May 09, 2025 Mayor&#39;s Committee for People with Disabilities

WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY, CHRISTY? YES, WE DO.

UH, DO

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

CHAIR, UH, MELINDA CROCK WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

WELCOME MELINDA.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

HAVING ME.

THIS IS MELINDA RACOM WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

I DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS.

UM, THE FIRST BEING, I WANTED TO THANK YOU CHAIR FOR ATTENDING OUR AUSTIN MEETING IN APRIL.

IT WAS WELL RECEIVED.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO COME AND LET US KNOW ABOUT NO ONE FELL ASLEEP.

SO THAT WAS GOOD.

, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

UM, I ALSO BROUGHT WITH ME A FEW MORE PROCLAMATIONS JUST TO, UM, SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME RECOGNITIONS THAT ARE GOING ON THIS MONTH.

UH, MAY 15TH.

WE HAVE GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY AWARENESS DAY, AND THIS MONTH IS ALSO OLDER TEXANS MONTH AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.

I'M GONNA LEAVE THESE WITH YOU ALL.

UM, THAT'LL BE GREAT.

'CAUSE YOU CAN CREATE PROCLAMATIONS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL, AND THAT'S JUST AN EASY WAY TO, UM, SPREAD AWARENESS FOR FREE .

AND THEN THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY IS WE'D LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE DISABILITY FESTIVAL YOU WILL BE PLANNING IN OCTOBER AND, UM, THAT THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.

I THINK THE NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR APRIL 11TH.

WE'LL PROBABLY TAKE YOU UP ON THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ALRIGHT.

[1. Approve the minutes of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities regular called meeting on April 11, 2025. ]

CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? THIS IS KRISTEN.

I MOVE APPROVAL.

I'LL SECOND.

CHRISTY, DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE? YES, PLEASE.

UH, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 11TH.

EVERYONE WHO, AYE.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANYONE VOTING NO OR ABSTAINING ON THE MEETING MINUTES? GREAT.

SOUNDS UNANIMOUS.

COMMISSIONER CHANG, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE MOST RECENT JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE? I'M SORRY.

YEAH, I THINK TODAY'S MEETING WILL PROBABLY BE PRETTY SHORT.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION ITEMS, BUT, UH,

[2. Update from the Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) representative regarding the meeting on April 23, 2025. ]

I DID NOT GET MY, MY, UM, OATH IN TIME, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

SO I, I I WASN'T ABLE TO GO.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES ON MAY 7TH,

[00:05:01]

WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING AND IT WAS TO GO OVER HOUSE BILLS IN, UM, THE TEXAS LEDGE AND, UM, HOW THEY MIGHT IMPACT, UM, MOSTLY, UH, A LOT OF THINGS REGARDING DEI.

UM, SO WE DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO GO OVER EVERYTHING, BUT, UM, I CAN ACTUALLY SEND YOU ALL THE BILLS, UM, IN FOLLOW UP TO THIS MEETING.

UM, YES, I, I THINK THERE WERE A FEW MORE ITEMS THAT WE NEEDED TO GO OVER, BUT, UM, YES, I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

WAS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT PERTAINED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THAT YOU, THAT THE COMMITTEE TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE BILLS? I MEAN, SORRY, I, I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY IMPACTING OUR HOME COMMISSION, BUT, UM, I'LL, UM, REVIEW EVERYTHING AND THEN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT I, I, I, I, UH, REPORT BACK.

WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, DISCUSSION OF THE EQUITY INCLUSION OFFICES UNDOING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM TRAINING.

UM, THEN I THINK

[3. Discussion of the Equity and Inclusion Office’s Undoing Institutional Racism Training. ]

UM, SO IF YOU RECALL, WE LEARNED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IN FEBRUARY, UH, THAT'S SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN EQUITY OFFICE.

UM, AND THEY INVITED US TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

WE WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER CHANG FOR BRINGING THAT TO US ALONG WITH, UH, ANGELICA BENTON MOLINA FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE.

UH, AND IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE THAT THAT TRAINING FOCUS IS ON HOW TO ORGANIZE AND COLLABORATE TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE TOWARDS UNDOING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM, UM, THE WORKSHOPS THEMSELVES COVER A VARIETY OF TOPICS THAT THE EQUITY OFFICE IS ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF PAUSING THESE TRAININGS.

