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HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - Public Comments - Non-Agenda Item® Orange County Human Relations Commission 1300 S. Grand, Bldg B, Santa Ana, CA 92705 714. 567.7470 www.ochumanrelations.org ® Mission: Seek out the causes of lension and conflict, °discrindnation and intolerance. and eliminate those causes January 2014 Free Speech vs Hate Speech. Practical Guidelines for Managing Public Forums Commissioners Carol Turpen, Chair Kenneth Inouye, Vice -Chair Nadia Saad Bettendorf Becky Esparza Timothy M. Kowal Chief Dave Maggard Rev.'David Rader Rabbi, Rick Steinberg C. William Wood Doug Wooley BACKGROUND City Councils and other public agencies at times face very hostile testimony diving Public Comments at their open public meetings. These comments can slip into profane, disruptive, and even threatening; behaviors, impinging on the civil exchange of ideas and the ability_ of the public agency to do their regular business. While public input is guaranteed by the Brown Act, and freedom of speech is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, presiding officers at these public agencies have attempted to identify and protect the boundary where free speech becomes unduly disruptive, and to safeguard the rights of other residents to participate in the political and civic life free from bigotry and intimidation based on their race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or other aspect of their being. OC Human Relations Commission was created in 1971 to eliminate prejudice, intolerance and discrimination and promote mutual understanding among Orange County's diverse residents. In pursuit of this mission the Commission works with .local cities and. public agencies to develop strategies, that create safe, respectful, inclusive communities. These guidelines are ideas to consider as public agencies attempt to balance the sometimes competing interests of Freedom of Speech, Disruption of a Meeting, and Hate Speech. This draft was prepared in consultations with city managers, police chiefs, elected officials, civil. libertarians, and hate crime advocates. The Commission believes that civic leaders have a key role in establishing a community's climate of respect for all people. Further that when leaders speak out to condemn hate and bigotry when it occurs, it helps set a standard of conduct that can deter hate and bigotry frorr.taki.ng.root and growing. Definitions Free Speech: The political right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the'U.S. Constitution to express your opinion orally, in written form, through the internet, or through art forms, with a'few exceptions including: libel, slander, obscenity, copyright violation, sedition, inciting violence, fighting words, imminent threats. .Rate Speech: Legally protected speech that vilifies an individual or group based on their perceived race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender; disability etc., but does not rise to the level of a criminal threat or inciting violence, in which case it would be termed a hate crime. OC Human Relations Free Speech vs Hate Speech Practical Guidelines for Managing, Public Forums PAGE 2 Practical Guidelines 1, Adopt a Code of Conduct: post them so they are visible to all attendees, attach to the speaker request forms, and post them on the podium where a speaker may place their notes. A.Code of Conduct as it pertains to what a person says, should be thought of as "guidelines" that you promote not necessarily "enforce ", including: a. No profanity or obscenity. b. Refrain from personal threats or attacks. c. Respect all. people. d. 'Refraining from hateful epithets and demeaning language based on hate of a person's race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or disability. e. No yelling orscreaming. (This one you can enforce) f. Respect all people that are present or watching. g. Obey the direction of the Presiding Officer as to when and how long they can speak. (This one you enforce). 2. Understand the difference between offensive speech and ACTUAL disruption of a meeting. a. During public comments. individuals• have a right to say whatever they wish, as'long as it does not disrupt themeeting. So they can swear, use hate epithets, say horrible things about councitmembers and staff and others etc. So long as it does not disrupt the meeting, these are within their legally protected right to.freedom of speech. b. Th ags'that disrupt the meeting are NOT within their rights such as: i. Exceeding their allotted minutes, (usually 3 minutes), ii. Yelling and screaming in a way that upsets the public and council to.the point of not being able to continue the meeting, iii. Excessive profanity or slander, iv. Speaking without being recognized by the presiding officer, v. Specific threats that they are capable of following through, on,. vi. Inciting violence, or "fighting words ", vii. Issues that are not-in the'subject matter jurisdiction of the body, (this may be difficult to know without listening to the testimony which might seem to start off topic,, but then a connection is made. This is ajudgment call, but most horribte things are within. their rights to say. 3. Manage Hate Speech at Public Meeting: Strategies for managing a hateful. speaker while protecting the first amendment right to speak include: a. Stop the, meeting to consult with your attorney for advice. Tf you think that a member of the public is disrupting the meeting by going over these lines, stop the meeting to ask for advice from the City Attorney. This, will allow for a cooling off before reacting in the heat of the moment. b. Gavel and/or Mute Microphone: When bigoted epithets, profanity; personal attacks and other odious things are.said the presiding officer can gavel to silence and /or route a speaker's microphone: i. If the presiding officer gavels a member of the.public to.silence, or mutes their microphone, they should also, MISSION: Seek ota the causes qJ'iension, and conflict, discrimination and intolerance, and elimiliate those ccllise.v. OC Human Relations Free Speech vs Hate Speech Practical Guidelines for Managing Public Forums PAGE I. Inform them that their language, bigotry, hate, epithets, profanity, etc. are unwanted, unwelcome, and inappropriate, and that they interfere with the ability of those present to listen or take any of their points seriously... But not restrict or prohibit them from saying these words. 2. Allow other members of the council to use their free speech tight to make . statements condemning and abhorring the words of the speaker, but they should also reassure the speaker that they have the right to say them anyway, and 3. Inform the speaker that they will be given the full three minutes they are entitled to, in order to say whatever they wish. ii. The important point is that the presiding officer MAY NOT ORDER the person. to stop saying whatever he /she is saying, even when it is very offensive. iii. In many cases it may be better to wait out the 3 minutes and then make statements, rather than getting into a back and forth with the problematic speaker. iv. Schedule a Council Members Comments section right after Public Comments to allow al l members of the City Council or other public body, to share their perspectives, publically state their objections to the hate and bigotry that might have been aired in the Public Comments section, and return to a more civil, respectful meeting environment. c. Police Warning and Removal from Meeting: Uniformed law enforcement officers can help control this behavior as well as effect removal if the behavior warrants it. Elected officials need to keep in mind that they should not be publically prescriptive in telling police to remove an individual, rather ask for police intervention, seek advice of your attorney', and allow the law enforcement professional to make the judgment call about how to control the situation. They may want to take into consideration such things as the individual's likely reaction, progressive steps of warnings, audience reaction, tnirtimizing use oF.force, preventing violence, objective standards of enforcement, definition of "disruption ", etc. Police efforts to establish rapport with diverse communities, especially before they are at the public podium, can help police be positive "influencers" in controlling some potentially challenging members of the public. d. Calling for a Break in the Meeting: if the conduct is not. brought within control or additional speakers or audience members continue the disruption, consider calling a break for a few minutes