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[Workforce-Education and Equity on April 10, 2023]
I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR APRIL 10TH.THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ITEM ONE, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 7TH MINUTES.
SO MOVE. SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CHANGES? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
THE NEXT IS AN ACTION ITEM THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS A CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL REGARDING PROPOSED RESOLUTION ON CONFRONTING AND COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
LINDSEY WILSON, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
IS THERE DO YOU WANT TO PRESENT THIS AND READ IT OR DO YOU? CHAIR AT YOUR PLEASURE.
LIZ CEDILLO-PEREIRA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
I WANT TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE A CHANCE TO LOOK IT OVER.
AND SO I THINK IT'S WORTH JUST READING IT.
SURE. I'LL START AND I'LL ASK STACY TO BRING IT UP.
SO IT'S IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
AND. CHAIR AS YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR HAS AN ANTI-HATE TASK FORCE.
AND IN THEIR PROCEEDINGS, THEY HAVE CONFERRED WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AS WELL AS YOURSELF, MADAM CHAIR, AND ARE FULLY SUPPORTING MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS RESOLUTION AS PART OF THEIR MISSION TO ADDRESS HATE CRIMES SPECIFICALLY.
BUT THIS RESOLUTION HAS ALSO BEEN ADOPTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE DEFINITION IS WIDELY KNOWN.
AND SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT ASKS FOR CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF REVIEWING OUR OWN CODES AND SEEING WHERE THIS DEFINITION MIGHT BE APPLICABLE AND WHERE WE MAY NEED TO AMEND CODES FOR FUTURE REFERENCE AND ASSISTANCE, AND ALSO ASSISTING OUR EFFORTS AS AN OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND AS WE OPERATIONALIZE EQUITY AND INCLUSION ACROSS CITY GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AT IT AND AS EXAMPLES FOR OUR OWN TRAININGS ON ANTI BIAS.
WILSON IF I'VE MISSED ANYTHING OR NEED TO ADD ANYTHING.
GOOD MORNING, DR. LINDSEY WILSON, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
AND I THINK YOU COVERED EVERYTHING.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LIZ CEDILLO-PEREIRA.
THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD ADD IS IF WE LOOK IN SECTION THREE, SPECIFICALLY OF THE RESOLUTION, IT TALKS ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER'S DIRECTED TO PREPARE BRIEFING FOR WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE ON POTENTIAL CODE AMENDMENTS AND UPDATED CITY POLICIES AND REALLY ZONING. AND AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LIZ MENTIONED, NORMALIZING IT THROUGH TRAININGS ACROSS ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ON THE COMMITTEE ABOUT THIS? IN THAT CASE, WE ARE ASKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? IF NOT THIS IS A GREAT MOMENT FOR OUR COMMITTEE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT COME TO COUNCIL.
THE NEXT ITEM IS OUR FIRST BRIEFING, WHICH IS OUR YOUTH COMMISSION.
WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
COME ON FORWARD. AND HOWEVER, LET'S SEE WHO WE'VE GOT.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT THE A TEAM COMING FORWARD.
AND I'LL LET YOU ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND SHARE YOUR PRESENTATION.
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
[00:05:09]
WELCOME. GOOD MORNING TO THE CHAIR AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.WE ARE EXCITED THIS MORNING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME OF OUR YOUTH COMMISSIONERS HERE WITH US TODAY TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THIS COMMITTEE WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM AND THE ACTUAL OPERATIONS.
JUST FOR A REMINDER, THE COMMISSION WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 1994 AND IT WAS REINSTATED IN 2016.
THE YOUTH COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED VOICE FOR STUDENTS HERE IN DALLAS WITH THE PURPOSE OF ADDRESSING AND HELPING TO ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES THAT BRING IMPACTFUL CHANGE TO THE COMMUNITY.
DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TOLBERT. GOOD MORNING.
THEY ALSO SERVE AS AN ADVISORY BOARD IN REGARDS TO YOUTH ISSUES FOR THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.
OUR CURRENT CHAIR IS RICARDO CORPUS AND OUR VICE CHAIR IS ANDREA MERCADO-CRUZ.
NEXT SLIDE. THESE FIGURES REPRESENT THE DALLAS COMMISSION'S BUDGET OVER THE PAST FOUR FISCAL YEARS, WHICH ALLOWS THE YOUTH COMMISSION TO MEET MONTHLY, CURATE MEANINGFUL STUDENT PROGRAMING THROUGHOUT DALLAS, AS WELL AS TAKE TRIPS TO NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCES EACH YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE. RECENTLY, THE CITY OF DALLAS WAS NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE 2023 ALL AMERICAN CITY TITLE.
AND THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR WAS CREATING THRIVING COMMUNITIES THROUGH YOUTH ENGAGEMENT.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THE YOUTH COMMISSION LAST YEAR HAD GOT A LOT OF WORK DONE.
LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE PARTICIPATED IN OVER 100 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THEIR TEENS FOR DALLAS PROGRAM, OVERSAW SIX TOWN HALLS, EIGHT PROJECTS AND OVER 30 MEETINGS IN THREE INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE DISTRICTS.
THEY ALSO PLANNED AND EXECUTED OR EXCUSE ME, EXECUTED THE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT AWARDS, WHICH WAS A CEREMONY IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL THAT HONORED 55 STUDENTS WHO EXCELLED WITH DURING THEIR FIRST NORMAL YEAR BACK FROM THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC.
NEXT SLIDE. SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO PARTNER WITH SEVERAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'VE COORDINATED WITH OVER 20 EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS AND 12 CITY DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, PARKS AND RECREATION, THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION ON VARIOUS YOUTH INITIATIVES AND JUST CITY OF DALLAS PARTNERSHIPS.
AS MISS MOODY MENTIONED, WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS WITHIN CITY HALL AS WELL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PERIOD ACCESS DALLAS DISTRICT 6 COMMISSIONER MARGARITA HERNANDEZ WAS ABLE TO OPEN A COMMUNITY CLOSET IN PINKSTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH PROVIDES RESOURCES SUCH AS PERIOD PRODUCTS, HYGIENE ESSENTIALS, HAIR TIES AND OTHER NECESSITIES FOR STUDENTS . IN DISTRICT 9 ALI CASTANEDA, A STUDENT, WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE HER GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD BY CREATING COMFORT BAGS FOR FOSTER YOUTH.
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IT WAS A 40 PAGE PUBLICATION, AND IT FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT DALLAS AREA GEMS, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, PANDEMIC LEARNINGS AND MANY OTHER TOPICS.ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS INTERRUPT THE NORTH TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR REDUCED UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AND TEENS COLLABORATED WITH US AND THEIR YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD TO CREATE THEIR TOWN HALL FOR TEENS.
IN NOVEMBER AND MARCH, THE YOUTH COMMISSION WAS ECSTATIC TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCES IN WASHINGTON, DC AND KANSAS CITY, WHERE WE COLLABORATED WITH CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON BEST PRACTICES.
