This meeting is being transcribed and summarized.

Good afternoon.

Okay.

We'll go ahead and call our meeting to order today is uh July 23rd, 2026.

Uh this is the Commission on the Social Status of African American Males uh monthly meeting.

Uh go ahead and start with our roll call.

Commissioner Phipps.

Commissioner Clayton.

Here.

Commissioner St.

Germain.

President.

Commissioner Ruff.

Here.

Commissioner Calvert is present.

We do have a quorum.

Oh, excuse me.

And Commissioner Moore, I'm sorry.

Present.

Pop in on me.

Okay, so we do have a quorum.

Um so go ahead and move to agenda item three, uh, which is the adoption of minutes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review those.

And do we need to make any corrections?

Had anyone noticed?

Okay.

Hearing none, I will entertain a motion to adopt the minutes as printed.

So move.

I second the motion.

Motion by Commissioner Moore, second by Commissioner Phipps.

Those in favor, signify by saying aye.

Those opposed.

All right.

So the minutes are adopted.

Uh we do not have any presentations today.

Um new business.

So we'll go ahead and move into our old business.

Uh first up is the uh million father march that is scheduled for August 14th.

Um that is the first day that all students will be uh in session together with the EVSC.

Um and participating schools will include uh Lincoln, Glenwood, Lodge, AIS, and Washington.

Um I know SEMA typically handles Lincoln.

Um so that will leave Glenwood, Lodge, AIS, and uh Washington.

Um where we could plug in.

Uh so does anyone have a particular school they would like to uh be at for that day?

Sorry.

Commissioner Moore, go ahead.

Commissioner Calvert, if you can place me at Washington.

Okay.

Uh Commissioner Phipps.

All right.

So I definitely would like to be reassigned.

I'm actually moving to AIS.

Uh normally Commissioner Collins is at AIS.

Oh, never mind.

Commissioner.

Oh goodness.

Commissioner St.

Germain, you would be probably better fit for AIS, right?

I am a teacher, so uh I cannot commit to uh being out front um until I know what what my assignment looks like for that.

A couple miles south down the shore.

Totally overstand.

Okay, so um I will um automated.

I'll actually work still at uh I'll still assign I'll be assigned at Glenwood if that works for any other commissioners if we don't have any other commissioners available to go to Glenwood.

Be accessible by vote for me.

Thank you.

I'll take Lodge.

Lodge, okay.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um I know for the last couple of years I've been at AIS.

Um, but um I actually wouldn't mind going to Glenwood this year, Commissioner Phipps.

I know they do have a new principal there.

And so that'd be an opportunity for us to uh you know work on establishing the relationship there with the new administration.

Um so if you want to take I AIS, you're more than welcome to do that.

Uh I don't mind doing it this year, yes.

I can take AIF this year.

Um you're leading Glenwood then.

Yeah, I can take Glenn Wood if you're all right.

That sounds good.

Okay.

I yield.

All right.

And again one more time in terms of the assignment.

Yes.

So we have um commissioners uh Phipps will be at AIS.

Um I will be at Glenwood.

Commissioner Clayton will be at Lodge.

Uh and Commissioner Moore at Washington.

Um CEMA typically uh partners on this at Lincoln.

Um I know in years past uh Pastor Tim Simmons and Bread of Life have uh taken part in this with Lodge.

But I can reach out to him and find out.

I'm gonna make sure, yeah.

I'll reach out to him um after the meeting to uh verify that and uh we'll we'll let you know as soon as I hear back on that one.

All right.

I wanted to ask, are you planning on uh maybe providing some some materials or something to encourage reading or uh just sort of taking it a step further?

I know we have had cards in the past that encourage uh going to PTA meetings, meeting with teachers, and just a a list of different things, but just wanted to know if you wanted some materials like that, some resource that you can pass out so that we can have enough time uh to get that printed.

Yeah, I mean that wouldn't hurt to have um and then we could also include uh the survey in that as well.

Uh-huh.

Um kind of get some data back on that.

And it's something they could do on their own time.

Okay, so um we can you know see if uh Samantha can help us with that.

And I still have some of the cards as well.

So um if you need want me to, I can bring those back in and you can kind of just put them in the packet.

Okay.

Use the resources we already have.

Okay.

Good.

All right.

Um so agenda item B is our uh strategic plan update.

Um if you want to share that info.

Well, we we've started.

Uh we had the first session with the Human Relations Commission, those commissioners on yesterday.

So I did inform the consultant that this group would meet today and ask him about possible dates.

Um, but I think he was just really trying to wrap his mind around doing the first one with human relations.