before proceeding. This can cool down anger and give community relations staff (police or otherwise) to talk with the members of the public and establish some respect that can bring more civil behavior upon resumption of the meeting. e. Clearing the Room: lf the meeting is willfully.interrupted, and you have consulted your attorney for an objective legal opinion of that:judgment,.and asked police to intervene and effect warnings and ultimately remove an individual, you can also have the room cleared before proceeding. Clearing the room can be done if you find the disruptions to be preventing you from doing the people's business which is conducting the public meeting. Members of the press, unless involved in the disruption, shall be allowed to remain in the session while the remainder of the agenda items are discussed and acted upon. You may also set rules for readmitting individuals IF you wish. f. Adjourning the Meeting: lithe other tactics do not control the disruption, the meeting can be .adjourned to a future tirne when the business of the public body can be continued. MISSION: Seek out the causer of tension and conflict, diserhuination and intolerance, and elitninafe those causes. I-Tcajl wt, :jql OC Human Relations Building community by fostering respect, resolving conflict and pursuing equality 7-J V, 4NAIL' r:?. f7lt 0 ; - IN Board of Directors President's Message Jim McQueen, President Attorney, McQueen & Ashman LLP At OC Human Relations we believe that ALL people should live Susan Reese, Vice- President free from discrimination, harassment and violence. Business Owner, Susan Reese Design We know that relationships are the key to community building Lin Fujitsubo, Secretary and change. When we bring diverse groups together in schools, Development Consultant, Community Enhancement communities or courts we see barriers come down, assumptions Services laid to rest and conflicts resolved. The power of connection is the Veronica Nguyen, Treasurer foundation of the positive and proactive programs that OC Human Founder, BeSmartee.com Relations has been delivering in Orange County for over four Rusty Kennedy, CEO decades. OC Human Relations Gurprect Singh Ahuja, M.D. Every day we commit ourselves to these ideas by training youth, Surgeon, Children Hospital teachers and parents how to improve their schools, by working Orange County with local law enforcement to emphasize community policing, and Becky Esparta Community Leader by working to prevent hate crimes and responding to conflict, big Marcus Gonzalez or small. Graphic Design Manager, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts If you want to live in an Orange County where your family and Judy lannaccone friends can be free of discrimination, harassment and violence, we Director, Communication, invite you to join us and be part of the solution. Rancho Santiago Community College District Kenneth K. Inouye aA'KRL �V Partner, Inouye, Shively, Longtin & Klau, LLP Board Pres Christian Lopez Student Minzah Malik Manager, Hoag Hospital Community Health Dr. Frank Marmolejo, Ph.D. Historian OC Human Relations a04 Leticia Mata Assistant Vice - President, OC Credit Union Who We Are Dr. ChorSwang Ngin, Ph.D. Professor, CSULA OC Human Relations is a non - profit, charitable 501(c)(3) organization Sean Thomas, with a mission to foster mutual understanding among residents and eliminate President, TLIS prejudice, intolerance and discrimination in order to make Orange County a better place for all people to live work and do business. Kathy Tran The organization was first created in 1971 by the Board of Supervisors Student, Los Amigos High School and the League of Cities to address issues of prejudice and discrimination in Carol Turpen Orange County. In 1991, OC Human Relations was founded as a private, non - Senior Manager Communications, profit organization that serves all of Orange County. 0 10 Ingram Micro We provide quality programs in schools, communities and Bill Wood courts to build safe and strong schools, empower active and Retired, PacifiCare Health System engaged residents, find innovative ways to resolve conflict and take a stand against hate and discrimination. 2 Outcomes BRIDGES PROGRAM 1A 35,754 Students, Teachers, Staff and Parents were impacted by the BRIDGES Program 0 615 Students and Teachers attended the Walk in My Shoes Youth Conference ■ 33 Youth Leaders graduated from the BRIDGES Leadership Summer Camp ■ 52 Language - Minority Parents graduated from the Parent Leadership Institute ■ 36 Academically At -Risk Students completed the Skills for Success Program 19 BRIDGES Youth Leaders completed the year -long OCYO Internship Program COMMUNITY BUILDING ■ 65+ Residents from San Clemente shared their migration stories through art and oral history 0 300+ Members of the African American Community shared their experiences in 3 Listening Sessions ■ 61 Hate crimes were tracked and documented * 28 People completed the Effective Human Relations in the Workplace Certificate Program DISPUTE RESOLUTION E 72 People completed 4 Basic Mediation Certification Trainings and I Basic Divorce Mediation Training ■ 811 Mediators participated in 30 Advanced Mediation Workshops ■ 5,573 People received Mediation Services ■ 1,942 Mediations were conducted with a 73% Success Rate ■ 11,869 Hours of service were provided by Volunteers LA HABRA CYPRESS STANTON LOS ALAMITOS GARDEN GROVE • SEAL • BEACH WESTMINSTER HUNTINGTON BEACH Dispute Resolution b')13 • Police I Community Reconciliation 38 Community Building Initiative 1,188 • Youth Leadership Camp and Internship 33 Walk In My Shoes Symposium 600' BRIDGES School Climate Program 35,754 RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA J MISSION VIEJO lJ VIEJO -LAGUNA HILLS ALISO VIEJO LAGUNA NIGEL SAN JUAN 1 CAPISTRANO RIDGES is a multi -year program that improves school climate by partnering with schools and communities to create, advocate for and sustain a safe, inclusive and equitable campus. BRIDGES empowers members of the campus community to identify and address the human relations needs on their campus via trainings and dialogues. They acquire the skills to work with diverse groups while improving school climate. U eaRA MORA FuuIX OGENA PARK P I.W CYPNESS OFv STANTON Vim • Los ALANIrOs GROVRABEtt �® SEAL • OpaON • Y/ESTMINS • m mutmNaTo DEACM Ga FGUNrAIx l VALLEY COSTA um BER.% —N W OODS BRIDGES Activities Youth Leadership Camp 8 Intemship 33 • Walk In My Shoes Symposium 600- • Parent Leadership Institute 52 Skills for Success 36 BRIDGES School Climate Program 35,754 BRIDGES Activities 7`—'— YORO4 UREA ANAMEIN VIL PARK ORANGE SANTA ANA TYSTIN LAKa FOREST ,N IRVINE 0 tHIU 16d0 Y "BEACH DAM .� C BMEN7rE BRIDGES 2012 -13 Total Participants - 35,754: E 32,957 Students ■ 1,882 Teachers ■ 229Administrators i 340 School Staff s 67 Community Members ■ 279 Parents Participating Schools K Anaheim Community Day ■ Ball Junior High School • Corona del Mar High School • Fountain Valley High School • Huntington Beach High School • Katel[a High School • La Vista/La Sierra High School • Loara High School • Magnolia High School • Mission Viejo High School • Newport Harbor High School • Ocean View High School • Savanna High School • Servite High School ■ Spring View Middle School • Sycamore Junior High • Western High School • Westminster High School C 29 Day -Long Retreats C I I Staff Development Sessions C 6 Conflict Managers Trainings C 280 Task Force Meetings G 52 New Parent Leaders F 33 School -Wide Events 0 BRIDGES Summer Camp: an intense, week -long camp that brings together youth from diverse backgrounds to develop their human relations knowledge and leadership, facilitation and youth organizing skills. 