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[Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Public Hearing District 1]
EVERYONE.ALL OF THESE AMAZING FACES ON THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA
UM, I'M GOING TO PASS OFF THE MIC TO OUR VICE CHAIR, LOUIS GONZALEZ, WHO WILL INTRODUCE OUR AGENDA AND, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMISSIONERS AND ABOUT HOW THE COMMISSION FORMED BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF THE NUMBERS, THE DATA THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
AND THANK YOU FOR OFFERING UP ONE OF YOUR PRECIOUS SATURDAYS TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF REDISTRICTING AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR CITY OF AUSTIN.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PATIENTS AND THE UNDERSTANDING AS WE'VE QUICKLY HAD THE SHIFT PLANS FOR OUR FORUMS, GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE ONGOING PANDEMIC FOR US, IT'S BEEN A CONSTANT BALANCE BETWEEN THE PRIORITIES OF FAIR ACCESS TO THIS PROCESS AND, UH, AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO THANK YOU, LASTLY, THANK YOU TO THE GEORGE WASHINGTON, CARVER MUSEUM AND CULTURE CENTER FOR WELCOMING US INTO THEIR SPACE TODAY.
UH, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY WALK US THROUGH THE AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON, WITH THE GOAL FOR TODAY, UH, TO WRAP UP BY 3:00 PM ON THIS SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE SOME LINKS TO OUR WEB PRESENCE, OUR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS, WAYS THAT YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED TO THE WORK OF THE ICRC.
LONG AFTER YOU LEAVE TODAY'S FORUM.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO ALSO THANK OUR LOCAL MEDIA PARTNERS, SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER.
THE AUSTIN MONITOR THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN, THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE TELEMUNDO, THE FOX SEVEN USE CHANNEL AND RADIO STATION.
CO-OP 91.7 FOR THEIR RECENT COVERAGE OF THE ICRC AND OUR WORK AND PROMOTING THE PUBLIC FORUMS. LIKE THE ONE YOU'RE ATTENDING THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE CITY HAS REENTERED STAGE FIVE RISKS COVID LEVELS.
SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS UNLESS YOU ARE SPEAKING, UH, SHOW COMPASSION TO YOUR FELLOW NEIGHBORS AND MASK UP
CAN YOU GO ANY BETTER? THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND THE COMMISSIONERS THAT YOU SEE UP HERE, UM, FOR DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE BY COMMISSIONER SADA UNESCO FOR DISTRICT THREE, IT'S REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER WONG, LEE AND COMMISSIONER BRING A MORRIS.
UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE WITH US TODAY FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER STERLING LAMP COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON FOR DISTRICT FIVE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER PRABHU KANAAN.
YOU CAN NOT BE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON FOR DISTRICT SIX.
COMMISSIONER EUGENE SCHNEIDER DISTRICT SEVEN IS REPRESENTED BY THE CHAIR, CHRISTINA
FALCON DISTRICT EIGHT IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER JOSHUA BLANK, DISTRICT NINE, REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER SHAYNA TAMBO SHE'S ALSO OUR STUDENT COMMISSIONER ON THIS BODY.
DISTRICT 10 IS REPRESENTED BY MYSELF.
I'M VICE-CHAIR LUIS GONZALES AND COMMISSIONER AARON DEMPSEY, AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY NOT LEAST DISTRICT ONE IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER EARL HARDING AND COMMISSIONER SELENA.
YE I'M GOING TO ASK BOTH THESE COMMISSIONERS TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND ABOUT THEMSELVES.
I'M A NATIVE AUSTIN KNIGHT HAVE RESIDED IN AUSTIN FOR 61 YEARS.
I HAVE, UH, LIVED MOST OF MY LIFE IN AUSTIN IN WHAT IS NOW DISTRICT ONE I'M EDUCATED IN AUSTIN.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS ENDEAVOR BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING REPRESENTATION IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND SO I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH, UH, MY CO-LABORERS HERE ON THIS, UH, BOARD OF COMMISSIONS TO CREATE MAPS, USING CENSUS DATA, TO CREATE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE PROCESS SUCH THAT WE CAN
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WORK TO ENSURE FAIR REPRESENTATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL PERSONS, REGARDLESS OF DEMOGRAPHIC, TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.I TRY MY MASK OFF JUST FOR THE SAKE OF SPEAKING.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH BETTER ALREADY.
COMMISSIONER HARDIN COMMISSIONER EAT.
UM, SO I AM MUCH NEWER TO AUSTIN THAN COMMISSIONER HARDEN IS I'VE MOVED, UH, DOWN HERE IN 2013 AND THEN INTO DISTRICT ONE IN 2015.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE, UM, IT IS AN HONOR TO BE SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION.
