Executive officially proclaimed March 24 as Nowruz
This March, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay recognized Nowruz, the Persian New Year, celebrated for over 3,000 years by more than 300 million people worldwide. Meaning “new day,” Nowruz marks the arrival of spring and a time of renewal, hope, and fresh beginnings. On March 24, the official Nowruz proclamation was presented to Refugees & Immigrants Support & Empowerment (RISE) Affinity Group leadership by Jasmin Weaver, Chief of Staff to the King County Executive, and Megan Pedersen, Chief People Officer, highlighting the County’s commitment to recognizing and uplifting immigrant and refugee communities. Traditions such as gathering… Read More
Four Fridays Film Festival a success
Crossposted from the DES Express The Four Fridays Film Festival welcomed more than 200 participants to “hang out” with presenters at the end of each work week last month to honor Black history and culture. Films included “Black Panther,” “I Am Not Your Negro,” “Rustin” and “Hidden Figures.” Level-set questions ahead of each screening helped viewers to build capacity and foster meaningful discussion on issues relevant to community, inclusion, belonging, and greater cultural understanding in King County and beyond. Four Fridays was an outgrowth of the “DES Friday Afternoon Hang” film series,… Read More
Nowruz celebrates renewal, hope, and new beginnings
Annually on March 20, Nowruz marks the spring equinox, and is a longstanding celebratory tradition of renewal and fresh beginnings observed for more than 3,000 years across many different cultures. Translating from Persian to “New Day,” Nowruz is a reminder that growth follows every season of change. The King County Refugees & Immigrant Support & Empowerment (RISE) affinity group celebrates Nowruz to foster connection, cultural awareness, and a sense of belonging among employees from diverse backgrounds. “Recognizing holidays like Nowruz helps highlight traditions that are meaningful to many communities and creates opportunities for learning, appreciation, and stronger connections across our workplace,” said Nasir… Read More
Department of Local Services celebrates Black History Month in Skyway by showcasing impacts of Participatory Budgeting
Crossposted from King County Local To honor Black History Month, the Department of Local Services traveled to Skyway, an unincorporated community that’s home to the largest percentage of black community members in the state. The event was an opportunity to celebrate figures and leaders whose impact is felt today. That included recognizing King County Councilmember Rhonda Lewis – the first black woman to serve on the County Council, as well as Civil Rights-era icon and longtime former Councilmember Larry Gossett. Read more.
Executive Office presents Day of Remembrance Proclamation to RISE and AANHP Leaders
In recognition of Feb. 19 as Day of Remembrance, an official proclamation was shared with leadership from the Refugees and Immigrants Support and Empowerment (RISE) Affinity Group and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacifica (AANHP) Affinity Group. Day of Remembrance honors the more than 120,000 Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated during World War II. This observance serves as a reminder of the harm caused by fear-driven policies and the importance of protecting civil liberties for all. “Remembering this history is essential to preventing the repetition of policies… Read More
Celebrating Black history, arts and culture with Attorney General Nick Brown
Crossposted from DES Express Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown talked about key milestones in Black history and discussed his personal journey into public service at “For Us, By Us: Transformational Conversations,” a Town Hall event on Feb. 3. This was Attorney General Brown’s first address to county employees. Cecelia Hayes, Equity, Social Justice and Engagement Senior Practitioner for the Department of Executive Services, worked several months to organize the event, which was executed in partnership with other “For Us, By Us” (FUBU) leaders. Transformational Conversations is a series of Black employee-led… Read More
Executive Zahilay Signs New Executive Order to Strengthen Protections and Support for King County’s Immigrant and Refugee Communities
On Feb. 12, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay signed a new Executive Order to strengthen protections and increase emergency resources for King County’s immigrant and refugee communities impacted by the increase in federal immigration enforcement activities. In January, Executive Zahilay hosted four immigration roundtable convenings in North, Central, South, and East King County to hear from leaders in immigrant and refugee communities about challenges they were facing and resources needed. The Executive Order, the first in Executive Zahilay’s administration, was informed by the feedback shared at the convenings. “Every resident who calls King County home, regardless of their citizenship… Read More
Four Fridays Film Festival starts Feb. 6
Crossposted from the DES Express In recognition of Black History and Culture Month, employees are invited to celebrate the legacy, the resilience and the promise of Black History, Arts and Culture with four film screenings in February. The Four Fridays “We Know Who We Are” series starts Friday, Feb. 6 and runs each Friday in February from 3 – 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. Here is the schedule and theme for each: Feb. 6: Black Panther, We are Heroic, Hosted by the Department of Executive Services Feb. 13: The Fight for Black Lives, We are… Read More
Join State Attorney General and County Executive at event recognizing Black History Month, Feb. 3
Employees are invited to join Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay at an online event recognizing Black History Month on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Attorney General Brown will talk about key milestones in Black history for our region and discuss his own journey into public service. He will be welcomed and introduced by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom. Register here. This is a County-sponsored event and King County directors, managers, and supervisors are encouraged to permit employees to… Read More
Collaborating to advance racial and health equity
Crossposted from Public Health Insider by Matías Valenzuela, Director, Office of Equity and Community Partnerships As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on our work and the collaborations that have strengthened and advanced public health in King County. As the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Community Advisory Group (HEARCAG), we’re proud to share a sample of some of the impacts and accomplishments of 2025. The Health Equity and Anti-Racism Community Advisory Group in 2025 HEARCAG has: Held space to organize and share information in the face of challenging federal changes. Launched a policy committee… Read More
