The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutJ-4 Resolution: Symbolic MoratoriumCity of ~I ~l iami ~arc~ens 1515-200 NW 167`~ Street Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 .t A 11Rr As~enda Cover Pas~e Date: June 27'h, 2007 Fiscal Impact: No X Yes ^ (If yes, explain in Staff Summary) Funding Source: ContracUP.O. Requirement: Yes ^ No^ Sponsor Name/Department: Mayor Shirley Gibson Public hearing ^ Ordinance ^ Mayor Shirley Gibson Vice Mayor Oscaz Braynon II Councilman Melvin L. Bratton Councilman Aaron Campbell Jr. Councilman Andre Williams Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett Councilwoman Bazbara Watson Quasi-Judicial ^ Resolution ^ 1 st Reading ^ 2nd Reading ^ Advertising requirement: Yes o No X RFP/RFQ # Yes ^ No X Title A resolution of the City Council of the City of Miami Gardens, Florida, declaring a symbolic moratorium on the use of the "N-word" in the City of Miami Gardens and joininng with the Miami-Dade County Commission in urging all sister-manipulates to approve similar resolutions; providing for the adoption of representations; providing an effective date. Summarv The Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution R-636-07 (Attachment 1), which encourages the residents of unincorporated Miami-Dade County to cease from using the "N-Word" and to encourage others with whom they may encounter to do the same. The Board further urges municipalities to approve similar resolutions encouraging its residents not to use the "N-Word." The "N-Word" remains a symbol of racism and prejudice against African Americans and numerous high profile incidents involving use of the "N-Word" have elicited outrage and condemnation from the African American community, as well as from the community at large. The resolution calls for a symbolic moratorium on the use of the "N-Word" within the City of Miami Gardens and urges residents to refrain from using this offensive phrase. Recommendation Recommend Council approval. J-4) CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTION SYMBOLIC MORATORIUM RESOLUTION No. 2007- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, DECLARING A SYMBOLIC MORATORIUM ON THE USE OF THE "N-WORD" IN THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS AND JOINING WITH THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION IN URGING ALL SISTER-MUNICIPALITIES TO APPROVE SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 1 WHEREAS, the first documented written use of the "N-word" was in 1786 when 2 the "N-word" was used by slave masters to label African slaves and it has its origins in 3 the contempt and hatred that slave masters had for African slaves, and 4 WHEREAS, the late 1960's produced a surge of racial pride when the terms 5 "Black" and "Black is Beautiful" were taken on by the African American community as 6 positive and affirming, and participants of the Black Power Movement denounced use of 7 the "N-word", and 8 WHEREAS, although the term remained extremely degrading in the Black 9 Community, some African Americans started using the "N-word" to refer to themselves 10 during the 1970's cultural era known as Black Exploitation and also during the beginning 11 of the 1990's cultural era known as Hip Hop, and 12 WHEREAS, in 2003, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 13 People (NAACP) successfully influenced Merriam-Webster lexicographers to change 14 the dictionary definition of the "N-word" to no longer mean African Americans; at