At the City Council meeting on Monday, Jan 27, the council approved the creation of an Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee. The committee was approved unanimously.
More than a dozen people spoke from the podium to support the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee, including Candace Carnicelli, Rebecca Rona-Tuttle and Dr. Carlos Valverde.
When Steven Fisher of the Mayme Clayton Museum and Library took to the podium, he said, “I think creating this body is entirely consistent with the ‘city of kindness’ that we strive for.”
Samio Bano spoke of being threatened on public transportation because of her hajib, and noted “Many members of our community have experienced Islamophobia,” and voiced her support for the committee.
Jeff Schwartz offered an exhaustive list of other California cities, more than 20, that had identical or similar committees working in their municipalities.
On the dais, Vice Mayor Goran Eriksson noted that he much preferred the current language to the previous presentation of the committee, and Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells told of a piece of ‘hate mail’ she had received addressed to “Mr. Mayor,” in regard to a local publication’s feature on a ‘two-mom’ family.
The vote in favor was unanimous.
Judith Martin-Straw
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