UM, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE ONE MORE WORKSHOP THAT'S GONNA BE HELD ON BETWEEN JUNE 3RD AND JUNE 5TH.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, UH, IT WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THEM, UH, TO SIGN UP AT UNDOING RACISM A TX ATX@GMAIL.COM.

WHEN IS JUNE 3RD? AND WHEN IS JUNE 5TH? YEAH, I THINK, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S SEPARATE WORKSHOPS OR IF IT'S THE WHOLE TIME.

I THINK IF YOU, IF YOU EMAIL THEM, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT TOPICS TOO, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO ATTEND SOME AND NOT ALL OF THEM.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT DAY THAT WEEK THAT IS? WHAT, THAT WEEK THAT IS JUNE 3RD THROUGH FIFTH.

I DON'T HAVE MY CALENDAR, BUT CHRISTY, DO YOU KNOW JUNE 3RD? I'M SORRY.

I WAS, UH, COORDINATING SOMETHING ELSE.

COULD YOU ASK THE QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE A, DO YOU HAVE A CALENDAR THAT YOU COULD PULL UP WHERE? TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AND THEY, IT IS A TWO A FULL TWO DAYS.

[4. Update regarding the most recent meeting of the Austin Transit Partnership Community Advisory Committee. ]

I THINK THE NEXT ONE IS, I'M NOT SURE WHOSE ITEM THIS WAS.

UPDATE REGARDING THE MOST RECENT MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THIS WAS VICE CHAIR MYERS, SO IT CAN BE WITHDRAWN UNTIL A LATER MEETING.

SO THEN THE NEXT ONE IS ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TALKING ABOUT ON AN ONGOING BASIS IS THE FORMATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO PLAN FOR DISABILITY AWARENESS EVENT IN OCTOBER, 2025.

YEAH, I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT THEN IN THAT CASE.

UM,

[5. Approve the formation of a Working Group to plan for a disability awareness event in October 2025. ]

AND SO, COMMISSIONER ARIANOS BEEN LEADING THE EFFORT TO HOST THIS DISABILITY AWARENESS EVENT, AND TODAY WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, AND VOTE ON FORMING A WORKING GROUP.

SO WE PASSED A BUDGET ITEM FOR THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'LL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY SPONSORS AND, AND FREE RESOURCES WITH THE CITY TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE HAS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO HELP US OUT WITH THAT AS WELL.

UM, SO, UH, I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WITH ANY EXPERIENCE OR INTEREST IN, IN, UH, PLANNING EVENTS TO JOIN THE WORKING, UH, GROUP.

UH, AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BRING SOME HOPE AND CARE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AT, YOU KNOW, AT A TIME WHEN MANY TRADITIONAL SAFETY NETS ARE THREATENED.

UM, COMMISSIONER ARIANO, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE WE VOTE AND, UH, IDENTIFY MEMBERS? THANKS, CHRISTIE.

ONE MOMENT.

WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

I, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.

OUR VENDOR, UH, FOR IN-PERSON INTERPRETATION DIDN'T SHOW UP.

THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MISCOMMUNICATION ISSUES, SO, OH NO.

HE'S WANTING TO SHARE SOME SLIDES, SO BEAR WITH ME ONE MOMENT.

BEAR WITH US JUST ONE MOMENT.

OUR INTERPRETERS ONLINE CAN SPEAK AND

[00:10:01]

HE JUST SHARED THEM WITH ME AND I WILL SHARE THEM WITH OUR AUDIO VISUAL PERSON AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO START, AND THEN WE WILL GET THOSE PROJECTED SHORTLY.

ALL RIGHT, COOL.

THANK YOU EVERYONE.

UM, SO I DO HAVE SOME SLIDES TODAY THAT I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SHARE.

LET ME PULL THOSE UP.

UM, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE CAN SEE IT HERE.

SO WE'RE GONNA DO A DISABILITY FESTIVAL, UM, IN A COUPLE MONTHS.

UM, SO, UH, WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND SET UP A WORK GROUP FOR THAT.

UM, AND WE WANT TO KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE'RE GONNA BE DOING WITH, UH, FOR TODAY.