33 Students C 14 Cities c 16 Schools OC Youth Organizers (OCYO): a year -long internship designed to provide advanced training and skills to a cross section of youth leaders from the BRIDGES Program. F. 19 Graduates L- 10 Cities F- 15 Schools JoseAvonce. BRIDGES Student: BRIDGES Empowered Me am Josd Avonce, a junior at Newport Harbor High School. I have been a member of BRIDGES for over a year now. I joined the program because when one walks around campus during lunch one can see the different cliques that exist. Some of the students belonging to these groups are ambivalent to the members of other groups; often making jokes which permeate through the skin, leaving no marks, but tarnish the soul and crack the foundations of one's identity. I have been a victim of racial jokes, and have been told that I was ethnically not who I was. I was told that 1 was too white, when in fact I knew that they were not right. Through my veins a bicultural blood does course, that of the land in which 1 was born and that of my parents' native country. l often wondered why people told me these things but it was because they were ignorant to the experience and feelings of a dual ethnic individual. Being a part of BRIDGES is an opportunity, a platform to stand up against all those who attempt to physically or emotionally hurt and marginalize other individuals. As a teenager, l can attest to the fact that the prospect of changing the society in which we live is a daunting task. However, by participating in the BRIDGES camp and meeting some of the dedicated OC Human Relations staff, l have realized that this task is not as scary as it seems because there arc many more students and adults here in Orange County that can help us. For me, being part of BRIDGES has been an educational and empowering experience. l learned how violence and conflict manifest, develop, and continue in a cycle. I learned about the steps required for non - violent social change, how to organize campaigns, and be leaders in our communities. This knowledge will transcend into the future generations we inspire. I look forward to implementing all that 1 have learned to make our county a better place. Thanks to your support of OC Human Relations, you are making Orange County a safer and more equitable home for a very diverse population. "Participating in BRIDGES made me realize that a lot of people don't vocalize their feelings when they're being hurt and that you need to be sensitive and caring toward everyone, no matter what they may act like. Getting to know people and their stories is a huge factor in being accepting and friendly.' — Newport Harbor High School Student Walk in My Shoes Conference: a day -long youth conference that brings together students to learn strategies for creating safe, respectful and inclusive schtx9 climates. 600+ Attendees 16 Cities 32 Schools Parent Leadership Institute: a six - session training program that develops language- minority parent leaders and their participation in the decision - making processes of their children's schools. C 52 Graduates iv 2 Cities C 4 Schools Skills for Success: a 12 -week program to help students who are performing below expectation, assisting them in goal setting, self - esteem, devel- oping communication skills, decision - making, and academic planning. [ 36 Students 1Z 2 Cities e 3 Schools Dispute Resolution Program 72 People completed 4 Basic Mediation Certification Trainings and 1 Basic Divorce Mediation Training of 811 Mediators participated in 30 Advanced Mediation Workshops 9 5,573 People received Mediation Services B- 1,942 Mediations were conducted with a 73% Success Rate 13 20,852 Residents heard 661 Mediation Presentations 222 Family Mediations were conducted Volunteers C 216 Volunteer Mediators served in our Dispute Resolution Program G 11,869 Hours of Volunteer Service were given to OC Human Relations OneStop Partnership ® 352 People attended workshops in Managing Con- flict, Diversity Awareness, Effective Negotiation and Non - Verbal Communication and Active Listening Client Satisfaction roo w rc 40 20 Our Dispute Resolution Program asks each client to rate our services, over the last 5 years the program has boasted these stellar results. Mediation Overcomes Violence Once Again By Ed Klopfenstein his is the case of "Sally" and "Joe" and their road from death threats to resolution. Sally, the petitioner, was seeking an injunction against Joe based on threats and violent acts which he had committed against her son, "Steve." Sally was a woman in her late fifties who lived in an adult community. Her thirty- something son, Steve, lived with her and had a troubled past involving drug use and arrests. Joe, also in his fifties, lived in the same community. He was a former gang member who had a criminal past and had served prison time for the commission of violent offenses. While Sally and Joe had seen each other, they had never formally met or had any communication. Sally began the mediation session by outlining her reasons for filing the request for a protective order. She explained that in the past, Joe had threatened her son, one time even chasing him with a knife. According to Sally, upon seeing Joe at the community pool recently, he looked her in the eyes and said that he was either going to kill her son or put him in the hospital if he ever met him again. This incident, combined with the past, caused Sally to fear for her son's safety, so she filed the request. In mediation, it is common for the parties to come in with a hard shell or facade firmly in place. Not knowing what the other party may say or do, they are prepared to defend their position in an adversarial manner, if necessary. As mediators, it's our job to find a way to bring down those facades to allow mutual understanding and agreement to take place. Ideally, one of the parties will do this by coaching out to the other side or otherwise showing vulnerability. Fortunately, in this case, Joe explained why he felt the way he did toward Sally's son, which had mainly to do with drugs and his own ex -wife. Then, he indicated that he understood Sally's feelings and apologized to her for what he had said. Needless to say, facades immediately dropped and the ice was broken. Steve then stepped in and expressed regret for the mistakes he had made in his life up to now and shared that he was soon going into a rehabilitation facility to get himself clean so that he could look forward to a better future. Joe appreciated hearing that and even shared some of his prison experiences. At that point, it was time to formalize a written agreement for filing with the court specifying physical separation and no contact between the parties, and this was quickly done. The parties signed the agreement, and Steve and Joe shook hands on it. We took the agreement to the judge for approval, and when that was finished, the parties were each given a copy of the agreement. Then, as the parties were leaving the court room, Joe put his arm around Sally's shoulders and lightly kissed her on the forehead. That made my day and 1 hope to have many more just like it in the future. Ed Klopfenstein is a volunteer mediator with OC Human Relations' Dispute Resolution Program. El Bajio to San Clemente: An Inter - Generational Exploration of a Cultural Journey This year, OC Human Relations engaged a multi - generational group of Latino residents in a community-based project called -EI Bajio to San Clemente: An Inter- Gener- ational Exploration of a Cultural Jour- ney:' Residents spent the summer telling the collective story of how almost an entire village migrated from El Bajio, Mexico to San Clemente, including the challenges and struggles of their journey and subsequent adjustment to a new city, country and culture. To help chart the future of these mostly low- income, immigrant families it was important to first look back to the place they left behind. Images of adobe houses, children swimming in the river and the "daughters of the shop keeper who had the only phone in town running through the streets to find you if your children called from the United States" paint a nostalgic portrait of El Bajio. Their stories also showed that they are never too far removed from the memories of poverty and their hopes for a better future in America. The children and grandchildren of El Bajio are the heirs of those hopes and dreams. They shared their plans to get an education and make their parents proud. Using photos, drawings and stories they collectively told the Mediation: Bringing Hope to a Diverse Community Approximately 85 people came together to enjoy the all-day conference with great morning and lunch keynotes which included UCI's Ombudsman Michael Chennaull, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk - Silva, famed sports agent Leigh Steinberg, Hon. Kirk Nakamura and Azim Khamisa. Two rounds of professional workshops were conducted, and the day concluded with an informational panel about the Dispute Resolution Program Act. Police /Community Relations The award - winning Police Community Reconciliation Program offers residents support in understanding and navigating the OC Sheriff's and local police department's complaint processes. It gives diverse community members an opportunity to effectively and peacefully resolve their police complaint% with the help of a mediator. This year we assisted with 39 complaints involving I I different police agencies in Orange County. OC Human Relations trains law enforcement officers in recognizing and reporting hate crime and effectively