View as a webpage  /  Share

December 2021

Centro Cultural Mexicano Presents: 

¡Ya Es Tiempo! The Time is Now!, a short film

“The documentary about the King County Latino community and their experience with COVID greatly highlights the intergenerational impacts of the financial cost and loss of opportunity for the entire community. It is always important to remember that COVID did not impact all of us equally.”— Senator Manka Dhingra

Career Connect Tech Washington Introduces P-TECH Education Model To Prepare Youth for Modern Careers

IBM-inspired P-TECHs enable public high school students to earn STEM community college degrees in preparation for STEM careers

Olympia, Washington, 11/3/2021 – Career Connect Technology (CCT) announced today that they are officially recognized by the P-TECH network, a widely praised program for preparing teens for rewarding STEM careers.

CCT is joining the many organizations that have made P-TECH a success since IBM co-founded the first school in 2011 together with educators. The model is designed to bolster business and improve STEM career readiness, particularly for under-represented communities. P–TECH schools enable students to earn both their high school diploma and a two–year associate degree linked to growing, competitive STEM fields, and offer students workplace experiences that include industry mentoring, worksite visits, paid internships and first–in–line for job considerations with a school’s company partner.

"Our work is not possible without the strong support of community partners and regional leaders.  This is a testament to the leadership of the Pasco School District, Columbia Basin Community College, and industry partners such as the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, LIGO, and HMIS, to work collaboratively on behalf of students furthest from opportunity" said Vice Chair Moreno.

CCT today joins the network of 210 P-TECHs in the United States, which has grown by 82 schools during the past year in this country alone. Schools now collaborate with 200 community colleges worldwide, and are affiliated with at least 600 industry partner companies, which provide mentorships, internships and relevant workplace experience to students.

 “The P-TECH model is part of IBM’s longstanding commitment to education and skilling with a focus on underserved communities. We are thrilled to see more learners benefitting from the program, and how many young people worldwide are increasingly gaining exposure to disruptive technologies for STEM careers in all industries,” said Lydia Logan, VP of Education at IBM. “The expansion of this school model is part of IBM's goal to skill 30 million people of all ages with new skills needed for modern jobs by 2030.” 

The difficulty employers worldwide face in finding skilled workers poses a significant hurdle to economic growth. According to the World Economic Forum, closing the global skills gap could add US$11.5 trillion to global GDP by 2028, but education and training systems would need to keep pace with market demands. 

L&I is here to help explain new agricultural overtime rights

A new state law will allow agricultural workers to earn overtime pay starting Jan. 1, 2022. The law includes a three-year phase-in schedule which means agricultural workers will be entitled to earn overtime pay after they work 55 hours in a workweek in 2022, 48 hours in 2023, and 40 hours in 2024.

International Human Rights Day 

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings.

In December 1948, UNESCO was the first United Nations agency to place the Universal Declaration at the heart of all its action, to promote it across the world through education and the media.

Human rights gain new meaning when they become a reality in the daily life of every single person in the world. Bringing human rights home is at the core of UNESCO’s mission in all its fields of competence – education, science, culture and communication. In the context of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), UNESCO brings to the fore the centrality of human rights protection in the history and the mandate of the Organization.   

#StandUp4HumanRights #ItStartsWithMe

Latinas lose $1.1 million over their careers due to the pay gap—

by Brandon Gomez, Segment Producer CNBC Latinas, on average, are earning $0.57 for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men, according to the National Women’s Law Center.  Latina Equal Pay Day, which this year fell on Oct. 21, marked the day to which Latinas must work — an additional ten-and-a-half months — to earn as much as their White, male coworkers made in 2020. That gap in pay translates to a significant loss of $1,156,440 over a 40-year career. Break that down further and you’ll find $28,911 in lost wages per year, or $2,409 every month — money that could pay for 11 months of child care or 10 months of rent payments and food costs, NWLC calculates. The wage gap varies for certain Latina communities. Honduran and Guatemalan women, for example, make the smallest percentage of what their White male co-workers are paid, 44% and 47% respectively, compared to Argentinian women who make 83% of their White, male co-workers’ salary. Latinas of every origin are also typically paid less than their Latino counterparts in the U.S. — averaging around 82% of their pay. This lost income, one expert says, has only widened the gap for Latinas during the pandemic. “These lost earnings not only leave Latinas without a financial cushion to weather the current crisis,” Jasmine Tucker, NWLC’s director of research, tells CNBC Make It. “But also make it harder for them to build wealth, contributing to the racial wealth gap and barriers to Latinx families’ economic prosperity.” While on average women in the U.S. are paid only $0.82 for every dollar paid to men, the gap for many women of color is even larger. Join leaders, advocates and influencers across the nation who are pledging to take action as champions of gender parity - not only for Latina Equal Pay Day but for every day. Visit Latina Equal Pay for more information and collaboration opportunities.

