Agenda and Minutes - Pillar 4: Address Barriers to Paid Work, Education, and Advancement

Illinois Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security

Subcommittee: Address Barriers to Paid Work, Education, and Advancement

Second Quarter Meeting

May 8, 2023

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Recording

Members:

Appointment Member Affiliation
Chair Jennifer Groce Director of Community Promotion, Northern Illinois University
Commission Member Senator Kimberly Lightford Illinois State Senator
IWGP Member Anna Koepel Legislative Director, Illinois Department of Labor
IWGP Member Amaal Tokars Assistant Director, Illinois Department of Public Health
IWGP Member Jason Horwitz Deputy Director, Office of Policy Development, Planning, and Research, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Public Member Erion Malasi Director of Policy and Advocacy, Economic Security for Illinois
Public Member Meredith Byers UniServ Director, Illinois Education Association
Public Member Kafi Moragne Patterson Senior Program Director, Inclusive Economy Lab, Urbanlabs
Public Member Jennifer Gentile Deputy Director, Bureau of Clinical Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities
Public Member Heather Becker Region 12 Chairperson, Illinois Education Association
Public Member Crystal Bush UniServ Director, Illinois Education Association
Public Member Amy Evans
Public Member Gina Harris Member, Illinois Education Association; Board member, Oak Park and River Forest High School
Public Member Jeremy Rosen Director of Economic Justice, Shriver Center on Poverty Law

Administrator: Kari Branham, IDHS Special Projects Administrator

IDHS SME: Dan Lyonsmith, FCS Associate Director, Office of Workforce Development

AGENDA:

  1. Introductions/Welcome Roll Call
  2. Public Comment - subject to written comment in advance
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: March 1, 2023
  4. Group Development of Specific Action Goals
  5. Next Steps and Adjournment

Meeting Minutes

Subcommittee members in attendance:

  1. Jennifer Groce - Chairperson of Pillar 4 subcommittee
  2. Asst. Director Amaal Tokars - IWGP member
  3. Anna Koeppel - IWGP member
  4. Danielle Hogue - representative from the Office of Senator Kimberly Lightford (Poverty Commission member)
  5. Kimberly Tate - representative from the Office of Senator Kimberly Lightford
  6. Kafi Moragne-Patterson - Public member
  7. Jeremy Rosen - Public member

Administrator: Dana Kelly, IDHS Chief Policy Officer

Guests:

  1. Matthew Rodriguez - Equity Imperative
  2. Dan Lyonsmith, IDHS- FCS Associate Director, Office of Workforce Development
  1. Introductions/Welcome/Roll Call
    • Roll call was done by Kari and Chair Groce provided the welcome.
    • Chair Groce also stated the goal of the meeting and introduced Mr. Dan Lyonsmith from IDHS who will provide some expertise and Mr. Matthew Rodriguez who will facilitate the discussion
  2. Public Comment - Subject to written comment in advance, none received.
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes March 1, 2023 - quorum was not achieved and so approval of minutes was postponed for the next meeting
  4. Group Development of Specific Action Goals - Mr. Rodriguez led and facilitated the development of action goals using the SMART goals framework
    • Assistant Director Amaal Tokars mentioned that she asked her colleagues at IDPH for a meeting later in May for them to share their insights in relation to the actionable items that the subcommittee needs to formulate. She asked Chair Groce if that initiative is relevant and if not, she will not push through with the meeting. Chair Groce thinks it's a valid conversation and Dir. Tokars can go ahead with it and then afterwards possibly meet again with herself, Matthew and Kari to discuss what has been shared in the meeting.
    • Member Jeremy Rosen commented that the pillar is not suited to reaching the goal in the time specified; it seems to lend itself most to longer-term solutions. Matthew agreed which is why he attempted to put a sample as shown in the document to try to imagine what it would look like incrementally. He suggested to use the incremental approach to at least produce ideas on incremental steps that can be taken for the pillar.
    • Members as well as Mr. Lyonsmith worked on a shared document by filling in their ideas for actionable goals. At the same time, Matthew and members provided comments on the sample goals that were provided.
    • Members were asked to put in their names on the goals that they want to be involved with.
    • Matthew informed the group that after the meeting, the document will be in viewing form only, the contributing part was for the purpose of the meeting. Matthew, Chair Groce and Kari will deliberate on the ideas to think about the best next steps.
    • Mapping of resources and gaps, for example in childcare was highlighted as an important goal.
    • The draft action items will be presented to the group in another meeting before presenting it to the entire Commission for approval.
  5. Next Steps and Adjournment
    • Chair Groce will be reaching out to members and Mr. Lyonsmith for additional ideas and she also told members to feel free to reach out to her and Kari if they think of more ideas for the action items.
    • Another meeting will be held before the final action items are presented to the Commission for approval.
    • Chair Groce moved to adjourn, member Anna Koeppel seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 10:58 AM.