HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-07-12-LHRC-min-copyTown of Lexington Human Rights Committee
Meeting Minutes for Friday,July 12,2024
Conducted in remotely on Zoom
LHRC MEMBERS PRESENT
Christina Lin,Chair (CL);Stephanie Hsu,Vice-Chair (SH);Rachel Levy (RL);Stephanie Ryan (SR);
Lieutenant Colleen Dunbar -Town of Lexington Police (CD);Dana Bickelman-Town of Lexington,
Human Services (DB)
The minutes recorded by Christina Lin,LHRC Chair
1.Welcome/Call to order –Meeting called to order at 9:38am
2.Review and edit draft of “Minority Mental Health Awareness Month”
a.It was clarified that,if passed by the Select Board,this proclamation is
intended to acknowledge July as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
in perpetuity from the date it is passed.
b.A discussion around the use of the term ‘minority’and if it referred to BIPOC
or all marginalized identities.The group settled on honoring the original
stated by Bebe Moore Campbell as “National Minority Mental Awareness
Month”and recognizing it refers to the BIPOC community.
c.Language was added to the draft to emphasize the Town and community’s
responsibility to dismantle systemic barriers that create (1)conditions that
increase risk for mental unwellness and (2)barriers that create inequitable
access to mental health services
3.A vote was taken on a motion to pass this version of the draft of the Proclamation on
Minority Mental Health Awareness withstanding small and grammatical edits that
do not create substantive change.Committee voted ‘yes’by a vote of 6-0-0.This
version of the draft is shared below.
4.Meeting adjourned at 10:06am.
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Draft version of the proclamation on Minority Mental
Health Awareness -
voted by LHRC on July 12,2024 in support by a vote of 6-0-0
Town of Lexington,Massachusetts
SELECT BOARD OFFICE
PROCLAMATION
Whereas:July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness
Month,a time to focus on the unique strengths and challenges that Black,
Indigenous,and people of color (BIPOC)face regarding mental health;and
Whereas:Several systemic barriers are preventing BIPOC individuals from receiving
adequate mental health care,including insufficient resources that meet cultural
and language differences,racialization of BIPOC individuals,socioeconomic
disparities,stigma,immigration status,access to resources,and providers'cultural
incompetency or bias;and
Whereas:It is crucial to connect individuals to available resources for healing,self-care,
community support,and proper coping with mental illness;and
Whereas:It is crucial to recognize that availability of culturally competent resources are
vital to proper support and healing for individuals in need of mental health care in
order to effectively address barriers preventing BIPOC individuals from equitable
care;and
Whereas:It is the responsibility of communities and Towns to invest and sustain systems
that foster a culturally inclusive and competent mental health system that is
centered on an individual’s identity and culture;and
Whereas:Belonging and inclusion in communities is vital for the well-being and mental
health of BIPOC individuals as it is for all people;and
Whereas:Community-led spaces such as cultural hubs and affinity spaces,areas in which
people of a specific cultural background have come together to live,provide
services,or connect with one another,are vital sources of belonging that promote
overall mental health and wellness;and
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Whereas:Connection with one’s culture and community is critical to supporting overall
mental health.Individuals who have strong connections to their communities have
better mental health outcomes,including lower rates of suicide,violence,and
feelings of isolation;and
Whereas:No one knows a community better than those with a shared identity and shared
lived experiences.In order to move toward a future with improved mental health
baseline and outcomes,community-led action must be prioritized and sustained;
and
Whereas:Advocating for mentally healthy environments must prioritize access and
belonging for all.Strong community support requires an overall understanding
that every person deserves a healthy environment and has a role in the wellness of
those around them;and
Whereas:We call upon the citizens,government agencies,public and private institutions,
businesses,and schools in Lexington to recommit our community and institutions
to increasing awareness and understanding of BIPOC mental health,the steps our
citizens can take to protect their mental health through community-led action and
organizing,and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all BIPOC
people with mental health conditions.
NOW,THEREFORE,WE,THE SELECT BOARD of the Town of Lexington,Massachusetts,do
hereby proclaim the month of July to be annually recognized as NATIONAL MINORITY
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH in the Town of Lexington as we work
together to save lives in our community.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,we have set our hands and caused the seal of Lexington to be affixed
herewith on the XX of July 2024.
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