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Next week's ESIT Weekly newsletter will be the last issue for the remainder of 2025. Thank you to everyone who participated in the ESIT Newsletter Readership Survey and shared insights. DCYF is working on revamping its newsletters to ensure content is relevant, useful, and timely for its readers.
Happy Holidays!❄️
Portrait of Sitting Bull seated holding pipe and tobacco bag, taken while held as prisoner of war at Fort Randall, Dakota Territory, 1882.
Each week, DCYF ESIT Tribal Program Consultant, Brian Frisina, provides a key topic to help us get to know our Tribal Nation Partners better.
This week’s term is:
Remembering the Life and Legacy of Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull (c. 1831-1890) was a Teton Dakota Native American chief who united the Sioux tribes of the American Great Plains against the white settlers taking their tribal land. The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty granted the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota to the Sioux, but when gold was discovered there in 1874, the U.S. government ignored the treaty and began to remove native tribes from their land by force.
The ensuing Great Sioux Wars culminated in the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn, when Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led united tribes to victory against General George Armstrong Custer. Sitting Bull was shot and killed by Indian police officers on Standing Rock Indian Reservation in 1890, but is remembered for his courage in defending native lands. Read more about the resistance led by Sitting Bull, his life and legacy:
Sitting Bull
A Talk with Sitting Bull's Great-Great Grandson
Ernie Lapointe is currently the closest living relative to the great chief of the Lakota Sioux, Sitting Bull. Chief Sitting Bull was present at the battle of Little Bighorn and toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show for a season. Mr. Lapointe spoke at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in August of 2012. Watch the fill talk (1:03:17):
A Talk with Sitting Bull's Great-Great Grandson
Friday, March 3, 2023, marked the 50th anniversary of the Wounded Knee occupation by the American Indian Movement. Highlighting interviews with writer and director, Tazbah Chavez, talking about her latest work, and Clifford Kapono, professional surfer and assistant professor at Arizona State University, making it his life's work to care for the coral reefs (watch time 26:46):
Fifty years after Wounded Knee
Book Recommendation
Sitting Bull: His Life and Legacy by Ernie LaPointe: The only book on Sitting Bull written by a lineal descendant. Ernie LaPointe is the great -grandson of the famous Hunkpapa Lakota chief, and he presents the family tales and memories told to him about his great-grandfather. In many ways the oral history differs from what has become the standard and widely accepted biography of Sitting Bull. LaPointe explains the discrepancies, how they occurred, and why he wants to tell his story of Tatanka Iyotake.
Sources
There will be no December session for the Supporting Providers Working with Immigrant and Refugee Families series, co-hosted by DCYF and King County, due to holiday scheduling conflicts.
Please take a moment to complete our short scheduling/feedback survey to help us continue improving this space:
Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Families Feedback Survey
SICC Member Application
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is recruiting members for two open positions on the State Interagency Coordinating Council:
- (1) Public or private provider of Early Intervention Services,
- (1) Member of the State Legislature.
Apply on the Governor's website, and under 'Board Information,' select Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and Their Families, State Interagency Coordinating Council:
Apply here for SICC board
SICC Sub-Committees Application
The SICC Data, Finance, Personnel & Training, Public Policy, and Service Delivery Committees are accepting applications from qualified and interested individuals:
Complete Sub-Committee Interest form
If you have any questions, please contact DCYF ESIT Community Collaboration Coordinator, E Renae` Antalan.
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The ESIT state leadership team plans to highlight individual providers or ESIT provider agencies that are demonstrating one or more of the Seven Key Principles in their work in a new section of the ESIT Weekly titled Guiding Principles in Action.
This section will help us recognize the high-quality agencies and efforts of individual providers across the ESIT statewide system. Nominators will remain anonymous (though we may contact you for more details about your nomination).
To make a nomination, please complete the form:
Nominate an ESIT Program or Colleague
Guiding Principles in Action
Read and download ESIT's Guiding Concept to learn ESIT's Seven Key Guiding Principle.
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2026 Unsung Hero Award Nominations Now Open!
DCYF is now accepting Unsung Hero Award nominations for 2026! Do you know a parent, caregiver, guardian, or community member you’d like to recognize? Send in your nomination to strengtheningfamilies@dcyf.wa.gov. Nominations must be received by Jan. 6, 2026.
Read the full message in Español and Soomaali.
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We hope that you will join the 2026 Infant and Early Childhood Conference (IECC), May 4–8, 2026 hosted completely virtual via Zoom.
IECC Partnership Opportunity
IECC is so thankful for its many community partners. Due to their support IECC has been able to shift its platform and offer the conference registration complimentary for all attendees the past few years. In order to continue this complimentary option, IECC needs additional funding and support. If your organization would be willing to partner with us, please email the conference coordinator, Amanda Cardwell, directly at amandacardwell@frontier.com.
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We are committed to centering Black knowledge, experiences, and expertise within Early Support for Infants and Toddlers in King County. Our NEW Centering Black Excellence Community Workgroup will guide our priorities and recommendations, so they remain rooted in Black and African American community wisdom. We hope you’ll consider applying for our Community Workgroup if you are:
- A parent or caregiver with a child who accessed ESIT services in King County* recently (in the past 5 years or so), or
- An ESIT service provider in King County; or
- Serving in leadership for an ESIT agency in King County.
Purpose and Commitment
The Centering Black Excellence Community Workgroup will:
- Review feedback from community conversations held with Black and African American families in September/October 2025.
- Create a working definition of Centering Black Excellence.
- Develop shared recommendations and priorities for King County ESIT.
- Provide input and feedback to help shape a King County ESIT SMARTIE** goal Centering Black Excellence.
- Ensure the voices of families and providers in the African diaspora are centered and heard.
The Community Workgroup will begin mid-January and wrap up in March 2026.
Application
Please submit your application by Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. Read full details about workgroup commitment requirements, stipend details, and apply:
Community Workgroup Application
Accessibility, Support and Questions
Please let us know what would make this workgroup accessible for you. If you need interpretation, help completing the application, or have any questions, please contact support-bsk@wested.org.
Thank you for helping shape stronger, more equitable ESIT services for Black children and families in King County!
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