>>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING,
EVERYONE. THE JUNE 13th, 2024
MEETING OF THE LIBRARIES,
EDUCATION AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:33 A.M. I AM CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE. I WILL NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBERS MOORE AND
MORALES ARE JOINING ONLINE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> THREE COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
PRESENT.
>> I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER WOO WILL BE HERE
AND IS RUNNING A FEW MINUTES
BEHIND. THERE IS ONE ITEM OF
BUSINESS ON -- OH. WAIT A
MINUTE. SORRY. OH. SORRY. THERE
IS ONE ITEM OF BUSINESS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA. WE HAVE A
PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS MORE
IN-DEPTH . IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE WILL
NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD
RELATE TO ITEMS WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE.
CLAIRE, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE ZERO SPEAKERS TODAY.
>> OR ONLINE?
>> OR ONLINE.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS OVER.
THE FIRST -- SORRY, GUYS. [
LAUGHTER ] WITH THE CLERK
PLEASE READ TODAY'S A FIRST
AGENDA ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, AN IN-DEPTH
PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
>> IS SHE ON HER WAY? OKAY.
DIRECTOR MOHAMED IS ON HER WAY
ON THE INTERIM AREA AND WHOEVER
CAN JOIN HER AT THE TABLE CAN
COME UP AND I BELIEVE YOUR
PRESENTATION IS SET UP. [
SILENCE ]
>> INTRODUCING YOURSELVES AND
THEN WHEN SHE GETS HERE, WE CAN
GET STARTED. THANK YOU.
>> OH, THERE WE GO. HI,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, SPECIAL
PROJECTS AND POLICY SPECIALISTS
AT THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE AFFAIRS. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
JESSICA. ON THE MANAGING
DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE FIELD
OFFICE. THANK YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SHARA ROSEN.
I'M ONE OF THE COEXECUTIVE
DIRECTORS AT LITERARY'S --
LITERACY SOURCE.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD WELCOME, AND
GOOD MORNING. WEIRD WAITING A
FEW MINUTES FOR DIRECTOR HAMDI
MOHAMED TO ARRIVE.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH HAS
JOINED US. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, WE'RE HAVING A
PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS
THIS MORNING AND WE ARE JUST
WAITING A FEW MINUTES FOR
DIRECTOR MOHAMED TO ARRIVE. YOU
DID. YOU DID, COUNCILMEMBER AND
WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ONLINE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH, DO
YOU HAVE ANY JOKES THIS
MORNING?
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> COUNCIL CHAIR -- EXCUSE ME,
MADAM CHAIR, I ALWAYS HAVE
JOKES.
>> YOU DO.
>> OKAY. HERE'S A JOKE. I
CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST ONE I
SAID BUT WHAT LOTTERY DID THE
BROOM WIN?
>> WHAT?
>> THE SWEEPSTAKES .
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> I KNOW. THAT WAS PRETTY --
WAS THAT PRETTY BAD?
>> YOU KNOW WHO HAVE REALLY
ENJOYED THAT? WE HAVE SOME
KINDERGARTNERS HERE A COUPLE
DAYS AGO VISITING CHAMBERS AND
VISITING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
THEY WOULD HAVE LOVED THAT
JOKE.
>> THEY DID AND I ALSO THIS
WEEKEND HOSTED, AS I SAID IN
COUNCIL BRIEFING, A TROOP OF
THE GIRL SCOUTS. THEY WERE
ACTUALLY FROM YOUR DISTRICT.
THEY ALL LIVE IN DISTRICT 4 AND
THEY WERE TELLING ME A BUNCH OF
JOKES BUT WE DID A MOCK COUNSEL
AND, SO, THEY ALL SAT IN OUR
CHAIRS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO
VOTE AND PASSED SOME VERY
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION. IT WAS
FUN AND, OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS
CONNECTED TO THIS COMMITTEE ,
YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT YOUTH, KIDS, AND
FAMILIES. SO, IT WAS REALLY
GOOD. I CAN'T REMEMBER ANY OF
THE JOKES THEY TOLD ME THOUGH,
BUT IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
>> THEY HAD SOME JOKES.
>> THEY DID.
>> WELL, IT JUST SHOWS THE
IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
AND IT IS STARTING EARLY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND THEY ARE
GIRL SCOUTS AND THEY TALKED
ABOUT IMPORTANT THINGS AND THEY
WERE FOURTH, FIFTH GRADER
TALKING ABOUT TOYS THAT WERE IN
LANDFILLS AND TALKING ABOUT
PROTECTING ANIMALS AND WANTING
TO HAVE MORE PLANTS IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE. IN FOURTH GRADE.
AND THAT IS GENERATION ALPHA.
SO, THEY ARE THE GENERATION
I'M GOING TO PUT MY MONEY ON.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT? I ASKED THE
KINDERGARTNERS WHAT THEY DO AS
PART OF MAYOR BRUCE HARRELL 'S
ONE SEATTLE AND THEY SAID WE
CAN PICK UP TRASH AROUND THE
PLAYGROUND ONLY SEE TRASH AND
WE CAN PLANT TREES. SO, TO YOUR
POINT, IT IS ENCOURAGING WHEN
YOU HAVE VERY YOUNG KIDS
ENGAGED .
>> IT MAKES ME HAPPY ABOUT OUR
FUTURE.
>> THE FUTURE COUNCILMEMBERS OF
TOMORROW. OKAY. GOOD MORNING.
WE ARE JOINED BY DIRECTOR HAMDI
MOHAMED. ALL RIGHT. SO, THE
FIRST ITEM HAS BEEN READ INTO
THE AGENDA FOR THE FIRST ITEM
OF BUSINESS WE ARE JOINED THIS
MORNING BY OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT
AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
HAMDI MOHAMED. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. YOUR TEAM HAS
INTRODUCED THEMSELVES. SO, WHY
DO YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD AND THEN WE CAN
LEARN MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT YOUR
PROGRAMS AT OIRA.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. IS THIS
ON?
>> I THINK YOU SHOULD GET A
LITTLE CLOSER.
>> BETTER? OKAY. GREAT. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND HONORABLE
MEMBERS OF THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL . FOR THE RECORD, MY
NAME IS HAMDI MOHAMED AND I AM
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS .
IT IS GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU
ALL TODAY. I AM HERE TO PROVIDE
--
>> IT'S OKAY. YOU CAN TAKE A
BREATH.
>> YOU SEE I'M WITH CHILD. I
JUST BREATHE HARD NOWADAYS.
>> YOU RAN OVER, I KNOW. I JUST
WANT TO GIVE YOU A MINUTE. YOU
CAN TAKE A MINUTE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS
MY NEW PACE.