WE VERY MUCH WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE PUBLIC, UH, WHAT THE PUBLIC'S OPINIONS ARE IN TERMS OF HOW THEY WOULD LIKE THE DISTRICTS TO BE REDRAWN TO MORE ACCURATELY REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE FOR SHOWING UP HERE TODAY AND DEFINITELY WANT, UH, YOU ALL TO BE AWARE THAT WE WERE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OTHER MEETINGS WHERE WE WILL HAVE MAPS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
UM, SO HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU IN 20 12, 60 1% OF AUSTIN VOTERS SET THE STANDARD FOR AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT MAPPING OF OUR CURRENT DISTRICTS THAT VOTE APPROVED, REPLACING THE CITIES AT LARGE COUNCIL SYSTEM THAT LACKED GEOGRAPHICAL AND RACIAL REPRESENTATION WITH THE CURRENT TEN ONE COUNCIL STRUCTURE THAT WE SEE TODAY CONSISTING OF 10 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
PLUS OUR MAYOR THAT VOTE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE CITY'S ELECTION SYSTEM AND PROVIDED A POTENTIAL MODEL FOR CITIES NATIONWIDE TO PREVENT GERRYMANDERING ON BEHALF OF ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL.
THE DISTRICTS, AS WE VIEW THEM TODAY WERE DRAWN BY THE INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
THE ICRC HISTORY WAS MADE ON NOVEMBER 18TH, 2013.
WHEN AUSTIN BECAME THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE CELIACS, EXCUSE ME, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS DRAWN THROUGH THE VOLUNTEERISM OF A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT GROUP OF REGULAR RESIDENTS.
THIS COMMISSION IS NOT SELECTED BY ANY POLITICIAN.
THE WAY OTHER REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS MAY OPERATE.
WE ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO APPLIED FOR OUR POSITIONS, NOT PAID 1 CENT FOR THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING.
WE ARE ALL AUSTIN RESIDENTS WHO CARE ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND HOW IT IS MANAGED.
SOME OF US HAVE FULL-TIME JOBS.
OTHERS HAVE FAMILIES TO CARE FOR THIS BODY BEFORE YOU IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING THE NEW CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP, NOT THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT THE MAYOR, NOR THE CITY MANAGER, NOR THE STATE.
WE ARE INDEPENDENT WITH THE CAPITAL.
I, WE ARE CONDUCTING OUR DIFFICULT, TOUGH YOU GET IMPORTANT, WORK UP AGAINST A VERY TIGHT DEADLINE SOLELY WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS IN MIND.
EXCUSE ME, I KIND OF WENT FORWARD ON A FEW SLIDES THERE.
JUST SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT HOW THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE IC ICRC WERE SELECTED.
OVER 300 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED BY THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE OVER 89% OF THOSE APPLICATIONS MET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND WERE IDENTIFIED AS NOT HAVING ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
AN APPLICANT REVIEW PANEL OF THREE CPAS THEN SELECTED THE 60 MOST QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FROM THOSE APPLICATIONS THROUGH A RANDOM JOIN SYSTEM.
UH, THE CITIES, THE CITY OFFICER, THE CITY OFFICE CITY OFFICE, EXCUSE ME, EVENTS RANDOMLY SELECTED EIGHT COMMISSIONERS FROM THOSE 60 MOST QUALIFIED, THOSE RANDOMLY SELECTED EIGHT COMMISSIONERS THEN HAD A DIFFICULT TASK OF CHOOSING THE ADDITIONAL SIX COMMISSIONERS THAT LATE LEADS US TO THE NUMBER OF, UH, 14, UH, THE 14 COMMISSIONERS WHO WILL WORK TO REDRAW THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMISSION REFLECTED THE DIVERSITY OF AUSTIN WHILE WE PRIMARILY WANTED TO ENSURE THAT ALL DISTRICTS WERE REPRESENTED.
AND WE ARE VERY PROUD THAT ALL OF THEM ARE, UH, RACIAL, ETHNIC AND GENDER DIVERSITY ALSO PLAYED A ROLE IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR PLACEMENT.
I AM EXTREMELY PROUD TO SAY THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE ICRC ARE WONDERFULLY DIVERSE IN LIVED IN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, AGE, RACE, AND ETHNICITY.
SOME OF US COME FROM ENGINEERING AND TECH BACKGROUNDS.
OTHERS HAVE JOURNALISM DEGREES.
SOME COME FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTOR.
WE HAVE A LAWYER AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, PASTOR.
WHAT ALIGNS US ALL THOUGH? EVERY ONE OF US CALLS AUSTIN.
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THE COMMISSION WILL DECIDE ON THE NEW BOUNDARIES FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS THROUGH AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS WITH MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT.JUST LIKE THE FORM THAT YOU'RE ATTENDING THIS AFTERNOON IN ORDER TO DRAW THE BOUNDARIES, COMMISSIONERS NEED INPUT FROM ITS RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
AND THAT PROCESS, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE INCLUDES HOLDING PUBLIC FORUMS IN EACH OF THE 10 CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN DISTRICT ONE.
WE THEN COME UP WITH THE INITIAL DRAFT OF THOSE MAP BOUNDARIES.
AFTER THAT WE GO OUT FOR FOUR MORE PUBLIC FORUMS, ONE IN EACH OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY PRECINCTS.
WE PROPOSE FINAL BOUNDARIES AND THEN GO OUT TO MORE TIMES, UH, FOR PUBLIC INPUT, UH, ONE FORM NORTH OF LADY, BIRD LAKE, AND ONE FORUM SOUTH.
