Here is a comprehensive report of CAPAA Commissioners’ activities between the months of November 2015 and January 2016:

Commissioner Cabusao
Date of Activity: December 19, 2015
Activity: Simbang Gabi- A Filipino Cultural Tradition
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Simbang Gabi (Evening Mass with a lantern parade inside the church) is a Filipino cherished tradition to celebrate the coming of Christmas. Community folks requested for this celebration, which was started 3 years ago in the Yakima Valley, and continues to be a well-attended event. It upholds a significant role in the lives of Filipino Americans and is just one of many cultural celebrations.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? No.
Were you representing CAPAA? No.
Date of Activity: January 10, 2016
Activity: Filipino American Community General Meeting/ Project Warm Up
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? Volunteers from the Yakima Valley knitted scarves, bonnets, and gloves and distributed them to folks who attended the meeting.

 
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Folks expressed their appreciation to the Fil-Am community for this “caring gesture” that we do yearly for them.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? No.
Were you representing CAPAA? No, but passed out business cards.
Date of Activity: N/A- Planning Period
Activity: Filipino American Community of Yakima Valley Anniversary Dinner/Consulate on Wheels
Did you distribute any materials or handouts?  No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A

Note: Commissioner Cabusao is the Chair of both events, which are currently in their planning process.  The Anniversary dinner will take place on March 19, 2016  and the Consulate on Wheels is tentatively scheduled for April 23, 2016, awaiting confirmation from the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, CA.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan?  No.
Were you representing CAPAA?  No.
Commissioner Dickinson
No activities to report.
Commissioner Dinh
Date of Activity: Ongoing
Activity: Developing an Asian American and Pacific Islander community survey.

 
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? N/A
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Commissioner Finau
Date of Activity: See below.
Activity:
  • December 10, 2015: Education Committee conference call.
  • December 30, 2015: Meeting with Joyce from the League of Education Voters to discuss an upcoming event on funding and equity issues.
  • January 14, 2015: Attended the Soul, Science and Culture of Hope with Antwone Fisher and Rick Miller. It was an event that explored the journey from hopelessness to hope through writing and film while demonstrating how a village actually does raise and educate a child.
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? N/A
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Commissioner Gaur
Date of Activity: December 6, 2015 and January 3, 2016
Activity: IAWW board meeting
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? -Informed the board about the January CAPAA meeting. The IAWW board expressed interest in knowing more details and possibly attending. Discussed mass emails to the community.

 

-Discussed who will be attending the CAPAA board meeting.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? N/A
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes, when I was informing and promoting the presence of the Indian community.
Date of Activity: December 17, 2015
Activity: Lunch at IAWW Community Center (at North Bellevue Community Center)
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? Distributed materials from CAPAA to IAWW seniors, IAWW Community Center Committee and the attendees and shared the meeting information.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community?  N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? There was less chance of doing so because the community center had a set agenda.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Date of Activity: December 19, 2015
Activity: IAWW volunteer appreciation at NBCC
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? Briefly announced CAPAA meeting and encouraged attendance on January 16, 2016.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Yes.
Were you representing CAPAA? Both IAWW and CAPAA.

Other activities:

  • January 9, 2016: Attended Bhangra with Guru, an IAWW community program.
  • January 14, 2016: Visited Senior Lunch at Redmond Senior Center to promote CAPAA event.
  • January 14, 2016: Visited IAWW community lunch program at NBCC to promote CAPAA event and to wish Happy Sankranti to the community.
  • January 14, 2016: Working with a social worker to help an unemployed, hospitalized and possibly soon to be homeless person of Indian origin find a place to live.
Commissioner Gurung
Date of Activity: See below.
Activity:
  • December 26, 2015: Attended a meeting with the Nepalese community about a children’s Nepali school in Seattle. We discussed what I could do for a Nepalese language class.
  • January 2, 2016: Attended North West Tamu Lhosar at Shoreline Conference Hall to celebrate Gurung New Year (the year of the monkey). CAPAA Executive Director Michael Itti and Commissioner Zer Vue also attended. We distributed some of the CAPAA brochures.
  • January 9, 2016: Attended a meeting at Lake Forest Park with local community leaders to celebrate Martin Luther King, Junior’s birthday with compassion and kindness.
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? N/A
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Commissioner Khamshitsang
Date of Activity: January 9, 2016
Activity: Had a brief update with members of the Tibetan Association’s Sunday Language and Cultural School.
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Many are aware of the issue of Real ID, but some are not. They community appreciated being informed.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Informed students, teachers and parents about the issue of Real ID, which says that a Washington license will not be recognized by TSA and DHS. Cautioned them to look for more updates.
Were you representing CAPAA? No.
Date of Activity: January 13, 2016
Activity: Shared news report regarding states refusing to comply with the Real ID Act
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? Emailed the news report to community members.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? None.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Advised them to get enhanced IDs or passport cards.
Were you representing CAPAA? No.
Commissioner Pen
Date of Activity: December 7, 8, 10 & 11, 2015
Activity: Provided presentations on Holiday Shopping and Safety Tips to:

  • 85 Vietnamese seniors
  • 100 Cambodian seniors
  • 69 International group (Chinese, Japanese and Filipino seniors)
  • 26 Samoan seniors
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? Handed out detailed information on Holiday Shopping and Safety Tips.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Residents were thankful to have important information and useful tips brought to them each month.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Yes.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Date of Activity: December  4, 2015
Activity: Was invited by the United Southeast Asia Cultural Association to the graduation of the first USEACA Certified Boxer in the United States as an honored guest speaker.
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Association would like CAPAA to support and promote its program to all CAPAA members.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Yes.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Date of Activity: January 7, 2016
Activity: Was invited to attend an open house for Destiny Public Charter Middle School in Tacoma along with state representatives, Pierce County Council and senator staff.
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? The organization wants the public to know that its school has provided a good education and a safe place for its 200 students. In addition, the school is working to increase the numbers of students to 400 and then to 600.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Yes.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.

Other activities:

  • Participated in two conference calls with the CAPAA Health and Human Services Committee.
Commissioner Sinclair
Date of Activity: January 14-16, 2016
Activity: Protocol training for hula for hypertension study
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Discussed the need for culturally tailored programs to improve health among Native Hawaiians.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Yes, I educated the Native Hawaiian community in Hawaii about the needs and health status of Native Hawaiians in Washington.

Activity that furthers the Strategic Plan:  I participated in the protocol training for the NIH funded hula to reduce blood pressure among Native Hawaiians study to be conducted in Hawaii and Washington.
Were you representing CAPAA? No.
Date of Activity: December 15, 2015
Activity: Grant submission
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Activity that furthers the Strategic Plan:  I submitted a grant to NIH to develop, implement and evaluate a culturally tailored intervention to improve hypertension management among Pacific Islanders residing in the Puget Sound region of Washington.
Were you representing CAPAA? No.
Commissioner Tufono
Date of Activity: See below.
Activity: November:

  • Da Coconut Wireless Radio Show
  • Conference call with Minority Small Business Roundtable
  • City of Lynnwood Diversity and Neighborhoods Commission meeting
  • 1st Annual CAPAA Social
  • CAPAA Exbod Business

December:

  • Da Coconut Wireless Radio show on the 2nd and 5th Sundays
  • City of Lynnwood Diversity & Neighborhoods Commission meeting
  • Attended Minority SBA Meeting
  • CAPAA Exbod Business

January:

  • Da Coconut Wireless Radio show on the 2nd,3rd and 5th Sundays
  • City of Lynnwood Diversity & Neighborhoods Commission Meeting
  • Diversity Dinner with the Communities of Color Coalition
  • CAPAA Exbod Business
  • API Heritage Month Committee meeting
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? N/A
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? N/A
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Commissioner Vue
Date of Activity:  November – January (Sundays)  
Activity: Hmong Association of Washington (HAW)
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No. Shared CAPAA’s purpose and how HAW can support our work.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Health concerns: Diabetes and over eating for youth, mental health, physical health for youth and elders.

Education: Shared the Education Roundtable on January 30, 2016.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? Represented CAPAA and shared CAPAA objectives and next steps for the Hmong community.

Discussed next steps on outreach, data, and plans for gathering data and sharing CARE data with our communities.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.
Date of Activity:  December 10, 2015   
Activity: Education Committee phone conference
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No. Discussed Education Roundtable in January and next steps.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Shared the Education Roundtable on January 30, 2016.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? No. Shared information and objectives of the Education Roundtable with the communities at stake.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.

To do: contact administrative personnel, district, and communities to attend event and refer to Brianne.
Date of Activity:  December 17, 2015 and January 7, 2016  
Activity: SEAeD Planning
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No. Discussed Education Roundtable in January and next steps.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? Education: Shared the Education Roundtable on January 30, 2016.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? No. Shared information and objectives of the Education Roundtable with the communities at stake.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes.

To do: contact administrative personnel, district, and communities to attend event and refer to Brianne.
Commissioner Wada
Date of Activity: December 9, 2015
Activity: Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities
Did you distribute any materials or handouts? No.
What issues or recommendations did you hear from the community? The Department of Health provided a report on the use of marijuana by adults in Washington.   Prevalence of current marijuana use by Asian and Pacific Islander were 5- 11.5% where White were at 8.6% and 11.6% for Black.

There was a discussion on doula care, birth outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries.  The Council reviewed a report on adverse birth outcome recommendations and Council staff will make changes based on input/concerns made at the discussion and submit them to the Governor.
Did you educate the community or participate in an activity that furthers the Strategic Plan? I actively participated during the discussion for concerns/considerations reflecting the API communities and urged the presenters and council members to be cognitive and sensitive to the cultural/language barriers when ready to implement.

I also shared issues involving COFA with the council members.
Were you representing CAPAA? Yes