Hi Milan. >> Hi. >> So let's just wait a few more minutes because I know more people are coming. Well, I know Rizswana is coming. >> Well, then uh do we need six for a
quorum or what is it? >> Five. >> Yeah, Silus is we need five. But Silas is coming too and Rswana is coming. Whoa. >> Liz said she wasn't sure Alex isn't coming.
>> So, we need Rswana and uh Silas >> who both promised to come. >> And we have a lot of work today. So, if we don't have a quorum, I'm not Pamela. What are the options without
having an official meeting? Can we vote? >> No. >> Email? >> No. So the only other option I mean you could have discussion but you can't take an official vote without a quorum and the option would be to uh establish a
special meeting um and uh make sure that we have a quorum. The one thing that I um I haven't had a chance but we should have a conversation with Alex like she can always attend the meeting and >> yeah I told her
>> and abstain right she doesn't have to >> yeah but she didn't want to be here for the discussion because >> right >> yeah I had already told her that that her present she doesn't have to vote >> right >> I think that's an issue we have to talk
to her about >> yeah Right. >> Um >> because you know >> we have so few people already. So if two people don't come then that's it, >> right? >> And Liz said she would be traveling but she would try.
>> And then there are two you know there are still two vacancies that we need to fill. >> I know. I know. Yeah. >> So I I will try to have a conversation with Angela Mills. I know that the town
manager's office was starting with the um boards that did not have quorums um to fill, >> but they you know at this point they may have um be able to circle back and see how many people have expressed an
interest in the HRC like Philip or I with Angela next week. >> Okay. So I think we really do need that because I think we have to account for the fact that Alex really cannot
>> right >> we have so we have fewer than it looks like we have right >> and the second reason we have fewer is that Liz has a lot of travel to do and isn't always able to join although I think she's been very conscientious when she can >> right
>> seems to be frozen >> or is that just me. >> No one was frozen on this end. I could hear Ronnie. Could you not hear her speaking or did she stop? >> I can hear voices. It's the the screen stopped. So maybe it's just my computer.
It could be me because I just switched to my email to contact send quick notes to Liz and to Rswana and Silus to see if they're coming because they both said they would or to just remind like like
Rswana she's in a 12 10 hour t time zone I think. So for her she might need a little reminder. >> Yeah. >> So we just have to wait. Um, >> we need two basically then. >> Yeah. Um,
can we talk about the video update while we're here or should we do the whole open the meeting? >> Um, so we're recording now and >> so we should open the meeting, >> right? You I would open the meeting and just state that, you know, not going to
take an official vote until a quorum is present. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> Uh, so it is now 6:04 p.m. on February 18th and I'm calling the meeting of the Human Rights Commission to order.
Um, we do not have a quorum, but while we're waiting for that, we'll get started on other matters that don't require a vote. Um, so pursuant to chapter 20 of the acts of 2021, this meeting will be
conducted via remote means. Members of the public who wish to access the meeting may do so via Zoom or by telephone. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access
the proceedings in real time via technological means. So, welcome everyone. Um today's uh agenda is very much like the past. Public comment, member reports
followed by several action items having to do with bylaws, various resolutions, um and DEI update as well as HRC complaints um
and then other topics of course. So, Silus has joined us. We have four people. Um, well, let me say welcome everyone and I am glad that everyone is here. I know it's a particular challenge for us
because without a quorum, we cannot do anything and we have some unique constraints uh as far as achieving the quorum. Um we will RZswana said she would come so you know we'll wait for her to take any
votes but in the meantime I think we can proceed with the rest of the agenda. So the first item of course is public comment. Are there any members of the public? Looks like there are not. Yeah there there are um so there are no members of
the public uh present just the five of us. uh no attendees at present and officially we're um we're really discouraged from having uh any sort of meeting because we're not officially
able to meet but I think um maybe to buy some times I might do some the DEI updates or you know I >> I thought we could do can we do reports? >> Sure. Yeah. >> Yeah. and then maybe the DI updates.
Um, all right. So, let's start with member reports. Abilan. >> Uh, no, I just a question on the topic of the meeting. Um, yeah, I I from what I understand, I thought we weren't able
to be in session with if we didn't have a quorum. >> Yeah, we we aren't, but we thought we might do some other business where it might not matter. like reports which will go into our meeting notes and
be voted on next um meeting. Um I don't know, Silus, do you have a report on your work with uh Vince Okconor? Did anything come of that? So, I sent a a follow-up email to um
Vince and um Vince said that uh they had joined the previous meeting, but when the floor was open for public comment, um they weren't able to raise their hand um
using the phone's keypad >> and then the public comment closed. So, I'm I'm not sure what um happened during that period. Uh but I've tried to um set up a follow-up email
meeting and just I haven't had any further um communication at this time. >> Thanks. And yay, Rswana is here. We have a quorum. We can have our meeting. Thank you, RZswana.
Um, >> hello. >> So, we're doing member reports right now. If you if you have anything to report, RZ, >> I don't >> Jay, you have your hand up. >> Do we need to uh take a roll call first?
>> Um, probably. Yes. So, let's do the roll call. Um, Milan >> here. >> Liz absent. Rswana, >> hello. here. >> Silus >> here.
>> Ronnie here. Jay >> here. >> Okay, we have a quorum. >> Um, we have no public comment, but we can go on with our member reports. Um I have a report which is that I
participated in a zoom call uh initiated by uh Mandy Johanni with counselors Amber Cano Martin and also Alicia Walker and Javier Leego Gerido. I
probably killed that name. I apologize from the ACLU Massachusetts. I thought this was really an important meeting because we came to agreement that the town would work with Javier to update our sanctuary/welcoming
city bylaws. Um the ACLU has developed updated text and so to start off it was agreed that Javier would meet with um councelor Ko Martin and counselor Walker and I don't
know if they were talking about other people joining that as well. Um but that process it's been agreed will be started. So, it's very exciting to me. As you know, I reported on trying to do this last year and didn't get anywhere
with it. But I think that um as Jay mentioned earlier, things are changing. There's a lot of motion and uh I also saw some at least one letter with a lot of signitories to the council saying that we need to take action. So, I think
this will be a really good step forward for us. And I found that the town counselors who were present were all very receptive to hearing what Javier had to say and to um welcoming his
input. So that's my big news that I'm very happy about. I also read that the February 4th workshop uh similar to the one we did but the followon um had more than 400 attendees which tells which is really really
great. If anyone went to that uh it would be great to have a report. I just read that in the gazette. And that's all the reports that I have. Jay, your hand is still up. Did you have more to say? >> Yes, this is a member report. I attended
the uh GO meeting. That's the government organization and legislation uh subcommittee uh meeting related to the town council. And this group sends recommendations to the town council. And with regards to
HRC, go out recommended to the town council that HRC has a leazison kazone. And so the town council will vote on that particular issue. But that
recommendation has gone forward from go to the town council. I know that Rani advocated for that a lot and even wrote a letter and then also contained in that meeting was uh something about you know the bylaws involving uh HRC. So as far
as the new proposed HRC bylaw is concerned, go reports that the town manager says that uh it could refer or it could uh lies with the town attorney to get
with the town's attorney to get any input if they have any questions. At first I thought it was to be reviewed by the town attorney, but it's not that case at all. It is I think purely consultant in nature. And then one
member uh from the subcommittee questioned why that is necessary given that the law firm that KP law already okayed uh that particular proposal and the chair responded that her understanding
is to ensure that all the legal aspects are safe proof. So that's my report with regard to that. Thank you. Yeah, I have the chair's question as well, which is it's been vetted by our lawyers
so many times. So, what other protection are they going to offer? Um, thank you. Uh, any other member reports? All right. Um, let's move on then to the
action and discussion items. The first one is the approval of our minutes. Has everyone seen the minutes? Okay, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting. I can second that.
>> Okay. Is there any discussion? All right. Let's take a vote on it. Um, where's my list? Milan. >> Hi. Yes, >> Liz is not here. Isana, >> I think she's frozen for now. Silus,
>> yes. >> Ronnie, yes. Jay, >> yes. Rswana, we'll just say that she's having technological difficulties, but we have a majority vote. Um, thank
you. Um, the next uh item is the update on the bylaws. Um, is there more to add to that? I have some questions certainly about it. Well, I mean, uh, I have nothing new.
