HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-22-LHRC-minDRAFTTownofLexingtonHumanRightsCommittee
Meeting Minutes for Wednesday,May 22,2024
Conducted in remotely on Zoom
LHRC MEMBERS PRESENT
Christina Lin,Chair (CL);Stephanie Hsu,Vice-Chair (SH);Courtney Apgar,(CA);Stephanie Ryan (SR);
Lois Bruss (LB);Rachel Levy,(RL);Lieutenant Colleen Dunbar -Town of Lexington Police (CD);
The minutes recorded by Christina Lin,LHRC Chair
1.Welcome/Call to order
2.Committee updates and inputs/suggestions
a.Community Facilitated Dialogue -Town staff has identified a potential facilitator
and are working on a plan
b.Monthly Calendar of Observances and Celebrations -LB/SR -are working on this
idea.We can also ask other Town Committees and community organizations
about their schedule of events to avoid/reducing conflicts in scheduling events.
c.Succession Planning &transitions -The Chair asked if any members wished to
take an executive team role -Chair,Vice Chair or Clerk.Courtney Apgar offered
to be Clerk.The committee approved by unanimous vote.
d.LHRC meetings adjustment
i.The Chair shared they would like to have an in=person meeting in June
and for it to be a 90 minute -2 hour planning meeting -to set our
calendar for the fall.The committee decided to meet in person June 12th
and then by zoom on June 26th.
ii.The committee also considered meeting in August to discuss planning
for the next cycle of meetings.
iii.We would also like to have a social gathering at the end of August
e.Collaborative Reform Group (CRG)update about their recent event:Crisis
Management -Resources for Mental Health.The resource panel and community
questions are recorded.The Town are working on a resource page for Mental
Health supports.
f.LUAA upcoming event -on How White Nationalism fuels Antisemitism.LHRC
members were encouraged to attend.There will also be an upcoming Training
Active Bystander event held by LUAA in late June.
g.The Chair encouraged LHRC members attend cultural and affinity group events -
we want encourage all of you to attend some of these events and the calendar will
help us
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE •LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420
DRAFTh.The Chair shared that several incidents were reported in the past month and
noted the theme around who deserves to belong in the community and verbal
harassment against those who are perceived as outsiders or different.
i.Two incidents at two different elementary school around xenophobia and
were racially motivated
ii.Protest by migrant shelter-It appears to be the New England Minuteman
group protests happening at the Armory housing immigrants.
3.The committee discussed whether there should be a Code of Conduct.The Chair
expressed skepticism in equitable enforcement of this type of document and reminded
the group that Town Counsel had advised against having this and that other
committees also did not have a Code of Conduct.However,most committee members
felt it was important to have a baseline standard expectation of behavior.The Chair also
expressed concern about having a mechanism for removing committee members
because this is a volunteer role where members live in the community they are serving.
The consequences of removing a fellow neighbor could create unhealthy divisions in
the community.
4.Goal setting for LHRC:
a.Liaisons
i.Commission on Disability
ii.Council of Aging
iii.Housing related committees -look at agendas and see where we might
need to be in attended
iv.Others
b.Discuss steps towards goals
Goal:Our multi-year goal is to increase the strength of the community by
reducing divisive rhetoric.Only when we are able to see that we have more in
common than not,are we able to unlock possibilities for a shared future
together
●September community round table -SR,CD
●Indigenous Peoples Day -October 14 -co-sponsorship -SR
●No Hate November -Do we plan for that -need working group -
○Community Dialogue
○Collaborative Reform Event -Ken Duckworth -People are People,
systemic gaps,caregiver care,Youth Counseling Connection (Or March)
●MLK Day Conversation on Race
●April/May -Collaborative Reform Group event -Neurodiversity
●Race Amity -June
5.Meeting Adjourned
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE •LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420