The Commission on Hispanic Affairs is your commission.
We have nine Commissioners who represent our communities across the state. I am honored to serve as chair of the Commission for a second term. We are led by our Executive Director, Maria Siguenza, and her staff of eight, who work hard to ensure that our communities are being heard.
Together, we are committed to representing over one million Latinos in this state. We have spent the year speaking with community members, community organizations, and policy makers, to help us understand the needs in different regions of the state, and then bringing what we have heard back to Olympia to ensure that policies and statewide decisions align with our community’s needs. We are proud to have a Commission that is forward-thinking, focused on equity and access to opportunity. We seek to understand the complexity and diversity in our own community so that we can positively advocate for small business needs, education, racial justice, health, and many other arenas.
Our community is growing—we contribute immensely to the economy of this beautiful state. We are working toward a future where we are able to thrive and to build generational stability and economic prosperity for our families far into the future. We all hold a distinct power in our hands; if you are eligible to vote, register yourself, become acquainted with the issues, and vote! Let’s move forward, united in the knowledge that when we work together, we can achieve anything!
Angie Hinojos, Chair, WA State Commission on Hispanic Affairs
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The 2024 legislative session is right around the corner!
CHA is getting ready to enter the legislative session once again! Our top priorities last year were budget requests. Our budget requests included funding to expand our communications team, rebrand our agency, have commissioner stipends, and more. We had a historic successful session in 2023.
Buckle up because we will be entering a shorter session in 2024. (60 days). This year, CHA will be working towards supporting our priority bills. Stay tuned on our website to check out our priority bills on the Trello board. Below are some great ways to be informed.
So, what can you do now to prepare for session?
- Subscribe to our newsletter to receive legislative updates and calls to action by visiting cha.wa.gov
- Stay informed on the journey of the bills CHA is tracking by visiting our Trello Boards by visiting cha.wa.gov and clicking on the CHA Priorities tab.
- Check out these key resources to learn more about the legislative session.
- Go to directly to the Washington’s legislative website.
- Learn more about participating in the legislative process by visiting www.cha.wa.gov/legislative-process.
- Find out who your state representatives are.
Key dates:
- First day of session: January 8, 2024
- Last day of session (Sine Die): March 7, 2024
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The Department of Health (department) rule writing team would like to invite you to participate in our public listening sessions that we will be holding in December 2023 and January 2024 to develop new Washington Administrative Code (WAC) for private detention facilities.
The department is considering establishing chapter 246-385 WAC as a new chapter to set operational standards for private detention facilities and set health and safety standards for detained persons pursuant to Second Substitute House Bill 1470 (HB 1470), Chapter 419, Laws of 2023, Regular Session.
Setting operational, health and safety standards will ensure persons detained in private detention facilities are provided sanitary, hygienic, and safe living conditions. HB 1470 gives the department the rulemaking authority to address the following:
- Use of personal belongings
- Cleaning and sanitizing of living areas
- Laundry facilities
- Personal hygiene items
- Nutritious, balanced, and special diets
- Food handing and hygiene practices
- Indoor air quality and room temperature
- Infection control program
- Site inspection
- Civil penalties
The listening sessions will give us a chance to have open discussions about HB 1470 and proposed rulemaking, ideas to reach more people in the community, and gather input on safe and healthy standards in private detention facilities.
Please join our listening session(s) by registering for one (or all) of these days:
December 6, 2023, 10am – 12pm (PST)
December 19, 2023, 5pm – 7pm (PST)
January 20, 2024, 1pm – 3pm (PST)
Coming soon – Additional public engagement events:
- February 2024 – May 2024, Rule Language Work Groups
- June 2024 – July 2024, Informal Comment Period
For more information visit our website or contact Nina Helpling.
As part of the specialty improvement and expansion project enacted by Senate Bill 5630 and recommendations developed from extensive stakeholder work, DSHS/ALTSA is starting work on a new expanded specialty curriculum in January 2023 for caregivers who work in adult family homes, assisted living facilities and enhanced services facilities. The topic for this training will be building on our existing dementia, level 1 curriculum and provide advanced subject matter to create this dementia, level 2 course. It will provide professional development and an advanced level of training for long-term care workers to support a higher quality of life for the individuals they care for.
The input from a committee of subject matter experts to guide research and development of the course materials is essential for the quality of this future training. If you or someone you know are interested in participating as a subject matter expert (Jan-April), reviewer (May-June) and/or instructor (Sept-Dec), or have additional questions please contact Angie Regensburg at regenal@dshs.wa.gov.
The Community Development Officers (CDOs) will conduct one hour long listening sessions and will be tabling events in each county. During these outreach activities we will be sharing the community connection questionnaire. This is a short questionnaire comprised of five parts, available in Spanish and English.
We will inquire about identity, demographic information and what folks recommend for a commission name. This data will then be compiled, and a recommendation will follow.
This topic inspires a lot of debate and conversation. We are an incredibly diverse community, and we want to learn from each of you. So, whether you identify as Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latin/ Latine/Hispanic/Hispanicx, or Indigenous, let us know by taking the questionnaire. There are no wrong answers here, we just want to learn what you have to say without being forced to pick from the typical boxes we see in official forms.