And when you, you know, initially worked on this issue together with Liz and the town's attorney, uh, I wasn't even, >> you know, with you, right, as a member of HRC, but I tried to keep pace of of
where you are. And so, I to, you know, dig to find out about KP Law and and their work. So it seems to me that you spent, you know, more than an hour on the phone with the town's attorney and you had gone through, you know, dotting
all the eyes and crossing all the tees and eventually, you know, KP Law approved that. So it seems to me it should have been an up and down vote in the town council. I think the issue you know really is about new memberships uh in the town council people who are who
don't know you know what had transpired in the prior years and it's about keeping them informed of what's going on and then you know trying to move you know move the process forward >> maybe then it's appropriate for me to say that this process started before I
got here and in fact I thought it was almost finished so I didn't really add substantially because I felt like it's almost finished and I just wanted it done. Uh but it's dragged on for a long time and today if I were to look at it I
would actually recommend some changes to it but I'm refraining because I want the thing to be passed. Pamela you have your hand. So um I know that Philip also attended the go meeting you know listening in um not as a panelist but to
hear the report. Um >> I I I mean he might have more to add on this. He'll be back in the office next week. So, I can ask him to communicate with the commission if he has any additional insight and we could
certainly probably or he could probably connect with Athena to see if there are any questions um that they've raised. But I think as you've stated uh KP law has reviewed it
multiple times and uh there's no from from my perspective there's no additional work for them to do on the current version that's before them. >> Thank you. I think that at the town council meeting the questions appeared
to me to me um were questions of format. I'm not a lawyer, but it was like, do you want this in the are you sure you want this in the purpose section and not the some other section? They were sort of that type of question and I don't know legally how much it matters where a
thing is. Um because I think when Liz and I talked to them, we were very focused on the content, not on where in the document it appeared. Um so much. Any other questions about the bylaws before we move on?
All right. Um, so we have four resolutions um to vote on and I can't tell you enough how grateful I am that we have such a committed group of commissioners
here. Um, knowing how hard it is for us to get a quorum. I really appreciate that everyone is here. I know we're all busy and Rswana's on the other side of the planet, but I do value the commitment to be here. So, let's start
with these um um what they call resolutions. And I guess the first one on the agenda is the one from the from the town. >> Would you has everyone
>> Go ahead. Has everyone seen it or should we review it? Pam, Pamela, what do you think? >> So, I was just going to ask if you wanted me to screen share. I don't I'm u the resolutions. >> I do. >> I think a screen share would help just to remember which one it is. Did you see
what it looks like? So, this first one came to us from Algra Clark and um this is something that a group of members working for a group called Free Speech for People um told
them that the town council will be considering a resolution um having to do with ICE on Monday the 23rd. and we're seeking sponsors. So they want individual and institutional sponsors. So it would be much stronger of course
for us to support it if we're going decide to support as the human amorous human rights commission. So they've asked for our support, but they also want um others who are individuals to support. So you should feel free to
share it widely if you do agree with it. So, do you have it, Pamela? >> Uh, yep. It's coming up right now. Can you all see it? >> Yeah. >> So, do you remember this document?
>> Let me see. >> Okay, great. Um, maybe we could move to the core part of what the uh and you can see the town council sponsors and the community sponsors. Okay. So you I'm going to skip through
all the whereases sort of quickly there >> because the actual Yeah. The actual resolution's pretty small. >> Okay. >> If you started now therefore be it resolved >> and for the result. Okay. I'm putting forward before we go
to discussion, let me just put forward the motion that we approve this. >> My Zoom isn't >> Hang on. My Zoom isn't responding. Um, it seems to be frozen and it's telling me to close the program. So, I will have to pop out for a second and come right
back in. >> We'll wait for you, Milan. >> Okay. actually. Can you make the fonts bigger for us? >> I can try. I might have to uh let me stop sharing and see if I can enlarge it
on the other screen. So, >> okay, that is it's working. >> Okay, great. I'm going to try to enlarge. Okay.
All right. And I will come back over here. All right. That's an enlarged version. >> Okay. Better. Um, all right. Can you all see that? I'm
going to actually when you're ready for me to scroll down, let me know. >> Yeah. Go ahead. I don't know if the other >> I think that's it. Is there any discussion? >> Okay. A little bit more right there.
>> Oh, sorry. One one more bit. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Right to the bottom. >> Mhm. >> Is it the final resolution? Need to see. >> So, that's the last um >> Okay. M down to the bottom.
>> That's it. >> It just has the name of the town council president. That's it. >> Yeah, that's the last bit. Would you actually scroll up to the end of the previous page? >> Sure. Mhm. >> Okay. Okay. Just hold there a bit.
A little bit higher. Okay. Stop. There's also grocery stores around from my understanding. Um the uh it was on the ICE website that Big Y has signed a
uh voluntary agreement with ICE uh for I9 records and whatnot. It's uh yeah I know we can't say anything about uh personal businesses but I do like the
statement. any other comments, discussion stop sharing if that's okay. >> Well, yeah. I mean one point is that you know I in some months back I last year I you know
went to the police station and uh had a chat with uh Chief King you know about this very same issue because there were so many of the professors and students who were here uh
on you know working visas and student visas and I was afraid that you know any one of them could be picked up. And uh his response basically was that they you
know could not do anything against the federal government uh if you know that they cannot interfere in their work in the town. I I can understand that. But this resolution here says to be wary of any criminal
acts that violates let's say town rules, state rules and those kinds of things and to move forward on those kinds of issues. Uh I'm aware that in some other towns including New York City, they are
arresting ICE agents who violate local rules. Um, so I don't know whether the language is strong enough, but it's certainly a start. >> So this is something that came up in my
in the meeting I was at. Mandy Joe asked, Councelor Hanni asked, could we in our bylaws make strong statements about I think the example she used was federal officials not wearing masks.
could we say you're not allowed to wear a mask when you're here in Massachusetts? And he said no. He said there's Well, he said no, you're not. A state cannot put that in the bylaws. I sort of thought,
but why not? You know, there are rules. We can say whatever we want. Some states are saying stuff like that in their laws. But I sort of I didn't discuss because I was mostly listening. It was meant to be a meeting between the ACLU and the town council members. Um, but it
does occur to me that if we put something in a law, a town law that we cannot enforce, it can be misleading to people about what the town can do for them. So I sort of see his argument also
that you have to be careful what you put in the law because whatever it is you say you have to do and you have to be able to enforce. That's how I see it. Um since we have a lawyer in the group, let me ask her if any of that makes sense.
And if you can address Jay's question, can it be stronger? Because even if town council doesn't do it, we can do it if in fact it's helpful. So, I will say that there is a um great debate going on now um in the
Commonwealth in a number of different cities and towns about executive orders and resolutions and um the debate is uh multiffold. um one uh folks feel that the executive
orders and resolutions will attract more ICE attention and place a target on the communities that are stepping forward. Um there uh there's a debate among uh police chiefs in the Commonwealth that
the statements that have been issued by the governor and um some statements by the attorney general was done without consulting police chiefs and so they they placed uh local law enforcement in
a very precarious position. Um there's a uh there's another argument that federal offices officials don't have to adhere to state laws. Um I myself sort of take issue with that. I don't believe that
that's the case. Um I think there are some state laws that federal officials would have to adhere to. Um but you know these are all legal questions that are being debated around the Commonwealth. I do think that the better course of
action is to have a statement that your local law enforcement officials are able to support. Um um it because without their support, you're not going to have any enforcement. So, it needs to be
something that they're actually able to do. um and and they need to feel that they're able to do it because if they feel if you write something into a resolution or a town bylaw and they don't feel that they're able to actually take action on it, they're not going to
do it anyway. So, there needs to really be agreement. The other um uh point that we've had conversations around the Commonwealth is um is about having these resolutions and executive orders written
in plain English so people actually have an understanding of what it is that that you're saying and what to expect from local law enforce um enforcement. So, in the Commonwealth, we have a statewide coalition of DEI directors, and the
director from Lynn today stated that they are um rewriting their current executive order in plain um English and then we'll have it translated into other languages so that people understand. And
I think um to issue the either the executive order or the resolution without clear communication to community members actually places people more at risk because they have an expectation that law local law enforcement is going
to behave in a certain way um without understanding what the limits are. So in terms of this particular um statement um I don't think we're in a position to change it. Um we can do something
different if we want to add to this but this statement is so far along like as soon as we finish our vote or as soon as we finish this meeting I'm going to have to let them give them a yes or no about adding us on to it. Um so um unless
there's further discussion I would say let's vote on it. Um so um do I have a motion to vote on this resolution? Silus >> a motion to vote on this resolution
and >> second. >> A second. >> Second. >> Okay. Thank you Jay. So, um I'm going to start from a different place on the list. Um Silus,
>> yes. >> Vani, yes. Jay, >> yes. >> Milan, >> yes. >> Liz is not here. Vizswana, >> yes. >> Okay, thank you. The motion is then passed and it is unanimous.
