One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, if um we could have a roll call of the members. Vice Chair Perno. >> Absolutely. So, Ralph Dico, chair, >> present.
>> Colleen Pero, vice chair is present. Jason Baron, >> present. >> Mario Gmanis, >> present. >> Ellie Vargas, >> present. >> And you said Amarie Fury is not with us tonight. >> That's it. Okay, perfect. Um, item one, um, will be
a motion to approve the meeting minutes from the March 10th meeting. I had sent everyone a copy of the meeting minutes from last month. Uh, hopefully everyone was able to take a look at them. Um, and if there was any omissions, I had asked you to send me any, uh, but I did not
receive any, but this is the last call for any errors or any omissions. If there were none, if I could have a motion to approve. >> Motion. Seconded >> motion by um Pauline and second by Mario.
>> Jason actually. >> No, actually it was me. >> Yeah, it was Jason. >> Yeah, Jason. Thank you. >> All righty then. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh item number two, we have a guest speaker this month. Uh it is Christy Reynolds. She's the founder and agency direct director from Humankind.
Um, so I wanted to introduce Christie and uh have her introduce herself and she's going to have a um a presentation that she's I'm going to have her share share her screen so she'll be able to do it. So Christie, thank you for for coming to our monthly commission meeting. We really appreciate it. And
I'm going to let you introduce yourself and you can take it away and uh just ask everyone else to just unmute to mute themselves. Um and if not, I can do it on my end. >> Hi everyone. Um, as Ralph said, my name is Christy Raymond and um, my company is
Humankind and I have a little presentation for you today. I'd love to talk to you about what I'm doing um, in the space where I have spent my last 35 years, which is in mainstream media, modeling, acting, and commercial photography. So, I will begin to share
my screen and everybody can see that. Okay, thank you. Yeah, that's fine. >> Thanks. Thank you. Um, so again, the name of my company is Humankind. Um, and um, on the top of it, we are a talent and casting agency. Um, and I say talent
because we are a licensed modeling agency um, here in the state of Massachusetts. Um, and we are able to serve all of New England. We are exclusively representing children and adults with disabilities. We do not represent traditional talent at all. And
we've been building our talent pool through our premier program called beauty has no limits. They are professional photo clinics and we they are inclusive imaging for modeling, acting and professional life. A second here to um in um in my mind and
again my background is 35 years in the modeling and acting industry. Um, I opened a modeling agency on Newbury Street in 1991, um, a couple of years after graduating college with no experience in the industry at all. Um, with a partner, I
grew the agency to be very successful and we merged it with the New York agency in the year 2000. Um, I started a production company in 2003 so I could figure out where those folks were going, where was I sending the models all these years, what was happening. So, um, I started a production company, um, and I
was a producer, location scout, and project, uh, coordinator and manager, uh, for a variety of brands traveling around the country, uh, when necessary. Um, in 2015, I went to work at the Hasbro toy company as a senior photo producer with a goal of really digging
into the diversity of the children that were appearing on their packages across all the 17 brands for Hasbro. Um, and what we con I continued to see was um a lack of diversity as well as a lack of inclusion. Um, and I believe that all
children play with toys. Um, and so all children should be represented um, in that way. Um, I did a great collaboration with the Baby Alive brand team and that is where I saw inclusion actually happened. We partnered with a
nonprofit out of the central part of the country called uh, Changing the Face of Beauty. They helped us put together a casting where we photo shoot where we saw over 60 children um and we gave them a full experience, a full modeling experience. The red carpet, the step and
repeat photos, the photo shoot, the video shoot, toys, games. It was um really lovely. But more importantly is that Baby Alive brand team booked children for their packaging, for their videos, for their commercials. They made a commitment and they followed through
with it. Um at the time I was thrilled. I thought this is going to be a real uh breakthrough for all the brands. Um and I heard nothing but crickets. So I am not a patient woman. Uh so in January of 2021 in the middle of COVID, I launched humankind with a goal of including the
historically excluded. Um I find that um my history uh gives me that uh bonus to find uh ways to make this happen. Um, and when I first started, all I did was talk about inclusive casting to those people I worked with. And what I heard back over and over again was, "I love
the idea. Where's the talent pool?" So, in 2023, when co sort of let go of its grip a little bit, um, we started a series of low cost photo clinics called Beauty Has No Limits with the full intention of building a talent pool.
