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6.2. SR 09-08-2020Request for Action To Item Number Mayor and City Council 6.2 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by Presentations, Awards, September 8, 2020 Cal Portner, City Administrator and Recognition Item Description Reviewed by Equity/Cultural Tolerance and Understanding Reviewed by Action Requested Receive information and provide staff direction as deemed necessary. Background/Discussion Resident Paula Benfer contacted Mayor Dietz with her concerns regarding race relations. She indicted she would be very interested in participating in public forums to consider ways Elk River can sow seeds of cultural tolerance and understanding. She feels that until our country deals directly with prejudice and hate in cities, communities, and rural areas all in unison, the country will not make meaningful progress. She is a retired teacher and has served on a school board. She would like to share her views on equity and outline a visionary perspective. She would like to open a self-examination process in our community and form a plan of action for moving the dialogue forward. Financial Impact N/A Mission/Policy/Goal The Council's adopted Elk River Vision. Attachments ■ PowerPoint Provided by Paula Benfer The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity. P0WIAEU sY NATURE Updated.• August 2020 I Paula Decker Benfer 311 ward Moved to Elk River in 2013 Followed dauizhter A6 am not going to "preach" you.....offer some thoughts from a citizen. 17 1 have been in your shoes. Long days.... A yrs. school boas children attended, in the district our ..while teaching 8hr. days in neighboring school district. ��,,� overwhelmi ng 10 t k 'e MIXED RACE '1 [Bar'. ANDIRM ammai ol 0 AGAIN? N National -Diala, t� on Race Take or leave... but hope to inspire �. ...................window of opportunity Cities + Suburbs + Rural= wee No.ft • • 0 140" •i or Progress Lived enough history see this nation take 3 steps forward and 2 back. • First amendment rights Pentagon /military bases Nascar Races Alterations state flags • Memorials & monuments removed both pos/neg • Black face and appropriate logos • Walmart bans customers for yr. s BL C Li ak..,F Elk River s - -,Y �gV�W'�G6;ERVEYpzol6 sip a �11 ' �" � � � � �;;illlllllll@IVlllllllllll�lll�@�lRl�9���I�IIh�N�ltillllll@�111ihII�Mlllllllll�lll#IIIIi1111111111�V1kIi9Vl`NI1�I�iIRl�llllll`� Ill g OO RMLSMN 1-. jliw rF of V r t - OF, � W mv-W'm tat 1 � r pig J :c i • � a. _ , 7-TV v F a l m m 7 awn YI—I-;- ,Yr W}FYei Pin .`r'o.z�4Y :u Ya.2 EXPANDS 4W7" q:m w fix,Tl .ggxMPsi�.x e . ti. FOR SALE N r 4 � r '� Kansas M in nesota IsconsIn Mlchlgan Illinois I 1 0NO Indiana M iissou ri 10-r- Kentucky in student body of 4500 team" "down 1970s Eden Seminary Olive Street Pattonville (near airport) I D WAlowl"A Budget Monlicello 4}taeg Elk R ver Forest Lake A nnanda4e Ramse. Ham Lake a -hdla East Farms to 4 ,aple Lake. Alba, _11 01i - . Ramsey. °Andover ° � St Michael° -`- Star Prairie Albion ° 'TA ii a 12421 i, 611 0 , enter Buffalo Dayton -. =ork Crow Coon Rapids Blaine o irae Pines 1�ugn Stan r Brooklyn Park - oSpnng Lake Park o ° y bYh to Bear BP.aCh � Somerset Ne kato Rockford Gorooran° ° - Vadmis ° Montrose — �Naple Grove Heights dWhite Bear Lake i Lek' 25 1 Lake Sarah 1 55 N 36 °Stiuwater 6— Independence g Delano ` o Golden ° o Ornrlo easy. 54 Anlho'ny 9ulaplevwod : N©rth Hudson °Rob Ninsletl o dalerlrnvn 81 Paul Hudson narlt,nd Minnetonka Inn Ilan >lHem Lester Hod vood ° dine West St Paul ° c000dbury IY` ° Shorewood s 7 - ° South St Paul Prair e 18 I; ° St Flon:facius o i ¢ Mendote Ne"'Port Waaynia Chanhassen ° Rkhfleld° - River Fall _ k Cfow o- 41 I- 4 Heights Cottage Grove °Bloo Ion ° 12� �e�l �•--�.... Glencoe Nonvnptl o (2J e ---- Bumsvill ++• o ip4ng Ari1BiC8 `"ShakopefPresCOtt Hambu -- Hasn�g o Prior Lake 42 ° a Trimbelle ku urn Jorda 0 12821 Lake �351 Belle Pialne_� Arlington ;t" Trenton l63 c _ r _. _ _ � � _ • � •ter. n•a .� �_ few. .ia .� •T� r a — ., _ 1._ .`N• •�,• � �..s� � i •AID _�. 