January Newsletter: 2021 Legislative Session & Upcoming Events

In a year of unprecedented challenges, we are truly grateful for the people who’ve stepped up to care and fight for our communities at this time.

Thank you to everyone who delivered food, masks, and school supplies to our families, working to ensure that our communities had what they needed to survive and thrive.

Thank you to our frontline healthcare workers, who saved countless lives in the face of an unrelenting pandemic.

Thank you to the organizations and volunteers who helped individuals and businesses apply for assistance, ensuring that resources were accessible to all who needed them.

Thank you to those who fought relentlessly for justice, who understood that we must face every challenge through a lens of equity and racial justice.

We see the work you do, and we thank you. Here’s to another year!

The Commission will convene its January Public Board Meeting on Saturday, January 23, from 10 AM – 12:30 PM. Based on guidance from the Department of Health related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) response, the meeting will be held remotely via video conference call. A dial-in option will also be available for those who are unable to access the meeting electronically.

The link to participate and dial-in information will be available along with the meeting materials to the general public on CAPAA’s website prior to the meeting. Members of the public wishing to provide public comment may contact Project Coordinator Brenda O’Brien at <brenda.obrien@capaa.wa.gov> with the following information: name, phone number, e-mail address, and affiliated organization.

This is a barrier-free event. Requests for accommodations, including translation or interpreter services, should be made to <brenda.obrien@capaa.wa.gov> by Friday, January 15th, 5:00 PM PT.

Every year, CAPAA receives many requests for ceremonial greetings, proclamations, and letters. CAPAA and the Governor’s Office requires at least 30 days’ advance notice to process these requests. For instance, if you would like a letter of greeting for an event happening on Lunar New Year on Friday, February 12, please submit the request by Wednesday, January 13th.

For more information on requesting ceremonial proclamations, letters, and greetings, go to https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/requests-invites/request-ceremonial-proclamation-greeting-or-letter

Every year, APIC hosts an annual API Legislative Day in Olympia, bringing community members from around the state to meet with legislators. This year, APIC is going virtual for a weeklong legislative week! Join us for the 2021 API Legislative Week on Feb 1^st -5^th!

For API Legislative Week, we will be mobilizing our community members from around the state to meet with elected officials all week long to advocate for essential policies and programs that our communities rely on, such as funding for Limited English Proficient immigrants and refugees, unemployment benefits for undocumented immigrants, and more. Lobby meetings will take place throughout the week, but we will also have additional events including a special address from Governor Inslee and a kick-off at the beginning of the week with API legislators and community leaders.

Details will be announced closer to the date, but save the date and register now at: www.bit.ly/apilegislativeweek!

Share the link with your friends, family, and community! All are welcome regardless of experience. Your voice is important and must be heard in Olympia.

Governor Jay Inslee announced the Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery. It is a regional phased recovery plan.

Washington has avoided overwhelming the state’s health care systems so far through rigorous safety measures and social and economic restrictions. This new recovery system aims to safely ease some restrictions while also maintaining crucial hospital capacity, ensuring care for Washingtonians that need it and paving the way for economic recovery.

• To go forward from Phase 1 to Phase 2, regions must meet all four metrics:
• Decreasing trend in two-week rate of COVID-19 cases per 100K population (decrease >10%)
• Decreasing trend in two-week rate new COVID-19 hospital admission rates per 100K population (decrease >10%)
• ICU occupancy (total — COVID-19 and non-COVID-19) of less than 90%
• COVID-19 test positivity rate of <10%

To remain in Phase 2, regions must continue to meet 3 of these metrics.

For more information, read more here: https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-announces-healthy-washington-roadmap-to-recovery-229b880a6859

The Washington State Department of Health just released an updated vaccine schedule, adjusting the Phase 1 vaccine rollout with an equity focus. This updated schedule prioritizes population groups that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Read the full release here: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/news/who-goes-next-washington-releases-next-phase-vaccine-prioritization

Find out when you can get the vaccine at FindYourPhaseWA.org

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) will be hiring 60 new Trooper Cadets and 24 Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers (CVEO) in the next six months and invites interested individuals to apply.

Both Trooper and CVEO positions are high paying with excellent benefits and just as importantly, daily opportunities to serve the public and make a difference during these difficult times. WSP’s next Trooper Academy class starts on July 12th and paid job-training opportunities across the state are available immediately for those chosen be a part of WSP.

