CAPAA Welcomes New Project Manager K’gnausa Yodkerepauprai K’gnausa Yodkerepauprai (“Keen-yah-suh Yawd-keery-paw-pry) joined CAPAA as its new Project Manager in February. He is a first-generation Thai Canadian-American, who immigrated with his mother to Madison, Wisconsin before moving to Olympia, Washington. He holds a B.A in Political Science from Evergreen State College. Previously, K’gnausa served in a number of legislative offices, including the Office of Senator Joe Nguyen (34th LD), the Office of Senator John McCoy (38th LD), and the Office of Congressman Denny Heck (10th CD). These experiences kindled a passion for public policy and advocacy that he proudly brings to CAPAA. K’gnausa cares deeply about preserving the environment, as [...]

Happy Holidays! As we move into 2022, we leave a year unlike any other. As always, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve the ANHPI communities of the state of Washington. In this last year, we've helped coordinate vaccinations and pushed to prioritize the members of our community who were most at-risk, and ensured that everyone had the information they needed to stay safe and healthy. We've held conversations with community leaders and elected officials to uplift the stories and voices in our communities. We spoke out against the rise in anti-Asian hate and provided resources to report instances of hate and discrimination. We are also eternally grateful [...]

Constructs of Hate: Dissecting anti-Asian racism, misogyny, and xenophobia in Washington To round out ANHPI Heritage Month, CAPAA is hosting a panel discussion on anti-Asian racism. Join us on Wednesday, May 26th for Constructs of Hate, where we'll be joined by a group of experts to talk about anti-Asian racism, addressing the intersection of racism and misogyny, contextualizing the attacks with the greater rise of white supremacist groups both nationally and here in Washington state, and discussing proposed solutions. Our speakers include: Grace Huang, Policy Director for the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence and Commissioner for the Washington State Women’s Commission Ye-Ting Woo, Assistant United States Attorney in the Terrorism and Violent Crimes Unit, [...]

A Note from CAPAA We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of acts of violence fueled by hate. We are outraged by the senseless deaths of eight individuals, six of whom were Asian women, at the hands of a spree shooter in Atlanta, Georgia. The palpable presence of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia in today’s society has been exacerbated by this heinous incident, and opens up so many wounds for so many people. As we grieve together as a community united, we acknowledge that hate, violence, and discrimination have been culturally, politically, and structurally supported throughout American history and continues today. The rise in anti-Asian sentiment since Covid-19 [...]

A Note from CAPAA We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of acts of violence fueled by hate. We are outraged by the senseless deaths of eight individuals, six of whom were Asian women, at the hands of a spree shooter in Atlanta, Georgia. The palpable presence of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia in today’s society has been exacerbated by this heinous incident, and opens up so many wounds for so many people. As we grieve together as a community united, we acknowledge that hate, violence, and discrimination have been culturally, politically, and structurally supported throughout American history and continues today. The rise in anti-Asian sentiment since Covid-19 [...]

March Public Board Meeting The Commission will convene its Public Board Meeting on Saturday, March 20, 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 [...]

Happy Lunar New Year! Lunar New Year is right around the corner! We wish a very happy and prosperous new year to our friends and family who celebrate. As we enter the Year of the Ox, we celebrate the resilience and strength of our communities. We look forward to another year of serving the diverse communities of Washington on behalf of the Washington state Governor. This Friday, we’ll be joining Sen. Joe Nguyen and Rep. My-Linh Thai for their annual Lunar New Year celebration! This is a chance for our communities to virtually gather and celebrate as we enter a new year. Join us for remarks from state leaders [...]

News and Updates Happy New Year! 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 [...]

November Public Board Meeting The Commission will convene its November Public Board Meeting on Saturday, November 14, 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. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83223381084?pwd=dGJ0SThFZytnbFlHblVrS1hvU3hzdz09 Meeting ID: 832 2338 1084 Passcode: 803205 One tap mobile +12532158782,,83223381084#,,,,,,0#,,803205# US (Tacoma) Access the meeting agenda and other meeting materials here: https://capaa.wa.gov/about/board-meetings Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2263802993765263 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, November 6th, 5:00 PM PT. Job Opportunity: Director of the Office of Equity The Legislature created the [...]