In the few months that I have had the privilege to work with this team they have tabled events or conducted one hour long listening sessions in over 16 counties of this state. We still have so much work to do but I am in awe of what we have accomplished so far. We are learning to work together, to learn from each other and show up for each other.
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As we enter the thanksgiving season, I reflect on the work I’ve been a part of since September, the month I began with CHA. In the first month it was getting to know our team, learning of CHA’s inner processing works, trainings, outreach planning along with getting to know the Southeast portion of the state through research, which is my designated work area. I am very thankful on how the existing team has helped onboard me, the team has been very protective on how not to overload us Community Development Officers. From onboarding to planning our outreach efforts to meeting community, recording videos, developing flyers, reading two books, learning new software, and translating documents, it has been full of learning. Thank you!
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Getting started on Community Development on the west side of the Cascades has been eye opening, overwhelming, and insightful. My role is designated the following counties: King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Skamania, Cowlitz, Clark, and Mason. As I’ve visited the first few counties, it’s apparent to me that CHA has been doing incredible work laying the foundation for the CDOs to build on across the state. Many community leaders know of CHA, are connected to Commissioners, or other folks connected in our agency. It has been exciting to share updates from our agency, learn about resources, and gather authentic input from community members. Over the last few months, I’ve been focusing on researching each county, networking, and coordinating Community Connection sessions.
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The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is the independent voice for small business within the federal government, the watchdog of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and a source of small business statistics and research. Each year, the Office of Advocacy’s annual State Profiles gather the latest federal small business economic data into state-by-state snapshots of small business economic activity.
This specialized crisis line continues to grow and support Native people in Washington state
Washington state’s Native and Strong Lifeline celebrates its first anniversary this Friday, November 10. It’s the nation’s first suicide prevention, crisis, and help line fully staffed and run by Native crisis counselors that serves American Indian and Alaska Native people. Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW) operates the line.
The Native and Strong Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7/365 for people experiencing a mental health crisis, substance use concerns, or emotional distress. The resources and support are centered on Indigenous people's traditions, wisdom, and lived experiences.
“Calling the Native and Strong Lifeline is just like talking to one of your cousins, aunties, or uncles,” said Valarie Moon, Native and Strong Lifeline shift lead. “I want all the Native people to remember that before colonialism, we were connected and dependent on our relatives to survive, and it was not shameful. We care about every single Native person out there going through a hard time, and we want to try to provide you with mechanisms to feel your sadness, anger, or grief.” Read more.
DOH recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone aged six months and older
Get your flu vaccine now to get your immune system ready for fall and winter. That way you, your loved ones, and your fall plans remain flu free.
DOH recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone aged six months and older, including pregnant and nursing people. It is especially important for adults 65 years and older, young children, pregnant people, and people who are immunocompromised — they are at higher risk of hospitalization and death from the flu. Read more.
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The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) will accept applications for the 2024-25 American Indian Endowed Scholarship (AIES) beginning December 2023 through March 1, 2024. Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2024. Applications must be accompanied by all required attachments.
Overview
The American Indian Endowed Scholarship (AIES) helps students who have close social and cultural ties to an American Indian community in the state of Washington and demonstrate financial need. Students can use the scholarships at public colleges and many independent colleges in Washington. The program prioritizes upper-division and graduate-level students, but all applicants are considered.
Award amounts range from around $500 to $2,000. Ten to fifteen students are selected each year to receive the awards. Students may get AIES funding for up to five years but must reapply each year.
Many past recipients have careers in law, medicine, education, business, and resource management. All have returned, or plan to return, to their tribal communities to work on behalf of Indian peoples within the state. For more information.
Over the past five years, Washington state has made great strides in K–12 school safety, including the creation of regional school safety centers, a mandatory threat assessment program in each school district, and required training when districts choose to employ a security officer.
To build from these efforts and to provide families with actionable tools to support their child’s health and well-being, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has published a series of fact sheets about topics including mental and behavioral health, safe social media use, and safe storage of substances and firearms.
“Schools are an integral part of their community,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, “and community health and well-being are supported both inside and outside of our school walls. These fact sheets aim to provide parents and families with data and actionable tools to guide conversations as they support their children in making safe and informed decisions.” Read More.
As part of its Raise the Bar: Create Pathways for Global Engagement, [lnks.gd] the Biden-Harris Administration today launched “Being Bilingual is a Superpower,” an initiative by the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to promote multilingual education and bolster high-quality language programs and a diverse multilingual educator workforce across the country.
"Being Bilingual is a Superpower” will promote and further the understanding of bilingualism and biliteracy as an educational and economic imperative for student success, global competitiveness, and engagement. The new initiative under the Department's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) seeks to promote research-based bilingual educational opportunities and language instruction in early learning education settings and beyond.
“Make no mistake: multilingualism is a superpower. Knowing more than one language, acquiring a new language through school, or learning new languages later in life can provide tangible academic, cognitive, economic and sociocultural advantages,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “As our nation continues to grow more diverse, and as our global economy becomes more interconnected, we cannot seize our nation's full potential to compete and lead the world unless we Raise the Bar and provide all students with opportunities to become multilingual.”
Read More.
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