Title
Receive a Presentation and Report on Board Referral No. 2022.24 for the creation of an LGBTQ+ Commission.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a Presentation and Report on Board Referral No. 2022.24 for the creation of an LGBTQ+ Commission;
b. Consider a response to Board Referral No. 2022.24 requesting the Civil Rights Office to provide a recommendation to the Board regarding the creation of a LGBTQ+ governing body; and
c. Provide direction to the Civil Rights Office, as appropriate.
SUMMARY:
The Civil Rights Office was issued a referral that seeks to create a commission that monitors and makes recommendations around policies that impact LGBTQ+ communities, in order to provide leadership and support for the well-being and longevity of LGBTQ+ communities in the County of Monterey, through coordinated, integrated approaches.
To better understand the needs of our community, the Civil Rights Office held several community engagement and listening sessions - in-person and via Zoom - in February 2023. The community engagement sessions utilized Participatory Action Research methods to gather feedback and recommendations.
The Civil Rights Office also worked with our colleagues of several counties throughout California that have a body that specifically works with LGBTQ+ communities. The goal of this research was to understand the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, the opportunities to better serve the LGBTQ+ community, and the challenges, if any, faced by local governments in understanding and serving the community.
Based on community input, research, and analysis, the Civil Rights Office considered three options that could be responsive to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community: (1) a public commission subject to the Brown Act, (2) a collaborative composed of several community stakeholders, and (3) an office or staff dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues exclusively.
DISCUSSION:
The Civil Rights Office, based...
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