With over 20 years of experience in vocational coaching, mentoring, and leadership, he exemplifies dedication and resilience. Growing up during extreme segregation, his journey is one of perseverance and purpose. Born to incredible parents who were also sharecroppers in the South, Terry and his family traveled to WA., where he was determined to transform the world with his labor of love. He has never stopped moving- working tirelessly to impact the lives of those he serves positively. Terry is not as well known as MLK, but he makes just as powerful an impact by serving and uplifting marginalized voices.

THEY announced Isiah Turner's resignation exactly one week ago.

An audit has shown that as state commissioner of Employment Security, Turner misused or failed to keep proper records of almost $22,000 in travel and telephone expenses over five years.

Since The Times broke that story several weeks ago, there had been speculation whether Turner would weather the storm and whether Turner's problems would damage relations with and opportunities for other people of color in general and African Americans in particular.

There even were some who said Turner should resign even before the audit was finished.

In Tacoma, the folks who run the Northwest Knights Information Hotline called for Turner's head immediately. They also called him a ``token non-white'' and asked ``their supporters'' to call the governor's office.

The booming brain-dead voice on the taped message of the Northwest Knights proudly acknowledged being chartered by the National Office of the Ku Klux Klan in Harrison, Ark.

It would be hard to find a finer bunch of bigots, pinheads and race-baiters. This week they are boycotting Coors beer for having a Kosher designation and because the company received a corporate achievement award from ``the anti-Christ Jews'' in 1989.

Such stupidity spread by such mentally deficient slime-merchants is enough to make you say prayers for the First Amendment and to wonder if these bozos have been sniffing the bleach in the bedsheets they like to wear.

These dial-some-hate messages end with an exultant shout for ``white victory.'' In spite of yourself, you feel sorrow for these poor, pathetic fools - so out of touch with humanity and out of step with reality that they waste the few short years granted to them on Earth by hating and spewing filth.

It might help if they read a line from ``Black Skin, White Masks'' written in 1961 by psychiatrist Frantz Fanon.
Someone might have to read it to them, since the book doesn't come in crayon or spray paint and doesn't have any easily recognizable racial slurs or swastikas.

But the line is simple and poetic; ``The Negro is not. Any more than the white man.''

Internalizing that statement and the corollary that: The white man - or any person - is not any more than any other person, could have saved humankind such pain, and turmoil and death and destruction.

In a much smaller sense, it could have saved all the nonsense this week about whether the resignation of Isiah Turner, who happens to be an African American - would bode ill for race relations in the state of Washington or whether it would make it difficult to hire another African American as Employment Security commissioner.

Those notions are as ridiculous and as patently offensive as any of the horse manure spread by the Northwest hotline hatemongers.

We either know that people are the same - shaped by their environment, upbringing and education - or we are snakebitten by the silliness that says skin color or place of birth or choice of religion determine a person's character and intelligence.

Quite conversely, it is the imposition of discriminatory factors that often results in erroneous assumptions about entire groups of people.

Take, for example, the stereotype that all African Americans are lazy. That notion began during slavery. But the people making the stereotypes never considered that captives, stolen from another continent and brought here for forced servitude, had no intention of being good employees.

The truth is laziness comes in all colors. So does brilliance and corruption and beauty and violence and caring and worthlessness.

If Charles Manson didn't make all white men crazed mass-murderers, and Richard Nixon didn't make all white politicians liars and crooks, and Larry Bird didn't make all white males basketball superstars, there's nothing any person of any color can do to reflect on the character of an entire race of people.

There are people - even people of color - who say that because the dominant society clumps people of color into racial categories, those negative distinctions stick - whether they are real or not.

But to accept that as law gives people who do not understand you, too much power over you. Because you know snakes are in the forest doesn't mean you lie down and wait to be bitten or start acting like you've been bitten even before you see a snake or that you stay out of the forest entirely.

It means you understand snakes exist, that you could be bitten and that unattended bites from some snakes are fatal.
It means you take precautions, you know your snakes, you realize some animals are not snakes, and you know when, where and how to get treatment for a bite.

