Minutes: OIC Leadership Meeting (March 1, 2021, 4:00 pm)

Present: Judy Cook (chair), Sam Dorf, Healy Jackson, Leigh Ann Fulford, Madeline Iseli, Roger Crum, Dan Turben, Norbert Klopsch, Kyle Ramey

Excused: Kristi Hale, Jeremy Newport

Guests: Joshua Green, Brian Potts

• Meeting Minutes Approved will be posted to OIC Website.

• Committee Reports

  • Membership Committee (Jackson)

    • Healy update – Had subcommittee meeting with a student representative, Genevieve Uhlman, from the High School.

    • Dorf and Jackson drafted a communication plan as a strategy to help build membership within and outside of Oakwood.

    • What it means to “build a diverse membership.” Cook suggested building connections with other local organizations and asking them to extend invitations to our meetings as well (i.e. Oakwood Historical Society).

  • Programs and Events Committee (Fulford)

    • Fulford introduced the “Diversity 101” series. Interest is already high. First cohort will be in March with a second opportunity may be over the summer. A press release is going out to promote it.

    • Fulford noted that the committee has not met yet. She suggested that a first event could be a book club reading of Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste.

    • Fulford also has a list of resources that she would like to share on our website. Crum suggested we ensure our resource list is balanced and rolled out slowly. Jackson noted that the proposed communication plan has protocols for this.

    • Plan to do a program on redlining in Fall 2021.

  • Current Issues Committee (Iseli)

    • Iseli reported that the Current Issues Committee had a meeting on 8 February. Iseli was concerned that the range of perceptions within the city concerning the need for change are far apart. There was discussion of commissioning a survey of perceptions within the city (using Burgess and Burgess Strategies) interviewing community thought leaders. Iseli is worried that there are people on both sides of the ideological spectrum and that there is not enough shared experience to build community and trust. Iseli believes it is important to establish the baseline of the community. Cook also noted that we may need a survey of perceptions outside the city as well. Iseli noted that Kettering had completed a similar survey, but Iseli has not seen results yet. Crum noted that if we are very transparent in who we are and why we care about our perception will benefit the community.

      • ACTION ITEM: Iseli will follow up with Kettering about their survey.

      • ACTION ITEM: Iseli will share the survey proposal with OIC and City leadership.

    • Avoiding national politics. Klopsch reminded us to keep national political debates out of committee meetings and communications. Crum suggested that it is important to strike a balance.
      

• Old Business

  • Incorporation/501(c)(3)/Bank Account

    • EIN number issued: No updates.

    • 501(c)(3) application submitted: No updates.

  • Financial policies

    • Check writing authority: No updates.

    • Protocols for expenditures: No updates.

  • Designing OIC Logo/Branding Campaign

    • Crum updated student teams have begun logo design and branding campaign proposals. Teams will present initial design work to a subgroup of OIC on 17 March and then take feedback to finalize work.
      

• New Business

  • Communications Strategy and Communications Committee: Jackson suggested OIC

    • ACTION ITEM: Jackson and Dorf will make edits and send document to OIC for comments. OIC members should read carefully and send comments and suggestions to OIC before next leadership meeting.
      

  • April 28 Meeting Planning:

    • Ensure that the topics are about education and dialogue

    • Suggestions:

      • · FORMAT: presentation followed by small group discussions

      • · TOPICS:

        • How to have difficult conversations

        • Braver Angels program (braverangels.org)

        • Interfaith women’s organization

        • NCCJ

        • Diversity of faith within Oakwood

        • Documentary/Film screening (Dayton riots made by OHS students) followed by guided conversation and then small group discussion.
          

  • Leadership Team Reports

    • Chair/Vice Chair (Kristi/Judy): none

    • Treasurer (Jeremy): none

    • Secretary (Sam): none

    • City Liaison (Norb): none

    • School Liaison (Kyle): District task force is working on a plan. DEI has been a focus and a priority.

    • At Large Member (Dan): none

    • At Large Member (Roger): none
      

• Leadership Team Meeting Schedule: not discussed

• Meeting Adjourned at 5:23pm

Respectfully submitted, Sam Dorf