>> [ LAUGHTER ] ALL RIGHT. AND
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH. I'M TWO
WEEKS AWAY FROM GIVING BIRTH
VERY SOON. A BOY. [ LAUGHTER ]
I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE MORE
DETAILS ABOUT THE SIX PROGRAMS
THAT OUR OFFICE HOLDS AND, SO,
TO JUST GIVE YOU GUYS A
BREAKDOWN OF THE PROJECTS, THE
INITIATIVES IN OUR OFFICE AND I
AM AVAILABLE TO HELP ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. I
WANTED TO SAY BEFORE I BEGAN I
AM REALLY PROUD OF THIS WORK.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE
INCREDIBLE TEAM AT THE OFFICE
OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
AFFAIRS THAT TRULY MAKES ALL
THESE PROJECTS HAPPEN. IT TAKES
A LOT OF TEAMWORK TO BE ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF WHAT I WILL
BE SHARING TODAY AND ALSO WE
PARTNER WITH OVER 30
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
WHO DO THE DIRECT SERVICE. SO,
I ALSO WANT TO HONOR AND
RECOGNIZE THEM AS WELL. WE
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE
WORK THAT WE DO ON BEHALF OF
THE CITY OF SEATTLE WITHOUT
THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE
WITH THEM. SO, I JUST WANT TO
RECOGNIZE OUR LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I WILL
SAY FOR MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN TAKE
THEM THROUGHOUT. SO, I WILL BE
LOOKING FOR YOUR HANDS RAISED
TO DO THAT.
>> YES, PLEASE DO STOP ME AT
ANY POINT AND I'M HAPPY TO
SHARE MORE DETAILS AS BEST AS
WE CAN. SO, NEXT SLIDE. SHOULD
BE ON SLIDE TWO, OVERVIEW.
>> OH. THERE YOU GO.
>> OKAY. GREAT. SO, OUR OFFICE
WAS ESTABLISHED BY A CITY OF
SEATTLE ORDINANCE IN 2012 AND,
REALLY, THE AIM OF THE OFFICE
WAS TO HELP STRENGTHEN
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, ART IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE SERVING ORGANIZATIONS
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE
ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY,
ON HOW THE GOVERNMENT HERE
WORKS AND FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR
INPUTS WHEN IT COMES TO
POLICYMAKING, PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT, SERVICES THAT THE
CITY IS PROVIDING , AS YOU ALL
KNOW, OUR IMMIGRANT REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES CONTRIBUTE
SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THE ECONOMICS OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, THE CULTURE, AND IN
MANY AREAS. I DID SHARE THE
COUNCILMEMBERS JUST A DATA -- A
STATISTIC SHEET THAT SHOWS JUST
SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT ARE
IMMIGRANT REFUGEE COMMUNITIES
ARE MAKING HERE LOCALLY. IN
2019, THERE WERE OVER 50,000
IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AREA. AND ALSO
2019, IMMIGRANTS PAID $12.7
BILLION IN TAXES . THAT REPORT
CAME FROM THE NEW AMERICANS
ECONOMY THAT THEY PUBLISHED IN
2019 AND SEATTLE'S IMMIGRANT
POPULATION HAS GROWN BY 47%
FROM 2000 TO 2020 AND THERE IS
OVER 140,000 SEATTLE RESIDENTS
WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS
FOREIGN-BORN AND ONCE I START
TALKING ABOUT THE LANGUAGE
ACCESS PROGRAM YOU WILL SEE
THERE ARE SO MANY LANGUAGES
THAT ARE SPOKEN IN OUR CITY
HERE. NEXT SLIDE. SO, HERE IS
THE SIX PROGRAMS THAT OUR
OFFICE COVERS. I DO WANT TO
JUST SAY THAT WHILE THESE ARE
OUR CORE PROGRAMS IN THE OFFICE
OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
AFFAIRS, WE ARE OFTEN TASKED
WITH A LOT OF AD HOC PROJECTS
THAT EITHER COME FROM COUNCIL,
MAYOR'S OFFICE, OR JUST ISSUES
THAT ARISE IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND ONE OF THOSE ISSUES
RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE SEEN AN
INFLUX OF MIGRANTS ARRIVING TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND WE HAVE
BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON FIGURING
OUT HOW TO HOUSE FOLKS OR
MIGRANTS IN NEWLY ARRIVING
ASYLUM-SEEKERS AS WELL AS
PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THEM BUT
THIS IS A NEW BOOK OF BUSINESS
FOR OUR OFFICE AND WE ARE USING
OUR EXISTING DOLLARS TO HELP
ADDRESS THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES
AND, SO, WHILE THESE ARE THE
SIX CORE PROGRAMS IN THE
OFFICE, THERE ARE A LOT OF
OTHER ISSUES THAT IMPACT OUR
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES AND WE TACKLE THAT
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE WORKING IN
VERY CLOSE COORDINATION WITH
OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
>> AS WELL AS THE STATE IN YOUR
REGIONAL PARTNERS AND THE
COUNTY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. YES,
DEFINITELY. THE STATE PLAYS A
BIG ROLE. WE HAVE OUR OFFICE
SERVES AS A FACILITATOR AND WE
HELP ESTABLISH THE STATES
INTERGOVERNMENTAL TASK FORCE ON
NEWLY ARRIVING ASYLUM-SEEKERS
AND, SO, YES, WE ARE AT THE
TABLE WITH THE STATE AS WELL AS
THE COUNTY AND THE GOOD NEWS
THEY ARE, I WILL SHARE, I HAVE
A SIGN ON THIS A LITTLE LATER
BUT SINCE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC,
THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS VERY
CLOSE IN SIGNING A CONTRACT
WITH COMMERCE AND THE STATE TO
BE REIMBURSED FOR SOME OF THE
DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY
INVESTED IN HELPING HOUSE
MIGRANTS. SO, OUR OFFICE HAS
BEEN LEADING THOSE EFFORTS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
>> I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU KUDOS
HERE, DIRECTOR MOHAMED BECAUSE
YOU WERE REALLY HARD WORKING
AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY
HAD THIS ROBUST RELATIONSHIP
AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR
PARTNERS ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THE CITY IN THIS. SO, I REALLY
WANT TO GIVE YOU KUDOS FOR
THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, WITH
UNEXPECTED WORK BUT WE
DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN PUSHING
THROUGH AND TRYING TO LEAD WITH
THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE BEING EQUITABLE AND,
YOU KNOW, LEADING WITH SERVICE.
I, IN THIS LIGHT I TALK ABOUT
THE PHILOSOPHY OF OUR OFFICE.
