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AFTERNOON EVERYONE,[ Commission on Disabilities on June 18, 2026.]
AND WELCOME.GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
TODAY'S DATE IS THURSDAY, JUNE 18TH, 2026, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 2:01 PM WE HAVE MET QUORUM AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS TO BE AWARE OF.
FIRST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY, WE KINDLY REQUEST THAT YOU KEEP YOUR CAMERAS ON AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT, PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND LASTLY, BUT NOT LEAST, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ARE AWARE THAT COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE MANY CONCERNS THEY WISH TO SHARE.
WE HEAR YOU, BUT WE ALSO REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS IN ORDER TO GIVE OTHERS IN THE ROOM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
I WILL NOW BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME IN RESPECTIVE DISTRICT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE.
STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE, AYE.
DISTRICT FIVE, DISTRICT SIX IS VACANT.
COMMISSIONER KERRY PARKS, DISTRICT SEVEN, AYE.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN JOHN CAL CONLEY FROM DISTRICT 15.
WE'RE NOW, OH, COMMISSIONER GUNN IS FROM WHAT DISTRICT? YOU'RE ALL GOOD.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, BE RECORDED.
OH, AND COMMISSIONER LAURA LEE GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK MY MICRO OH, OH, OKAY.
ALRIGHT EVERYONE, UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN BY CALLING.
I WILL BE CALLING ON THE NAMES OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.
ANY OTHER TECHNICAL WIL AND MR. WADE WILCOX NOT PRESENT.
I WILL NOW CALL THE NAMES OF CITY STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE COMMISSION.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE DO SIGNIFY BY SAYING PRESENT, STARTING WITH CHRIS GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
WE WOULD LIKE, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL COMMISSIONERS, STAFF MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS FOR ATTENDING THIS SPECIAL CALL MEETING.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING AND IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE TRADITIONAL MEETINGS WE HAVE IN THAT TODAY.
NOT ONLY IS IT A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE THAT THE COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED MONTHS AGO.
THIS WILL GIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE CALL TODAY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE, ASK QUESTIONS, AND REFLECT ON WAYS THEY COULD BE OF SUPPORT AS THIS RECOMMENDATION MAKES ITS WAY TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEY WILL BE CONSIDERING IT AT THEIR MEETING ON JUNE 24TH, 2026.
SO WE'RE JUMPING RIGHT INTO THE BRIEFING ITEMS. THIS IS A BRIEFING ON THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE.
COD COMMISSIONERS WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG PROPOSAL, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DATE AND PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON JUNE 24TH, 2026.
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NOW I AM GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS TO START PRESENTING, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER CANDACE WICK.DISTRICT THREE IS THE PRESENTATION OPEN.
CANDACE WICK FROM DISTRICT THREE, AND I WILL BE PRESENTING THE PRES THE PRESENTATION OVERVIEW.
THIS SESSION PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HERE ARE THE BULLET POINTS ABOUT THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG, BACKGROUND OF THE INITIATIVE REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION, HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN PARTICIPATE AND COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND ANSWERS.
HELLO, I'M COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
I'LL BE PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FLAG.
I'M ON SLIDE THREE AND I'LL PROGRESS TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS SLIDE FOUR.
SO, BEFORE GOING INTO THE CONTENT ON THE SLIDE, I, I WOULD SHARE THAT, UM, THAT THE REASON WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US IS THAT SYMBOLS MATTER.
FOR US, FLAGS TELL A COMMUNITY THAT WE EXIST, BELONG, AND WE HAVE A STORY THAT'S WORTH TELLING.
UH, THE DISABILITY FLAG HAS BEEN VISIBLE, UH, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS TO OVER A BILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES MANY PEOPLE HERE IN DALLAS AND OF COURSE IN MY DISTRICT.
UH, AND JULY IS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH COMMEMORATING THE SIGNING OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT ON JULY 26TH, 1990.
UH, THE FLAG GOING TO THE SLIDES, UH, WAS DESIGNED BY ANN MCGILL, WRITER AND DISABILITY RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN 2019.
AND IT FEATURES BRIGHTLY COLORED ZIGZAG STRIPES OVER A BLACK BACKGROUND.
IT WAS REDESIGNED IN 2021 WITH INPUT FROM THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE NEXT SLIDE ONCE WE GO THERE.