Um but I did propose to him that it be held at the time that this group normally meets.

So that um and what we did um yesterday, this group that group meets here too.

We just sort of went across the hall because uh the mayor's conference room was the only room that we could get, and she was gracious to allow us to use it.

So we'll have to find, I think, another room here in the civic center that we can sort of transition over to we'll come here, you'll conduct any business that you need to conduct, and then we'll move over to another conference room to do the strategic planning session.

And it was um I think about an hour and a half, maybe two hours.

I'm not sure something.

So you might want to um keep that in mind, but I I I'm pretty sure that we will likely be looking at doing it in September.

Okay.

Um if we can swing it in August, I'll let you know, but I think we're probably planning on the this this commission having its first strategic planning session in September.

Okay.

Just sort of judging from where we are with the HRC.

Okay.

And um I didn't have a question.

Well though will there be um you know any joint sessions with everything that falls under the umbrella of the HRC.

That's a good question.

I know that um a question similar to that came up in our session yesterday.

But we had not planned on that or anticipated doing it that way.

Okay.

Well yeah I mean I just asked the question just because I don't know if you know they all know who's on the various commissions and things of that nature.

You know we can just kind of put face to name you know possibly or even have something outside of that even where you know everybody could you know get together for a meet and greet type of deal.

Yeah I think it it was because the ordinances are separate and the missions are different that we didn't really just want to lump everybody together.

Makes sense.

Okay it's just a thought something I've been thinking about um over the time so we'll go ahead and tentatively set that for September 24th then I'm going to propose that.

Okay.

Is that a date that will work for everyone yes.

Okay so that would just follow right after our normal our regularly uh scheduled meeting um what we did yesterday they had a really brief meeting I mean they did everything in like 15 minutes and then we just moved right on over okay okay that's not a problem for me good deal all right uh so uh item C is police and uh community relations uh does anyone have anything they'd like to share on that or any developments or anything with anything nothing okay nothing um well since we're on that I will bring up that uh the um EPD is currently taking applications for the uh Citizens Academy um that's something I would definitely recommend that we as a commission participate in you'll have an opportunity to meet with the various um departments within the agency uh SWAT um the uh narcotics division um I think even the Mount Up Patrol and they'll just be going over different policies and stuff of how they operate um you know and I think that falls right in line with you know the work that we're doing and you know the more educated we are you know the better we can serve the community um you know as we attempt to help bridge that gap um you know between the community and uh law enforcement um I'm not sure when the deadline is but I know I think I shared it on my Facebook page and it is out there so I know it usually fills up pretty fast as well again do we have a Facebook page on do we have a page we do and do you do that Diane?

No I don't but uh people in my office.

Okay okay should I if there's there's content that you want to share we can get it on there for you so anything else on uh community on uh police community relations well I do I also want to throw out there on community side oh well we'll have community in communications first I'll throw it out shortly on the next item on the agenda okay well go ahead we're ahead of there now so you're fine um community gun violence I do I do know that there was a lot of um a lot of attendance at the job fair here in Evansville at this moment in time and uh it was a job fair that was hosted by the Self Wout West Indiana Southwest Indiana work for movement uh and they had a great job fair um fair at Green Center so um and uh we've I've seen a lot of males out there actually um looking at different jobs that may interest them so um I was able to get to talk to some of the males um fathers and some of the young males that came out there okay so thank you for sharing that um so can you kind of share with us some of the businesses that were there was a list of contractor union businesses I'm um I did see a lot of uh here hold up just for a moment let me get there was a lot of the staff I think agencies that were out there okay um uh some of the daily

Thank you for sharing that.

Um can you kind of share with us some of the businesses that were there?

There was a list of contractor union businesses.

Um I did see a lot of uh here, hold up just for a moment.

Let me get there was a lot of the staff I think agencies that were out there.

Okay.

Um some of the daily uh businesses that we see um and I I don't want to just mention one business, okay?

Uh because I don't want to say one business over the other.

Um and I don't want to leave out any businesses where out there uh that were out there, but um I do know that there was a lot of organizations and businesses out there um from factory to construction to union work uh work businesses uh to uh staffing agencies that were out there participating, and even just uh just different uh organizations that can help uh repair uh repair attendees to different uh universities that would be able to help them with securing uh nursing um opportunities union opportunities, whether it was electrical, uh the electric union and uh uh the plumbing union was out there too as well.

So there's a lot of several different organizations out there, of course.

Okay.

Okay, well thank you for sharing that.