working with diverse communities through training it conducts in collaboration with the OC Sheriff's Department's New Recruit Academy, as well as conducting custom trainings. story of "El Bajio to San Clemente." Each story portrays a person, a family, a history. Each time they are read and shared, another thread is woven into our local history. To read their stories, please go to our Community Building page on our website at www. ochumanrelations.org. Human Relations AWARDS 42 Sponsored by Disneyland Resort Diverse Community Leaders Awards WE are Anahcim, SOMOSAnaheim Barbara Jennings Jonah Mowry Geraldine "Gerry" Gerken Michael Drake, M.D. V Diversity in Business Award Wells Fargo C Community- Policing Award Cypress Police Department PA.C.E. C Distinguished School Awards Hansen Elementary School Fountain Valley High School Garden Grove High School �2�Y e, oa92 O�P 777FORa` Orange County Board of Supervisors Shawn Nelson, Chair Pat Bates, Vice -Chair John M.W. Moorlach Shawn Nelson Janet Nguyen Todd Spitzer Tom Mauk, CEO Steve Franks, Director, OCCR OC Human Relations Commission Carol Turpen, Chair Ken Inouye, Vice -Chair Col. Leslie K. Le Chief Dave Maggard Rev. David Rader C. William Wood Doug Wooley Tim Kowal Becky Esparza Nadia Saad Bettendorf Mission: To foster mutual understanding among residents and eliminate prejudice, intolerance and discrimination in order to make Orange County a better place for ALL people to live, work and do business. Hate In Yorba Linda Goes Unreported When Anitm called the OC Human Relations Commission to share what had happened to her family, she said, "I just thought someone should know our story." Anitra and her family had been targets of repeated hate crimes in North Orange County. Rocks were thrown through the windows of their home in the middle of the night, all eight tires on their cars were slashed, someone yelled "n- --" at their son as he rode his bike to work, their 5- year-old was taunted at school because of his race, and acid pellets were shot into their garage door. Anitra's family is African American and she and her husband were both police officers, yet none of these incidents were documented as potential hate crimes. Listening Sessions Point to Work That Needs to Be Done on Race Relations Anitra's story led the OC Human Relations Commission to initiate a county- wide series of "Listening Sessions" at African American churches to hear about other possible hate crimes that were going unreported in the county. The subsequent report and follow -up actions became a central activity of the Commission in 2012 -13. Hate Crime Report Shows Violence Against Gay /Lesbian Community Doubling He reported hate crime was down to 61 in 2012 from 78 in 2011, the LGBT community saw an increase From 8 to 13 hate crimes, and among those more than half were violent hate crimes, an alarming trend. Response to hate crime remains a top priority for the Commission. b0 70 60 so 40 30 20 10 All Reported Hate Crimes Hate Crimes Against LGBT Helping Fullerton's Homeless /Mentally III When Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill homeless man died at the hands of Fullerton police, the road to justice began its long joumey. The community needed to see what could be done to prevent a reoccurrence. The OC Human Relations Commission worked to convene a broad coalition to promote a multi- service homeless shelter to serve North Orange County, and additional permanent supportive housing opportunities in Fullerton. Progress is being made on many fronts, but solutions are slow. Working with Immigrant Families in Anaheim and San Clemente The Commission developed leadership among immigrant families in Anaheim and San Clemente resulting in increased civic engagement and voice for these families. Outreach and engagement in Orange County's diverse communities such as Sikhs, Vietnamese and latinos sought to bring diverse communities together around common interests in interfaith, dialogue, and coalition groups. Commission Staff Support The Board of Supervisors eliminated the County staff supporting the Commission two years ago and and is now contracting with the OC Human Relations Council, a non -profit organization, to provide staff support. This unique partnership was made possible by the creation of the non -profit OC Human Relations Council in 1991 to build broader private and public funding for human relations programs. Complete Audit The private non -profit 501(c)(3) OC Human Relations Council's independent audit was conducted by the CPA firm of Sasaki Shishima & Company. The auditors issued an unqualified opinion for the year ending June 30, 2013 concluding that OC Human Relations' finances were in compliance with standard accounting principles. OC Human Relations' Fiscal Year 2012-13 total cash expenses were $1,413 ,885 and income was $1,282,413. In -kind contributions were valued at $93,050.The audit reported assets of $1,747,730 with liabilities of $222,104 and equity of $1,525.626 for a year -end total liabilities and equity of $1,747,730. Staffing The total staff was reduced by three to 16 full -time equivalent positions in fiscal year 2012 -13. They were augmented by 11,869 hours from volunteers who serve as mediators, Board members, Commissioners, Partners, and interns, as well as individuals who donated their professional services. Sources of Funds Generous donations from individuals, businesses and foundations totaling about $515,413 were facilitated by the investment of time, energy and resources by our Community Partners and Board of Directors. Court filing fees funded a $300,000 Dispute Resolution Program grant; the County of Orange granted $252,000 for support of the public OC Human Relations Commission; fees for services brought in $120,000 of income; twenty cities paid at combined total of $95,000 in dues; and interest accounted for $13,000 of income. These funds supported the non -profit charitable programming expenses of $1,413,885 in FY 2012 -13. OC Human Relations shows good stewardship of your donations: 83% goes directly to programs 9 Community Partners Dr. Jerry Hunter, President Professor, CSU Fullerton, College of Education Jack Toan, Vice- President Vice President, Wells Fargo Foundation Ralph Bauer Retired Mayor, Huntington Beach Olivia Campos- Bergeron Director Public Affairs, CBS 2/ KCAL9 Kay Carpenter Retired, ConAgra Donnie Crevier CEO, Crevier Classic Cars Lynn Daucher Former Director, California Department of Aging Dr. Ned Doffoney Chancellor, North Orange County Community College District Donors Titanium Partners $25,000 and above Disneyland Resort Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital Weingart Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation Platinum Partners $10,000 - $24,999 Anita Varela and Rusty Kennedy Crevier Family Foundation Draper Family Foundation Edison International Employees Community Fund of Boeing James P. Lehmann Judy and Keith Swayne Fund 10 Margaret Furbank Vice President, Union Bank Mark Gaughan Regional Public Affairs, Southern California Gas Company Robert Haskell President, Pacific Life Foundation Kenneth K. Inouye Tax Parmer,Inouye, Shively, Longtin & Man, LLP Jim Lehmann Sr. Vice President, Partners Advantage Mike Manser President, Corporate Office Interiors Eddie Marquez Regional Manager, SC Edison Dr. Greg McQuater Retired, Taco Bell Corp Jim McQueen Partner, McQueen & Ashman LLP Related California Sisters of St. Joseph Foundation St. Joseph Health Foundation Swayne Family Foundation Tarsadia Foundation Gold Partners $5,000 - $9,999 Allergan Foundation Chevron Products Company Maya and Snail Patel Pacific Life Foundation Podlich Family Fund Sempra Energy Foundation Susan and John Reese Resnick Family Foundation Ron Minekime Retired, City National Bank Terry Mullin President, Viridistor Susan Reese Principal, Susan S. Reese Design Keith Swayne Founder, Swayne Family Foundation University of California, Irvine William Gillespie Foundation Silver Partners $2,500 - $4,999 Cal State Fullerton Church of Jesus Christ of LDS Foundation Deborah and Duggan Neville Francisco Marmolcjo Fullerton College Gregory McQuater Gurpreet and Jasjit Singh Ahuja Ingram Micro McQueen & Ashman LLP OC Department of Education Peter Welsh Executive Vice President, Newmark Realty Capital Bob Wenzel Partner, Atkinson, Andelson et. al. Rev. Mark Whitlock Pastor, Christ Our Redeemer AMF. Bill Witte President, Related California Ralph H. Bauer Schools First Federal Credit Union Union Bank of California UPS Vietnamese American Buddhist Viridistor 7onta Club of Newport Harbor Bronze Partners $1,000 - $2,499 Angels Baseball