UH, BUT THE FLAGS COLORS REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AS FOLLOWS.
FIRST IS RED WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, GOLD FOR NEURODIVERSITY, WHITE FOR INVISIBLE DISABILITIES OR DISABILITIES THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED BLUE FOR EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES.
AND FINALLY, GREEN FOR SENSORY DISABILITIES.
THAT IS, FOR EXAMPLE, DEAFNESS, BLINDNESS, ET CETERA.
WE CAN PROGRESS TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE HIGH CONTRAST, FAST MOVING DIAGONAL LINES POSED, UH, ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS FOR PEOPLE WITH PHOTOSENSITIVITY IN CERTAIN VISUAL OR NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
AND THE ORIGINAL DESIGN SHOWN IN IMAGE ONE FOR 2019, UH, IMAGE TWO WAS THAT REDESIGN, UH, BASED OFF OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, UH, THAT WAS MUCH MORE ACCEPTABLE TO FOLKS.
UH, THIS WAS DESIGNED WITH DIRECT INPUT FROM THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, A FOCUS FOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND CO-DESIGN, UH, AND THE NOTION THAT NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US IN ACTION.
AGAIN, THE REDESIGN IS ALSO PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, THE DISABILITY ADVOCATES IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM AND THEN THEY CENTERED COMMUNITY VOICES AND CREATED A BETTER SOLUTION TOGETHER.
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS SLIDE SIX.
THE FOCUS FOR US IS, YOU KNOW, THE SYMBOLISM OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG SIGNIFIES THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDING DIGNITY, PRIDE, AND STRUGGLE.
SECOND BULLET POINT HERE IS THE CHARCOAL GRAY BACKGROUND REPRESENTS MOURNING FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF ABLEISM, VIOLENCE AND ABUSE DUE TO THEIR DISABILITY.
THE THIRD BULLET POINT IS THE DIAGONAL BAND SLASH LINES CUT ACROSS THE DARK BACKGROUNDS, SIGNIFYING THE WALLS AND VARIOUS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FACE DA DAILY.
LASTLY, THE COLORS SYMBOLIZE LIGHT AND CREATIVITY SHINING THROUGH DARKNESS.
IF WE CAN PROGRESS TO SLIDE SEVEN, THIS IS THE PROPOSED DISABILITY FLAG DESIGN FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, AND TO BE DISPLAYED AT DALLAS CITY HALL PLAZA.
AS YOU NOTE THAT THERE'S THE STAR AND INSIGNIA WITH, UH, THE CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS.
SYMBOL, UH, LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE.
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STOP HERE AND PASS THAT TO THE NEXT COMMISSIONER.THIS IS COMMISSIONER GUNN WITH DISTRICT 10.
I WILL BE BRIEFING EVERYONE OVER THE HISTORY OF THE INITIATIVE.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATION TIMELINE FOR 2025.
IN MARCH 25, OR IN MARCH 25TH, 2025, THE COMMISSION WAS BRIEFED ON THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE, WHICH INCLUDED THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR RECOMMENDING THE CITY TO RAISE THE FLAG.
IN JULY, ON MAY 27TH, 2025, COMMISSION VOTED TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
IN JUNE OF 2025, STAFF AND LEADERSHIP REVIEWED RECOMMENDATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS PART OF DUE DILIGENCE.
AND THEN ON JUNE 25TH, CITY COUNCIL ISSUED A PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH AND THE COMMISSION.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATION BY COUNCIL IN 2025, THERE IS AN IMAGE SNIPPET THAT DEPICTS THE CITY OF DALLAS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATION ON IT.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR NEXT COMMISSIONER.
THIS COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THAT.
PROCLAMATION BY THE COMMISSION HAS REAFFIRMED AND ADVANCED AGAIN, ITS RECOMMENDATION TO CITY, CITY LEADERSHIP.
WE'D LIKE TO COMMEMORATE JULY, 2026 AS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH BY REQUESTING STAFF SEEK DEPARTMENT, CITY MANAGER, AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS TO RAISE THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG AND HOLD A FLAG RAISING CEREMONY TO HONOR THE OCCASION.