SO, UM, FOR THIS WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GET EVERYTHING SET UP.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE SET UP, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS VISUAL.

OH, UH, THIS IS THE INTERPRETER.

I LOST, UM, HIS VIDEO.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW.

I'LL LET HIM KNOW.

BEAR WITH US ONE MOMENT.

OH, HERE IT'S, I FOUND, OKAY, HANG ON JUST ONE SECOND.

OKAY, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START OVER FROM THIS, UH, SLIDE ONE MOMENT.

SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY.

ASHLYN, CAN YOU SEE HIM NOW TO INTERPRET? YES, WE'RE ALL MM-HMM .

OKAY, SO FOR THIS, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND SHOW, UM, THE LIST OF THE GROUPS THAT WE NEED.

SO THIS IS GONNA BE THE DIFFERENT WORK GROUPS AND THEN WHAT WE NEED SPECIFICALLY AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING FROM THOSE GROUPS.

UM, SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE WANT SOMEONE FOR, UH, THE DISABILITY FESTIVAL THAT IS, UH, GOING TO BE BRENT AT THE, UH, BRENT GROUP PLAZA.

UM, AND THEN IT'S GONNA BE BETWEEN THE LAKE AND THE LONG CENTER.

SO WE WILL HAVE DIFFERENT EVENTS AND SO ON TABLES AND ALL OF THAT SO EVERYBODY CAN COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, VIEW EVERYTHING AND GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW, UM, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN COME IN AND ENJOY THIS EVENT.

UM, IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE AT NIGHT OR MIGHT BE ALL DAY, UM, ON OCTOBER, 2025.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THIS FESTIVAL.

IT'S GONNA BE OUTSIDE, SO THERE'S GONNA BE MUSIC, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE PRIZES.

PEOPLE, UM, ARE GONNA COME IN, YOU KNOW, AND WE MIGHT HAVE TWO OR THREE LIKE ACTORS OR, UM, ENTERTAINMENTS SORT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA SET UP ON THE STAGE.

UM, AND THEN THERE'LL BE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR EACH AWARDEE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, TWO AND THREE PERFORMANCES THAT WE'LL HAVE SET UP.

SO THIS IS THE AREA WHERE IT'S GONNA BE SET UP.

UM, AND IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY COOL PLACE.

IT'S VERY OPEN.

SO FOR THE WORKING GROUPS, UM, FIRST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WARREN WAWA, SNIPES, UM, THAT HE'S GONNA COME.

UM, HE IS, HE'S A REALLY COOL PERSON.

UM, WE'VE BEEN PLANNING THIS FOR LIKE THREE YEARS.

UM, HE HAS HIS OWN FESTIVAL, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, AND IT'S REALLY AWESOME.

SO IT'S REALLY COOL TO MEET HIM AS WELL AND JUST KIND OF BE ABLE TO WORK WITH HIM AND SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, EACH OTHER WITH THIS.

NEXT IS GONNA BE DOUGLAS RIDLOFF.

UM, HE'S REALLY COOL, FAMOUS, UM, HE WORKED WITH HIS OWN, UM, LSM SORT OF SITUATION.

SO HE IS A GLOBAL INTERPRETER.

HE'S GLOBALLY KNOWN.

UM, AND, UH, WE RECOGNIZED HIM FOR SOME WORK THAT HE DID A FEW YEARS AGO.

UM, WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED FOR HIM TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS.

NEXT IS GONNA BE RICARDO LEON.

HE IS, UH, ON THE BOARD, UH, THE RIC.

SO IT'S JUST REALLY COOL.

HE'S A GREAT GUY, DECIDED TO MEET HIM AND, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH HIM.

NEXT IS HEATHER PAVING.

UM, SHE'S A LEADER FOR THE DEAFBLIND COMMUNITY.

UM, SHE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

SHE HAS HER OWN CAMP, UM, THAT SHE RUNS IN THE SUMMER, THAT'S BEEN RUNNING FOR MANY YEARS.

UM, NEXT WE HAVE AMY BAXTER.

SHE OPERATES,

[00:15:02]

UM, YES FOR DEAF-BLIND.

AND THEN NEXT IS MICHELLE LAPIS.