WE VOTE ON FINAL BOUNCE BOUNDARIES, ALL IN THE HOPES OF ADOPTING A FINAL MAP AND A FINAL PLAN NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021.
SO PLEASE KEEP THAT DATE IN MIND, NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021, THE HIGHLIGHTED BULLET ON THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE WITH US TODAY.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU A BROKEN RECORD TODAY, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M NOW GOING TO PASS THE MIC OVER TO THE CHAIR SO SHE CAN SPEAK ON WHY THESE ENTIRE REDISTRICTING PROCESS MATTERS TO THOSE OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE THIS AFTERNOON CHAIR.
SO WHY DOES OUR REDISTRICTING PROCESS MATTER? IT'S BECAUSE IT'S DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO YOUR FAIR REPRESENTATION, AND YOU CAN ALSO SHARE A DISTRICT WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS AND WHOSE CAUSES YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR MANY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE ANTIDOTE TO GERRYMANDERING PRACTICES THAT WE SEE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE POLITICAL DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN FOR THE PURPOSE OF POLITICIANS TO GET REELECTED RATHER THAN TO ENSURE FAIR REPRESENTATION AND INCREASE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION.
OUR PROCESS MAKES POSSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE.
SOMEONE WHO YOU BELIEVE WILL FIGHT FOR YOU WHEN THEY GET INTO OFFICE.
ONE CHALLENGE FOR THIS COMMISSION IS ENSURING THAT THIS POOL OF APPLICANTS WILL ACCURATELY REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF THE CITY'S ENTIRE POPULATION WHILE ALSO HAVING NO TIES TO CITY OR STATE POLITICS OR POLITICAL PARTIES, AND HAVING LIVED AND VOTED IN AUSTIN FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
AGAIN, WE ARE INDEPENDENT WITH A CAPITAL I IN 2015, THE SUPREME COURT HAD AFFIRMED THAT VOTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION LIKE THIS INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING.
SO AT A TIME WHEN POLITICIANS ELICIT DISTRESSED CITIZEN, REDISTRICTING CAN PROVIDE A TRANSPARENT AND TRANSFORMING ALTERNATIVE TO POLITICS.
AS USUAL, THIS MOVEMENT INVITES THE INVOLVEMENT OF ANY AND ALL RESIDENTS.
OUR WORK CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT PUBLIC FORUMS LIKE THIS ONE.
AND WITHOUT ALL OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE TODAY, THE 2013 INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING OF ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES WAS A GRASSROOTS FROM THE GROUND UP INITIATIVE.
AND THIS YEAR, OUR COMMISSIONERS HOPE TO DO THE SAME BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT REPRESENTATION IS THE BACKBONE OF DEMOCRACY.
SO HOW DO WE DRAW THE MAPS? WE FOLLOW THE CITY CHARTER CLOSELY.
SO THIS IS SECTION THREE E UM, THE COMMISSIONERS MUST DRAW EACH DISTRICT BOUNDARIES USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA.
AND THIS IS AN ORDER FROM TOP TO BOTTOM IN PRIORITY.
MOST OF OUR GUIDELINES ARE PRETTY CUT AND DRY.
WE HAVE TO CREATE REASONABLY EQUAL POPULATION IN EACH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
WE MUST COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
DISTRICTS MUST BE GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS.
AND FINALLY, WHAT IS HIGHLIGHTED UP HERE AGAIN? WHY Y'ALL ARE HERE TODAY? THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS OR LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST SHALL BE RESPECTED IN A MANNER THAT MINIMIZES THEIR DIVISION TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WITHOUT VIOLATING THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY OF THE PRECEDING SUBSECTIONS.
SO THIS MONTH, THE CITIZENS ON THE COMMISSION WILL HAVE ACCESS TO USABLE 20, 20 CENSUS DATA.
UM, SO THAT WE COULD BEGIN THE MAPPING PROCESS, THE COMMISSIONERS, ALONG WITH OUR MAPPING AND REDISTRICTING SPECIALIST, UH, ATTORNEY GEORGE KORBEL WILL USE THIS DATA AND PUBLIC INPUT TO DECIDE HOW TO DRAW THE NEW DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AND BEST REFLECT AUSTIN'S CHANGES.
AS YOU SAW EARLIER, EACH DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE A REASONABLY EQUAL POPULATION WITH OTHER DISTRICTS.
THE STANDARD IS AS CLOSE TO 0% DEVIATION FROM EQUAL SIZES AS POSSIBLE.
BACK IN 2010 AUSTIN'S POPULATION WAS 790,000.
SO THE IDEAL POPULATION PER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT WAS 70,000.
SO YOU'LL SEE UP HERE, DISTRICT ONE WAS A LITTLE SHY OF THE MARK AT 76,111 PEOPLE.
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YOU SEE THE RAPID AND PRECIPITOUS GROWTH IN AUSTIN'S POPULATION THROUGH THE YEARS.