RECENTLY, UH, WE MET WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, UH, STAFF AND SUBMITTED A BRIEFING MEMO ON THE INITIATIVE TO QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE INITIATIVE DURING ITS MAY 18TH, 2026, MEETING THE PROPOSAL REQUESTS, RAISING THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG AT CITY HALL PLAZA FROM JULY 15TH, 2026 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2026.
AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, FROM JULY 1ST TO JULY 31ST, THE COMMITTEE WAS ASKED TO ADVANCE THE ITEM FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON JULY 24TH, 2026.
AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE COMMISSIONERS AT THE MEETING ON MAY 18TH, 2026.
UH, AS WE PARTICIPATED IN THE BRIEFING ON THE DIVIS DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE, THIS IS CHAIRMAN CARL CONLEY AND I WILL BE DISCUSSING ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS INITIATIVE FOR THE COMMISSION.
BEFORE I DO THAT, HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG IS REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION'S MISSION IN THAT AT ITS VALUE, AT ITS CORE, UPHOLDING THE DIGNITY AND RIGHT.
AND SAFEGUARDING THE DIGNITY AND RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IS A VALUE THAT WE HOLD SO DEAR TO US.
IN ADDITION TO HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN FULL PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY LIFE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MAYOR'S COMMITTEES IS THAT WE ARE A COMMISSION THAT IS MORE FOCUSED ON TAKING A HUMAN RIGHTS CENTERED APPROACH AND REALLY BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THAT CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS THAT HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS, UH, HAS SO KINDLY BEEN WORKING ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, GOING OFF OF THEIR MISSION STATEMENT A LITTLE BIT, WE WERE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE SAME HERE WITH THE COMMISSION, IS WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD AND FOSTER THAT CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND BELONGING, WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY IS RECOGNIZED AND HEARD AND RESPECTED.
SO NOW WE ARE GOING NOW OFFICIALLY TO THE SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THERE ARE FOUR POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION WHY THIS INITIATIVE MATTERS.
IT MATTERS BECAUSE IT AFFIRMS THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE DESERVING OF DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND EQUAL RECOGNITION.
NUMBER TWO, IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF VISIBILITY AND REPRESENTATION, ELEVATING THE VOICES, EXPERIENCE, AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
NEXT ITEM, IT CELEBRATES ON, ACTUALLY IT SHOULD BE A DIFFERENT TERM FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
IT HONORS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PROGRESS TOWARD GREATER INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IT RECOGNIZES DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH IN JULY AND PROMOTES AWARENESS OF ACCESSIBILITY, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND FULL PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY.
JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, I KNOW SOME MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OR THEY MAY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS MAY COME ACROSS, ESPECIALLY WHEN, WHEN
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THIS RESOLUTION IS SENT TO CITY COUNCIL.DISABILITY PRIDE IS NOT THE SAME AS THE LGBT PRIDE MONTH THAT WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT.
THIS INSTEAD IS REALLY ABOUT UPHOLDING THE DIGNITY AND VALUES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, MAKING SURE THAT THEIR, THAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE RECOGNIZED, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, AND ARE HONORED.
AND, UM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, TO OPEN US UP FOR COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES.
SO, AS OUR, UH, COMMISSIONERS HAVE, YOU KNOW, STATED IN VARIOUS POINTS OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY PRIDE IS ABOUT THE AFFIRMATION OF DISABILITY AS A NATURAL PART OF HUMAN DIVERSITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY EXPERIENCES ARE DIVERSE AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH INDIVIDUAL.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ACCESS AND INCLUSION, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO REFLECT THOSE INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES.
AND, UH, THIS IS A SPACE WHERE WE'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONERS IF THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, THE DISABILITY PRIDE INITIATIVE, AND THEN REALLY HOW IT REFLECTS THE COMMISSION'S MISSION.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO'D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRACE, FOR SHARING THIS.
UM, THIS INFORMATION I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO OPEN UP BY SHARING WHY OR WHAT THIS FLAG PERSONALLY MEANS TO ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS UNDERGONE VARIOUS CHALLENGES IN SOCIETY AND WHO STILL CONTINUES TO FA FACE CHALLENGES IN SOME WAYS, OR IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I CAN ATTEST TO THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR DIGNITY AND JUSTICE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE FLAG IS MORE THAN JUST AN ORDINARY SYMBOL.
