Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into a contract with Debora Myles Consulting, LLC in support of the Commission on Black Girls and the CROWN Act.
Debora Myles LLC will be responsible for project management, marketing, promotions, and communications work for the Commission on Black Girls and the CROWN Act and initiatives related to supporting Black girls including but not limited to the following:
• Collaborating with stakeholders to execute events and activities.
• Participating in internal Council team meetings.
• Participating in external stakeholder meetings and presentations.
• Developing presentations for speeches.
• Developing project plans and reports on outcomes.
• Securing photos and videos of events/activities.
• Collecting information and data from various organizations and groups related to the projects that are being managed.
• Content creation, writing, and posting for social media post, newsletter, and other communications.
The Commission on Black Girls published a report in July 2020 that includes three strategies that focus on advocating for resources that will enhance successful quality of life pathways for Black Girls including economically and academically. In December 2020, the Columbus City Council passed legislation on the CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act which prohibits discrimination against cultural and raced based hairstyles. African Americans have been discriminated against when wearing their natural hair in the workplace and in school settings which has an adverse economic impact. Both these initiatives have the potential to positively impact economic outcomes especially for Black women.
Emergency action is necessary to avoid causing interruptions in the delivery of program services.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the Board of Health to enter into contract with Debora Myles Consulting LLC for project management, marketing, promotions, and communications work in support of the Commission on Black Girls and the CROWN Act; to authorize appropriations and expenditures of $28,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($28,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Commission on Black Girls has studied and assessed the current quality of life for Black girls ages 11-22, residing in central Ohio; and
WHEREAS, through the culmination of analytic results from listening sessions, focus groups, literature reviews, expert discourse and survey results, the Commission has developed recommendations to ensure opportunities, successful futures and the achievement of a high quality of life for Black girls; and
WHEREAS, the CROWN Act campaign was created to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protections to hair texture and protective styles for men, women and gender association which include braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and in public schools; and
WHEREAS, workplace dress codes and grooming policies which prohibit natural hair, including afros, braids, twists, and locks, have a disparate impact on Black individuals as these policies are more likely to deter Black applicants and burden or punish Black employees more than any other group; and
WHEREAS, Debora Myles Consulting, LLC will be responsible for marketing and event planning services for the Commission on Black Girls; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Board of Health in that it is immediately necessary to authorize it to enter into contract with Debora Myles Consulting LLC to avoid causing interruptions in the delivery of program services for the Commission on Black Girls and the CROWN Act, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Debora Myles Consulting, LLC for project management, marketing, promotions, and communications work in support of the Commission on Black Girls and the CROWN Act.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $28,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to Columbus City Council, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $28,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the actions authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.