ORDER-2023-8 : Appointment of Doug DiBrielle, 39 Reading Ave, to the Melrose Human Rights Commission, for a three-year term, said term to expire on the last day of February, 2025.

Transcript (~12 min @ 1:06)

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▶ 1:00 Jen Grigoraitis: public comment is now closed we have four orders before us tonight in the first is Order 2020 3-8 appointment of Doug De Brielle 39 reading Ave to the Melrose Human Rights Commission for three year term said term to expire on the last day of February 2025 and while our guests are getting seated at the table. I will entertain a motion

▶ 1:26 Robb Stewart: to suspend the rules make a motion to suspenders

▶ 1:28 Jen Grigoraitis: second. So we have a motion to suspend the rules made by counselor Stewart seconded by President sonella all in favor. Aye any opposed. The rules are suspended welcome, mayor Broder and Mr. Debriel, which I hope I pronounce correctly.

▶ 1:43 Paul Brodeur: Deep real and I just asked to make sure to bed. Thank you madam, chair members of the committee. It is good to be back in front of you today. As you know, Melrose has a long and robust history of Respecting human rights including the establishment long ago compared to other cities and towns in the Commonwealth a Human Rights Commission. We regrettably continue to see the need for this commission. And I know several of you have served in the position. We're talking about the evening and I'm a very excited to offer Mr. Diabriel's candidacy. He is a member of the LG gtq Community is a licensed clinical melt the health counselor and an executive coach actually how I met it's the real is actually during my time at the State House when I was working on some legislation related to post traumatic stress, and that is actually how we first met through him appearing at the state house and giving me some clinical information about about that issue and how we can perhaps better deal with both for folks in the military and folks quite. Frankly in civilian life that also face also faced that trauma his education and his training is experience in particular is life experience has provided him with the skills and compassion quite frankly necessary to facilitate difficult discussions and mediate conflicts here within our city. And as you again as you all know one of the original reasons for the formation of the Human Rights Commission was to create that opportunity for dialogue and I am convinced that Mr. Di barelli's. Therapeutic training will be quite from the a unique asset to the commission and I hope you will give favorable consideration to his candidate candidacy and with that I will turn it over to Doug.

▶ 3:55 Speaker 1: wow, that was impressive couldn't do without you. Hey, thank you. Yeah, so so I guess just in being here. Thank you for for I don't know making this space for thank you for the invitation. It's a real honor and I think that

▶ 4:21 Speaker 1: I'll speak just briefly on why I'm interested in in taking this role on so fairly quick story relatively new to Melrose. I think from 2016 is when we moved here. I'm sorry. Yeah. Yep 2016. So yeah, I mean just yeah, I still feel as relatively new anyways. And my husband and I chose Melrose actually mainly because well, it's a super cute Community just saying but but also because the Melrose Human Rights Commission when we saw the logo and that one Community opened all it really was attractive to us given some of our experiences. just in different places living in the world where same-sest couples are not necessarily, you know welcomed in some cases so it felt welcoming to us and and then we now have a five year old daughter and I think that as we're on the adventure in the Melrose Public School System I was observing in some of the fascinating Facebook chats last year that that I I really Pad Paws and was like there's so much. Conflict going on and and and some of these folks. I know and I'm struck by it and it doesn't have to be this way is really what I was thinking and I reached out to The principal Donna at the ECC the Franklin school and said hey you poor thing you're this is tough. How can I get involved and Joined up with the diversity equity and inclusion effort in in the PTO side of things and began to engage in conversations around. How do we make space? To invite people to learn about what diversity equity and inclusion is really all about and and the example that I really like to use is, you know in our current political climate. How do we make space for those that let's say might be more politically blue households. It makes space for the more politically red households if you will, right because we're in such a polarized climate right now because like to me that's what one Community opened to all really means is how do we have discourse in public discourse that spans our differences in a way that's respectful to one another and it's sort of a passion project of mine and I just have a and a profound curiosity to get to know people and I consider myself a bit of a Labrador like our golden retriever in that sense. And and it's a real I think. In my career in the work that I do working with individuals couples organizations helping them understand different perspectives and points of view it this sort of my natural way of being comes together as a skill set to actually really enjoy conversations across difference getting to know people and learning how to do it and teaching others how to do that. So taking those skills into I think this opportunity when I first learned that there were space on the Human Rights Commission. It was at the recent Pride event. And so it it was something on my radar screen and it sort of come together in a really neat way. So I'm here because I I'm I've carved out the time I'm ready to serve and I'd really like to see how I can help. I think so much of the good work that's already being done in this community. To create spaces for those conversations across difference because at the end of the day in our human condition, we are all in many ways more alike. Than we are different and it's I think our struggles and our fears that sometimes pits us against one another. So when we see each other in that light, it's much easier to have compassion empathy towards our fellow neighbors. So that's that's me.

