MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION FOR WOMEN

111 N.W. 1st Street, Suite 1034, Miami, FL 33128

Minutes of Meeting of March 27, 2019

Present: Lourdes Reyes Abadin, Clora Adkins, Leah Blumenfeld, Sharon Kendrick-Johnson, Michelle
LaPiana, Rose Martin, Noreen Legault Mendoza, Daneila McVea-Smith, Diana Palacios, Kamila,
Przytula, Linda Robinson, Raisa Sequeira, Phyllis Sloan Simpkins, Gladys Perez Villanueva,
Marie Woodson, and Sarah Zabel.

Excused: Christine Butler, Marie Eloi, Monica Interian, Julie Kramer, Tara Leighton, Beverly Nixon, and
Maria Santamaria

Absent: Daniela Jean and Elizabeth Simonhoff Perez

Guests: Maria Midence, Elizabeth Regalado, Julia Cespedes, Gary Grizzle from Barry University, Samantha
Balen from Barry University, and Michelle Delancey

Staff: Laura Morilla

Chairwoman Sharon Kendrick-Johnson commenced the meeting at 5:35 p.m. and welcomed everyone. Everyone
introduced themselves. The CFW has a new member, Kamila Przytula.

Leah moved to approve the agenda and Marie Woodson seconded the motion. The motion passed and the
agenda was approved.

Daneila moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of 02/27/19 and Michelle seconded the motion. The motion
passed and the minutes were approved.

There was a Presentation by CFW member Daneila McVea-Smith, who is a Community Health Educator and
Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, one of two Planned Parenthood affiliates in Florida.
Daneila’s affiliate provides comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. It has one location in
Broward County and three in Miami-Dade County – Coral Way, West Kendall, and North Miami Beach. It also
has a section that does advocacy. Planned Parenthood must follow HIPPA laws, including Daneila when she
meets in the community to do education and she has a reporting duty to the authorities about rape, etc.

There are five programs in the Education Dept.: 1. “Cuidate” curriculum geared towards the Hispanic population
in Palm Beach County; 2. LIGHT peer education program in Broward County; 3. FLASH family life and sexual
health program; 4. Wyman Teen Outreach Prgram; and 5. Time for Your Teen. Daneila is the Miami educator in
the FLASH program and does 5 to 10 weeks with a group. She goes to schools such as the PACE Center for Girls
and Miami Edison. The school has to want Daneila to go there to teach the curriculum. Wyman is the year round
curriculum at Miami Northwestern. It’s more than sexual health; it also deals with life skills and has a community
service component for the students. Daneila also does the Time for Your Teen program, which teaches parents
how to talk to kids about sex and teaches parenting skills. Daneila said that it’s important to get out there,
especially because of the high rate of HIV in Miami-Dade County.

Daneila then answered some question. She said that the COPE high school has reached out to her to make
presentations, but not the entire school system. They have had resistance getting buy-in to their programs from
Miami-Dade Public Schools. Michelle suggested going to the County Commissioners to do something similar
in the community. Daneila also explained that Planned Parenthood affiliates are funded differently and that most
of the programs in her affiliate are funded by grants.
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The Committee Reports were presented.

Legislative Committee. Leah reviewed the Committee’s written report. Marie Woodson moved to approve the
Committee’s report and recommendations. Raisa seconded the motion and the motion passed.

CEDAW Committee. Marie Woodson reported that the 2019 Status of Women Report by the Commission
Auditor/FIU was released last week and that the CEDAW Committee is meeting on April 9th to start coming up
with recommendations. At Michelle’s request, Laura will email everyone the 2018 reports.

Violence Against Women Committee. Elizabeth Regalado, from the Domestic Violence Oversight Board, gave
an update on the March 13th meeting of the Miami Beach City Commission held to discuss whether Miami Beach
would agree to impose the 1% food and beverage tax for homeless and DV shelters in Miami Beach restaurants.
Elizabeth said that Monica and Laura attended the meeting and that Monica spoke on behalf of the CFW. The
Miami Beach City Commission did not approve the resolution but sent it to the Finance Committee for further
consideration. Elizabeth said that if this tax was imposed, another $6.5 million would be brought it - $1 million
for DV shelters and $5.5 million for homeless shelters.

