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When Diversity Matters Most. The Strength Lies In Differences, Not In Similarities

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Airport Rental Car Suppler Diversity Outreach

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Airport Rental Car Suppler Diversity Outreach
4/30/2019
Time: 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM (PDT)
Where: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport/Central Auditorium

Registration Deadline: 4/28/2019 (PDT)
Fee: No fee

Contact: seatacshops@portseattle.org

Program Format: Outreach/Networking
Topic: Airport Rental Car Supplier Diversity Outreach
Description:

In efforts to increase diversity within the Airport’s Car Rental industry. The Port of Seattle and airport car rental concessionaires will be holding a half-day outreach event to provide contracting opportunities to small diverse businesses.

Join us if you are interested in finding out what these contracting opportunities are. Find out how certain business certifications can benefit your small business firm with car rental concessionaires. We will provide information on how the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) and other Supplier Diversity certifications can benefit your small business. You do not have to be certified to attend. Free parking and lunch provided.

Register at: http://bit.ly/adroutreach

UW Charging Employees for Transit Passes is an Affront to the Ideals of Earth Day

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A coalition of labor, community, and environmental organizations held an Earth Day press conference outside the UW Light Rail station to blast a proposal by the University to increase the out-of-pocket costs for some employees to purchase a transit pass. The group called on the UW regents to vote down the proposal, and instead provide a fully-subsidized transit pass to all employees like other large Seattle employers.

Over the past year, this coalition has successfully pressured the UW to provide fully-subsidized transit passes for around half the UW’s workforce starting July 1, 2019. UW is proposing to raise out-of-pocket transit costs for thousands of employees (professional staff and faculty) who are not covered by this agreement.

“It’s time for UW to get in line with Seattle’s other big employers and provide all employees with a fully-subsidized transit pass,” said Elizabeth Bauerle, a research scientist at UW Medical Center and a member of the University Transportation Committee. “Incentivizing public transit will reduce carbon emissions, make streets safer, ease gridlock, and free up parking for U-District neighbors — all matters of increasing urgency as the UW begins a massive expansion that will add thousands of commute trips every day. It’s unfortunate that UW is choosing to divide employees over the issue of transit passes.”

The Seattle UW campus expected to grow by 13,000 people in ten years. With an estimated 36% of employees driving to campus alone, this could mean thousands of additional cars on the Seattle roads. Providing transit passes has been proven to change commute behavior.

“As a physician, I’m worried about the effects of vehicle emissions on the health of those in the U-District,” said Dr. Adam Greenbaum, MD/PhD and Board Member of the UW Housestaff Association. “Studies estimate that 60,000 people die every year in the US due to the toxic effects of vehicle emissions. To put this in perspective, this is nearly twice the number of people killed in motor vehicle accidents each year.”

“Faculty wages at the University of Washington lag behind peer institutions,” added Rush Daniel, UW Lecturer. “In one of the most expensive cities in the county, a free U-Pass for faculty is necessary to maintain a decent standard of living.”

After the press conference, the coalition delivered a letter signed by 35 organizations to the UW Board of Regents, President Ana Mari Cauce, and UW Medicine CEO Paul Ramsey.

“We need our community institutions to be community leaders. Unless UW steps up and provides effective transit incentives, future growth will mean more congestion, more air pollution, and more climate emissions,” said Jesse Piedfort, Director of the Washington State Chapter of the Sierra Club. “Providing transit benefits to all employees is a proven strategy that will be a win-win for UW, its employees, and our community.”

Several city council candidates from District 4 joined in calling on UW to make transit passes free to employees, including UW researcher Emily Myers, Shaun Scott, and Cathy Tuttle.

“Affordable and reliable transit is essential for a green, clean, and economically vibrant Seattle,” said Cathy Tuttle, founding director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, and a District 4 candidate. “The University of Washington leads the nation in so many fields. Let’s make sure the UW continues to be a leader in providing free transit to its employees.”