Um, let's go to the next resolution. I don't know which one you have next. There is it Gills. >> The next one is the joint resolution. It'll take me a minute to um to pull it up.
>> And this is the joint resolution between the CSSJC. Again, they've already voted on it, although we had a lot to do with writing it. So, I don't know how much room there is for change. Um, but it concerns Gills auto shop that
you all know, of course. >> Do you know what happened with Gills? So, maybe while Pamela's pulling it up, Milan, you can tell everyone. Uh yeah, from as from what I know that
they uh had a note attached to uh the front of their shop that had some uh uh pretty racist uh exclusionary language to it. And uh >> yeah, it was pretty uh awful by the
sound of it. >> They were told to get out of Belchure Town. They moved to Beluretown. They were told to get out and it was signed your white superiors and uh they threatened to come back to them.
I guess if they don't go they said we'll be back >> which to me is almost unbelievable where we live. So here's the statement. I think they should be welcomed back
only to be arrested and charged with hate crimes. Was everybody able to see the uh statement? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, I'm going to stop sharing. So I guess I move to
vote on I forgot. Yeah, I move to vote on the statement regarding the treatment of gills auto repair. Is there need to it's I need somebody to second it.
>> Milan. So now discussion. If there's no discussion, we can just go on to take a vote. Okay, I will move to vote yes on this resolution in support of Gills Auto Repair. Second.
>> There's one that just disappeared. >> Yikes. second. >> Okay, but we need Rswana. Let's give her a few minutes to get back on. >> Give Rswana a second to get back.
>> In the meantime, what's the what's the next statement that you want to review? The temporary protective studies or or the other one? And I'll try to bring that up while we're waiting. It doesn't matter. Bring up whichever you >> okay
>> are easily able to access. One of them I had some comments on but I can't put my notes. Let me just shoot her. I just sent a note to Rswana saying we have three more votes. Can you rejoin?
Sure. It's an internet issue. Maybe Pamela, when you talk to the town manager about the urgency of us having more members, you can cite this example because we all we have the best of intent, but we can only do so much with
only so many people. Yeah, I I mean I'll have a conversation with Angela. It's uh generally just a matter of scheduling. So she'll review the community um activity forms and see if there are they try to to cluster um
so if there are a couple of folks who've expressed interest then we can try to get her to schedule. >> Maybe we could all talk to our friends as well because a lot more people have just become active. Mhm. >> Um in the immigration matters
especially. So there must be I can think of a whole bunch of people uh I mean a contact and say apply now. >> Yeah. Couldn't we just put out like a open call saying that we uh are looking for
>> commissioners? Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. The So the >> we're looking for people to apply right away, right? It's what we want. Here she is. >> Yay. Welcome back.
>> My my Wi-Fi dropped. >> That's the reason. >> Okay. Sorry. >> All right. So, I'm making a motion to uh approve. Um Oh, no. We aren't. We're looking at We're looking at a new
motion. Let's see it. No, we're supposed looked at that because uh Rswana had wasn't here, but we can vote. >> No, no, I looked at it. I I looked at it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> You You didn't take the vote. Um Ronnie,
so you're supposed to take the vote now. >> For the other one >> for Gills. >> Yeah. For Gills. Yeah. Okay. >> Um All right. So, let me call for a vote. Uh let's start with um Silus. Yes.
>> No, no, no. Hang on. Uh, okay. We need to what? Move and second. I think we had a mover, but we didn't have a second. >> I thought we did that. Oh, okay. >> I think I >> Let's have a second. >> I second it. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Um, so we're ready to take a
vote then. Um, Silus, >> yes. >> Rswana, >> yes. >> Um, Jay, yes. Milan, >> yes. >> Ronnie, yes. And the others are absent.
Okay. So, I think we should now move to the next item. This is the um this is the human right. Okay. Do you want to Well, I move to vote on the
proposed uh statement from the human rights commission. Could I get a second? Uh question first. Um are we able to vote on this with um out it being the 20 48 hours in time for the
before our meeting? I think they came out yesterday. I think the plan was just to discuss it today and vote on it at a later date or our next meeting or unless I was mistaken. If I get a second, we can discuss it and then we can decide.
If we're ready, we should vote, I think. Why wait? >> So, um I'm just >> open meeting law, >> right? So, I'm Can I weigh in? Mhm. >> Um so I think uh in order to comply with the
open meeting law, you'd have to note that this uh um resolution what it is and that it came in um um within that 48 hour rule. So you you are able to take issues
um if if there occur within the 48 hour rule. So that um you know for extraordinary circumstances and so you can take a vote if that's the case um if that's not the case then I think Milan
is correct in that you should be having discussion and saving it. So if it's an if it's an emergency that you need to uh to respond. So like so the last thing on the agenda is other topics that the chair didn't reasonably
anticipate within 48 hours in advance of the meeting and if that is the case then you can vote. Um if that's not the case then you should not be voting on it and I'll bring it back up again. So >> okay. So can I put a motion to discuss
this second? >> Okay. So let's have a discussion of this particular statement that's coming from us. Any comments, questions? Well, this started off uh from the last
meeting where I tried to look at Venezuela and then I think that we pretty much agreed that it was too confining to look at simply Venezuela. In its case, there were many others. So I went to the department of uh homeland
security website to see which countries were on on their current TPS list. There were a number of other countries that were also you know taken off the list but they are still in dire straits. So
this is a moving target and that's the hard part about a resolution like this because you know countries could be added and you know countries could be removed from this list depending on how things change on the ground. So I think somewhere in this I wanted to include
that we reserve the right to include and remove you know nation states as things change as the circumstances change on the ground uh but it's still a resolution nonetheless because it's an emergency
issue and so the list here includes Burma who was taken off the list But it is under military control with the genta. >> Okay. El Salvador is still unstable.
Ethiopia is still unstable. Haiti, they've had deportations, but this was taken off the list. And there was one case of Uban who was deported and decapitated at the airport from Haiti.
So this is I mean many of these cases they have that level of violence and um also in the case of Yemen that was taken off the list even though we know the bombings are still going on there. >> It's the same thing in Libya it's hit by
various nation states and so I don't know how anybody from Ammerst who may have origins from these you know national groups could go back in safety. So we've got to watch out for the safety of our residents. Hence we have a
statement like this and uh I also included the fact that the due process and abiding by the rule of law and the constitution is important and treating you know the detaininees those who have been apprehended
uh follow the you know general Geneva convention rules uh and the HG regulations. So you know that's basically it and but I would like to add to this here some sort of an addendum that we reserve the right to add and
remove you know nation states from the statement as we deem um appropriate if the circumstances on the ground changes. One such state includes Nepal
uh which was on the list. I thought about including it there but they have elections soon I think in March or so. So I think that they're moving in the right direction. It's was taken off by the state department. So I thought okay you know maybe I should leave this as it
is but this is the best list I could come up at the moment. Pamela >> um I just want can you all see the statement? I can't see it on my screen. So, I wanted to ask that question and then >> um I'm a little wary about adding an
addendum that um would allow you to change the list um as you see necessary. I I'm I'm not quite sure that that would really conform to
uh to the requirements of like uh open meeting law because if that were the case and any board could make a decision and then say that they would could later come back and then change the decision. Um and I know that creates a lot of work
trying to keep an updated list, but I I'm not so certain that that would would work legally. Well, >> so I had Go ahead. >> Oh, so then, uh, if if we're thinking about that issue that I'm so concerned
about, if we had something like the, you know, Amos human rights commission formally affirms as of now. I have sort of a different suggestion because I was thinking along the lines that you were Jay about all these
countries and I'm sort of hesitant because I see that you've done all this research around each of these countries and selected them individually and carefully which I appreciate very much but I was wondering if we could change the whole beginning by saying formally
affirms its support for the extension of t we could or could not include TPS for the right of all persons regardless of nationality to seek
um a permanent legal immigrant path period. And then we assert that force deportations etc. So that it would just be everybody. Do you want me to read that again? >> Uh >> you see what I'm saying? I combined it
all all the countries into simply saying the right of all persons regardless of nationality to seek well I mean I did look at the rules you know regarding homeland security those who have TPS status okay TPS
designations cannot just apply for a green card >> or US citizenship they cannot there is one exception I I think where they have sponsorships from a company or if they
have, you know, family members that could sponsor them or something along those lines. But if you don't have connections in the US, then those on TPS that is who are the most vulnerable ones are the ones that could be sent back. >> Wow.
