Paving the way to disability justice: Remembering the Section 504 Sit-ins
By Dorian Esper–Taylor, ADA Disability Specialist, Office of Equity and Social Justice When we think of the life-changing civil rights movements in the U.S., the road to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is often a forgotten struggle. Historically, civil rights movements in the U.S. have begun as radical struggles. Equal rights have been earned and fought for rather than given; disability rights and the pathway to the ADA were no different. One of the early victories was the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the first disability rights law… Read More
New approach to increasing access to free vegetarian meals
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green Nearly one-third of households in Washington reported they were food insecure in 2021, according to the Washington State Food Security Survey. Hunger relief organizations such as NorthWest Share work to address this ongoing issue. Harry Terhanian, founder of NorthWest Share, recently discussed how food trucks serving free meals came about, and the importance of providing free vegetarian meals via food trucks. Read more.
Public advisory committee and reorganization for King County Sheriff’s Office under new plan
Executive Dow Constantine and King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall announced new plans and updates for the vision, structure, and community engagement of the King County Sheriff’s Office, including the creation of a community advisory board. Read more.
How a beaver boom is reshaping floods and fire
Jen Vanderhoof, a senior ecologist with the Water and Land Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, was recently interviewed for a story on beavers. The video was produced by Grist, a non-profit, independent media organization focused on covering climate solutions. The piece highlights how beavers may offer real protection against climate impacts like flooding and wildfires, if people can learn to live with them. Watch the video.
Celebrating Disability Pride and people with disabilities
Dear fellow King County employee, July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the pride people with disabilities have in themselves and their many successes and contributions to our workforce and community. Disability Pride Month coincides with the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, better known as the ADA. The ADA has created civil rights protections and better access for people with disabilities. Disability Pride builds upon the legacy of the ADA with the demand for visibility, acknowledgement, and acceptance from society. Disability spans all… Read More
Executive Constantine, Mayor Harrell appoint experienced leader as Director of Public Health
King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell have appointed Dr. Faisal Khan, a 25-year leader in public health at global, state and local levels – as the Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Dr. Khan has the experience and expertise to lead Public Health into the next phase, and he brings a fresh perspective to serving the people of King County,” said Executive Constantine. “We look forward to his leadership as our dedicated employees continue our national reputation for excellence in public health and health equity… Read More
Is my baby ready for COVID vaccine? Answers for new and expecting parents
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider Babies and young children ages six months and up recently became eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. If you’re the parent of a child under age five, you may be cracking open the champagne, or you may be still wondering if getting vaccinated is the right move for your child. Either way, we understand where you’re coming from. It’s normal and natural to have questions, especially when it comes to children’s health and Public Health Insder has answers to common questions. Read more.
One year later: Collaborative Case Management program houses Veterans in King County
Cross-posted from Cultivating Connections June 18 marked the one-year anniversary of the first Veteran being housed through the Collaborative Case Management (CCM) program. King County launched a first-in-the-nation pilot program to help veterans experiencing homelessness connect to safe and stable housing in April 2021. Since the launch of CCM to date, the program has helped 75 Veterans find and move into permanent housing and 133 (out of an initial allotment of 142) VASH vouchers were issued for Veterans to utilize to find housing so far. Read more.
Inaugural Muckleshoot Pride event
Originally posted in King County Sheriff’s Office News The King County Sheriff’s Office and Muckleshoot Tribal Police partnered and participated in a recent Pride event at the Muckleshoot Pow Wow grounds. This event was monumental as it marked the first Pride event for the community. In attendance were Chief Val Kelly, MRO Sergeant Corbett Ford, and Communications Liaison Zoe Birkbeck. Muckleshoot Tribal Police Detective Jason Rich and Deputy Damian Walburn were also there to hand out pride beads and bracelets and meet with community members.
Free admission to Emerald Downs July 10
King County employees and their families are invited to attend the Emerald Downs racetrack for King County Day on Sunday July 10. They will receive free admission and should check in at Will-Call to receive their tickets. Employees will need to show proof of current employment, such as an employee badge or recent paystub. Part of the Family Fun Weekend event, gates open at 9 a.m., and the first race of the day is at 2.15 p.m. Throughout the day from 1-5 p.m. children can also participate in several games and activities… Read More
Employee News 