2022.01.11 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Ms. Miller commented she would address this with sensitivity and respect, ensuring that those speaking are being respected. She understood that everyone had biases and she would want everyone to have the opportunity to express their opinion. She did not appreciate a bullying mentality. She stated she would speak up for those whose voices were being oppressed. She indicated she could gather opposing opinions and still work through it. She discussed how much courage it took for people to come forward to express their concerns and she believed people needed to be able to come forward and speak. Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas thanked Ms. Miller for coming in and applying for this position. She noted City Clerk Spangrud would be in touch with further information on how the Council was moving forward. She explained the next person to be interviewed was Kristin Lau. Councilmember Axberg asked Ms. Lau to explain how both your personal and professional experiences will help her be an effective member of the Equity Commission, if appointed. Ms. Lau stated she grew up on the east side of St. Paul and moved to New Brighton 18 years ago. She explained she married her high school sweetheart who is Chinese Cambodian and together they have five children. She indicated her children are bi-racial and her mother is Mexican. She stated diversity was her personal experience and everything cultural. She explained she worked as a public health nurse for Ramsey County advocating and working with first time moms, primarily women of color. Councilmember Abdulle asked what are some specific goals Ms. Lau hopes to accomplish by serving on New Brighton’s Equity Commission. Ms. Lau responded she was thinking about how to uplift black indigenous people of color. She commented there was not always a safe space for people to share their stories and troubles. She understood as a white woman of privilege she may not be the right person for this committee, but noted she has an opportunity to share her empathy and experience with the community. She believed it would be important for the community to further understand implicit bias. Councilmember Allen asked what opportunities and challenges are important for New Brighton to consider in addressing inclusion in New Brighton. Ms. Lau stated there were tremendous opportunities to address. She discussed how New Brighton has changed over the past 18 years. She believed there was a great opportunity to engage the young families that were moving to the community which was changing the school system. She wanted to see the City creating events that would draw families to in order for the community to truly get to know each other. She understood the world was going through a pandemic, but she knew people did better together and she wanted to see people starting to come back together. She hoped that the Equity Commission would provide a safe space for community engagement. She anticipated a challenge would be people who do not want to engage or are afraid to go outside of their own comfort system. She hoped that people would be able to come together, even if this was in small group discussions, in order to learn then have a lot more in common with others than they do not. Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas explained topics addressed by the Equity Commission will be sensitive, emotional, and important. If she had concerns about a specific policy or issue being discussed, how would she address this. Ms. Lau commented she has read a lot in the past few years about how to use her voice because there were times, she found herself in hot water with family members. She stated she recently read My Grandmothers Hands and was part of a group that talks about the chapters every week. She discussed how important it was to