Um, and we had a great time doing it. We have met some amazing people. We have hosted over 20 clinics since April of 2023 serving the uh disability community exclusively. These are children and adults across all disabilities. Our
talent pool has grown to over 75 people and as I mentioned we're licensed here in the state of Massachusetts because I know you know they love to license you for everything here and we are also working on becoming a SAG franchise agency. So really getting some feedback
from some of the parents and um assistants how impactful our clinics are um not only um with the experience on the day of but the continued experience when they receive the photos afterwards.
Always love to share a story of a a young boy uh seven year old seven years old with autism. Um struggled a little bit at the photo shoot. Got on set, did an amazing job. I sent the photos to mom and a few days later she messaged me and said, "May I talk to you on the phone?
Can I call you?" And so she called me. I was very nervous thinking I'd done something wrong. Um and she said, "We sat um our son down with us and we opened up the folder of images and we popped up that first image and I heard an audible gasp from my child and I
said, "Oh god, this is maybe this is not going to be so good." And she said, "He looked at me and said, "I'm beautiful. He find he saw himself as beautiful. She said, "We've been telling him he's beautiful his whole life and here was a chance for he saw himself in such a
different way." Three months later, that mom called me back and said, "I don't know." She never came back to another photo clinic. She said, "I don't know what happened that day, but he is no longer a wallflower. He puts himself in the middle of something when he is interested in it." And that has changed a lot for him. So, I really believe in
the power of photography and I believe in the power of video. What we are doing now is we take beauty has no limits on the road, going directly to organizations that support disability communities, especially those that are working with our individuals 22 and
older with job training, workforce development, those softskll development, which is so important. I love those programs. I find them to be uh very powerful in shaping our workforce. But I feel we have a key in that last tool to add to the toolbox which is a
professional headsh shot. I know each and every one of us on the call today have a professional headshot on your LinkedIn page. You use it on social media, perhaps on your resume. And these individuals in these programs deserve that same tool in their toolbox to accompany their resume. So we bring our
clinics on the road really focusing on providing that tool. We bring a professional photographer, lighting, backdrops. We also bring in a professional hair and makeup artist. We give posing instruction when when when asked for it and each participant gets
um images to take with them and use them as they build out their job seeeking um and experience. Um you can always turn any we can turn any space into a photo studio. It doesn't matter uh where we are as long as the space obviously isn't
fully accessible. Um and I they are this is more than just modeling. These images are a vehicle for self-expression, for self- advocacy, for finding who they are. And these are just some of ones that were just taken this past March 12th at our clinic, which we
held at Run the Gamut, which is a nonprofit organization located on the campus of Boston University. It is focused on job training for individuals uh just like these folks right here. Um it's it's pretty amazing. and we're
going to be going in there to provide head shot for all of their participants. Um, I often get asked about why I do this. I am not a person with a disability. Um, but my friend growing up, Christopher, um, was born with Down syndrome in the
1960s. He was constantly told he didn't belong here. He was constantly told he'd never achieve anything. Um, and Christopher continued to prove them wrong. When we were in high school together, I would bring him to football games and friends would often say, you
know, why did you bring the rword? Why is he here with you? And I always say, just give him five minutes. Christopher was an amazing person. And after five minutes, he would be your best friend. Um, I lost Chris in 2020 to CO. I heard you all talk about CO earlier. Um, and I do this for him. I know he is watching
me and going, "Great job, Christie." Um, because he deserves he deserved to be seen. Sorry, I get emotion. Um, so when we offer this program, we we really are we're investing in confidence. We invest in in these individuals future just like all of these programs are set into place
to support them and guide them and move them forward in our world. Um, I think having that power of photography, having that really professional headsh shot gets them in the same level as you and I, really gets them into a place. Um, and I I go back to the power of
photography. Um, I know when we look at photos, we are immediately judging someone or when we meet them in person, we are immediately judging them. Our eyes do the judging. Um, and I believe when that photo really just knocks you out of the park, um, I think people see