UM, SHE OWNS, UM, A REALLY FAMOUS AND SUCCESSFUL, UM, UH, OUTREACH COMMUNITY SORT OF BUSINESS.

UM, AND SHE'S GONNA BE SUPER HELPFUL, UM, TO GET PEOPLE TO COME IN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH US.

SO IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE THEM IN THE WORKING GROUP.

UM, SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE PEOPLE WITH THE TEXAS, UM, COMMITTEE FOR DISABILITIES, AND THEY ARE GONNA BE PLAYING SUPPORTING ROLES.

WE HAVE RON LUCY, HE'S THE, UM, MANAGER OF EVERYTHING.

MATTHEW DICKENS.

UM, HE'S DEAF, HE'S HERE, RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE MELINDA RACOM.

SHE'S KIND OF NEW.

SHE JUST RECENTLY JOINED LIKE LAST MONTH OR SO, BUT IT SHOULD BE GREAT.

I JUST WANNA SEE, UH, IF WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND VOTE.

UM, OR, YEAH, I THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

SO, UM, CHRISTIE, PROCEDURALLY DO WE JUST VOTE ON THE, TO FORM THE WORKING GROUP AND THEN WE CAN IDENTIFY MEMBERS? YES.

I WOULD RECOMMEND TO FORM THE WORKING GROUP AND THEN VOTE TO ADD THE MEMBERS.

ALRIGHT, LET'S, UH, TAKE A VOTE ON FORMING THE, UM, THE GROUP TO PLAN THE DISABILITY AWARENESS FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER, 2025.

I MOVE, I'LL SECOND.

WAS THAT COMMISSIONER CHANG WHO MOVED? YES.

AND COMMISSIONER VAS SECONDED.

YES, MA'AM.

OKAY, SO ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

ANYONE AGAINST? GREAT.

UM, SO CAN WE, CAN WE, DO WE HAVE TO ADD ALL THE MEMBERS TODAY OR CAN WE KIND OF ADD PEOPLE AS THEY SHOW INTEREST AND WE, OR, AND DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON EACH MEMBER OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU COULD TAKE ONE VOTE AND ADD A, AND JUST NAME THE MEMBERS.

SO ONE MOTION, ONE SECOND, AND THEN ONE VOTE.

AND THEN NAME MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

UM, THE GROUP CAN BE, THE MEMBERSHIP CAN BE MODIFIED AT A LATER DATE AS WELL.

IT WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE AN ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER ANO HAD INVITED SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY WANT TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO SEE IF THAT WAS AN OPTION, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A WORKING GROUP MEMBERSHIP.

COMMISSIONER ARIANA, WAS THERE ANYONE THAT WASN'T ON THAT LIST THAT WE NEED TO INTRODUCE FOR THE WORKING GROUP? IS THE INTERPRETER ONLINE? YES.

WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME WAWA.

HE'S HERE.

UH, HE CAN, WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM BRIEFLY IF WE CAN.

SURE.

I, OKAY.

WAWA CAN GO AHEAD.

UH, SO WAWA, UH, MY NAME IS WARREN, I'M SORRY.

IT'S JUST THAT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.

I'M NOT USED TO WEBEX TO SAY I HAVE TO KEEP SHIFTING TO FIND THE, THE INTERPRET AND EVERYTHING, BUT MY NAME IS WARREN SNIPE.

EVAN CALLED ME WAWA.

I'M THE CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF WAWA ABILITY AND SIGN WAWA ABILITY THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN WASHINGTON DC FOR THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF 80 A.

SO IT'S A REALLY HUGE THING AND IT'S GOING ON.

AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU, MY, MY CO-FOUNDER, UH, WE HAD ANDREW WASHINGTON AND YOU ALSO HAVE TIS WILSON AND THEY'RE ALSO FROM FOOD DOG PRODUCTION, WHICH IS AWESOME.

GREAT TEAM.

SO WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT RELATING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY, SO SPOTLIGHTING THEM.

SO WHEN GABE, UH, ASKED ME TO SEE IF I'LL BE INTERESTED FOR MY COMPANY TO HELP OUT WITH YOU GUYS AND JUST TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE ABOUT THIS.