>> So, you know, that's the issue there. So we can't you know simply combine that because they don't have you know the gravitas of their status to apply for the permanent residence
or or or they don't have the I should say status to go along the path of the legal you know residency long term. uh but we know certain other groups for
example those who came from Tibet, those who came from Afghanistan and given a special you know dispensation you know they could apply for that. So would you be comfortable if we said um support for the extension of TPS
and the right of all persons regardless of nationality? Milan. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean that would be my hope but those are not the current rules of you know homeland security. It would mean asking Homeland Security to change their
rules about immigration regarding those on TPS you know designated. Uh Milan, >> uh I think part of the issue might be that they did change the rules on TPS and that they revoked the TPS status of
a lot of people arbitrarily. Um maybe if we made the statement around TPS saying that uh um you know any uh revocation of temporary protected status
should not be uh based on uh political uh you know in such a polit should not be a politicized uh affair when he people's lives are clearly at risk. Um if you want to or if they're arbitrarily Yeah, I don't have
the language down but >> uh maybe just something yeah more along those lines just so it's not used to you know arbitr like I know cuz Venezuela had it and then it was revoked and then I know that now the administration seems
to be trying to promote a story that their president Maduro was somehow behind vote switching and trying to steal the 2020 20 election. Um, so there's a whole political element to what was once there and that's been taken away. And to do that very
arbitrarily would cost a lot of Well, I mean, it will cost people their lives. >> Exactly right. I mean, I >> I like the word. Go ahead. >> Yeah, I'm, you know, on board with what Milan is saying there. I mean it certainly makes a lot of sense about the
you know arbitrariness in which you know the current administration has worked. I think that their goal is to have zero TPS folks. That's I think their goal because it's an exclusionary you know policy. um you know they don't want that
kind of status and it uh you know speaks to uh their uh own I guess philosophical underpinnings which is what you know Milan was alluding to. So yeah I mean if you could find the language you know to do that uh you know
by all means go ahead. Um I think it's uh important to note that it's not just people with TPS, it's people with various other kinds of visas um that are also being arbitrarily cut
off and on off and on. Um, yeah. I think that if you can find the maybe the key word for me is arbitrary. that whatever it is that you're under that for no reason at all one day you're legal and the next day well you're
illegal, you know, uh and can and and that the government has your name and address uh because you went through a formal legal process and so they can just come and get you the next day if they want for no reason than to meet a
quota. Um so I would yeah I would encourage um taking another sorry another crack at it and maybe uh Milan you could take the next run. I do believe that we need to emphasize that
it it is it is the right of all people of all nationalities um to seek you know personal security and dignity and all that stuff. I don't want to repeat the human rights thing but
somewhere it's not just about these people who are um on classified in a particular way. There are lots of people who are not classified at all because they came and never got registered recorded. So that's
why I feel like we need to say all people that it's really a human rights thing not to undermine the people who are targeted like the TPS people. Uh so yeah I'm okay with >> a rewrite that just that first half I
really love everything from Vassert onwards I think is perfect and well worded myself. Yeah, I'd be happy to uh um yeah, spend some time on it. I really do like it as well. I think it we just uh can clarify that little Yeah. So,
yeah. I >> And that way we address the issue of things changing because things will change and they are changing even as we're going back and forth. >> Yeah. >> I don't know how you feel about that, Jay.
having put all the time you have into it. >> Well, it's, you know, you're trying to look at, you know, what the State Department is saying. You're also looking at what, you know, Homeland Security is saying, and I'm looking at all these, you know, various websites. I'm following the news, and I'm looking
at individual stories of people affected by that. I mean, Cuba is not even included in that, but they have been picked up all over Florida and just deported willy-nilly. And they were here legally. They even voted in the last elections. How can you vote in the
election, say that you're a US citizen and next thing be deported? So these are the, you know, complications in the issue of immigration and then try to, you know, distill all of that information in one shot in one paragraph or what have you here for the human
rights commission is, you know, overwhelming. And I think I think it's okay, you know, if we had to break things up that we did a separate statement on Cuba or, you know, those who are, you know, permanent residents, uh, you know, on, let's say, green cards and they're feeling insecure or what
have you. So, but I think that the most vulnerable ones right now are not just those who are undocumented, but those who are documented because they can be found. They are they hold TPS status. And so these you know Somalia
communities in let's say Minnesota they are targeted um and so um I thought you know you know that we needed this urgent statement now this is it it is an urgent thing and I think it it is something that we should
act on. Um but um you know like I say um if if we could use some of the thoughts of Milan there to um you know strengthen that aspect of the statement I think it'll be
good. So Pamela, is it possible for instance for Milan to strengthen it and send it to you and have you distribute a version of it to the commission and we send comments back and then you resend.
I know that we can't share with among ourselves but you can share with everyone, >> right? Yeah. Exactly. And that way when we come to the next meeting, it'll be more ready to just say yes. Or if it's not yes, we'll have some very specific
things that we can work out somewhat efficiently instead of sending it back for a whole month. >> I mean, we can also send it around to um I believe we can also send it around to get agreement on it and then call a special meeting to vote on it. No. >> Oh,
>> we can call a special meeting, yes, but we can't send it around to everyone. has to go through DEI, >> right? Yeah. You're not allowed to have communications with each other outside of the meeting. So, you can you can send me a draft, I can share that draft with
other folks and then they can um share their comments um with me. But you are not allowed to have communication amongst yourselves um because that would be meeting outside of the public meeting. And yeah, while I have the
floor, I am going to ask um Ronnie if I can make you co-host because I'm having some issue with my screen >> and I'm a little bit worried. >> Okay. >> So,
>> um so I guess there's there's we don't need a motion because nothing's happening. Or should we move to work on it? My question my question sorry just to clarify clarifying question um that process that Pamela just explained
um I guess I didn't refer to it necessarily with the same wording but uh yes I was with that being said if that was the case um will we need to call a special meeting now to vote on it with the anticipation that we will be voting
on that um on that date or do we call the meeting after the act. >> So, you would call the meeting when you're ready. We have to just abide by the open meeting law. So, we'd have to give 48 hours notice. So, let's assume
that, you know, you're super efficient and you're ready to go. uh you know you send me a draft tomorrow and it goes out and everyone feels like they don't have any changes and you know that on Friday that
you would be ready to have a special meeting then if you all agreed that you could meet next Tuesday we'd post the meeting on on Friday and you can meet on Tuesday you don't have to agree to a special meeting at this point it's you know it's
>> Thank you. Um, all right. So, um, shall we look at the next, >> you muted? >> Yeah, this is where I'm having issues. Um, because when I'm going to share screen, I'm having trouble pulling up
the next issue. >> Okay. >> So, you I might pop >> Oh, go ahead. >> Go ahead. Do you want me to pull it up? >> If you're able to, that would be great. You're you're now a co-host. >> Yeah. >> It came from Milan, right? >> Yeah.
>> Yes. >> Fort Bliss. Here it is. Um. Oh, God. Milan, I'm not getting it for for Bliss. I'm just going to go to Milan.
>> Um, >> it was sent by Pamela. Um, >> was it sent by Pamela, not by you? >> Well, it was sent out by Pamela. >> Yeah. I mean, only Pamela can send it out anyway. So, >> yeah. So,
Pamela is who I should look under. Oh, here it is. HRC statement of worthless abuse. Yes, >> I have so many communications from Pamela here with the attachment. Okay,
I just have to open the attachment and I will share screen. Okay, it's open. So now I just share screen. It's not letting me do it. It's saying only one participant can share.
So, am I a co-host yet? >> Did Okay. Did you receive an invite for the co-host? I sent it to you. >> Oh. >> Oh, yeah. You must accept that first, I think. >> Right. Yeah. I think I have not done that. And I'm afraid of losing my
attachment. No, I'm just going to open a new email. Nope, I don't have an invite. >> That's okay. >> You are listed on the participants as a co-host. >> Yeah.