4:" __ r�. � .. • i— .L ry � � _ _ A - _ •_ S Community ADVOCATE, leader, boards. grants, taught 36 yrs. in four states., independent artist. We don't know you. You didn't grow up here. I don't need more friends. We don't know what you can do. You don't think like we do. Prove yourself Imagine adding...."You don't look like us." My neighborhood: White Russian Chinese Ghana Black American Spanish speaking (Handke) Native AM SCSU Make a spot for yourself. Reach out; get involved. Give back to your community. ri Elk River Freeway Construct Install new bridge Sidewalk m Add access Replace NB bridge Elk River www.mndot.gov/d3/eI kriverfreeway 0- i ^r'A L' �l � �' - art f 6 9" ■ b Good effort Visit fire house of Shop with an officer Cultural Evening by 728 ISD Visitations or personal experiences with Agencies or Personnel ' Meet your Neighbors In summer Sunshine Laws Open Meetings ■ r Access to Facilities Open Houses - J ■ ■ A:�&" 9 h me st ff to the side es around us. 4N. a Embrace Diversity Welcome Everyone wompowFUTUREE Slow and steady ................. or ............... accelerated pace? 2024 2022 20 2025 2023 Ma Find some community advoev cates for volunteers. You know, the "shakers and movers." rd PPPFii I Aik a fi _� _ N ���� � � c:� vl' '�' �J,�tt>='� •� c�,e' a ,c_„� �,�P�I�d •c.,® .r i"g .,o. n LIONS PARK LF� 1• r t rl L M, t Give them latitude to be creative. Consider their input, set yearly goals, review and regroup overthe next 5 years. Top Down Planning VISIONARY PLANNING/ LEADERSHIP Churches % I Service Organizat Programing Jurisdiction Linn -Mar Cedar Rapids, IA GOALS SET / CITY WIDE EXECUTION 5 YRS. programme Motivation everyone welcome Brainstorming .....Develop & Promote COMM U N ITY FACE ....... welcoming to 79w- Borrow or Brainstorm ■ WELCOME HOME 0:1 V-T-]r- FtrrE r �!r •- __ ;y Y � raY` r n�rrna Troy, OH Youth Ambassadors partner with Chamber x } Lk Troy, Ohio Future Begins Today Youth Program Scholarships upon graduation Troy, Ohio Community International Festival Van Cleve 611 gr. IVIS Troy, OH Centrzi I MNArty hoard Start a brainstorm list: Welcome signs in city Light pole, street banners Public employee sensitivity training Fireside groups Build Eng. 211 language School district cultural celebration CMAB model for dialogue Churches (ethnic dinners, exchanges) Library collections....just not Feb. Minority owned businesses Realtors, chamber, banks Welcoming pamphlets/realty Public housing option School/ community network Halloween: ed. Initiative/ appropriateness/ black face/etc. confederate flags 169 corridor as a "public face" International festival TROY Mayors circles LIMA Goal model, flowing downward LINN MAR Kids art ... through children's eyes ... GRANT WOOD FESTIVAL CMAB grants....murals, diversity, street banners River barge display contest (Sweden) Welcome Home T-shirts Banner strings all through downtown Speakers series (Westminster) Free movie and discussion following (local theater) Community murals or mosaics CMAB r WELCOME 6: C IL F ra p tP 3 or ` s So Faulaie what are Vou dolng4 to address t�iis issue? Reading/ Book study $ Support "ETHICS AND EQUITY" CMAB curriculum Online learning Visual art & cultures CMAB School residencies Paramount Center for the Arts UCC Church Social Justice Initiative $ College scholars & re -building Sharing Art and Cultural Awareness Paula Benfer website Amchcavi -Arti Compare and contrast: How do these images by Black American Artists make you think about "being home" and "welcoming?" All of these images by Black American artists use the image of flags. How are the flags altered? What are the artists communicating? I --I. IN 01 the experiences of this ethnic group a law enforcement? QUESTION CLARIFICAT Paula Decker Benfer Ward 3 Mycellarstudio@gmail.com HANDOUT ITEM 6.2 09-08-2020 To: Elk River City Council From: Paula Benfer Elk River, ward 3 Re: Summary of Power Point Presentation 9/8/2020 Recap: Set an initial goal which will establish a committee to study and consider: 1. How do we make all populations feel welcome? 2. How do we embed programs which address sensitivity training in our services and programing? 3. How do we ,motivate all community groups to take ownership in this initiative, both structural agencies and service organizations? 4 4. How do we connect goals across the community and include minority voices? 5. How can Elk River be proactive in fighting racism and encouraging community building? 6. How will we communicate with council and other community organizations? Council will establish a five-year plan to facilitate some of the goals the committee recommends. Each year the council will establish two or three goals which will guide the structural agencies and service organizations. Council will evaluate progress and consider actions needed to facilitate change. ^ Q J j � U •O O U CL 0 -le u ?j CL O Q U 1— Z i C a) Z O cc r_ CL N U aJ a� 3 vM 4-1 °' % — m m 'Q p 2 0 �' o 3 .a bo Q Z m 4- �- Q N O O U jx 4-0 + to-= •O N 4-1..� a > Q ° O 44 N O L +' N 3 4- E _� .... y CA to 4- 'L O Q. 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