THE COMMISSION LEARNED ABOUT EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE REPRESENTATION AND YOUTH ADVOCACY WHILE GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH FELLOW YOUTH COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFICIENTLY WITH OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND AS A RESULT, SPREADING INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS AND INITIATIVES IS IMPERATIVE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION. MOREOVER, CREATING DISTRICT SPECIFIC EVENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO INCREASE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE YOUTH ARE ALWAYS AWARE OF THE ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND OFTEN JUST NEED A WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO BETTERING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOAL OF ENGAGING AND EDUCATING YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS, THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAS ESTABLISHED THESE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES TO ADDRESS CERTAIN ISSUES OR TOPICS THAT YOUTH ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO IN ORDER, STARTING WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE.
THIS IT'S PRIORITY PROJECT WOULD BE THE YOUTH ARTS SPOTLIGHT PROJECT.
THE DALLAS YOUTH MAGAZINE, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY OVERSEE THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL MAGAZINE, THE PRODUCTION OF IT, AND THEN THE DALLAS YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH YOU'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT.
OUR PRIORITY PROJECT IS THE SCHOLARSHIP ITSELF.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACADEMY.
THEIR PRIORITY PROJECT BEING THE ACADEMY ITSELF.
MOVING FORWARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS MORE ON DISTRICT CENTERED EVENTS.
SUCH AS TOWN HALLS THAT RESIDE IN PARTICULAR DISTRICTS RATHER THAN INITIATIVES THAT OVERSEE THE ENTIRE CITY OF DALLAS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TOWN HALL THAT WE COLLABORATED WITH INTERRUPT, THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO MOVING FORWARD WHILE STILL HAVING THE ESTABLISHED CITYWIDE INITIATIVES.
HOWEVER, OUR CITYWIDE INFLUENCE WILL NOT ONLY BE MAINTAINED, BUT WE ALSO ENVISION EXPANDING INTO STATEWIDE PROJECTS BY COLLABORATING WITH SURROUNDING YOUTH COUNCILS, PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTH TEXAS AREA.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE WERE REALLY FORTUNATE TO BE A PART OF, WHICH IS THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION SUMMIT, WHICH WE HOSTED AND THEN CREATED THE WHOLE AGENDA FOR JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.
THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAD A LOT OF FUN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF.
WE PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL IN THE FORM OF WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL SO THAT STUDENTS YOUTH NOT ONLY KNOW ABOUT THE YOUTH COMMISSION NOT ONLY ARE INVOLVED, BUT THEY ACTUALLY RETAIN TANGIBLE SKILLS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO USE TO BETTER THEMSELVES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. NOW ON TO THE DALLAS YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP.
I BELIEVE THAT ACCESS TO EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION IS VITAL TO YOUTH.
I BELIEVE A CITY AS OPPORTUNITY DENSE AS DALLAS IS NOT ONLY OBLIGATED BUT HONORED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR CIVICALLY ENGAGED STUDENTS PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
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SO THIS COMMITTEE SCHOLARSHIP HAS A LOT OF THINGS, A LOT OF CRITERIA GEARS TO WORK WITH.THIS CRITERIA THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN IS JUST HOW I WOULD CALL IT THE BARE ESSENTIALS.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF ROUNDS THAT COME INTO DETERMINING THE WINNERS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP.
BUT JUST TO READ A COUPLE OF THEM, THE APPLICANT MUST LIVE OR ATTEND A SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS IS TO FOCUS THE IMPACT THAT THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAS.
APPLICANT MUST HAVE A 3.21 GPA.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS A FAIR GPA TO ASSESS WHETHER A STUDENT IS SUCCEEDING IN THEIR ACADEMICS.
APPLICANT MUST BE INVOLVED IN AT LEAST ONE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY.
WE THINK THIS IS ANOTHER VERY ESSENTIAL.
AN APPLICANT MUST HAVE AT LEAST TEN HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE WITHIN THE YEAR.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ADDING TO THE CIVICALLY ENGAGED STUDENTS WHICH WE HOPE TO TARGET THE AWARD TO.
AND THEN APPLICANT MUST BE PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL.
THIS IS A SCHOLARSHIP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO I'M NOW GOING TO EXPLAIN THE PROPOSED TIMELINE.
FINALLY, JUNE, JULY IS WHEN FINALISTS ARE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED.
AND THEN THE CEREMONY FOR THE FINALISTS WILL BE HELD AT CITY HALL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HOPE TO FEATURE THEM IN THE PODCAST TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER, MORE DIRECT WAY TO DO THIS THAN BY GIVING STUDENTS FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION, WHICH, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT BECOMES A SUCCESSFUL ADULT.
THUS, THE DALLAS YOUTH COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THE DALLAS YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION IN FY 2023. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE WILL GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE.
IT IS OUR HOPE WITH YOUR SUPPORT TO LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE NOW OPEN FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
IF ALL PRESENTATIONS WERE THIS SUCCINCT AND CLEAR.
WONDERFUL. YOU SET A GOOD TREND.
I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE COMMITTEE.
COULD YOU JUST TALK FOR A MINUTE ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP? WHERE ARE YOU ON FUNDING AND HOW IS THAT GOING? SO AS WE MENTIONED, THE GOAL IS $30,000 FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP.
I'M GOING TO START WITH VICE CHAIR THOMAS, PLEASE.
SO IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE A FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY FOR US THAT WE WOULD GET THE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVED AND OTHER NONPROFITS AND HELPING US CREATE THAT FUND AND KEEPING THAT FUND IN PLACE YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR REQUESTING THIS BRIEFING.
HOPEFULLY YOU ARE OUT TODAY AND DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE A DAY AWAY FROM SCHOOL.
I KNOW DALLAS ISD AND MAYBE SEVERAL OTHER DISTRICTS WERE OUT TODAY.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND MY APPOINTEE, MILES.
I TEXTED HIM AND SAID, HEY MAN, WHERE ARE YOU AT? BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE EACH OF YOU HERE.
IT SAYS THAT YOU REALLY TAKE THIS SERIOUS.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND BOTH OF YOU ON THAT.
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THERE'S A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SCHOLARSHIP.AND SHE SHE TOOK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, WHY IS THIS NOT LIMITED TO APPLICANTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WHY DALLAS COUNTY? SO I'LL ANSWER TO THAT.
SO WE ACTUALLY CORRECTED THAT ON THE SLIDE.
YEAH, I KNOW OUR MAYOR, YOU KNOW, EVER SINCE COVID HAS BEEN ON A BIG PUSH DALLAS FIRST AND DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT SO MANY DESERVING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, IF POSSIBLE, THAT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS.
EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE CRITERIA LOOKS GOOD.
DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS DO THE COMMUNITY SERVICE, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE GPA THAT'S GOING TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE COMMITTED TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. SO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT LOOK REALLY GOOD AS FAR AS THE CRITERIA AND WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP GOING.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO FORMER COUNCILMEMBER TIFFANY YOUNG.