you a little differently and I believe that that is how we can change how we see each other. Um these are also a bunch from our one of our last ones and um they're just a really exciting opportunity to um escalate and really elevate um where these individuals are
and where they are going when they're entering the workforce. Um so I don't have too much. I have one more. So um I thank you so much for listening. I'm a I'm a fast talker so I hope I didn't talk too fast. Um but I'm happy to take any questions about what
we do. Um we have been working recently with the Ark of Massachusetts. We are going to be participating um in an event they have on May 9th where they are hosting their co-teers from their operation house call program. Uh and we are going to be taking head shot,
professional head shot for all of their participants that day. Um in addition, we also just participated in the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Conference which was also uh in conjunction with the National Down Syndrome Society. Um on one day we photographed over 100
young people and provided each one of them with a professional headsh shot um as they work towards self- advocacy and independence. Um and we're really excited about working with other organizations um to provide this opportunity and and again that that tool
in their toolbox for success. That's all I want. Thank you for the presentation. Um Pauline, you want to have any questions? >> No questions. I'm just absolutely in awe of what you do. Um I I'm absolutely
blown away. I've been following you on Instagram. Um >> thank you >> to to you know get an idea and I just had no the scope of what I thought you were doing. It doesn't even come close to
what you're doing. I am just I'm absolutely floored. >> Oh, thanks, Pauline. Well, for me, it's important like I'm working with the creative world, right? And I often say they're really not as creative as we give them credit for. Um, and
>> I have to feed them what what they don't even know they need to eat. Right. Right. So, I do it on the same platform. So, our modeling agency is hosted on the same platform as every as many modeling agencies in New England or around the world. It's called mainboard portfolio
pad. So people are used to the format, right? They're used to the user interface. I don't have to teach them anything different. And it's really important to me that the quality of those photos also meet that expectation, right? I assume competence >> everywhere. I assume you can unless you tell me otherwise. And then we'll move
then we'll make adjustments. We we'll figure it out. Um and I am blown away time and time again by um watching people like bloom in front of my very eyes. And I'm right finally, I think, maybe giving this community a voice in mainstream media. Um, you know, I feel
like I have a lot of friends in the business and I'm really working hard to to let people know we are the resource. There's no longer an excuse. The excuse that we don't know where to find someone with a disability for our project. Uh-uh. Can't tell me that anymore. We're
here. We're ready. I got amazing people. Who do you want? >> Wow. It's like, as I told you when we talked on the phone, I think that there's so much sadness and so much upheaval in the world that
you just made me smile when I was watching your your uh presentation and it was just it's incredible to watch. I I really wish that your word was out there like if it could touch everybody because I
think the world would be so much better. Um, it's just incredible what you do. >> All of you just have to tell one person and then they tell >> I told one, >> so on and so on. That's all we have. Remember those commercials in the >> Y 80s or the hair commercials? >> That's right. One and one. And it will
it's it's a pyramid. >> It really has been happening a lot. We've been getting a lot of uh people have come up to us at at the MD uh at the MDSC uh and oh, I heard of you. We heard of you in southeastern Massachusetts. Someone else was talking to us about you. Um, and I'm really
involved with the Ark of the Southshore, Brenda Lyndon there. I produced their fashion show for their summer suare if any that way 75 years for them this year. Um, really again putting individuals with disabilities everywhere. So whether that's on the
runway, behind the stage, in the audience, in front of the camera, behind the camera, you know, where we where can they find place where there can belong, right? And that's what we want to place create, places of belonging. >> That's just it's it's incredible. And
and I can't thank you enough for agreeing to come on here. I just And you can thank my kids because I'm not a social media person. I'm not even a computer person, >> but my kids on social media and when I was, you know, I was scrolling with
them, you came up and I was like, "Oh." So, I had to do a little more investigation and I just like I said, I just am in complete awe of what you do and I think it's wonderful and and just keep going. It it's just a tremendous thing.