Antonio Torres Bill Wood Christ Our Redeemer AME Church Clem C. Glass Foundation Dr. ChorSwang Ngin Eli Reyna and Ron Scott Ellen Frances Olshansky Fred H. Shahbaz Frederick C Balzer Frieda Rapoport Caplan James P. and Simone Kozel Jerome Hunter Judith A Iannaccone Kay M Carpenter KcnInouyc Kimberly Farina Lilia and Adrian Tanakeyowma Lin Fujitsubo Lynn M Daucher Michelle Green -Leary Mike Manser Peter G. Welsh The California Endowment Veronica and Tim Nguyen Community Friends $250 -$999 Alice Lipscomb Alison and Chris Edwards Amin David Carol Turpen Cypress Community College Dr. Vcrsic G. Bums Edward Klopfenstein Frank 1. Bcnest Goodwill of Orange County Judith J. Turpen Karl F. Kramer Leticia Mala Maric Otto Molly McClanahan Nadia and Jim Bcncndorf Ora Ben -Barek Paul Andresen Rebecca Esparza Rev. David and Stacie Rader Ronald G. Minekime Ronald W. Davies Rosemary Hurst Sheri Joseph Susan C. Cramton Johnson Victoria Stephenson Willie Lewis III Supporters Up to $249 Andrea Hamamoto Araccli Rodriguez Cazalcs Armando Dc La Libcrtad Barbara H. Jennings Barbara W. Johnson Barry Ross Benito D. Ramirez Benjamin J. Hubbard Billic A. Weber Blanc Family Foundation Christine L. Lamm Connee Valle Conic Jene Jones Dale Carlow Danielle J. Nava David B. tang David Maggard Debora Rodriguez Diane Nicicn Dorothy Sailor Edgar Medina Erika Carmona Estella M. Acosta Fred B Provcnchcr Gregory P. Bandy Gurmect S Sawhney Heat Chheng Leao Herbert A Wciller J.Vinccnt Buck Jacquelyn Valdez James D. Stevens James E. Yacenda lane C. Buck Jessie R. Allen John C Davis John Dombrink Jose Perez _2 DISNEY PRESENTS GC HUMAN RELATIONS AWARDS 42 Joseph P. Boyle Joyce Sanchez Juan Cerritos Linarc Juan PabloTroncoso Philippi Julia A. BidwcII Karen A. Johnston Kathy Shimizu Keith Gallo Ken Ryder Laura Martinez Laurence H. Tendis Leslie K. Le Lois J. and Robert A. Johnson Lori Kilker Lori Zucchino Marcus Gonzalez Margaret Gates Maria K. Khani Marie F. Stamper Mary and Joe Ferguson Mary E. Perkins Mary Morales Masoud Dalirirar Michelle Coulter Minard C. Duncan Nahla Kayali Nydia F. Hernandez OC Credit Union Olivia Campos - Bergeron Pathways of Hope Peter O. Anderson Ramon Calzadias Richard A. Fry Richard E. Hitt Robert Simpson Rochelle A Freidman Rocio Valencia Ron Goulden Ronald C. Kobayashi Ronald S. Steelman Roseanne M. Bye Ruth D Shapin Sean Thomas Sheri Wingate Shirley Bloom Shirlianne Olsen St Jude Medical Center Stanley Miller Steven Ramsey Sue Cramton Suzanne Danvicesh T. Daniel Long Tami A. Sato Teresa Saldivar City Partners Aliso Viejo Anaheim Brea Buena Park Dana Point Fullerton Garden Grove Huntington Beach Irvine Laguna Beach Laguna Niguel La Habra Lake Forest La Palma Los Alamitos Mission Viejo Newport Beach San Clemente Santa Ana Tustin Staff Jim Armendaris Seema Bhakta Alfonso Clarke Nabil Dajani Alison Edwards Peko Gomis Don Han Barbara Hunt Jennifer Jones Rusty Kennedy Edgar Medina Joyce Sanchez Kathy Shimizu Crystal Sicairos Juan Villavicencio Sheri Wingate The Kirchgcssner Foundation Theresa Brown Thien Dang Thomas W. England Tina Correa Virginia L. Gardner and Bob Gardner Wanda G Shaffer Windco Partners Inc. Winston Westbrook Ximena Rosas Yoram Yadlin OC Human Relations— bringing diverse people together to create safe, respectful schools and neighborhoods. Please join us in this important work by becoming a Board member, a Community Partner or a Donor! For more information, go to www.ochumanrelations.org or call 714 - 567 -7470 OC Human Relations ® Building community byfostering respect, resolving conflict andpursuing equality GET INVOLVED 1300 S. Grand Avenue, Bldg. B, Santa Ana, CA 92705- (714) 567-7470- www.ochumanrelations . org OC Human Relations is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, Tax ID #33- 0438086 V` OC HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Listening Sessions African American Listening Sessions Report 2013 OC Human Relations'mission is to foster mutual understanding among residents and eliminate prejudice, intolerance and discrimination in order to make Orange County a better place for ALL people to live, work and do business. 0 OIGi of . @ hOnFIM "People ofAfrican descent have a curious relationship with America, in that they have invested hard work in helping to build this country, fight in its wars and defend its borders, educated themselves against considerable odds, and sought opportunities for employment, civic engagement, and safe and affordable residential accommodations. Yet, there are too many places in this great country of ours, even right here in Orange County, where the promise of opportunity and privilege has been rescinded by acts of intolerance and prejudice. We are here to stand up and speak out against those today. And what is more hurtful and painful than the individual acts themselves is the climate of silence and perceived concurrence, where the voices of outrage are conspicuous by their absence... " — Comments from Dr. Thomas Parham, December Listening Session, Irvine CA Background Since 1971, the Orange County Human Relations Commission has promoted the ideal that ALL people should live free of prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination. We believe that all people should be safe, valued, and included, and that our diversity should be realized as a source of strength for our community. The OC Human Relations Commission has released annual hate crime reports since 1991. African Americans are consistently the most frequently targeted victims of hate crime in Orange County in spite of the fact that they represent only about 2% of the population. In October 2012, an African American family headed by parents who are both law enforcement officers, reached out to the Commission and shared their story of being hounded by a series of hate crimes and incidents until they decided to move out of Yorba Linda. They had rocks thrown through their windows in the middle of the night, all eight tires on their two cars slashed racial epithets yelled at their young adult son on his way to work, their first grader faced a group of kids saying he could not play because he was Black, and finally they had acid pellets shot into their garage door damaging their car's paint and window. The Commission offered assistance and expressed feelings of outrage that this family was subjected to such bigotry in Orange County. Realizing that these hate crimes had not been documented in the annual hate crime report, the Commission convened a series of Listening Sessions to meet with African Americans to determine if others were experiencing similar incidents of hate and bigotry that were also not being reported to us. During the months of December 2012 to February 2013 we partnered with Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, Friendship Baptist Church in Yorba Linda, and Second Baptist Church in Santa Ana to bring people together for the Listening Sessions. Listening Sessions are one of the tools developed by OC Human Relations to learn about the diverse communities living in Orange County. These sessions involve visits to venues where various communities gather, to listen to their stories and better understand the experiences of these diverse groups. The process concluded with a public forum in March held at the OC Human Relations Commission meeting, where members of the public were invited to share additional stories and give feedback on a draft of the report. Findings About 300 incidents were shared with OC Human Relations at the Listening Sessions; 145 of those were recent incidents, indicating the current experiences of African Americans in Orange County. The most common problems shared were: 1. Harassment by Law Enforcement 2. Prejudice/ Mistreatment in Schools 3. Employment and Housing Discrimination 4. Ignorance and Fear 5. Institutional Racism These findings represent what was reported to OC Human Relations' staff and volunteers at the Listening Sessions in the limited amount of time allotted. The data does not represent the amount of discrimination that has been experienced over the lives of the individuals in attendance. Also, it should be noted that we asked for the most recent stories of discrimination from these individuals so that we could assess current problems in Orange County. Stories of prejudice and discrimination shared at Listening Sessions fall into the following categories: ■ Twenty -seven percent of the 145 current reports involved harassment by law enforcement. ■ Twenty-seven percent of the 145 current reports indicate that discrimination, harassment or violence occurs in schools. ■ Twenty-three percent of the 145 current reports