ESJ book winners and the continuing conversation on racism, new series to begin March 21
By Rowena Johnson, Department of Natural Resources and Parks Earlier this year an Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) project team in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks held a drawing to give away five books by poets featured in the 2016 “Reflecting on Race and Racism through Spoken Word, Story, and Conversation” series. To be eligible for the drawing, King County employees were asked to submit their reflections on the 2016 reading series, particularly on what they had learned and what they hope to see in future ESJ literary events. Those… Read More
Long-standing planning committee guides celebration to uphold MLK values
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 30th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Thursday, January 12. The event was widely attended and featured guest speakers, live music and group singing. It can be viewed online here. A special thank you goes out to the 2017 King County MLK Celebration Planning Committee. Their hard work throughout the year culminated in a wonderful event, praised by both employees and the public. This internal, ad-hoc committee, a multi-year fixture, is currently made up of members from various departments within King County. It… Read More
Interested in speaking with alumni of diverse universities
Are you a graduate of a HBCU, or a Native American or Tribal College or University? Are you a Morehouse Man or a Spelman Woman? Did you graduate from Diné College or Northwest Indian College? The county’s Workforce Equity Manager would love to talk to you about recruiting at your alma mater. For more information, please contact Paula Harris-White at paula.harris-white@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-2444.
2017 MLK celebration draws crowd and highlights work being done to achieve fairness and opportunity for all
On Thursday, January 12, King County’s 30th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration was held at the 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle. The celebration recognizes the impact that Dr. King had on our community and our nation, and reminds us to keep striving toward his dream of equity and justice. The event featured keynote speaker Alexs Pate of the Innocent Classrooms program, which strives to help teachers connect more effectively with students of color, and the Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project as guest performers. For more information about the annual celebration of King County’s namesake, visit the King County website…. Read More
Honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dear fellow King County employee, On Monday, January 16, our nation will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is unique in that it is the only national holiday also designated as a National Day of Service. I hope you will be able to contribute your time and effort on Monday to help your community. You can find more information on volunteer events at www.nationalservice.gov/mlkday (national website) or, locally, at the United Way of King County site, www.uwkc.org/events/mlk-day-of-service. At this time of political upheaval, it is… Read More
Reminder: Win a book of poetry; further the conversation about equity and social justice, deadline December 30
This year an Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) project team in DNRP organized a series of four literary readings called “Reflecting on Race and Racism through Spoken Word, Story, and Conversation” that was open to all King County employees. The purpose was to provide a forum for employees to discuss issues of race and racism to help reject stereotypes, practice empathy, and come to a greater understanding of the roots of inequity and injustice. The ESJ literary project is also the reason behind this book giveaway open to all employees. To be… Read More
2017 King County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration calendars
We are thrilled folks love the King County calendars and await them eagerly. We appreciate your patience! Calendars will start arriving to distribution points during the week of December 5. We are unable to deliver to each office, so please check below for distribution points. Employees outside the downtown area: Calendars will be delivered to county offices outside the downtown area the week of December 5, so please wait for the delivery. If you do not have a calendar by December 9, please e-mail paula.harris-white@kingcounty.gov and we will direct you to a location… Read More
Bridge graduates embody King County’s spirit of service
The 13 employees who recently completed the 16-week Bridge Fellowship program developed new skills, expanded their leadership abilities, and came away better positioned to grow their careers in service of the people of King County. The November 16 graduation ceremony was attended by almost 100 leaders, colleagues, former graduates and friends from around the County to congratulate the employees who competed the intensive professional development program. “We have 13 employees from across the County who signed up for this Bridge Fellowship, and they were selected to participate in the program as part… Read More
Win a book of poetry; further the conversation about equity and social justice
This year an Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) project team in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks organized a series of four literary readings called “Reflecting on Race and Racism through Spoken Word, Story, and Conversation” that was open to all King County employees. The purpose was to provide a forum for employees to discuss issues of race and racism to help reject stereotypes, practice empathy, and come to a greater understanding of the roots of inequity and injustice that the county’s Equity and Social Justice Initiative seeks to address. Following… Read More
The Kitsap County Civilian Navy visits King County to learn about Supported Employment
In June 2016, King County hosted the Kitsap County Civilian Navy to share best practices about supported employment in order to assist them to grow and develop their own Supported Employment Program. During the Navy’s visit they toured the workplaces of three employees: Jennifer in DES Records and Licensing Division, Tony in DPH Financial and Administrative section, and Kirsten in DCHS Community Services Division, who showcased their work. Debra Wood, Kirsten’s supervisor, states, “It’s been wonderful to see Kirsten grow. [The Supported Employment Program] is a terrific! I want everybody who has… Read More
Employee News 