▶ 8:38 Speaker 2: Thank you very much for sharing that are there any questions from the council counselor? Jamal Dean? Thank you. I want

▶ 8:45 Maya Jamaleddine: to thank you for Stephanie and taking this new role of viewers when we met the first time. It was during when you were telling your story. I actually met your husband and your daughter first and what it beautiful family you have amazing your story was definitely Very interesting and beautiful like her family. Thank you again, and I hope you find the way to bring everyone together and make make it make this community even more diverse. Thank you.

▶ 9:21 Speaker 2: Council Williams

▶ 9:22 Ryan Williams: Hi. Thank you. So have a basic question. How do you take your Ideas and turn them into action. I know that you haven't you're not having Human Rights Commission yet. So you don't really know but you must have some thoughts and I'm interested to hear what they might be. Yeah, so I think it first it starts with really getting up to speed on what's

▶ 9:51 Speaker 1: currently in existence. I I did as much as I could to learn about the Human Rights Commission. So but I think it's always different from the inside in terms of getting history. So what's what's present what ideas are are currently in motion. I think that one example, I might that I have noticed sit in a city-wide effort is the Melrose reads effort where just the initiative to have a book that talks about people's lives the American Ferrera book that from the outside looking in it looked like we had opportunity to I think this is not a criticism but their space there's so many wonderful efforts. I think in the community where people want to make real difference and bring people together and linking those in a Central Way seems like it's a question. I have I'm wondering what's linked what isn't linked and gathering information is a starting place and then from that information. Just being really curious about well, what's possible what do people think and and that really informs what needs to be done? So it's by Deep listening really understanding what people's opinions are where that where the stress points are and when we begin to understand those and understand what are you afraid is going to happen and that's where the goal is when we tap into the concerns people have we really begin to notice where we need to put our efforts and that's I don't know that directly answers your question. It doesn't give a very structural answer but it's the information sort of helps helps to pave the way in terms of what needs to be done. Thank you.

▶ 11:41 Jen Grigoraitis: Any other counselors with questions counselor? Magleire Vice

▶ 11:45 Leila Migliorelli: Army Leary? Thank you madam chair. Thank you, Mr. Dibrail for being here tonight in your application for the commission. I would just wanted to say it's a noble cause you're trying to undertake to try to pull together all these different groups. It's something that I think those of us who have worked in community organizations around the city various points and currently are struggling with so I really appreciate that. I actually have a quick question for the mayor. Do you have a sense of I know we've seen a lot of appointments for the HRC. We is the commission now fully fully commissioned depends on what you

▶ 12:16 Paul Brodeur: do with this nomination. Yes, if assuming this goes through then we would be at a full

▶ 12:25 Speaker 3: complement. Okay, that's great. So looking forward to seeing what this whole new commission will will take on and lead in the city. Thank you.

▶ 12:35 Speaker 4: Councilor Stewart, I'm sure I'll make a motion recommend people

▶ 12:38 Jen Grigoraitis: second. We have a motion to recommend made by counselor Stewart seconded by Vice chairmanelli all in favor. I any opposed so that will be recommended to the full Council. Thank you for being here tonight and thank you for volunteering. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Thank you.