THERE IS A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT
CONTRACT WITH NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS WHO DO DIRECT
SERVICES AND THAT SUPPORT A LOT
OF WORK THAT IS HAPPENING ON
THE GROUND . FOR OFFICE,
REALLY, OUR PHILOSOPHY IS TO GO
BEYOND CONTRACTING MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE, LIKE, A COHORT
MODEL WHERE WE ARE NOT JUST
GIVING DOLLARS OUT BUT WE ARE
REALLY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OUR NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS AND, SO,
REGULARLY CONVENING THEM
TOGETHER WE NEGOTIATE DURING
THE CONTRACT PERIOD TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE ARE
PUTTING OUT INTO COMMUNITY IS
VERY MUCH IN ALIGNMENT WITH
WHAT WE ARE ALSO HEARING AND,
SO, EVEN HOLDING LISTENING
SESSIONS BEFORE WE GO INTO THE
RFP PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE INFORMED BY WHAT
RESIDENTS ARE SAYING THEIR
NEEDS ARE TO REALLY GUIDE US
AND HOW WE DEVELOPED THE RFP,
HOW WE THEN NEGOTIATE THE
CONTRACT AND MAKING SURE THAT
THE WAY THAT WE STRUCTURE OUR
PROGRAMS IS REALLY DATA-DRIVEN
AND WE LOOK AT NATIONAL
NUMBERS, LOCAL NUMBERS, AND USE
THOSE STATISTICS TO HELP SHAPE
HOW WE END UP DEVELOPING THESE
PROGRAMS. I HAVE PROGRAM
SPECIALISTS WHO OVERSEE ALL THE
PROGRAMS IN THE OFFICE AND, SO,
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH
THE GROUP THAT WE END UP
FUNDING FOR EACH ONE OF THESE
PROGRAMS AND OVERSIGHT IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR
WORK, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
ALSO CONDUCTING SITE VISITS,
OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE NOT AN
AUDITORS OFFICE. SO, YOU KNOW,
EVALUATING THE PROGRAMS AND
BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME SORT
OF INFORMATION TO OUR PARTNERS
AND ENSURING THAT THE WORK IS
BEING MONITORED CONSISTENTLY
AND THAT WE ARE JUST BEING
BOTTOM LINE, GOOD STEWARDS OF
OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS . THAT IS A
WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO
LEAD THE WORK AND, SO, THAT IS
PART OF OUR PHILOSOPHY IN THE
OFFICE AND WE THINK THAT HELPS
MAXIMIZE COMMUNITY IMPACT AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
BUILD A STRONGER AND MORE
SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS. NEXT,
SLIDE. I WILL START WITH A
LEGAL DEFENSE PROGRAM. THIS
PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2017
AND WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY
ESTABLISHED IT WAS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH KING COUNTY
AND AT THAT TIME IN 2017 IT'S
REALLY WHEN WE WERE SEEING SO
MUCH HATEFUL RHETORIC THAT WAS
DIRECTED ARE IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES AND WE ARE
SEEING A LOT OF IMMIGRATION
ENFORCEMENT, PEOPLE THEN BEING
REALLY AFRAID TO REPORT CRIMES
AGAINST THEMSELVES , FEARING
COMING TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
AND, SO, A LOT OF THE RHETORIC
WE WERE HEARING FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS
TRICKLING DOWN AND CREATING A
LOT OF FEAR IN OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES WERE THEN, YOU
KNOW, YOU WILL SEE HEALTH
IMPACTS, PEOPLE JUST AFRAID TO
GO AND APPLY FOR SERVICES. SO,
THE LEGAL DEFENSE PROGRAM WAS
STOOD UP AND THE GOAL OF THIS
PROGRAM IS REALLY TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO
LEGAL SERVICES AND WE PARTNER
WITH FOUR REALLY GREAT
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND I WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT
THAT. NEXT SLIDE. SO, HERE IS
THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FUNDING
STRUCTURE AND, SO, IT IS FOR
ORGANIZATION SUBCONTRACTED WITH
THE NORTHWEST IMMIGRANTS RIGHT
PROJECT AND IF YOU LOOK AT
THESE NUMBERS WHAT YOU WILL
NOTICE IS MOST OF OUR DOLLARS
ACTUALLY GOES BACK OUT TO OUR
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WE DO HAVE ONE FTE THAT
OVERSEES THIS PROGRAM AND OTHER
WORK IN OUR OFFICE IN ADDITION
TO THIS PROGRAM BUT THE
MAJORITY OF THESE FUNDS ARE
DIRECTLY COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS
AND KING COUNTY HAS A SIMILAR
PROGRAM BUT IT'S SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT. OUR FUNDING MODELS
ARE LITTLE DIFFERENT. REPORTING
MODELS ARE DIFFERENT. WE TRIED
TO MESH THOSE TOGETHER AT ONE
POINT BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS
BUREAUCRACY AND RED TAPE AND
THINGS THAT MAKE IT A LITTLE
DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO CORDON
EIGHT FUNDING ALL THE TIME BUT
WE DO WORK IN COORDINATION.
NEXT SLIDE. AND, SO, THIS -- I
JUST WANTED TO SHARE AND I
THINK I MADE THIS POINT ABOUT
JUST HOW OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
WORKS IN GENERAL. THE LEGAL
DEFENSE PROGRAM REALLY ALSO,
LIKE, -- FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE
AN ORGANIZATION HERE , IT'S
INTERESTING, OUR IMMIGRATION
SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE A
CIVIL SYSTEM. BUT THEN IT LOOKS
VERY MUCH -- IT MIRRORS OUR
CRIMINAL SYSTEM AND -- BUT, YOU
HAVE A PUBLIC DEFENDER, FOR
INSTANCE, IN THE SAME WAY THAT
YOU WOULD IN A CRIMINAL CASE
AND, SO, IN CIVIL CASES ,
IMMIGRATION CASES, AT TIMES YOU
WILL SEE A CHILD COMING TO
COURT HAVING TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES. IN A CRIMINAL -- IN
A CIVIL PROCEEDING AND AND ,
OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS REALLY
PROBLEMATIC AND IF YOU GO TO
THE DETENTION CENTERS YOU SEE
PEOPLE IN JUMPSUITS, THE ORANGE
JUMPSUITS, IT MIRRORS VERY MUCH
OUR CRIMINAL SYSTEM WHEN IT IS
REALLY A CIVIL SYSTEM AND THAT
ADDS -- IT MAKES THE PROCESS
REALLY COMPLEX. PEOPLE THEN END
UP NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCESS
LEGAL SERVICES AND THEN YOU SEE
CHILDREN WHO ARE SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACTED BY THE WAY THAT THE
SYSTEM IS STRUCTURED AND I JUST
WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ARE
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
CONTRIBUTE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO OUR COUNTRY AND FEDERAL
TAXES ANNUALLY ACCORDING TO
ESTIMATES BY THE SOCIAL
SECURITY ADMINISTRATION IN ONE
GIVEN YEAR PAYMENTS FROM
UNAUTHORIZED WORKERS HAS
ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY $12
BILLION IN TAX REVENUES FOR
SOCIAL SECURITY IN THE U.S. AND
THESE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT
A LOT OF HER UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS JUST DO NOT HAVE
ACCESS TO BUT CONTRIBUTE TO
THEM. SO, WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND
WE ENSURE THAT LITTLE BABIES
SHOULD NOT BE BEING AT COURT
AND HAVING TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS
US TO PROTECT YOUNG FOLKS IN
OUR COMMUNITY. NEXT SLIDE. AND
THIS JUST, KIND OF, GOES OVER
-- GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE
TYPES OF IMPACTS THAT WE ARE
SEEING. THERE IS JUST A LOT OF
DELAYS AND BACKLOGS IN OUR
LEGAL SYSTEM. THERE IS
CURRENTLY OVER 2 MILLION CASES
THAT ARE BEHIND AND IN BACKLOG.
SO, THERE IS A LOT OF
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS BEING
IMPACTED. THE LACK OF LEGAL
SERVICES AND REPRESENTATION IS
HUGE. YOU SEE ABOUT 54% OF
CHILDREN WITH CASES AT THE
SEATTLE IMMIGRATION COURTS HAVE
NO LEGAL REPRESENTATION. SO,
THIS PROGRAM IS HELPING ADDRESS
MANY OF THOSE ISSUES. NEXT
SLIDE.