District 4 Candidate Emily Myers added: “Our public institutions must be leaders in addressing climate change, especially institutions like the UW who receives millions of dollars in public funding for climate research. With both carbon emissions and cost of living on the rise in Seattle, we are organizing and taking action for climate and worker justice. It’s time for the UW to act according to their stated values to “stand with the world to fight climate change and protect our future,” and the fight starts at home with access to public transportation and fully subsidized transit passes for all workers.”

District 4 Candidate Shaun Scott added: “The University of Washington should live up to its status as a major research institution by taking climate change seriously. A school as resourced as my alma mater should not be balancing society’s climate budget on the backs of working people by making campus employees pay for transit passes. By building a coalition between working people, organized labor and environments activists, we can have a Seattle Green New Deal that turns its back in the climate injustices of the past, builds a city of the future—for future generations, and our own.”

UW regents meet next on May 8 where they’ll have the opportunity to decide on the proposal to increase transit passes for some employees.

Community leaders kick off year-long census 2020 efforts

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We’re one year away from the start of the 2020 census and leaders in Tacoma, Seattle, Pasco and other Washington cities are part of the all-out effort to deliver one crucial message: Fill out the census form because your voice counts.

Gov. Jay Inslee convened a Complete Count Committee in October 2018 to bring together partners from across the state to make sure every resident understands the importance of participating. While the Trump administration has proposed significant changes — such as limiting financial resources for the census and adding a question about citizenship status — that could discourage participation in low-income or underrepresented communities, the committee is working with state agencies and community leaders on strategies for reaching those households. And agencies such as the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction are partnering with schools and universities to develop student-centered outreach plans.

Offering childcare providers the support, tools, and research they need to help children thrive

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A new initiative funded by King County Executive Dow Constantine’s Best Starts for Kids initiative offers health consultations to childcare providers, providing the latest research and best practices for healthy, safe environments.

The multidisciplinary teams of health experts visit childcare centers, family childcare providers, and informal family, friend, and neighbor caregivers to build trust and offer coaching and support. The partnerships will help King County achieve multiple outcomes, including more kids getting the vaccines they need, fewer days when kids are sick and can’t attend childcare, and fewer kids expelled from childcare.

“Childcare providers contribute to the health and well-being of kids throughout King County, and we are making sure they have the support, tools, and research they need to succeed,” said Executive Constantine. “By offering consultations with health experts, we are helping childcare providers offer the safest, healthiest experience possible for children throughout our region.”

Crowdrise campaign has raised over $10,000 of our $15,000 goal for Tiny Houses by April 12! Please share with friends and colleagues to get us over the top! Tiny House CrowdRise Campaign!

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LIHI is raising funds for our Tiny House Village program through the USA Today’s “A Community Thrives” CrowdRise campaign.  Want to join us in making a difference?  LIHI needs your help to support new and existing Tiny House Villages and provide case management for our residents to help them find permanent housing and connect to needed social services.  Your donation will help us be eligible for a grant of up to $100,000 and other incentive prizes.  Please visit our campaign site and donate todayand help LIHI combat homelessness!

New labor agreement builds on partnerships to deliver efficiencies and excellent customer service

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King County successfully negotiated a two-year labor agreement that delivers new efficiencies and sets total compensation with a coalition representing nearly half of King County’s 14,000 employees.

“This agreement makes sense for our employees, our government, and our region,” said Executive Dow Constantine. “It builds on our ground-breaking Master Labor Agreement with the King County Coalition of Unions, and will help us continue to tackle the most pressing challenges facing us today.”

“The significance of this Total Compensation Agreement between the Coalition of Unions and King County should not be overlooked,” said Michael Gonzales, Senior Business Agent with Teamsters Local 174.

“This contract, along with Master Labor Agreement, not only brings equity to our membership but also proves Executive Dow Constantine is correct that by working with labor you can treat your employees with dignity and at the same time make government efficient for all the residents of King County,” said Gonzales.

Agency urges drivers to slow down, pay attention in work zones

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Washington State Department of Transportation held a ceremony Wednesday to remember the 60 Washington workers lost on the job since 1950, honor workers injured on the job and remind drivers to be aware in work zones. The vast majority who died were working in marked roadway work zones.

Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib spoke at the annual Worker Memorial ceremony, which included families of fallen workers, WSDOT staff, Washington State Patrol, state officials and industry partners. This week marks National Work Zone Awareness Week.

On privacy bill, private meetings don’t bode well for consumers Action is a red flag that bill will likely favor data collectors over consumers

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The state Legislature is working on a bill, SB 5376, to address the security and privacy of consumers’ data online. Yet in a series of private meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, lawmakers included lobbyists for the companies that collect, buy and sell consumers’ data, while excluding advocates for consumers and the public.

State Rep. Shelley Kloba spoke for most Washingtonians, saying, “Washington consumers deserve world-class privacy protections, and they deserve a seat at the table. This can ensure that any legislation we pass grants a set of enforceable rights, has strong provisions for transparency, meaningful consent, and universal application regardless of the size of the company that holds the data. Consumer advocates have shaped the legislation before us in a positive way and they deserve to remain in the discussion.”

A coalition of more than 20 state-based and national consumer and privacy groups, including WashPIRG, the ACLU of Washington, and Consumer Reports, have opposed the bill from the beginning because it contains too many exemptions. But it has already passed the state Senate, and an amended version has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.

WashPIRG state director Elise Orlick issued the following statement in response:

“Exemptions and loopholes in SB 5376 mean that it will fail to defend consumers’ privacy. For example, data collectors could keep mining consumers’ personal information if they mention that they might in one of those impenetrable privacy policies — or if the data collectors meet the vague standard of having ‘legitimate grounds’ to do so. This low bar does not provide meaningful protection.

“We think it was a mistake for Senator Reuven Carlyle to seek the input of lobbyists for big tech companies, including Amazon and Comcast, without asking for advice from those of us whose primary mission is to protect consumers or, for that matter, actual consumers.

“More importantly, the bill leaves Washingtonians without the protection they deserve. The lawmakers should start over and try again, with the voices of consumers included from the beginning.”

2018 Spanaway Lake High School graduate wins prestigious fellowship to study abroad

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SPANAWAY LAKE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE FREDERICK UY WINS PRESTIGIOUS FREDERICK DOUGLASS GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP TO STUDY ABROAD IN LONDON THIS SUMMER

Frederick Uy, a 2018 Spanaway Lake High School graduate, today was awarded a prestigious Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship (FDGF), which provides a full scholarship for the Claflin University freshman to attend a comprehensive study abroad program in London, England this summer.

 

The FDGF is operated jointly by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), the nation’s largest non-profit facilitator of studying abroad, and the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI). Each year, the Fellowship is awarded to 10 outstanding students that attend a Minority Serving Institution (MSI).

Uy, who was born in the Philippines and later moved to Tacoma, Washington, is pursuing a double major in Finance and Computer Science. After his undergraduate studies, Uy hopes to enroll in a joint MBA and Law program then become a financial lawyer who helps smaller companies thrive.  “It has always been a dream of mine to study abroad and be in a learning environment outside of the standard classroom,” he said, noting that he looks forward to being forced to adapt outside his normal comfort zone.

“Studying abroad will push me to become a better person from networking and being engaged with different people and different cultures,” Uy said. “This opportunity is very important for my career because it will allow me to establish strong and solid connections and relationships with successful people in the business world.”

Uy said that he is honored to be a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow and immerse himself into different cultures.  He is very excited to meet new people, form networks, and expand his horizons even more. Outside of school, Uy enjoys playing guitar and other instruments, exploring new places, doing photography, and watching the financial trends of different stocks.

The Fellows were nominated by their college presidents and selected during a national competition. The winners have demonstrated high academic achievement, possess exemplary communication skills, display the hallmarks of self-determination, exhibit characteristics of bold leadership, and have a history of service to others.

The winners will use their experiences to motivate other under-represented students to pursue opportunities to study abroad.  Of the 332,727 US college students who studied abroad in 2017, less than 30% were students of color — 0.4% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 4.3% multiracial, 6.1% African American, 8.2%Asian/Pacific Islander and 10% Hispanic Americans, according to data from the Institute of International Education.  The data shows that students of color largely miss out on international education experiences that can play a critical role in their personal growth, as well as academic and career success.

