Resources to help navigate family conversations about racism
As we look toward gatherings over the holidays and into the future, the Anti-Racist White Action Group offers some resources that may help you with what might be difficult family conversations.
- How to Navigate Difficult Conversations During the Holiday Season
- How to Talk to Your Family About Racism on Thanksgiving
- Six steps to help you tackle difficult conversations
- How to navigate difficult conversations with family over the holidays
ARWAG is one of the county’s Affinity Groups (also called Employee Resource Groups) that addresses racism and other forms of oppression to advance the county’s equity and social justice goals. Email arwag@kingcounty.gov to join this group, get the meeting notices or for any questions.
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Intuitive eating tips for the holidays
It is common to feel stressed about food and exercise during celebrations, and this often peaks at winter holidays. Balanced You and our colleagues at Public Health want to remind you to be gentle and kind to yourself.
The winter holidays and the new year are a great time to take a look at our assumptions and judgments about food, exercise, and our bodies, and to learn more about Intuitive Eating and making peace with food. During the holidays, you can support yourself and others by:
- Not labeling foods as “good” or “bad”
- Honoring your cravings around food by giving your body and mind what they are asking for
- Offering yourself kindness and self-compassion if you feel uncomfortable after eating
- Redirect conversations about “good” or “bad” food, dieting, or body size. Say, “I’d prefer we didn’t talk about this. Let’s talk about (insert topic – sports, nature, music, art) instead.”
Read more about the principles of intuitive eating on the Balanced You blog.
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Rescue team rigging training at Ravensdale Range
From the King County Sheriff’s Office Weekly Newsletter
Recently, a team of deputies, sergeants, and King County Medic One paramedics assigned to the ancillary helicopter rescue team literally hung around at the Ravensdale range for rigging training.
Crewmembers worked on tying and using the standard rigging system to anchor themselves and safely move a patient up and down higher angled terrain. They climbed and rappelled from the training tower to reinforce their rescue skills.
The helicopter rescue team enjoys a robust partnership with colleagues at King County Medic One. This team, along with helicopter hoist rescues, is trained to move patients across varied terrain in normal and snowy conditions. They also train in avalanche rescue and recovery, basic life safety, and assisting Medic One team members with advanced life safety techniques.
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King County collaborates to build new facilities for Harborview’s future
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
Harborview Medical Center, the people’s hospital, is undergoing a radical campus-wide modernization.
Owned by King County and operated by University of Washington Medicine, the medical center will experience dynamic improvements over the next 10 years thanks to King County voters who overwhelmingly approved a $1.74 billion capital improvement bond in 2020. Read more.
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State-of-the-art stormwater station in Georgetown to protect the Duwamish River and Puget Sound
King County’s new $275 million Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station will be ready for crews to operate this rainy season enabling better protection of the Duwamish River and Puget Sound from stormwater pollution during severe rainstorms, which are occurring more frequently due to climate change. Read more and watch the video.
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Executive Constantine appoints experienced business leader as Chief Information Officer
Following a nationwide search, King County Executive Dow Constantine today appointed Megan Clarke – a highly experienced and well-regarded business leader – to serve as Chief Information Officer and oversee King County’s Department of Information Technology (KCIT).
Clarke, originally from the Seattle area, brings nearly 20 years of experience in the CIO field including government, higher education, and the arts. Read more.
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Indigenizing leadership, advocacy, and education
Throughout Native American Heritage Month, the Native American Leadership Council in partnership with the Office of Equity and Social Justice are bringing you videos in employee news featuring Indigenous and Native community members, King County employees, youth and elders on the movement to increase awareness of the diverse experiences, culture, stories of struggle and resilience within the Native community.
In this video, we feature the youth and elders participating in the Urban Native Education Alliance’s (UNEA) Clear Sky program. UNEA represents an organization founded and maintained by the Native community in King County. Their Clear Sky program provides intergenerational opportunities for Native youth and families to strengthen Native identity using cultural knowledge, tools of empowerment and change strategies that prioritize Native voice.
King County’s Best Starts for Kids (BSK) funding supported UNEA’s project, to launch Clear Sky Academy, an introductory course on The American Indian Historical and Contemporary Experience. Courses use a variety of instructional methods that support Indigenous perspectives, world view, and cultural values. Students have explored the areas of resistance, colonization and decolonization in a way that recognizes and builds on students’ strengths, and abilities. UNEA also provides high school academic course credits in American Indian Art and Culture (Fine Arts).
UNEA works to validate and uplift Native presence and identity for current and future generations. Intergenerational programming and activities designed for Native youth with thoughtful attention to cultural relevancy and cultural responsiveness are so important because they provide opportunities for young people to learn about their culture and traditions from elders in a meaningful and healing way. By building relationships with older generations, Native youth can develop a strong sense of identity and connection to their community, which is essential for positive future outcomes.
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County offices closed Nov. 23 and 24
King County government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 23 and Friday, Nov. 24 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Click here for Metro Transit holiday bus schedules.
If you have questions about your holiday schedule, please speak to your supervisor. Have a safe and healthy holiday.
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Administrative Professionals Virtual Cookbook
Do you have a go-to recipe for an appetizer, side or main dish? How about a yummy dessert?
If so, we would love to include it in the Administrative Professionals Virtual Cookbook!
Use this form to submit your recipe by Friday, Nov. 18.
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New Deferred Compensation Plan limits for 2023
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced increased contribution limits for qualified retirement plans, which includes King County’s 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan.
For 2023, you can contribute up to $22,500 per year into your Deferred Compensation Plan. Previously, the limit was $20,500. If you are age 50 or older, you can contribute $30,000 per year; the previous limit was $27,000.
For more information, go to the Deferred Compensation Plan webpage. If you have a question about these limits and how they apply, please contact Osceola (O.C) Collier, King County Deferred Compensation Coordinator, at 206-263-9250 or KC Deferred Comp.
Employee News 