Orange County NC Website
4 Ad <br /> HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION <br /> Cultivating Community Through Social Justice <br /> Meeting Minutes <br /> Tuesday,April 22,2025 <br /> 6:00pm—7:30 pm <br /> Bonnie B. Davis 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 /> 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 called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. <br /> II. Agenda Approval — Motion to approve by Commission Sykes, Second by Commissioner Lukas, <br /> Unanimous Approval. Minutes approved. <br /> III. Public Comment—Hannah Alachey is a community member in Carrboro who has a 23-year-old son <br /> with autism on the spectrum who is having issues with obtaining public transportation for her son <br /> to get to his appointments. Ms. Alachey was instructed to send her contact information to Paul <br /> Slack who will get her connected to staff within the county who addresses transportation. She was <br /> also told to reach out to her son's medical staff (social worker) to see if they can connect her to <br /> some resources. <br /> IV. County Updates-OCOEI Staff(6:00p--6:45p) Paul Slack&Courtney McLaughlin <br /> A. Youth Leadership Program Applications being accepted for ages 14-18 <br /> B. Poetry Event scheduled for April 26, 2025, 6:00p-8:30p at Eno Arts Mill <br /> C. Community Dinner April 27, 2025, 1:00p-3:00p at McDougle Middle School Cafeteria <br /> D. Pauli Murray Awards May 18, 2025, 3:00p-6:00p at the Seymour Center <br /> E. Juneteenth Event—June 15, 2025, please reach out to the office if you can assist throughout the day <br /> V. Blackwood Farms (6:45p-7:20p)— Discussed a variety of place holder language: <br /> -In Loving Memory <br /> "Together in spirit, they endured and thrived. Their legacy lives on in our hearts" <br /> -Forever Reminded <br /> "Here lie those who labored with strength and hope. Their resilience is our foundation" <br /> -A Tribute to Their Journey <br /> "In honor of those who walked this land with grace and hope. Their legacy shines brightly" <br /> -A Legacy of Love <br /> "Remembering those who nurtured and cared. Their warmth remains in our souls" <br /> Office will get price, designs, and a character count for the committee to make a final decision. <br /> VI. Executive Committee Report <br />