>> Am I? Okay. Well, let's try again then. >> Participants. >> If I hit the share button. No, here it is. It is here. Um, why is my document? I just have to bring my document up
again. Okay, now I can go and share. Sorry guys. Okay, can you see it? >> I think it's coming up. Uh, yeah. Okay. Okay. So, I'll just make the I'll just
make it a little bit bigger. Is that too big or is that okay? >> That's good. >> Perfect. >> Okay. So, um let me make a motion to um vote in favor of the statement.
>> Shouldn't we >> discuss? We have to we have to discuss only after we've moved to accept it or move to discuss it. You have to make motions before we can discuss. >> I second it.
>> Thank you. Okay. Let's have discussion on this. Any questions? Discussion. Um something that I'm curious about. I appreciate Milan. Milan, were you the one who wrote this? >> Yes. >> Right. Thank you for bringing this to
the commission's attention. And I'm curious how this um is like adding to our general like statements that we're giving out like because I think about the one that we just uh voted to approve
specific to kind of Massachusetts in Amherst in terms of the ICE and this is going on within the US but it's also I'm curious about like why this specific case and like why this out of the cases
that are going on around the country and in Amoris that this is the one we'd be bringing to the floor. >> Sure. I probably should have also included the article that I had read it from or got the information from to begin with, but the concern was that the
Fort Bliss um facility is just the first of many and uh migrants who are detained here in Massachusetts very easily end up in Texas. Um so even though it is happening in Texas, uh people who are
detained here only are here in the state for probably about three days before they get sent uh usually somewhere down south. Um, so the fact that this is happening at this facility specifically in Texas, which is the first of it, uh,
in the ACLU article that they were reporting on, they also expressed concern that, uh, there's another facility that's, uh, supposed to be open in New Jersey, I believe they said they would suspect would be the second one. Uh so this is just uh I mean yeah that
could have uh you know it could have better language to address that. Um but yes essentially it was the first indicator of the beginning of what would be a pattern and what is happening to people while they're in detention.
>> Yeah. Well I mean one of the things is that we've had you know numerous deaths you know, not just, you know, physical uh, you know, and sexual abuse. And, you know, I was looking at the long list of the number of people who have died in
custody. And I didn't know whether we should have a separate statement just on that cuz that's, you know, that's a big, you know, red flag there about their behavior as well. uh you know but certainly this is an
important one because it is emblematic of of a pattern of abuse around the country uh and we need to speak up about these things. >> Yeah. And also the fact that it's
federal agents carrying out the abuse and um it's not at the a state level. It's um so what the policy is there is also affecting people here as well cuz that would be the same policy.
>> Um one of the things I found very strong about this is the reference to the convention against torture and cruel punishment whatever it's called. >> The US hardly signs and ratifies any conventions at all. Not I mean we're the
only country in the world who has not ratified the convention on the rights of the child. Um but we did sign and ratify this one. So this convention this is law in the US. I mean we agreed to it. It was
signed it was ratified by the Senate. So it's a very powerful um legal basis of protection for people against torture and cruel and unusual punishment. I think you said what it's called exactly. What is it?
>> You referenced the convention, right? >> Yeah. >> Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. >> It's a very strong convention actually. I know that I don't know if it came
after or before we were sending people to Western Europe to to be tortured during the Afghan war. I think it was ratified in the '9s. So, it would have been before. >> Yeah. This was 1987 that they
>> Yeah. >> Um Yeah. And the point too is that because also within the convention um it is it also mentions the obligation of the other signitories to address it if one of its one of the signitories is in
violation of it. Um, and with it being federal agents operating within an official capacity, the fact that it happened in Texas as well, it doesn't matter because it's uh part of a policy that is also binding within the overall
convention that was signed. Um so yeah it is it seems far away but as also as far as the overall uh convention and human rights it is um being committed by the state against uh others and it is an
official policy of the federal is not a individual state action that's happening just in Texas. >> Thanks for clarifying that. So if so we signed and ratified this uh convention
um in which case the obligation would it not be to like the Supreme Court to review or I'm I'm just curious who holds the legal like who should be
seeing this case for instance >> uh >> if it's a clear like a clear violation. I'm just wondering if if we are saying it's a clear violation. I just I don't really know how to make that assessment.
>> Uh okay. So well the definition they do define torture um the in the convention and one of the acts that um officers are doing are jamming fingers into people's ear sockets uh in order to coers them to
agree to be deported or to get them to be deported to a third party country. Uh they are also crushing men's testicles in their hands. um that is well that's also a uh um
sterilization act within itself but um which is also a violation of human rights as well. So I mean the list is long. Um I could come up with an enumerated one but uh yeah it's uh I think maybe just including some
background more to what the convention is and it would also make it clearer to how it applies here. So maybe the article from uh the ACLU report as well as the um text from the convention could
uh help clarify that. And uh I can always send that to Pamela to send out to everyone. >> So one of the things >> who was speaking was that Rswana? I don't see you on the screen. >> That was me. Sorry. Okay, go ahead. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. Well, one of the
things I really like that I wish we could find a way to make more prominent is what we're asking for in this because we're saying that we're calling upon all these government agencies to exercise restraint to respect human dignity of
all detained human beings within their care. We call on them to honor the rights and humanity of all migrants, their families, and all of those who attempt to assist them. I mean, it's really what we're asking for is not much, right?
>> No, >> we're not saying they should be given temporary protective status. We're not saying they should be given anything. We're just actually asking for something very minimal, respect, human dignity, you know,
>> honor the rights and humanity of all migrants and so on. Pamela Um, >> you're muted. >> Yeah, I'm sorry. It just takes me a while to navigate um on this laptop. Um, Silus, correct me if I was if I'm wrong,
but I understood your question to be which um agency or government or international agency should enforce the convention? So, I think that's that's what I heard from his question, which I
think also connects um Ronnie to your point about um about what the convention says and does. And so, I I just I don't I think that was the clarif that's the clarification
that I heard in Silus's question. So, Silus, correct me if I'm wrong. >> Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I also didn't answer that part of the question. Uh it does outline uh what type of um investigations should occur in part two.
There's three parts and about I want to say uh maybe 26 or 45. There's a lot of articles involved, but uh part two outlines um the responsibilities of the other signitories and how it's supposed to uh create a committee or commission
to investigate the uh charges. Um but um like I said, that would have been something to for like it would be clear from after forwarding it the whole full text of it. You know, I think typically, you know,
when it comes to a statement of the sort, the last paragraph is something that should go first, I think. Right. >> Yeah. It would also tone it down a little bit because it sounds
accusatory but the way it starts. I love that idea putting the last paragraph first. Uh and then I mean basically what it is asking for is you know could you guys follow the law and be nice about that?
You know just follow the constitutional law just follow due process just you know do your job according to the law. So, we're asking, you know, federal agents to follow the law. That's basically what we're asking for. >> Yeah. And we're saying there's a legal
framework to require you to do that. >> Yeah. I think the law constitutional should, you know, appear in that opening paragraph. So it says to honor the constitutional rights, let's say, humanity or whatever.
So that way you're, you know, telling them that you're not abiding by the constitution. >> I I agree. I think that makes sense to start with that. And if uh if you could Milan to add in
those pieces about who would actually be um adjudicating it or or you know bringing this forward um to be um legally um reviewed. And then
um you you had also mentioned that through uh these different pathways immigrants and maybe neighbors within our community may end up in these different detention centers. And I think I don't want to dilute what you've written here, but if you could add a
sentence or something that gets to exactly that point of how it connects back to where we are um because of the this system. Um, I I think that would be a really great addition. >> Yeah, I don't think that'll dilute it at
all. It'll clarify it. So, thank you. >> It's good to have this discussion, I think, because the fact of the matter is people don't know what human rights are and they don't know about the human rights. Well, I don't want to be that cruel. I'm I'm just saying people don't
understand the human rights legal framework. And it's hard to understand because a lot of it is not enforcable, you know, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is a really important document, but it's not enforcable by anyone. And this has been
talked about a lot in the human rights community, I believe. Um, so anyway, there are some challenges here. And I think it's good to be clear that when we put out au statement, people know what we're talking about. Yeah, I think that you know Pamela might
have more insight about this. I think that there was some committee in Congress that that had oversight over some things involving this. But the fact that the you know party that is not in charge are usually interested in human
rights. So they don't call the agenda, you know, they don't have the power to call the agenda. Maybe, you know, Pamela could uh shed some, you know, insights about who um might be in charge uh in Congress in calling hearings uh over
this kind of an issue. I don't have the answer to that question, but I'm happy to work with Milan on um if you think it'll be helpful and to um to answer that question. >> Right. So what I'm hearing is that this is
going to go through the same process as the last statement which is that Milan's going to do some fixing editing and then send it to Pamela will share with all of us and we'll send our we'll be prompt about sending our comments back and then Pamela can put it together and we can
come to a decision at some point sooner than next month have the back and forth so that our questions can be answered. Um, so is everyone in agreement with that? >> Yes, I think that's being
>> Go ahead. Okay, I'm going to stop sharing so we can see each other when we talk. >> Oh, >> is everyone in agreement with that process? And I'm seeing heads nodding. Okay, any other comments about this
before we move on? Okay, thank you all. I know this is difficult. I know it is for me to even read the stuff. Um, all right. Well, let's move on then. I think that's it for the statements. HRC info cards.