SHE'S LISTENING. SHE WANTED TO BE HERE.
SHE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT FOR HER HAVING A VISION TO BRING BACK THE YOUTH COMMISSION AS A FORMER COMMISSIONER AND LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
ANYBODY? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I WANT TO THANK TAYLOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT TO OUR YOUTH.
I'M SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
YOU HAVE DECIDED TO SEEK ENGAGEMENT.
YOU ALL ARE ALL CIVICALLY MINDED AND YOU TRULY ARE EMERGING LEADERS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
YOU ALL HAVE ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE TO LEAD.
SO YOU SHOULD ALL BE SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID, ESPECIALLY ON A DAY THAT YOU'RE OFF FROM SCHOOL.
SURE, IT'S EASY TO COME DOWN HERE TO TAKE AN HOUR OR TWO AWAY FROM CLASSES, RIGHT? BUT YOU ALL DECIDED TO DO THIS ON YOUR DAY OFF.
SO I'M SO EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU.
AS A FORMER YOUTH COMMISSIONER MYSELF, WE SHARE A SPECIAL BOND, AND I WANT ALL OF YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I'M HERE BOTH AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, TO ASSIST YOU ALL IN WHATEVER YOU ALL NEED.
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL.
WE'LL SEE YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS A MAYOR, AS TEACHERS, AS OFFICERS.
AND SO I KNOW THAT OUR FUTURE HERE IN DALLAS IS BRIGHT.
SEE, YOU CAN BE HIM IN A FEW YEARS.
[INAUDIBLE] NEXT TO CHAIR BLACKMON.
AND I'M SORRY, I WAS JUST GOING DOWN THE ROWS AND THEN BACK AROUND.
THANK. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED EITHER WAY.
WE WERE JOKING OVER HERE ABOUT WHO WOULD BE NEXT, AND I SAID, WELL, I'M NEXT.
AND I SAID, SO SHE GOES, OH, GOSH.
I GO, YEAH, SIT BACK. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO SAY A LOT.
SO FIRST I WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO OUR CITY STAFF.
TAYLOR KIM WHEN THIS GOT RE-IMPLEMENTED AND RESTARTED BY FORMER COUNCILWOMAN TIFFANY YOUNG, YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN IT FROM JUST BEING A SMALL LITTLE GROUP TO WHAT IT IS TODAY, WHAT WAS JUST PRESENTED, WHICH IS AMAZING.
AND BUT THAT ALL HAS TO GO TO YOU YOUTH MEMBERS YOU COMMISSIONERS HAVE FROM DAY ONE UNTIL NOW, I KNOW NONE OF YOU WERE PART OF THAT ORIGINAL COHORT, BUT TO NOW TO SEE WHERE IT STARTED AND TO SEE WHERE IT'S AT, WHERE YOU ALL AS A COMMISSION ARE AT IS JUST MIND BLOWING AND JUST PROVES THAT WHEN WE TRUST YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU ALL CAN DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
IF YOU ONE, PUT YOUR MIND TO IT.
BUT TWO ADULTS, GET OUT OF THE WAY AND KIND OF LET YOU LEAD ON YOUR OWN.
AND PERSEVERING AND NEVER GIVING UP.
THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE DEAR AND NEAR TO MY HEART.
THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE, PARTICIPATING, BEING THERE, BEING ACTIVE IS HUGE.
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, IT HELPS SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS, WHETHER IT'S REDUCING CRIME RATES, WHETHER IT'S GIVING PEOPLE SOMETHING TO DO, WHETHER IT'S MAKING SURE THAT SENIOR CITIZENS DON'T FEEL LONELY AT HOME.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
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YOUR COMMUNICATIONS, LET ME TELL YOU.RETWEETING RE POSTING THE IGS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
I JUST GOT TO ADD IT TO MY LIST.
THAT'S THE ISSUE, THE SCHOLARSHIP.
THANK YOU, CHAIR SCHULTZ, FOR ASKING THE QUESTIONS YOU DID AND CHAIR THOMAS.
THE ONE THING THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK IS, YES, YOU GOT TO GET IT STARTED AND IMPLEMENTED.
AND SO THEN THE RANKINGS START HAPPENING, RIGHT? SO NOT EVERYBODY CAN BE AT THE TOP.
WHAT THINGS THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING NOW, YOU'RE BUILDING A NETWORK AND THAT IS AMAZING HEARING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT YOU'RE MEETING WITH AND HAVING THE DIFFERENT CONVENTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
AND I GOT TO GO AND WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE ONE THAT JUST HAPPENED RECENTLY AT THE OMNI.
AND IT'S JUST SO INSPIRING TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE Y'ALL ARE HELPING TO SHOW THE WAY AND HOW TO DO THINGS AND GET IDEAS FROM THEM AND VICE VERSA. AND THAT'S BUILDING GROWTH, NOT JUST HERE, THERE, BUT HERE.
CHAIRMAN, WHEN YOU FIRST GOT ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS ACTIVE WITH THE YOUTH COMMISSION.
YOU'RE LEADING THE ENTIRE COMMISSION AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE IN FRONT OF US TALKING ABOUT A SCHOLARSHIP AND ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT, AS IF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LIKE, YOU BELONG UP HERE WITH US.
AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE WITH TWO REALLY QUICK THINGS.
ONE IS SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO SAY DALLAS SHOULD ALWAYS BE DOING AND YOU ALL ARE PROVING IT AND YOU ALL ARE THE EPITOME OF IT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE LEADING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, YOU'RE LEADING AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL AND YOU'RE LEADING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
YOU ALL AT THE DALLAS YOUTH COMMISSION ARE NOW NATIONALLY RENOWNED.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF YOURSELVES.
I GIVE YOU A PAT ON THE BACK FOR IT, DEFINITELY.
SO KEEP THAT GOING AS THEY GET SEATED.
AND THE LAST LAST THING, WHICH IS LISTEN TO YOUTH COLLEAGUES.
STOP. LET THEM GIVE YOU THEIR POINT OF VIEW AND WATCH THEM CHANGE THE WORLD.
WHEN YOU GET OUT OF THEIR WAY, THEY LITERALLY WILL CHANGE THE WORLD.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW AMAZINGLY PROUD I AM OF THIS DALLAS YOUTH COMMISSION.
AND THE FINAL SHOUT OUT GOES TO MY YOUTH COMMISSIONER.
SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY THIS MORNING.
AND I KNOW CHAIR BLACKMON, YOU PARTICIPATED IN HELPING DELIVER PRODUCTS, BUT SHE STARTED A HYGIENE CLOSET AT HER HIGH SCHOOL, SO IT WENT BEYOND THE PERIOD ACCESS PRODUCTS AND WENT SO FAR AS TO, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN DETERGENT AND FABRIC SOFTENER AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS, DEODORANT AND RAZORS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SOMEBODY MAY NEED. AND YOU ALL WERE RIGHT THERE WITH HER MAKING SURE THAT SHE HAD THE SUPPLIES AND THE TOOLS AND THE SUPPORT THAT SHE NEEDED.
