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t 01. HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION <br /> Cultivating Community Through Social Justice <br /> Meeting Minutes <br /> Tuesday, February 25,2025 <br /> 6:00pm—7:30 pm <br /> Solid Waste Conference Room <br /> Member Role Attendance <br /> Commissioners <br /> Jemm Merritt(JM) Commissioner, Chair Present <br /> Rhian Carreker-Ford (RCF) Commissioner, Vice Chair Present <br /> Tonya Jones, (TJ) Commissioner, Secretary Present <br /> Jen Sykes (JS) Commissioner Present <br /> Josh Ravitch (JR) Commissioner Present <br /> Alex Fowler(AF) Commissioner Present <br /> Cory Hogans (CH) Commissioner Present <br /> Shane Lukas(SL) Commissioner Present <br /> Orange County Staff <br /> Paul Slack(PS) Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Present <br /> Courtney McLaughlin (CM) Community Engagement& Outreach Coordinator Present <br /> I. Call to Order—Commissioner Carreker-Ford, Vice Chair called meeting to order at 6:07 p.m. <br /> ll. Minutes Approval — Motion to approve by Commission Jones, Second by Commissioner Hogans, <br /> Unanimous Approval. Minutes approved. <br /> III. County Updates-OCOEI Staff(6:04-6:15) Paul Slack&Courtney McLaughlin <br /> A. Community Book Read "The Sum of Us" 2/27/25 6:30p-7:30p at the Bonnie Davis Center <br /> B. Film Discussion "My Name is Pauli Murray' 3/13/25 6p-8:30p at the Eno Arts Mill <br /> C. "Color Me Bad" Retreat for Women's History Month 3/22/25 10a-1p at the Whitted Human Svcs <br /> D. Anti-DEI bill has been presented in the legislature <br /> IV. Blackwood Farms Marker—Jemm Merritt <br /> i Peter Sandbeck will attend the March meeting to present to the HRC. Commissioner Fowler made a <br /> motion to approve a marker being placed, Second by Commissioner Hogans. Unanimous approval. <br /> Approved for a commemorative marker to be placed at Blackwood Farms in recognition of the enslaved <br /> burial ground. <br /> Geological testing has been completed. Inscriptions will be discussed at next meeting. <br /> V. Executive Committee Report- Rhian Carreker-Ford (6:15-6:25) <br /> A. Commissioner Carreker-Ford discussed BOCC meeting work plan presentation of Outreach and <br /> Engagement collaborating with other boards. Positive feedback was received from the BOCC on the <br /> presented work plan. <br /> B. Political Climate is a concern,and everyone is asked to keep their ears to the ground. Potential listening <br /> session for 2025 to talk concerns. <br /> C. Housing/Affordable Housing is a known issue in Orange County <br /> VI. Sub-Committee Reports (6:25-7:00) <br /> A. Strategic Advisory Nominations and Governance: Co-Chairs Josh &Alex <br /> i Proclamation — Commissioner Ravitch discussed the Proclamation he presented to the <br /> commission for consideration. It was approved in Chicago by the Chicago Board of Alderman. Open <br /> discussion resulted in Orange County would not benefit from this resolution as the document is too <br /> open for misinterpretation. <br />