>> I DO WANT --
>> ONE SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE, YOU A QUESTION. SORRY.
>> OH, I DO. YES. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. MY -- I WAS JUST WAS
LOOKING AT THE FUNDING. I JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT THE KIDS IN
NEED OF DEFENSE IS A FABULOUS
PROGRAM AND I SIGNED A NUMBER
OF THOSE ORDERS AS A JUDGE AND
I'M JUST CURIOUS, IT DOESN'T
SEEM LIKE 250,000 IS A LOT OF
MONEY FOR A PROGRAM THAT IS SO
EFFECTIVE AND SO IMPORTANT.
I'M JUST WONDERING A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR THAT
AND IF YOU COULD, MAYBE, EXPAND
ON HOW EFFECTIVE THAT PROGRAM
IS.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER MOORE,
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I
WILL SAY I COMPLETELY AGREE
WITH YOU. I WISH WE HAD MORE
FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A
GREATER IMPACT AND WE DO TODAY
HAVE KIDS IN NEED OF DEFENSE
MANAGING , DIRECTOR, HERE WITH
US WHO CAN SPEAK A LITTLE MORE
TO THE IMPACT THAT OUR DOLLARS
MAKE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE
CITY -- IT WAS A WAY FOR US TO
LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM AND THOSE
ARE THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO USE BUT I KNOW
THAT THEY ALSO RECEIVE DOLLARS
FROM THE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE
STATE SO I'M SURE THAT
COMBINATION OF FUNDING ALSO
HELPS BUT, JESSICA, DO YOU WANT
TO ADD TO THAT? DO YOU WANT TO
TAKE THAT QUESTION?
>> SURE. THANK YOU MADAME --
COUNCILWOMAN MOORE. I AGREE,
$250,000 IS A STAR AND WE ARE
VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE
FUNDING THAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAS PROVIDED TO US BUT,
CURRENTLY, IT IS NOT
SUFFICIENT. WE DO RECEIVE
FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE LIMITED
AND THERE ARE SOME COUNTY FUNDS
BUT IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO
MEET THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN
THAT WE TURN AWAY EVERY DAY WHO
ARE IN NEED OF LEGAL SERVICES
WERE CALLING AND EMAILING OUR
OFFICES. JUST DOWN THE STREET
THERE ARE OVER 800 CHILDREN WHO
ARE WITHOUT COUNCIL ON THE
JUVENILE RELEASE DOCKET AND
THAT OCCURS ON THE FIRST
THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. THAT
PICTURE IS VERY REAL. I WENT TO
OBSERVE THE JUVENILE RELEASE
DOCKET LAST MONTH. THERE ARE
MANY CHILDREN WERE NOT SHOWING
UP TO COURT AND RECEIVING IN
ABSENTIA ORDERS AND ALSO
CHILDREN AND YOUTH SHOWING UP
WITHOUT COUNSEL AND GOING
AGAINST ATTORNEYS. IT IS A VERY
ONGOING AND REAL NEED IN THE
COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA, FOR THAT
ANSWER. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE,
THIS NEXT SLIDE ACTUALLY
DEPICTS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR
HOW WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE
THESE DOLLARS AND THE TYPES OF
IMPACT IT HAS MADE AS -- FOR
ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS , FOR
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE
FUNDING THERE IS OVER 160
PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED FULL DIRECT
REPRESENTATION IN 2023. HUNDRED
AND 20 CLIENTS RECEIVED LIMITED
LEGAL SERVICES. 49 OF THOSE
CLIENTS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE
WITHOUT PRO ASYLUM
APPLICATIONS. 56 PEOPLE WERE
ABLE TO OBTAIN THEIR PERMANENT
OR TEMPORARY IMMIGRATION STATUS
AND, SO, WHILE THESE DOLLARS
ARE SMALL IS MAKING AN IMPACT
AS WELL AND, SO, THAT IS WHY WE
CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS
PROGRAM AND I WON'T PUSH FOR
DOLLARS HERE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE
ALWAYS WELCOME THAT AND WANT TO
BE ABLE TO MAKE A GREATER
IMPACT AND WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR,
WE FEEL, LIKE, HAS BEEN
SUFFICIENT AND WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THE MOST THAT WE CAN
AND MAKE THE GREATEST IMPACT IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE WITH THE
EXISTING FUNDS.
>> YES, AND DIRECTOR MOHAMED,
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE
NEED AND THAT -- IT'S HARD TO
MEET THE NEED AND THIS IS WHY I
REALLY WANTED TO LIFT UP YOUR
WORK WORKING WITH THE COUNTY
WHO HAS THOSE. YOU SAID SIMILAR
PROGRAM AND WITH THE STATE AND
WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
TRY TO GET MORE FUNDING TO MEET
THE NEED HERE IN SEATTLE BUT,
YES, I MEAN, YOU ALL DO A LOT
WITH A LITTLE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> YEP.
>> SMALL BUT MIGHTY. [ LAUGHTER
] THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. GO AHEAD.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER MOORE,
FOR THAT QUESTION. I DO WANT TO
INVITE JESSICA AGAIN TO JUST,
KIND OF, SHARE A SPECIFIC STORY
WITH YOU ALL ON SOME OF THE
IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO MAKE. THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLE
PARTNER TO US THROUGH THE LEGAL
DEFENSE PROGRAM HERE AND
PROTECTING THE BABIES IN OUR
CITY AND THEIR WORK MAKES EVEN
A GREATER IMPACT ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY. JESSICA?
>> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THE INVITATION TO
SPEAK REGARDING THE LDN, LEGAL
DEFENSE NETWORK. MY NAME IS
JESSICA. I'M THE MANAGING
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE OFFICE.
DEDICATED SOLELY TO THE
PROTECTION OF UNACCOMPANIED
IMMIGRANT CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN
THE UNITED STATES. THEY'RE
FORTUNATE TO SERVE AS ONE OF
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTORS THAT
PROVIDES IMMIGRATION LEGAL
SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE'S LDN NETWORK SINCE IT
WAS CREATED IN 2019. I'M HERE
TO SPEAK ON THE IMPORTANT
IMPACT OF LDN'S WORK FOR THE
LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF ITS
IMMIGRANTS, RESIDENTS INCLUDING
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AND
YOUTH AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
CITY OF SEATTLE TO CONTINUE
PRIORITIZING, RENEWING AND
SUSTAINING FUNDING IN THIS
AREA. LET ME SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT LVN
SERVES. K.I.N.D. SEATTLE OFFICE
SERVES CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN
SEATTLE THROUGH ITS LDN
FUNDING. WE PROVIDE DIRECT
LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR OVER
55 LAW FIRMS, CORPORATIONS AND
OTHER ENTITIES. A CHILD IS
CONSIDERED AN UNACCOMPANIED
IMMIGRANT CHILD OF THE ENTER
THE U.S. AT THE BORDER WITHOUT
A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN. AND
WITHOUT ANY LAWFUL STATUS. MOST
HAVE LEFT THEIR HOME COUNTRIES
FLEEING VIOLENCE, PERSECUTION,
NEGLECT, ABUSE OR ABANDONMENT.