Some folks will still get bitten. Some will still die. But that's no reason to stay out of the forest if it's somewhere you have to go in order to get the things you need to survive.

Isiah Turner, the individual human being who also is an African-American male, did - by all accounts - one hell of a job as commissioner of Employment Security.

Long-time observers say he changed the attitude and morale of the department, made it more service-oriented and user-friendly, and staffed it with more women, people of color and handicapped employees than anywhere else in state government.

Those are significant accomplishments that reflect on him personally and no one has suggested that such positive aspects have any spillover effect on other African-American males.

The actions that led to Turner's resignation are also personal reflections. They also do not transfer to anyone else just because the reflection happens to be negative.

It's hard to break old habits. It's hard to stop buying into the hate, believing that superiority and inferiority crap and living with stereotypes that cripple our minds and poison our hearts.

We just have to keep trying.
​
We'll talk more later.

Don Williamson's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday on The Times' editorial pages.

A long time ago, Neil Young put out an album he called Rust Never Sleeps and went on tour. I was in the audience when the tour hit my area.
 
I’ve never known exactly what he meant by rust never sleeps, but I always saw it as a warning to keep moving ahead, that to stop or slow down is to get rusty.
 
I think that applies to recovering from a traumatic brain injury: always keep moving forward.
 
How do you keep moving forward with a brain injury?
 
One way is to continue your self-care plan. Make keeping your body and mind active a paramount goal and stick with it no matter what. 
 
I advocate cultivating new interests and hobbies, even if it doesn’t involve physical activity. That will help keep your brain working. Maybe you can learn how to do something you haven’t tried before, like learning to knit, solving crossword puzzles or putting together jigsaw puzzles. It’s up to you; no two brain injuries are the same, and you know what’s best for you. The sky isn’t the limit; your imagination and drive are.
 
Constantly set goals for yourself. Keep your sights on the next hill you want to climb. Set a small goal to accomplish every day and eventually, you will be doing bigger things and achieving bigger goals.  Make winning a habit—in bite-sized chunks.
 
Inactivity and rust go hand in hand.
 
Just keep moving in the positive direction you’ve set for yourself. Your recovery doesn’t have to be depressing or feel like an unpleasant chore—find pleasurable pursuits to occupy your time and brain while you recover. 
 
Above all, keep a positive outlook. Don’t be your own worst enemy—be your own best friend. That includes making friends with both your body and your brain. Those friendships will last a lifetime but will need constant maintenance and reinforcement. And they will help you keep a step ahead of rust.
 
In my case, in order to keep from getting rusty, I’ve adopted the strategies I outlined above. They come from personal experience and they’ve worked well for me.
 
I make it a point to get out and walk as much as possible. I can’t walk as long or as far as I could before my brain injury, but I know it’s important to keep my body in the habit of moving.
 
Walking the dog is great exercise and therapeutic, too. I take her out for long walks at least twice a day, first thing every morning and last thing before I go to bed at night. I walk to the pharmacy to get my prescriptions, and to the bank and the supermarket, which for me works better than driving.
 
I hold rust at bay by reading extensively and often. I have a high level of curiosity and being on the internet is a good way to keep my mind and curiosity in good working order. 
 
Other brain work that I do involves writing the words you are reading. Writing helps me work on my focus and my ability to communicate. Writing clearly and communicating my thoughts and information, I’ve learned is a great workout for my brain and for making some progress on my concentration. It also gives me practice working through my newfound short term memory issues.
 
As for my writing, there are people who seem to believe I’m actually quite good at it. I’ve been able to reach out far beyond the confines of my bedroom to other countries, and I get feedback from all over. It’s not exactly world travel, but it does help me keep positive and moving forward. Writing has made my world a whole lot bigger, though I really don’t go much of anywhere these days. Getting asked for my opinion and advice about coping with a brain injury is a great confidence builder, and a great motivator to do work that gets positive attention.
 
In my mind, one good way to stay occupied is to maintain as much of your former social life as possible, and get into as many social situations as you possibly can. Face-to-face interactions are best, but in these times, Zoom, seems to be the best substitute for that kind of interaction. I’d say it’s certainly better than texting or emailing, if you can’t be there in person.
 
