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JOE BIDEN AND HIS CAMPAIGN ARE TRYING TO REWRITE THE HISTORY ON IMPACT OF HIS 1994 CRIME BILL ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY

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In a recent NPR interview Joe Biden’s Senior Advisor Symone Sanders tried to convince listeners that Biden’s 1994 Crime Bill was a good thing, but the facts show that it was a damaging piece of legislation that led to the mass incarceration of thousands of Black Americans which hurt families, communities and generational wealth.

“Much ink has been spilled about the crime bill and I think if we are going to talk about the crime bill we have to ensure that we are putting it in perspective of the times,  that crime was rampant and many folks across the country — you know African American pastors Mayors, African American mayors,  the members of Congressional Black Caucus were urged, and were urging for something to happen and that is how the crime bill came about. There were lots of things in the crime bill that folks would say are good…” –Symone Sanders (NPR 6/22/20)

“So, when you take a look at my record, people talk about the crime bill. Crime bill didn’t increase mass incarceration, other things increased mass incarceration and the reason why, if you go back and look, and I know you talk about it, you go back and take a look. That’s why you had the vast majority of the black caucus at the time, supporting the crime bill.….Almost every major city with black mayors supported the crime bill because blacks were getting killed overwhelmingly as well…” -Joe Biden (The Breakfast Club 5/22/20)
EVEN LIBERALS DISAGREE WITH JOE BIDEN ON HIS HORRIBLE CRIME BILL

 

 

  • “I signed a bill that made the problem worse,” he said of the trend toward increased incarceration, “and I want to admit that.” –President Bill Clinton (NAACP, 7/16/2015)

 

  • “That crime bill was shameful, what it did to black and brown communities like mine [and] low-income communities from Appalachia to rural Iowa. It was a bad bill.”-Senator Cory Booker (The Huffington Post, 5/30/19)

 

  • “…The hundreds of thousands of Americans unjustly sent to prison for long periods of time, the families torn apart, the effects of mass incarceration we are feeling to this day in New York and all over this country, and look, the crime bill was the foundation of that horrible era of mass incarceration…look at the fact that the bill had a disproportionate impact on African Americans and Latinos…that bill was a huge mistake…” –New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (CBS News, 5/30/19)

 

  • “It destroyed entire neighborhoods, destroyed entire communities and we’re still paying the price and suffering from it.” -Patrisse Cullors, Black Lives Matter Co-Founder (LA Times, 6/26/19)

 

  • “The 1994 federal crime bill that created tough new criminal sentences and incentivized states to build more prisons and pass truth-in-sentencing laws is getting new scrutiny during this 2020 election cycle.” – Udi Ofer, Deputy National Political Director and Director of Campaign for Smart Justice, ACLU (ACLU, 6/4/19)

 

  • “Many consider the crime bill to be one of the cornerstone statutes that accelerated mass incarceration. But the law’s negative effects did not end there. States and localities were incentivized through a massive infusion of federal funding to build more jails and prisons and to pass so-called truth-in-sentencing laws and other punitive measures that simultaneously increased the number and length of prison sentences while reducing the possibility of early release for those incarcerated. It has been well-documented that these policies were failures.” Ed Chung, Betsy Pearl, Lea Hunter, Center for American Progress (The Center for American Progress , 3/26/19)

 

DESPITE TEAM BIDEN’S “THE BLACK COMMUNITY MADE ME DO IT” EXCUSE FOR HIS CRIME BILL

HERE ARE THE FACTS

 

  • Joe Biden Played A “Central Role” In Writing And Passing The 1994 Crime Bill  (Joe Biden, Press Release, 10/25/07)
  • The 1994 Crime Bill “Remains the Most Extensive Federal Crime Legislation Ever Passed.” (The Brennan Center, 9/9/19)
  • The Biden Crime Bill Included Measures Many Experts Now Say “Helped Give the U.S. The Highest Incarceration Rate in The World.” ( The New York Times, 8/21/15)
  • After Biden’s Crime Bill, The Incarcerated Population in America Doubled, from 1994 To 2009, With 12 Percent of People Incarcerated in U.S. Jails Reporting Regular Use Of Opioids. (Politico, 5/23/19)
  • The Most Significant and Long-Lasting Impacts of The Legislation Was the Authorization of Incentive Grants To Build Or Expand Correctional Facilities Through The Violent Offender Incarceration And Truth-In-Sentencing Incentive Grants Program. (The Brennan Center, 9/9/19)

o    This Fueled A Prison Construction Boom, For A Period in the 1990s, A New Prison Opened Every 15 Days on Average. (The Brennan Center, 9/9/19)

 

Joe Biden’s 44-year record is finally being fully examined. His record of making bigoted comments and his long legislative record of advocating for policies that actually hurt Black Americans should be contrasted to President Trump’s four years in office working to advance, support and empower the Black community.