K.I.N.D.'S OFFICE SERVES
CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD
INCLUDING 30 DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES THAT SPEAK OVER 20
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. WE SERVE
CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM THEIR
FAMILIES DURING THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS
CHILDREN AND YOUTH RENDERED
UNACCOMPANIED WHEN EVACUATED
AND RELOCATED FROM AFGHANISTAN
IN 2021. IN 2023 THERE HAVE
BEEN OVER 1350 UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN WHO WERE RELEASED FOR
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION SHELTERS
INTO WASHINGTON STATE. IN 2023,
KING COUNTY RECEIVES 618
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AND
YOUTH RELEASED AS SPONSORS. BY
FAR THE MAJORITY COMPARED TO
COUNTIES ACROSS WASHINGTON
STATE. SEATTLE PLAYS AN
INTEGRAL ROLE AND IS HOME TO
MANY OF THE UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN
WASHINGTON STATE. KING COUNTY
IS ONE OF THE TOP COUNTIES OF
ARRIVAL AND ALL WASHINGTON
CASES ARE VENUED AT THE SEATTLE
IMMIGRATION COURT WHICH IS JUST
DOWN THE STREET. AS I SHARED,
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1300
CHILDREN ON THE JUVENILE
RELEASE DOCKET AND OVER 60% ARE
UNREPRESENTED. UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN REQUIRE ATTORNEYS TO
HELP THEM FIGHT THEIR REMOVAL
PROCEEDINGS AND TO SEEK THE
LEGAL STATUS. IMMIGRATION LAW
AND PARTICULARLY THE REMOVAL
DEFENSE OF UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN IS ONE OF THE MOST
COMPLEX AND TECHNICALLY
DEMANDING AREAS OF PRACTICE.
THE BURDEN REMAINS ON
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AND
YOUTH TO OBTAIN LEGAL
REPRESENTATION BECAUSE THEY
HAVE NO RIGHT TO GUARANTY
COUNCIL AT THE EXPENSE OF THE
GOVERNMENT. TO MAKE MATTERS
WORSE THEY USUALLY CANNOT
AFFORD TO HIRE PRIVATE COUNCIL.
DATA SHOWS THAT IMMIGRATION
JUDGES ARE ALMOST 100 TIMES
MORE LIKELY TO GRANT LEGAL
RELIEF FOR UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH COUNCIL
THAN THOSE WITHOUT LEGAL
COUNCIL. LDN HAS INCREASED
LEGAL SERVICES FOR
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN WHO
WOULD HAVE TO FACE TRAINED
GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS WITHOUT
REPRESENTATION. K.I.N.D.
ATTORNEYS PROVIDE
REPRESENTATION TO CHILDREN
ELIGIBLE FOR PROTECTION BECAUSE
OF ABUSE, ABANDONMENT, NEGLECT,
PERSECUTION, OR OTHER FORMS OF
VIOLENCE SUCH AS SEX LABOR
TRACKING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. WE
HAVE A SOCIAL SERVICES TEAM
THAT HELPS CONNECT CHILDREN TO
EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE,
DRIVER'S LICENSES, EMERGENCY
FUNDS, AND OTHER MUCH-NEEDED
RESOURCES. LET ME GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE OF OUR WORK TO BRING
THESE PIECES TOGETHER. ONE OF
OUR CLIENTS TERESA IS A MINER
FROM CENTRAL AMERICA WHO WAS A
VICTIM OF A CRIME AFTER SEEKING
REFUGE IN THE UNITED STATES.
HER K.I.N.D. ATTORNEY IS
PURSUING A VISA FOR VICTIMS OF
CRIME. THIS SHOWS HOW LVN
IMPROVES PUBLIC SAFETY AND
ALLOWS IMMIGRANTS TO COME
FORWARD TO SEEK HELP. K.I.N.D.
IS ASSISTED MANY SURVIVORS IN
REPORTING THEIR CASE AND
COOPERATING WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT. AS YOUNG MEN WITH
LIMITED RESOURCES, TERESA IS
WORKING WITH K.I.N.D. TO ACCESS
AVAILABLE SUPPORT FOR HER
FAMILY. TERESA'S ATTORNEY
RECENTLY CONNECTED HER WITH A
K.I.N.D. SOCIAL SERVICES
COORDINATOR WHO HELPED HER
OBTAIN CASH BENEFITS TO HELP
WITH HER INFANT CHILD AND ALSO
HELPED HER COMPLETE
CHILD-SUPPORT PAYMENTS THE
PAPERWORK, EXCUSE ME, TOGETHER
MONTHLY CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS.
WITH THIS FINANCIAL RELIEF,
TERESA CAN RIGHTFULLY FOCUS ON
ATTENDING SCHOOL WHILE CARING
FOR HER YOUNG CHILD. K.I.N.D.
SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATE ALSO
HELP TERESA FIND A RESPITE IN
HER LOCAL LIBRARY. WITH THE
NEWLY SECURED LIBRARY CARD,
TERESA IS HAPPY TO HAVE A SAFE
SPACE TO BRING HER CHILD WHILE
BORROWING BOOKS AND ACCESSING
COMPUTERS AND WI-FI TO MANAGE
SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES. TERESA
IS ON TRACK TO OBTAIN PERMANENT
LAWFUL STATUS, COMPLETE HER
HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AND
DREAMS OF RAISING A HAPPY AND
HEALTHY CHILD HERE IN SEATTLE.
TERESA IS NOW LESS LIKELY TO BE
TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY
UNSCRUPULOUS EMPLOYERS,
TRAFFICKED, OR ABUSED AGAIN.
INSTEAD, WE'RE FOCUSING ON HER
STRENGTHS AND SEEING HER AND
HER CHILD BLOSSOM AS MEMBERS OF
SEATTLE'S COMMUNITY. THROUGH
LDN, SEATTLE JOINS OTHER
NETWORKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO
PROTECT ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF
FREQUENTLY HOSTILE FEDERAL
POLICIES AND IN LIGHT OF A
POTENTIAL ADMINISTRATION CHANGE
ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JESSICA,
FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION
AND ALSO SHARING TERESA STORY.
THAT IS A SORT OF IMPACT THAT
WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE WITH THE
LDN PROGRAM. IT IS DIRECTLY
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND THAT LACK OF LEGAL
REPRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN IS
ONE THAT CREATES SIGNIFICANT
PROBLEMS FOR US LOCALLY, FOR
COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND , SO,
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM
IN OUR OFFICE AND THAT WE ARE
REALLY PROUD OF OUR
PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE ARE
WORKING WITH. NEXT SLIDE. SO,
THE NEXT PROGRAM THAT I WANTED
TO SPOTLIGHT IS OUR NEW
CITIZENSHIP CAMPAIGN. THIS
PROGRAM JUST REALLY FOCUSES ON
NATURALIZATION ASSISTANCE. WE
HAVE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE
ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AND
EACH CONTRACT WITH OUR
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LOOK
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON
THE SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION,
WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON AND WE
DEVELOPED THOSE CONTRACTS AND
PARTNERSHIPS WITH EACH OF THEM.