AND SINCE THE 2020 CENSUS DATA WAS JUST RELEASED ON AUGUST 12TH, WE CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR POPULATION IS MARKED AT 961,855 PEOPLE.
THAT'S ABOUT A 21% INCREASE SINCE 2010.
SO BECAUSE THERE ARE 10 CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, THE IDEAL DISTRICT SIZE WOULD BE A 10TH OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OR APPROXIMATELY 96,200, JUST ROUNDING THAT UP.
WE WILL HAVE TO DRAW THE DISTRICTS AND A PORTION BASED ON THE DATA FROM THE 2020 CENSUS, EVEN THOUGH AUSTIN'S POPULATION HAS LIKELY SURPASSED A MILLION PEOPLE.
SO AS WE JUST SAW, AUSTIN HAS GROWN BY ABOUT 172,000 PEOPLE SINCE 2010.
THIS MAP SHOWS THAT THE GROWTH IS CONCENTRATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
AND IN SOME CASES, AREAS OF AUSTIN LOST POPULATION OR REMAINED THE SAME, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THE LIGHTER COLORS ON THE MAP WHILE OTHERS GREW BY MORE THAN 3000 RESIDENTS AS SEEN IN THE DARKER BLUE, THIS UNEQUAL GROWTH MEANS THAT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES WILL HAVE TO CHANGE.
AND I WILL POINT OUT QUICKLY THAT THIS MAP IS AVAILABLE ONLINE.
IF YOU WANT TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT IT AND YOU CAN JUST KIND OF ZOOM IN AND TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU WANT WITH THAT MAP, UM, IT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR SITE AND IT'S THROUGH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL.
SO THIS DATA IS FROM THE CITY COMPARING THE DEMOGRAPHICS FROM 2010 TO 2019.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN JUST YET.
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A BIT MORE TIME TO COMPILE, BUT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE EARLY NEWS AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHICH IS THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR MAKE UP 95% OF TEXAS IS POPULATION GROWTH.
SO AS OF 2019, THE POPULATION THAT IDENTIFIES AS WHITE AND AUSTIN IS 49% WHILE 32% IDENTIFY AS LATINO.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT 8% THAT IDENTIFY AS ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE SHARE OF THE STATE'S POPULATION.
A LITTLE MORE THAN 7% OF OUR POPULATION IDENTIFY AS BLACK, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE SHARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS A WHOLE STATEWIDE.
THE BLACK POPULATION IS AT 11% AND THE ASIAN POPULATION IS AT 5%.
AND WE ALSO HAVE CLOSE TO 3% THAT IDENTIFY WITH TWO OR MORE RACES AND SMALLER SHARES IDENTIFYING AS AMERICAN, INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE.
THE RACE ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE STATE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONTRIBUTION OF EACH OF THESE RACIAL, ETHNIC GROUPS TO THE TOTAL CHANGE IN THE DECADE, WE SEE THAT THE BIGGEST DRIVER FOR THE CITY HAS BEEN THE NON-HISPANIC WHITE POPULATION HERE IN AUSTIN.
IT'S CLOSE TO 50% OF THE TOTAL CHANGE.
AND THIS SETS US APART FROM THE REST OF TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST CENSUS DATA, NON-HISPANIC WHITE TEXANS HAVE STRUNK TO 39.8% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION WITH ONLY A 1.6% INCREASE SINCE 2010.
WHILE THE SHARE OF HISPANIC TEXANS HAS GROWN TO 39.3% AT AN OVER 20% INCREASE IN THE SAME PERIOD, WE ARE AWARE OF THE WAY THAT BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE AREA FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, INCLUDING HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY AND GENTRIFICATION.
SO I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THE CENSUS DATA WAS DELAYED SINCE WE JUST GOT IT THIS WEEK.
UM, GREAT EFFORTS WERE MADE JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND CAN VARIOUS COMMUNITY GROUPS TO GET AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT SINCE KNOWING OUR EXACT POPULATION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND OF COURSE IT MATTERS FOR POLITICAL REPRESENTATION.
AS WE DRAW THESE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES STILL, IT MIGHT BE AN UNDERCOUNT, ESPECIALLY OF HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.
THE CITY CHARTER SET THE DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 1ST FOR THE FINAL REDISTRICTING PLAN TO BE ADOPTED BETWEEN NOW AND THE NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE.
WE WILL SOON DRAW OUR PRELIMINARY MAPS, PRESENT THOSE TO THE PUBLIC IN EACH TRAVIS COUNTY PRECINCT AND TAKE PUBLIC INPUT.
THEN WE'LL REVISE THOSE MAPS, PRESENT THE FINAL MAPS TWO MORE TIMES AND TAKE PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE ADOPTING THE FINAL PLAN.
THIS GIVES US OVER TWO MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS, A SIMILAR TIMELINE TO THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION THAT DREW OUR CURRENT DISTRICTS.
AGAIN, WE INVITE PUBLIC INPUT AT EVERY POINT IN THE PROCESS.
I WILL NOW PASS THE MIC BACK OVER TO VICE-CHAIR GONZALEZ TO EXPLAIN THE MAP THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR HANDS.