IT'S WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
IT IS A SYMBOL OF EMPOWERMENT AND A SYMBOL OF SOLIDARITY, WHICH FOSTERS A CULTURE OF BELONGING AND FACILITATES INCLUSIVE CONVERSATIONS AND MAKES SURE THAT DISABILITY JUSTICE IS AT THE CENTER STAGE OF EACH DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
I THINK GIVEN THE TIMING OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY THIS FRIDAY WITH THE JUNETEENTH FLAG BEING FLOWN, I'M, I'D BE REMISS NOT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS FLAG, THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG, IS ANOTHER REPRESENTATION OF THE STRUGGLE OF, OF PEOPLE GROUP, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UM, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE RECOGNITION AND THE JUSTICE THAT'S DESERVED.
AND SO RAISING THIS FLAG, UH, BRINGS BACK TO, TO ME, THE MANY FIGHTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST TO RAISE OTHER FLAGS.
UH, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR THIS ONE WHERE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPACTED, BUT ARE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED IN THE FUTURE.
AS WE THINK ABOUT, UH, MANY OF EVERYONE'S FAMILY MEMBERS, UH, AS FOLKS AGE INTO DISABILITIES OR HAVE DISABILITIES THAT ARE DISCOVERED, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH JUST A NATURAL COURSE OF LIFE, UH, EVERYONE WILL BE IMPACTED BY THAT.
AND SO IT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M FULL SUPPORT OF RAISING THIS FLAG.
CANDACE WICKS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING THE REASON WHY WE SHOULD RAISE THIS FLAG AT THE CITY, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
RESPECTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MEANS ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR DIGNITY, AUTONOMY, AND LIVED EXPERIENCES.
IT INVOLVES TREATING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SAME FAIRNESS AND CONSIDERATION AS ANYONE ELSE, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE.
PUTTING RESPECT INTO PRACTICE COMES DOWN TO EVERYDAY INTERACTIONS, LANGUAGE AND BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE CITY REGARDING CITY HALL, CITY EMPLOYEES AND STAFF, WORKING TOGETHER WITH PERSONS THAT HAVE DISABILITIES, BEING CONSIDERATE, ALWAYS ASKING BEFORE, HELPING, AND THEN SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO A PERSON AS THOUGH THEY ARE AN INDIVIDUAL.
RESPECT PERSONS, A PERSON'S PERSONAL SPACE.
AND BE PATIENT AND ALSO MIND YOUR LANGUAGE, FOCUS ON THE PERSON AND NOT THE DISABILITY.
WHILE SOME PEOPLE PREFER IDENTITY, FIRST LANGUAGE OF THE PREFERRED PERSON, FIRST LANGUAGE, ET CETERA.
WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK THEM HOW THEY PREFER TO BE REFERRED.
AND THEN WE NEED TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF INCLUSIVE INTERACTIONS AND ETIQUETTE.
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PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY.AND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DISABILITY DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SERVE AND THE ABILITY TO GIVE, UH, COMMENTATION TO VARIOUS ISSUES OF CONSIDERATION THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND I HOPEFULLY PRAY THAT WHEN THEY SEE THE FLAG, THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH VARIOUS COMMITTEES WITHIN THE CITY, THAT THEY WILL INCLUDE PEOPLE OF DISABILITIES, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR TRUE PERSPECTIVES ON THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE BEST NEEDED FOR US TO HAVE AND BE AFFORDED THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE SO DESPERATELY DESERVE.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
AND I WANNA ECHO, UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER, UH, ROCKWELL SAID ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HAVING OTHER FLAGS RAISED.
UM, I SIT HERE AS A PERSON WHO NOT ONLY FLIES THE BLACK AMERICAN FLAG WITH JUNETEENTH COMING UP, BUT ALSO THE PRIDE FLAG.
AND SO, UM, THIS FLAG, IN MY OPINION, IS, UH, NO DIFFERENT.
AND THAT'S NO DISRESPECT WHEN I'M SAYING THAT.
UM, FOR ME IT IS A REMINDER THAT WE COME IN ALL SHAPE SIZES.
UM, WE HAVE OUR, OUR DIFFERENCES.
UM, WE ARE ALL BORN, YOU KNOW, IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND I THINK FLYING THE FLAG, UM, BRINGS A COMMUNITY THAT HAS OFTEN BEEN ON THE PERIPHERAL OR THE MARGINS, UM, TO THE CENTER.