Is there an update on that? >> I think Philip was going to do them. >> So, Philip completed them and there were uh examples in your packet. Oh, that's what these are. Okay. I didn't know what these were.
>> Oh, yeah. I would like to make a motion to vote on the card format that Philip has created for us. Would someone second it? I'm going to second my
>> I second it. >> Thank you. Let's have discussion on it now, please. >> Can we put that on the screen because I can't find my >> um your packet? Yeah, let me um let me
find it. So now I have to search Philillip. Okay, I have it open. So now I just need to share it. Okay, so I'm going to scroll down to the part where we have these things.
Oh, there it is. >> Here. >> Oh, okay. >> Um, I guess maybe if I shrink it, you can see the whole thing. >> And read it sideways. >> Yeah. >> Does anyone know how to turn it around?
>> Oh, goodness. >> Um, >> hold my computer sideways. If you if you download the document and um open it as a PDF, the functionality you can flip it or turn it over.
>> Okay, I did download it. Um the document um I don't know. I think it was a PDF, so I should be able Oh, no. It says Yeah. Uh,
>> where's the function size? >> The down arrow with the bracket. >> Um, >> scroll up to the top of the >> rectang. Yeah. Or next to little printer icon.
That just disappeared. >> Yeah. Go to the top. Um >> I feel really dumb. It is PDF. Um >> so if you download it and upload it into your browser essentially when it opens
it gives you a different functionality. And so if you look at open with Google Docs and >> oh so I have to download >> should I go to go Google Docs or should I go to PDF? Um, I was suggesting pressing the down
arrow and with the bracket on the far right side and then opening it that way. But, >> um, >> so just scroll to the mouse just directly to the right more until you get to the right side. >> To the right. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I'm having problem going to Oh,
here's the down arrow. You want me to download it? >> Yes. And then if you click open if you open that PDF through the download >> Yeah. So you click on it and then the um arrow that looks like a turn with a
diamond shape, you can then flip the document appropriately to >> it's directly above the S in Ammerst on the screen. The big Ammerst. >> Oh yeah, thank you. >> Mhm. >> Okay, so now it's sideways. Yeah. Okay,
>> so now I just need to uh Am I >> 11 on the left side? Just click on that square 11. You know, the problem I'm having is this bar with all your faces on it. It's in the way. I don't know what to do. That's why I couldn't see
the before. Sorry. Share it. >> You see the sidebar with the squares on it on the left side. >> Yeah. Click on 11. Yep. Click on that. >> Click on it. >> Double click. >> Yeah. >> Oh, no.
>> It's there. It's there. We just have to go to continue to the next pages. It'll come up. We got it. >> And thank you, Ronnie, for doing this. I I'm not >> Yeah. How's that? How's that?
>> Perfect. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So I do like the summary of it. The Are we discussing it? >> Yeah, we've already done the motion >> to discuss. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, um the language itself, this kind of the thing that I ran into with uh um well, just in general when I was trying to uh write the statement was the like
human rights is a term that's used so in um kind of in such an umbrella sense that um it only took reading each of the articles to understand what those rights actually were. Um, and I know that we do
mention about the uh access to housing and employment and education. Um but um yeah, maybe if we could uh I don't know. It would be a lot to lay out some like all those rights there, but um
yeah, I I guess it was just I was surprised by uh some of the uh rights that are listed as part of the uh you know, the declaration that aren't typically um just you know mentioned in terms of
uh like individually. it just all gets grouped together as human rights and then it kind of uh loses its uh well people don't really understand what those rights are. >> Well, you know, one of the things that came to mind when we did the UDHR
reading was how much it's been changed. You know, I guess to simplify the language or something. Um anyway, I didn't like it. maybe because I studied it and I am very attached to the original words but um you know I don't
think rights are discussed as participation in local affairs I think they're discussed as to participate in your own development in other words how it impacts you but I don't know what I sort of feel like people these are the issues that
come up for people and so they need to know that their issue issues are relevant to the work of the commission. So, in that sense, I rather like what he's done. Um, anyway, if you'd like to make changes,
speak up because, you know, we can also do it here. Silus. >> Um, I have two points and the first is actually in relation to this human rights block which although I think is
very important to defining it, I just my eyes just kind of roll through this and I feel like as someone who may be looking at this for the first time, I it just doesn't feel very accessible to the concept or idea of human rights. It's
just a very long list of things. And so I almost wonder if our our mission might be more appropriate here about ensuring that no power goes unchecked or that all citizens are afforded equal protection
under the law. >> Um so that would be my first uh proposal. And then the second is that I wonder if on this card we could have something about our meeting time um either on the flip side
of it or um or or here. I just feel like that is a that's also a very important thing to be able to voice those concerns and it not just be the um the complaint process if that makes
sense. So, those are my two general feedback suggestions. >> I really like having the meeting time because, as you'll notice, we never seem to have any participants. And I feel a lot like, you know, it's time to let people know we're here having discussions about these issues that
they're interested in and they can come and hear and they can participate. Um, oh, sorry, Pamela, do you have your hand up? I don't see you. >> Yes, I do. Uh so I just wanted to to
comment that uh Philillip had written a much stronger card um that reflects some of the comments Silus that you that you made about the mission and I actually
suggested that he changed the language um because this will have to bypass muster with KP law and the town manager. you're you're not going to be able to issue a card on behalf of the human rights commission for the town without
it have being approved by the town manager. And so we I I suggested that he focus on what it is that you do. I do like the idea of adding the meeting on the back flip side. I think that could
easily be rewarded to do that. But um you will not I mean you know maybe you might but it is highly unlikely that KP law is um is going to allow the human rights commission to pass out a card
that says um Ammerst Human Rights Commission that says no power goes on check. So I I think thinking about designing what you want to say in a way that will pass muster with the town
manager and um and and our town legal council should be a part of your your thought process and conversation. So it doesn't have to be this but I you know have that in in in mind as you're as you're thinking about it.
>> Okay J. Okay, Jay. >> Yeah. I mean, one of the things, you know, that we've been discussing all night was basically about immigration status and, you know, that should be in there somewhere. So, >> um, Milan,
>> uh, yeah. So, I know it's a lot to want to to go into the actual rights themselves, but could is it possible to maybe include uh like a um a barcode a um that can be scanned that can take
link someone to the uh um declaration of human rights page so that they can just see them listed there as soon as they take the picture cuz then I mean at least they could refer to it then easily. Okay. Um,
>> I want to say that I really like the way um, Silus put it because it does say what we're about and what we do and what we believe. Um, I see Pamela's point and I think KP Law will probably cancel out
like they canceled out that sentence about no power goes unchecked from our bylaws. Um, but I really don't think I mean I think we have to say what we need to say and I
think not saying it because they might cancel it out. Um, I don't know. I don't like that. Um, but I think we should be prepared to have it canceled out. If we want to say it, we should put it in. And I also like saying more about what we do. I don't remember what the other
sentences were, Silus, that you mentioned. they seem more like accessible, not the no power goes unchecked part because I don't know if people relate to that actually even but the couple of next things that you mentioned Silus struck me as being very
accessible. Do you remember what all you said? What was the other thing? >> Well, I said citizens but even it was just a part of that sentence but that >> that said our yeah our current mission is is outdated there. Um, I almost I
guess I would amend my suggestion to say maybe we just start with the commission strives to ensure and then the commission upholds just putting that >> big block of text further down and having a little bit more of an accessible understanding of like these
are very real things that we do. Um, yeah, >> I agree with that. I think this definition is important because it's a big change from what used to be uh our definition. Uh but it as the
first thing that people read on the page, it does sort of get long and a little bit tedious. Uh but we do have to say these are rights that all people have. You know, it could be regardless of who you are or
what you do or something simpler like that. Um, I don't know. Somebody's gonna have to work again on this with I guess Philillip when he comes back. Or maybe you guys want to do a second take. I don't know.