 

Now, Team Joe Biden is trying to convince Black American voters that his 1994 Crime Bill really wasn’t that bad for the Black community, and Black leaders were really the ones responsible for it instead of taking responsibly for his poor leadership and policy judgement.

Young People For (YP4) to Hosts First Virtual Civic Engagement Training

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Tonight, Young People For (YP4)– a national network that provides life-long social justice leadership training centers black, brown, indigenous, disabled, and LGBTQ+ leaders in education, media, politics, business, government, and everywhere– will host its YP4 Civic Engagement Series of the summer featuring young elected officials and other who will break down how power functions at each level of government.

The purpose of the series is to offer young people a clearer understanding of who holds the power to influence our day to day lives and how they can shift that power to our communities. ⁣

WHO: First guest speaker of the series is Svante Myrick, Mayor of Ithaca, NY, discussing his personal experience in local government.

WHAT: YP4 Civic Engagement Series (July 1, 8,15, & 22)

WHEN: **Tonight** Wednesday, July 1st at 7:30PM ET

WHERE: ONLINE; Register HERE.⁣

This training is completely FREE and OPEN to the public and is part of a series taking place every Wednesday in July– July 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd. The YP4 Civic Engagement Series will lead up to the YP4 Civic Engagement Summit scheduled for August 4-7, 2020. More information to come.

Increased percentage of Native people experiencing homelessness disheartening, but shows progress in methods to collect accurate data

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According to data from King County’s 2020 annual Point In Time (PIT) Count, 15% of the total homeless population is American Indian or Alaska Native. This is an increase from PIT’s 2019 report, which stated that Native people represented 10% of the homeless population in King County.

The advocacy to collect more accurate data related to Native people experiencing homelessness may be attributed to efforts led by the National Coalition to End Urban Indigenous Homelessness (Coalition), a collaboration between service providers working with King County’s Native community including, Chief Seattle Club, Seattle Indian Health Board, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Mother Nation, and Urban Indian Health Institute.

 

In 2018, Native organizations were excluded from the PIT Count survey collection, and as a result, the analysis found that only 3% of the homeless population identified as American Indian and/or Alaska Native. In 2019, the Coalition advocated for more involvement in the distribution of surveys, leading to a more accurate count of 10%. That year, the Coalition also advocated for All Home to eliminate “multi-race” as a racial category, which has led to undercounts of Native populations in the past.

 

In 2020, the Coalition advocated for there to be no limits to the number of surveys their organizations distribute to the community, and they mobilized Native organizations to make a concerted effort to collect more accurate counts.

 

The following statement from leaders of the National Coalition to End Urban Indigenous Homelessness can be quoted in part or in full. 

 

 “Because of our efforts to collect more accurate data related to American Indians and Alaska Natives experiencing homelessness, we believe we are getting closer to truly understanding the scope of the work ahead. 

 

In the past, we have expressed concerns about gaps in the outreach and sampling methodologies used in the PIT Count because Native service providers and researchers were not consulted through the design and implementation. This contributed to inconsistent, inequitable, and culturally incompetent practices that resulted in an undercount of the American Indian and Alaska Native community. 

 

But the reality of these more accurate numbers is saddening. These are our relatives, and they are part of a system that creates barriers for them at every turn. They are part of a housing system that is anti-Native. 

 

We need more resources for Native-led organizations, and we will continue to advocate for policy change that begins to remove the barriers that have led to our relatives experiencing homelessness disproportionately. 

 

It is important to remember that the PIT Count is only a snapshot and does not accurately reflect the whole picture of people experiencing homelessness in King County. However, this data is used throughout the year to inform funding decisions, policy and systems strategies, and shapes the narrative of the homelessness crisis in our community. 

 

We know that culturally specific programs are part of the solution to solving homelessness for everyone. Since the City of Seattle and King County have begun funding our agencies, we have seen an increase of Native people being housed through Native providers. 

 

We are housing more people in our community than ever before. 

 

Without accurate data that tells the truth about the astonishingly high rates in the Native community, the narrative is inequitable. We cannot break down barriers in the homelessness crisis without accurate information. 