AND YOU ALL MADE THE NEWS AND EVERYTHING, AND THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU ALL DO.
THANK YOU. I LIVE IN YOUTH EVERY DAY.
THEY MAY NOT. THEY MAY BE 26, BUT THEY STILL ACT VERY YOUTHFUL.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON FENTANYL AND SO I KNOW THAT IS PLAGUING A LOT OF OUR YOUTH.
WE'VE BEEN WITH ADAM BAZALDUA WORKING WITH [INAUDIBLE] PARTNERS AT DISD.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
[00:30:02]
SO IN THIS IT'S ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.SO IT'S NOT JUST FOCUSING ON ONE AREA.
AND ALSO TOO ARE WE DO WE PUT OUR PUBLICATIONS IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE DISD IS THE BIG ONE, BUT WE TOUCH QUITE A FEW OTHERS.
THERE WE GO. SO I KNOW FOR A FACT WE GOT OVER 40,000 FOR DISD, AND I'M PRETTY SURE I DON'T HAVE ANY NON DISD SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT OTHER THAN BISHOP LYNCH, WHICH IS PRIVATE. SO FOR LIKE RICHARDSON ISD, I THINK WE TRIED TO, BUT AN ISSUE WE FACE ALL THE TIME IS SCHOOLS EITHER NOT KNOWING WHAT WE ARE OR LIKE NOT BEING SURE WE'RE ACTUALLY AFFILIATED WITH THE CITY.
AND SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE GOT ANY INTO NON DISD SCHOOLS.
BUT TAYLOR MIGHT KNOW FOR SURE.
SO THAT DOES INCLUDE SCHOOLS IN RICHARDSON ISD AS WELL AS PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
OKAY. BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH.
WE HAVE A LOT THAT JUST TOUCH.
YES. AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A LOT OF THOSE THAT DO TOUCH INTO THEM.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE YOUR WORK IS REALLY GOOD, SO LET EVERYBODY SEE IT.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, ARRAN IS MY COMMISSIONER AND SHE'S THE ONE WHO BROUGHT PERIOD ACCESS TO MY ATTENTION WORKING TOGETHER AND AS WELL AS THE PINK TAX. SO WE SO YES, IT DOES PERCOLATE UPWARDS.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT BECAUSE I DO THINK WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO WOMEN AND TO INDIVIDUALS WHO DO MENSTRUATE, THAT THERE IS AN ADDED HELP HERE AND THAT WE CARE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT PRIVATE PARTNERS TO KEEP THIS GOING BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE SUSTAINED THROUGHOUT THE CITY ONLY, IT'S GOT TO BE A VERY BIG COMMUNITY EFFORT.
SO BACK TO THE SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS.
CAN YOU WALK THROUGH WHO'S GOING TO BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY'S GIVING TO A FOUNDATION OR SOMEBODY'S GIVING TO A 501C3, TELL ME THE BACK OFFICE HOW THAT WORKS? AND I IN A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION AS I'VE WORKED ON A COUPLE OF THESE KIND OF PROJECTS, MORE THAN A COUPLE.
AND SO THAT IS IMPORTANT TO FUNDERS TO KNOW HOW THAT BACK OFFICE IS GOING TO WORK.
LIKE, DOES THE CHECK GO TO THE INSTITUTION? DOES IT GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL? WHAT IS THE FOLLOW UP? WHO CUTS THE CHECK? WHO IS GIVING THEM THE THE TAX DEDUCTIBLE FORM, THAT SORT OF STUFF.
SO CAN YOU WALK THROUGH ALL THOSE DETAILS? YES, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO WE HOPE TO WORK WITH THE NONPROFIT PARTNER THAT WILL HANDLE ALL THE DISTRIBUTION.
SO ALL THE FUNDING, ALL THE DONATIONS WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THAT PARTNER.
THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY HOLD THEM TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE YOUTH COMMISSION CREATED IN REGARDS TO THE PROCESS. SO THAT PROCESS INCLUDES THREE ROUNDS THAT ARE ALL RUN BY THE YOUTH COMMISSION.
THEIR FINALIST SELECTIONS THEN GO TO A CITY EMPLOYEE.
I GUESS, DECISION GROUP, COMMITTEE THAT WILL THEN HONOR THEIR SELECTIONS AND THEN THAT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE DALLAS FOUNDATION AND THOSE CHECKS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THOSE STUDENTS IN THAT WAY.
BUT THEY WILL HANDLE ALL OF THE DONATION ASPECTS, FUNDRAISING ASPECTS ON THAT END.
THE YOUTH COMMISSION WILL HANDLE ALL OF THE PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION CRITERIA.
AND SO YOU SAID THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL MAKE UP OF CITY EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, IT CAN GET IT CAN GET PRETTY.
AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO PUT THAT KIND OF PRESSURE.
SO THAT WAY IT IS MAYBE A BLIND, YOU KNOW, YOU SCRUB THE NAMES, RIGHT? SO IT'S A BLIND SELECTION.
SO THAT WAY IT IS BASED ON THE MERITS OF THAT STUDENT.
AND AND IT'S NOT PUT THERE'S NOT PRESSURE PUT ON.
AND THAT'S NOT THE INTENT HERE.
IT IS TO REWARD THOSE THAT HAVE REALLY BEEN GOOD STUDENTS AND LOOKING FOR THAT LITTLE EXTRA HELP.
AND $1,000 WOULD GO A LONG WAY FOR BUYING BOOKS AND JUST PAYING ROOM AND BOARD.
[00:35:07]
SO I APPLAUD THE INTENT.IT IS THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.
THAT'S I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN FOR JUST A SECOND.
CHAIR AND COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANT TO BRING THAT AGREEMENT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO BE SPELLED OUT TO INCLUDE THE ACTUAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
THAT WAY IT OUTLIVES ALL OF US AND THE STANDARD IS SET AND IT'S IN PLACE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS REGARDING THAT.
YEAH, WE WANT TO MEMORIALIZE IT SO THAT IT'S HERE IN 20 YEARS.
EXACTLY. YEAH. AND WE'RE STILL AND NOW IT'S BIGGER THAN EVER.
AND THEN FINALLY, HAVE YOU ALL STARTED YOUR PODCASTS? SO I.
OKAY, SO I KNOW COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
SHE'S TRYING TO WORK WITH THE FAIR PARK MULTI-MEDIA CENTER TO GET THAT GOING, BUT SHE'S SAYING THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A HOLDUP THERE BECAUSE SOME THINGS AREN'T OFFICIALLY FORMAL. SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE BEGIN RECORDING SOON.
WHOA, RICARDO, I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN AND SAY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WE'RE ACTUALLY RECORDING OUR FIRST EPISODE TODAY AND WE PLAN TO RELEASE THAT EPISODE BY THE END OF THE MONTH. SO WE WORKED IT OUT.
YES. AND WE CAN ACTUALLY SEND A LINK TOO.
THAT'D BE GREAT. ONCE WE GET THIS FIRST ONE.