Open Enrollment Enrollment Feature 

Open enrollment, the time of year when Washingtonians can enroll for a health or dental plan through Washington’s insurance marketplace— Washington Healthplanfinder— is underway. You can shop, compare and choose a health plan including 2022 Cascade Care plans on their website during open enrollment now. Their support network is available to help you compare and choose from health plans, gain access to valuable federal assistance and Apple Health, and enroll you today in the plan for your way forward. Visit wahealthplanfinder.org now until December 15th to enroll in coverage beginning January 1st.

DOL’S ONLINE SERVICES CONTINUE TO EXPAND

Public-facing Department of Licensing (DOL) offices, including driver licensing offices and prorate & fuel tax counters, remain open by appointment only at 25% customer occupancy per Governor Inslee’s most recent statewide restrictions. Drive testing and knowledge testing are ongoing. If later guidance from the Governor’s Office impacts appointments, we will let affected customers know as soon as possible and assist with rescheduling.

We strongly encourage residents to take advantage of expanded online services. Temporary waivers currently allow almost anyone — including people over age 70 and under 24, or those who renewed online last time — to renew their driver license or ID
online. Visit our DOL Blog for the latest news. If your driver license was recently extended due to the pandemic, please do not wait until it expires to renew. You can renew your license or ID up to a year before it is set to expire.

DOL online services are the first option in most instances.

There are a lot of services you can do online:
• Renew a driver license, ID card, vehicle registration, or
instruction permit online.
• Apply for a non-photo first-time instruction permit.
• Most commercial driver licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner permits (CLPs) with expiration dates on or after March 1, 2020 have been extended through Feb. 28, 2021, unless they have been renewed already. The extension affects all CDL types and endorsements except CDLs with a hazardous materials (hazmat) endorsement

NAVIGATING DIFFICULT TIMES: SUPPORT AND RESOURCES

Energy, Food and Housing

• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program - provides energy assistance through local organizations
• Food Banks – find a local food bank, search by zip code or state
• Food Assistance – food assistance through Economic Services Administration
• Food Assistance – find food assistance through Washington State Department of Agriculture
• Housing Assistance, Rental Assistance and Homeless information – US Housing and Urban Development, Washington
• Rental Assistance – eviction rent assistance resources

Legal and Financial Assistance

• Washington Law Help – provides self-help resource for civil matters
• Northwest Justice Project – provides civil legal assistance to people with low-income
• Mortgage Assistance, Education and Resources - Mortgage assistance and foreclosure prevention information for Washington state homeowners.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - provides information and resources to help people protect and manage their finances

National, State and County Crisis and Emergency Support

• County Crisis Lines - available for all people in Washington, regardless of income or insurance
• Crisis Connections - serves the emotional and physical needs of all people in Washington
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – call (800) 273-8255
• Emergency Programs – medical programs, emergency food and cash assistance through Economic Services Administration

Mental Health, Substance Use and Addiction

• A Mindful State – personal narratives, advice and resources related to mental health
• Crisis Text Line – to Connect with a Crisis Counselor, text “HOME” to 741741
• NAMI Washington – advocate for mental health services, provides support and resources
• Rethinking Drinking (National Institutes of Health)
• Washington Recovery Helpline - for mental health, substance use or gambling challenges

Hispanic/Latinx Demographic Reports Cards are now live!