THERE IS CURRENTLY MORE THAN
100,000 IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
LIVING IN SEATTLE AND IN KING
COUNTY WE ARE ELIGIBLE TO
BECOME A CITIZEN AND THE NEW
CITIZENSHIP CAMPAIGN WAS
CREATED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN
CITIZENSHIP AND WE KNOW THAT
THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION
BETWEEN NATURALIZATION AND THE
INCREASE OF SPENDING POWER.
THERE IS AN ECONOMIC CONNECTION
THAT IS THERE. PEOPLE WHO ARE
CITIZENS TEND TO HAVE BETTER
ACCESS TO HOUSING, AND UP
HAVING BETTER ACCESS TO
HOMEOWNERSHIP, EDUCATION
SCHOLARSHIPS AND SO FORTH AND,
SO, THIS IS AN AREA OF
INVESTMENT FOR US. WE CALCULATE
THAT OUR WORK IS LED TO
APPROXIMATELY $56 MILLION
INCREASE IN SPENDING POWER FOR
NEWLY NATURALIZED SEATTLE
RESIDENTS. EACH NATURALIZED
CITIZEN INCREASES THEIR ANNUAL
INCOME RESULTING IN
APPROXIMATELY 3200 ADDITIONAL
SPENDING POWER AND RESEARCH
FROM 2023 HAS SHOWN IF ALL OF
THE 22,648 ELIGIBLE PERMANENT
RESIDENCE IN SEATTLE BECAME
U.S. CITIZENS , THE ANNUAL
INCOME INCREASE WOULD BE AN
ADDITIONAL $72.5 MILLION FOR
OUR REGION. SO, WE WANT TO BE
ABLE TO SEE WHERE PEOPLE
NATURALIZED AND CONTRIBUTE EVEN
GREATER TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
NEXT SLIDE. HERE'S A
BREAKDOWN. IT IS A SMALL
PROGRAM AND HERE IS THE
BREAKDOWN OF THE DIFFERENT
FUNDINGS FOR DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS. LIKE I SAID,
SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS
ALREADY HAVE EXISTING
CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE
TEACHERS THAT THEY WORK WITH,
OTHER AREAS OF FUNDING AND, SO,
WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT AS
WELL. AND THEY HAVE
NATURALIZATION CLINICS THAT
THEY HOLD. OUR TEAM WILL STAFF
SOME OF THOSE CLINICS AND WORK
IN COORDINATION AND THERE IS A
COHORT MODEL FOR THESE
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY COME
TOGETHER, HOLD CITIZENSHIP
CLINICS AND SO FORTH. SO, THAT
IS JUST THE BUDGET BREAKDOWN.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON WHO OVERSEES
THAT PROGRAM AND BRINGS THAT
COHORT TOGETHER. NEXT SLIDE.
>> DIRECTOR MOHAMED, I REMEMBER
PRE-COVID, ANYWAY, THERE WAS A
HUGE, EVERY YEAR AT SEATTLE
CENTER, CITIZENSHIP CLINIC. IS
THAT STILL BEING ADMINISTERED?
>> IT IS. IN A DIFFERENT SORT
OF MODEL. IT IS NOT THE LARGE
-- AFTER COVID-19, THINGS HAVE
SHIFTED FOR ORGANIZATIONS AS
WELL. IT TOOK A LOT OF
RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO PUT
THOSE BIG CLINICS TOGETHER. YOU
NEED A LOT OF IMMIGRATION
ATTORNEYS TO VOLUNTEER. THE
FOOD IN THE TIME BUT WHAT WE
HAVE DONE NOW IS YOU WILL SEE
SMALLER CLINICS. SO, MAY BE
SIZES OF 60 PEOPLE, 40 PEOPLE,
HAPPENING A LOT MORE AS OPPOSED
TO ONE BIG CLINIC THAT WE
PREPARE FOR ONE TIME IN THE
YEAR AND WE ARE SEEING A
GREATER IMPACT WITH HAVING
THOSE MEDIUM-SIZED CLINICS.
>> THROUGHOUT THE CITY VERSUS
ONE, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MORE
HELPFUL TO HAVE IT WITHIN --
I'M SORRY, ACROSS THE CITY
VERSUS IN ONE LOCATION THAT
PEOPLE NEED TO GET TO.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S
EXACTLY RIGHT. YES, INSTEAD OF
COMING DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, THE
SEATTLE CENTER, IT MIGHT HAPPEN
IN DISTRICT FOR DISTRICT 9 OR
WHEREVER IT MAY BE ACROSS THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THAT'S GREAT. I'M GLAD
THAT STILL HAPPENING.
>> IT DOES. YES. WE WILL MAKE
SURE WE INVITE COUNCIL TOO
SOMETIMES WHEN THOSE CLINICS
ARE HAPPENING. PEOPLE, YOU WILL
SEE THEM RECEIVING THE LEGAL
SERVICES AND THEN LATER ON
BECOMING CITIZENS AND THAT IS
ALWAYS AN EXCITING THING TO BE
ABLE TO WITNESS PEER. THIS IS
SOME OF OUR LANGUAGE THAT IS
SPOKEN PRIMARILY WITH OUR NCC
CLINICS. IT'S A LOT OF FOLKS
IN OUR CITIES THAT IS BEING
TOUCHED. NEXT SLIDE. THOSE
LARGER CLINICS, GOES FROM ONE
TO 11 THAT YOU WILL SEE FOREIGN
NATURALIZATION INFORMATION
SESSIONS. THOSE REALLY HELP
PEOPLE PREPARE BEFORE THEY COME
TO A CLINIC OR SIT DOWN WITH AN
ATTORNEY GETTING THE PAPERWORK
TOGETHER, MAKING SURE THAT THEY
ARE SIGNING UP FOR AN EDUCATION
CLASS BEFORE THEY GET READY TO
ACTUALLY PREPARE FOR THE
CITIZENSHIP TEST AND THEN AS
WELL AS 10 TRAININGS SUPPORTING
THE NATURALIZATION PROGRAM AS A
WHOLE. NEXT SLIDE. SO, WE HAVE
TWO CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMS.
HERE'S OUR OTHER PROGRAM. THE
NEW CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM, AND
CP. THIS PROGRAM IS
SIGNIFICANTLY FUNDED BY THE
STATE AND , SIMILARLY, IT
PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES.