My brain, like yours, wants to get better and it wants the same for me in general, so it’s a good thing to make friends with it. And I know things will get better; I can’t magically make myself recover but I can do things that allow improvements to happen and avoid rusting out.
 
Don’t let yourself get rusty. Allow yourself to live the best life you can, within your own circumstances.
 
Embrace recovery and reach out and grab as much life as you can.
Rust may not sleep,  but you can certainly stay ahead of it, brain injury or not.

Written By, Linda Hale:  Employer Audit at Washington State Employment Security Department
​
As the sun rises over Roy, Washington, I stand at the intersection of passion, family, and community. My heart beats in rhythm with the values that I hold dear: collaboration, communication, intentionality, and the unwavering pursuit of positive change.

​Leading by Example
I don’t just talk about belonging; I live it. With an open heart, I wake up each day on a mission—to create a sense of belonging wherever I go. As a collaborative leader, I know that actions speak louder than words. I work to be intentional and consistent in my thoughts, words, actions, and continuous learning. And I seek to embody the change I wish to see each and every day. I believe that by embodying these values, we can create a strong and cohesive team that can deliver exceptional results.
I received certification as a Fraud Examiner in 2014 after successfully passing a rigorous exam given by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). I am currently working on a fictitious employer project on the CCD Customer Compliance and Training team. Previously I supervised a brilliant staff of fourteen individuals for the Employer Audit Unit. I have worked as an auditor for both the Employment Security Department (ESD) and Department of Revenue (DOR). I have been the Controller for a multi-million-dollar business, and I have done my time as an auditor and tax preparer at a CPA firm.

A Proud Parent and Caregivers Journey
I have been a foster parent for a long time and have opened my home and heart to children who need stability and love. My first foster child, who is now 17 years old, has been a blessing to our family for the past 16 years and became a permanent member through adoption about 10 years ago.  Currently, I have three foster children, aged 13, 16, and 17, as well as two biological girls, aged 13 and 15. Interestingly, both of my biological girls were born on April Fools’ Day. The youngest child in my home identifies as transgender and goes by the pronouns they/them. My adult son recently moved out on his own after graduating with an accounting degree from Saint Martin’s University in May 2023. He currently works for the Defense Contracting Audit Agency and spends the weekly 3 hours of self-care time provided by the federal government rock climbing.

I am committed to nurturing a sense of belonging and providing a safe haven for all the children in my home. In addition to being a foster parent, I also took on the role of caregiver to my mother, who had Parkinson’s disease. In 2020, she had a fall and fractured her C1 and C2 vertebrae, which left her functionally quadriplegic with an 8-day life span projection. This experience taught my family resilience, compassion, and the importance of flexibility.
I have had to adapt my life to make space for caring for my mother, including taking a teleworking position with ESD in case her or her caregivers required my immediate attention. My mother passed peacefully in her sleep in January 2023, living more than 2 years past her original prognosis. I will always be grateful that I worked for an agency that allowed me to be available for her during her final days.

​A Political Campaign and Beyond
While my 2023 run for a non-partisan Yelm school board position may not have been successful, I remain deeply engaged. I attend advisory meetings for the Yelm Police, sharing my insights and advocating for community safety for all. My quarterly lunches with the Yelm mayor and city council are more than social gatherings—they’re opportunities to amplify voices and build bridges.
 
Emerge Bootcamp: A Transformative Experience
I immersed myself in the Emerge week-long bootcamp, designed specifically to empower women running for office. The bootcamp equipped me with invaluable skills in public speaking, grassroots organizing, and campaign management. But it was more than skill-building; it was a deep dive into the legislative process and the intricacies of government relations. My exposure to diverse perspectives during the bootcamp strengthened my ability to analyze bills critically. I understand that policies have real-world consequences, affecting different communities in unique ways. Armed with this knowledge, I am committed to advocating for equitable solutions that uplift every Washingtonian.
Boosting School Spirit
I have worn multiple hats within the Yelm School District. I helped to found both the High School and Middle School Booster Clubs in Yelm.  the As the past treasurer of the Yelm Middle School Booster Club and the past Secretary and Fundraising Coordinator for the Yelm High School Booster Club, I helped ensure that students had the resources they needed to thrive. I spent a year delivering food bags to the schools on Friday for All Kids Win to help prevent children from being hungry over the weekends. I chaperoned many school dances, so you might catch me dancing alongside the students much to my own childrens’ dismay. 