>> My only question is when can I schedule because I need I need some I need a couple head shots. You know what I mean? >> I got Where are you're in Ravier? >> Yeah, I'm in River. I have a my next Boston clinic is um and just by the way, so we talk a lot about costs involved. You know,
>> getting involved in modeling is expensive if anybody's ever looked into it. Like on average, a test shoot for someone to get involved in modeling could be >> $300 to $400. I mean, you want to go get professional head shots, you're talking $250, right? Easily. So, we have hair and makeup, wardrobe styling, and the
professional photographer $79, right? That's it. like come have fun as I want people to be able to experience. So it's really important to me to keep that cost low low. Um and then you can come back as many times as you want. You can have fun. You can grow. And the fact is when
the people come to the clinics, you don't just you're not just in and out. And we you get to meet community. There's so many people that come meet other parents. Oh, I didn't know about this. I heard about this. Really building that community even further, which I love to see. So, what is it called again?
>> So, I can I could Google it. >> Yeah, it's right on It's right on the agenda. I have it right on our agenda. Humankind. >> Okay. >> Yep. Or I can put my screen back up if you want to scan my QR code. Um I can send send you anything else.
>> Yeah. No, no, I find I'll find you. Don't worry. >> You'll find me. Just reach out. >> Question. One question. >> May Oh, I'm sorry. One second. The one in May, Ellie, is May 10th. It's Mom's Day. So maybe if you're a mom, you go treat yourself. And it's right on the campus of BEu, right on the Green Line
across from the Aganus Arena. Super easy. You'll have a lot of fun and um it's a great time. >> Question I have is there is it do you have a specific age bracket that you cater to or is it no age bracket at all? >> Any age you want. We've had
six-month-old babies. Um and I think the oldest women I woman I had was 65. Um, and she >> I just wanted to get that out there on the >> Yeah, she had a limb difference. So, that's about the oldest I've gotten. Um, but we're open to anybody, right? It's
we want to Many of my photographers, hair, makeup, wardrobe styles have never worked with somebody with a disability. And if they have, they've gone and done a photo shoot at a hospital and it doesn't focus on the health and the happiness and the life experience that we want to showcase in our photos. Um,
and that's really I think it's the visual. This is how we, you know, this is how we live. We live visually. And I think that if we can, you know, retrain our brains a little, um, to make the what is now, um, an anomaly, um, normal, um, we'll see a lot of difference, I think, in
>> How long is one of your clinics? >> Um, well, you sign up for arrival time. Um, and you expect to stay about two hours. >> Okay. So, >> but when you when you're putting on one of these clinics, how long are you there for your how long is this an all day event or is it
>> Yes, for me it's always an all day event. So, in the first in the morning at like 9 and 10, I'm also do workshops to really educate these young people who want to get in the business. I don't want them showing up at a photo shoot and not knowing what to expect. Again, these are all lowc cost. We do modeling
101, acting 101. We give them the tools they need, composite cards, runway experience, all that stuff. And then um we are typically shooting until about 4:00 4:30 and then we wrap up. Kids start arriving for the clinics at 11.
>> It's crazy. And we usually have one person every 15 minutes. >> Yeah. Uh >> it's nuts and it's a lot of fun. I mean, it's chaos. It's messy, but it is a learning experience for everybody. And I love that more than anything. I've learned a tremendous amount about a
variety of disabilities, many of which I weren't was weren't even aware of. um and and just the tremendous um individuals and their abilities and their personalities and um I think this consumer market is being very overlooked and brands should realize how much
disposable income like they actually have. So >> yes, >> thanks again you guys. I appreciate your time tonight. >> Any other members have any questions? >> Well, I thank you. I thank you Christie. Like I said, this is this is being
televised on River TV live and it's uh on the YouTube channel and it's also recorded um so that the general audience um will be able to watch this and I also uh have a copy of it of the presentation uh like I said and it will be available
through River TV. But we really appreciate it. Um this is this is a great uh great thing that you're doing for the disabled community uh which is really overlooked. Yes. >> Um, yeah, it's definitely overlooked. >> Great. All right. Well, you all have a
great rest of your meeting and I thank you all so much for your >> Thank you so much. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Meeting you Zoom. >> Okay. Hey, next >> next on our agenda is item number three
is updates and next steps from see I asked if I had any issues with the agenda and I found one. It says any any updates next steps from the January >> I saw and I was going to question you on it but I know that we've rolled over
some of our agendas. just figured that you were just >> Yeah, >> the initial >> I left I left it like that, but if anybody questioned it, I would have put in parentheses February and March, too. But it's basically been getting carried over since January. Um, but I was
testing my commission members to see if these were reading my agendas. >> I did read it. >> Yeah. So, uh, updates from January 13th, which is actually, um, being was rolled over from February and March. updates from Pauline uh and Amarie regarding uh
calendar future monthly guest speakers. I'm not sure if we have anyone else lined up. Uh Pauline, >> I'm waiting on a couple of phone calls back. I'm having some difficulty with Katalo's having some um turnover in
people. So, I'm going to kind of hold off on them for now. Um but I do have I've got three calls that I'm waiting on. Um, but I also have updates on I think three items in add so I don't
have anyone set in stone. As soon as I have a call back and a confirmation, I will get that to you. >> Perfect. >> I do have an update from Jared who is from the um community caravan. >> Okay.
