Human Rights Commission Minutes - April 21, 2022
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Human Rights Commission of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, April 21, 2022.
The Human Rights Commissioners present or absent were as follows:
Present: Cheryl Schaefle, Matuor Alier, Barry Nelson, Hamida Dakane, Cody Severson, Ahmed Shiil, Jed Locquiao, Sarah Boonstoppel
Absent: Abdiwali Sharif-Abdinasir, Carolyn Becraft, Nancy Boyle.
Item 1. Welcome and Introductions
Chair Alier welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.
Item 2. Approve Order of Agenda
Member Shiil moved the Order of Agenda be approved as presented. Second by Member Dakane. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3. Approve Order of Minutes
Member Schaefle moved the minutes of the March 17, 2022 Human Rights Commission meeting be approved as presented. Second by Member Shiil. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 4. Public Comment
No public comment was provided.
Item 5. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Discussion
Terry Hogan said he would like us to brainstorm on this topic and meet on this event. He said he has a special guest he would like to bring on to help with the MLK Day event planning. He called on the Commission to provide ideas to make the event a success.
Member Nelson said a one-night celebration does not do justice to the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.; however, it could be used as a springboard for building on that legacy all year long.
Member Schaefle said she feels that it would be important to get youth involved in the event.
Item 6. Discussion on Discriminatory Practices in Relation to Human Rights
Terry said at one point the Commission had discussed exploring the use of Legal Karma for a software solution. He said at this point they are at a stalemate and he would like to move forward. It was suggested to him that he speak with Erica Thunder, the North Dakota Labor and Human Rights Commissioner, he said and he has made the initial contact with her in the hopes that she will come and present to the Commission at an upcoming meeting.
Item 7. Potential Collaboration with Moorhead Human Rights Commission
Terry said he received a call from the Moorhead Human Rights Commission and they have asked for a collaboration with the City of Fargo Human Rights Commission.
Member Schaefle said she would like to go and observe their meetings first.
Member Shiil said he would like to get to know the Members of this Commission better first before inviting others to attend the meetings.
Member Nelson moved that the Fargo Human Rights Commission collaborate with the Moorhead Human Rights Commission. Second by Member Schaefle. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 8. Upcoming Events
Terry said there are a few events coming up including Juneteenth, Pride in the Park and the Fargo Police Community Picnic.
Faith Dixon, Faith4Hope, spoke on the Juneteenth activities coming up on June 18th at the Faith4Hope Community Center.
Member Severson said the Pride in the Park will be held August 13th at Island Park and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) typically has a booth at the event.
Cristie Jacobsen, Fargo Police Department, said the annual Fargo Police Community Picnic will take place on June 29th at the Urban Plains Park from 5-8 p.m. She said the HRC typically has an educational booth at the event.
Item 9. Announcements
Member Nelson said there is a conference called Re-building Bridges coming up on May 18th and 19th at the Dakota Medical Foundation building.
Item 10. Staff Updates
No staff update was provided.
Item 11 Adjourn
The time at adjournment was 12:54 p.m.