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HRC Monthly Meeting

Orange County · Human Relations Commission
Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Regular meeting Civil rights and nondiscriminationArts and public artDEI programsEnvironment and sustainabilityHistoric preservationHousing and affordability

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved IIMinutes Approval Approved unanimously
  2. Approved IVBlackwood Farms Marker Marker approved unanimously

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

The Orange County Human Relations Commission voted on 25 February 2025 to place a commemorative marker at Blackwood Farms in recognition of the burial ground for enslaved people there. Geological testing is complete and the inscription comes back at the next meeting.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The marker motion carried unanimously, and the county's cultural resources coordinator was to present his research at the March meeting.

A commissioner withdrew a proclamation he had brought forward, modelled on one adopted by the Chicago Board of Aldermen, after discussion concluded the county would not benefit from it because the text was too open to misinterpretation.

Staff reported that an anti-DEI bill had been filed in the General Assembly, and listed three events: a community read of The Sum of Us on 27 February, a discussion of the film My Name is Pauli Murray on 13 March at Eno Arts Mill, and a Women's History Month retreat on 22 March. The vice chair reported positive feedback from the commissioners on the outreach work plan, named the political climate as a concern and raised a possible listening session for 2025, and named affordable housing as a known issue in the county.

How the votes went

Two unanimous votes: the minutes and approving a commemorative marker at Blackwood Farms.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (5)

Staff or committee report · 2Discussion item · 2Minutes approval · 1
  1. II Minutes Approval
    Minutes approval
    Approved unanimously
  2. III County Updates
    Staff or committee report Arts and public artCivil rights and nondiscriminationDEI programs
    A community book read on 27 February, a film discussion on 13 March at Eno Arts Mill, a Women's History Month retreat on 22 March, and notice that an anti-DEI bill has been filed in the legislature.
  3. IV Blackwood Farms Marker
    Discussion item Arts and public artCivil rights and nondiscriminationHistoric preservation
    Geological testing is complete. The inscription will be discussed at the next meeting, and the county's cultural resources coordinator will present his research in March.
    Marker approved unanimously
  4. V Executive Committee Report
    Staff or committee report Civil rights and nondiscriminationEnvironment and sustainabilityHousing and affordability
    The commissioners gave positive feedback on the outreach work plan. The vice chair named the political climate as a concern and raised a possible listening session, and named affordable housing as a known issue.
  5. VI Sub-Committee Reports
    Discussion item Civil rights and nondiscrimination
    A proclamation modelled on one adopted in Chicago was withdrawn after discussion found the text too open to misinterpretation.

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