>> Knows that he did not send you an update of where they're going to be. It's because they're fine-tuning. They've dropped a couple of their clinics in Rever and added some also in Revier. He says he that to you um as soon as possible and I also ran it past him if
he would be interested in joining us for um disabilities day at the beach and he said he would put it out there. He was thrilled. >> Okay. >> So, that's the update from him. >> Okay. Um, do you want to continue on and then I'll jump in about the safety
issues? >> Yeah. Uh, so the next one was update regarding the letter sent to Representative Turko regarding the REA Beach uh, crossing safety concerns. Uh, it was Ellie was going to be contacting him directly, but now it's been carried over and I know Pauline, you were going
to be trying to reach out. So, I think you might have an update on that. >> I do have an update. So, I've sent an email. I've sent I called left a message and I was kind of surprised that there was no person attached to the phone number. So I dialed back again and still
in all of it's a series of prompts. If you want this office press one this blah blah blah. Um so I went through all of that and I did leave a voicemail referencing the date of the letter that was the initial letter that was sent. Um
I did not hear back. So the following week I emailed and called to follow up saying that I you know this is regards to the email that I sent on this day regarding the letter that was sent on that day and
again it was on a voicemail and so I tried getting into other offices to see if they there was a human person that I could speak with um and there wasn't one. I couldn't get to any human, so I left um that voicemail. To date, I have
not heard back anything. That said, I do know he was out of the office all day today, and I believe he was out of the office all day yesterday. He was with um um one of the things at Garfield School that was going on. I don't know how long
he was there, but I do know he was out of the office. Going to give it a couple more days. I will make another phone call the end of this week. But I'm also thinking that maybe in order to get a ball moving maybe in a different direction perhaps we should be
contacting Julie tomorrow. Um isn't she the one that is kind of like the liaison that goes through D to DCR? >> We can if you want to try reaching out to her >> like to state road though. So yeah >> I'm willing to reach out to her to see
if we c if we can at least get a conversation going. I'm becoming more and more concerned with um you know we can't do anything about the traffic that just a given but we certainly can do something about the safety and as we're
quickly approaching the nicer weather. I mean the amount of people that were walking and trying to cross I mean I myself couldn't see it was an older woman with a dog. I couldn't see either one of them until I was like right on top of the crosswalk and she she
fortunate for her she had not stepped off but unless you do step off of that walk and into you know oncoming traffic it is an issue and it's not that they have to put these beacons everywhere but I think that we're looking at and I did
see DCR down there they were um repainting and they were taking down some signage so I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that may be a telepathic communication has made it their way. Well, >> you don't know about these things. So,
um you know, I'm hoping, but I if if we're all in agreement, um for me to contact Julie tomorrow is our next step. And I mean, I'm going to continue trying to pine away at um Representative Turo because I think he's an integral part of all this as well, getting it kind of
scooched over to where it needs to go. >> Exactly. I tried my end even with his personal phone number and it just fell on deaf ears. So yeah, I think it' be good to have multiple angles. >> Yeah. So I All right. So I will um start on Julie tomorrow. I'm tied up tomorrow
morning, tomorrow afternoon. I can make a couple of phone calls and see where we're at. So I will do that and uh have an update for you. And if there's anything update, I will update it through you, Ralph. And then we can maybe get an email out to keep everybody in the proverbial loop. Yep. Yep. And
we'll just update it for the meeting. I'll just keep it I'll just keep it on here. >> Okay. Great. For next month. Perfect. Thank you. Um item number four is the Kota Commission on Disabilities Alliance meeting on March 4th. Uh there's no update because that meeting was
cancelled. So the next meeting is uh uh tenatively um we actually didn't have one uh in April. either uh as of yet. So, that one's get pushed
off, too. Um so, we'll see if there's anything um next month. So, they're as of right now, they've both been postponed. Um item number five, great news,
>> grant application update from Save the Hob, Save the Bay that I told you that we I put in again for our all abilities day at River Beach. We were awarded the grant again this year. >> We were awarded more money. >> I was awarded $5,000 this year.
