2024-09-24 - DEIC Agenda Packet September 24, 2024 — 6:30 PM
Council Conference Room
Hybrid Meeting
1.Call to Order
2.Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge and honor the Dakota nation, on whose ancestral land the City of Golden Valley
is built, and whose land resources we use. We commit to counteracting the erasure of the
cultural practices and presence of the Dakota people through education and by amplifying a wide
range of indigenous voices.
3.Roll Call
Chair, Lee Thoresen Ajani Woodson Nyre Chester
Vice Chair, Ruth Paradise Joelle Allen Tracy Murphy
4.Approval of Agenda
5.Approval of Minutes
5.A.Approval of Minutes - August 27, 2024
6.Discussion Items
6.A.Awards
1. Bill Hobbs
2. MLK
6.B.Topic, Date, and Location Selection for 2025 BAEGV Forums and "Won't You Be My
Neighbor" Events
DEI COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commission meetings are being conducted in a hybrid format
with in-person and remote options for attending.
Remote Attendance Options: Members of the public may attend this meeting by streaming via MS
Teams and entering passcode jCvmxK.
Questions/Comments: Members of the public who have questions about the commission or any items
on the agenda should contact the staff liaison - Seth Kaempfer at (763) 593-8045.
City of Golden Valley DEI Commission Meeting September 24, 2024 — 6:30 PM
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7.Subcommittee Updates
7.A.City Systems
7.B.Communication and Networking
7.C.Events
1. BAEGV
1. October 2024: Equity in Minnesota Public Education
2. December 2024: DEIC Year In Review & Celebration
8.Staff Updates
8.A.DEIC Commissioner Membership
8.B.DEIC Budget
8.C.Haha Wakpadan
8.D.Meeting with Other Cities' DEICs
9.Adjournment
City of Golden Valley DEI Commission Meeting September 24, 2024 — 6:30 PM
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August 27, 2024 — 6:30 PM
Council Conference Room
Hybrid Meeting
DEI COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 6:33pm
2. Land Acknowledgement
3. Roll Call
Commissioners present: Lee Thoresen, Tracy Murphy, Ruth Paradise, Joelle Allen, and Nyre
Chester
Commissioners absent: Ajani Woodson and George Kannenberg
Staff present: Seth Kaempfer, Equity and Inclusion Manager
4. Approval of Agenda
Motion to approve agenda by Commissioner Allen, seconded by Commissioner Murphy
Motion carries 5-0
5. Approval of Minutes
Motion to approve minutes by Commissioner Allen, seconded by Commissioner Murphy
Motion carries 5-0
6. Discussion Items
6.A. Summer 2026 Culture Event
No discussion at this time
6.B. Commission Date Changes
Commissioners discussed upcoming meeting dates and times. Commissioners decided that the
only commission date to change is the December meeting from December 24th to December 5th.
The December 5th meeting would also start at 5:30pm and be located at Brookview.
Motion to approve meeting date change by Commissioner Allen, seconded by Commissioner
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Motion carries 5-0
6.C. Awards
1. Bill Hobbs
Commissioner Paradise has completed the communications template and will be
submitting it soon. Commissioner Thoresen indicated that the commissioners need to
continue to push it out to all networks. Commissioner Allen agreed and said that they
should contact past awardees to ask them to nominate someone. Commissioner Allen
also noted that having past awardees speak and “pass the baton” to the next awardee.
Commissioner Murphy shared that the commissioners could nominate the director of GV
Pride. Commissioner Paradise reminded that we have a lot of people across Golden Valley
that could also be nominated and that multiple winners have happened in the past.
Commissioner Thoresen said that nominations should be collected by November 15th.
Staff Kaempfer noted that they pair the award with Human Rights Day. Commissioner
Thoresen indicated that they should then vote on the awardee in the November DEIC
meeting on the 26th and then notify awardee they can attend either Council date in
December. Staff Kaempfer will collect the nominations and send them over to
Commissioners after the November 15th deadline.
2. MLK
Commission Murphy shared that she has all the information gathered but not sure when
the official deadline of submission is to then submit the documents to Communications.
Commissioner Murphy did get ahold of Sweet Potato Comfort Pie and the event will be
held on Sunday, January 19th from 1-4pm at the Metropolitan Ballroom and they know
that we are expected to be part of the celebration.
