2022-03-22 CRAC Minutes Retreat
NHC/COW Community Relations Advisory Committee.
Retreat Notes.
3/22/2022
4pm-7:30 pm
DRAFT
Attendees: Committee Members: Jen Johnson, Chair; Kathy King, Vice-Chair; Lori Wainwright; Liz
Carbone, Secretary; Kim Geiger; Fawn Rhodes; Kaari Snook; Erin Howell; Rev. Mapson
Staff Support: Melissa Huffman, COW Attorney; Suzanne Rogers, COW; Joe Conway COW, Travis
Corpening NHC, Bo Dean, NHC (Facilitator).
Retreat objective: We will come away with a specific and detailed work plan for the next 12-24 months*
(An additional objective was added by L. Carbone to enumerate responsibilities of committees. It was
agreed that in doing the group work this could and would be achieved).
Meeting start: Introductions
Finding Focus and Work
From a prior meeting, the following areas of focus were suggested as the areas of greatest alignment
with the work of the C-RAC and potentially could lead in how to frame the work.
Housing
Public Accommodations
Education
Hate Crimes / Bias
Community Relations
Police & Community Relations
Economic Development
Environmental Justice**
The group agreed on these topics
An exercise was then helped whereby each person on the committee was asked three questions:
1.) Of the topics, which one is your driver, the one that you are most passionate about, and you
believe is the most pressing for the community.
2.) Of the topics, which is your second most passionate and most passionate about.
3.) Of the topics, which one is something you think might important, but not something you want to
work on right now.
The group put their sticky notes on the board and it through this there was a revelation of the most
pressing concerns that the group could discuss as the possibility of the way forward.
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The group agreed that
Housing (Fair Housing vs. Affordable)
Public Accommodation & Health Equity
Public Schools Education
were the three most pressing issues and topics for their consideration for action over the next 12-24
months.
The group then split into three groups based on these topics and came up and answered the following
questions related to these topics:
1. How can we be most effective given that we are a volunteer committee
2. What actions do we want to take?
3. What more do we need to learn about these topics?
4. What are our resources for becoming more informed about these topics?
5. Do we want to form subcommittees based on these topics?
6. If we form subcommittees based on these topics, do we want to include members of the public?
Below is a summary of the action plan and subcommittee responsibilities/activities as
determined by the CRAC members.
1. FAIR HOUSING – housing discrimination
Educate / research;
Advocate for funding for fair housing;
Research possible solutions & funding sources to support displaced residents;
Research possible policy change recommendations re: fair housing;
Research who does mold inspections for Wilmington Housing Authority;
Further assess housing discrimination toward people with disability & LGBTQ+
community; and
Advocate for policy change re: fair housing.
Subcommittees to address these concerns:
Programming
- April presentation re: inclusion in homeless services
- Work with Education subcommittee to coordinate future training based on identified needs
- Coordinate regular fair housing programming in collaboration with community agencies
Education
- Work with local media to highlight fair housing concerns, citizen rights, and
- Research possible solutions & funding sources re: community members displaced by mold;
- Research policy change recommendations re: housing crisis;
- Further assess housing discrimination toward people with disability and LGBTQ+ community,
particularly the transgender community; and
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- Advocate for policy change
Crisis Prevention:
- Collaborate with local housing agencies to create crisis prevention and crisis management
strategies related to urgent housing needs
2. PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION & HEALTH EQUITY
City created a Nondiscrimination Ordinance (NDO) for Public Accommodation
Continue to advocate for the city to create a comprehensive NDO that offers protections
in private employment settings;
Continue to advocate for the city to broaden the list of protected classes of individuals
covered by the NDO in public accommodations;
Continue to advocate for the county to create a comprehensive NDO that offers
protections in public accommodations (including healthcare) and private employment
settings;
Continue to advocate for inclusion of healthcare entities to be clearly stated in the NDO
and complaint form;
Continue to collaborate with Novant Health to encourage provision of healthcare services
to LGBTQ+ community – training for healthcare providers on how to provide gender-
affirming healthcare, inform healthcare providers about the NDO for Public
Accommodations;
Collaborate with SEAHEC to encourage provision of continuing education for healthcare
and mental healthcare providers regarding providing care for LGBTQ+ individuals;
Initiate collaboration local health communities --with HHS, Novant, and other healthcare
entities to problem solve solutions to health inequities related to race; and,
Health equity learning curve – bring in speaker to offer presentation on health equity.
Subcommittees to address these concerns:
Education
- Coordinate media / information campaign to educate the public about their civil rights related
to Wilmington’s NDO for public accommodations;
- Advocate for city and county to create comprehensive NDO;
- Coordinate media / information campaign to educate local healthcare and mental healthcare
providers about their responsibilities related to Wilmington’s NDO for public
accommodations;
- Recommend to SEAHEC that they offer continuing education to healthcare and mental
healthcare providers related to healthcare inclusion and equity; and,
- Coordinate media / information campaign to educate City of Wilmington contractors about
their responsibilities related to Wilmington’s NDO for public accommodations.
- Collaborate with local community partners to explore solutions to health equity crisis
Programming
- Coordinate presentation on health equity.
Crisis prevention
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- Encourage local healthcare service providers to develop crisis management plan for health
inequities related to race and to lack of service provision for LGBTQ+ individuals.
3. Public Schools
Advocacy with board of education to promote racial equity in education;
Create alliance with Board of Education DEI coordinator;
Create alliance with UNCW Education department;
Create community focus groups to identify possible solutions;
Continue to encourage Board of Education to provide training for principals, teachers, and
counselors re: LGBTQ+ inclusion and anti-bullying; and
Continue to advocate for policy change to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and anti-bullying.
Subcommittees to address these concerns:
Programming:
- Encourage an alliance of local entities that are addressing racial equity in education;
Education:
- Coordinate increased media coverage re: proposed solutions to racial inequities and
LGBTQ+ bullying concerns;
- Advocate for policy change
Crisis Prevention:
- Encourage the Board of Education to create crisis prevention plan to manage escalating
conflict regarding DEI concerns
Responsibility of CRAC subcommittee per CRAC Bylaws
A. Programming – identify ways to promote healthy intergroup communication and interaction
B. Public Education – work with the community to gather and disseminate information and
educational resources
C. Crisis Prevention / Preparedness – work with the community to develop conflict mediation
skills and create a plan to handle potential crisis
CRAC Purpose:
The Committee shall be organized for the purpose of addressing community issues involving
prejudice or discrimination on the bases of race, national origin, creed or religion, age, gender,
sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition; informing the Appointing Authorities and
other organizations of their findings; and making recommendations, in an advisory capacity, to
the Appointing Authorities and other organizations, as necessary.
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