News

Native American Heritage Month

December 1, 2021

Note: this post has been updated to reflect that Neighborhood House decided in 2022 to move away from land acknowledgments. Land Acknowledgements were meant to raise awareness and to invite people in to learn more about the land you live on and the indigenous folks whose land was stolen. Now there are many feelings that …

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Elections, democracy, and equity

November 1, 2021

November 2nd, tomorrow, voters in Washington state will have an opportunity to have their voices heard. We are lucky that in Washington, voting is easy. Our ballots are 100% mail-in, with plentiful drop boxes, free postage for mailing the ballots, and several weeks from the time ballots are received in the mail to when they …

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National Hispanic Heritage and Latinx History: “Latinx or Hispanic?”

September 30, 2021

Hispanic Heritage Month began as a commemorative week when California Congressman George E. Brown first introduced it in June of 1968. In 1987, U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed expanding the observance to cover its current 31-day period that goes from September 15 to October 15 to properly observe and coordinate events and …

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Digital access is an equity issue

September 8, 2021

“Those who access and need our government services expect and deserve usability,” said Kendrick Stewart, Washington Department of Commerce’s deputy director. In a public performance review meeting on July 28, 2021, the deputy director went on to say that according to agencies that provide direct services to the public, those who are most likely to …

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Improving equity in schools and beyond

September 1, 2021

COVID has changed how young people have had to learn and care for themselves over this past year and a half. They’ve been away from friends and family, impacted by financial hardship, illness or loss of loved ones due to COVID. Going to school has meant logging on to Zoom, trying to focus on class …

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Relational vs. Transactional

August 2, 2021

The following is an excerpt from Erin Okuno, (former NH board member and Executive Director of Southeast Education Coalition) published on her Fakequity blog. I thought this article was timely as we live our values (one of our core values is relationships), and do the important work of building community and increase access to housing, …

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Celebrating Loving Day

June 1, 2021

Fifty-four years ago is not long at all. For many of us here at Neighborhood House, our parents had already taken their first steps on this planet’s soil. By 1967, satellite television had sent signals to separate continents, bubble wrap became a bored child’s favorite toy, and you could turn your tongue blue with a …

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Pride Month

June 1, 2021

“A riot is the language of the unheard.” – Martin Luther King Jr. The month of June has come to be known as Gay Pride Month. This has not always been the case. There was a time when being LGBTQ was not celebrated in such a public way, not only by those in the community …

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Celebrating Asian Diversity

May 3, 2021

The Neighborhood House Celebrating Asian Diversity Affinity Group centers on the lives and experiences of Asian and Asian American staff. We envision an organization where Asians and Asian Americans thrive. We will build a community that empowers, elevates, and celebrates our diverse social identities and cultures. The month of May is Asian American and Pacific …

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White people, we’ve got work to do

April 1, 2021

When events like the recent murder of six Asian American women in Atlanta occur, it’s not unusual to have an emotional response. We may feel grief, fear, confusion, anxiety, hopelessness, anger, and more – and sometimes all at once. We grapple with difficult questions, asking ourselves, “How could this happen, and what can I do …

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Speaking up for equity

March 1, 2021

COVID-19 has revealed the huge economic and health disparities perpetuated by racism and inequitable systems. At Neighborhood House, we see these disparities firsthand. Critical information and access provided only in English and maybe Spanish, access available only online, and major donors of health care systems “cutting the line” to get the vaccine before their phase …

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What YOU can do to become more anti-racist

February 1, 2021

“Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin At Neighborhood House one of our most important core values is: Equity: We believe equity is determined by the community and those who live in it. We share power, work to repair past inequity, and …

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Will Washington state lead the way on equity?

January 4, 2021

This month, Governor Jay Inslee announced his equity policy package that would include $365 million for equity related initiatives. The package proposes a wide variety of investments like capital investments for Africatown Land Trust and Rainier Valley Food Bank, outdoor recreation equity, and equity for foster and homeless students.  Some policy proposals that you may …

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Gracious Space and undoing white supremacy culture

December 1, 2020

Last month’s Equity IRL talked about white supremacy culture and if you read further, the accompanying article also offered some antidotes. Several years ago, Neighborhood House adopted Gracious Space, which is based on Gracious Space: A Practical Guide for Working Better Together written by Pat Hughes and published by the Center for Ethical Leadership. Gracious Space, when done …

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What is white supremacy culture?

November 2, 2020

When you think of white supremacy, many people think of people wearing white hoods, burning crosses, and terrorizing Black people, Jews, LGBTQ people and other people of color. But, white supremacy is also white supremacy culture – an invisible force that keeps people of color and those without power silent and powerless. Living and working …

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Inequities in accessing unemployment

October 1, 2020

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in expanded unemployment benefits, which has made many more community members eligible for unemployment than were before. This benefit has been a much needed lifeline as people were laid off and/or lost hours of work. As Washington State’s Employment Security Department’s (ESD is the department that administers Unemployment benefits) …

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Taxes are an equity issue

August 3, 2020

10.1% That’s how much you are paying when you purchase most basic necessities, except unprepared food. Diapers, household goods, and prepared food are all subject to sales tax. Sales taxes are regressive taxes where everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of their income. Because everyone pays the same, higher-income taxpayers pay a smaller percentage of …

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Defund the police?

July 1, 2020

A significant portion of this article is an excerpt from a letter signed by over 275 Asian Pacific Islander American community organizations, businesses, and leaders to the Mayor of Seattle and Seattle City Council dated June 22, 2020. Main authors are: Chrissy Shimizu, SuYoung Yun, and Gabrielle Nomura Gainor. When advocates call to defund the …

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