Commission Murphy asked if it is either a them or a quote and Commissioner Allen said
that it’s usually just the quotes. Commissioner Murphy shared the quotes that she
gathered and asked for feedback. Commissioners noted that they all feel appropriate for
the setting for students and that they all fit.
Staff Kaempfer shared that Communications has already created draft communication for
the Newsletter as it’s one of their reoccurring items. Commissioner Paradise provided
feedback to the draft communication.
Commissioner Thoresen and Commissioner Allen suggested have the deadline be kept as
December 16th. Staff Kaempfer collect the submissions and provide the submission along
with a form to vote for the Commissioners. Commissioner Murphy also noted that
winners will be notified by December 30th.
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7. Subcommittee Updates
7.A. City Systems
Commissioner Thoresen will reach out to schedule time to meet for the subcommittee.
Staff Kaempfer shared that he will send out the draft of the Equity Decision Making Toolkit to the
subcommittee to provide feedback.
7.B. Communication and Networking
Commissioner Paradise discussed some of the ideas about for upcoming event in 2025. The list of
topics include:
• Policing
• Dangers of suspiciousness
• Neighborly love, neighborly inspiration, and neighborly welcomeness
• Ageism
• Immigrant/immigration
• Asian American and Pacific Islander
• Indigeneity and Indigenous communities
Commissioner Allen and Chester talked about looking at doing event related to holidays and how
community expresses their holidays. Commissioner Murphy expanded on the neighbor concept
by naming the series of events “Won’t You Be My Neighbor”. Commissioner Allen noted that
those who previously attended the Hate Has No Home Here were community that already had a
connection to the topic and wants to bring in community that may not have a direct attachment.
Commissioner Murphy noted that there are already quarterly BAEGV events and asked about
capacity. Commissioner Allen noted that the Commissioner would keep the BAEGV and see how
they could fill-in the “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” as a way that bring in different perspective of
culture and celebration. Commissioner Thoresen and Allen shared that they need to continue to
focus on community they have not touched on before as they continue to engage at similar
communities from year to year.
Commissioner Murphy noted that the BAEGV will occur March, June, September, and December.
Staff Kaempfer asked for the BAEGV dates to be sent to him to book at Brookview.
Commissioner Thoresen asked that the themes be fleshed out for both the BAEGV events and the
Won’t You Be My Neighbor event for the following year.
7.C. Events
1. Hate Has No Home Here Sessions
1. August 2024: Transphobia Feedback
Commissioner Murphy, Allen, and Thoresen provided an overview of the evening.
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Commissioner Murphy indicated that many attendees were attentive, engaged,
and stayed afterwards to talk with the speakers.
2. BAEGV
1. October 2024: Equity in Minnesota Public Education
Commissioner Paradise shared that the Human Rights Commission from
Robbinsdale wants to partner and share out. Commissioner Paradise and Allen
talked about the confirmed and potential speakers for the event. Commissioner
Allen suggested that they continue to have the event held at Ridgedale Library as it
has space, is central, and parking is better for attendees. Staff Kaempfer does
have Brookview reserved as a back-up location.
Commissioner Allen indicated that she feels that there is still a gap of perspective
for the speakers and that the co-authors of the bill would be great. Commissioner
Paradise said that she can reach out and contact them.
2. December 2024
Commissioner Paradise provided an overview of what the December BAEGV forum
entails. Staff Kaempfer reminded the Commission to send in a communication
template for the event and that he will reserve space at Brookview for the event.
8. Staff Updates
8.A. DEIC Commissioner Membership
Staff Kaempfer shared updates about the current status of commissioners within the Commission.
Staff Kaempfer also shared the commissioner application and selection is on a rolling basis but
there is a concerted effort in the beginning of the calendar year to promote and apply.
8.B. DEIC Budget
Staff Kaempfer shared that there are no updates regarding the budget.
8.C. Equity Plan
Staff Kaempfer provided updates to the City’s Equity Plan as well as shared where and how to
access updates about the Plan.
8.D. Haha Wakpadan
Staff Kaempfer shared about the updates to events happening with Haha Wakpadan efforts and
would forward over the email with the list of events.
8.E. Meeting with Other Cities’ DEICs
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Staff Kaempfer provided a reminder of the upcoming meeting in New Brighton. The meeting
9. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 8:04 pm.
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Seth Kaempfer, Equity and Inclusion Manager
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Date
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Lee Thoresen, Chair
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Date
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