Um it's good to know there was a variety, you know, out um, you know, for people to uh you know have have options as far as what field they would like to go in or find out more information about um good deal.

All right.

So um community gun violence.

Um fortunately, Commissioner Culver is not here to give us an update on that.

Um but you know it's still um you know been pretty hot.

You know, we're very, very active uh lately or the last couple of months in particular.

Um, and that's uh I guess uh I don't know how I want to say it.

Um I guess it's uh it's gonna remain an ongoing thing.

Um, I don't think it's something we could completely eradicate.

Um, you know, but we could definitely do what we can to try to mitigate its impact uh, you know, within the community.

Um a lot of that has to do with uh you know youth outreach and um you know basically them just having having something to do.

Uh you know, we heard from uh we was uh Officer De Young who shared some data with us on the age groups, and it's between you know 16 to 24, if I'm not mistaken, uh, who are responsible for you know a vast majority of the gun violence that we're seeing, you know, here in our community.

Um that would be a good segue actually into uh youth outreach.

Um I don't know if you did you all see the email that uh Commissioner Ruff sent out of a proposal uh something that we could possibly work on, you know, as a commission.

Um, we sent it to everybody.

But to speak on the community gun violence, um I don't I know like teaching like um I don't know in Chicago they were like teaching like what to do if somebody is hurt or something.

Mr.

Michael?

I thought it was is it on now?

Can you hear me?

Yes, but it's just low.

So I don't know if I know it's not really gonna help the gun violence, but maybe we can teach the kids um or have some type of program or not even just a program, something where you can like tournix teaching them like if somebody gets shot or somebody shot around them, just preparing them for the situations at hand since we're don't really have um nothing to stop what's going on right now, but just preparing them.

Um I know Chicago had did that at one point in time.

Um that's all I had on the community gun violence.

But I did send out um an email uh for a proposal for Evansville Youth Village Network.

Um pages, I'm sorry.

I don't know if everybody did nobody.

You got it.

Okay.

It was a lot, yeah, it was a lot of pages.

I I um I understood that.

Um so the main the gist of it all is to be like a two one for um the kids and the families.

Um to get all of the churches, the community.

My main thing is to get every um my apologies, everybody.

My main thing is to get like we already had a QR code going out and to get surveys.

Um, but surveys from the churches, what are they seeing, the schools, um, the YMCA, the boys and girls club, stuff like that.

Um, and asking them specific questions that we need.

Parents as well, seeing if parents are have any um availability to help, do they want to mentor, just basically trying to pull our village together with everybody that we already do have, everybody that's able to do something, um, and just starting to network and actually get a directory for anybody.

So if like anybody's in school, um a principal's like uh this son, this this young man's having a hard time.

Can we get a another mail out here for him?

Um I know the survey will go for everybody, and everybody will be able to be connected, but if we start now and start with the younger group, um we can have those resources for everybody.

And then because nobody knows what's going on on west side for the south side or what programs are over here on the east side that they can get on the south side.

There's a lot of programs out here, but nobody really knows how to get to them if you don't know somebody else, or it's not shared from here.

So basically, I'm thinking I think we need to just build up what we have now.

Program if programs are getting funding, can you help this other program get funding?

You know, um, and then eventually getting a um a like a small committee or a council of the um young males.

Um maybe even one from the mayor's office, um, one from one of the churches, one from the YMCA, just getting them in here and then like every three months talking to them and just going back through it, um, anything that's going on with them or in their area so that we can try to figure out what's going on.

Um I it's a lot to it, and I don't expect it to be like a program.

I don't want us to replace anybody, just be the data center basically of what everything is involved and what is available out here for everyone.

Um I feel like it's all gonna take time, like even to get the kids and figure out what kids can actually be in the program.

Um trying to think it was it was a lot.

I can read the executive summary if you would like me to, if that's not a good enough for everyone, or if you have any questions about it.

We have one for anybody if you want.

Commissioner Commissioner Moore, go ahead.

Yeah, sorry to interrupt.

I was just gonna say, Commissioner Rough, thank you so much uh for that.

It was absolutely amazing, very thorough, and I enjoy reading it.

So thank you very much for your time and expertise on that, and I look forward to seeing what the outcome is gonna be.

Thank you.

I know we had already got some surveys going, so I would like to partner up and figure out how that was working and how we can get the data in.

Um I think there's a few phases that I would like to go into with it.

The first part is just getting information from everybody the first three or four months.

Next part is having a listening session, um, trying to get more information, uh, figuring out where the gaps are in a community.

Um I feel like we have everything we need here.

We just need to build it up and just make our village stronger.