>> Last year I got I believe I got 32 or 3,400. So I was awarded extra money this year. Um they are helping they are helping me out with um some logistics work. Um, so
I'm do doing some backend. Um, they had a orientation meeting last week that Pauline attended. They also I got to still touch base with Pauline unless you have a brief summary about that orientation and they sent the video out of that orientation that I'm
still going to review. Uh, the next step in the process is and I've been waiting for something from them to send me because of the location. Um, as of right now, I'm filling it out for the same location that we were having, but um,
save the, uh, save the harbor, save the bay is trying to, um, do some communications with them to see if we can have a better location. Uh, uh, because we really want to have lifeguards and they don't have lifeguards that come down to that end.
Um, so we're working on that, but I have to fill out the DCR permitting application by April 24th. So, I'm like on edge pins and needles right now. So, I'm going to probably still fill it out with the old site and then if they do
allow us to go someplace else, then I can adjust it after. Uh because there's a lot of back-end work that I need to do for this DCR permitting application process, which I'm not sure if you saw any of that during the orientation if they went through that. >> They did not. Um it went through the
overview of who was kind of responsible for what. was more of an just a general overview um about, you know, the Boston Harbors and the tours and all of that and anything that goes on on the beach, the safety and the, you know, the um making sure that you have a water safety
plan, etc. And I I knew that that was going to be coming up. >> Yep. >> So, and I knew that you were going to be meeting with them as well. Most of it was just a very very general overview. There was nothing specific about the processing. Um my other thought though
that I had is if they can't if we can't change locations um in order to sec you know in order to have lifeguarding I'm wondering if it would be possible to get a lifeguard like loaned for that 4
hours because where we're there for a very very finite period of time >> the problem that they have because I asked for that last year the problem that they have is they don't have enough lifeguards. >> Well, I knew that I knew that for several years.
>> We if uh the other the other possibilities are is we could hire lifeguards. If the city of River has lifeguards, maybe we can hire a lifeguard with the extra money that we had. >> Checking with the rec center. >> Yeah. Especially if we have if we have
the MGH u is MGH Bighgam combined or MGH beta. What is what is it? >> Uh MGB. MGB >> MGB MGB. it that we would need to be where we were because we need that space for them to be there, >> right?
>> You know, and the other the other people that I want to try and and also contact Pauline and I did some preliminary, but I don't see any active website was for that company we had uh
what's the name of >> Yeah, I've got her contact information. Yeah, but I was looking. They don't have a website still. >> I don't know. I I've >> I looked at all they have is a um they have a Facebook I think they have a Facebook page, but it hasn't really been
that active. >> Yeah. >> Because I'd like to see if we could have them come. >> Yeah. >> Demonstrate what they have um and things like that. And I need to uh need all hands on deck for uh ideas
of what we can get there. Um, save the save the harbor or save the bay is going to be looking out for us to try they're going to help try and provide some um some amenities for on the beach itself for beach recreational things because
they really want to see this this grow how it's been growing for the past two years. They want to really see, you know, it's a great job that we're doing. Um, so they really want to help us expand this. >> Okay. >> Um, >> so so that's what we're doing. So, I'm looking for any any advocy groups that
want to can come and table. Anybody knows any advocy groups that want to come and table for people with disabilities? Uh, reach out to them and ask them if they want to come and have a table on the on the beach that day. Um, we really want to get as many as many groups that we can
for resources for, you know, for people. >> Well, I do know um the date's been saved for community caravans, so they're all set. He said, you know, just keep them in the loop. I see Jared all the time, so that's not a problem with them. Anyway, um on another positive note, we
the high tide is not until 2:30. So, >> good. You did check it. Perfect. >> I did do my >> Well, that's the other thing I was going to let everybody know. The tenative date that I that I that I I believe everything should be all set for is August 15th,
which is the third Saturday. There's a couple reasons why we're doing it. The third Saturday in August, the first Sat I like trying to schedule it. Um I try and do it a week after that. They're having the same event at Constitution