NOW, HE'S GOING TO TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW TO WORK WITH THAT SO WE CAN GET THE BEST
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FEEDBACK POSSIBLE FROM YOU ALL.THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR, IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC FORUM THAT YOU'RE ATTENDING, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INPUT, WE'VE VIEWED THESE MAPS AS ANOTHER WAY THAT CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS COULD PROVIDE INPUT TO THIS COMMISSION UPON ENTERING THE FORUM, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MAP WORKSHEET PACKAGE ON ONE SHEET.
THERE IS A MAP OF DISTRICT ONE.
AND ON THE OTHER SHEET, THERE IS A COPY OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP.
AND WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT LARGER MAP JUST IN CASE YOU WERE JOINING US AND YOU WEREN'T A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT WINE, OR LET'S SAY YOU, UM, YOU GO TO WORK IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT AND YOU WANTED TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON ANOTHER PART OF THE AREA.
IT'S JUST A REASONING FOR THAT CITY COUNCIL MAP.
WE ASK THAT YOU EXAMINE THESE MAPS FOR COMMON AREAS OF INTERESTS, PLACES IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT YOU MOST FREQUENT.
THOSE COULD BE NEIGHBORHOODS, SCHOOLS, YOUR FAVORITE GROCERY STORE, UM, YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE, UH, MARK THOSE AREAS ON THE MAP WITH A DOT OR A STAR, AND THEN DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND THOSE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR DISTRICT THAT YOU BELIEVE SHOULD REMAIN INTACT.
AS WE BEGIN OUR REDRAWING WORK ON THE BACK OF THESE SHEETS, THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE FOR WRITTEN COMMENT.
AND WE PLEASE ASK THAT YOU UTILIZE IT CAUSE THIS WRITTEN COMMENT WILL HELP US WITH OUR WORK, THE WORK THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO GET STARTED ON NOW THAT WE HAVE CENSUS DATA.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, PLEASE DO.
AND BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS FORUM THIS AFTERNOON, I PLEASE ASK THAT YOU BE SURE TO RETURN THESE MAPS TO THE FRONT REGISTRATION DESK, THAT YOU PICK THEM UP, THAT THEY WILL BE SAVED.
THEY WILL BECOME PART OF THE REC, UH, PUBLIC RECORD FOR THIS REDRAWING PURPOSE.
UM, AND THEY WILL, UM, THEY WILL PROVIDE INPUT AS WE CONTINUE TO DO OUR WORK.
I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT 20 MINUTES WITH THESE MAP WORKSHEETS.
AND THEN WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE FORUM.
UH, THIS MAP WORK HOME HOMEWORK.
IT IS FOCUSING ON THAT ICRC ICRC CHARTER PRIORITY.
NUMBER FOUR, KEEPING THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY INTACT.
THIS IS GOING TO PROVIDE A BETTER SNAPSHOT OF WHAT MATTERS TO THE VOTERS, THE RESIDENTS, AND THE COMMUNITIES OF DISTRICT ONE.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER.
AS YOU ARE BEGINNING THAT WORK.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT THESE MAPS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE.
YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO GOOGLE ICRC AUSTIN.
AND THE TOP RESULT WILL BE OUR PAGE ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THESE, PRINT THEM OUT, SEND THEM TO ICRC DOT COMMISSIONERS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV, OR EVEN PHYSICALLY MAILED THEM TO US.
SO A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE ACCEPT PUBLIC INPUT, IT IS NOW 1 25.
LET'S GIVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES FOR Y'ALL TO COMPLETE THESE WORKSHEETS.
AND THEN WE WILL GO INTO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE FORUM.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE BE SURE TO SIGN UP WITH CHRISTINE GRANADOS, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER AT THE FRONT.
I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MAP PRINTOUT OF DISTRICT ONE IS MAYBE CUTTING OFF PART OF IT.
IT'S ONLINE IN ITS FULL FORM, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE PRINTOUT HAD THIS CUT OFF PORTION.
SO WE REALLY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I HOPE THAT MAP HOMEWORK, WASN'T TOO DIFFICULT.
IT'S ONLY A HOMEWORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASSIGN FOR TODAY.
UM, I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE FORMATTING ERROR THAT WAS ON THE FIRST SHEET.
UM, WE HAVE SEEMED TO CUT OFF A PART OF THIS DISTRICT, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, UM, BUT WE WILL CORRECT IT FOR, UH, THE MAPS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD ON THOSE CITIES WEBSITE THAT I REFERRED TO EARLIER.
SO I APPRECIATE THE UNDERSTANDING AND THE PATIENTS, AND WE WILL GET THAT CORRECTED.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR WORKING ON THOSE MAPS.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF OUR FORUM THIS AFTERNOON.
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, CHRISTINE GRANADOS WILL KIND OF GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF THE SETUP AND HOW IT WILL BE MANAGED TODAY.
SO CHRISTINE, AM I ON? CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? OKAY AGAIN, I'M CHRISTINE AND I'M GOING TO CALL ON YOU IN THE ORDER YOU SIGNED IN.