Equity and Civic Engagement: A 12-Week Journey
My commitment to equity extends beyond politics. I graduated from the WA Family Engagement Parent Leadership Training Institute—a rigorous 12-week course focused on inclusive policies and equitable representation. Equipped with this comprehensive understanding, I feel poised to champion the voices often unheard. My children also participated in the Children’s Leadership Training Institute, and each had a group project where my family collected substantial donations for the various causes their groups championed.
Committees and Community Engagement
I have actively participated in various committees throughout my professional journey. I am an active member on the Customer Compliance Division Equity Diversity Inclusion Belonging (CCD EDIB) committee and the Inclusive Hiring Workgroup. I also participated in the sub-committees for building engagement and communication. I have served on the employee engagement committee and the developmental job assignment sub-committees for Employment Security Department (ESD). I previously and currently participate in ESD’s mentorship program. I attend general membership meetings for Black Employee Inclusion Networking Group (BEING), Blacks United in Leadership and Diversity (BUILD), and Community Practice. I have 

A Comfortable Uncomfortableness
I have learned to be comfortable in historically unconventional spaces. I embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth, pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. My lived experiences as a BIPOC foster child, foster parent, parent of a special needs child, and parent of a transgender child fuel my passion for creating a Washington where everyone thrives.
Equitable Decisions, Lasting Impact
I believe that missions and values are essential, but they must translate into equitable decisions and actions. As I pursue leadership in all facets of my life, I carry my commitment to equity and inclusion. My agency’s mission aligns with my vision—to create a workplace where everyone thrives and is valued. It is imperative that this directive from the top reaches the front-line staff. Changing the culture requires a mindset change in middle management. The agency and the people must do the work. Don’t just talk about it, be about it!
Conclusion
I hope to be a beacon of resilience, compassion, and unwavering dedication to positive change as I navigate the intricate dance of family, community, work, and civic engagement. Let’s build a Washington and agency where every voice matters, every individual thrives, and every dream finds wings.
 

​On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we at the Blacks United In Leadership & Diversity (BUILD) Washington State Agency Business Resource Group honor the memory and legacy of Dr. King.
 
"Dr. King's vision reminds us of the power of resilience and unity. As Co-Chair of BUILD, I am humbled to honor the contributions of African Americans in labor—trailblazers who paved the way for the opportunities we have today,” said BUILD Co-Chair Devon Brim. “Dr. King's legacy inspires BUILD to celebrate the vital role of African Americans in labor—individuals whose perseverance and progress continue to shape our shared journey. Together, we commit to building a future rooted in justice, equity, and inclusion, one step at a time."
 
Let us all reflect on his teachings and continue working towards a more equitable and inclusive future.
#MLKjrDay #MLKday #BUILDwa

Writer guest Blogger and stroke Survivor Issac Peterson III 

​So we can finally put last year behind us, and we can now only view it in the rear view mirror.
 
(I say finally not because it was a bad year, but because it just seemed like it would never end.)
 
How’s everybody doing with their New Year’s resolutions? I’m doing great on that score since I don’t really make resolutions. But there is one deal I made with myself: to be excellent; not a resolution, but a promise and a commitment.
 
I use excellent instead of perfect for one reason: perfection is a place that is pretty much impossible to reach. I’ve been called both a perfect gentleman and a perfect idiot, but those are just figures of speech.  I do try to be an excellent gentleman when I can: an idiot, not so much.
 
Excellence is attainable; one of the ways to get there, in my mind, is to always try my best–that way I can’t help but get better all the time. If something is worth doing, why not be excellent at it?
 
I don’t always start out being excellent, but I do try hard to get there.
 
