From: Wittig, Michele A
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: July 18 Council Item 7. Study Session
Date: Monday, July 17, 2023 9:28:58 AM
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Council members,
Re: Item 7 Study Session
Please ensure that **Policing Policies and Practices** are among the priorities to be included in the charge to the proposed Equity Task Force.
Staff has cited “disparities faced by Black and Latino communities in the City” as one of the concerns to be addressed.
SMPD’s 2022 Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) Report showed large *racial disparities* in police stops.
Specifically, African Americans endured 3.6 times the rate of such stops by SMPD compared to Whites, after taking local population statistics (which include homeless residents) into account.
Acknowledging the difficulties of interpreting imperfect measures, please ensure that the charge to an Equity Task Force includes a concern with disparities in policing policies and practice Racial justice includes striving to shrink racial disparities in policing policies and practices, insofar as they are influenced by profiling. This requires a balance of society’s need for safety and the needs of persons to be treated as equal.
As Plato held, the rights of society and of individuals must be balanced in order to achieve the equilibrium of virtues that create justice. Our public letter to the community and PSROC recognizes this.
Please recognize the importance of policing to advancing community equity by including it as a priority.
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
Thank you for your consideration.
Michele Wittig, 53-year Santa Monica Resident
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
From: Sheila Banani
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: PUBLIC COMMENT, ITEM 7
Date: Monday, July 17, 2023 1:05:07 PM
EXTERNAL
I request that the City Council place among its priorities policing practices and policies in its charges to the Task Force.
Thank you.
Sheila Wolcott Banani
535 Ocean Avenue, Unit 3-D
Santa Monica, CA 90402
(home owner and resident)
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
From: Julie Rusk
To: Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Phil Brock; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Cc: councilmtgitems; HRC Santa Monica Bay Area
Subject: Public Comment Item #7 (7/18/2023 Council Meeting) Date: Monday, July 17, 2023 11:31:42 PM
Attachments: HRC CC july 18 2023 Equity Plan .pdf
EXTERNAL
Mayor and Council:
Please include the attached letter regarding item #7 on your 7/18/2023 agenda.
Over the past 18 months, the HRC has had multiple presentations from staff leaders on equityfocused policies and programs. We are eager to see the City’s Equity Plan move forward in earnest.
A few notes on HRC recent work which we hope you will keep in mind:
We recently conducted a community survey of ~400 local leaders including feedback on "what, when and how” of community engagement. We would be happy to share these findings with you/staff.
Next week, the HRC will begin accepting applications for the ninth round of Wellbeing Microgrants. This Program has supported action projects led by over 80 local leaders offering a robust model of engaged action and equity-centered design.
Later this year, stories and lessons from the Wellbeing Microgrants will be featured in a chapter of the upcoming book, Urban Inequalities: A Multidimensional and International Perspective, by Dr. Graciela Tonon, a political scientist based in Argentina whose work is focused on quality of life studies. We look forward to sharing the publication which features this Santa Monica work.
Thank you for your leadership and service to our community.
Kindly,
Julie
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Julie Rusk (she/her/hers)
Board Chair, Santa Monica Human Relations Council
Wellbeing Microgrants
310.710.2739 (m)
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council
The Human Relations Council of Santa Monica Bay Area is a non-profit organization that promotes a culture of fair treatment, inclusion and equal access to opportunities July 18, 2023
Subject: City Council Meeting July 18th Study Session (Item #7) Dear Mayor, Council, City Manager and Staff,
The Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council (HRC) has a longstanding commitment to improving local dialogue and creating a culture of equity and inclusion in Santa Monica.
We are a partnership of community organizations, institutions, businesses, and individuals who work to realize the value of a socially just community. The HRC is deeply committed to and interested in policy, systems change, and resource allocation to advance social justice in Santa Monica.