SO, UM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS, AS THEY PERTAIN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MAPS AND REDISTRICTING
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AT ABOUT THE 22 MINUTE 32ND, MARK, I'M GOING TO HOVER NEAR YOU TO LET YOU KNOW YOUR TIME'S ABOUT TO EXPIRE.AND WHEN YOUR TIME EXPIRES, I'M GOING TO SAY YOU'RE AT TIME.
OKAY? SO THE FIRST PERSON I'M GOING TO CALL UP AND LET ME APOLOGIZE.
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK FIRST, MRS. HOUSTON.
SEE, SEE, SEE, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU GET HERE EARLY.
I SAID, I DIDN'T WANT TO TALK SPURS.
AND ONE, ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE START MY TIME, WE LEFT OFF SO MANY PLACES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE HARRIS, BRANCH, PETS, EAST OF TOLL ROAD, ONE 30, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS LIVE UP IN THIS AREA OF THE DISTRICT.
SO ANYWAY, THIS, THIS IS NOT GOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
THE COMMISSION MUST RESPECT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN DISTRICT ONE.
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT REQUIRES THAT OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE DISTRICT.
ONE IS TODAY AND HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN THE FOUNDATION OF AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY OF AMERICANS, OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
THE NEGRO DISTRICT WAS CREATED BY THE 1928 MASTER PLAN, WHICH FORCED US TO LIVE EAST OF THE INTERSTATE, MY PARENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME AND, UH, MADE THE MOST OF THIS RACIST DECISION.
THEY CREATED A COMPLETE COMMUNITY WHICH INCLUDED NEIGHBORHOODS OR FOCUSED ON EMPOWERMENT, EDUCATION, BUSINESSES LIKE NIGHTLIFE, FAITH, COMMUNITIES, AND RESILIENCE FROM FOUND IN THE PEOPLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE VICTORY GRILL IS ON THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER, EBENEZER THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH AND OTHER HISTORICAL CONGREGATIONS IN THE AREA.
THE DISTRICT RETAINS THE CENTER OF OUR HISTORY, CULTURE AND HERITAGE.
I ASK YOU TO ENSURE THAT THE NAMING IDENTIFICATION AND BOUNDARIES OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT REMAIN INTACT.
THAT'S SIX SQUARE MILES FROM MAIN ROAD TO AIRPORT TO SEVEN STREET TO
I ALSO ASK YOU TO KEEP EVERGREEN CEMETERY IN OAKWOOD CEMETERY IN DISTRICT ONE WHERE THE LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN BURIED.
NOW, WHAT DO I SEE AS BOUNDARIES OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO DRINK? AND I SHOWED YOU THE MAP, THE WHITE PARTS OF UNINCORPORATED AREAS, NOBODY.
I MEAN, PEOPLE LIVE THEY'RE VERY DIVERSE PEOPLE, BUT THE CITY DOESN'T ANNEX THEM.
SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INCLUDE THE ST JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD AND DISTRICT ONE, HISTORICALLY IT WAS PRIMARILY AMERICANS OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
I'D LIKE YOU TO NOT HAVE BOUNDARIES EAST WEST OF THE INTERSTATE, BUT HAVE THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE EASTERN EDGE OF
ONE TO MAKE A CLEAR, DISTINGUISHED DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE INTEREST OF EAST AUSTINITES AND THOSE OF THE CENTRAL CITY CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT THAT WILL ENSURE THAT OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY WILL NOT BE DIMINISHED OR ERASED BY RENAMING EAST AUSTIN, EAST DOWNTOWN.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONE EXCEPTION IS FOR THE LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY, TO BE INCLUDED IN DISTRICT ONE, AS A REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLIES AND HOW FAR WE HAVE COME AND HOW FAR WE STILL HAVE TO GO IN THIS CITY, OUT NORTH OFF OF HOWARD LANE AND DECILE, PLEASE THINK ABOUT INCLUDING CITIZENS WHO LIVE WEST OF DECILE THAT'S PALMER TECH RIDGE, THE TRIANGLE, AS I SAID, MANY ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS LIVE IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE DIVERSITY, MOVED THEM EAST.
OUR CITY IS GROWING AND THE COMMISSION MUST BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT DRAWING LINES, WHICH INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION, NEW COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
I JUST FINISHED THE SENTENCE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
NEW COUNCIL DISTRICT LINES MUST RESPECT AND SUPPORT WHERE DISTRICT ONE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY BY RETAINING WHAT DISTRICT ONE IS A BLACK OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UP TO SPEAK IS MR. LINDOR, LET ME FIRST SAY GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
I AM NELSON LINDER PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN.
AND TODAY I'M HEARING THAT, THAT CAPACITY A FEW THINGS ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID EARLY IN THE INTRODUCTIONS.
I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE NONES OF HISTORY.
THAT MEANS A WHOLE LOT THAT YOU'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO READ YOUR, YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND ALSO HOPEFULLY YOUR CHALLENGES.
I WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS THAT ARE STRICTLY PRETTY MUCH, UH, LEGAL.