THERE'S ALSO JUST KIND OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF IT, RIGHT? IF SOMEONE DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FLAG IS ABOUT, WE ALSO JUST PLANT A SEED BY FLYING IT.
AND WHEN THEY SEE IT, IT NORMALIZES THAT KIND OF, UH, SUBCONSCIOUS THOUGHT THAT THESE FOLKS ARE PART OF MY COMMUNITY, THEY'RE PART OF MY, MY EVERYDAY LIFE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY IS IT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT, THOSE OF US WHO, WHO DEAL WITH A DISABILITY, WHETHER YOU CAN SEE IT OR IT'S INVISIBLE, OR THE PEOPLE WE LOVE, UM, BUT ALSO THE FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE PAYING ATTENTION BUT NEED A DARK THROWN AT THEM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
UM, HOWEVER SUBTLE AS A REMINDER THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALL LIVE TOGETHER IN THE WAY THAT WE DESIGN OUR LIVES AND OUR SOCIETY SHOULD INCLUDE, UM, SOME OF EVERYONE.
THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER COLLIER AND COMMISSIONERS COLLIER AND ROCKWELL HAVE POINTED OUT, AND THESE WERE REALLY POINTS THAT WE COULD ALL AGREE ON.
UM, THE TRUTH IS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE HUMAN BEINGS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAVE GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS.
THE WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN YOU'RE BORN INTO THIS WORLD, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE YOU.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE FREE AND EQUAL INHERENT IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS, WHICH IS ENCAPSULATED.
I WOULD QUOTE IN THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, UDHR ARTICLE ONE, WHERE IT SAYS, ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL INHERENT IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS.
AND I HONESTLY, THAT'S WHAT THIS DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG COMES DOWN TO IS, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT THESE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GIVEN, THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO ECHO AND AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
I JUST, I WANTED TO SAY THAT MANY OF OUR INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN SAT ON THE, ON THE MAR IN THE MARGINS.
THEY HAVE BEEN HIDDEN FROM SOCIETY.
AND THIS IS A WAY OF HONORING THE STRUGGLE AND ALL OF THE ADVOCACY AND HARD WORK THAT THE INDIVIDUALS AND THE FAMILIES AND THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE THEM HAVE PUT IN TO GETTING THEM TO INDEPENDENCE.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO EMBRACE THIS AND SAY, HEY, WE, WE RECOGNIZE YOU AND WE YOU DO BELONG IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU BELONG WITH US.
AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU.
IT'S TIME TO STOP PUTTING THEM ASIDE.
THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER DEMAN.
I THINK THAT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE OTHER CHAIRMANS HAVE SAID.
UM, I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE THE WORD PRIDE.
I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE, BUT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THEY SAID AND THE ABILITY FOR OUR CITIZENS TO FINALLY GET MORE AWARE AND TREAT OUR CITIZENS WITH, WITH DIGNITY.
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UM, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS, THEN WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE IT SAYS, LOOKING FORWARD.ALL RIGHT, SO LOOKING FORWARD AT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
UM, SO NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, I BELIEVE AT 9:00 AM UM, OUR CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET.
AND SO THERE WILL BE POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION, UM, BY THE CITY COUNCIL NEXT WEEK.
I KNOW THEY HAVE SOME PRETTY BIG AGENDA ITEMS TO CONSIDER, SO WE'LL SEE IF WE MAKE IT.
UM, BUT AFTER THAT, IF APPROVED LOGISTICS AND, UM, PURCHASING OF THE FLAG WILL BE HANDLED, UM, BY THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL FLAG RAISING CEREMONY ON JULY 15TH, 2026.
SO LOOKING FORWARD, AGAIN, HOW, HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.
SO AS, AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS ALLIES OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN STAY INFORMED, OF COURSE, THROUGH OUR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA UPDATES.
UM, PLEASE IF YOU CAN PLAN TO ATTEND THE JUNE 24TH.
AGAIN, THAT'S NEXT WEDNESDAY, 9:00 AM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND, UM, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, MY, MY PEERS HERE ON THE COMMISSION JUST DID, GIVING THEIR INSIGHTS AS TO HOW THIS FLAG AND WHY THIS FLAG IS IMPORTANT.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL STORIES, UM, AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES FOR HOW THIS FLAG IS IMPORTANT.
