By Sherina James.
​
Ms. James contributed to this article in her personal capacity. The views expressed do not
represent the views of the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Pierce County Commission Against Domestic Violence, or the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy. This article was originally published in the Fall 2014 issue of Ending Our Silence, a newsletter of the African American Domestic Peace Project (AADPP).

Puget Sound Energy has recently relaunched our COVID Bill Assistance Program to help residential customers facing financial hardship due to COVID-19.  This opportunity is designed to help get our customers back on track and we can use your help sharing the message and application to apply for financial support.

This program allows customers to receive:

• Up to $2,500 in additional utility bill payment assistance.
• Up to $2,500 to forgive past balances for customers who received energy assistance in the past.
• Extended payment plans up to 18 months.
• The option to change their energy bill’s due date.  

Additional details for this program can be found in the attached PDF or by visiting pse.com/assistance

​This is a timely message and we hope that this opportunity can reach customers to apply by August 1, 2021.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and Teen Peer Advocates Program (TPAP) is hosting a series of virtual presentations by youth advocates on topics surrounding gender based violence. These presentations are free and open to the community, but RSVP is required. Please share widely! A zoom link will be shared out to all registered participants.

In the military it is instilled in you that the person to your left and right may one day be responsible for saving your life.  The worst-case scenario is you could be on the battlefield and must depend on someone you don’t know to help you survive.  That’s powerful and it stays with you long after you leave service.  I believe this is an unspoken bond, unique to Veterans.  And in my opinion, that this is why the effects of sexual violence in the military are even harder to overcome; Veterans often struggle long after they leave the service.

The Disability Inclusion Network (DIN), a fellow statewide business resource group, is excited to announce the availability of an Inclusive Virtual Meeting Planning guide and checklist published on their website.

The following is reprinted with permission from the author, John Vassall, MD.

Black Americans are reluctant to take the coronavirus vaccine. When the Pfizer vaccine became available at Howard University Hospital on December 14, only 600 of approximately 1,900 employees had signed up for the 725 doses received. Howard University is one of the oldest and finest historically Black colleges, reverently referred to as “The Mecca” by Te-Nehisi Coates. Anita Jenkins, CEO had her shot administered publicly in an effort to change the minds of the 70% of workers in a November hospital survey who either did not want to take the vaccine or did not want it immediately. If you find yourself hesitating to take the vaccine, you are not alone. I offer information to help you make your decision. 

A message from the Washington Immigrant Network - www.washingtonimmigrantnetwork.org:

The Washington Immigrant Network needs your help making the Food for Diversity-Cultural Recipe Book. We need your recipe as well as volunteers to help collect the recipes, publish, and distribute the book.  If you have recipes to share and or interested in joining the Food for Diversity committee, please email us at win@ofm.wa.gov

We have the following main ideas about the project:

"The term disability justice was coined out of conversations between disabled queer women of color activists in 2005, including Patty Berne of Sins Invalid (and Mia Mingus & Stacy Milbern, who eventually united with Leroy Moore, Eli Clare, and Sebastian Margaret) seeking to challenge radical and progressive movements to more fully address ableism."

Read more at their site.

BUILD supports accessible video calls.

​Accessible meetings are effective meetings. Whether you’re catching up with a friend or discussing the latest project at work, accessibility ensures that everyone can fully engage and participate.

Funded by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Wastewater Treatment Division and the Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade Project.

More info is at rootedinrights.org

This and more info is on BUILD's resource page. 

Featuring experts and self-advocates on disability and race, this panel will explore life at the center of multiple oppressed identities.

The Reduced Cost Services Guide, published by DSHS, highlights a variety of products and services available in or near Washington state that are offered at reduced cost for people meeting certain income levels. 

Governor Inslee’s Poverty Reduction Work Group (PRWG) was created via Directive in November 2017. PRWG is co-led by the state departments of Commerce, Employment Security, and Social & Health Services, in partnership with tribal and urban Indians, state racial and ethnic commissions, employers, community-based organizations, legislators, advocates, and philanthropy. A steering committee made up of 22 people reflecting the demographic and geographic experience of poverty provides critical oversight to PRWG and contributed substantially to the development and prioritization of recommendations. The groups have met monthly since their inception. Full documentation of all PRWG meetings can be found on Governor Inslee’s PRWG issues page.

Read more on the Dismantling Poverty in Washington site.
Read the executive summary and the 10-year plan. 

Kelsey McGarry of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and Monique Brown of FOB Hope organized and co-led four Racial Caucus Affinity groups with King County providers within homeless and veteran services. The focus of the conversation was to discuss racial disparities, racial bias, the killing of Black people by police, White supremacy, and the actions steps we can take to make changes in King County. 

The African American Studies Institute at PGCC presents: Black Culture Matters : A virtual lecture-discussion series.

Black Culture Matters is a series hosted by the African American Studies Institute (AASI) at Prince George's Community College, revolving around this year’s theme: Resisting De-humanization through the Humanities.

An opportunity provided through the Washington State Department of Commerce:An opportunity provided through the Washington State Department of Commerce...