Hi Mary,
Thank you for the follow-up. I’ll send the Commissioner the address and your direct contact information.
J
| Jertoyia Russell, CAP | Executive Assistant to Commissioner Duncan-Walker Office of the City Clerk City of Gainesville | City Commission
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From: Gators NLG <gatorsnlg@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 10:45 AM
To: Walker, Desmon N <walkerdn@gainesvillefl.gov>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: NLG Meeting Feb 5
I hope you are doing well! I'm reaching out in regard to our meeting today at the Levin College of Law.
The address is 309 Village Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611.
I will meet the Commissioner to fetch a parking pass at the visitor center and help with parking. Because the meeting is scheduled to start at noon I would love it if arrival is earlier such as 11:40 am. I apologize, I cannot find where I wrote down your phone number so I am reaching out here. The meeting is 12-1:15 with lunch. I am so excited to host! Please feel free to call or text me at 281-725-3061.
Warm regards,
Mary Claire Jackson (she/they)
University of Florida's NLG President
Juris Doctor Candidate, Class of 2026
(281) 725-3061 | UF Email: mc.jackson@ufl.edu
I hope you are doing well! Below is a list of potential questions our team has suggested. It is unlikely we will get to all of these and be able to go into extensive depth. We are hoping this provides a helpful overview of the kind of direction we are planning to go in! If you have concerns or would like to nix any specific parts please let me know.
- Context: What motivated you to become a city commissioner? Were you impacted by policy making prior in a way that informed your path?
- Imagining Our Future: How would you like to see Gainesville and our local area change and grow? What have you seen as our most material barriers to improvement?
- The Mechanics: Can you explain a bit about how state law transforms down the line to our ordinances? For instance, are city commissions required to create implementation ordinances? Is there a timeline? Here we would love to focus on what role you and your colleagues have in decision making and what you don't.
- Camping Ban: We would like to focus on the camping ban a bit as an illustration of the thoughts that impact decision making, as it is something we think students may know more about.
- Motivation Behind the Vote: Could you share the key factors that influenced your decision to vote against the ordinance prohibiting sleeping on public property?
- Community Engagement: How can law students and legal professionals contribute to developing compassionate policies that support individuals experiencing homelessness? You are welcome to expand this into broader commentary on bringing compassion into our policy and management of society!
- Impact of State & National Politics: In your view, how does state legislation like HB 1365 affect local governments’ ability to implement humane solutions for homelessness? Similarly, what impact does state politics have on local government? For instance, are commissioners more wary of supporting/pushing for policies that seem outside of the interests of the state?
- Collaboration with Organizations: One of NLG's most formative undercurrents is the belief in prioritizing people over property (not a well liked position in the legal world). How can organizations like the National Lawyers Guild collaborate with the city to advocate for policies that prioritize human rights over property interests? Do you work with many non-government actors in shaping or implementing policy?
On the whole, this meeting is meant to help people engage more in local politics. When we invited people to come to a meeting to speak on proposed ordinances it seemed like not knowing what happens there or the "right" way to engage made people shy away. Any information y'all would like to prioritize to explain the role of both the commission and the public is welcome!
Mary Claire Jackson (she/they)
University of Florida's NLG President
Juris Doctor Candidate, Class of 2026
(281) 725-3061 | UF Email: mc.jackson@ufl.edu