Beach in East Boston. Constitution Beach is doing it on the first Saturday. Unfortunately, the second Saturday is Rorow to Re and I don't want to have it that day, right? And I don't want to move it into July because DCI DCI
Universal Access Group may be having an event that uh somewhere else that they're going to be using that equipment and it might be tight to have them come to us and go back and forth with that equipment. So, um I've already talked to Rachel Lee at Universal Access Group and
she said August 15 should be fine. The equipment is going to be here on the 2nd uh in East Boston. So they they'll keep the equipment down here to provide it for us on the 15th. It's just got to make sure that the permitting uh goes through with DCR. So that's the next
step that I have to work on doing all that leg work. >> Excellent. Understood. >> So um so now we just got to want to get some amenities. um you know any anybody for tableabling and then anything and u
I already have the uh DJ is already booked for the 15th. The thing when we hire vendors they either already have to be um approved vendors from the city and already have everything on file or there's a process that they be they have
to become vendors. So it's a lot easier if they're already a vendor. Um makes it a lot easier. um such as where we get the food. If they're already a preferred vendor for the city, it makes it a lot easier. A lot a lot a lot less leg work. So, I'll do the food probably the same
thing if everybody, you know, Pauline, that think that's the easiest thing to do. >> Yeah, I agree too. >> I'm going to be trying to um I'm working on a different process to try and register people to make it a little bit
more easier. Um, I want to, um, let me see if I can I actually am trying to work on a preliminary another flyer.
This is just a rough draft. Let me see if I can pop this up. Let me see if I can get it. Share. Where's my share? share.
I'm only gonna leave it up for a second, though. Oh, no. That's not the right one. Hold on. Actually, I don't have it. So, I will hold off. Uh
yeah, I thought I had it queued up on my desktop, but I don't. So, I don't want to I don't want to delay the meeting. At a future meeting, I'll show you. Maybe I'll have a final copy of what we're looking for. Uh because I want to try and do something different for a flyer
than I've used for the past two years. Um, so looking at that, um, any other suggestions about the all abilities beach day out at River Beach? >> I would just maybe have like one table like maybe a chess board. I don't I know
some people like chess, so I don't know. Just thinking common ideas. >> Okay. Okay. >> Um, is there a slush vendor by any chance or slush? >> Excuse me. I'm a child at heart.
>> The problem with the the problem with the slush is you have to I think you have to buy it and how you going to store it. >> That's the problem because we're outside there on the beach. >> Oh, okay.
>> Yeah. So, that's the issue with with uh with that, especially if it's a hot day, >> which we can only hope for. >> Yeah. We don't have the refrigeration for it. Um, the other thing that I'm I'm looking
at and I'm trying to see if anybody has one. I really want to wanted to get a solar generator, especially if we're going to have this year after year. >> Are you purchase or rent? I I'd have to investigate because I have no idea where you'd find one. But
>> yeah, I I rented from what I hearing, it's almost cheaper to buy one than it is to rent one. >> It's so much better to buy one than cheap. >> Yeah. Um, Save the Bay, Save the Harbor has some that they're renting. And they're they're actually going to try and reach out to see if there would be one available and if they can have
somebody because you have to pick it up and deliver it, pick it up yourself >> and bring it back in there in Boston. But they're they're working on the back end to see if they can find somebody that can bring it to us and take it back. So, if not, I'm looking now that I had some some of the extra money, I'm
looking at purchasing one since we're going to be doing this every hopefully every year. So, uh this way, if if I can get a solar one, it elimmits more permitting that I need because you need special permitting when you use a gas one, you need a emergency spill prevention,
>> you need there's a lot more work that goes on to when you when you're using a uh a fuel generator. Um so uh there's a lot on the back end that I need to do. Um so that's why logistically if anybody can think of any um anybody that wants
to come and table resource tables orformational tables for something that that's uh for people with disabilities such as you know advocacy insurance PCAs uh any kind of companies like that um
would be would be would be be a tremendous help >> okay >> and I will be advertising the event will be advertised again in the local papers Re TV um and wherever else we can um advertise this event.
