HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-11-2025 Meeting MinutesPaducah
Human Rights Commission
September 11, 2025, Meeting Minutes
Paducah City Hall
1st Floor, Suite 106
300 South 5th Street
P.O. Box 247
Paducah, KY 42002-
0247
(270) 444-8643/8644
Fax (270) 443-8680
TDD (270) 800-247-
2510
HR
Commissioners
Robert Hernandez,
Chair
Jana Dawson
Charles Gurley
Irhonda Lovelace
Rachel Robinson
Anthony Walton
Kimberly Yates
Board Members Present: Chair Commissioner Robert Hernandez, Commissioners
Jana Dawson, Charles Gurley, Irhonda Lovelace, Anthony Walton, and Kimberly Yates
Board Member Not Present: Commissioner Rachel Robinson
Meeting called to order by Chair Commissioner Robert Hernandez at 5:00 p.m.
Roll Call by Specialist Johnson at 5:01 p.m.
Quorum established by Chair Commissioner Hernandez at 5:02
Invocation led by Commissioner Jana Dawson at 5:03 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance led by Chair Commissioner Robert Hernandez at 5:04 p.m.
No visitors to acknowledge
August 21, 2025, Meeting Minutes Motion for Approval by Commissioner Charles
Gurley with a second approval by Commissioner Irhonda Lovelace and unanimously
approved.
Parade participation review – Follow up on gift card(s) for Allen Auto Sales for the use
of their vehicle in the parade – When asked about the status of the email request for
the purchase of the gift cards, Specialist Johnson stated that Stefanie Wilcox would
be reaching out to Commissioner Kimberly Yates.
Strategic Planning Meeting review – Chair Commissioner Hernandez requested an
update on the Strategic Planning Meeting minutes, and Specialist Johnson stated that
she did not think that Stefanie Wilcox took minutes but would follow up with her.
(8/21/25 - Commissioners agreed that meeting produced good results. Per Specialist
Johnson, she will provide the Meeting Minutes from this meeting at our September
2025, PHRC meeting.)
School Presentation (Commissioner Kimberly Yates) – Waiting for a date that
members of PHRC can give presentation to Tilghman students. Commissioner Yates
is waiting for follow up from Tilghman principal.
Paducah Human Rights Commission
Meeting Minutes – September 11, 2025
Page 2
Paducah City Hall
1st Floor, Suite 106
300 South 5th Street
P.O. Box 247
Paducah, KY 42002-
0247
(270) 444-8643/8644
Fax (270) 443-8680
TDD (270) 800-247-
2510
HR
Commissioners
Robert Hernandez,
Chair
Jana Dawson
Charles Gurley
Irhonda Lovelace
Rachel Robinson
Anthony Walton
Kimberly Yates
Fairness & Justice Event (Commissioner Anthony Walton) – Commissioner Walton
spoke to J.W. Cleary (NAACP) about PHRC collaborating with them in the future.
Commissioner Walton has committed to attending the next in person NAACP
meeting to establish a connection with NAACP for future projects.
Fair Housing Event (Commissioner Charley Gurley) – April 16, 2026, has been
confirmed as the date for this event at the Robert Cherry Civic Center. Further
updates to follow.
Paducah Pride Event (Commissioner Irhonda Lovelace) – Commissioner Lovelace
confirmed that events for Pride have moved to the early part of June 2025, so as not
to interfere with other holidays that month.
Hispanic Heritage Celebration Event – Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Noble Park,
Paducah, KY, is the “kick-off” to the Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October
15, 2025). Chair Commissioner Hernandez has committed to attending the event to
pass out literature from the PHRC.
Juneteenth Event (Commissioner Jana Dawson) – Commissioner Dawson reached out
to J.W. Cleary to set up a meeting to discuss. She was informed that the Juneteenth
committee would reconvene in November/December 2025 to start discussing 2026
Juneteenth. Commissioner Dawson has committed to attending that meeting if
granted the opportunity from committee members.
PHRC Video presentation/marketing update (Commissioner Charles Gurley) - No
updates on this. (8/21/2025 - Commissioner Gurley shared the PHRC video with the
United Way. He stated that he is currently working with Cinemark Theatre to run the
PHRC video and plans to reach out to Maiden Alley Cinema as well with the same
request).
PHRC Marketing Strategies – Commissioners discussed reaching out to other counties
to discuss how they market their commission and to get ideas from them.
Commissioner Dawson agreed to connect with Hopkinsville, KY. Commissioner
Walton committed to reach out to Owensboro, KY PHRC. Commissioner Lovelace
stated she would reach out to Henderson, KY, and Commissioner Gurley agreed to
reach out to Murray, KY.
Speaking Engagement at First Christian Church of Paducah – Chair Commissioner
Hernandez agreed to speak at a conference of church leadership on September 16,
2025. He will present the PHRC video, answer questions about the commission, and
distribute PHRC literature.
Budget Report presentation by Commissioner Jana Dawson
Report from Specialist Johnson – Specialist Johnson stated that on Monday,
September 15, 2025, the City would be reading a Proclamation recognizing Hispanic
Heritage Month. PHRC members were invited to attend.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:41 p.m.
Paducah Human Rights Commission
Meeting Minutes – September 11, 2025
Page 2