THE FIRST THING IS FOR MUCH OF OUR HISTORY,
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MEANING BLACK FOLKS IN THIS CITY, WE'VE HAD NO LEGAL REPRESENTATION.UH, AFTER THAT PROCESS, 35 YEARS OF WHAT I'LL CALL QUASI, WHICH IS NOT LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE WERE ABOUT 12 YEARS, ABOUT NINE YEARS OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
AND I SAID THAT TO SAY THIS THE LONG CAN SAY ONE THING AND PEOPLE CAN DO ANOTHER THING.
SO IN HIS PROCESS OF QUOTING THE VOTER LIFE SIDE, YOUR CONSCIOUS MUST BE YOUR GUIDE OR YOUR CONSCIOUS HAD TO STEER CLEAR OF ANYTHING THAT'S POLITICAL INVOLVING RACISM OR DISCRIMINATION ON GERRYMANDERING.
THAT'S THE GREATEST ENEMY IN THIS PROCESS.
SO IF YOUR CONSCIOUS IS RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU INDEED EMBRACE THE VOTER LAKESIDE.
LET ME BE VERY, VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT NIGHT, BECAUSE TODAY WE STILL HAVE SECTION TWO, FOUR F SESSION FOUR F DASH TWO, AND AS THAT'S NOT EXPIRED, BY THE WAY, THAT'S FOREVER IS ADDRESSING SPECIFICALLY ANY FORM OF DISCRIMINATION.
THAT'S IMPORTANT IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS, ALL KINDS OF PRESSURE SOAP.
YOU REMEMBER ONE THING THAT IN THIS COUNTRY, ALL OF US IN TALENTED REPRESENTATION, THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO ELECT OUR OWN REPRESENTATIVES.
THERE'S A CAUTION, THERE'S A DISTRUST.
AND THERE'S A MAN THAT, THAT PROCESS, BUT HERE TOO, THAT YOU ENSURE THIS NEXT AMOUNT, JUST LIKE YOUR COLLEAGUE IN 2012, THAT YOU DRAW DISTRICTS TO THE FAIR LEGAL LR FOLKS ARE MINORITIES TO HAVE A VOICE AND ELECT THEIR OWN OFFICIALS.
NEXT PERSON UP TO SPEAK WILL BE MR. SETH, GIVEN MY COMMENT ON THE MAP, BUT I'LL JUST REPEAT IT HERE.
IF YOU PUT A PRECINCT 1 39 AND ONE 40 IN DISTRICT ONE LIKE MS. HOUSTON'S SUGGESTED KNOW BECAUSE OF ALL THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE NOW BEING BUILT ALONG THIS HOUSE, YOU LIVE TO TAKE SOME BOUTS OF JUST TAKE ONE OUT OF THAT AND HAD A COMMAND THAT NORTH OF THE BREAKER AREA COULD BE INCLUDED IN JUST ACTS SEVEN.
THE ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS WHY I JUST STUCK WITH THE NUMBER FIRST OR NUMBER 30TH, WHATEVER IT IS, DEADLINE, I KNOW IT'S IN THE CITY CHARTER, BUT WITH THE DATA COMING SO LATE ON THE CENSUS BUREAU, CAN YOU POSTPONE IT? THAT'S ALL.
NEXT PERSON UP TO SPEAK IS JOHN LADLE, COCK.
SORRY ABOUT THAT, MR. KATE LAYCOCK.
I WANT TO, UM, I WANT TO FIRST ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MR. LANDER, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSTON, UH, ABOUT HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION DOING THIS VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
AND ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THIS AREA OF EAST AUSTIN, UH, IS THE FORMER HEART OF THE AFRICAN OR THE HEART OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND CRITICAL TO, UH, IT IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAIN, UH, IN A, UH, IN THE DISTRICT FUND BOUNDARIES.
SO, BUT THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I WANTED TO RAISE IS THAT WE KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE THIS TECHNICAL PROBLEM, WHICH IS THAT THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER ESTIMATES OUR POPULATION AT A MILLION PEOPLE.
UH, THE MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY SAYS IT'S 980,000 PEOPLE.
AND THE CENSUS SAYS IT'S 960,000 PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THE CENSUS WAS MARRED WITH ERRORS, THE STATE UNDERFUNDED RESOURCES INTO IT.
AND THAT, UH, THAT THERE WAS A PANDEMIC GOING ON, THAT THERE WAS A SYSTEM SYSTEMIC UNDERCOUNT.
UM, AND THEN, SO WE KNOW THE 960,000 IS NOT RIGHT.
UH, AND IT'S PROBABLY MUCH CLOSER TO 980 OR A MILLION PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S FOUR TENTHS OF A CON OF A COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT.
UH, SO THAT'S LIKE HALF A VOTE IF YOU HAVE EVEN WELL IT'S ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF PR UH, REPRESENTATION THAT IS MISSING FROM YOUR ACCOUNT.
SO, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE KNOW IS THAT EAST AUSTIN IS GROWING DRAMATICALLY.