SO FOR, UM, A DISABILITY FESTIVAL IS REALLY CRITICAL AND IT'S THE TIME IS NOW BECAUSE FOR MANY OF YOU WHO ARE NON-DISABLED, YOU WILL BECOME US IN THE FUTURE.

SO WITH THE RESOURCE YOU HAVE TO LEARN, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, TO CELEBRATE, UH, THINGS THIS TIME THAT'S HAPPENING THIS TIME AROUND.

MICHELLE.

UH, SO, UM, IF THAT'S GABE, THAT'S ALL KEITH SAYS.

THE NEXT ONE, THANK YOU WAWA, FOR SHARING WITH US.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

WE'RE REALLY PLEASED THAT YOU'RE JOINING US.

SO THE NEXT ONE IS DOUGLAS

[00:20:01]

RIPOFF.

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND INTRODUCING YOURSELF, PLEASE.

DOUGLAS, THIS IS HIS SIGN NAME.

HERE HE IS.

HELLO.

SO SORRY.

I'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT BIG ENOUGH THAT I CAN SEE.

YES, DOUGLAS IS AGREEING.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO MOVE EVERYBODY AROUND TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

BUT YES, I'M DOUGLAS RIDLOFF.

I GREW UP IN NEW YORK AND I RECENTLY MOVED HERE TO TEXAS FROM NEW YORK.

AND THE REASON THAT I MOVED HERE IS, IS TO BE INVOLVED WITH DEX TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.

THERE'S A WONDERFUL DEAF COMMUNITY HERE, AND I WANTED TO BRING A LITTLE BIT OF NEW YORK TO AUSTIN AS WELL.

SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN BRINGING THE TWO DEAF COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

SO FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPING A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATION OR BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES.

SO FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS I'VE BEEN SIGNING AND PERFORMANCES, AND THIS IS ONGOING.

UH, LAST WEEKEND I CELEBRATE, I WENT TO AN ANNUAL, I CELEBRATED MY ANNIVERSARY, PARDON FOR WISE IN AUSTIN HERE AT, YOU KNOW, THE KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD.

SO WE WANNA KEEP AUSTIN'S DISABILITY COMMUNITY AS WELL.

WEIRD AS WELL TOO, AND KIND OF SPREAD THAT MESSAGE.

SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING INVOLVED IN THIS.

I'M SO HONORED, UH, AND I JUST LOVE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND I WANT TO HELP ENCOURAGE THAT.

AND GABE SAYS, THANK YOU TO DOUGLAS.

THE NEXT PERSON, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.

I APOLOGIZE.

THE INTERPRETER MISSED THE NAME.

OH.

AND DOUGLAS SAID, I'M SORRY IF I SIGNED TOO FAST.

GABE SAID.

RICHARD GLEN, IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.

UH, I IS THAT, UH, RICARDO? SO SORRY.

YES, RICARDO.

LEON, I APOLOGIZE.

NO, YOU, YOU'RE TOTALLY ALL.

UH, HI EVERYONE.

UH, MY NAME IS RICARDO LEON.

UM, I'M AN ARCHITECT, UH, BASED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

UM, CURRENTLY IN MY, UH, CHILDHOOD BEDROOM IN DALLAS, UH, FROM MOTHER'S DAY.

UM, HENCE ALL THE FLAGS IN THE BACKGROUND.

UM, I AM ON THE BOARD FOR JUNE COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS A MUTUAL AID AND PUBLIC TRANSIT FOCUSED 5 0 1, UH, C3 NONPROFIT THAT HOSTS COMMUNITY ENGAGED AND ENVIRONMENT JUSTICE FRIENDLY EVENTS NATIONWIDE.

UM, THAT'S HOW I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF, UH, UH, MEETING, UM, GABRIEL.

AND I AM ALSO FOUNDER OF DISABLED GOODS.

I, I MYSELF, AM A WHEELCHAIR USER.

UM, AND DISABLED GOODS IS A, UH, WORKSHOP, UH, THAT, UM, EXPLORES KINDA THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN AND DISABILITY JUSTICE, AND PARTICULARLY HOW DISABILITY JUSTICE CAN ACT AS A FRAMEWORK TO CREATE SPACES THAT ARE, ARE, UH, INTENTIONAL AND, UH, INCLUSIVE AND BEAUTIFUL.

UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR BEING A PART OF THIS, UH, GROUP.

AND LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU ALL.

THANK FORWARD A FOR, FOR JOINING IN OUR GROUP.

AND NEXT WE HAVE HEATHER.

K IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AGAIN.

OH, I APOLOGIZE.

I'M TRYING TO FIND HER SCREEN.

TRYING TO FIND THE SCREEN HERE.

HELLO, MY NAME'S VY.

MY FIRST NAME IS HEATHER, BUT I TEND TO GO BY MY LAST NAME, PAVY, AND THIS IS MY SIGN NAME.

HELLO ALL OF YOU.

I'M FROM AUSTIN.

I'VE LIVED HERE IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT 18

[00:25:01]

YEARS.

YAY.

AND I WORK WITH THE DEAFBLIND COMMUNITY HERE IN TEXAS.

I MYSELF AM DEAFBLIND.

I HAVE AN INTERPRETER HERE WITH ME.

IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU ALL.

I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS DISABILITY FESTIVAL AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, JUST HAND THEM TO ME.

I'M READY.

WHEN IS THE, UM, IN OCTOBER, WHEN IS THE DISABILITY FESTIVAL GOING? GOING TO BE IN OCTOBER.

WE HAVEN'T YET DECIDED WHAT THE DATE WILL BE.

OH.

UH, OUR WORKING GROUP IS DISCUSSING THAT AT THE MOMENT.

THEY'RE TRYING TO COLLABORATE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT.

DO YOU KNOW IF IT'LL BE ON THE WEEKEND OR NOT? WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN RIGHT NOW.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR EVERYONE.

PROBABLY IN THE AFTERNOON, EVENING, COULD BE WEEKEND, WEEKDAY.

WE'RE REALLY NOT SURE YET THE WORKING ROOM HAS YET TO DECIDE.

AND NEXT.

AMY BAXTER, IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF IF YOU'RE HERE.

THE NEXT ONE IS MIKAYLA.

I DON'T, LET'S SEE.

I'M NOT SURE IF I HAVE EVERYONE'S NAME LISTED.

I DON'T SEE EVERYONE'S NAMES HERE.

IS THAT IT? I THINK , YOU CAN ADD MEMBERS TO THE WORKING GROUP AT A LATER TIME AS WELL.

IF YOU WANTED TO ADD AN ITEM TO THE DISCUSSION, UM, IN ACTION FOR THE NEXT MONTH, JUST LOOP ME IN SO THAT I KNOW.

YEAH, YEAH, SURE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE PUTTING THIS ON AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

UM, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT EVENT.

UH, SO I GUESS TO, BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE ON, UM, THE ACTUAL MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JOIN THE WORKING GROUP? I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN, UM, I'M ACTUALLY A NONPROFIT FUNDRAISER, SO I WOULD LOVE TO HELP WITH CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO, UH, EVENTS, MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTICS.

I'VE DONE THAT FOR YEARS.

OH, THAT'S AMAZING.

ANYONE ELSE I'D LIKE TO OFFER TO HELP? I DON'T KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC SKILLS I HAVE IN THIS AREA, BUT WHAT I'M, I'M HERE FOR WHATEVER, I'LL BE, I'LL, I'LL HELP TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL ADD, UH, COMMISSIONER MURPHY AND COMMISSIONER CHANG TO THE LIST.

UM, OKAY.

SO CAN, UH, I'LL, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THE MEMBERS.

AND SO, UM, COMMISSIONER ARIANO, CAN YOU READ OFF THE LIST OF NAMES? OH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I CAN PULL UP THE SLIDE WITH THE NAMES ON IT.

PERFECT.

SO THE NAMES IN YELLOW ARE THE PEOPLE WE'D LIKE TO INCLUDE IN, IN THE WORKING GROUP.

SO WE'LL HAVE COMMISSIONER, IT'S THE, SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE ON THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP.

IT'S GONNA BE COMMISSIONER ARIANO, COMMISSIONER MURPHY, UH, COMMISSIONER CHANG.

UH, WELL WE LOST THE SLIDE.

CAN WE PULL THAT BACK UP? OH, SO SORRY.

YES, I'LL DO THAT.

SO SORRY.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, WARREN SNIPES, DOUGLAS RIDLOFF, RICARDO LEON, HEATHER PAVY, AMY BAXTER, AND MICHELLE LAPIS.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

I APOLOGIZE.

CHAIR, WAS THERE A MOTION? OH YEAH, SORRY.

I'LL MOTION, CAN WE GET A SECOND? I SECOND.

I'LL SECOND.

THIS IS KRISTEN.

I, I THINK COMMISSIONER MURPHY ALSO SECONDED.

UH, AND I HEARD THAT ONE FIRST.

SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MURPHY.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER VASA.

AND THEN NO PROBLEM.

NOW WE CAN TAKE THE VOTE.

ALRIGHT, IF ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I RAISE YOUR HAND.

OR IF I NEED TO ASK COMMISSIONER ANO TO OKAY.

AYE, AYE.

AND IF WE COULD GET EVERYBODY ON THE SCREEN ONCE MORE, I DON'T KNOW, UM, WILL, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PULL DOWN THAT PRESENTATION

[00:30:01]

THE LATTER.

ALRIGHT.

LET ME ASK HIM TO TAKE IT DOWN.

UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ANO AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND I SHOULD NOTE A COMMISSIONER, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS JUST JOINED US.

UM, AND I THINK THIS MIGHT BE HER FIRST MEETING IN PERSON.

WELCOME.

DO CHAIR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE THE NEW COMMISSIONER.

YEAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

HI.

UM, IT WOULD'VE BEEN FASTER IF I WALKED HERE, SO I APOLOGIZE.

UM, I'M ELIZABETH SLATE.

I WORK WITH UT NOW IN THE TEXAS CENTER FOR DISABILITY STUDIES AND I WORK WITH A GROUP CALLED E FOUR TEXAS.

AND SO, UM, I'M REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX.

THANKS SO MUCH.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I'M EXCITED.

I GOT CAUGHT IN THAT TRAFFIC TOO.

I HAD TO LEAVE LIKE 30 MINUTES EARLY.

WELL WE, UH, DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SEEING THE PROGRESS ON THE FESTIVAL.

AND YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER ARIANO, ANYTIME YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE OR WANNA PROVIDE ANY UPDATES, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE'LL ADD IT TO THE AGENDA.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA WITHDRAW.

AND THEN

[6. Select a Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities member liaison to participate in the interview panel and relay Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities authorized feedback on the interview process for the Civil Rights Officer.]

WE CAN GO ON TO SIX.

WE TOOK, WE'RE WE'RE JUST, WE, UH, WE ASKED FOR A VOLUNTEER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, UM, THE INTERVIEW FOR THE CIVIL AUSTIN CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICER.

SO, UH, WE DON'T NEED TO SELECT A MEMBER LIAISON.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE WORKING GROUP TO IDENTIFY QUALITIES FOR CITY OF AUSTIN CANDIDATES.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A VOTE EVERY TIME.

WE WANNA, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN DIRECTLY IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

SO THEN

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

I THINK WE ARE ONTO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I HAD TO START, I HAD TWO AGENDA ITEMS. I WANTED TO, I THINK TWO.

YEAH, I HAD TWO AGENDA ITEMS I WANTED TO ADD.

UM, SO I'D LIKE TO SET AN AGENDA ITEM TO IDENTIFY ONE TO TWO ADDITIONAL AREAS WE CAN FOCUS ON IN 2025.

UM, SO WE HAVE THE EVENT COMMISSIONER ANO IS PLANNING, UM, BUT I THINK SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMAL LONG-TERM PRIORITIES WOULD, WOULD HELP KEEP US FOCUSED.

UM, IF EVERYONE CAN THINK ON THAT A BIT BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING SO WE CAN HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

UM, AND THEN, SO I'D ALSO LIKE, I THINK WE UH, WOULD LIKE TO SET AN AGENDA ITEM TO REVIEW AND APPROVE CANDIDATE QUALITIES, UH, CANDIDATE QUALITY PRIORITY LIST FOR CITY OF AUSTIN INTERVIEWS.

THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE.

UM, WE FORMED THAT WORKING GROUP.