>> So, Milan has his his hand up. I don't know if you can see it on your screen. >> Oh, no. I don't see it. Milan, please go ahead. >> Yeah. Um, I think that we I think that there's uh I do like Silus's idea of putting the
our meeting times on the back and the process of how to um file a complaint is important and um just with like a um QR code that we can we can always just have a little thing at the bottom saying well what are these rights or scan here to
find out what those rights are and then we can oh there's Sorry, Barker. There. >> Yeah, it's in the back. >> Yeah, >> on the back side of the card. >> Okay. >> See, he references our video, which I really like.
>> Um, I think we do need to say that say something about our meetings and that they are open to the public. Mhm. >> Yeah, I think Milan is, you know, is right about this thing. You know, the having the time and the, you know,
stating it's the third Wednesday or what have you. You know, those basic things because you don't want to lose your audience. And if they are there then they could join in with things such as public comment as well.
>> Yeah. Somewhere we need to say that the meetings are every third Wednesday of the month and um they're open to the public and have a link to go to them or to the site that has the link. I
don't know have something whatever is electronically involved these days. Yes. And they have a right to the public comment as well. But I think overall I mean this is a
good summary. it gets at the you know basic things I would have I mean there's one thing you know where you can skirt away from KP law if you have the word or the term you know immigration status they may bulk at something like that but
if you said residential status it changes but it means basically the same thing they're here but you're not saying you know what is the legal part of that
regardless of residential status. >> One thing that I had with uh the second bit on the second on the back side of the card, uh >> let me move open it. >> Yeah. Uh complaints. Oh, complaints can be
logged with the DEI office. I think we should have lodged with the DEI office because the DEI office will be logging them themselves and it will be the uh the complainant to be lodging the complaint with the DEI office.
>> LOD. >> Yeah. >> LO D. >> Yes. >> It's a far bit of wood. Um, I'm not sure, but somehow maybe on the other side is where there's going to be scope to say when our meetings are and
um that they're open to the public and everyone's welcome to participate. Everyone's welcome to comment or ask questions. >> Yeah, I think right after the What's this? Oh, they cannot
>> I'm sorry. They cannot ask questions because we won't be able to answer. Pamela, I see your hand again. >> Yeah. So, um Jay, did you want to did you need to finish your statement or uh >> Yes, just the last part about the first
page. Okay. the commission upholds etc etc or visits Ammerst you know meetings are held blah blah blah right meeting are held in the third week of the month at 6:00 p.m. Uh, public comments are
welcome. >> That's a good addition. >> Yes. And that's exactly accurate. Public comments are welcome. Yeah. >> All right. Uh, so I was just going to say, um, I know that our interns worked
with Philip on this. I think if we change the order of the uh of the paragraphs as suggested, the commission strives um and then the commission upholds with that little um sentence. Then if you
remove this, you know, uh, long sort of human rights sentence there, you can maybe limit it to one or two um, sentences and put the QR code and you would have >> um, it would direct people to the
Declaration of Human Rights. So, >> okay. Yeah, >> good idea. Could we direct it to the actual Declaration of Human Rights rather than to the edited version that we read?
>> Um, you can the you know the um and I I it will likely that that might pass muster the other what KP law is worried about is not is that you are asserting rights or authority that you don't
actually have. So, you know, we don't have the authority to do many of the things that we want to do. >> Yeah, >> I know. But, you know, you can't say this is the link to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but it's
going to be our version of it, not the actual Declaration of Human Rights. That seems >> Well, to me, >> Ronnie, I um when I was talking about the uh realizations that I made when I was reading them, they were from the UN uh website. Yes, they should be from the
UN website. It shouldn't be our version. >> Yeah, that was the version of that I was reading. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, that would be the one to connect to. >> Yeah. If KP Law wants us to take it out, we can. But it is something that, you know, is well enshrined
u in human rights thinking. And to to edit it for reading is one thing, but to edit it like this for this something that's more formal that's being handed out, I think is not acceptable. So, we could if they don't want it, we can take
it out and put something else in there. >> I don't think KP Law would have an issue necessarily with the barcode um enshrining. >> Right. You think so? >> I wouldn't be surprised. I don't know. I think Pamela's right. it in the course
of doing the bylaws there were so many things they raised that anyway >> let's do let's do what we need to do and then see what you know let's do how we want it and then see what issues they raise and if they raise issues we'll fix
it to the best of our ability >> right so I I think it is I think it's that you can a link to the to the universal declaration of of human rights the as I think the question is going to
be whether we are asserting that you as a body have the authority to um to act on those and that's and so it's the no power goes unchecked language that they found more objectionable um but I I think those
those suggestions we are good ones and we we can make the changes and then we can um can you know you guys can look at the final version and send it on to KP law. So >> we can also say this is what we believe in. >> Mhm. >> You know, or something like that. Not
that this is what we have power over, you know. I don't know what the exact wording would be, but we can fool with that. Okay. Anything else on the info cards? >> No, these look great. I'm so excited for them.
>> Yeah, I'm really excited to have them. Um, thank you. DEI. Um, and then the DI update now is next. >> Right. So, um, there is a long laundry
list of things that are, um, that's in your packet. And I will just point out that, um, if you haven't had a chance to visit town hall recently, there is an exhibit that we put up for Black History
Month. um which highlights a hundred years of celebrating uh black history and we focused on the colleges in the university. Um so education and educators and um we've profiled a number of uh local educators and the the
digital copy of that is also on our DEI website. And then um looking ahead, we have next week um well Friday we have um I'll be attending the queer conference at Hampshire College on Saturday, so
I'll be tableabling there. And then next week we have two events. Um we have a um heart and soul conversation which is a continuation of our ability or our attempt to have people engage in
conversation sort of in the line of the liberatory visioning. If you're planning on attending, please register so that we'll have an accurate headcount for the food that we're providing. Uh the heart and soul um foundation is funded by the
owners of the Vermont country store. Their goal is to work with small towns and help them be better at the task of you know community engagement, inclusivity. um we've applied for a
grant from them and the grant would allow us to support this effort for uh two years and the grant would be combine it with money from mind earmark. So we're going to use the next event on the 26 as a way to gauge whether there's
actually community support to continue in this work. If not then you know we're going to look to do something else and then next. So that's um that is Thursday night. On Wednesday during the day,
which is an early release day, we have a youth empowerment programming called the um a reality fair. So students uh come in, they have either expressed interest in a particular career or they are
assigned a career at random and then they um visit 12 different tables where they'll have an opportunity to talk about whether they want to rent or whether they're going to buy or what the health costs looks like, groceries, a
cell phone service. So it's basically financial literacy and at the end they have a worksheet where they will have to take their salaries and um balance all their expenses and just have an idea of like what life is like and how you
manage based on your salary. So that those are the things that are are coming up. Of course Ammerst Global Village Ammeris Global Village is April 11th. So again, we'll be hoping that some of you will um either table for the HRC or
volunteer to uh to help us with that. And if you know folks who are as a vendor or performer, um the links to that form are on our website. Um I know
that we probably have um maybe already 10 performers. So, um, but there's space for more performers and certainly space for vendors. And that event on the 11th will be at the high school. We've, um, we've changed venues, so we're hoping
that, uh, the high school will provide a little bit more space and a little bit room for growth. So, yeah, >> um, I also just wanted to add to that. um had attended the last planning meeting. And if there are folks who are
in your network um who might, you know, that might be willing to sponsor or be interested in sponsoring, the global village is still fundraising. And so there is a uh a letter that um
that John Page has created that has uh some some language around it and the different sponsorship tiers and also has kind of a a preliminary list of places that's gone out to including the the
colleges of course. But um if there are people in your network or you know folks uh please let me know and I can send that information to you to uh to share with them. >> Could you send that out please? >> Especially the amounts for the sponsorship tip. I'd like to receive it
but maybe all of us should just get it. >> So um we have a meeting that's scheduled next week. So, Silus is not hasn't heard the latest update, but we have uh we've actually raised all of the money that we think that we will need. >> Great.
