 The Office of Equity is organizing a Solidarity Gathering on Thursday, October 10th at 11:00 am focusing on the lived experiences of state employees affected by language and accent bias. Join to listen to the stories shared by your colleagues and learn how language and accent biases impact their lives personally and professionally.
The Washington State Office of Equity, within the Office of the Governor, was established to promote equitable access to opportunities and resources that reduce disparities across state government and improve outcomes statewide (RCW 43.06D.020). To further belonging in state employment, the Office of Equity is creating an intentional space for state employees to be seen, heard, and supported. Through the power of storytelling, we can find connection and healing to advance a Washington for all.
The Solidarity Gathering series is a platform for state employees to connect with one another by centering our lived experience and collective grief around events happening in our communities. Many of today's world events impact state employees in their personal lives that may seem “taboo” to bring to work. This causes suffering in silence. The current construct is not relational and does not allow space to speak on how we are impacted while also maintaining professionalism and productivity in the workplace.
The Solidarity Gathering is a brave space to unlearn and relearn, foster psychological safety, and celebrate diversity, culture, and history. Join us in cultivating community and solidarity.
What: A brave space to unlearn and relearn, foster psychological safety, and celebrate diversity, culture, and history.
Why: This series was created for the Washington State employees and Business Resource Groups to center our lived experience and collective grief around events happening in our communities.
Who: Our Solidarity Gathering hosts are:
- Jean Paul, he/him - Shared Power Consultant, Washington State Office of Equity
- Kalimah Ujaama, she/her - Washington State Patrol Pro-Equity Anti-Racism Consultant, Washington State Office of Equity
- Nadine Nabass, she/they - Pro-Equity Anti Racism (PEAR) Specialist, WA State Employment Security Department
When: Solidarity Gathering sessions are hosted quarterly in partnership with WA State Business Resource Groups and State agency employees. The inaugural session is Thursday, October 10th from 11:00am-1:00pm
Where: The sessions will be held virtually via Zoom. Separate registration is required for each session.
ICYMI September General Meeting
Thank you to our guest speaker Kiana McKenna, Director of Policy and Civic Engagement at the Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington and a CAPAA Commissioner, for a fantastic presentation! We are working to get the presentation and resources shared at the September meeting accessible and on our website soon. We will provide an update when they are available.
We hope you will join us for the next meeting on October 9th. HAPPEN general membership meetings are scheduled the second Wednesday of the month from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 810 6147 0109 Passcode: 571168
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What's HAPPENing in the BRG Family
Last call to sign up for The Good Immigrant Book Club Discussions!
 ICSEW and the Washington State Business Resource Groups (BRG’s) are pleased to invite you to participate in the third Statewide Book Club sessions where we will read and discuss the book The Good Immigrant: 26 Writers Reflect on America edited by Nikesh Shukla and Chimene Suleyman.
If you are interested in participating, please send your request to WIN@ofm.wa.gov by 5pm on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
Discussion dates are as follows:
- Discussion #1 – September 19 at 1:30-2:30 p.m. (COMPLETED)
- Discussion #2 – October 3 at 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- Discussion #3 – October 17 at 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- Discussion #4 – October 31 at 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- Discussion #5 – November 14 at 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Check local libraries for digital, audio, and physical copies or support a diverse or independently owned bookstore for the book:
Feel free to share this invitations and links to those who may be interested in joining us in these discussions (you do not have to be a state employee or a member of ICSEW or a BRG to join this book club).
Email WIN@ofm.wa.gov with questions or to express interest in participating.
What's HAPPENing in the News
White House Initiative on AANHPI Releases National Data Fact Sheet on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities
 The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), in collaboration with AAPI Data, has created a 2024 National Overview of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.
This much-needed resource provides timely insights on AA and NHPI population numbers nationally and across states, including on languages spoken and demographic information pertaining to educational attainment, poverty, unemployment, and health insurance coverage.
State of Chinese Americans Survey 2024
Committee of 100, a non-profit membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans, and NORC at the University of Chicago, one of the largest independent social research organizations in the United States, unveiled its ‘State of Chinese Americans’ study findings, a survey focused on areas of mental health, political preferences, discrimination, and diversity of the Chinese American population.
In the survey, two-thirds of Chinese Americans (68%) stated they face at least one form of discrimination in an average month, with a large percentage of the Chinese American community stating they continue to struggle with mental health. 43% of those surveyed say they felt depressed, and 39% reporting having felt worthless. 61% say that the language and rhetoric used by the U.S. news media when reporting on U.S. – China relations negatively affect how strangers treat them; and about a quarter of the respondents say their relationship with acquaintances (26%) and coworkers (25%) has also been negatively impacted by the relationship. On the U.S. – China relationship overall, nearly ninety percent (89%) of Chinese Americans view the current U.S. China relationship as negative.
Full details at the below links:
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A Proclamation on National Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week
President Joe Biden signed a proclamation on Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Week (September 23 through September 29, 2024) to honor the AANAPISI program’s essential role in empowering generations of underserved students.
Have Something to Share?
We try our best to curate meaningful and relevant content, opportunities, news, etc., we think will be of interest for our members and allies. Representing over 100 countries and more than 50 communities makes it difficult to stay apprised of everything HAPPENing related to our collective community. We greatly appreciate when opportunities are shared from our members.
This is your bulletin. Feel free to send articles, resources, event information, etc., to be included in future bulletins, and eventually, our website and social media.
Process:
- Submit items by emailing them to HAPPEN@ofm.wa.gov by Thursday morning for the following week's bulletin.
- Time sensitive items submitted will be reviewed and included in the next bulletin.
- Non-time sensitive submissions will be added to the list to be included in future bulletins when we may be looking for content to share.
- Bulletins will usually be distributed on Mondays. Special bulletins will be sent only as needed to provide an update on something already shared or of an urgent nature.
Thank you in advance for sharing, uplifting, and elevating our voices, culture, and opportunities! This is what community looks like.
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