 

If, together, we can figure out how to solve homelessness within the Native community, we can figure out how to solve it for all.” 

Still Embracing Diversity in the Workplace

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Ricardo Charlton, Port of Tacoma’s maintenance director, and Pat Patterson, assistant director of facilities maintenance.

 Embracing Diversity in the Workplace – Part II

by John A. Huguley – Community Writer

For a second year, the NW Facts Newspaper is proud to do a feature article on the Port of Tacoma on the subject of diversity in the workplace. This year we are highlighting two port employees; Ricardo Charlton, Port of Tacoma’s maintenance director, and Pat Patterson, assistant director of facilities maintenance.

Originally from the Bahamas, Ricardo Charlton came to the Port of Tacoma four years ago with over 20 years of experience. Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, he worked at ports in Louisiana and Florida. During his years in the industry he experienced many diversity changes, but none of the changes were as positive as he has seen at the Port of Tacoma. When he first came to the port he said he was given a blank slate and was granted the power to hire staff whom he felt were most qualified. He made it his goal to exhaust all avenues to find his new team. Ricardo says, “I made it my personal business to have total diversity … I wanted to create a work environment that reflects what the city of Tacoma looks like.”

Ricardo tells us he’s blessed to work in such a great work environment and to be living in the most beautiful part of the country right now. Among his many jobs, he says working for the Port of Tacoma is, “by far, unequivocally the best job he’s ever had.” Ricardo explains that the leadership as well as the people he works with daily are all outstanding. Ricardo has worked for several other ports around the country and says, “what we have here in Tacoma/Seattle is bar-none the best port there is.”

We also spoke with Pat Patterson, assistant director of facilities maintenance. 

Pat is responsible for the facilities side of the day to day operations at the Port of Tacoma properties owned or managed by the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA). He oversees a staff of 38 individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Pat came to the Port three years ago from the Tacoma Housing Authority where he served as the director of property management. The Port’s leadership team told Pat that they hired him to help make a difference. Pat has seen a conscious effort from the top down to make the workplace more diverse, including changes to the hiring process. Pat sees positive changes continuing based on the objectives of the current leadership at the Port and the goals of the NWSA.

Pat adds these wise words, “We have to keep moving – we cannot go backwards. As long as we have an agenda to move forward we are making progress.”

Today the Port of Tacoma employs about 250 people consisting of administration, maintenance, security, and skilled trades. The Port respects and values the rich diversity of its employees, customers, partners, and the community it serves. The Port is also committed to building an inclusive work environment that reflects the demographics of our community.

Founded in 1918, the Port is located on the Tacoma waterfront at the south end of Puget Sound. As the major economic engine for Pierce County, the Port of Tacoma supports more than 29,000 jobs and generates $3 billion in annual economic activity. Together, the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma make up the fourth-largest container gateway in North America and a major center for automobile shipments, bulk, and heavy-lift cargo.

…

 

If you enjoyed reading this article please like and share.

You can read last year’s article by clicking this link:
https://www.nwfacts.com/embracing-diversity-workplace/

 

 

Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Now Accepting Applications for 2020 Summer Internships

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The Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) helps young people (ages 16 to 24) from low-income households and communities that experience racial, social, and economic disparities. The goal is to increase youth and young adults’ ability to pursue careers that pay well and are meaningful to them.

SYEP has two components: a school-year exploration and learning experience, and a summer internship. The summer internship places young people in work settings to apply their knowledge, gain hands-on experience, develop professional connections, and build their resume. In 2020, SYEP summer interns will be paid $16.39 for up to 150 hours of work over six weeks.

Two young women wearing nurse uniforms in a hospital room

Specific supports are provided to young people to ensure they are set-up for success, including:

  • An ORCA card to cover transportation to and from the program (if they don’t already have one issued through their school)
  • All fees for tests and/or certifications required by internship sites, such as food handler permits or first aid/CPR
  • Internship-related work clothes or safety equipment, such as hard hats and/or work boots
  • Ongoing support from their Youth Development Counselor for general coaching

To be eligible for SYEP, young people must be between the ages of 16 and 24 years old, live within the Seattle city limits, and live in a household with income at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI). Applications for summer 2020 internships are now open, and will close on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at midnight Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Want to apply? Visit our program website at www.seattle.gov/syep today!

Mayor Durkan Announces New Efforts to Prepare for 2020 Census

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As part of her 2020 State of the City address, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced the City’s new actions to prepare for the 2020 United States Census. The City will open a series of Census Assistance Centers and launch other focused education efforts to help ensure all Seattle communities can know their rights and be counted. By mid-March, every household in Seattle will receive a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau, inviting them to fill out their Census form online. With the president trying to undermine the Census at every turn, and with this being the first-ever online Census, the City is working to break down barriers that could prevent historically undercounted communities from completing their Census forms.

