City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Human Relations Commission  
Thursday, October 9, 2025  
7:00 PM  
Online and Redwood Conference Room,  
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale,  
CA 94086  
CALL TO ORDER  
Vice Chair Syquia called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.  
SALUTE TO THE FLAG  
Vice Chair Syquia led the salute to the United States flag.  
ROLL CALL  
Present: 6 -  
Chair Maria Paulina Zapata  
Vice Chair Nenuca Syquia  
Commissioner Esther Rosenfeld  
Commissioner Aaron Terry  
Commissioner Pedro Valencia Landa  
Commissioner Ariana Ziolkowski  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Claudia Camacho  
Chair Zapata arrived at 7:26 p.m.  
Commissioner Landa arrived at 7:15 p.m.  
Commissioner Camacho’s absence is excused  
Council Liaison Sell (present)  
PRESENTATION  
A
25-0983  
LGBTQ Wellness Program and Services Overview  
Sun Sukamar, Peer Support Coordinator, provided a presentation on behalf of  
LGBTQ Wellness, a program of the parent organization Caminar. The presentation  
included an overview of the program and services offered by LGBTQ Wellness. The  
organization is a non-profit that provides peer support for LGBTQ adults ages 18  
and older throughout Santa Clara County. Services include one-on-one and group  
support in both English and Spanish, as well as free community education and  
trainings such as SOGIE 101 (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression),  
Understanding GAE (Gender, Attraction, Expression), and Mental Health First Aid.  
LGBTQ Wellness is currently working on the Trans Care Coalition initiative. The  
presentation also included an overview of sibling programs, The LGBTQ Youth  
Space, which serves queer and transgender youth ages 13 to 25, and HEART  
(Healthy, Equitable, & Respectful Together), which focuses on promoting safe and  
healthy relationships for all. Key statistics on LGBTQIA+ mental health barriers and  
related outcomes were shared. The presentation also highlighted recommended  
action steps, including approaching all interactions with cultural humility,  
acknowledging and celebrating intersectionality, engaging in lifelong learning and  
education, participating in trainings and active allyship, and correcting biased  
language and misinformation when encountered. Information was also provided  
about highly attended support groups and the Pronouns booklet, which outlines the  
who, what, how, and why of pronoun use.  
The Commission thanked Sun for the presentation. Commissioner Landa expressed  
enthusiasm about sharing the resources with schools and exploring the possibility of  
scheduling a training at the schools.  
Vice Chair Syquia requested clarification regarding gender-affirming clothing. Sun  
explained that the LGBTQ Youth Space provides free clothing, chest binders, and  
gaffs for queer, transgender, and exploring youth.  
Council Liaison Sell thanked the presenter and inquired whether LGBTQ Wellness  
provides services only through the County or also to individual cities. Sun clarified  
that LGBTQ Wellness is a non-profit organization contracted through Santa Clara  
County but provides services throughout the region, including to schools,  
community centers, and cities within the county. No insurance is required to access  
services.  
Vice Chair Syquia also asked about the primary sources of program funding. Sun  
explained that funding is divided among the three programs. The Youth Space  
program is funded through therapy services under Medi-Cal, and LGBTQ Wellness  
receives funding through the County’s Preventive Early Intervention funds. Due to  
anticipated federal budget reductions, the organization is uncertain about funding  
levels after December.  
Commissioner Ziolkowski asked about available resources for youth seeking to  
transition. Sun clarified that clinical services are not provided directly but referrals  
are made to gender-affirming care clinic connected to the Q Corner collective.  
Chair Zapata arrived at 7:26 p.m.  
Commissioner Landa arrived at 7:15 p.m.  
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
No speakers.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
Public Comment opened at 7:37 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Comment closed at 7:37 p.m.  
MOTION: Commissioner Rosenfeld moved and Chair Zapata seconded the motion  
to approve agenda item 1.A as submitted.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 6 -  
Chair Zapata  
Vice Chair Syquia  
Commissioner Rosenfeld  
Commissioner Terry  
Commissioner Valencia Landa  
Commissioner Ziolkowski  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Camacho  
1.A  
25-0984  
Approve the Human Relations Commission Meeting Minutes of  
September 11, 2025  
Approve the Human Relations Commission Minutes of September 11, 2025 as  
submitted.  
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS  
2
25-0985  
Community Needs Assessment Update  
EAI (Equity, Access, & Inclusion) Manager Fernanda Perdomo Arciniegas provided  
the staff report and noted that the kickoff meeting took place within the past two  
weeks with the consulting firm MIG (Moore Iacofano Goltsman,Inc.), with meetings  
scheduled to occur bimonthly. The initial plan for the assessment was to be  
completed within eight months; however, after further consideration of the  
end-of-year holidays and vacation months, the timeline has been extended to twelve  
months to allow for greater participation through focus groups and community  
engagement presentations. The assessment is currently in the beginning stages,  
and the HRC (Human Relations Commission) may serve as a resource by providing  
input on the selection of focus groups. Each stage of outreach was reviewed.  
Commissioner Rosenfeld asked a clarifying question regarding how the community  
conversations will be conducted. EAI Manager Perdomo Arciniegas explained that  
the community conversations will be hosted at Sunnyvale City Hall, among other  
locations, with additional meetings scheduled with community partners. The months  
of November and December will be dedicated to identifying and selecting groups  
and organizations to participate in the meetings, ensuring alignment with the  
Council’s priorities.  
