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Letter from Sonja Diaz, UCLA LPPI'S Founding Executive Director 

As we reflect this week on Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy, we are thinking about the crossroads at which our nation now stands. In one direction lies acquiescing to hate and turning our backs on the hard-won progress that Dr. King gave his life for. In the opposite direction lies the opportunity to expand rights and realize his vision for a genuinely inclusive democracy and economy that leaves no one behind.

With the recent first anniversary of the January 6 insurrection just passed, we are reminded just how fragile our democracy is. The attack on our capital was not just a protest gone awry. It was a violent and direct assault on free and fair elections that has been growing for years, fueled by those who benefit from the status quo and fear of a nation with rapidly shifting demographics. We know these assaults will continue until we build the infrastructure needed to ensure everyone who wants to participate in our democracy has the opportunity to do so. And passing comprehensive voting rights legislation that ends voter suppression, protects the integrity of our elections and expands access to the ballot box are foundational to this goal. Failing to pass common-sense voting rights legislation by those elected to represent the best interests of the American people is shameful and a gross dereliction of duty. While many senators tried to debate that their ‘NO’ vote was predicated on protecting the integrity of our democracy, the real impact of their dereliction of duties is to further erode our democracy ahead of a consequential election.

UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative and its flagship project, the UCLA Voting Rights Project (UCLA VRP), is at the forefront of that work, and it is even more important after last night’s vote in the U.S. Senate.  While attempts to suppress the influence of voters of color in national elections gets all of the media attention, the same tactics are often in play at local levels. By working in key states like California, Washington and Texas, UCLA VRP is fighting back with data-informed advocacy and building a cadre of committed civil rights advocates in the process. And with the midterm elections just months away, what is at stake, up and down the ballot, can’t be understated.

This year’s elections will determine whether we expand access to quality healthcare, execute an equitable economic recovery from COVID that provides all workers livable wages, curb climate disasters and strengthen the social safety net. Addressing these issues is critical to securing the well-being of communities of color, especially youthful Latino households. And doing so will dictate America’s economic, social and political future.

The 2020 census, flawed as it was, cemented that our nation’s future lies with the very communities that are being denied access to the franchise while shouldering the burden of inefficient health, economic and social systems. To realize the vision that Dr. King so forcefully articulated nearly 60 years ago in our nation’s capital depends on the actions we take now. We know that bringing that vision to fruition will be no easy feat. That’s why UCLA LPPI will continue to be a bulwark against the erosion of the rights he fought so hard to win, and we will continue to fight for evidence-based policy that strengthens our democracy and builds the economy we all deserve. This next year is critical to whether we go forward or backward as a nation. With your support, we can ensure the communities vital to America’s progress receive the backing they need to ensure opportunity and dignity for all.

Sonja Diaz, Executive Director

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Excerpt from "On the Pulse of the Morning"

Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need, for this bright morning dawning for you. History, despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unlived, but if faced, with courage, need not be lived again.

- Maya Angelou

Facts About the U.S. Black Population

BY CHRISTINE TAMIR, ABBY BUDIMAN, LUIS NOE-BUSTAMANTE AND LAUREN MORA

Pew Research Center | Feature | March 25, 2021

All Black Generations Graphic

The Black population of the United States is growing. In 2019, there were 46.8 million people who self-identified as Black, making up roughly 14% of the country’s population. This marks a 29% increase since 2000, when there were roughly 36.2 million Black Americans.

Black Americans are diverse. This group consists of people with varied racial and ethnic identities and experiences. The nation’s Black population includes those who say their race is Black, either alone or along with other racial backgrounds. It also includes Hispanics or Latinos who say their race is Black.

Black Hispanic Generation Graph

The total Black Hispanic population is young and growing. The median age of this population group in 2019 was 22, making Black Hispanics the second-youngest group included in this analysis, and notably younger than the U.S. population, which had a median age of 38.

Roughly 45% of the Black Hispanic population was below the age of 20, and 5% were 65 or older.

Gesa is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2022-2023 school year

Gesa will be awarding $100,000 in scholarships to eligible members who fall under one of the following categories:

• Students who participate in the High School Credit Union Program
• Entering college freshman
• Current college students
• Former college students needing assistance with student loan repayment

Applications will be accepted until February 28, 2022, and awards will be made in early July. To be eligible, applicants must be Gesa members and meet all submission requirements listed in the application forms.

Completed applications and questions can be emailed to scholarships@gesa.com or dropped off in person at any Gesa branch. Additional submission details can be found on application forms and on our Scholarship Guide. 

WA Dept. of Services for the Blind Logo

Blind Awareness

Here you'll find information and tips provided by our staff on blindness awareness and etiquette.

• Dispelling Myths
• Language and Communication
• Guiding a Person Who Is Blind or Has Low Vision
• Dog Guide Etiquette

Request services online. Contact us at 800-552-7103 or info@dsb.wa.gov for more information.

Digital Proof of Vaccination

Digital proof of vaccination is now available online in many languages. Please select from the options below.

For additional assistance or questions about vaccination records, please call 1-800-525-0127, then press #

WAverify Button

MyIR Mobile Button

Sponsors Needed for Summer Meals Program

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OLYMPIA — January 10, 2022—The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is seeking sponsors for the 2022 USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP helps ensure children and teens living in low-income areas continue to receive nutritious meals during the summer, or during emergency school closures, when they do not have access to school meals.

Who Can Sponsor the SFSP

This federally funded program may be sponsored by public and private nonprofit schools, residential and non-residential summer camps, private nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations, and units of local, county, municipal, and state government. Colleges and universities that participate in the Upward Bound Program may also sponsor meal sites.

Eligible sponsors will operate a non-profit meal program for children age 18 and younger. Meal sites must be in areas where at least 50% of the children are qualified for free or reduced-price school meals, or where at least 50% of the children enrolled in a specific program are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. All children - regardless of family income level - can receive a free meal at a site once the site has been approved.

For more information, please email the Summer Meals Team at summermeals@k12.wa.us or call 360–725–6200.

Undocumented Students and Others Can Get State Financial Aid With the WASFA Application Now in English and Spanish

The state of Washington offers financial aid for people who aren’t eligible for federal aid, including undocumented students. Financial aid is money that can help you pay for more education after high school. Complete the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) to see if you are eligible. 

How to Apply

Call this dedicated, toll-free phone number to complete your COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application with a FEMA representative.

Multilingual services are available.

Register for a webinar

The Employment Standards Program is hosting webinars in English and Spanish early in 2022 to help employers and workers understand Washington’s wage and hour laws.

To register visit L&I's “Workshops and Training Center” web page, look for ‘Understanding the Changes in Agricultural Overtime Laws’ in the “Event Title” pulldown menu.

Sessions is in! Get involved, know your Legislature

Scheduled to last just 60 days don't wait to make your voice heard! Some bills have already received public testimony but it isn't too late to send comment. Be apart of the process, click on the legislative bill watch button below- and learn which bills we are tracking!