IN 2022 UNDER MAYOR BRUCE
HARRELL 'S LEADERSHIP WE DID
RENEW OUR COMMITMENT AS AN
OFFICE TO CITIZENSHIP AND TO
CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS WORK
FORWARD AND WE WERE PART OF THE
NATIONAL NATURALIZED 2 MILLION
BY 2022 CAMPAIGN . THE NATIONAL
GROUP DID COME TO SEATTLE AND
WE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE
TOGETHER WHERE THE MAYOR AND
OTHER LEADERS IN OUR
CITIZENSHIP ADVOCACY COMMUNITY
CAME TOGETHER TO PUSH THIS WORK
FORWARD. NCP PARTNERS WITH 10
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
LOCALLY THROUGHOUT SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY TO HELP OUR LOW
INCOME IMMIGRANT REFUGEE
RESIDENTS BECOME NATURALIZED AS
WELL AND, AGAIN, THE MAJORITY
OF THE DOLLARS FROM THIS
PROGRAM COMES FROM THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS, K.I.N.D. OF,
SHOWS A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THE
FUNDING COMES FROM. SO, THE
MAJORITY OF IT IS COMING FROM
THE STATE. WE GET SOME DOLLARS
FROM THE SEATTLE HOUSING
AUTHORITY AS WELL AND THEN
THERE IS SOME DOLLARS THAT IS
COVERED THROUGH OUR GENERAL
FUND AND WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON
THAT OVERSEES THIS PROGRAM AS
WELL. NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN HERE
IS SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT YOU
SEE WITH THE NCP PROGRAM IN
2023 . 93% OF THE FOLKS SERVED
ARE IDENTIFIED AS EITHER BLACK,
IMMIGRANT, BIPOC, FOLKS OF
COLOR IN OUR COMMUNITY. IS OVER
47 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT ARE
SPOKEN. PEOPLE COME FROM OVER
50 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HERE
LOCALLY. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF
THE DATA THAT WE DO COLLECT.
THIS DATA HELPS US. IT INFORMS
US AND HOW WE DO OUR WORK AND
ALSO WE REPORT THESE NUMBERS,
WE TRACKED THEM VERY CLOSELY
AND REPORT THEM BACK OUT TO THE
STATE AS WELL AS PART OF THE
CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. NEXT
SLIDE. AND THEN HERE IS JUST A
COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL DATA
POINTS AIRED OVER 485
CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS WAS
COMPLETED. 1000 LOW INCOME
INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY
RECEIVED ASSISTANCE THROUGH
THIS PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, A LOT
OF THE FOLKS WHO END UP COMING
TO ACCESS THE NCP PROGRAM ARE
MAY BE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING
TWO JOBS AND STILL REALLY
EXPENSIVE TO BE ABLE TO APPLY
FOR NATURALIZATION APPLICATION.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT IS
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF
DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR
THOSE APPLICATIONS. SO, THEY DO
RECEIVE HELP WITH FEE WAIVERS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND
THERE'S 5000 HOURS THAT WENT
INTO THE CITIZENSHIP CLASSES IN
TUTORING AND OUR NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE ONES
PARTNERING WITH TEACHERS AND SO
FORTH TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN
PREPARING FOR THOSE 100
QUESTIONS. I MYSELF REMEMBER
BEING A YOUNG CHILD, 10 YEARS
OLD, HELPING MY MOM PREPARE FOR
HER CITIZENSHIP TEST . AND THEN
STAYING UP TILL MIDNIGHT IN
DOING THAT. I'M REALLY GLAD
THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE NCP
WHO DO NOT KEEP KIDS UP AT
NIGHT TO HELP PREPARE FOR THE
CITIZENSHIP EXAMS. YES, IT IS A
REALLY GREAT AND FUN PROGRAM.
NOW I HAVE THE HONOR OF
INTRODUCING LITERACY SOURCE ,
LITERACY SOURCE IS A LONGTIME
PARTNER OF NCP. NCP AND THEY
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH US
IN HELPING NATURALIZED FOLKS
AND THIS IS AN AREA OF FOCUS
THAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO
FOR MANY YEARS AND WE HAVE THE
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND
COEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE TO
SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THE NCP
WORK AND THE IMPACT THAT WE
HAVE MADE. WELCOME.
>> HI. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
HAVING ME TODAY AND I
APPRECIATE GETTING TO SPEAK
WITH YOU. MY NAME IS SHARA
ROSEN. I'M OF THE COEXECUTIVE
DIRECTORS AT LITERACY SOURCE.
I'M IN SHORT WORK ADULT
EDUCATION. WE DO ES OL. GD,
CONVERSATION CLASSES WITH THE
LIBRARY AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE
THE NCP PROGRAM AND WE ARE PART
OF READY TO WORK WHICH I WILL
TALK ABOUT AS WE GET TO THAT
PROGRAM. SO, FOR NCP, WE HAVE A
CASE MANAGER NAMED COREY. SHE
HELPED 36 PEOPLE LAST YEAR
PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW,
OTHER CITIZENSHIP PAPERWORK AND
DO THE WHOLE PROCESS SO THEY
COULD BECOME CITIZENS. I CAN
SAY SHE HAS A WAITING LIST FOR
SURE RIGHT NOW. THERE IS A TON
OF NEED AND NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN
THE DAY TO DO ALL OF IT. SHE
MEETS ONE-ON-ONE WITH ALL THE
CLIENTS . PROVIDE SUPPORT,
GUIDANCE, COMPASSION, JUST
EVERYTHING THROUGH THE ENTIRE
PROCESS WHICH IS QUITE A
PROCESS AND MOST OF OUR
STUDENTS ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNERS. SO, MANY OF THEM ARE
ALSO TAKING CLASSES THAT WE
TEACH SPECIFICALLY FOR
CITIZENSHIP OR JUST ENGLISH
LANGUAGE CLASSES SO THEY CAN
ACTUALLY DO THE INTERVIEW AND
UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE AND BE
ABLE TO DO THAT. SO, SHE HELPS
WITH THAT TOO ALONG WITH
ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING. SO, ONE OF
THE CLIENTS THAT SHE HAS HELPED
IN THE LAST YEAR IS SORAYA. SHE
AND HER HUSBAND CAME TO THE
U.S. LATER IN LIFE AND HER
HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO BECOME A
CITIZEN VERY EASILY BECAUSE HE
HAD BEEN EDUCATED BUT IN HER
COUNTRY, GIRLS DID NOT GET TO
GO TO SCHOOL. SO, SHE REALLY
DID NOT KNOW ANY ENGLISH AND
SHE WAS A LONG WAY FROM
BECOMING A CITIZEN. THERE ARE
PROGRAMS OVER THE PAST SIX
YEARS, SHE WAS WORKING ON HER
READING, WRITING IN ENGLISH AND
ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES.
CITIZENSHIP CLASSES, AND SHE
WAS IN CLASS TWICE A DAY FOUR
DAYS A WEEK AND MET WITH THE
TUTOR TWICE A WEEK ON TOP OF
THAT. SHE WAS SUPER COMMITTED.
EVERYBODY KNEW HER AT THE
CENTER AND SHE WAS DEFINITELY
AROUND A LOT. WHEN SHE WAS
READY, COREY HELPED HER TO GO
THROUGH THE CITIZENSHIP
APPLICATION PROCESS AND GET
READY FOR THE INTERVIEW. AND
DURING HER FIRST TIME, SHE WAS
A LITTLE NERVOUS AND GOT SOME
OF THE QUESTIONS CONFUSED AND
DID NOT PASS THE FIRST TRY
WHICH HAPPENS SOMETIMES WITH
HER STUDENTS, RIGHT? IT IS A
VERY SCARY PROCESS TO HAVE TO
GO SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE THAT IS
NOT YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND
ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT MANY OF
US DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE ABLE TO KNOW ALL THIS.
