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Residents, former commissioners say board consolidations risk silencing communities of color
Summary
Public commenters criticized recent council decisions to consolidate or merge advisory boards, including concerns that the African American Affairs Board was not seated and that Hispanic and immigrant affairs panels were merged into the Human Relations Commission without adequate consultation.
Several current and former volunteer commissioners and community residents told the council during public comment they are concerned that recent consolidations of advisory boards and commissions will reduce community voice, especially for residents of color.
Byron Laws, who said he is a District C resident and served as chair of the Human Relations Commission (HRC), criticized the council for failing to seat the African American Affairs Board after community requests and for consolidating the Hispanic and Immigrant Affairs bodies into the HRC. Laws said the moves left minority‑majority districts…
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