Minority and Justice Commission
Meeting Minutes
Outreach Subcommittee
Meeting Minutes
January 15, 1999
The Outreach Subcommittee of the Minority and Justice Commission was called to order by Ms. Myrna I. Contreras at 12:25 p.m. on Friday, January 15, 1999 at One Union Square, Room 1718, Seattle. In attendance were: Ms. Myrna I. Contreras, Ms. Mary Alice Theiler, Judge Philip J. Thompson, Richard F. McDermott, Jr., Brian A. Tsuchida, and Ms. Donna V. McConnell-Adams.
The purpose of the Outreach Subcommittee meeting was to discuss the Equal Justice newsletter, the Outreach Subcommittee contribution to the Annual Report, the Outreach Subcommittee budget, and the Washington State Equal Justice Model Training Manual.
The subcommittee discussed the January 1999 issue of the Equal Justice newsletter. The subcommittee also discussed the cost estimates that Ms. McConnell-Adams received from the Washington State Department of Printing.
The subcommittee discussed the theme for the April 1999 issue of the Equal Justice newsletter, which is Minority Bar Associations. Ms. McConnell-Adams discussed a letter that was mailed to Minority Bar Associations on December 7, 1998. The letter described the Minority and Justice Commission and invited each of the Minority Bar Associations to contribute articles for the April 1999 issue of the Equal Justice newsletter.
Ms. Donna V. McConnell-Adams presented proposed themes for future issues of the newsletter. The subcommittee discussed the subjects and approved the following themes for 1999:
- July 1999 -- Tribal Court Systems or Indian Law
- October 1999 -- Justice and Women of Color
- The subcommittee decided to discuss the year 2000 themes at the close of this year.
The Outreach subcommittee discussed future issues of the Equal Justice newsletter and established the following assignments and discussion items:
- Brian Tsuchida will call Mike Salazer at the Washington State Bar Association Commission on Opportunities for Minorities in the Profession.
- The subcommittee will research the Minority Association for Judges to identify if it is a local or national organization.
- The subcommittee discussed the State Bar's "Courageous" Award. Ms. Mary Alice Theiler will research this award.
- The subcommittee discussed the possibility of preparing a list of Washington State judges who are women of color for an upcoming issue.
- A subcommittee member raised the possibility of asking Judge Vicki J. Toyohara to write an article on behalf of Administrative Judges for the October 1999 issue.
- Los Angeles Municipal Court Judge Veronica Simmons McBeth, who spoke at the Tenth Annual National Consortium of Task Forces and Commissions on Racial and Ethnic Bias in the Courts meeting in Seattle was mentioned as a potential writer or subject for the October 1999 issue.
- The subcommittee discussed cultural and language barriers from the perspective of domestic violence attorneys or judges as an article subject.
The subcommittee discussed who might be featured on the cover of future Equal Justice newsletter issues. The following names were discussed:
- Judge Loren Miller. Ms. Myrna I. Contreras will research information on Judge Miller
- Judge Veronica Simmons McBeth
- Judge Norma J. Huggins
- Judge Carmen Otero
Ms. McConnell-Adams presented the mailing list summary of the Equal Justice newsletter to the subcommittee. The subcommittee reviewed the list and made some additions.
Mr. Richard F. McDermott, Jr. and Ms. Contreras will work on developing a summary of the Outreach subcommittee's activities for the 1998 Annual Report.
The subcommittee reviewed its most recent budget status report. Ms. McConnell-Adams explained that the subcommittee's budget was $5,500 through the end of the biennium, June 1999.
Ms. Contreras discussed the Washington State Equal Justice Model Training Manual with the Outreach subcommittee members. The subcommittee members requested additional information. Ms. Mary Alice Theiler will research the Washington State Equal Justice Model Training Manual and provide additional information to the subcommittee.
The subcommittee discussed meeting on a quarterly basis prior to publication of the Equal Justice newsletter. The next meeting of the Outreach subcommittee will be scheduled during March 1999 to discuss the April 1999 issue of the Equal Justice newsletter.
The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
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