Human Rights Commission — Bloomington, MN
Date: 2026-04-22

Human Rights Commission
 AGENDA


 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEETING
 TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026
 HAEG CONFERENCE ROOM
 BLOOMINGTON CIVIC PLAZA
 1800 W. OLD SHAKOPEE RD.
 BLOOMINGTON, MN 55431
 5:30 PM

ANNOUNCEMENT
This meeting will be held in person and electronically via Webex. Some members of the Human Rights
Commission, staff, and presenters may participate electronically as permitted by Minnesota Statutes. Members
of the public may attend in person or electronically.

Webinar topic:

HRC March Meeting

Date and time:

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 5:30 PM | (UTC-05:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

Join link:

https://logis.webex.com/logis/j.php?MTID=mc00a179873a2667e10dbbd5254da4266

Webinar number:

2867 070 7354

Webinar password:

MarMeeting (62763384 when dialing from a phone or video system)

Join by phone

+1-312-535-8110 United States Toll (Chicago)

+1-415-655-0001 US Toll

Access code: 286 707 07354


1. CALL TO ORDER

 1.1 Call to Order

2. PROCEDURAL MATTERS
 2.1 Adoption of Agenda

 2.2 Approval of Minutes

 2.3 Oaths of Office

 2.4 Liaison Announcements

3. ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS

 3.1 Commissioner Introductions

 3.2 Mayor Letter Response

 3.3 Omar Bonderud Award Timeline

 3.4 Work Group Touch Point

4. NEW BUSINESS

 4.1 HRC Correspondence

5. PROGRAM/SPEAKER

6. ADDITIONAL HANDOUTS

 6.1 Updated Roster

7. ADJOURNMENT

BloomingtonMN.gov: A yearly meeting schedule, agendas, and the official minutes once approved are available. If you require a
reasonable accommodation, please call 952-563-8733 (MN Relay 711) as soon as possible, but no later than 9:00 a.m. one business day
before the meeting day.

 Our mission is to cultivate an enduring and remarkable community where people want to be.

APPROVED MINUTES
Bloomington Human Rights Commission
Date: 3/17/2026
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Bloomington Civic Plaza, Haeg Conference Room
Address: 1800 West Old Shakopee Rd. Bloomington, MN 55431

Members Present: Ammar Elmustafa (virtual), Anna Decker, Ngawang Gonsar, Baron Lewis, J. Most Holmes, Julia
Perry, Jessica Thornton; Amari Musignac
Members Absent: Thomas Burns
Guest Speaker: n/a
Guests: 1 member of the public present virtually
Staff: Natalie Kirk, Equity & Inclusion Program Manager, Amanda Crombie, Equity & Inclusion Program Manager; Eric
Holthaus, Community Outreach and Engagement Mansager
All votes taken by voice vote.

1. CALL TO ORDER

1.1 Chairperson Thornton called the meeting to order at 5:32pm. A quorum was present.

2. PROCEDURAL MATTERS

2.1 Adoption of Agenda: M/J. Thornton, S/N. Gonsar to adopt the March 17, 2026, agenda as presented. Motion
 passed 7-0 (A. Musignac absent for vote)
2.2 Approval of Minutes: M/J. Perry, S/A. Decker to approve the February 17, 2026, meeting minutes as amended.
 Motion passed 7-0 (A. Musignac absent for vote)
2.3 Oaths of Office: New Commissioners A. Decker, J. Holmes, and returning commissioner B. Lewis recited their
 Oaths of Office.
2.4 Liaison Updates:
 • The Transgender Day of Visibility Proclamation in early March at City Council; great community turnout at
 the City Council meeting and appreciation expressed by Mayor.
 • The City seeking to do more proclamations out in the community. City operation/staff focused
 proclamations will generally be at City Council. City Manager and Mayor’s office need to approve
 proclamations.
 • The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Proclamation at City Council meeting on May 4
 (approve at HRC on April 21); additional proclamations coming in June (Pride), vote at HRC on May 19,
 presented at City Council on June 1. A. Decker offered to coordinate community feedback on the Pride
 proclamation.
 • The Indigenous Film Series is on Friday, March 20, 6:30-8pm, Civic Plaza, Schneider Theater.
 • The Early Childhood Expo is on Saturday, April 11, 10-1pm, Civic Plaza.The Communications and
 Engagement Department created a video promoting the REDress exhibit and Film Fest.
 • Everbridge notification system: City staff may send messages through this system. Staff requested
 commissioners not reply to these (does not work this way) and to email staff liaison directly when
 needed.
 • The Civic Thread Project is Tuesday, April 28, 6:30-8:30pm – “Democracy with Conditions: Rights that
 can be Taken Away Workshop.”

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 APPROVED MINUTES
 • On March 4, City Council adopted a resolution reaffirming Bloomington’s commitment to community
 stability in response to operation metro surge by ICE.
 • Reminder: State laws have been updated to allow for virtual meeting attendance of boards &
 commissions when needed (no longer needs to be for medical reason).
 • HRC giveaway items were purchased and will be available for upcoming events.
 • Chair Thornton added additional education on basic HRC processes (basics of motions, voting, work
 groups, volunteer opportunities; role of staff liaisons (1-year term) and commissioners (3-year terms).
 There is an upcoming Boards and Commissions Connect event on April 6.

3. ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS

3.1 Commissioner Introductions: Commissioners and staff introduced themselves.
3.2 Mayor Letter Response: The Commissioners reviewed the response to the HRC’s letter regarding ICE which was
 provided by the mayor on March 5th. J. Thornton received letter by email and responded directly.
3.3 Omar Bonderud Award: M/J. Perry, S/A. Elmustafa to approve the Omar Bonderud Award Timeline as presented.
 Motion passed 8-0
3.4 Work Group Touchpoint:
 • Pride (Gonsar, Perry, Thornton, Lewis)
 • Indigenous Film Fest
 o Bringing Her Home, March 20 (Lewis, Thornton, Perry, Elmustafa)
 o Medicine Ball, June 26 (TBD)
 o Peoples’ Protectors, Nov 13 (TBD)
 • Early Childhood Expo (Lewis, Thornton, Musignac)
 • Omar Bonderud Award (Gonsar, Lewis, Holmes, Perry)
 • Democracy with Conditions (Lewis, Musignac)
 • Proclamations:
 o AANHPI, May (Gonsar)
 o Pride, June (Decker)
 o Int’l Day of Peace, Sept (Decker)
 o Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept (Holmes, Lewis)
 o Native American Heritage Month, Nov (Holmes, Kewis)
 o Int’l Day of Human Rights (Gonsar)
 • Disability Employment Awareness Month (Perry, Thornton, Decker)
 • Juneteenth (Musignac, Elmustafa, Lewis)

4. NEW BUSINESS

4.1 HRC Correspondence: No new Human Rights related correspondence was received.

5. ADDITIONAL HANDOUTS

5.1 Updated roster

ADJORNMENT

M/J. Perry, S/N. Gonasr to adjourn the meeting at 6:46pm. Motion passed 8-0


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