the 15 same time, the term "N-word" began being used in popular culture and in media reports 16 in an effort to avoid publicly using the controversial and disparaging word's full spelling 17 or pronunciation, and 18 WHEREAS, the "N-word" remains a symbol of racism and prejudice against 19 African Americans, and numerous high profile incidents involving the use of the "N- 20 word" have elicited outrage and condemnation from the African American community, 21 as well as from the community at-large, and 22 WHEREAS, the continued use of the "N-word" is divisive, insulting and scars the 23 National psyche, and 24 WHEREAS, this Council encourages the residents of the City of Miami Gardens 25 to cease the use of the "N-word," and to encourage others they may encounter to do the 26 same, and 27 WHEREAS, this Council further urges sister-municipalities to approve similar 28 resolutions encouraging their residents to cease the use of the "N-word", 29 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY 30 OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: 31 Section 1. ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS: The foregoing Whereas 32 paragraphs are hereby ratified and confirmed as being true, and the same are hereby 33 made a specific part of this Resolution. 34 Section 2. DECLARATION: The City Council of the City of Miami Gardens 35 declares a symbolic moratorium on the use of the "N-word" in the City and urges all City 36 residents to refrain from using this offensive word and to encourage others to cease 37 using the word. 38 Section 3. AUTHORIZATION: The City Council of the City of Miami Gardens 39 hereby authorizes the City Clerk to transmit certified copies of this resolution to the 40 League of Cities and to each municipality within Miami-Dade County. 41 Section 4. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Resolution shall take effect immediately 42 upon its final passage. 43 PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI 44 GARDENS AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD ON JULY 11, 2007. 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 SHIRLEY GIBSON, MAYOR ATf EST: RONETTA TAYLOR, CMC, CITY CLERK Prepared by JAMES C. BRADY, ESQ. Assistant City Attorney SPONSORED BY: SHIRLEY GIBSON, MAYOR MOVED BY: VOTE: Mayor Shirley Gibson (Yes) (No) Vice Mayor Oscar Braynon, II (Yes) (No) Councilman Melvin L. Bratton (Yes) (No) Councilman Aaron Campbell (Yes) (No) Councilman Andre Williams (Yes) (No) Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett (Yes) (No) Councilwoman Barbara Watson (Yes) (No) JCB/teh 261735_1.DOC 76 Jr~_~,.c Harvey Ruvin ° CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT AND COUNTY COURTS Miami=6ade Ci~unty, Fror+da a~....~ - ,~ CLERK OF TWE BOARD OF COtlNTY COMMiSS10NERS 5TEPHEN P. CLARK MiAMI-DADE GOVERNMEN7 CENTER SUITE 't7-202 111 N. W. 1 st S#reet Miami, FL 3312&19$3 Telephone: {305) 375-5126 ~ax: (305) 375-2484 Tune 1, 200 i Honoi~able Shu•ley Gi'i~son Mayoi City of~Miami Gazdez~s 1515 N..VV.. 167th Stc•eet, B1dg. 5 Miami Gat~dens, ~lorida 33 i 69 Dear Mayor G~son: RECE3V,ED JUN 0 7 2007 A copy of'Resolution No.. R-636-07 adopted on May 22, 2007, is p2ovided to you at the request of fhe Miami~-Dade County Board of County Corntnissione~s.. If you have any questions oi need additional informarion, please contact oui office.. Respectfully yours, HARVEY RLTVIN, Clerk Circuit and County Caurts =~~ '~%'~,~`~x~'"!S' ay~- -------- Kay ~ilivan,~Ditectar