involve incidents of prejudice, discrimination and violence at the community level. These stories ranged from perceived slights and feelings of being excluded, to more serious harassment and violence. ■ Twenty-three percent of the current reports have to do with prejudice in institutions, employment, businesses and housing which occurs in the form of slights, disparate treatment, stereotypic assumptions, covert as well as overt discrimination, racial profiling, harassment and, at times, violence. STORY CATEGORIES I�L'tiI1CLS In these Listening Sessions, Anthropology students from California State University, Los Angeles documented the experiential narratives of the community participants in which they related instances of racial abuse and profiling in Orange County. This data resulted in a total of 145 current incidents out of 300 incidents reported. The data was analyzed for the recurrent categories of discrimination such as racial profiling by law enforcement, the community, institutions, employment, housing, schools, and by businesses. Finally, this data was quantified using statistical spreadsheet software, resulting in the statistics and graphs presented in this report. It is important to understand that although we have aimed to be as accurate as possible, our report suffers from some shortcomings. Several people in attendance at the Listening Sessions may not have been able to share their experiences or give feedback due to time constraints which may have left gaps in the data. An important note regarding these Listening Sessions is that each individual who chose to share a story was asked to provide only experiences which happened to them directly or to a close family member, such as a child. Given these challenges in methodology, we believe that our report is nonetheless an excellent start of a conversation on the experiences of African Americans in Orange County. In the African American community there appears to be a prevalence of silence with regards to racism, with a reticence to report hate crimes and hate incidents. Unfortunately, for many it has become part of their daily lives. OC Human Relations hopes that after learning of the first -hand experiences of individuals who shared their stories at our Listening Sessions, the information can be used to educate residents as well as to redouble preventative programs to eradicate racial profiling, __ bigotry and hate crime. Examples of Stories from Listening Sessions These stories were documented by OC Human Relations staff and volunteers during the Listening Sessions at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church, Friendship Baptist Church, and Second Baptist Church: LAW ENFORCEMENT African American Woman Sits in Police Station for Three Hours Vivian was pulled over by the police in Anaheim while she was driving with an older woman. She made a right turn on red without stopping, so she was aware that she broke the law. After being pulled over, she was forced to get out of the car and sit on the curb. The police officer asked her if they could search the car and she said no, feeling it was her right. Following this, 10 police cars arrived; they impounded her car, and took her to the police station. They made her sit in the station for three hours before finally letting her go without charging her with any crime. She believes that this was punishment for not allowing them to search the car, even though she was within her rights. Husband "Fit Description" of a Suspect Theresa and her husband got pulled over by the police and taken to jail. The officers said they thought her husband fit the description of a suspect. They were ultimately released without charges. The wife also shared that her son gets pulled over by the police all the time, especially in White neighborhoods. Accused on His way to Church James was stopped by the police on his way to church, the officer accused him of naming over his foot. James remained calm and denied the charges and was ultimately free to go after being detained. Stopped Illegitimately by Law Enforcement A middle -aged Black man — also an attorney — was stopped in his neighborhood. He believes it was an illegitimate stop. The officer pulled him over while he was turning into a shopping center. When be asked for an explanation of why he was pulled over, he was not a given a valid reason for the stop. He reported that the officer was rude and condescending with a bad attitude. He complained and later got an apology from the mayor of the city. Five Cruisers to Pull Over One Man In 2002, Quincy was in Newport Beach at a flashing red stoplight where everyone had to stop and wait their turn. He saw a patrol car before he got to the red light, made a complete stop, and went through the light when it was his turn. By the time he was pulled over there were five police cars which is "obviously not the standard protocol for a traffic ticket." Police [Wade comments to him about `being bold and ready for..." he asked ready for what? The cops ended up taking him to the station and had the gang unit talk to him. He had already explained to the other police officer that he is a military vet, and a family man with a wife and a job. The entire day he was not allow to can his wife to tell her where he was. License Plate Light is NOT Out In 2013, Chantal, a resident of Rancho Santa Margarita, was dozing at home with a headache at about 1:1 Sam. She was waiting for her son to return from a trip to the ATM and drug store. Her son called agitated and scared to let her know that the police followed him from the store and palled him over. He left the phone on so she could hear what was taking place. lie asked why he was being pulled over and the deputy said his license plate fight was out. The officer ordered him out of the car. Chantal's son saw that the license plate light was NOT out, but was working fine. When this was pointed out the officer became agitated. The deputy asked why he was in Rancho Santa Margarita if he lived in Colton. He explained that be, his wife and their children were visiting. 11-164. role] q Threatened by High School Peer Marilyn shared that her niece attends a local high school. While there, a group of White students told her niece that during Halloween they were going to dress as KKK and "lynch the Negroes." White Student Planned to Kill Black Girl In 2012, a high school boy brought a gun to school because he wanted to "kill a Black girl." The school stated that they handled it and contacted the parents of the students who were in the class with the boy who made the threat. After these incidents, a young African American woman reported that her parents took her younger sister out of school to be home schooled. Student Sends Cyber Threats T..... is a sophomore in high school. He reported that there was a White student at school who had tattoos, including horns tattooed on his forehead who was about 6'2" tall and had a shaved head. He posted on Facebook that he was going to shoot all of the Black kids at school. Posters appeared about this time at school saying, "We'll find you if you hide in the shadows, don't run." When word got out about the White student, the Administration searched his backpack and found a gun. He was removed from school and has not been back. Student Questioned by Coach Dora's daughter was asked by her basketball coach what she was doing in Fullerton, since people "like her" (referring to African Americans) get shot in Fullerton. She confronted the coach and the high school's administration, resulting in the termination of the coach. Not All Students Encouraged to Excel A high school counselor named Howard encouraged students to seek college programs at their school. He told students with different ethnicities to request a packet for a college program. An Asian student was given a packet, a Black student was told to get good grades and wasn't given a packet, a White student was given a packet, and a Hispanic student was not given a packet and told to review the qualifications. EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING Lower Pay for African Americans Patrick shared that he is dealing with race issues at work. He is the most senior manager but receives 26% less pay than the others. Different Race, Different Rate When Kathy went looking for a new facility for a homeless shelter, she directed a White co- worker to inquire about housing at a particular facility who was told rent would be $2800 /month. When an African American co- worker went to follow up about the property, she was told the rent would be $3200 /month, a marked increase from the previous quote of 