Native American Commission - August 6, 2020 Minutes
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Native American Commissioners of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Sky Commons Meeting Room at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, August 6, 2020.
The Native American Commissioners present or absent were as follows:
Present: Sharon White Bear (via conference call), John Strand, Sonya Donahue, Anna Johnson, Lenore King, Rebecca Knutson, Chalsey Snyder (via conference call), Whitney Fear (via conference call), Heather Keeler (via conference call)
Absent: None
Item 1. Welcome and Introductions
Chair King welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.
Item 2. Approve Order of Agenda & Minutes
Member Snyder moved the Order of Agenda be approved as presented. Second by Member Fear. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Member Knutson moved the minutes of the July 9, 2020 Native American Commission meeting be approved. Second by Member Fear. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3: Bylaws Update
Chair King noted that the proposed bylaws are included in the packet.
Member Strand present.
Member Johnson moved to approve the bylaws as proposed. Second by Member Snyder. On call of the roll Members Fear, Johnson, Strand, Snyder, Knutson, and King voted aye. Absent and not voting: Members White Bear, Keeler, and Donahue. The motion was declared carried.
Item 4. Presentation: Fargo Police Community Engagement Team
Lieutenant George Vinson and Sergeant Cristie Jacobsen gave a presentation on the Fargo Police Community Engagement Team providing an overview of what they are, what they do, and why they do it.
Member Keeler present.
Lt. Vinson noted that the team has Community Trust Officers, School Resource Officers, a Parks Officer, and a Cultural Liaison. He provided an overview noting a main purpose is to build trust in the schools and the community. He stated the team is overseen by Sgt. Jacobsen with himself as the Command Officer. This team was created in January 2020 to streamline efforts to build connection and trust in the community.
Member Donahue present.
Lt. Vinson stated relationship building in their main goal, and he provided an overview of events and programs that are ran through the Community Engagement Team. He shared that they care about the community and its future.
Lt. Vinson noted that recent federal grant funding has helped to fund programming, such as basketball and boxing. He stated this programming can teach kids social and emotional skills to take into their environments.
Sgt. Jacobsen provided a background of the Cultural Liaison Officer position. She noted they are open to being educated and want to understand the dynamic of the Native American tribes, and want to partner with the Native American Commission to collaborate and fill the gaps to build and strengthen the community.
Lt. Vinson noted if there are youth or adults that could benefit from some of the programming the Community Engagement Team is providing, please connect them with the team. They want to work together.
Member Johnson inquired what work is being done with the Native American Homeless population downtown.
Lt. Vinson noted they have handed out water and blankets in the past. Sgt. Jacobsen stated they are purposeful to make sure their officers are aware of programs that are already provided to make connections to the resources available. They stated the department works to balance engagement, connections to resources, and providing officers with crisis intervention training.
Member White Bear present.
Member Johnson redirected her question asking what is being done when officers are called Downtown to a group of Native Americans, and what the protocol is.
Lt. Vinson noted that it depends on what is happening in the situation. They try to meet the people where they are in life, and not where someone else thinks they should be. He noted they want to build the relationship to connect to the proper service providers. They try to avoid arrest unless warranted. Sgt. Jacobsen stated that they want to get to the bottom of what is happening in the safest way possible.
Member Strand questioned at what point is the Mobile Outreach Unit brought into a situation.
Lt. Vinson stated the Mobile Outreach Unit proactively builds relationships by driving around downtown, and there are a few ways they get called in, with businesses and the Police, just being two of them.
Member Snyder asked how to obtain the contact information regarding the programming available. Lt. Vinson noted the information would be left with the Commission for them to distribute.
Member Snyder questioned what the statistical breakdown is for the community of Fargo. She stated last she looked 2% of the population was Native American, 26% of the criminality in the City was from Native Americans, and if those statistics were correct, how is tracking done.
Lt. Vinson explained the statistics are tracked locally, by state government, and federally, and he did not have those numbers on hand. He noted there are programs aimed to reduce the racial and criminal disparity at all points of the criminal justice system. He stated the Fargo Police recently created the Fargo Police Diversion Program in an effort to reduce the ratio in racial disparity. The program works to divert kids away from the juvenile court system into programming that can address their needs.
Member Snyder inquired how many members of the Community Engagement Team were persons of color. Lt. Vinson noted that one of the 12 members was a person of color. Member Snyder questioned if anything was being doing to recruit people of color to serve as police officers.
Member Snyder further questioned if the cultural competency training received by the City of Fargo was from trainers coming from communities of color.