C2erk o€'the BoaTd Division KS:fcd AEtxchments Cantral Depasitary - Civi7 Divisioa - Clerk of'tLe Board - Code Enforcement - Compholter / Audioor - Couary Recorder - Criminel Divi~on - llistrict Courts Divi~on - Fama7y Courts Divisioa - Hnn3nn Rasourees / Adminis~rative Services - Juvenila Division - lvfarriage Liconse - Parking Violations - Recoids ! Arcbives Managemn~ -- Technical Setvices Division - Traf&o Division - V A B Clerk's web address: www.miami-dadecterk.com Approved __ , _~_ R a~r ~~ ida Item No., 14(A)2) Veto 5-22 ~0 7 _ 4vertide _____, QFFlC{AL F1LE COPY q.~RK OF THE 80ARD OF CQUNTY COMIViiSS10lV~RS RESOLUIION NO. _R-636-07 i~NAiNFDACIE COUNTY, FLOR{DA RESOLU7ION DECLARING A SYIVIBOLIC MOR.ATORTUM ON IHE USE OF THE "N-WORD" IN UNINCORROR.ATED MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND URGING MUNICIPA~,IT~S TO APPROVE SIMII,AR RESOLUIIONS WHEREAS, the fi~st documented vv~itten use of the "AI-word" was in 1786 when the "N woi~d" was used by slave masters to label A~t7can slaves and has its oYigins in the contempt and hatted that slave masters had for Afiican slaves; and WHEREAS, the Iafe 1960's produced a suige of~racial pride when the teims "Black" and `Black is Beautifizl" were taken on by the Af~ican American community as positive and affizming and participants of the Black PoweY Movement denounced use of the "N-woid"; and WIIEREAS, although t1~e term remained exn~emely degt~.ding in the Black Community, some African Azneiicans statted using the "N-word" to refei to themselves duiing the 1970's cult~u~at eia known as Biack Exploitation and also diuing the beginning of'the 1990's culhual. era known as Hip Hop; and WHEREAS, in 2003, the National Association foi the Advancement of~ Colored People (NAACP) successfully influenced Metiiam-Webster lexicogtaphers to change the dictionaiy definition of'the "N-word" to no longer~ mean Afxican Americans; at the same time, the teim "N- woxd" bega~ being used in popular culhu~e and in media reports in an effoi~t to avoid. publiciy using the controversial and disparaging woz~d's full spelling or pF~onunciation; and WHEREAS, t~e "N-ward" remains a symbol af' raciszn and prejudice against Afiican Americans and numei~ous hi.gh profile incidents involving use of' the "N-war~d" have elicited G irrnu¢ESOU~sz Doc ~ , •,. _ - ; , _ _ - Age: Item No.. 14(A)(~) , _ , Page iv.o.. 2 'r~"~~t'a~' a€rad~ea~'~lemnataon from th~ Afrieari ~meiican community, as we1l as frorn the ~ l, ~ ~ ~ .. ' r •, ~ .~ts t ~ ~ . . ~~ ~ CQIl1lI1~1TL1~ ~'~~~~~~y~~i1C~ ?'+t'3 .,+ t ; .. ~ i •' ~ r . .. . ~' s~.`1% ~. ~':~:,5. ~.. . - WHEREA,S, this Boaz•d encou~~ges the F~sidents of' unincoFpoiatecI Miami-Dade Co~uity to cease from usin~ the "N-wor~d" and to e~cotatt'age others with whom they ma~ encountez~ to do the aame; and R'HEREAS, this Boa.~~d futthei' iuges municipalities to appro~e simi~a.F• resolutions encot~aging its resider~ts no~ to use the "I~F-woi~c~", NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT 1tESQLVED 8Y TH~ BO~ItD O~ CQiINT~ COMNIISSIONERS 4F MIANII•-D:ADE COi}NTY,. ~7.ORIDA, t~at this Boazd: Section 1. Deela~es a symbolie moiatoiium on the use of~ the "N~word" in unincoipoiated 1'v~iazni-Dade C:ount~ aud ur~es t~e resic~ents o~'the Covnty to x~efratn from using tkus offensive wor~d and to encoiuage o~e~~s to eease using the wozd, Seet'ron 2. Dir•ects the Cl~rk of th~; Board to tx~nnsmit ceitified co ies of t~iis `~ . P z~esolutiog to the Leag~ze of Cities anc~ ta eaeh municipality wit~in ~1~Iiazni-Dad$ ~oun~y. The foY•egoing iesolution was sponsared by 'Uiee-Ehairwamarr Ba~bat~ J_ .Jo~~dan, Commissio~er~ Audrey M. Edmonson anc~ Comrnissionez Dennis C.. Moss and offei~ec~ by Commissione~~ Re~e~.