>> Okay. >> Any questions, comments, or ideas before I move on? >> I'll be working on some stuff. >> Okay. Um, number six is items for the
Massachusetts Architectural Access Board for any variances? Uh, we haven't received any variances, so there's nothing to discuss for item number, uh, six. Item number seven, uh, any commission members have any lateformational items that they'd like
to mention? Uh, I will open it up to you. Going once. >> Oh, just a note of interest. Um, for anyone that's interested, there is a public meeting tomorrow night um, from 6:00 to 8:00 at the New Point Pines Fire
Station. Um, it's all about stuff that's happening specifically in this area, but of course, anybody is welcome to go to it. It's um about the the road work, um, the flood planes, that
sort of stuff. But there is a public meeting tomorrow and I guess that there's a new system that you can sign up to get flood alerts. Um so that's specifically why why I will be going. Uh seeing as I live in a flood zone but um if anybody is interested it is I believe
it's going to be televised but I don't know that for certain. Um but it is tomorrow night so 6:00 to 8 at the point of pines in the community room. >> Okay, good to know. Thank you. I didn't know that you were going to do that. Okay. Uh, anyone else?
Item number eight, residents concerns or issues. Um, I haven't gotten any concerns or issues from any residents that would need to be brought up here. I just received basic questions from people and giving them some resources on
uh who to reach out to such as uh the independent living centers to to to help with some resources or information that they needed. Um so that's basically all that I've been getting for uh emails to the commission or voicemails left at the commission phone number so far. Um, just
want to let people know we do uh we do uh get those messages and emails. Even though there isn't an office, there is an office phone number and the office email address. So, uh we do get to them and get to and we do respond to them um to let people know if you are filling
out for handicap application. There is an information packet that the 311 office and review are supposed to have or you can download all the information from the commissioner on disabilities website. There's a need to know brochure. There is information on the
handicap parking sign um process. There is a there are two different types of handicap parking sign applications. There is a driver uh application and a passenger only. So, if you're a passenger only, you fill out that form. If you are the driver that needs it, you
fill out that one. And then there's also the city reviewers medical application that the doctor needs to fill out. But when you look at the need to know, it explains everything there, what needs to be sent out. We suggest that you scan everything and send it to uh the the commission and disabilities uh email
address electronically. This way nothing gets lost or misplaced instead of mailing it in. If there's any questions about that, you just reach out to the commission phone number and somebody will give you a call back and can explain all that to you. Um I don't know if we don't have any
other um resident concerns issues. Uh item number nine is the next steps. We'll just continue to roll over um item number three and we'll just say updates next steps. Now we'll change it into the uh we'll say update update next steps from the April meeting instead of
January since we're getting uh some resolutions on that. Um so we're making some way on that. Um, item number 10, Pauline, if you could read the monthly reminder. >> Certainly. The Commission on Disabilities office number is
781-2868267. Residents can also call RIA 311 directly and speak to their staff Monday through Friday. They will answer most questions, but if they are unable to assist you or if you would prefer to talk with the commission directly, please ask to be transferred to the Commission on
Disability direct number. Please leave a detailed message and we will respond to you shortly. As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss or add something to our monthly meeting agenda. You can also let us know if you want to discuss any concerns. The commission is here to help
and assist all residents with disabilities and their families in >> Reier. Thank you. Um so uh finally um item 11 is going to be a meeting to adjourn. Our next meeting is going to be via Zoom on
Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 at 6 p.m. Can I ask for a motion to adjourn? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Mario first and Jason second it. >> No, I second it. >> Ellie second it. Okay. Think
>> we have 2 A and a 2B. Okay. So, I'll write that down. Um, okay. So, I just wanted to thank everyone for for attending the meeting and um we'll see everyone um see everyone on uh on Tuesday, May 12th.
Enjoy the nice weather. Hopefully, this weather is going to stay nice. Um please, New England, don't play a trick on us and give us a snowstorm here in uh in April. >> Please don't. Please don't. Please. That would be a horrible April joke. I would cry. I will cry. >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.
>> All right. Thanks. Have a great night. >> Bye everybody. >> Disconnect.