The Frederick Douglass Fellowship, which launched in 2017, is representative of efforts by CIEE and CMSI to increase diversity in study abroad by breaking down the barriers of cost, curriculum, and culture that prevent students from participating in international education experiences. Named for the African American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and international statesman Frederick Douglass, the Fellowship encourages students to use his life as a model to becoming bold, globally conscious and service-oriented leaders.

 

“The students selected for the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship are ten exemplary student leaders who demonstrate the iconic leadership, keen intellect, and natural change-agent attributes of Frederick Douglass,” said James P. Pellow, President and CEO of CIEE. “These students will be the next generation of leaders and I know that the intercultural competence and global perspective they will gain during the London program will benefit them throughout their lives.”

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About The Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions
The Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions brings together researchers and practitioners from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. The Center’s goals include: elevating the educational contributions of MSIs; ensuring that they are a part of national conversations; bringing awareness to the vital role MSIs play in the nation’s economic development; increasing the rigorous scholarship of MSIs; connecting MSIs’ academic and administrative leadership to promote reform initiatives; and strengthening efforts to close educational achievement gaps among disadvantaged communities. For further information about the Center, please visit www.gse.upenn.edu/cmsi

About CIEE

CIEE, the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, transforms lives and builds bridges by promoting the exchange of ideas and experiences. To help people develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world, CIEE sponsors a wide variety of opportunities for cultural exchange, including work exchange programs, teach abroad programs, and a worldwide portfolio of study abroad and internship programs for college and high school students. Visit www.ciee.org.

 

Public Defense launches post-conviction unit Attorneys will help people vacate convictions and expunge records

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Criminal records hinder a person’s ability to get a job, secure housing, obtain benefits and more. The Department of Public Defense’s new post-conviction relief unit will help people rebuild their lives by vacating convictions and expunging records as allowed under state law.

People with criminal convictions who are eligible to have those convictions vacated will get additional legal assistance to do so, thanks to a new post-conviction relief unit at the King County Department of Public Defense.

The department started its new unit this month, a pilot project funded by King County’s recently passed 2019-2020 operating budget. One paralegal and the equivalent of one full-time attorney will provide the legal help eligible clients need to get convictions vacated. The pilot project also provides funding to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to vacate convictions.

Under state law, many convictions can be vacated, provided enough time has passed. For certain non-violent Class B felonies, one can file a motion to vacate 10 years after completion of the sentence; for non-violent Class C felonies, the wait is five years, and for misdemeanors, three years.

Vacating a criminal record helps to end some of the collateral consequences of criminal legal system involvement. It means, for instance, that the person can state in job applications, housing applications and other forms that he or she has not been convicted of a crime. It also provides some protection in background checks.

“A criminal conviction is like a scarlet letter. It keeps someone entangled in the criminal legal system for years and years, long after they’ve completed their sentence,” said Anita Khandelwal, director of the Department of Public Defense (DPD).

“This kind of work is critical to equity and social justice,” she added. “A person who has completed a sentence should not be forced to carry that mark forever. An equitable and fair system is one that, at a minimum, allows a person to rebuild his or her life.”

DPD already provides some post-conviction work, but on a limited basis. The new unit will enable DPD to provide the service to many more people and to do so systematically, Khandelwal said. The department, for instance, will begin reaching out to people via community partners, social media, workshops and other avenues in an effort to let people know the service exists.

“We don’t know what the volume will be, but we know the need is great,” Khandelwal said.

The attorneys in the new unit will also help clients get their records expunged, which means removing an arrest record or criminal charge that was later dismissed. They can also help people get records sealed, a discretionary process that requires the individual to show his or her privacy needs outweigh the public interest in open access to the courts.

DPD provides high-quality legal advocacy in all areas of criminal law and some areas of civil law to people who cannot afford an attorney. The department employs attorneys, investigators, social workers, paralegals and administrators. In 2018, DPD represented nearly 20,000 individuals in courts throughout King County.

For information about DPD’s post-conviction unit, call the department at 206-296-7662.