UH, AND SO WE'LL BRING THAT INFORMATION HERE TO APPROVE AND THEN, UH, IF WE GET APPROVAL FROM THE COMMITTEE, WE CAN PASS THAT ON TO CITY OF AUSTIN HR.

AND THEN I GUESS, I THINK I HAD A THIRD AGENDA AND IT'S JUST TO SET, UM, JOINT, ANOTHER JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE UPDATE FOR NEXT MEETING.

SO ANYONE ELSE? DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? COMMISSIONER DIAZ? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE ON, UM, THE CAP METRO, UH, NO TOLERANCE POLICY THAT I WAS ASKING ABOUT IN THE LAST MEETING.

UM, I DID ASK, UM, SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM CAP METRO TO ATTEND NEXT MEETING IN THE LAST ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON WEDNESDAY.

UM, AND OF COURSE IT'S WAS TOO LATE FOR THEM TO COME TO THIS MEETING.

UM, BUT THEY DID SEEM INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE NEXT MEETING.

AND UM, SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME IS FESTIVAL ACCESS.

UM, AND SO BLUES, I HAD A REALLY TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH BLUES ON THE GREEN AND ACCESSIBILITY LAST SUMMER.

UM, AND SO THEY USUALLY DO THAT AROUND JUNE OR JULY.

SO CAN I ASK SOMEBODY FROM BLUES ON THE GREEN TO COME SPEAK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

DO YOU WANNA SET BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING? I, THE NEXT MEETING IS IN JUNE, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

IT WOULD BE, YEAH, SECOND WEEK OF JUNE.

UM, I CAN ASK.

OKAY, SO, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY A, YOU TALKED TO CAP METRO, SO WE CAN PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND SET THAT ONE FOR SURE.

YES.

AND THEN DO YOU WANNA HOLD OFF ON THE, THE BLUES ON THE GREEN ONE OR DO YOU WANNA ADD THAT NOW TOO? WELL, I, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT, WELL THEY USUALLY HAVE IT IN THE SUMMER, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATES.

BUT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WAS VERY, VERY, VERY INTERESTED 'CAUSE I HAD A REALLY DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE WITH ACCESSIBILITY LAST SUMMER.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO MAYBE WE WILL, UM, WE'LL TRY AND GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND THEN IF WE, IF CAN THEN WE'LL SET THE ITEM.

I CAN, YEAH.

THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH ME.

IT'S JUST NOW I HAVE A TITLE, SO I, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME CHANGES WITH THAT.

KATIE HAS HER HAND RAISED.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THEY'D LIKE TO ADD FOR OUR NEXT MEETING?

[00:35:04]

YES.

CAN YOU SEE ME? YES, I CAN SEE YOU.

KATIE.

HI, THIS IS PEGGY SIGNING.

ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE IS FOR SUPPORT IN THE PLANNING PROCESS TO DEVELOP A COMMISSION OF SORTS, NOT, NOT REALLY A COMMITTEE, BUT, UH, I'M SORRY.

UM, COULD YOU TILT THE CAMERA DOWN A LITTLE MORE? I'M HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING THE BOTTOM OF HER HANDS.

SO SOME CATEGORIES OF THE FESTIVAL ITSELF.

MUSIC, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF PLANNING AND COORDINATING IN RELATION TO MUSIC, THEN BENDING TABLES, MERCHANDISE ANNOUNCEMENTS, ADVERTISING, WHO'S PLANNING THAT ASPECT OF THE FESTIVAL? UH, GRAPHIC DESIGN, UM, ARE THERE PEOPLE ASSIGNED FOR THESE VARIOUS THINGS? UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, UH, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.

YES.

SO BACKING UP CRAFTS AND AUCTION.

A RAFFLE.

IF WE'LL BE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT, A SILENT AUCTION PERHAPS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE THESE THINGS AND WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE HAVE ACCESS.

WE CAN DO SO MUCH TO SHOW WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF.

I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR CONSIDERATION.

AND JUST ADDING IN HERE FOR CLARIFICATION.

ALSO STATING THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ARTS AND CRAFTS AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN DO AND ACCESS TO SHOW THAT WE CAN ACCESS THAT AND WHAT WE, WHAT OUR ABILITIES ARE.