Board Meeting, Minutes - April 9th, 2017

MINUTES

Meeting of the CVCLU Board

Home of Mildred Larson, 215 Roosevelt Ave.

April 9, 2017

Present: Ann Heywood (chair), Mohammad AlaSagheirin, Kailee Berg, Lindsey Brandrup, Myron Buchholz, Mildred Larson, David Shih, Paul Wagner, David Edwardson (guest), Brian Larson (guest)

Absent: Anna Leffel, Teresa O’Halloran

1. Chair Heywood called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm.

2. The minutes of the CVCLU Board meeting of March 12, 2017 were approved as circulated (with emendations from today).

3. Myron Buchholz presented the Treasurer’s report. There were two credits ($300 deposit from State ACLU for rebates and a $50 anonymous donation to savings) Checking balance is $1061.01 and savings balance is $55.04. Ann circulated a list of new members whose memberships earned rebates.

4. Ann reported that the new CVCLU brochures are done and look very nice. Myron moved that CVCLU order an additional 100 brochures; David Shih seconded. The motion was approved without dissent.

5. Ann reported that the Dunn County DA was pleased to get additional information on the Alnahdi murder from the Board. The DA noted the Board’s comments about the office’s responsibility for protecting all “residents” and not only “citizens,” as specified on its website. A police officer will be contacting Ann, who will refer them to Mohammad.

6. Ann has written a letter to the ECASD Board thanking the members for approving a new Non-Discrimination for Immigration Status Resolution. Mildred commented that the ECASD policy on transgender student bathroom access (passed last year) does not meet ACLU guidelines. Transgender students are still required to use unisex bathrooms rather than gender-specific. Ann requested that the Board get more info on this policy and discuss it at our next meeting.

7. The Board discussed hosting a screening of the film Freedom to Marry. Lindsey will be willing to help coordinate. It was suggested that we co-host with Indivisible Chippewa Valley. Possible spaces include off-campus sites such as L.E. Phillips Library and the Cameo Budget. Paul will look up cost of renting the Cameo Budget.

8. David Edwardson reported on the Immigration Action Day in Madison. He learned about different organizations such as Voces de la Frontera, Wisdom, and JONAH. Activities included educating families about documents to sign and forming rapid response teams. 30-40 people are required to organize this kind of event.

Mildred suggested inviting JONAH representative to the next Board meeting. David Edwardson will contact JONAH for this purpose. He will also scan documents (from Voces) on policy for parents with kids in school. David will send the scans to Ann. He will ask JONAH what it is doing about deportations and how the Board can help.

Lindsey mentioned possible Board collaboration with the group El Centro. El Centro meets in two weeks, and Lindsey and Mildred volunteered to attend if possible. Lyndsey also reported on (1) incidents of bullying of Memorial students regarding documentation status, (2) 3 ICE raids in Eau Claire (restaurants, grocery stores); (3) Eau Claire police working with El Centro in support of immigrants.

Ann suggested bringing the ACLU anti-bullying policy to Memorial; Mohammad suggested using the school anti-bullying policy.

Ann will write a letter to Memorial after asking the district for its anti-bullying policy. She will send them a copy of ACLU anti-bullying policy as a proactive measure.

9. Ann reported that Anna Leffel sent yearbook email to her. The email’s language prohibited comments related to sex and drinking. Ann doesn’t know whether the situation has been resolved.

10. Paul Wagner reported on the Board’s Facebook presence. State ACLU has policy that says posts should come from individuals and not the group, making the new CVCLU page a problem. State wants CVCLU to decommission the page and make the old group public. Individuals can remain anonymous with the current group.

Paul will phase out the new page and encourage members to migrate to the old page, which will now be open (no longer private).

11. Mildred reported that Emilio de Torre is willing to come to Eau Claire to train members and students. Stephanie Turner suggested that he can help organize a student alliance. It was suggested that he could help with the student alliance, legal observer training, and know your rights training. Lindsey suggested that the know your rights training be pitched to students, the legal observer to general community. Mildred will try to contact de Torre tomorrow.

Mildred reported that new ACLU State director Chris Ott will visit Eau Claire in the summer.

12. Mildred reported on People Power activities. She said that she cannot get emails from People Power and is having trouble sending emails to them. There is lots of energy at the meeting. Lindsey and Ann volunteered to help Mildred with organizing. Myron and John Wiltrout are leading the 9 points initiative.

David Edwardson reported that UWEC police chief Dave Sprick sent him an email instead of meeting but agreed with the 9 points in principle. The campus Center for International Education directs all immigration inquiries to campus police.

13. Ann introduced the Board to the work of the Coalition for Citizen Engagement and Public Education. It offers a guided discussion about public education, its values and vision; its concerns include how education is connected to imprisonment and impoverishment. Ann asked the Board if it wants to invite the Coalition to present to a small group (12 people) for 90 minutes. Ann will research more and get back to the Board.

14. Ann presented the State Board report. There are lots of new members. There were 19,702 memberships in March (individual members closer to 26K). 541 memberships in CVCLU. A new attorney is likely to be hired at state level. The State Board is bringing back full time status to Angie Vasquez as the office manager. The Executive committee may hire an organizer for new members but will need to wait for reconciliation of revenues with National ACLU.

Ann said that she will begin to forward State emails to Board. She also noted that increased membership means higher costs for mailings and that the Board may rely more on email in the future. Myron will look into cost for bulk mailing account.

15. Mildred moved to adjourn; David Shih seconded. The meeting adjourned at 8:34 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

David Shih

Secretary