San Francisco Youth Commission
Youth Employment & Immigration Committee
Draft - Minutes
Thursday, April 24, 2014
5:00-7:00 PM
City Hall, Room 345
1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

Members: Michel Li - Chair, Nicholas Persky, Jina Bae, and Michelle Kong

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

The meeting was called to order at 5:05 p.m. Commissioners present: Li, Persky, Bae, and Kong. There was quorum. Staff present: Phimy Truong.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

There was no public comment. Commissioner Bae, seconded by Commissioner Kong motioned to approve the agenda. The agenda was approved by acclamation.

3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)

A. Friday, April 11, 2014
(Document A)

There was no public comment. Commissioner Persky, seconded by Commissioner Bae made a motion to approve the minutes of April 11, 2014. This motion was approved by acclamation.

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

There were none.

5. Business (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. Overview of Legal Services for Children and Catholic Charities CYO’s work with undocumented youth
Presenter: Chelsea Lalancette, DACA Coordinator; Ashley Melwani, Staff Attorney; Alvaro Franco, Legal Assistant, Legal Services for Children, Catholic Charities CYO
(Documents B, C)

After a round of introductions, Catholic Charities CYO staff Chelsea Lalancette, Ashley Melwani, and Alvaro Franco presented an overview of the organization and its work around spreading awareness about deferred action for childhood arrivals program (DACA). Outside of outreach, the staff also works on providing free legal services and aid for immigrant and undocumented people. They also shared information and additional resources for DACA, and asked commissioners for assistance with outreach of DACA. Ms. Melwani then quizzed committee members on DACA facts and Ms. Lalancette requested information about specific student centers and organizations at commissioners schools where there can be additional outreach to support undocumented students.Commissioners shared additional tips including: hiring actual undocumented or immigrant youth to do outreach and provide word of mouth information about resources and supportive services. They also asked staff to continue relationships with school sites as that is where a majority of students are at, and encouraged staff to connect directly with school sites and resources at schools. Ms. Lalancette thanked committee members for their time and asked them to expect follow up emails related to outreach assistance.

Commissioner Li and Persky then explained that as youth policy advisors, commissioners would like to request additional information related to supporting undocumented youth and employment, services for immigrant youth and families that goes beyond outreach and spreading awareness, and clarity on some DACA information. Ms. Lalancette and Ms. Melwani suggested commissioners get in touch with the Employment Law Center and Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights.

A San Francisco State University student shared information about resources at SFSU.

There was no further public comment or discussion.

B. Finalize proposal to survey Newcomer youth and work on logistics and timeline

Commissioners Kong and Bae agreed to meet on Monday, April 28th to finalize the survey and proposal. Commissioners agreed that the timeline may need to be pushed and that it was the midst of the YC’s budget and policy priority work planning, so were not able to meet before hand. There was no further comment.

C. Debrief E4FC workshop

Commissioners Persky, Li, and Ms. Truong, provided detailed updates related to a workshop led by the Educators 4 Fair Consideration organization. Commissioners Persky and Li raved about this informative, detailed, and inspiring 1.5 hour workshop led by youth with direct experiences of being undocumented. Commissioners spoke about the importance of having youth with direct experiences to issues lead these workshops, provide outreach, and share information about resources and services that benefit undocumented youth. Commissioners Persky and Li felt that the workshop was very important and suggested that it be a workshop presented to the entire full commission early on the term. Commissioner Li also shared the very specific policy advocacy work from the presentation including: urging for accessible career licensing programming that would not require a social security number so that all people can apply; urging for continuation of expanding deferred action for childhood arrivals as a legislation, and not just a policy; urging for expansion or the strengthening of the DREAM Act, etc. Commissioner Li expressed interest in continuing relationship with E4FC, and should she be reappointed for another term on the YC would like to work harder on issue based priorities. There was no public comment.

D. Review and work on other committee priorities

Commissioners Persky and Li provided an update on their resolution to urge for support of undocumented youth via employment opportunities. Ms. Truong asked for clarity on the resolution and what would make this resolution different from similar resolutions passed in previous terms, and how would this one be effective. Commissioner Persky specified that it was a simple request to urge for more employment opportunities be made available to undocumented youth, and stated that he would just like to have the YC on record for supporting undocumented youth. Commissioners Persky and Li requested to have the resolution read at the next full meeting, in addition to having it included in the commission’s policy priorities document. Ms. Truong suggested that commissioners work on preparing introductory remarks so that their peers would understand why they would like it to be mentioned in both the policy priorities presentation, as well as its own resolution.

Commissioners Kong and Bae committed to finalizing the surveys soon.

Commissioners Li and Persky were planning on working on a resolution or statement urging for financial assistance or scholarship for undocumented youth interested in applying for deferred action. As it stands now, to apply for DACA, a person would have to pay $465 for the application and to process paperwork. The process would have to be renewed via a renewal application after 2 years, with another $465 fee. Commissioners spoke about the economic hardship of this and would like to see what else the city can do to offer financial support for DACA students.

E. Annual Report and Budget Policy Priorities work update

Commissioner Li shared that she would be participating in a work session with other committee chairs. She would like the assistance of her peers in providing support, feedback, and suggestions on the priority. The work session will take place on Sunday, April 27th.

6. Staff Report

There were none.

7. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m.