The U.S. Census only happens once every 10 years, and the consequences of having an incomplete count are not just statistical: Residents’ lives could be significantly impacted for an entire decade. A complete Census count would ensure Seattle receives its fair share of federal resources, as significant funding is at stake for other federal programs that Seattle families and communities rely on, including Head Start, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicare and Medicaid.

“As one of the fastest-growing cities in America, there’s a lot at stake for Seattle in this next Census. We know that everyone counts, and everyone needs to be counted, which is why we’re working to ensure our residents have the resources and information they need to participate in the 2020 Census,” said Mayor Durkan. “From fear surrounding the failed ‘citizenship question,’ to this being the first-ever online Census, there are significant barriers to a complete 2020 Census count. But our Census Assistance Centers, coupled with the efforts of our community partners, will help people participate in the Census, and ensure Seattle receives our fair share of federal resources.”

The City of Seattle is deploying four key strategies to ensure a complete, safe Census count:

  1. City staff at all Seattle Public Library (SPL) branches and all Seattle Parks and Recreation community centers will be prepared to answer questions about the 2020 Census;
  2. Starting March 12, every Seattle Public Library branch will have computers available for communities to fill out their Census form, regardless of whether they have library cards;
  3. On April 1, the Seattle Public Library will host Census Assistance Centers at the Lake City, Rainier Beach and Ballard branches; and
  4. On April 15, community centers at Alki, Delridge, Garfield, High Point, Jefferson, Rainier, South Park, and Yesler will host Census Assistance Centers.
Front of Alki Community Center
Alki Community Center in West Seattle

“Seattle is committed to using its resources and supporting community organizations and networks to ensure a full, fair, accurate, and informed census count,” said Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Position 8, Citywide). “Through Census Assistance Centers, the City is changing the way it engages with our communities, and having conversations with our residents where they live, work, and rest. Full participation in the 2020 Census will ensure adequate funding for our City, and bring needed resources back to our historically undercounted communities. But the Census isn’t just about funding, it’s also about having a voice, being counted, and local resistance to this administration’s harmful policies.”

At Census Assistance Centers, community members can receive technical assistance when filling out their online Census form, get their questions answered about how Census information is used, and learn more about why the Census is important. A full list of Census Assistance Center times and locations is available here.

“As Seattle’s immigrant and refugee population continues to grow, it’s important that we are prepared for a fair and accurate 2020 Census count. The federal funding we receive as a result of the Census is critical to supporting the success and well-being of the communities that make up the fabric of our great city. I’m glad to see the City of Seattle open these assistance centers, which will help our communities, especially immigrant and refugee communities, get counted in the 2020 Census,” said Mahnaz Eshetu, Executive Director of ReWA.

Front of the Seattle Public Library Ballard Branch
Seattle Public Library Ballard Branch

“So many of our necessary community resources are determined by the Census, whether that be transportation, food access, health care or education. If we are not all counted, we will be competing for crumbs to support our families and communities,” said Michelle Merriweather, President and CEO at Urban league of Metropolitan Seattle. “There is also an impact on political representation. Who we vote for depends on legislative districts, which move every 10 years depending on how many people are counted. Our representation in Washington, D.C. is solely determined by the Census. If we want fair and equitable representation, we need to be counted.”

In addition to the Census Assistance Centers, every single staff member at The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Parks and Recreation community centers will be trained to answer questions related to Census 2020 and help communities complete their forms. And, starting March 12, every SPL branch in Seattle will have computers reserved exclusively for residents to fill out their Census questionnaire. Any community member can use these Census-reserved computers, regardless of whether they have an SPL card.

“Seattle Department of Neighborhoods works every day to elevate community voices, and the 2020 Census is only of the most significant issues for Seattle communities,” said Andrés Mantilla, Director of the Department of Neighborhoods. “We are closely working with community-based organizations along with our ethnic media to ensure we are engaging all communities across Seattle and making it easier for them to participate in the Census.

Throughout 2019, the City of Seattle partnered with community-based organizations to lay the groundwork for a complete and safe Census count. The Mayor regularly convened her Seattle Census Task Force to advise on pressing Census issues, including lack of federal funding, the citizenship question, and continued anti-immigrant policies being pursued by the president. The City was also a significant contributor to the Regional Census Fund, which allocated millions of dollars to community-based organizations throughout King County working to get a complete Census count. Finally, the City issued its first-ever Ethnic and Minority Media Fund to grant a total of $150,000 to local ethnic media so they could raise awareness about the importance of the Census.