~ Sosa , who moved its adoption.. Ihe m.otion was seconded by eommissioner por~z in D. Ro11~ and upon being p~t to a vote, the vote was as follows: B~uno A.. BaYY~eiz~q ChaiYman aye Ba.riiaia.J Jorc~a.~, Vice-Chairworrian aye Jase "Pepe" Diaz ay~ Aud.tey M.. Edmonson aye Cazlos A. Gimenez aye Sally A„ Heyman aye .Joe A.. Mattine~ aye Dennis C. Moss aXe Do~iiz~ I?:, Rolle aye Natacha Seija,s ay~ Katy So~~ensoz~ aye Rebeca Sosa aye Sen., .Tavier D., Sou~o abse~t C.1WPUtESOLfi32DOC ~ , ! ~' A'~~a Item No., 14 ( A)( 2) Pa~~ No. 3 ~he Chairperson thereupon declared the resolution duly passed and adopted this ` 22°a day of'May, 200~ This i~esolution shati become ef~ective ten (10) days aftei• the date of its adoption unless vetoed by the Mayor, and if' vetoed, shali become eff'ective only upan an oveYYide by tlus Boat~d.. _ __ MIAMI-DADE COUN7~; FLORIDA BY IT'S BOARD OF - - COUNTY CONIMISSIONERS ~ 'F ~ ~i'~ ,~ ~ _..~.+..... Q ~ ~o~~~ A .~.~ j z ~ ~ ~ ~~~ !~ > ~ HARVEY RUVIN, CLERK ~ ~ .~~ ? BY~ ____, Deputy Clerk Approved by County Attorney as to form and legal suf~iciency. Abigail Piice-Williams / c:1wPVtFS0uas2 DOC ~ MEM4~,A-NDUM TO: Honotable Chaitman Bruno A.. Bat7•eiro and Membeis, Board of County CommissioneYs FRONL: Muiray A.. Gz~eenberg County Attvzuey _~ . 1 ~ ~ Agenda Item No.. 14 ( A)( 2) DATE: May 22, 2b07 SUBJECT: -Resalution declaring a symbolic moratorium on the use of'the "N-Woid" Ihe accomgan,ying r~esolution was prepar•ed and placed on the agenda at the request of ~ Vice-Chairwoman B~azbara ,I,. ,Tordan, Commissianer Audrey M Ed~nonson and Commissioner Dennis C. Moss. MAG/bw ~ . , -. _ . ~ . 1-` ~ ~,~lJ~~-L-~1 ~1,V V lYl :~~ (~2evised~ -- -____.~.~ _.~__... - _ _ - T0: Hono~~a.ble Cliauman Bruno A Bajxei~o ~ATE: ~~~ 2 2, 2 0 0 7 and Members, Boazd af Caunty Cammissioaei~s ~ ~~ ' . ~ FR4M; un~a~! A: ~`e '-~\y SUBJECT: Agen~a I~em No. 1:4 (A) € 2}` ~ountyA otney Please note any iteDas checi~ed. _ "4Da~ l:~uie" ("3 Day Rule" fo~~ commiife~s) ap~Ticalile if' ~-aised _ 6 weeks Yequired between fr~s~ r~~ading and public fiea.ring ~~ ___ 4 weeks natii~iication fo znunicipa~ officials t~equ~rec~ prior to public hear3ng Decz~eases x•evenues or incr~~sses e~pe~tdifutes vc~ithout balaaeiug budge~ Sudget r~equix ed Statem:en# offiscal impact requir~ed Bid ~vvaiver r equtxing Countq Manager's,wriite~r reeommEendation ~r~dfnance cxeating a nevv boar~d r~equires detai~ted Co~tnty 1VTanager's r~eport for public hearing $ousek~eping item (no policy decision t•equir•ed) ~ _ No comzaittee r~eview ~ STP~TE OF FLORIDA ) ) SS~ CO~JNTY OF MiAMI-DADE ) T, ~ARVEY RI1V~N, ~lerk of the Ctrc~.tit and ~ounty Courts, in and for Mia~i-Dade ~o~~~y, F~orida, a~d Ex-af#ic~o Glet~ o# ~he Boa~d of ~fl~nty Commissioncrs of said Co+~nty, DO HEREBY CERTIFY ~at thc ai~ovc arid foreg~ing is a ttue anrl correct copy of Resoiution ~-~fi3S-{)? whic~ ~,vas adopted by the Board of County Comzrtissioners at its meeting held on May 22, 2007, as ~ppear•s of r~ecor•d.. IN WITNE.SS WHEREOF, I have hereur~to set my hand and official seat on this 1st day of June, A..D.., 2007 ~-iARVEY R[JVIN, Clerl~ Board ot Caunty Cnmmissioners 11~Iiami--Dade County, Florida ~ - - /~ BY: G2'~/ C-- De~uty Clerk Board of Cownty Commissioners Miami-Uade County, F'lor~ida