To find out more, to contact a recruiter, or to apply go to www.wsp.wa.gov.

The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) is offering planning grants of $10,000 to increase opportunities for historically underserved students as they explore careers in education.

The planning grant is designed to prepare teachers, administrators, and school districts to launch a Recruiting Washington Teachers (RWT) or Bilingual Educator Initiative (BEI) program within the next two academic years. Washington State school districts and tribal compact schools are eligible to apply. Grant applications are due by Friday, February 5, 2021.

View the informational packet.

The International Leadership Foundation (ILF) Civic Fellowship program brings outstanding AAPI college students to Washington, DC, for an intensive internship and leadership program. The Civic Fellowship is an 8-10 week internship at a federal agency or a member of U.S. Congress to learn firsthand about the federal government, legislative process, and careers in policy-making. ILF will also provide scholarships and leadership training.

College students can apply today at tinyurl.com/fellowship2021.

The King County Office of Equity and Social Justice requests candidates for an Equity Cabinet to partner with and advise the County on how to ensure that policies, practices, and outcomes align with its intentions to lead with equity, social and racial justice. The Cabinet, comprised of 12-15 members, will facilitate the County’s commitment to lead with racial justice and invest in partnerships that can steadily inform and influence the County’s decision-making toward defining and achieving equitable outcomes.

The lived experiences, perspectives, and expertise of Black, Indigenous, and people of color are fundamental to the success of this work. We strongly encourage applications from people who hold these identities and lived experience. Within these identities, youth, people identifying as LGBTQ+, and people living with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. Applications must be received by January 29, 2021 (extended deadline).

Please read the full Request for Candidates and instructions on how to apply at the Equity and Social Justice website.

Disability EmpowHer Network is excited to announce two mentoring and leadership training opportunities for girls and young women with disabilities across the nation: EmpowHer Camp and A Letter from a Role Model.

To learn more about our programs please visit disabilityempowhernetwork.org. To nominate a girl with a disability to receive a letter or to attend EmpowHer Camp, visit disabilityempowhernetwork.org/get-a-mentor.

Want to talk about empowering girls and women with disabilities? Contact Stephanie Woodward at stephanie@disabilityempowhernetwork.org.

Join Asia Pacific Cultural Center (APCC) for their 23rd Annual New Year Celebration, featuring the beautiful Marshall Islands! The celebration is going virtual this year, and will be streamed on their Facebook page.

Register to win cultural door prizes. Winners to be announced during the New Year Celebration Facebook Live Events. Tune in each day at 11 am to hear the winner of the door prizes.

• Daily activities and door prizes on APCC’s FB Live Monday to Saturday at 11 am, February 8-13, 2021

Event Lineup

• February 8 Monday – Opening: Drum of All Nations- Guam, Samoa, Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Hawaii, and Korea. Performing countries to include Guam, Korea, and Vietnam.

• February 9 Tuesday – Performing countries: Hawaii, Taiwan, and Japan.

• February 10 Wednesday – Performing countries: The Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa, and Tonga

• February 11 Thursday – Performing countries: India, China, and Cambodia. Bonus Karate Demonstration.

• February 12 Friday – Performing countries: New Zealand, and Samoa.

• February 13 Saturday Finale – Featuring the Marshall Islands. Cultural performances and entertainment, highlights, artifacts, and more.

Open enrollment for COFA Health Care and COFA Dental Care has begun and will run until January 15! Go to HCA.wa.gov/COFA for more information, eligibility requirements, and details on the application process.

The Washington State Legislature passed a bill for COFA Islander Health Care in 2018 and passed another bill for COFA Islander Dental Care in 2019. In response to this year’s budget shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor’s Office requested that state agencies cut 15% of their budgets. One of those agencies, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), listed the COFA Islander Health and Dental programs as potential items to be cut. However, the only way those programs can be modified is through the Legislature, where those programs are predicted to be protected and left untouched. Thus, health and dental coverage for COFA Islander community members continues to be available.

If you have questions and for in-language assistance, reach out to:
COFA Islanders Program Support Line: 1-800-547-3109
Email: COFAQuestions@hca.wa.gov