Sharon and Clora gave an update on the initiative to collect prom dresses and accessories to be donated to
deserving girls. Clora thanked Gladys for her recent donation and said that she is partnering with the School
Board. Phyllis suggested that the COPE Center South is a good recipient of the prom dresses. Phyllis also
suggested reaching out to the Mary Kay people to help with doing the makeup for the girls. Daneila suggested
the beauty schools and Rose suggested the Robert Morgan cosmetology center. Gladys said that many schools
have service clubs so it would be a good idea to encourage the girls to donate their prom dresses, right after this
year’s proms, for the girls who will need the dresses next year.

Old Business. Sharon said that the In the Company of Women awards dinner on March 7th was a wonderful
event. Sharon also reported that Clora was the recipient of the Women of Impact awards given this month by the
Women’s History Coalition.

Sharon thanked everyone who participated in the YWPA’s Women’s Symposium and encouraged everyone to
participate next year.

Sharon said that the Events and Fundraising Committee needs a new Chair and asked everyone to think about it
for the next meeting.

Sharon and Laura briefly explained that the scholarship application period for seniors at the YWPA is now open
and that the deadline is May 1st. The Events and Fundraising Committee will meet after May 1st to review the
applications and recommend three winners to the CFW. The CFW will decide the winners at the meeting of May
22nd and the scholarships will be awarded at the County Commission meeting of June 18th.

The following members volunteered to serve on the Events and Fundraising Committee: Michelle, Rose, Lourdes,
Sarah, and Gladys.

Sharon reminded everyone about the April 4th Equal Pay Day event at which the CFW will be recognized by the
Women’s Fund. Sharon is also on the panel.

Sharon reported that we received the $2000 check for the allocation from Chairwoman Edmonson. Sharon
thanked Michelle for talking to Commissioner Diaz about a donation at the In the Company of Women event and
said that Commissioner Diaz would be allocating $2000 to the CFW.
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At this point the drawing was held for a door prize.

New Business. Sharon reminded everyone to file their financial disclosure forms.

Sharon explained the matrix/sign-up sheet she prepared for CFW outreach to other women’s groups and
encouraged everyone to make presentations about the CFW to the various organizations in the community.

The CFW discussed having a retractable banner made to use at presentations and events. The estimate cost is
$250. Daneila moved that the CFW order the banner. Phyllis seconded the motion, and the motion passed.

Attendance at community events. Sharon reported that Maria Santamaria made a presentation about the
Embrace program at a recent Masonic event. Sharon spoke at the United Way’s United305 Women event.
Several members attended the In the Company of Women awards dinner.

Laura said that she and Marie Woodson attended the League of Women Voters’ “Women Who Shine” breakfast
this past Saturday.

Raisa reported that she recently met with Dr. Tina Menendez, VP of Education at HistoryMiami Museum, to help
them include more women and women of color narratives and share with them the CFW’s most recent
Connections Directory. Raisa was in Washington, DC from Feb. 27 to March 2 for Lambda Hill Days. While
there she spoke to the legislative offices of Congresswomen Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Ayanna Pressley and
Senator Marco Rubio about TPS, Dreamers, CEDAW and VAWA. Raisa also sent them the 2016 and 2018
Reports.

Raisa reported that on March 8th, International Women’s Day, FIU, Amnesty International, Somos Nicaragua and
others hosted an event about the role of women in addressing the socio-political crisis in Nicaragua. On March
19th Raisa met Congresswoman Donna Shalala at UM and talked to her about CEDAW and thanked her for her
support of the Paycheck Fairness Act. The UM Women’s Commission recognized Raisa with the Louise P. Mills
Award for her years of service on the CFW, advocating for VAWA, and her research of DV as a public health
issue.

Leah said that she is running in the UN Women’s 5K event this Saturday.

The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Laura Morilla
Recorder