Um that's where I'm at with this.

I think you're right on target with that.

Um especially when it comes to coordinating and pulling resources together.

So there are so many organizations, you know, within the city that are doing the same work and completely disconnected from one another.

Um, you know, and I know that's one of the things that we've talked about on the commission quite a bit is just how we can possibly be the vehicle, you know, the kind of works to coordinate, you know, those activities and things of that nature.

Um remember if I'm not mistaken, a couple months ago uh we were having a discussion along the lines of this, and uh, you know, one of the questions was about different organizations actually having the capacity to to do some of the lifting.

Um, you know, and and what you know, if if they could actually support it.

Um and I think the conversation kind of stopped at that.

So this will be a good good starting point, uh, something that we could actually you know share, you know, with these various organizations as we go to uh speak with them and build the coalition and get them to buy into uh you know the vision um you know that we have um yeah so I mean it was really really great.

Uh I have second Commissioner Moore, uh very thorough.

I don't think there was any stone left unturned.

Um and for the those of you who didn't get it, I can resend it just to make sure you have it.

Um but if you get a chance to read it, please, please do.

Uh you know, any suggestions you may have, you know, feel free to respond by email.

Um I don't think it's really anything set in stone per se, but uh you know, a good good starting point and a framework to to work within and the timing couldn't be any better considering you know the planning session, the strategic planning sessions that we're having, and uh you know, we we actually have something that we can take in to those sessions and work around with and get some guidance there as well.

Um so thank you again for for the time.

Uh you definitely put a lot in.

That's that's obvious.

Um but yeah, again, it it's it's it's really yeah.

Love it.

Love it.

Yeah.

Uh so does anybody have anything they'd like to add on this piece or any thoughts?

No.

I think it's it's um really refreshing and exciting to see a commissioner just come to the meeting with a proposal to do a program.

So um I think that's that's just amazing.

And now that we have Samantha, um, I think you know, we we do now have resources and staffing that can help uh at least with uh coordinating meetings and and so forth.

So I think if this commission is so inclined to want to move forward, I think that this is a good time.

Absolutely.

Um I would say just take a look at it between now and the next meeting and uh we can bring it to a vote and make it make a final decision.

Um, you know, if this is something that we want it to uh take on.

Um I mean it it could lead anywhere really, and it's something that can really give us a focus and uh you know put some traction you know to the ground and um you know really give some clear direction uh for you know what we want to do, where we want to go, what we would like to see.

Um yeah, that's really all I have on it.

So um well, I guess that kind of hits our youth outreach.

And um if there is nothing else, um I will entertain a motion or got one.

Yep, I know that you all have probably heard that um there's going to be a family day in the park this this year.

Oh yeah, that's right.

And uh just wanted to get your thoughts about that and if you're interested in doing any outreach there if we get a table, we um would appreciate commissioners helping to um you know participate in and having staffing staffing that table.

So uh we haven't made any uh plans yet to reserve a a table, but we've talked about it and just wanted to bring that up to see what your thoughts are about that August.

Is it September?

Labor Day Weekend.

That's Labor Day weekend.

Yeah, that's Labor Day weekend.

Yeah, for you know, September the fifth.

All right, that's what I said.

That's Labor Day weekend.

Mm-hmm.

From 12 p.m.

to 8 p.m.

Oh, they're going later this year.

Ed Burrett Park.

I don't know.

Does.

I mean, I don't know.

Um, I'm not really sure what Labor Day weekend is going to look like for me yet.

Um, if we do, can we get shirts or something to let people know like what are we doing here?

Who are we?

Like something, a name bag, a lanyard.

We can watch this.

Like I feel like it just brings something because before I applied for this, I never knew this was existing.

I have three I have three young men, three boys of my own.

So it'd be nice to know like oh, there's something out there.

There's there.

I'm willing to pay for my shirt.

I'm willing to pay for my shirt.

I'll just put that out there.

I know I know resources are the whole time now.

It's usually you know, trying to get something asking for a shirt like two days before two days before, yeah.

Yeah, we do have time.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

So I guess is there a deadline for uh when you would need to put in for a table?

Um booth.

I don't know that.

Um I'm just seeing you know some things on social media, but we're going to start moving forward.

Towards okay.

Okay.

Are we gonna take surveys there?

I would say that'd be a grand opportunity.

Uh everything there.

So if there is nothing else, I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

I second.

Motion by Commissioner Ruff.

Second.

Second by Commissioner St.

Germain.

Those in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed.

Aye.

All right, we are adjourned.

Take care, everyone.

All right, we too.