For the second time in three months, a meeting of the Revere Human Rights Commission (HRC) was forced to adjourn when a small but vocal group of persons became disruptive at the tail end of the meeting.
HRC chairperson Janine Grillo Marra gaveled the meeting to an abrupt end when audience members refused to heed her request to speak only when recognized at the podium. Although the comments made by the audience members were inaudible on the livestream feed (the Journal’s reporter was not in attendance), it was apparent that some of those in attendance were making comments out-loud.
The meeting began with a preview of what was to come later when an audience member stepped forward expressing a desire to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. However, Marra informed the woman that she would have an opportunity to speak during the public forum portion of the meeting.
Marra then gaveled the meeting to order.
“Well, that was an odd way to begin,” noted Marra.
In addition to Marra, fellow commissioners Lynn Alexis, Fire Chief Chris Bright, Police Chief David Callahan, Chai Hossani, Rachid Moukhabir, Kourou Pich, Rev. Timothy Bogertman, and Dr. Lourenco Garcia were in attendance, as well as the HRC’s Executive Director, Dr. Maritsa Barros, EdD, who is the city’s recently-appointed Chief Officer of Talent and Culture.
After the roll call of commissioners, the commission held what it refers to on its agenda as a “Land Acknowledgement,” which, Marra said, “helps us to remember the history of this land and pay honor to that.”
Marra first presented a slide that stated, “We would like to acknowledge the traditional overseers of this land on which this meeting takes place as well as honor what this land means to the culture and traditions of those who originally occupied this space. In addition, we extend a welcome to any aboriginal, Native American, and/or First Nation people joining us today.”
She then presented another slide of an historical map of southern New England which showed the various indigenous tribes who occupied the region prior to the arrival of European settlers.
Marra then rang a bell to signify the “Arrive and Settle” item on the evening’s agenda. This part of the agenda is a meditative session led by Marra in lieu of the usual Pledge of Allegiance that precedes all other city boards and commissions.
Marra presented a photo of the sky with pinkish clouds during the exercise.
“See if you can be like the sky with your own experience, so whatever sensations, emotions, thoughts are here, see if you can be a welcoming host or hostess to that experience,” said Marra.
“Now let’s take a moment of silence to include what’s happening in the world in Ukraine, those who are under attack, those who are fighting, the fear, the helplessness, the dominance,” Marra continued. “Let’s see if we can include all in our hearts because conflict, violence, and division is not how we’re wired. Despite how things might appear, we’re more fundamentally connected than we realize.”
Marra then rang a bell to signal the next item on the agenda, in which the commissioners together recited the HRC’s Mission Statement, which states as follows:
“The Mission of the Revere Human Rights Commission is to promote human and civil rights and empower all people of Revere by ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized, have equitable opportunities, equal access, and are treated with dignity, respect, fairness, and justice.”
After Marra presented a slide to inform individuals how they can support the Ukrainian people, Barros then presented her Director’s Report. The topics, and Barros’s comments, were as follows:
a. March is Women’s History Month:
“I want to remind us to celebrate women everyday,” said Barros.
b. 21-day Racial Equity Challenge:
“This challenge calls for individuals to build a new habit of engaging in, and learning around, matters and conversations of race and anti-racism. We are going to jump into this challenge as city employees. There is information on our website,” said Barros. “We are starting to do our work in the city. There are opportunities for daily engagement as we start to exercise this muscle of inclusive intelligence. This is self-development work.”
“I want to thank you for the initiative and effort,” said Garcia, commenting on Barros’s presentation. “I think it comes at the right moment and time. When people work together in partnership, we can accomplish a lot. Revere needs us to work together with all people, with all races, identities, and cultures. The goal is to support all families across the board, especially those who have been marginalized.”
