 It is hard to believe that we are six months into the year. We have been busy here at the Commission! Our Community Connection Sessions tour is wrapping up and we have started assessing all the surveys we have collected in the last nine months. We have had the pleasure of meeting Latine communities across the state from the San Juan Islands to Spokane and Whatcom to Walla Walla Counties. Thank you to all of our partners who invited us, included us, and hosted us for a session. We could not have been able to do this without the support and collaboration of all the community partners. A special thank you to all community members who participated in this questionnaire. Your stories, vulnerabilities and trust are crucial, and on a personal level, all the stories have impacted me in a way that I have yet to find the words to express what I feel. During the month of June, we hosted two community leader convenings-- the Juntos Y Adelante Gatherings-- where we gathered with over 20 NGO leaders in the west side and another 20 in central WA. We learned a lot but most importantly, we look forward to continuing to gather, learn from each other, and support the great work we are all lifting. A heartfelt thank you to our partners for joining us!
The Latine community is growing and changing. We have a diverse community with different needs across the state. Our high school graduation rates are dropping, college enrollment is dropping, our business community is growing, we have many entrepreneurs opening businesses, and we have many of them closing within the first year. We have so many wonderful young professionals entering the workforce, and higher education students who are doing amazing research and underscoring disparities that are affecting our community. Although the challenges are great, we know via the surveys and gatherings, so is the hope and the perseverance of this community.
This summer, we will be focusing assessing data gathered via the community connection questionnaire and the Juntos Y Adelante Gathering. This data will help inform our decision package requests, future policy priorities, and recommendations. We will also plan and coordinate the Findings Tour, an outreach effort to share findings from this data assessment. Elections are around the corner, and as change and transition are inevitable, the Commission and CHA leadership will prepare to brief the new chief executive of the state on the priorities of the Commission. As member of the Small Business Liaison Team (SBLT), we will be supporting their roundtable tour and connecting with the Latino business communities across the state. Our Community Development Officers will be busy with community asset mapping, and shining the light on important Latine data and facts about our community in WA via our social media channels. You’ll also see informational campaigns on our social media about voter registration, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Latina Equal Pay Day. With a busy workload comes balance and we’re also making sure that the team can enjoy their summers by prioritizing events partaking on weekdays.
Stay connected with us! Follow our social media channels and subscribe to our newsletter! We hope to have a fruitful and wonderful summer.
Happy Summer!
Nancy Aguilar
Join us for this virtual event where we will discuss a variety of topics, including:
• Introduction to state contracting
• How to find upcoming contracting opportunities
• Where to get technical assistance
• Where to find additional training
And, of course, provide time and opportunity for questions and answers.
Who: Small, Diverse, and Veteran-Owned Businesses
Where: This will be a live event hosted on Microsoft Teams.
A Microsoft Teams link will be sent out before the event. For additional information on how to access Microsoft Teams go to: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/join-a-meeting-in-teams-1613bb53-f3fa-431e-85a9-d6a91e3468c9?ui=en-us&rs=en-us&ad=us
When:
- Thursday, July 18, 2024| 3-4 PM (PDT)
- Thursday, August 15, 2024| 3-4 PM (PDT)
- Thursday, September 19, 2024| 3-4 PM (PDT)
Accessibility
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend events sponsored by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. If you require accommodations to participate in this event, don't hesitate to contact despieprogram@des.wa.gov.
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Washington students aren't the only ones experiencing confusion around the new 2024-25 FAFSA - all over the country, schools are adjusting deadlines, hosting FAFSA completion events for families, and promoting additional sources of financial aid to support students during this tumultuous process.
The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is leading a campaign called “Do The FAFSA” with the goal of reaching students where they are and helping them realize their dreams of higher education by filling out their FAFSA. Read More
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2021 state law ends era of clamshell containers, plates, bowls, cups, trays, and coolers made of expanded polystyrene
You're to-go box and other food service items will be changing starting this summer. Beginning June 1, restaurants, businesses, organizations, or other institutions will no longer be able to provide expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam coolers, cups, trays, bowls, or clamshell containers to customers. Alternatives are available and already in wide use as most restaurants have already made the switch, however Washingtonians may still come across these items when they take food home from them.
The restrictions are the latest phase in a 2021 law that seeks to reduce the use of plastic products that frequently end up as trash and litter. The EPS food service product restrictions apply to anyone who sells or distributes EPS foam products. This includes retail, restaurants, coffee shops and drive-throughs, health care and correctional facilities, institutions, government entities, organizations, and schools. Read more
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In March 2024, the Washington State Legislature passed Organics Management Law 2.0 (OML 2.0), including changes to the compostable product labeling standards (“Plastic Product Degradability,” chapter 70A.455 RCW). Below is a summary of key updates that go into effect June 6, 2024.
This bill changes the original Organics Management Law (OML 1.0) passed in 2022, and both will help reach our statewide climate and waste reduction goals. OML 1.0 included labeling standards for compostable products in an effort to support facilities that accept these materials and ease consumer confusion. Consumer confusion adds to contamination, which makes composting more difficult and expensive.
Expanding definition and standards for product composability
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Exempt: Products made from wood are considered compostable and do not need to be labeled in accordance with the labeling rules.
- Products made from more than 98% fiber with no plastic or wax additives or coatings are also considered compostable and do not require specific labeling.
- These products do not need to be listed on a producer’s declaration of compliance. Read more
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RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE (RFSI) GRANT PROGRAM LAUNCHES
Grant application now open for projects that build capacity and resilience across Middle-of-the-Supply-Chain
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to support the one-time-only Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI).
The purpose of this program is to build resilience across Washington state’s middle-of-the-food-supply-chain – aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution – for locally and regionally produced foods including specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry.
The grant application is now open. Please visit https://webportalapp.com/sp/login/wsda_rfsi to create a profile and submit an application. Eligibility criteria and additional information can be found on WSDA's program webpage. Please direct questions to rfsi@agr.wa.gov.
Applications are due on Monday July 15, 2024 at 5PM PDT.
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