Commissioner Ziolkowski asked if the discussions and findings from the assessment  
will be presented to the City Council after its completion in 2027. EAI Manager  
Perdomo Arciniegas explained that the Equity Assessment is intended to examine  
who makes up the Sunnyvale community and identify community needs. Once the  
assessment is completed, the findings will be used by the City and its departments  
as a resource to guide and strengthen community engagement efforts.  
Council Liaison Sell suggested providing context on when the study issue was first  
proposed, the purpose of the study, the intended outcomes, and how frequently  
updates will be presented to the HRC. EAI Manager Perdomo Arciniegas explained  
that the study issue was proposed several years ago with an initial focus on North  
Sunnyvale. When the proposal was presented to the City Council, the scope was  
expanded to include the entire City of Sunnyvale. Over the past two years, the study  
has evolved to not only identify community needs but also determine existing equity  
gaps within the city. An additional meeting is planned for February to provide the  
HRC with an update and to gather input from the Commission.  
Chair Zapata reported attending a recent community meeting with Commissioner  
Landa and representatives from Magic Cabinet to better understand the  
experiences and challenges faced by residents in North Sunnyvale. Chair Zapata  
asked how the City plans to effectively connect with the community. EAI Manager  
Perdomo Arciniegas explained that the effort is a collaborative one and that a  
contact list is being developed to support outreach. They assured the Commission  
that there will be multiple opportunities for community input through various forms of  
engagement, including email communication. They also encouraged the  
Commission to share information about upcoming meetings and to invite and  
encourage community members to participate.  
Public Comment opened at 8:16 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Comment closed at 8:16 p.m.  
3
25-0986  
Discussion of the Draft Work Plan 2026  
EAI Manager Perdomo Arciniegas presented the staff report and noted that all HRC  
meeting dates for 2026 have been made available. Commissioners were  
encouraged to mark their calendars, and it was confirmed that all meeting dates  
avoid observed holidays and religious observances. The focus of the HRC in 2026  
will be on Storytelling, as voted on by the Commission. To initiate this effort, the  
plan is to begin by highlighting each Commissioner’s story, reflecting the diversity of  
the Commission. The staff report also included a review of each 2026 meeting date  
and the corresponding agenda items.  
The Commission took a recess at 8:34 p.m.  
The Commission reconvened at 8:44 p.m. with 6 Commissioner present and  
Commissioner Camacho absent.  
Vice Chair Syquia noted that while the current work plan includes several  
community presentations, it lacks sufficient action items to implement the information  
and feedback received from those presentations. They also reminded the  
Commission of the five initial community topics identified for exploration: the  
LGBTQ+ community, immigrant community, disability, multi-heritage, and  
intergenerational experiences.  
Chair Zapata suggested adding a presentation by Community Leaders to the  
September meeting agenda in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.  
Commissioners discussed their availability and the schedule for presenting their  
personal stories as part of the “Stories of Sunnyvale” agenda items.  
Council Liaison Sell noted that the October 21 Council meeting will include a  
discussion on the new process for Study Issues, which may result in adjustments to  
the Commission’s Work Plan depending on the outcome.  
Commissioner Ziolkowski noted that the Leadership Sunnyvale program begins in  
September and, considering this schedule, recommended rescheduling their  
presentation for July instead of October.  
Public Comment opened at 9:12 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Comment closed at 9:12 p.m.  
MOTION: Vice Chair Syquia moved, and Commissioner Rosenfeld seconded, to  
approve the 2026 Work Plan with the following amendments: move the Community  
Presentation – Leadership Sunnyvale to July and schedule the Novaworks  
presentation for October; add a Community Presentation – Community Leaders to  
the September 30 meeting.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 6 -  
Chair Zapata  
Vice Chair Syquia  
Commissioner Rosenfeld  
Commissioner Terry  
Commissioner Valencia Landa  
Commissioner Ziolkowski  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Camacho  
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS  
-Commissioner Comments  
Commissioner Rosenfeld announced that this meeting would be their last serving on  
the Commission, as they will be relocating outside of Sunnyvale. Chair Zapata, Vice  
Chair Syquia, and Council Liaison Sell thanked Commissioner Rosenfeld for their  
dedicated service and valuable contributions to the Commission.  
Council Liaison Sell noted that the HRC is currently open for recruitment.  
Applications are available on the City’s website and are due by Monday, October 27  
at 4 p.m. Tentative interviews are scheduled for Monday, November 3 at 5 p.m.  
Chair Zapata mentioned that the Sunnyvale School District will be hosting an event  
on Tuesday, October 14 at 8:30 a.m. at Columbia Middle School. They also  
welcomed Commissioner Ziolkowski as a new member of the HRC.  
-Staff Comments  
EAI Manager Perdomo Arciniegas encouraged all Commissioners to attend the  
upcoming City Council meetings:  
•
Tuesday, October 21 at 7 p.m. – Evaluation of the City of Sunnyvale Study  
Issues Process (Study Issue OCM 24-02)  
Tuesday, November 4 at 6 p.m. – Joint Meeting of the City Council with Board  
•
and Commission Chairs and Vice Chairs to review and improve the overall  
effectiveness of Commission meetings  
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS  
25-0992  
Human Relations Commission Proposed Study Issues,  
Calendar Year: 2026  
ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Zapata adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m.