HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/20/2009SOUTHOLD TOWN ANTI-BIAS TASK FORCE
MINUTES, APRIL 20,2009
ATTENDANCE: Marjorie Day, Edana Cichanowitcz, Jeane Marie Merkel,
Peter Bel, Betty Murphy, Cindy Smith, Eleanor Lingo, Rev. Nathaniel
Heyward, Carolyn Peabody, Merle Levine
AR~ill~'NJT' [~qn [ o Pr,* M~I~ I~am~na V~! ~.holhv
March Minutes accepted
Decision to make an extended effort to include Southoid To~n police representation
at ABTF meetings. Recommended that a special note inviting their attendance be
included in the copy of the minutes that they receive, with special notice about the
date of the next meeting. Further, the request could be sent to Supervisor Scott
Russell to initiate police representation.
Lola Quesada is the special police representative to the immigrant population,
who might be an important person to invite to speak with our ABTF.
It was also pointed out that we no longer have Town Board representative.
Edana Cichanowitcz reported that the American Library Assoc. Committee,
REFORMA, had a presentation concerning all under-served people, including the
Latino community. They could ask questions. Teenagers spoke of being attacked
verbally, and afraid to go out at night. They were able to speak in an atmosphere of
safety.
,lean Kaleda, the Librarian at Patehogue Library told of hooliganism and
notified the mayor to request a meeting. The killing happened one week later.
The question for us, is what can we do to be proactive? We believe that on-
going communication with thc police is essential. We rarely have such communica~
tion until an event aetuallv haDI}ens.
Legal Committee Report: Letters were sent to the District Schools by Supervisor
Scott Russell, inviting the Superintendents to meet with the ABTF on the ways the
schools work towards developing bias-free communities in their schools, and what
else we all might do.
We also need to contact the schools and ERASE RACISM to see if their teachers are
interested in attending the Workshop I1, which deals with how to take their
learnings to the community.
Philip Beltz has asked for an up-dated text for ABTF for the Town Directory, which
Carolyn Peabody prepared. Edana Cichanowicz will be our Spanish-Speaking
person.
Peter Bel suggested that wc look into the possibility for providing Hiring Halls,
which may also serve as welfare center and educational providers.
Marjorie Day reported that thc America (?) committee is looking into a possible
building.
Cindy Smith reported that Joe Gergila, of the L.i. Farm Bureau has said that there
are fewer worker's visas this year.
Carolyn Peabody offered that ~ve don't know what needs there are for the Latino
immigrants. That we need to reach out to Sister Margaret to sec what we can work
towards.
May 21 will be ABTF Day, with a variety of programs going on.
Next meeting of the ABTF is Monday, May 17, 10 am at the Town Hail.