THANK YOU. BEFORE I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ, DID YOU HAVE A RESPONSE ABOUT THE FENTANYL PROGRAM? YEAH. SO RECENTLY THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAD A MEETING TOGETHER TO DISCUSS HOW WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS FENTANYL PROBLEM AND WE CAME UP.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVEN'T RELEASED ANYTHING OFFICIAL, WE DO HAVE PLANS TO LIKE FOCUS ON FENTANYL SOLUTIONS AS FAR AS LIKE GIVING YOUTH ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD PREVENT AN OVERDOSE.
AND SO THE YOUTH COMMISSION HOPES TO HAVE THAT DEVICE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO YOUTH.
AND SO THE LOGISTICS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS IS STILL SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED OUR IDEA, OUR INTENT AND OUR GOAL.
FANTASTIC. AND I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU WORK WITH CHAIR BLACKMON ON THIS, SO YOU MIGHT REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO HER OFFICE BECAUSE SHE'S REALLY BEEN ON TOP OF THIS ISSUE AND HOW WE CAN ROLL THAT OUT AND PARTNER WITH THE YOUTH COMMISSION.
OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ, PLEASE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID HAS BEEN SAID.
JUST GREAT WORK ALL THE WAY AROUND.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SUGGEST WE'RE GOING TO WE'LL TAKE ACTION ON THIS, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU SET A MEETING WITH AS JUST A LITTLE TASK FORCE ON THE BUDGET BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO IT'S NOT ON THE APRIL 12TH AGENDA TO MY UNDERSTANDING.
MOST OF THE NONPROFITS THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAVE THESE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEES, WHICH WOULD KEEP IT EXTRAORDINARILY OBJECTIVE AND THAT YOU CAN ADD A PERSON OR TWO, BUT THAT MAY MAKE IT EVEN MORE SIMPLE TO EXECUTE.
DON'T LOSE THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE SO MANY THAT YOU'VE LOST THEM ALREADY.
SO BEFORE IT GETS TOO LATE AND NOT JUST TRACKING WHERE THEY ARE, BUT, FOR EXAMPLE, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN INTERN, A FORMER YOUTH COMMISSIONER THAT'S AN INTERN WITH OUR WASHINGTON LIAISON.
SO WITH THAT, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY.
CHAIR NARVAEZ, YOU HAD A COMMENT? SHE GOT IT. OKAY.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR THE APRIL 26TH AGENDA.
SECOND. MOVED AND SECOND, ANY COMMENT? QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[00:40:02]
FANTASTIC. IT'S COMING TO COUNCIL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AND WE'LL GET ALL THE DETAILS IRONED OUT BETWEEN THEN.SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AFTERWARDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. I'M NOW GOING TO CALL UP.
GOOD JOB. EXCUSE ME. I'M GOING TO CALL UP DR.
WILSON AND TEAM ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS EFFORTS.
THANKS TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO IT'S BEEN SINCE THE 1970S SINCE WE'VE WE'VE RECEIVED THIS PARTICULAR AWARD.
GREAT. SO I WANT TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, THE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR HELPING US BE BETTER IN OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS WORK.
WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT BECAUSE WE OFTEN GET QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AT THE HORSESHOE.
AND WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO ALL TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING HISTORICALLY, BUT THE WORK WE HAVE BEEN DOING CONTEMPORANEOUSLY AS WELL, WHICH IS QUITE A PORTFOLIO OF EFFORTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
AND BEFORE YOU HAVE THREE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, HUMAN RESOURCES AS WELL AS COM OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING TEAM. SO WITH THAT, I'M ASKING THEM TO TRY TO BE AS SUCCINCT AND COMPLETE AS OUR YOUTH COMMISSION WAS AND TAKE IT AWAY.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. HONORABLE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M DR. LINDSEY WILSON, THE DIRECTOR FOR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF THE COMMITTEE ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS EFFORTS TAKING PLACE HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, NINA ARIAS, WITH US, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, THE CITY'S LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR, ADRIANA PORTILLO, AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTREACH AND MARKETING'S SUPERVISOR FOR TRANSLATION, GONZALO REYES.
WE'LL COVER BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, HIGHLIGHT THE LANGUAGE, SKILL ASSIGNMENT, PAY, DISCUSS INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES, AND THE TYPES OF TRAININGS AND INVESTMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AS IT REGARDS TO LANGUAGE ACCESS SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN INVESTMENTS.
AND SO HERE ON SLIDE THREE, IT OUTLINES A TIMELINE OF THE LANGUAGE ACCESS EFFORTS.
AND AS INDICATED BY THAT FIRST BULLET ON THE TIMELINE, THE LANGUAGE SKILL ASSIGNMENT PAY PROGRAM, WHICH WE WILL LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT LATER ON, WAS ESTABLISHED AT THE CITY IN 1987.
AND REALLY WE'VE SEEN SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS ON LANGUAGE ACCESS EFFORTS OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS.
ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIONS UNDER CITY MANAGER T.C.
BROADNAX WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WELCOMING COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS OFFICE IN 2017, AND AT THAT TIME HE APPOINTED NOW WHO WE KNOW TO BE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LIZ CEDILLO-PEREIRA AS THE INAUGURAL DIRECTOR.
IN 2017 YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT THE TASK FORCE WAS ESTABLISHED WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE, AND THAT LED IN 2019 TO THE WELCOMING DALLAS STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS CO-DEVELOPED WITH THE TASK FORCE AND ADOPTED BY THAT CITY COUNCIL BODY.
IN 2019 THE CITY BECAME CERTIFIED AS THE FIRST WELCOMING CITY IN TEXAS.
YET IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE DURING THAT TIME THE CERTIFICATION WAS PROVISIONAL BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY HAD TO MAKE STRIDES TO IMPROVE ITS LANGUAGE ACCESS EFFORTS.
AND SO THERE WAS A CLEAR NEED.
IN 2020, COMMUNICATIONS OUTREACH AND MARKETING OFFICE ESTABLISHED THE FIRST LANGUAGE ACCESS CENTER TO BEGIN TO STANDARDIZE THE TRANSLATION OF WRITTEN DOCUMENTS.
[00:45:02]
PROGRESS MEASURES DIRECTLY TIED.ADDITIONALLY, IN 2022, THE CITY HIRED ITS FIRST LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR TO SUPPORT THE COORDINATION OF LANGUAGE, ACCESS AND POLICY ACROSS ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO, AS I MENTIONED, THE WORK IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN.
AND AS WE DISCUSS ADDRESSING DISPARITIES, WE CENTER THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE, ACCESS AND INCLUSIVITY.
IN THE INTEREST OF THE TIME THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS TWO WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE DOING THAT.
ONE IS THROUGH A DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC PROJECT PROGRESS MEASURE OEI'S WITH THE GOAL OF ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS ADOPTING LANGUAGE ACCESS PROTOCOLS SO THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGE BY DECEMBER 2023.