52800. Teacher Questioned by Students 7oya recently moved to Orange County from out of state and began a job as a teacher. Her new students reacted to her being African - American. They had questions about her family, her hair, and even asked how she affords to live there. She felt like the "ambassador for all African Americans," and added, "We need to start educating our youth early on about diversity so they are not shocked when they meet someone of different color." Passed Up for Promotion A Black man in his 30's shared that he is given twice the amount of work as other workers and is expected to do it all. Despite that he is passed over for promotions and is not taken as a serious candidate for other positions. Sorry, the Rules Have Changed Howard, a former employee, worked at a Tustin school as a Campus Supervisor. Summer hours were awarded through a bidding system at his campus. Each time he bid he was informed that the rules had changed and each time the same person was chosen, not Howard. One summer that same person was given two jobs for the eight -week summer period rather than Howard getting one of them. Confederate Flag Flies in OC One of the largest companies in Orange County raised a Confederate flag at their company headquarters. Kathy called to express her offense at such a symbol being displayed and the CEO was "shocked" at the reaction but agreed to take it down, and did remove the flag. IGNORANCE AND FEAR Mistaken for a Valet Davien recounted an incident when a fellow patron at a local restaurant threw him his keys to park his car when he was standing in front of a restaurant. His friends told him to throw the keys in the bushes, but he handled it differently so as not to exacerbate the problem. Slurs at the Check Out Angie was at the grocery store when a customer tried to cut in front of her. When Angie did not let her cut in line the other customer called her a "bush lady." Ignored Twice at a Department Store Gloria was at Nordstrom. A store representative was passing out perfume samples. She gave a sample to the person in front of her and to the person in back of her but didn't give a sample to Gloria. She turned around and passed again; once again others were given samples, but not to Gloria. When approached, the employee acted like she didn't know what Gloria was talking about. Gloria told her, "We Black people also buy perfume" and asked for the store manager to report the incident. INSTITUTIONAL RACISM Discouraged at the Bank When Austin applied for a loan at a credit union, he told an employee he was there to pick up some paperwork and she asked for his identification. Ile was forced to show three forms of ID and was still told it wasn't enough. The employee said, `I can't give you something without identifying you.' She helped other customers and asked Austin to step aside. Ile told her he needed that paperwork. She kept helping other customers and then when he asked her again, she wrote 'Black' on the application and she said that I had an attitude. Austin commented, "That hurt me. I didn't take the loan." Classroom Seating Arrangement in Orange County An African American father notices the sitting arrangement in his daughter's fifth grade class during back to school night. It was all Whites in the front, Asians second row, Arabic, Hispanic and then two Black students in the comer which included his daughter. A Black Pastor Loses his Parishioners There was a bible study group in Yorba Linda that was made up of mostly all White men. When they found out that the new pastor was African American, most of them stopped attending. Recommendations: 1. Report Hate Crimes and Incidents that occur in the African American community, so they are documented and the seriousness of the problem can be assessed. 2. Share the Stories of the African American community with decision - makers to increase their understanding of the experiences of African Americans and create policies to help eliminate discrimination. 3. Educate, Organize and Promote Multicultural Understanding at elementary, middle and high schools. Collaborate with community organizations and the Department of Education. 4. Promote City and County Programs and Resources that assist African Americans when they are victims of hate crimes or incidents. 5. Train and Involve Law Enforcement to encourage positive engagement with diverse communities, with strict disciplinary procedures for misconduct. 6. Educate the Public through media by publishing articles and stories about African Americans' experiences. This can help to reduce the ignorance, stereotypes and resultant fear of their community. NEXT STEPS FOR OC HUMAN RELATIONS 1. Distribute Information gathered at a. Distribute to 34 cities, 28 school districts, the OC Board of the Listening Sessions. Supervisors and the houses of worship that hosted the Listening Sessions. b. Share on OC Human Relations website and social media outlets as well as public media 2. Provide outreach and c. OC Human Relations will provide 12 Hate Crime presentations presentations to inform and educate across the county in schools, houses of worship and any other African Americans and all Orange County requesting organizations. residents about how to report hate crimes and incidents. 3. Create opportunities for OC d. OC Human Relations will offer facilitation training and curriculum neighbors of all backgrounds to interact in to up to 30 neighborhood leaders to host small gatherings of their small groups and breakdown any barriers or neighbors. misperceptions about other faiths, ethnicities e. OC Human Relations will seek to partner with community agencies and differences in general. to take the Listening Sessions to different cities and engage diverse community members. 4. Conduct advocacy trainings f. OC Human Relations will provide trainings to parent groups about to ensure that African Americans and all student and parent rights in school as requested. Orange County residents know their rights within the school system. 5. increase opportunities for meaningful interaction between the police and community, including on -going training of officers about working in diverse communities. g. OC Human Relations will organize and facilitate forums and dialogues between community and local law enforcement as needed. h. OC Human Relations will provide diversity training at the police academy. i. OC Human Relations will explore the possibility of offering advanced human relations training for local police departments. African American History in caA6fcrnia by Dr ChorSwangNgi..n, Professor oj'AnthroRology, OC Human Relations Board'Member- 'The history ofAfrican Americans in California began long before the vast region was acquired by the United Slates: Africans were present in the iNAexico territories by the six - techth century, so by the time the Spaniards began their expe- ditions along the Pacific Coast, they employed many of these Africans and their descendants. "Serving in various capacities, freemen of African ancestry, helped establish California's mis- sions and pueblos. They.consti toted 25 percent of Juan Bautis- ta de Anza's 1775 expedition to San:Francisco; and more than 50 percent of the colony established at Los Angeles in 178 L" Alter the initial settlement of the California region, many free African Americans had their own small businesses and many, led very prosperous lives. But all that changed when Cali for- nia became apart of the United States of America. "Delegates to California's 1,849 constitutional convention drafted a char- ter that created non -slave state, yet they severely proscribed the civil rights of free persons of color. After admission to the Union, the California Legislature, in its first sessions, enacted further proscriptions in order to disenfranchise Black citi- zens.,Black people had no right to: 1) testify in court against a White person: 2) receive a public education; 3) homestead public lands; or 4) vote." Sonic schools still tried to admit Black children alongside White children, but all amendment to the school segregation bill in 1860 allowed superintendents' the power to censure schools and remove their funding if they went against the ban. Institutionalized racism slowly began to crop up starting around. the 1870's and "continued in effect for more than six decades, dramatically limiting access by.Black people to local resources such as housing, employment, education, and public accommodations." Blacks tried to circumvent these restric- tions by following the lead of. Asian Americans who created their own Chinatowns, with goods and services catering to their neighborhood