: Mario Yedidia, Phimy Truong.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

There was no public comment on this item.

Commissioner Carrion, seconded by Commissioner Chu, moved to approve the agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously by acclamation.

3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)

A. August 30, 2012 -- Special Inaugural Meeting
(Document A)

There was no public comment on this item.

Commissioner Huynh, seconded by Commissioner Yu, moved to approve the minutes to the meeting of August 30, 2012. The minutes were approved unanimously by acclamation.

4. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda (Discussion Only)

Peter Lauterborn, introduced himself as the new Legislative Aide in Supervisor Mar’s office. Mr. Lauterborn expressed his support to the Youth Commission.

Dennis McKenzie, asked Youth Commissioners to take the time to look over a proposal he had sent weeks earlier about creating a sports management pathway program for all youth. Mr. McKenzie also encouraged commissioners to contact him for information regarding the 2012 Mayan Festival.

5. Staff Report (Discussion Only)

Director of the Youth Commission, Mario Yedidia, then provided brief programmatic updates related to Youth Commission business. Mr. Yedidia urged commissioners interested in the City’s health insurance plan to contact staff. The deadline to enroll in health benefits is Friday, September 28, 2012. Mr. Yedidia then thanked commissioners who participated in the Controller’s Office and MUNI’s pilot outreach project for potential Transit Effective Project (TEP) changes on the 5 Fulton line. Mr. Yedidia informed commissioners that there would be a post pilot project focus group in the near future. Mr. Yedidia also announced that as of last Thursday, September 13th, all Youth Commission issue based committees have met and elected Chairpersons. Mr. Yedidia then provided a quick legislative update. The Board of Supervisors’ City and School District committee will have a hearing on Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. about the status of the Memorandum of Understanding between the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). The Justice Committee worked on this issue in the 2011-2012 term and will continue to monitor the status of this conversation this term, with Commissioners Carrion and Monge-Rodriguez setting up a meeting with Supervisor Campos’s office before the hearing. Commissioners Shackelford, Guzman-Ramos, and Covington expressed interest in attending the hearing.

6. Legislation Referred from the Board of Supervisors (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

Chairperson Shackelford explained to her colleagues that this was a standing agenda item.

7. Presentations (Discussion Only)

A. Presentation on the Department of Children, Youth and their Families (DCYF), the Children’s Amendment and Children’s Fund, and the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEFAB)
Presenters: Prishni Murillo, YEF Manager, DCYF
(Documents B and C)

Prishni Murrillo, Youth Empowerment Fund Manager from the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF), introduced herself to commissioners and gave a brief overview on DCYF’s goals, mission, and the different service areas the department is working on to address youth needs. Ms. Murrillo then provided a detailed presentation on the Youth Empowerment Fund, which is a pot of money totaling $1 million each year that the department sets aside for youth led projects in San Francisco; the Youth Advisory Council, a group of youth members from various youth advisory bodies, which includes the Youth Commission; Youth Advocacy Day, a day which brings San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) high school students to City Hall to speak to city officials; and Youth Vote, a civic engagement initiative for youth.

Commissioners Armstrong, Yu, and Shackelford asked clarifying questions. Commissioner Wu expressed that he was a product of several youth empowerment projects funded by DCYF, and thanked Ms. Murrillo for her work.

There was no public comment on this item.

Chairperson Shackelford thanked Ms. Murrillo for her time and presentation.

8. Youth Commission Business (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. Youth Commission Legislative Affairs: A How-to Guide
Presenters: Legislative Affairs Officers Commissioners Paul Monge-Rodriguez and Rachel Brodwin

Commissioners Monge-Rodriguez and Brodwin started with an introduction to their presentation, and then guided their peers through a presentation on their goals as Legislative Affairs Officers, commitment to bringing Youth Commission legislation and policy work to the fore front, and steps they planned on taking to ensure the success of their goals.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions. Commissioner Armstrong asked the Legislative Affairs officers to ensure that 11-12 Youth Commission priorities and policy work is carried over to the current term.

Public Comment

Dennis McKenzie encouraged commissioners to view Board meetings on www.sfgovtv.org .


B. Resolution 1213—01—Following Through on Free Youth Transportation
Presenter and sponsor: Commissioner Nicholas Persky
(Document D)

Commissioner Persky provided a short introduction and timeline of Youth Commission work on free youth transportation in San Francisco.