The City of Seattle’s fight for a fair, safe and complete Census count is part of our work as a Welcoming City. For more information on our Welcoming City policies, please visit this website: www.seattle.gov/welcoming.

UNCF Seattle honors Rep. Eric Pettigrew as Individual of the Year

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Rep. Eric Pettigrew was honored with the Frederick Douglass Patterson Individual of the Year Award by UNCF Seattle at the organization’s 2020 “A Mind Is . . .” gala Saturday night.

Pettigrew, a veteran lawmaker from the 37th legislative district and chair of the majority Democratic Caucus in the state House for the last decade, was recognized for his continuous and successful commitment to minority education throughout his legislative career.

“I’m honored,” Pettigrew said, “and I’m humbled. The UNCF has done more to advance the importance of, and access to, education in the African American community than any other organization.  To receive this award named for the founder of the UNCF and the longtime president of Tuskegee University is something I never could have dreamed of as a kid growing up in South Central Los Angeles.”

Earlier this year, Pettigrew announced his intention to retire from the Legislature at the end of his ninth two-year term next January. During that 18-year career he has been a consistent champion of education for all Washington students, from pre-school through post-secondary levels. For the last several years he has been a leading voice in the Legislature for allowing charter public schools to prove their effectiveness in educating underserved and minority students.

Joining Pettigrew as honorees at the UNCF gala were Seattle community leader and former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award; NFL analyst and host Jordan Babineaux, who received the Mind, Body, and Spirit Award; and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which was named Corporation of the Year.

King County Inspirational Workshops’ programs focused on student-led trainings to educators in King County

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Learn about local nonprofits like Inspirational Workshops that are doing work to cultivate local youth into agents of change and future professional leaders. Inspirational Workshops has been working with youth of color within the King County community for the past two years and is a catalyst when it comes to racial and social justice. The local nonprofit is focused on youth development, all of which are executed with curating social and racial justice in mind.

Inspirational Workshops targets youth development by using innovative ways to prepare them for success. This March, Inspirational Workshops will be launching a digital professional development program focused on Racial Trauma. This digital program is a student-led training that will be sent to schools in King County at no cost and will allow them to see youth execute professional training on the topic to educators. The program will include resources for educators to learn how they can create a positive culture in the classroom, defining trauma, and the youth sharing stories of experiences in the classroom.

Another successful program from Inspirational Workshops is titled “Trailblazers – youth of color blazing the trail for others to follow”. Join Inspirational Workshops through volunteering, giving, and spreading the word about their incredible work with the next generation of youth of color.

About Inspirational Workshops: The nonprofit organization was established in 2017 by Founder and Executive Director, Theresa Hardy. IW is currently partnering with Talbot Hill Elementary School and providing services to youth in the King County area. For more information, visit: https://www.inspirationalworkshops.org/

The Washington State House of Representatives passed Substitute House Bill 1754, upholding protections for religious exercise in addressing homelessness.

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Current federal law protects religious organizations from undue, burdensome, and discriminatory land use regulations. City and county regulations, however, often create obstacles for religious organizations that host people experiencing homelessness. Such obstacles may include elaborate permitting requirements, expensive building code upgrades, and onerous conditions on hosting.

SHB 1754, sponsored by Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), limits the hosting-related regulations that cities and counties can place on religious organizations. Doing so will help churches, temples, synagogues, and other faith-based organizations fulfill their missions to serve communities and help people who need it most, Santos said in support.

“We have a crisis in homelessness,” said Santos. “Preventing religious organizations from providing shelter – a life-sustaining necessity – is wrong, and we should not prevent these organizations from helping people in need. This bill provides an opportunity for us to strengthen public-private partnerships while we address the housing crisis.”

SHB 1754 passed 95-3. It now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Through The Eyes of Art: a Salute to Black Comedy

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The Chosen Few and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) present the 6th year of Through the Eyes of Art, a Black History Month celebration. This annual event brings together artists, community leaders, politicians, and tastemakers from across the state of Washington to celebrate the black experience.

This year’s theme is A Salute to Black Comedy, where we’ll explore the history of Black comedy, its place in American pop culture, and its importance as a medium for speaking truth to power and social commentary. Come celebrate the many African American comedic voices that echo through our social consciousness.