In reflecting on the proposed FY 2023-24 Equity Plan, a few key points:
• We support the allocation of meaningful resources for implementation of this Equity Plan, both during and after completion of the initial community engagement process. Racial equity requires intentionality, real inclusion and culture change. This means time and money. • We believe in the value of well-designed community engagement with a focus on action.
Creative and powerful solutions come from ground level knowledge, experience and partnerships. Many people and organizations have consistently contributed to a range of City engagement processes. We support the strategy of offering stipends for community-hosted engagement sessions to ensure that these reach a cross-section of people with emphasis on building understanding, strengthening relationships and diversifying who is "at the table." • We emphasize the importance of establishing clear, measurable and consistently communicated progress goals and outcomes. We strongly advocate that staff are given the resources to collect and use relevant data to understand and communicate progress including lessons learned. City government is responsible for many policy and operational areas. All departments must participate in and set priorities within the Equity Plan.
The HRC follows national standards for racial equity action within local government. As such, we recommend staff are given full encouragement and the necessary resources to implement practices from the Racial Equity Toolkit and other tools from the Government Alliance on Race and Equity.
We stand with you, as ready partners, to develop and advance the Equity Plan.
Kind regards,
Julie Rusk, Board Chair
On Behalf of Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
From: Julie Rusk
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 7/18/23 Item #7
Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 9:53:09 AM
Attachments: HRC CC july 18 2023 Equity Plan .pdf
EXTERNAL
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Julie Rusk
310.710.2739 (m)
Sent via mobile; excuse typos
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council
The Human Relations Council of Santa Monica Bay Area is a non-profit organization that promotes a culture of fair treatment, inclusion and equal access to opportunities July 18, 2023
Subject: City Council Meeting July 18th Study Session (Item #7) Dear Mayor, Council, City Manager and Staff,
The Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council (HRC) has a longstanding commitment to improving local dialogue and creating a culture of equity and inclusion in Santa Monica.
We are a partnership of community organizations, institutions, businesses, and individuals who work to realize the value of a socially just community. The HRC is deeply committed to and interested in policy, systems change, and resource allocation to advance social justice in Santa Monica.
In reflecting on the proposed FY 2023-24 Equity Plan, a few key points:
• We support the allocation of meaningful resources for implementation of this Equity Plan, both during and after completion of the initial community engagement process. Racial equity requires intentionality, real inclusion and culture change. This means time and money. • We believe in the value of well-designed community engagement with a focus on action.
Creative and powerful solutions come from ground level knowledge, experience and partnerships. Many people and organizations have consistently contributed to a range of City engagement processes. We support the strategy of offering stipends for community-hosted engagement sessions to ensure that these reach a cross-section of people with emphasis on building understanding, strengthening relationships and diversifying who is "at the table." • We emphasize the importance of establishing clear, measurable and consistently communicated progress goals and outcomes. We strongly advocate that staff are given the resources to collect and use relevant data to understand and communicate progress including lessons learned. City government is responsible for many policy and operational areas. All departments must participate in and set priorities within the Equity Plan.
The HRC follows national standards for racial equity action within local government. As such, we recommend staff are given full encouragement and the necessary resources to implement practices from the Racial Equity Toolkit and other tools from the Government Alliance on Race and Equity.
We stand with you, as ready partners, to develop and advance the Equity Plan.
Kind regards,
Julie Rusk, Board Chair
On Behalf of Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
From: Natalya Zernitskaya
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: David White; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Agenda 7/18/2023- Item 7A Public Comment Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 1:44:51 PM
EXTERNAL
Good Afternoon Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I have observed the City's efforts to enact the City's internal Equity Plan to advance racial justice, equity, and social diversity and strongly support continuing efforts to develop and implement a cohesive, community facing plan to treat equity in Santa Monica as a core function of the City.
I am grateful and appreciative of all of the staff members who have worked tirelessly in our efforts to make us a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.
I urge the Council to take the staff-recommended action of receiving the FY2023-24 Equity Plan and directing staff to proceed with the implementation of the plan.
Sincerely,
Natalya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
JULY 18, 2023