PARTS OF WEST AUSTIN ARE LOSING POPULATION AND TERRY HISTORIC, UNLESS THE AUSTIN
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NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE TARRYTOWN AND CLARKSVILLE AND, UH, BREAKER WOODS ARE LOSING POPULATION.UH, THESE ARE ALSO AT THE RICHEST WEALTHIEST DISTRICTS, UH, AND WE NEED TO ENSURE YOUR WORK NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT CENSUS ERRORS DO NOT FURTHER EMPOWER THEM AND TO FIND A WAY TO, UH, MAKE A MAP THAT EMPOWERS, UH, DIVERSE AUSTIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THE NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK WILL BE MRS. MS. DIXON.
I'M MY NAME IS MELANIE DICKSON AND I REPRESENT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION CHAIR.
AND AS THAT PERSON OR REPRESENTATIVE, I'D LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL, THINK THE COMMISSION FOR AT LEAST CONSIDERING, UM, THE, UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF JUST LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE HISTORICALLY, UM, OUR VOICES HAVE NOT BEEN LISTENED TO.
WE APPRECIATE THAT FROM THIS, FROM THIS VERY WELL PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH IS BY SAYING THAT, UM, WE, AS A COMMUNITY ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF WHAT IS IN TERMS OF OVERDEVELOPMENT AND, AND, UM, UH, GENTRIFICATION AND, UM, OUR HISTORY THAT WHICH IS BEING, UH, JUST TOTALLY ERADICATED RIGHT NOW IN PINK, TOTALLY DISMISSED.
WE ASKED THAT PLEASE, IN YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS REDISTRICTING AND MIMICKING SOME OF WHAT MS. HOUSTON, AS WELL AS MR. LINDOR SAID IS TO PLEASE CONSIDER OUR HISTORY.
WE, AS A PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON THIS SIDE OF THE EAST SIDE OF 35 FOR MORE THAN 50 PLUS YEARS.
AND SO BECAUSE OF NOT WANTING TO BE, BUT BECAUSE OF BEING FORCED TO, SO WE'VE HAD TO ADJUST AND ADAPT TO MANY, AN INHUMAN, WHAT I FEEL INHUMAN SITUATIONS JUST IN ORDER TO LIVE AND BE ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I ASKED THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER OUR VOICES.
WE ARE, WE ARE SPEAKING VERY LOUD AND VERY CLEAR AND NOT HAVE HISTORY TO REPEAT ITSELF BY NOT LISTENING TO US.
THANK YOU, MS. DIXON, THE FINAL PERSON REGISTERED TO SPEAK IS MR. SMITH.
UM, I DIDN'T COME HERE TO SPEAK.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO YOU.
I WAS BORN IN EAST SAN ANTONIO.
I GREW UP IN EAST OKLAHOMA CITY.
SO WHEN I MOVED TO AUSTIN IN 1981, I WAS QUITE COMFORTABLE MOVING INTO A SEGREGATED NEIGHBORHOOD, HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT IT.
I MISS IT NOW, WHATEVER YOU DO, IT'S UP TO YOU.
WHATEVER THE CITY DOES, IT'S UP TO THEM, WHATEVER THE DREAM IS, WANT TO DREAM.
I DREAM, BUT I HAVE DIFFERENT DREAMS. EVEN PEOPLE WHO SLEEP IN THE SAME BED HAVE DIFFERENT DREAMS. I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A MINORITY.
I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF DEPRIVED.
I DON'T EVEN CONSIDER MYSELF DISCRIMINATED AGAINST NOT TO SAY THAT THOSE THINGS DON'T EXIST.
I JUST DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A VICTIM OF THAT.
NOW, ONE THING I WILL CLAIM VICTIM HOOD ON IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN AND HAVE LIVED IN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS IS NOT EVEN ON THIS MAP.
SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, IT WASN'T NEW TENSION.
I'M SURE IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL, INTENTIONAL OR NOT.
THE SAME PLACE I'VE BEEN FOR 20 YEARS.
THANK YOU, MR. SMITH, THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKING PORTION OF THE FORUM.
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TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS THIS AFTERNOON.AGAIN, VERY MUCH APOLOGIZE FOR THAT PORTION OF THE MAP NOT BEING INCLUDED.
SO WE HAVE UPCOMING PUBLIC FORUMS THAT ARE LISTED HERE ON THE SCREEN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AGAIN, BEFORE WE DRAW OUR PRELIMINARY MAPS, THESE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE HAVE, UM, UH, D UH, DISTRICT FOCUSED FORUM FOR DISTRICT FIVE.
AND THAT IS AUGUST 17TH, VIRTUALLY STARTING AT 6:00 PM.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO VIRTUAL CITYWIDE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO THESE ARE NOT DISTRICT FOCUSED.
ONE ON AUGUST 21ST FOR A STARTING AT 10:00 AM.
AND THEN ANOTHER AUGUST 27TH, STARTING AT 11:00 AM ALL ON ZOOM.
YOU JUST HAVE TO REGISTER, AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE LINK SENT TO YOUR EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBERS AS WELL.
IF YOU PREFER TO CALL IN, ALL RIGHT, THIS IS CONCLUDES OUR FORUM FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REACH ALL 14 COMMISSIONERS, THIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS HOW YOU CAN GET TO US ICRC DOT COMMISSIONERS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEKEND.