CAPAA News and Updates

Meet Our New Executive Committee

At the September Public Board meeting, CAPAA Commissioners elected a new Executive Committee: Chair Nam Nguyen, 1st Vice Chair Lydia Faitalia, and 2nd Vice Chair Ekkarath Sisavatdy! We’re excited to kick off this new term with these three talented community leaders.

Meet Our Committee Chairs

Commissioners also elected new committee chairs to help champion issues important to Asian & Pacific Islander communities. You can view a full list of CAPAA committees and memberships here.

Civil Rights & Immigration Committee:
Chair Lydia Faitalia

Economic Development Committee: 
Chair Julio Diaz

Education Committee: 
Chair Ekkarath Sisavatdy

Health & Human Services Committee: 
Chair Toka Valu

Census 2020 Needs Assessment Ad-Hoc Committee: 
Chair Carrie Huie-Pascua

OSPI Ethnic Studies Work Group Representatives

CAPAA appointed two representatives to represent the Commission upon the OSPI Ethnic Studies Work Group: Sui-Lan Ho-okano and Vesna D.! It is vital that our education system reflects the lived realities of our communities.

Sui-Lan Ho’okano current journey is as the Cultural Program Director for the Enumclaw School District and works collectively with Tribal community and districts, locally and nationally.

“It is not enough to be conscious of the problems of the world, how we involve ourselves in the solutions is the most important thing that we could ever do in our journey. When we begin to move towards these restorative practices, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities benefit.”

Vesna D. is a Khmer American born in Bataan at the Philippine Refugee Processing Center. She is a poet as well as a public schooleducator teaching  in the same school district she grew up in.

If you are interested in the work of the Ethnic Studies Work Group, please feel free to e-mail jerry.price@ospi.wa.gov for to get on the committee’s listserv. If you’d like to connect with CAPAA’s Ethnic Studies representatives, contact staff at capaa@capaa.wa.gov and we will be glad to connect you.

November Public Board Meeting

The Commission will convene its November Public Board Meeting on Saturday, September 12, from 9:30 AM – 12 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 number, e-mail address, and affiliated organization.

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.

Conversations with CAPAA

Conversations with CAPAA

Throughout the last few months, CAPAA has been hosting Facebook Live conversations with leaders from around the state, from State Sen. Joe Nguyen to former Ecology Director Maia Bellon. Join us weekly on Wednesday at noon to watch the conversations live on our Facebook page, or watch them afterwards at https://www.facebook.com/wacapaa/videos/

The Filipinx American Fight for Workers’ Rights

In honor of Filipinx American History Month and recognizing the tremendous legacy of Filipinx civil rights activism, the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) invites you to a lunch hour special event:

The Filipinx American Fight for Workers’ Rights:
As told by Cindy Domingo & David Della
Thursday, October 29, 12 PM

Cindy Domingo, Pinay labor rights activist, and David Della, community advocate and former CAPAA Executive Director, will tell the story of the movement that took down a dictator: from the treatment of Filipino cannery workers in Alaska, the role of the local union, the advocacy of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes, as well as community’s collective response to their summary execution as ordered by Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos.

The conversation will be facilitated by Nick Vann of the WA St. Dept. of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP). Tune in to liisten to the making of civil rights history, right here in Washington State.

Join us live on our Facebook for the event: https://www.facebook.com/wacapaa/

Jobs

Job Opportunity: Director of the Office of Equity

The Legislature created the Office of Equity to help government agencies promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of state government including in decision making, service delivery, programming, policy development, budgeting, and staffing. This office will develop and lead the state’s DEI strategy by coordinating DEI activities across state agencies and serving as a resource by offering technical assistance and best practices for agency implementation.

The Office of Equity is not hiring for the position of Director. In this position, you will help the state develop a new culture that centers equity in all its work, which ultimately leads the state toward its goal of providing all Washingtonians with an opportunity to thrive.

The salary range is $109,000.00 – $121,000.00 annually

This recruitment will remain open until the position is filled. It is in the applicant’s best interest to submit materials as soon as possible. First application review will be October 29, 2020. 

Job Opportunity: COFA Islander Health Care Program Manager

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is searching for a Compact of Free Association (COFA) Islander Health Care Program Manager (MPS 2/OMEP) to join their team in the Office of Medicaid Eligibility and Policy (OMEP)! OMEP is relied upon to educate communities, stakeholders, and legislators regarding federal Medicaid and state-funded medical program eligibility policy. The ideal candidate for this position will have knowledge of the needs of the populations that receive Medicaid/CHIP services.

The salary range is $59,688.00 – $78,408.00 Annually.

Applications are due by Wednesday, October 28. 

Job Opportunity: Monitoring Program Performance Analyst (Salmon Scientist)

Puget Sound Partnership is hiring for a Monitoring Program Performance Analyst. As the Puget Sound Partnership’s Salmon Scientist, you will be an integral part of the Science and Evaluation Team and a key supporter for the Salmon Recovery Council, the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) and Salmon Science Advisory Group.

The salary range is $80,000.00 – $86,000.00 Annually

Applications are due by Sunday, October 25.

RFP and Grant Opportunities

Requests for Proposals: Filipino American Study

The Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) seeks proposals for completing a context statement and survey of Filipino American historic places in Washington. Successful responses to this RFP must demonstrate knowledge of Filipino American history and expertise in surveying historic places.  Click here to download a copy of the RFP. If you have questions about the RFP process or the project, please contact Nicholas Vann at nicholas.vann@dahp.wa.gov or go to www.dahp.wa.gov/URCs.

Department of Commerce’s Community Small Business Resiliency Grant Program

The Department of Commerce’s Community Small Business Resiliency Grant Program is accepting applications. Successful grant applicants will be eligible for up to $10,000. A business owner with more than one business may apply; but each business application requires a unique state UBI number or Tribal Letter/Certification.

To apply, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Have been in operation since at least Mar. 1, 2019.
2. Have no more than 20 payroll (full-time or part-time) employees as of Mar. 1, 2020.
3. Be licensed as a Washington State business in good standing with state and federal agencies.

Businesses that meet one or more of the following criteria cannot apply:

• Established after Mar. 1, 2019.
• Had more than 20 payroll employees as of Mar. 1, 2020.
• Did not experience a financial loss due to the COVID-19 crisis.
• Does not have a valid/current Washington State business license.
• Has outstanding compliance or regulatory issues as of Mar. 1st, 2020 with state and federal agencies. To check your business’ status with the State Department of Labor & Industries, please visit this website).
• Has been disbarred by the federal government.
• Is a licensed marijuana/cannabis operation in Washington State.
• Is a K-12 school, college or university, library, non-profit organization, or government entity/agency.
• Is actively pursuing a bankruptcy declaration.
• Has received more than $5,000 from the Working Washington Small Business Emergency Grant.
• Has received funding for the same expenses and not “double-dipping” for claimed expenses (not using other funding received from local, state or federal sources to cover the same expenses).

Businesses headquartered outside of Washington State and business that have federal, state or local tax liens cannot apply.

To apply:

• Applicant visits Zoom Grant application webpage and completes the application. Visit the Zoom Grant application webpage at bit.ly/SmallBusinessResiliencyGrant
• The application is submitted along with required documentation through Zoom Grants.
• NDC staff screens application for eligibility to receive funding.
• NDC staff informs the applicant of eligibility.
• NDC staff will review and score applications per state-approved scoring methods.
• NDC staff contacts approved applicant to review and sign a grant agreement and other pertinent documents.

For more information, contact Jaclyn Perez, Grants & Contracts Manager, Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness, at Jaclyn.Perez@commerce.wa.gov or 360-725-4049, or visit http://startup.choosewashingtonstate.com/links/crisis/covid-19-resources/.

Grant Opportunity: Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund

The Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund is now open for applications! If you have missed work due to COVID-19, but are unable to access federal stimulus programs and other social supports due to immigration status, you are eligible to apply for relief. Recipients will receive $1,000, with a limit of $3,000 per household.

For the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund, applications are open at immigrantreliefwa.org from Oct. 21 through Dec. 6. Benefits will be disbursed by Dec. 28.

Small Business Resiliency Grant

The Filipino Community of Seattle, Cambodian American Community Council of Washington, and the Hmong Association of Washington have joined efforts to provide technical assistance to small business owners dealing with the impacts of COVID 19.

Technical assistance may include: 

• Business planning
• Marketing
• Financial assistance
• Business coaching
• Navigating government resources
• Info on grants and loans
• And more!

For more information, contact:
Pilipino/Tagalog: Germelyn Pasia: info@filcommsea.org
Khmer/Cambodian: Sameth Mell: Mellsameth@gmail.com
Hmong: Cynthia Yongwang: hmong.of.Washington@gmail.com

Resources for Financial Aid Help: Virtual Events, Otter Chatbot, and More

Do you have questions about financial aid for college and career education? There are people and programs available to help you apply:

• The 12th Year Campaign is hosting virtual financial aid info and filing events to help students and families apply for aid.
• The new Washington State Student Loan Education Site provides learning modules to help families better understand education costs and considerations.
• Otterbot is a free texting service created to support high school seniors who have signed up for the College Bound Scholarship. Otter sends financial aid info and reminders to College Bound seniors. Get started by texting “Hi Otter” to 360-928-7281.
• Connect with the financial aid office at any colleges you’re interested in attending. Your high school counselor can also answer questions and direct you to more resources.

Financial aid applications are now available for the 2021-22 school year. Learn more, get support, and apply for financial aid at wsac.wa.gov/apply.

All In WA Child Care Grants

All in WA has announced The Child Care Initiative, which provides funding to community-based organizations, intermediaries, or tribal governments to administer grants to licensed BIPOC-owned family run child care businesses. These child care providers can use these funds to offset revenue losses due to lower child enrollment, provide scholarships for financially vulnerable families, or to purchase supplies and equipment to meet new COVID-related safety standards. Grants of $50,000 – $250,000 are available. The application deadline is November 13 by 5:00 PM.

Please visit https://allinwa.org/child-care-initiative/ to access the guidelines, which also contain a link to the online application portal. The guidelines are also attached for convenience.

Events and Opportunities

CAPAA & DOH COVID-19 Vaccine Survey
on Equity and Engagement

There are currently many coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines being developed to protect against the novel coronavirus (SARS CoV2). The Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and the Washington State Department of Health released the following information regarding the vaccine, and is soliciting feedback for vaccine prioritization and allocation. Take this survey to provide feedback by 11:59PM, Monday, October 26, 2020. The survey will be available in several languages and posted here once ready.

The survey is available in the following languages:
English
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Russian
Spanish
Tagalog
Ukrainian
Vietnamese

WAISN Health Access Survey

The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) is conducting a voluntary, anonymous survey to collect information to improve the health and wellbeing of immigrants in Washington state.

You should fill out this survey if you are an immigrant who lives in Washington state including: undocumented individuals, current DACA recipients, individuals with temporary protected status (TPS), individuals with work permits, and mixed status families.

The survey is currently available in English and Spanish, with Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Somali, and Vietnamese (and possibly more languages) coming soon.

WASILC Youth Transition Survey

The Washington State Independent Living Council launched their 2020 Youth & Young Adult Transition Survey to hear the voices of youth and young adults with disabilities in every corner of Washington. If you are a youth or young adult, please take the WASILC Youth & Young Adult Transition Survey here. If you are an ally of a youth or young adult (parent/guardian, educator, caregiver, service provider), please take the WASILC Youth & Young Adult Transition Survey for Allies here:

They will use this survey to:

• Obtain county specific data for youth transitioning into post-secondary education and training
• Identify barriers, untapped resources, and gaps in knowledge to improve transition outcomes
• Produce a written report including survey results and recommendations to distribute to schools, service agencies, and other interested entities
• Advocate and influence system policies in regard to identified need evaluated

LEAP Impact: Leadership Development for Nonprofit Staff Program

Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) is currently accepting applications for the LEAP Impact: Leadership Development for Nonprofit Staff Program. This is a three-part, six-month program designed to develop Asian and Pacific Islander staff for future and current leadership and management roles in nonprofit organizations and increase the retention of those committed to working in the nonprofit sector.

If you’re interested in being a part of the 2020-2021 cohort, fill out the Impact application on LEAP’s website: http://leap.org/leap-impact

Applications are due Wednesday, October 28th, 2020.

Medicaid Symposium: Community Health Through an Equity Lens

Health Care Authority (HCA) and Washington’s Accountable Communities of Health (ACHs) are pleased to announce our 2020 Learning Symposium: Community Health Through an Equity Lens.

The symposium takes place Monday, October 26–Wednesday, October 28, from 8:30 a.m.–noon each day. This year’s event will be virtual, with all sessions taking place via Zoom. Register today!