>> We're at $16,000, but we'll take more. We will definitely take more money. So, >> maybe those of us who are doing tableabling can have snacks during the day. >> Luxury snacks. >> Yeah. Right. We had um um Ammerst
College step up as a lead sponsor with a $5,000 gift. We've had gifts from Riddle, uh, Summerland Floors, um, Greenfield Savings Bank, uh, UMass Ammerst. Um, uh, Philip, uh, was
successful in two grant applications, one from the Ammerst Cultural Council for 1,500 and one from the Mass Cultural Council for $5,000. So, I think I've gotten I think I've mentioned everybody who's supportive it
who's who've offered financial support, but we will definitely take more money. Yeah. >> Um Jay, I see your head. I want to just say one thing along the same lines of this because not everyone has been here for long enough, but that this really
came the idea of this emerged um in the human rights commission because we were involved in so many different activities over the course of the year and we just thought this is too much and I think Deb Collney was very involved in you know took a big role in putting that forward
and saying it's too much and Philillip had just come from a job where they were doing stuff like this. So he brought the idea of why not have one and um so I feel that the fact that it's so successful um has something to do with
us and we should be proud of that I think. Uh Jay, >> yeah, with regards to that, you know, DEI uh see update. See, Philip was here for the last meeting and and I brought up the issue of doing the translation
uh for the you know video that we put out. >> Yeah. >> In different languages. And he said that there were interns uh who may have the time or but I think that they were busy maybe with the blue cards that you know they were working on there. But in any event, you know, I
wanted to know if there's any movement forward to the translation of the information contained in the videos to make our own cards uh to you hand out to the amish public. So I um have not discussed that with
him. Um I'm not aware that the interns have been uh given that assignment. Let me just ask was the idea to have a the transcript of the videos uh of the video in different languages on the website?
Uh no, I mean this was supposed to do you know some kind of a summary >> of the basic points contained in the video >> in at least three languages which are Mandarin, Tibetan and in Spanish so that we could hand that out to certain
vulnerable groups within the Amos community. >> So a a summary um >> summary of the points contained in the video. Okay. My I make a suggestion that we um if that if we're able to have the
the full transcript of the video um transcribed in the languages that we've typically done in the past are Spanish um uh um I think it's simplified um Cantonese and um I don't know what the
third language was but uh the best way for us to achieve that would be to have the translation center at at UMass Ammerst uh take on the task and translate it and there are funds through
the Mindy DOM earmark for translation. So, uh, I can just remind Philip when he's back in the office or, you know, we can you can clarify with him what you're hoping to achieve. But I I I think that
that would be a task for professional translation services rather than our interns. >> I think there were two parts to that. One is that you know we uh have the video and to uh have a running translation with the video and then the
you know second part of it was to you know hand out these cards like we had the red cards before >> you know to summarize some of the important points the big points for these you know vulnerable immigrant
communities within Abas. So that's it. Yeah. I guess I I guess what I don't understand is how what the card like how would you c what would be the bullet points on the cards that um that would
be different from the card that you've designed because there's a lot of information in the vi in the video. >> Yeah. I mean I I think you know at the last meeting when we discussed this we said that not everybody's going to view
the video and that not everybody may have access to a TV or you know a screen like a computer screen and so we need to get the basic information out you know to these vulnerable groups. So, so I guess what I'm asking is would
it be would it meet your expectations if the card that you've designed was translated into other languages or is there other content that you're hoping to see on the card? >> No new content. It's basically the same
stuff that's in the video, but it's a summary of that. You know, just hit the big points. Nevertheless, >> I you know I don't want to stop discussion. We're almost at the end of the agenda, but we do have human rights complaints to hear about and it's almost
8:00. So, I'm going to suggest that with regard to this um that Jay, you speak with uh directly with Philip when he comes back and figure out what's needed. Um if you don't mind. Milan, did you
have something related that you needed to say? >> Um um from the discussion last time, I believe Philip was just looking at the ability to transcribe it um with the
onboard AI translator that's available through uh YouTube and it can translate the um subtitles into a whole list of other languages. Um, and the text from
the video itself was originally from a presentation, I believe. Um, or at least big parts of it were. So, I think it is already kind of presented in kind of a well at a certain point like a bulleted way. But even just watching the video with it subtitled in the other uh like
in whichever language someone chooses um I think would should be could be sufficient in getting that. We can also print out the transcripts from that as well if uh need be. But I'm not
>> I would suggest following up with um Phillip. Just call him and talk to him. But when is Philip Phillip coming back, Pamela? He'll be back on Monday. >> Monday. Okay. So, Tuesday or Wednesday. Uh if you could follow up with him, I
think we can I'm happy to let it go like that. Uh because I don't think we can resolve it at this moment. We have one more agenda item and that's the Human Rights Commission complaints too. >> So, I just wanted to um report that um
and I think since you've last met, we uh received three complaints. um uh one that Philip worked on that the complainant initially spoke spoke with him and then did not follow up. Um the
two that I worked on, I had conversations with uh both complainants and then conversations with both of the um both of the agencies where the um against whom the complaints were um were
filed. um and um you know they are they're they are resolved in that the process has been completed. I don't would not say that they're resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant but we've um the the respondents have been
made aware of the complaints. We've had conversations. There's not going to be a any mediation. Um so the process has been completed. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um
any questions? >> With that being at that point there's nothing to discuss. >> Uh so um really so the unfortunately the way that the complaint process works you know we receive the complaint from the complainant participation by the
respondents are voluntary. And so when um after I've reached out to the respondents and both respondents did have conversations with me um but there's no further action in um on
either case and so there's very little we can do. One complaint was um involved a nonprofit in town. One complaint involved a a town department. Um the town department complaint spoken with
the department head um and that issue's pretty much been resolved. The nonprofit um uh did not want to did not really want to have uh conversations with the complainant and the complainant had
already utilized their own internal complaint process. So, you know, we're at we're at the end of the pro of what we can do. There's not much more. >> So, at one time we were talking about gathering data about complaints that
were not necessarily confidential uh that people wanted to give and one of the purposes of that was to see if there was any pattern that was arising and I know we've had some complaints against nonprofits and I'm just wondering is this more of the same? like can you say
this is the same one we've gotten complaints about before because when we see a pattern then we have to figure out how we're going to deal with that. >> So this I mean we've had uh complaints in the past against
two nonprofits in town that I'm aware of and this complaint is against one of the two that we've had prior complaints against. >> Okay. So I would like to put this on the agenda for the future to figure out that whole piece of our work. I mean the
video was only one piece and the point was that we would set up some kind of database and track the stuff and I know that you know it's a lot of work and we got sort of derailed by all the immigration stuff. But I don't want to lose track of it because if we're
getting complaints we maybe we could do something simpler. If we're getting complaints against the same organizations over and over, then we have to think about what we're going to do about that. So, I just leave it there. Silence. >> Um, I'm just curious. I know we have
like a section about like who referred to the office. Did either make remark of the video or I'm just curious if that had any impact. M >> um one of the complainants has has had filed complaints with the office
previously so was already aware of the complaint process. Um I'm not sure about the complainant that worked with Philip whether that person had um was aware how that person was made aware of the complaint process. Um the second
complainant that I worked with um became a aware of the process I think by looking on the HRC uh web page. >> Good to know. Okay. Thanks. >> Yeah, that's very good to know. Yeah.
Okay. Any other questions, thoughts? Okay. So, I'm now opening it up for public comment, but I see there's nobody there. IC6. Um,
so the next meeting date is March 18, 2026, next month. Um, are there any topics that we didn't anticipate? I had one, but it came up already. Okay, then I move to adjourn adjourn our
meeting. Uh, it is 8:05 p.m. and this meeting is adjourned. I guess I should move first and we should all agree. So I move to adjourn the meeting. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Second. >> Okay. Thank you. So this meeting is
adjourned. It is 8:05 p.m. Thanks everyone. I'm so grateful to everyone for showing up cuz literally I know how hard it is. I'm busy too. And Rswana coming from early in the morning in Pakistan. Thank you so much.
All right, everyone. Let's go. >> Have a good Have a good evening. Bye-bye.