UM, THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES HAS ALSO AGREED AND, UM, UH, SAID THEY WERE WILLING TO SHARE UPDATES AS AVAILABLE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU MAY BE A PART OF.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UH, REGISTER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, FOR NEXT WEEK, YOU CAN REGISTER WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
UM, AND IT HAS TO BE, UH, BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, RIGHT? SO DON'T WALK UP THINKING YOU'RE GONNA GET ON THE AGENDA.
UM, THE REGISTRATION WINDOW OPENS AT 8:15 AM NEXT BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE PRIOR COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, AND IT CLOSES AT 5:00 PM THE DAY BEFORE THE MEETING.
SO NEXT TUESDAY AT 5:00 PM UM, IT WILL CLOSE YOUR REGISTRATION OPTIONS ONLINE.
UM, THERE'S A LINK IN THIS, UM, IN THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT, BUT DO WE HAVE THE, WE'LL ALSO PUT THEM IN THE CHAT.
AND IT WILL BE PUT IN THE CHAT AS WELL, YOU ALL.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S AN EMAIL, SEC SPEAKER REQUEST@DALLAS.GOV.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER BY PHONE AT (214) 670-3738.
UM, AND JUST A COUPLE GUIDELINES, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO THERE ARE A FEW SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
UM, SPEAKERS ARE GENU GENERALLY, EXCUSE ME, ALLOTTED UP TO THREE MINUTES.
UM, AND MUST PARTICIPATE BY VIDEO IF APPEARING VIRTUALLY.
SO YOUR VIDEO CAMERA HAS TO BE ON, IF YOU'RE GOING TO JOIN VIRTUALLY, UM, OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS MUST WAIT 30 DAYS BEFORE REGISTERING TO SPEAK AGAIN.
SO IF YOU SPOKE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AND IT HASN'T BEEN 30 DAYS, YOU HAVE TO WAIT.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, SPEAKERS SHALL ADHERE TO A CODE OF CONDUCT TO OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETARY, UH, PRO UH, DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND YOU CAN FIND THAT, UM, ON PAGE SIX OF THE CITY COUNCIL RULES IF INTERESTED.
UM, AND I THINK I'M GOING TO PASS IT BACK TO OUR CHAIR TO OPEN THIS SESSION UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER ROCK, UH, COMMISSIONER COLIER FOR THIS INFORMATION.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT.
THIS WILL DEFINITELY MEAN A LOT TO US AS A COMMISSION, AS WE TRY TO HOPEFULLY GET THIS INITIATIVE ACROSS TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND I, AS I ALWAYS SAY, THE MORE VOICES WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE STRONGER TOGETHER WE ARE AS A BODY AND THE HIGHER CHANCES WE HAVE OF IMPLEMENTING POSITIVE CHANGE.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO ANY PARTICIPANTS HERE WHO WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT MAY DO SO.
AND AS A REMINDER, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY.
SO NOW I'M, I'M OPENING THE FLOOR TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO SHARE ANY COMMENTS OR TESTIMONY REGARDING THIS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AFTERNOON, HONORABLE CHAIR PERSON,
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JOHN KINLEY, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS.I'M A CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS, A RELATIVELY NEW ORGANIZATION, ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD.
UH, NEXT MONTH, UH, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH, UH, THE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICES UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, MR. CHRISTOPHER GRAVES SINCE OUR INCEPTION AND HAVE PARTICIPATED, UH, AND CHAIR, UH, HANLEY HAS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF OUR EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ORGANIZED IN THE CITY.
OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLE IS THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, WHICH STATES ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
AND OUR MENTOR AND LEADER, UH, DR.
RICK HALPERIN, REMINDS US ALL THE TIME TO NOTE THAT THE WORD DIGNITY IN THAT SENTENCE COMES BEFORE THE WORD HUMAN RIGHTS.
SO DIGNITY IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
WE BELIEVE AT HUMAN RIGHTS, DALLAS, THAT HUMAN RIGHTS, THE 30 ARTICLES ENSHRINED IN THE UDHR, WHAT CREATED TO PROTECT HUMAN DIGNITY.
HUMAN DIGNITY IS THE CORE OF OUR WORK.