THE SECOND EXAMPLE HERE ON THE SLIDE IS AN ALIGNMENT WITH THE BIG AUDACIOUS GOAL 2.10 UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND THAT NAMES IMPROVED LANGUAGE ACCESS AS A CENTRAL COMPONENT TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
THROUGHOUT THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, THERE ARE 15 LANGUAGE ACCESS MEASURES.
AND FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, WE HAVE ATTACHED THAT TO THIS PRESENTATION.
AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON WHAT HAS BEEN OUTLINED AND THE TIMELINE ALIGNED WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN AND WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS, WE'VE RECOGNIZED A COUPLE OF THINGS AS IT REGARDS TO ONGOING EFFORTS.
ONE IS THE ROLE THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS PLAY IN LANGUAGE ACCESS AND HOW VITAL IT IS.
AND SO WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE NEEDS THAT EACH DEPARTMENT BRINGS.
IN ADDITION, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE CITY FOR INCREASED AWARENESS TO LEARN WHAT LANGUAGE ACCESS IS AND HOW IT CAN BE EMBEDDED ACROSS THE CITY AND SERVICE DELIVERY.
AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS TO NOTE AS WE CONTINUE TO REFINE OUR PROCESSES.
WE'VE NOTICED THAT CENTRALIZING AN INVOICE SYSTEM HAS MADE DEPARTMENTS FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN REQUESTING LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES AND TAKING THE BURDEN OFF OF DEPARTMENTS.
SO TO LEVEL SET ON WHAT LANGUAGE ACCESS IS, I'D LIKE TO START WITH A DEFINITION.
PER THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, LANGUAGE ACCESS MEANS PROVIDING LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT PEOPLE, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS LEP, WITH REASONABLE ACCESS TO THE SAME SERVICES AS ENGLISH SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS.
SO I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOUR CRUCIAL FEDERAL POLICIES.
FIRST, TITLE 6 OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 PROHIBITS RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL FUNDS FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. THEN IN 1974, THE LAU V NICHOLS CASE WAS BROUGHT TO THE SUPREME COURT BY CHINESE FAMILIES IN SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEN IN 2000, EXECUTIVE ORDER 13166 WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON.
THAT REQUIRES FEDERAL AGENCIES TO EXAMINE THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE, IDENTIFY ANY NEED FOR SERVICES TO THOSE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, AND DEVELOP A SYSTEM TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES SO THAT THE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT POPULATION CAN HAVE MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO THEM.
AND THEN, MOST RECENTLY, IN 2021, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER 13985 ENTITLED ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY AND SUPPORT FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHERE HE REQUESTS THAT FEDERAL AGENCIES REEVALUATE THEIR CURRENT LANGUAGE ACCESS PROTOCOLS TO ENSURE THAT IT IS MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT POPULATION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I'D LIKE TO NOW HIGHLIGHT SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FROM OUR CITY.
PER THE 2020 US CENSUS, 1 IN 4 RESIDENTS ARE BORN OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.
[00:50:04]
42% OF RESIDENTS IN DALLAS SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AT HOME, WITH 36% OF RESIDENTS INDICATING THAT THEY SPEAK SPANISH.THERE ARE OVER 90 LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE CITY, WITH THE TOP TEN BEING SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, CHINESE, KOREAN, AMHARIC, FRENCH, ARABIC, SWAHILI, BURMESE AND HINDI.
SO USING THIS CENSUS DATA, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION CREATED A LANGUAGE MAP THAT CAN ASSIST WITH IDENTIFYING CONCENTRATIONS OF LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN DALLAS. THIS LANGUAGE MAP IS AN INTERACTIVE TOOL THAT HELPS USERS IDENTIFY THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE BORN OUTSIDE OF THE US AND THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THAT AREA.
SO I'D LIKE TO DO A QUICK DEMONSTRATION ON HOW TO USE THIS MAP.
WHILE WE WORK ON GETTING THE MAP UP ON THE SCREEN I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT ALL THE ZIP CODES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS ARE LISTED, BUT FOR THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE WILL ONLY BE HIGHLIGHTING ONE.
AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT THE BEAUTY OF THIS TOOL IS THAT IT'S AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TOOL THAT OUR STAKEHOLDERS CAN USE, SINCE IT'S LOCATED ON THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSIONS WEBSITE.
SO ON THIS MAP, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU CAN FIND A LIST OF ALL THE ZIP CODES IN DALLAS.
SO ONCE THE ZIP CODE IS SELECTED, YOU'LL SEE HOW IT ZOOMS IN TO THAT SPECIFIC BOUNDARY AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE AT THE BOTTOM THE POPULATION OF THAT AREA THAT WAS NOT BORN IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT FOR THIS ZIP CODE IS 34.6%.
AND THE DIVERSITY INDEX PROBABILITY.
AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND INFORMATION ON THE PREDOMINANT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT FOR THIS AREA IS HISPANIC.
GOOD MORNING. NINA ARIAS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I'LL BE SPEAKING TODAY ABOUT AD 3-37, THE LANGUAGE SKILLS ASSIGNMENT PAY ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE, AND SOME OF THE DETAILS ON HOW WE ADMINISTER LANGUAGE PAY AT THE CITY.
BASICALLY, THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THE TRANSACTION THAT AD ESTABLISHES.
THE AD 3-37 ESTABLISHES FIRST, THE CITY PROVIDES ADDITIONAL MONTHLY PAYMENT TO EMPLOYEES WHO SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE THAT MEETS CERTAIN CRITERIA, AND I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO LANGUAGE SKILLS ASSIGNMENT PAY COMPENSATES EMPLOYEES WHO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR LSAP FOR LANGUAGE SKILLS ASSIGNMENT PAY AND ALSO ENSURES THAT EMPLOYEES IN SPECIFIC POSITIONS HAVE A DOCUMENTED BUSINESS NEED FOR THAT INTERPRETATION FOR THE IDENTIFIED LANGUAGES AND CERTIFIES THAT EMPLOYEES MEET THOSE QUALIFICATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT RECOGNIZES THAT THE OFFICIAL INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATIONS ARE DONE THROUGH THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, OUTREACH AND MARKETING AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
SO LANGUAGE SKILLS ASSIGNMENT PAY IS LANGUAGE SPECIFIC, POSITION SPECIFIC AND PERSON SPECIFIC.
SO THE FIRST THING IS WE IDENTIFY THE FIRST PART OF THIS EQUATION IS WE IDENTIFY THAT THE POSITION REQUIRES OR THERE IS A NEED FOR PEOPLE IN THAT POSITION TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE SERVICES.
AND THEN THERE IS LANGUAGE SKILLS ASSIGNMENT PAY PROVIDED.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE NEW OR FOR THE REVISED LSAP,
[00:55:05]
THE LANGUAGE SKILLS ASSIGNMENT PAY PROGRAM.WE ARE GOING TO BE STARTING WITH THE CERTIFICATION, THE VERIFICATION AS EVERY DEPARTMENT DETERMINES THE NEED FOR EACH LANGUAGE, THEN WE WILL BE MOVING TO CERTIFYING ALL EMPLOYEES THAT MAY MEET THAT CRITERIA, THEN PROVIDE TRAINING AND ALSO WILL BE KEEPING TRACK OF THE CERTIFICATIONS AND RENEWAL DATES THROUGH OUR WORKDAY SYSTEM AND FINALLY PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REVIEW USING LSAP THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS AND ALSO RECERTIFYING AS APPROPRIATE ONCE THE CERTIFICATION EXPIRES.
NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION.
THANK YOU, NINA. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
JUST A BRIEF DESCRIPTION ABOUT INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES TO START OFF.
SO WHILE FREQUENTLY USED INTERCHANGEABLY, INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
THE CITY OFFERS INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENTS.
SINCE AUGUST OF 2022, ASL INTERPRETATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR VARIOUS BUDGET, TOWN HALLS, CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIUMS SUCH AS THE 2023 EQUITY INDICATOR SYMPOSIUM, THE DALLAS INNER CITY GROWERS SUMMIT AND INTERNAL PARKS AND RECREATION TRAINING.
THE COMMUNICATION OUTREACH AND MARKETING LANGUAGE ACCESS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE WAS CREATED IN 2020 TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S OUTREACH WITH ALL RESIDENTS OF DALLAS AND TO STANDARDIZE THE TRANSLATION OF COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICATIONS SHARED BY THE CITY.
IT IS CURRENTLY COMPRISED OF ONE SUPERVISOR AND ONE TRANSLATOR WHO, IN COLLABORATION WITH A TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION VENDOR, WORK TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S EFFORTS OF ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AT A MINIMUM.
LEVERAGING OUR TRANSLATION SKILLS, WE CAN CUSTOMIZE THE TRANSLATION TO OUR AUDIENCE THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED TRANSCREATION, ENSURING THE COMMUNITY FEELS CONNECTED TO THE MESSAGE. OUR SERVICE HAS BEEN INCREASING YEAR AFTER YEAR, GROWING IN THE NUMBER OF WORDS.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, 1,675% FROM FISCAL YEAR 21 TO 22 AND LANGUAGES THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED.
THE MAIN GOAL OF THE LANGUAGE ACCESS CENTER'S TO ASSIST FELLOW CITY EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENTS COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MULTILINGUAL RESIDENTS IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE SPEAKING, READING AND LISTENING IN.
AND THAT CAN INCLUDE SEVERAL LANGUAGES.
AS WE HAVE SEEN, THERE ARE MORE THAN 90 LANGUAGES THAT ARE SPOKEN IN THE CITY, AND THIS IS ONLY A SAMPLE OF THE LANGUAGES THAT WERE REQUESTED DURING 2022, INCLUDING LANGUAGES SUCH AS BURMESE, SWAHILI AND ARABIC.
WHILE IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EVERY DOCUMENT AND PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED BY THE CITY BE TRANSLATED TO REACH EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE KEY PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED DURING FISCAL YEAR 22 AND 23.
OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED ARE THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PLAN GUIDE, THE BUDGET BOOK AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COLLATERAL THAT GOES WITH IT AND THE URBAN AGRICULTURAL PLAN, AMONGST OTHERS.
[01:00:06]
ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS THE CITY OF DALLAS WEBSITE IN OVER 100 LANGUAGES BY CLICKING ON THE TOP RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE HOME PAGE AND SELECTING THEIR DESIRED LANGUAGE.THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION HAS CREATED A TRAINING TO PROMOTE LANGUAGE ACCESS THAT INFORMS CITY DEPARTMENTS ON HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE IN OUR RESIDENTS PREFERRED LANGUAGE.
THE CITY OF DALLAS DEMOGRAPHICS.
THE LANGUAGE SKILL ASSIGNMENT PAY AND HOW TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY USING PLAIN LANGUAGE.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT ON APRIL 4TH AND 5TH, WE WERE ABLE TO PILOT THIS TRAINING WITH CODE COMPLIANCE AND WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH 48 CODE COMPLIANCE STAFF MEMBERS. THIS TRAINING IS IN HIGH DEMAND AND HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY HR, SUPERVISOR, TRAINING BOARD AND COMMISSION COORDINATORS AND MOST RECENTLY SANITATION.
THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND COMMUNICATION, OUTREACH AND MARKETING HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING ON CREATING A PRERECORDED VIRTUAL TRAINING THAT WILL INCLUDE A VIDEO AND A QUIZ TO TEST FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL STAFF.
THE COMMUNITY INPUT GATHERED HERE WILL INFORM HOW WE MODEL OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS PROTOCOLS SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE TRULY PROVIDING SERVICES THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AS WELL.
THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION WILL SHORTLY BEGIN CONNECTING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP LANGUAGE ACCESS PROTOCOLS THAT TAKE IN THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EACH DEPARTMENT, WHILE ALSO CONTINUING THE TRAINING TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH CITY EMPLOYEES SO THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THE LANGUAGE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS THE NEW CHANGES THAT ARE IN THE INTERIM AD THAT HR HIGHLIGHTED TODAY.
WE ARE ALSO GETTING READY TO LAUNCH THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WE'RE NOW AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
ONE IS ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS MAP.
CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT IT INCLUDES THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS FOR PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN SEE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP BETWEEN ZIP CODES? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.
IS THERE, FIRST OF ALL, ON THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT IS SAGAR, KAREN AND DARI? I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THOSE LANGUAGES.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE LANGUAGES FROM AFRICA.
ANYONE WHO KNOWS, I'D LOVE TO FIND OUT.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING TO ME.
AND THEN IS THERE OPPORTUNITY? I HAVE TWO LAST QUESTIONS.
ONE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH ERGS OR OTHER, WHO WANT TO ACTUALLY LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE TO BE ABLE TO SO THAT WE COULD GROW OUR CAPACITY WITHIN OUR CITY STAFF OF PEOPLE TO SPEAK MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, PARTICULARLY SPANISH.
I'LL JUST ADD HERE THAT I KNOW THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] WHICH IS AN ERG, RIGHT? HISPANICS, HISPANIC CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE DOING THIS ON IT'S NOT HASN'T BEEN CONSISTENT SINCE COVID.
AND THEN IT COULD BE STOOD UP IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT.
WELL, IT'S ALWAYS IN HIGH DEMAND.
AND THEN FINALLY ON THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] HAS DONE AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB WITH THEIR [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP AMBASSADORSHIPS. SO IT MIGHT BE A WAY THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THAT MODEL AND ROLL THAT OUT THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS LANGUAGE COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN RECREATE THE WHEEL ON THE
[01:05:05]
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.FANTASTIC. AND I THINK THAT ONCE THOSE PEOPLE ARE IDENTIFIED, THAT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS ASSISTANCE TO ALL OF US ON THE COUNCIL TO KNOW WHO OUR AMBASSADORS ARE IN THE LANGUAGES THAT WE DO NOT SPEAK OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE A DIRECT, YOU KNOW, OUR NEWSLETTERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE WERE REMISS, PROBABLY NOT TO MENTION THAT BUILDING ON THE PROGRAM THAT THAT YOUR DISTRICT HAS LAUNCHED WITH THE WITH SOME OF YOUR SOME OF YOUR DOLLARS.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE USED THAT THAT MODEL, A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS.
THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO ONLY SPEAK ONE LANGUAGE, BECAUSE THEY MAY BE MORE RECENT IMMIGRANTS, MANY OF THEM ARE LIVING IN RENTAL COMMUNITIES.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN THE CITY IN TERMS OF OUTREACH.
SO IT COULD BE USED IN LOTS OF WAYS BESIDES JUST INFORMATION OUT TO THEM.
IT'S INFORMATION BACK TO US THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
OKAY. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO START VICE CHAIR THOMAS.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THIS BRIEFING, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, LIZ AND DR.
WILSON AND EVERYONE WAS JUST SHARING WITH CHAIR.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU COLLECTIVELY.
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTAL DEPARTMENTAL TO COME TOGETHER ON SOMETHING AND PRESENT TO THE COMMITTEE.
I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFINITELY LISTEN TO, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCILMAN LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE INPUT REGARDING LANGUAGE ACCESS THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE YOU.
BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET FEEDBACK, ESPECIALLY SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THIS WOULD BE GREAT TO DO A CITYWIDE SURVEY ON IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND MY COMMUNITY AND LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS BREAKFAST. I INVITED STAFF FROM OUR DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND [INAUDIBLE] WHO'S SITTING BACK THERE WHO ATTENDED WITH HER TO HEAR FROM THEM. HOW DO YOU RECEIVE YOUR INFORMATION? WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR YOU TO GET YOUR INFORMATION FROM THE CITY AND FROM MY OFFICE? AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO REALLY, REALLY BEAR MAJOR FRUIT FROM MY OFFICE FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND THEN FOR MY SUCCESSOR GOING FORWARD.
AND I THINK THE MORE THAT WE CAN GET INFORMATION FROM THEM REGARDING HOW THEY LIKE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS COMMUNITIES THAT FEEL LIKE THEY'VE HISTORICALLY BEEN LEFT OUT OR IGNORED, GETTING THEIR INPUT BEGINS TO REESTABLISH THAT LEVEL OF TRUST THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE PARTNERS.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.
IS ANYONE ELSE? WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
VERY INFORMATIVE. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY. OH, I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY GREAT WORK.
I REALLY LIKE THE THE LANGUAGE MAP.
I ALSO LIKE THE FOCUS OBVIOUSLY, ON EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE CITY THAT CAN SPEAK VARIOUS LANGUAGES.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TO, YOU KNOW CONTINUE THE EFFORTS TOWARDS THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE I DO HEAR SOMETIMES FROM PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY GET ENOUGH SERVICES IN THEIR LANGUAGE FROM FROM WITHIN THE CITY.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT SUCH ROBUST EFFORTS IN THIS SPACE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS, MADAM CHAIR.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE FIRST IS THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DAY LABOR CENTER UPDATE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT? SORRY PLEASE CHAIR THOMAS.
YEAH, IF WE COULD HAVE WHICHEVER STAFF IS WORKING ON THAT.
[01:10:02]
GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE.JOYCE WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER.
KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PILOT.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY DETAILS IN TERMS OF THE BRIEFING, THE MEMO.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, CHAIR THOMAS.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR COORDINATOR THAT WE'VE HIRED.
THIS IS ALBERTO PONCE, AND SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM.
ALBERTO, YOU TELL THE COMMITTEE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
YES, I JUST JOINED THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, I HAVE BACKGROUND ON SOCIAL BENEFITS PROGRAM.
AND ONE OF THEM WAS HOUSING WITH A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT WAS IN MONTERREY, MEXICO.
THAT'S WHERE MY SPANISH BACKGROUND IS.
AND I HAVE WORKED ALSO WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, WITH TEXAS, AND ALSO IN SOCIAL PROGRAMS. AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS, BASICALLY GETTING TO KNOW THE NEEDS OF THIS PROGRAM AND DESIGNING A PLAN WE HAVE ADVANCED. WE HAVE INTERVIEWED PEOPLE.
WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO DAY LABORER AND TO THE DAY LABORER WORKERS THEMSELVES.
OKAY. AND BASED ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DAY LABORERS, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN HEARING? WELL, BASICALLY, THE MAIN THING IS RIGHT NOW GATHER A SPECIFIC PLACE THAT IS BASICALLY A CREATED BY THE CITY WHICH DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE VISITED OTHER PLANO CENTER, WHICH HAS A PLAN SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE.
AND THE MAIN THING RIGHT NOW IS KEEP THE SAFETY, GATHER THE WORKERS IN ONE PLACE, GATHER THE CONTRACTORS IN ONE PLACE, MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE NOT DISTURBED, THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS ARE NOT AFFECTED, AND IN THIS WAY PROVIDE A COMPLETE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND MOSTLY THESE WORKERS THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING IS PEOPLE THAT IS SPEAKING SPANISH.
SO ANOTHER APPROACH THAT WE HAVE IS TRYING TO TO GET THE CONFIDENCE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GATHER THEM IN ONE PLACE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS WORKING FOR THEM AND TAKE ADVANTAGE TO PROMOTE THE OTHER SERVICES THAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM ON THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
BUT BASICALLY, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE WORKERS IS THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT ENSURING THAT THEY'RE GETTING PAID. SECOND THING THAT WE'VE HEARD IS ABOUT THE WORKERS IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE WORK, THAT THE CONTRACTORS ARE THERE. AND THE THIRD THING THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE WORKERS IS THAT THEY WOULD BE VERY HAPPY AND DELIGHTED IF THE CITY DOES PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE IN DOING THIS.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD.
WE ARE PLANNING TO COME BACK IN MAY WITH A PRESENTATION ON ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES AND LOCATIONS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH WITH INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN TRULY, TRULY HELPFUL.
WE HAVE ALSO CONTINUED OUR BENCHMARKING WITH THE DAY LABOR CENTER IN PLANO TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY BRING BACK SOME GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT ALSO SOME FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO WE HAVE SOME GREAT MODELS THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY IN THE CITY.
[01:15:03]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WELCOME ABOARD.THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DAY LABOR CENTER? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IF NOT, THE NEXT MEMO IS ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS WORKFORCE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT UPSKILLING DALLAS GRANT UPDATE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT THE UPSKILLING FOR CITY OF DALLAS EMPLOYEES? OH, CHAIR THOMAS? YEAH. KIM, THIS IS FOR YOU.
MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT UPDATE, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST GET THAT UPDATE FOR ME AND GET BACK WITH ME SINCE I INITIATED THAT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SEE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, IF POSSIBLE. YES, SIR.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION, THE LAST MEMORANDUM IS ABOUT THE UPCOMING OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AGENDA ITEMS. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? IF NOT. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.