clientele. However, the residential restric- tions, city ordinances and "real estate covenants' that.caused. the creation and overcrowding of the Black ghettos also hin- dered their ability to maintain adequate patronage, not to,men- lion adequate storefront retai 1. space. African Americans were .also an integral part or the Cali - f lmia Gold Rush. Many of the areas surrounding the gold rush towns of the north had names with very racial overtones, areas like "Negro Bar and Negro Flat." African Americans often pooled their resources to stake a claim oftheir own, some even formed their own very successful large scale:min- ing companies. An African American named Frederick Cold - man discovered; gold in creek near the city of Julian in 1.869. "Thousands swarmed to the area as news of the discovery spread, radically changing the quiet settlement that had origi- nally been established by Blacks and Indians. A towngoveru- ment..was installed_ and die place was renamed to cmumemo- rate the Julian. brothers, Mike and Wcbb, former. Confederate soldiers." In the early portion of the twentieth century, African Americans in Orange County experienced extreme forms of racial discrimination. Most of the restaurants in Orange County refused to serve Blacks, many of the movie theaters had separate seating for all individuals of color, and cloth- ing storeswouldnotallow Blacks to try on clothing before: purchasing it. The limitations placed oil African Americans in the community were notjust limited to where they could be. but also when they could be there. In the 1930's many towns in the area were known as "sundown towns;" mean- ing that the African Americans knewthey were not to be seen within [lie city limits' after nightfall. "There is no record of any law; ordinance,, or resolution to this effect... but it was `common knowledge'that it wasnot legal for Blacks to slay after dark: ".But one of the more interesting aspects of African American life in Orange County.in those early years is reflected in what was not segregated. Every person in Or- ange County had free access to all of the beaches and parks. African Americans were allowed to have jobs as.fireguards in NewpomBeach and "Irvine Park was a favorite place for all races to celebrate occasions orsmhply have picnics." The local sports teams were not segregated, nor were there any restrictions on where these games could be held. Prior to industrialization in the 1960s. the most trouble- some aspect ol'fAGican American life in Orange County was not necessarily, about.fnding housing, it was about the lack of adequate jobs. "Orange County's employment was primar- ily based on agriculture and'Blacks simply were not hired for these jobs, because of the availability orbetter qualified and/ or less expensive "Mexican, White, and Asian labor. "'those who had jobs were lured oil as : menial labor, doing things like janilorial and domestic household work, but there were some independent African American- owned businesses such as barbershops -and restauranls.At the same time; there was sharp rise in the. number of African Americans working at the El Toro and Tustin Marine' bases, yet Blacks remained less than one -half of a percent of the Orange. County population; and the majority of that population was located in the Santa Ana "ghettos." Once industrialization took hold, African Americans be- gan to flock: to Orange County, and not only to Santa Ana, but throughout.the surrounding suburbs. ".As more Black people: came to live in the county their numbers ignited the Pears and prejudices of the majority of White citizens resulting in an increased number of cases of racial discrimination. "Local chapters of civil rights groups like (lie NAACP and. the ACLU aided incomingAGican American citizens with legal help to :fight against landlords using California Proposition 14, which negated federal fair.housing laws: to racially pro- file individuals to keep them in the ghettos. But this did not deter those families who felt that tile good schools and crime- free - neighborhoods were worth the trouble. As the influx continued; so too rid the.iiistances of. radial profiling, particu- larly among law enforcement agencies. li was this :dramatic . increase in reports of racial profiling that, led to the creation of the Orange County Human Relations Commission. — Janice S. Lewis and Eleanor M. Ramsey. "Black Americans in California," in Fire I revs: Ali Ethnic Historic Size Sim,eyfor California. California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1988. — .Robert Johnson and Charlene Riggins '.'Black History in Orange. County" from A. Different Shade of Orange: Voices of Orange County, California, Black Pioneers. 2009. OC BOARD OF SUPERVISORS C COMMISSIONERS Shawn Nelson, Chair, Fourth District C Carol Turpen, Chair Patricia C. Bates, Vice - Chair, Fifth District K Ken Inouye, Vice Chair John M. W. Moorlach, Second District R Ruben Barron, Ed.D. Janet Nguyen, First District N Nadia Saad Bettendorf Todd Spitzer, Third District B Becky Esparza Mike Giancola, County Executive Officer T Timothy Kowa] Steve Franks, OC Community Resources Director C Col. Leslie K. Le Chief Dave Maggard Rev. David Rader LISTENING SESSIONS PARTICIPANTS B Bill Wood Community Members: participants numbered about 300 at the D Doug Wooley three sessions and came from the following cities: Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Los Angeles, Fountain Valley, Santa B BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ana, San Dimas, Laguna Niguel, Hollywood, Anaheim, Monrovia, La J Jim McQueen, President Crescenta, Brea, Laguna Hills, Orange, Long Beach, Pasadena, San M McQueen &Ashman LLP Juan Capistrano, Fullerton, Corona del Mar, Yorba Linda, Placentia, Walnut, West Covina, Mission Viejo and Corona. S Susan Reese, Vice - President Susan Reese Design OC Human Relations Commissioners: Doug Woulcy, Nadia L Lin Fujitsubo, Secretary Saad Bettendorf, Ken Inouye, Carol Turpen, Tim Kowal, Chief Dave B Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove Maggard, and Dr. Ruben Barron. J Juan Pablo Troncoso, Treasurer OC Human Relations Board Members: Jim McQueen, P Partners Advantage Susan Reese, Dr. ChorSwang Ngin, Gurpreet Singh Abuja M.D., G Gurpreet Singh Abuja, M.D. Veronica Nguyen, and Dr. Frank Marmolejo. C Childrens Hospital of Orange County Staff: Rusty Kennedy, Barbara Hunt, Alison Edwards, Joyce Sanchez, B Becky Esparza, Community Leader Scema Bhakia, James Armendaris, Juan Villavicencio, Eric Lam, Kathy M Marcus, Gonzalez. Walt Disney Shimizu, Edgar Medina, and Don Han. P Parks & Resorts Collaborators: Christ Our Redeemer Church, Irvine; Friendship J Judy lannaccone, Rancho Santiago Baptist Church, Yorba Linda; Second Baptist Church, Santa Ana, 100 C Black Men, NAACP and various other groups and churches. K Ken Inouye, Inouye, Shively, Longtin & Klatt Volunteers: JoAnna Wilson, Michael Angotti, Monique Azzara, R Rusty Kennedy, CEO Anna Benavides, Alisa Carithers, Michelle Dragoo, Javier Espinoza O OC Human Relations Barajas, Carly Good, Annamarie Hand, Sumiya Mahmud, Sarinea M Minzah Malik, Hoag Hospital Meserkhani, Arpan Roy, Sharon Stamps, Gregory Urban, Pei -Ti Wen, C Community Health and Eric Chang. F Frank Marmolejo, Ph.D., Retired Irvine Valley College ACKNOWLEDGMENTS L Leticia Mata, Orange County Credit The Orange County Human Relations Commission ( OCHRC) would U Union like to thank all of the collaborators, volunteers and especially the C ChorSwang Ngin, Ph.D., California participants that made the Listening Sessions a success by sharing their S State University, Los Angeles stories. Though we were not able to incorporate all the stories we heard V Veronica Nguyen, BeSmartee.com in this report; we hope that by illustrating the recurring themes through E Ellen Olshansky, Ph.D. stories that this summary will give some insight into the African U University of California, Irvine American experience in Orange County. S Sean Thomas, TLIS OCHRC appreciates the collaboration of Professor ChorSwang Ngin K Kathy Tran, Los Amigos High School and her Anthropology students from California State University, C Carol Ttupcn, Ingram Micro Los Angeles, who helped write the report, facilitate sessions, and B Bill Wood, Retired contributed photos as a model of academic/community partnership. P PaciliCare I Icalth System Listening Sessions, a project or OC Human ® Building communityby/ ostering respect resolving conflict ancipursuing equality Relations Commission For more information, vivit tvwwochumonrelaHmtv.org. Connect with w on Facebook and follow us on Twines- at w ttwittereorn/WeAreoneoC.