UH, WE ARE THRILLED TO, UH, INVITE, UH, THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSIONER AND, UH, OFFICER CHRIS GRAVES AND WHOEVER ELSE MIGHT BE INTERESTED AT CITY HALL TO ATTEND THE FIRST EVER UNIQUE ONE OF ITS KIND HUMAN RIGHTS FAIR, WHICH WILL BE HELD ACROSS THE STREET AT THE DALLAS CENTRAL LIBRARY ON THE SIXTH FLOOR ON AUGUST 15TH.
UH, WE ARE AIMING TO BRING TOGETHER 30 TO 40, MAYBE EVEN 50 IF SPACE PERMITS HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS BASED MOSTLY HERE IN DALLAS BECAUSE WE ARE DALLAS CENTRIC, BUT THEY MIGHT BE SOME ORGANIZATIONS FROM FORT WORTH AND OTHER CITIES FOR A DAY LONG EVENT THAT WE'LL BRING TOGETHER, GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NETWORKING TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING VALUABLE HUMAN RIGHTS WORK IN THIS CITY.
YOU WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BESIDES HAVING A BOOTH AND HANDING OUT MATERIALS TO SPEAK FROM THE MAIN STAGE, YOU WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT A WORKSHOP OR A TEACH HIM ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.
SO THIS OPPORTUNITY IS COMING UP AND OH, YES, THE FLAG, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, WE WOULD LOVE TO DISPLAY THE FLAG AT THE LIBRARY DURING THE ENTIRE EVENT, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, UH, FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COM, UH, COMMUNITY HERE IN DALLAS TO WITNESS AND SEE THAT FLAG.
UM, IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE THIS COMMISSION DOING THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IS AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE OF ALL COMMUNITIES IN, IN ANY SOCIETY.
AND IT IS A MEASURE OF A DECENT SOCIETY, HOW WELL IT TAKES CARE OF THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE, LIKE THE DISABLED COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POWERFUL COMMENTS, MR. JAWAD.
AND I BELIEVE WE CAN ALL AGREE ON WHAT DR.
HALPERIN WOULD ALWAYS TELL US, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORD DIGNITY COMING.
IT, IT DOES COME BEFORE THE WORD WRITES.
UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE DIGNITY, YOU CANNOT HAVE RIGHTS.
AND WE SERIOUSLY WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU FOR SUPPORTING US, FOR BEING A PART OF OUR, OUR EFFORTS.
AND IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AT OUR UP AT THE COUNCIL MEETING SET TO TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 24TH, THAT COULD FURTHER SHOW, YOU KNOW, HOW SUPPORTIVE THIS COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY IS, AND OF COURSE YOURSELF INCLUDED IN, IN THIS ORGANIZATION IN THE, IN, IN THE MOVING FORWARD OF THIS INITIATIVE.
ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[00:35:26]
UM, THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.SO MEMBERS FROM VISIT DALLAS REACH, AND I BELIEVE SOME MEMBERS FROM SMU, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
UM, THIS WILL BE YOUR FINAL CHANCE TO PROVIDE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE.
YOU MAY SAY THEM OUT LOUD BY RAISING YOUR HAND, OR IF YOU WISH, YOU COULD PLACE THEM IN THE CHAT AND WE CAN HAVE MS. BRIANNA WHITTINGTON, OUR A DA COORDINATOR, READ THOSE OUT LOUD SO THAT WE CAN ALL HEAR WHAT'S BEING SAID.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY, THE THE LINK HAS BEEN POSTED FOR YOU GUYS TO, UM, PLACE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU WISH, BUT IN THE CASE THAT THERE ARE NO, NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO, MAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A, A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO ANY, ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THIS MEETING, PLEASE DO SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO THE, THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MEETING HAS ADJOURNED.
UM, FOR THE RECORD, THE TIME THE MEETING, THIS MEETING ADJOURNED IS 2:38 PM I, AGAIN, WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU, COMMISSIONERS, UM, CITY TECHNICAL, OUR COMMISSION'S, ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE COULD NOT DO OUR WORK WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT.
AND THIS HAS DEFINITELY BEEN, I'M SURE, AN INFORMATIVE SESSION WHERE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAS LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS INITIATIVE THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE CONSIDERED AND VOTED ON UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, BE SAFE, BE WELL.
THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING AND SUPPORTING THE COMMISSION AND ITS EFFORTS.