Commissioner Persky then gave a first reading of the resolution into the public record.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions. Commissioner Persky reiterated that the pilot program for free MUNI for youth was not live, and that there was still much work to be done. Commissioner Persky expressed that he would like to take his colleagues’ comments into consideration before the second reading at the next full meeting of October 1, 2012; then invited his colleagues who were interested in working on the issue and resolution to get in touch with him.
Commissioners Shackelford, Monge-Rodriguez, Wu, Guzman-Ramos, Covington, and Taumoepeau, all expressed interest in helping Commissioner Persky.

Public Comment

Dennis McKenzie expressed support for free MUNI for youth and remarked on how expensive the City is for families in San Francisco.

C. Resolution 1213—02—Youth Commission Establishment of SF Youth of the Year Awards and Award Ceremony
Presenter and sponsor: Commissioner Rachel Brodwin
(Document E)

Commissioner Brodwin began by telling her colleagues that the idea for the Youth of the Year award was initially developed last year. She went on to read the resolution, in its entirety, into the public record.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions and made suggestions. Commissioner Brodwin expressed to her colleagues that she would like to start an ad-hoc committee to work on the Youth of the Year Award. Commissioners Tu Mutch, Yu, Carrion, Covington, Warri, Huynh, and Taumoepeau, all expressed interest in aiding Commissioner Brodwin in this project.

Public Comment

Dennis McKenzie suggested that the Youth Commission consider reaching out to the business community and that outreach for the award is done to each neighborhood’s chamber of commerce and merchant associations.

D. Resolution 1213--03—Youth Commission Sponsorship of Redefining Education Conference
Presenter and sponsor: Commissioner Rachel Brodwin
(Document F)

Commissioner Brodwin began by explaining to her colleagues that the Redefining Education Project was being developed by a group of students from Lick-Wilmerding High School. She encouraged her colleagues to get involved and then read the resolution into the public record.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions regarding the number of attendees and outreach. Commissioner Brodwin explained that Lick Wilmerding High School has a planning council for the conference and invited commissioners to join. Commissioner Huynh asked if the conversations between youth and teachers will result in any action after the conference. Commissioner Brodwin thanked everyone for their comments and suggestions. Commissioners Yu, Shackelford, Persky, Guzman-Ramos, Huynh, Taumoepeau, and Armstrong, volunteered to help out.

Public Comment

Dennis McKenzie spoke in favor of this resolution; as a teacher himself, he said teachers are the greatest allies of San Francisco’s young people.


E. Technically revised 2012-2013 Youth Commission Bylaws (Discussion Only)
Presenters: Youth Commission staff
(Document G)

Commissioner Shackelford and Persky gave an introduction to the technically revised 2012-2013 Youth Commission Bylaws. Mr. Yedidia provided some context and explained that the bylaws need to be publically noticed for 10 days before the commission can adopt them officially. Commissioners were encouraged to read over the bylaws and come to the next full meeting prepared to adopt the bylaws.

There was no public comment on this item.

9. Agenda Feedback and Suggestion Form (Discussion Only)

Commissioner Persky gave some context for the development of the suggestion form. The executive committee members discussed various ways to engage commissioners to aid in preparing for the full commission meeting agendas.

Commissioners then spent about five minutes filling out the suggestion form.

There was no public comment on this item.

10. Committee Reports (Discussion Only)

Commissioner Persky gave a quick update on the first Executive Committee meeting. Commissioner Chu, Chair of the Education Committee gave a brief update on the last meeting. Commissioner Huynh, Chair of the Employment Committee gave a brief update on the last meeting. Commissioner Carrion, introduced himself as the Chair of the Youth Justice Committee, and shared some committee goals with his peers. Commissioner Tu Mutch, introduced herself as the Chair of the Housing, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) and Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Issues committee, and shared some of the goals discussed from the first meeting.

Public Comment

Dennis McKenzie mentioned the Mayan Cultural Festival (www.mayanfestival.com).

11. Attendance Review (Action Item)

There was none to review.

Public Comment

Dennis McKenzie thanked commissioner Carrion for his work.

12. Announcements (This Includes Community Events)

Commissioner Huynh invited everyone to the 34th Annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at the Tenderloin Recreation Center, 577 Ellis St. between Leavenworth and Hyde. This youth and family friendly fun event will take place on Friday, September 28, 2012, 5pm-8pm.

Commissioner Tu Mutch invited commissioners to attend any/all upcoming LYRIC meetings. This week’s theme is “coffee talk”, where items to discuss include queer boy issues on Friday, queer girl issues on Thursday, and trans issues on Tuesday).

13. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7: 33pm.