“If we’re going to abolish racism in our city, we all need to play a role,” added Barros. “We need to educate ourselves in what it takes to be a racially-equitable city.”
c. Mission and Vision (overview) for upcoming months:
Barros then explained what she sees as the vision for the city moving forward. She highlighted portions of the Mission Statement and the need to align the work of the commission to identify the goals of the city’s Racial Equity Municipal Action Plan (REMAP).
“Equity will not come without collective effort,” she said. “We must cut across our differences.”
“Thanks so much for leading us forward,” said Bogertman.
“I’m excited for the work,” added Alexis.
“As a white person, I am doing my best to look at what racism means, because I didn’t really understand it,” said Marra. “It’s not about taking away from any group, but how we can have a better sense of belonging….and understanding how I, as a white person, may have contributed to systemic racism.”
The meeting then moved on to its “Topics for Discussion:”
a. Reminders for the Public:
Marra informed members of the public that they are able to submit agenda items via the HRC’s web site.
Under “Other Business,” none of the members presented any new business.
The meeting then came to its last agenda item, “Open Forum.”
Grillo began this part of the meeting by presenting the guidelines for the commission’s public meetings, emphasizing that the public forum should be conducted in a respectful manner.
“We want to hear about what is working well in the city and what is not working well, what we’re not doing,” said Marra.
Gina Salamone Castiello, who said she is a lifelong Revere resident, was the first member of the audience to address the commission.
“You talked about conflict, fighting, and division. I think this particular group, the Human Rights Commission and the city of Revere, is causing this,” she said.
“You walk into Revere High and there is a big Black Lives Matter banner,” she continued. “Critical race theory is being pushed and inciting violence in our community… I am totally against this and so aren’t a lot of other white people.
“My freedoms are being taken away here in the city of Revere,” Castiello went on. “There is not systemic racism in the city of Revere…. Being of Italian descent, I am very personally affected by taking away some of our celebrations such as Christopher Columbus Day. I’m looking to be respected and heard in my community. I’m looking for the city in which I grew up to be normal, if you will. I welcome with an open arm anyone coming into our community. However, being a long-time taxpaying citizen, I’m not looking for special treatment, I’m looking for equal treatment. Too many are getting special treatment and I think this commission is helping this along the way.”
The next member of the audience to speak, who gave only her first name (Claudia), then stepped to the podium.
“I am a resident and city employee,” she said. “I was not planning to speak. I think you’re doing a great job. I’ve seen people wanting to participate more and apply for jobs in the city who previously may not have been comfortable doing that. I just want to say, ‘Thank you.’ It makes it easier for people to be a part of the city of Revere team.”
Castiello then returned to the podium.
“People are in fear, they are afraid to speak, afraid of losing their jobs if they disagree with what this body represents in our city,” she said. “This is pushing critical race theory and creating a lot of division in our city.”
Castiello, who said she was in attendance at the commission’s meeting in December, said she afterwards was called “garbage” by a member of the commission and that another attendee was called a “white supremacist.”
Commissioners Bogertman, Pich, Alexis, and Moukhabir addressed the issues raised by Castiello and said they welcomed the conversation and her perspective. They also apologized for the negative comments that had been directed at her in December.
Marra pointed out that the city’s demographics are changing and that 60% of the city’s residents now are non-white.
Another audience member, Michael Sparks, a lifelong resident and veteran, then addressed the commission.
“To me, that is scary, a Black Lives Matter sign with a fist in the high school,” he said. “Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization. They were burning down most of the country over the past two years and then their leader was taking millions of dollars and building a mansion. I am scared that that kind of stuff is being promoted in the high school and is being allowed…. This is clearly from the United Nations…but this is the United States of America. We are not run by the United Nations. Their ideas do not have to envelop our ideas….I just want to say that all lives matter.”
After Sparks’s initial comments, there ensued a vitriolic exchange among Sparks, Barros, and Marra. When Sparks sat down, random outbursts from members of the audience (who were off-camera), similar to what occurred at the December 2 meeting, then took place.
Marra gaveled the meeting to what she termed a “suspension.”
However, the meeting did not resume and was adjourned.
