Morris Human Rights Commission

Annual Report 2004

In January, the MHRC website was updated. News article was submitted on the Morris Human Rights Essay contest. Video kits were donated to the MAHS and videos were ordered for the Morris Public Library. LeAnn Love was re-appointed as chair for 2004, Ann Streed as secretary/treasurer. MHRC membership: Bert Ahern, Sue Granger, LeAnn Love, Mike Miller, Jody Snow, Ann Streed, Jerry Schmidt (city council representative).

MHRC members voted to support some UMM students’ petition to oppose the Marriage Amendment defining marriage as between man and woman. New member process was initiated for Dave McRobert’s vacancy. There were 12 essays entered in this year’s contest. LeAnn represented the MHRC at an All-American City meeting to discuss diversity issues in Morris.

No March minutes.

In April, essay contest winner was announced as Alexandra Kopel. The MHRC new member application was reviewed for possible revision to be modeled after the Planning commission application. Sue Granger and Mike Miller attended the Dialogue Project sponsored by the UMM Diversity and Outreach coordinator, Walter Fisher. LeAnn began discussion on the possibility of a regional idea exchange between Morris and several other HRC’s.

May’s brief minutes included more discussion on the regional idea exchange.

No quorum for June or July meetings.

MHRC re-convened in August. Jody Snow represented the MHRC at the UMM student orientation parent fair at a booth with brochures, display, etc. Sal Monteagudo shared with the MHRC the diveristy goals from the All-American city organization. Jody Snow was called by MPD as an interpreter to assist in an incident. Sue Granger asked to review the process for the newspaper articles and website updates to distribute the workload among members.

In September, the discussion on the newpaper articles would be to highlights MHRC members or local people or groups (for example-information on the Sisseton-Wahpeton reservation). Jody Snow translated to Spanish, new travel restrictions to assist locals whose primary language is Spanish.

October: LeAnn Love asked Ed Larson to re-open the new member process to fill vacancy. Morris Human Rights Essay contest topic for 2005 will be to describe an experience of discrimination and relate it to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Leann consulted with Mort Ryweck from the state League of HRC’s about the regional idea exchange. Jody Snow was re-appointed as director-at-large for League of Human Rights Commissions Region two.

The Morris Sun-Tribune agreed to interview Jody Snow about her interpretation and translation work and the Dakota Language books she co-authored. More information on the idea exchange: Leann spoke with a Fergus Falls representative who expressed interest in the exchange. UMM Spanish students will translate the MHRC brochure to Spanish under the supervision of professor Stacey Aronson. Planning for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has begun and the possibility of a MAHS Human Rights Day was discussed.

It was reported in December that the MHRC expenditures for 2004 were minimal but projections for 2005 are expected to be higher and to include the Idea Exchange, book purchases, and a possible MAHS Human Rights Day. Ann Streed coordinated and distributed a survey to students (8-12 grades) on “Taking the Human Rights Temperature of Our Schools. Interest in assisting the MHRC in its mission has been expressed by Fang Du of UMM-translating, Michael Haynes-improving commerce environment, Jody Snow-interpreting. Leann Love (regrettably) requested her resignation from the Morris Human Rights Commission.