Sgt. Jacobsen noted that there are have been various trainings received and a Native American community member did present a six-hour training on Native American culture. She shared they have had training on other various entities as well and they are doing what they can to evolve.
Member Snyder proposed the question on what can the Native American Commission and the Native American community do to better assist the Fargo Police Department to understand the situations in the Native American community.
Sgt. Jacobsen stated to invite the Fargo Police into the conversations and to invite them to the events so they can be educated. She also noted if the Native American Commission is doing work, Fargo Police would like to know about it so they can be connected to what is already being done, bridge gaps, and strengthen programming.
Member White Bear questioned what the Police are doing yearly for cultural training. She also stated that it is important for engagement to have Police attendance at events, not just in uniform, but to engage in the event as a guest.
Sgt. Jacobsen noted they want to expand and grow, and to engage in the events. She also added that specific Native American training does not happen every year, but that trainings are occurring. They are working to make sure all forms of diversity are being studied, and getting as much education as they can onto the table. She noted that computer trainings and education are sent out to Police staff.
Member White Bear stated that most readings are inaccurate. She would like to see incidents avoided, and feels that in our state there should be more cultural awareness for Native American.
Member Keeler noted frustration in the statistics shared by Member Snyder. She stated those statics indicate that there is a problem and bias in the community. She questioned what is being done about implicit bias and racial profiling in our community. She also noted that representation matters when we talk about change, and that a conversation should be started that a cultural liaison should come from some of the underrepresented populations.
Member Johnson stated it was great to have the officers at today’s meeting and a desire to have them return for the conversations to continue.
Item 5. Old Business
a. FM Native Programs Update
Indigenous Association Principal Executive Officer Audra Stonefish provided an update that their website http://www.indgns.org, and Facebook page were recently launched. She noted work is currently being done to connect with community members and local businesses and make connections.
Ms. Stonefish gave an overview of upcoming projects being developed. She shared that a Native American youth art group to create a mosaic piece is being put together and noted the program will be created with flexibility to be held in-person or online. Additionally, she shared a women’s 40+ online group is being formed to strengthen and connect the community, as well as a homeless outreach program to host a feed. She stated they are trying to build sustainability for programming.
Ms. Stonefish added they are also working on getting voting information out into the community, fundraising, a donation drive, and an online cooking class.
Member Johnson inquired if there was a physical location secured. Ms. Stonefish stated not at this time.
Member Fear absent.
b. Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Chair King noted the event is still tentatively planned to be held.
Member Johnson voiced that she felt like the Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations should be cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation.
Chair King noted that Member Donahue is the contact person for the planning of the event.
Member Johnson absent.
Member White Bear indicated that if the event does take part, she would like to be a part of the planning so that some sort of activity happens for the day.
Item 6. Public Comment
No public comment was presented.
Item 7. Announcements
Member Strand noted a topic for future discussion regarding North Dakota State University (NDSU) being located on Indigenous land.
Member Keeler stated at the January Native American Commission meeting, a group from NDSU came before the Board seeking input and support on narrowing down a land acknowledgment statement. She noted that the President of NDSU is on board to create a task force on campus to do even more than just the land acknowledgement. She is open to being on a future meeting agenda to give further updates.
Chair King read a statement regarding a recent personal statement she gave concerning the disciplinary actions of Tori Holland. She stated she did not intend to speak on behalf of the Native American Commission and expressed her apologies. She noted the importance of working together and having respect for culture.
Member Strand indicated that he would continue to refer those looking for a representative of the Native American Commission to Chair King.
Member White Bear stated she believes as Members they should be notified if the Native American Commission name is being put out there. She would like to see the lines of communication be more open.
Member Strand stated that care needs to be given to the careful interaction online with Board communication, and discussion as to follow open record and public meeting laws.
Member Snyder noted the Bush Foundation Community Innovation Grant applications are being accepted beginning September 3 through October 6, and encourages community members and organizations to apply.
Member Keeler added the Bush Foundation Fellowship applications open on August 18.
Ms. Stonefish shared the Native American youth art program is scheduled for August 26 from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at Island Park.
Sgt. Jacobsen stated they are wanting to be accurate with information that is being shared, grow and develop partnerships, and continue dialogues. She noted they recognize the need for change, and want to continue dialogue.
Item 8. Staff Report
The staff report was included in the packet for review.
Item 9. Adjourn – Next Meeting: September 3, 2020
The time of adjournment was 1:15 p.m.