There is no shame in not being perfect, and being excellent is something to definitely be proud of. If you don’t achieve a goal you’ve set, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it just means you need to keep working on it or that you need to set a more realistic, attainable goal. I know traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors have plenty of goals–probably the biggest one is to stop having a TBI. That may or may not be realistic since lots of brain injury survivors have the injury for years or decades, and there’s not much that can be done about that.
 
However, dealing with life with a determination to make the best of it, is indeed possible.
 
If you can do that, it will set you apart from a lot of survivors who choose to wallow in self pity and stay stuck. But if you decide to constantly identify areas where you can improve, it won’t make you perfect, but it will make you an excellent role model for others and your quality of life can improve incrementally or even dramatically.
 
That would be most excellent, wouldn’t it?  Just not giving up and giving in will make you an excellent role model.
Learn from your setbacks and use what you learned from them. Keep doing that and you will be excellent by just making the conscious effort to keep progressing and not giving up.
 
So what does excellence mean? Teams that lose the Super Bowl aren’t losers. I mean, there are 32 teams and they came in number two out of 32 teams for the season. They weren’t perfect: they didn’t win, but they are excellent, or they wouldn’t be in the Super Bowl.  If you look at it that way, you can be excellent at things you do too: you don’t have to be the best but you can be excellent.
 
There is no shame in losing the 100 meter dash in the Olympics; it doesn’t mean someone is a loser.  If they weren’t excellent they wouldn’t be on the Olympic team.
On a personal level, when I was in junior high school I came in second in a regional spelling contest. I misspelled two words, so although I didn’t win, I was still an excellent speller. Other people thought so and still think so–I still get asked how to spell words by other people.
 
Myself, I always try to be as excellent a writer as I can. Unfortunately that’s an area that I’m not able to judge. We can be our own harshest critic; it’s difficult to see ourselves as we are or the way the world sees us. When we get feedback we don’t want to hear, though, we have a perfect opportunity to be excellent. Someone just gave us an area where maybe we could work to get better, so maybe we should welcome honest criticism.
 
One way to know when you reach excellence is when others notice, and when they notice, they will tell you. What you need to do then is work on staying excellent, and not beat yourself up for not being perfect. Why waste your time and energy on something you likely not ever be able to, no matter how hard you try? Why not spend your time and energy being excellent at something?
 
I hope you will try to be excellent at life. If you have a TBI, the deficiencies you suddenly have shouldn’t keep you from excellence in anything else you choose to do. You’ve already come a long way; there are people who don’t survive the experience, but you did.
 
In that way, you are already excellent.
 
Now just live your life the best way you are able, and you will be excellent at life.
 
One more thing: you are already excellent at something else–since everyone is a unique individual that means you can already do something no one else can, and that’s being yourself. You already excel at that. If you’re like me, you can always be better at something, always find areas you need to work on, but still be an excellent you.
 
Let’s all go out there and be excellent. What do you say?

By: Catherine Schuetzle 
The unexpected decision of President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race presents a profound opportunity for leaders seeking to make a meaningful impact. This moment holds a mirror to essential leadership qualities, urging a deeper reflection on what it means to lead with integrity, vision, and humanity.

​​Adaptability and Flexibility:
Adaptability and Flexibility Biden’s choice to step down highlights the crucial need for adaptability. True leaders must remain agile, ready to pivot their strategies and goals as circumstances evolve. This flexibility is not a sign of weakness but a testament to their strategic foresight and ability to navigate complex environments. Prioritizing Well-being In prioritizing his well-being or the nation's over personal ambition, Biden exemplifies a fundamental leadership principle: the balance between ambition and well-being. Impact leaders must recognize the importance of safeguarding their own health and the well-being of their teams. Understanding when to step back for the greater good is a strength, not a surrender.

​Prioritizing Well-being
Prioritizing Well-being In prioritizing his well-being or the nation's over personal ambition, Biden exemplifies a fundamental leadership principle: the balance between ambition and well-being. Impact leaders must recognize the importance of safeguarding their own health and the well-being of their teams. Understanding when to step back for the greater good is a strength, not a surrender.