SO, WHEN SHE DID NOT PASS, SHE
WAS STILL VERY DETERMINED. SHE
DID NOT GIVE UP. AND WE HOPE TO
CONTINUE TO STUDY. SHE STUCK
WITH THE CITIZENSHIP CLASSES,
INCREASED HER HOURS WITH THE
TUTOR, AND THE SECOND TIME SHE
WENT, SHE TOTALLY PASSED WITH
FLYING COLORS AND WE WERE VERY
EXCITED TO HAVE HER BECOME A
CITIZEN AND SHE HAS CONTINUED
TO STUDY ENGLISH WITH US, NOW
HAS HER U.S. PASSPORT, AND IS
SUPER EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING
AND GETTING AND GROWING AND
BECOMING A CITIZEN OF THIS
COUNTRY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SHARING THAT STORY AND YOU HEAR
SO MANY SIMILAR STORIES LIKE
THAT WHERE PEOPLE END UP, YOU
KNOW, RECEIVING THEIR
CITIZENSHIP, MOVING FORWARD,
BUYING HOMES, LIVING ON AND
GETTING THE DEGREES AND
EDUCATION THAT THEY ARE EXCITED
ABOUT WHEN THEY WERE COMING TO
THE UNITED STATES AND AS A
NATURALIZED CITIZEN MYSELF, I
AM VERY PROUD OF THE INVESTMENT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS ABLE TO
MAKE AND IT'S PROGRAMS LIKE
THIS THAT I THINK HELP PEOPLE
LIKE FOLKS LIKE MY FAMILY BEING
ABLE TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND
ALLOWING ME TO HAVE A SEAT AT
THE TABLE HERE EVEN TODAY. SO,
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM. SO,
THANK YOU TO LITERACY SOURCE
FOR THE HARD WORK AND MANY
YEARS YOU HAVE SPENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US
AND DOING THIS WORK.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> WE APPRECIATE JESSICA AND
SHIRA BEING HERE TO TALK ABOUT
SUCCESS STORIES BECAUSE WE KNOW
THESE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND THE
WORK THAT YOU DO AND IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HEAR AND REALLY
GREAT TO HEAR FOLKS THAT ARE
BEING HELPED WITH THIS
INVESTMENT . SO, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT
SLIDE. OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS
PROGRAM. MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS
ARE EXTERNAL FOCUSED BUT OUR
LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM IS ONE
THAT IS VERY MUCH INTERNAL
FOCUSED. IT IS ENSURING THAT
OUR CITY OF SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
TRANSLATING SERVICES AND THERE
IS A LOT OF TRAININGS THAT GO
INTO HELPING OUR DEPARTMENTS
BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES
IN A TIMELY WAY IN THE
APPROPRIATE LANGUAGES AND THIS
PROGRAM WAS FOUNDED THROUGH AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER AND TODAY IS
BEING ABLE TO HELP SO MANY OF
OUR LOCAL DEPARTMENTS IN
ENSURING THAT FOLKS ARE
ACCESSING SERVICES IN A TIMELY
WAY AND MEETING THOSE FEDERAL
REQUIREMENTS THAT UNDER THE
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT THAT SAY THAT,
YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT
LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK, WHAT
ABILITY YOU HAVE, THAT WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS
SERVICES. SO, THIS IS ONE OF
THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ALLOWS US
TO DO THAT. NEXT SLIDE. SO, THE
LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM IS
HEAVILY FOCUSED ON CITY
DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE PROVIDED
SERVICES TO ABOUT 25 DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS TRANSLATING OVER
2.3 MILLION WORDS IN OUR TOP
LANGUAGES AND THIS ALSO , YOU
CAN SEE THE INVESTMENT. WE HAVE
TWO FTEs THAT SUPPORT THIS
PROGRAM WITH 240,000 INVESTMENT
AND WE PARTNER WITH OUR
TRANSLATION SERVICE, SMART CAT
WHICH IS A TOOL THAT BASICALLY
ALLOWS YOU TO -- IT IS A MEMORY
BANK, ALMOST, IT TRANSLATES THE
MATERIALS. THOSE LANGUAGES ARE
SAVED AND THOSE TRANSLATIONS
ARE SAVED AND THAT LANGUAGE
BANK AND LATER ON WHEN A
TRANSLATOR GOES AND OR STAFF
GOES IN, IS ABLE TO REMEMBER
SOME OF THOSE TERMINOLOGIES
WHICH ENDS UP BEING COST
SAVINGS FOR OUR CITY AS A WHOLE
AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNER WITH
OUR LOCAL TRANSLATORS AND
INTERPRETERS AND HAVE SMALL
CONTRACTS WITH THEM AND THEY DO
ENSURE THAT THE LANGUAGES ARE
TRANSLATED APPROPRIATELY IN THE
MATERIALS ARE ACCURATE AND, SO,
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF THOSE
VERIFICATIONS AND SO FORTH. 22%
OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS DO SPEAK
ANOTHER LANGUAGE. A PERCENT OF
SEATTLE RESIDENTS SPEAK ENGLISH
SAY THAT THEY DON'T SPEAK IT
VERY WELL AND THERE IS 150,000
LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE SEATTLE
SCHOOL DISTRICT. I THINK
SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS
PROBABLY COMPETING WITH
HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE
NUMBERS ARE ABOUT THE SAME
TODAY. SO, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF
FOLKS WHO ARE BILINGUAL IN OUR
CITY. NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS
JUST, K.I.N.D. OF, HIGHLIGHTS A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LANGUAGE
ACCESS TEAM AND WHAT THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR. THEY ARE
REGULARLY PARTNERING WITH
DEPARTMENTS OVERSEEING THEIR
LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS. SO, EACH
YEAR WE ASK EVERY DEPARTMENT TO
SUBMIT A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN.
OUR TEAM REVIEWS THE PLAN. THAT
COMMUNICATION USUALLY COMES OUT
FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO
THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND ONCE THEY
REPORT IT, WE CAN, K.I.N.D. OF,
TAILOR THE NEEDS OF THAT
DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDE THEM
WITH SOME DIRECTION AND ADVICE
ON HOW THEY CAN MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS, WHERE THEY COULD
BE INVESTING MORE IN LANGUAGE
ACCESS AND , REALLY, THE GOAL
IS TO CENTRALIZE THE
TRANSLATION SERVICES . WE THINK
WHEN DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO
CENTRALIZE THEIR SERVICES, USE
THE SMARTCAT SYSTEM, IT
ULTIMATELY SAVES THE CITY A LOT
OF DOLLARS WHEN EVERYONE IS
DOING IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
SO, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT
CENTRALIZATION AND I THINK
COVID-19 REALLY UNDERSCORED FOR
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT
WE HAVE LANGUAGE SERVICES AND
THAT WE ARE TRANSLATING THINGS
ACCURATELY AND SO THAT PEOPLE
ARE FOLLOWING DIFFERENT
MANDATES AND THINGS THAT ARE
COMING OUT AND I BELIEVE THE
CITY OF SEATTLE REALLY LEAD IN
THAT AREA IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
IS THERE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT?
ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE STILL A LOT
OF WORK TO DO. CONSIDERING THE
LEVEL OF COORDINATION THAT IS
REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO, YOU
KNOW, CONDUCT CITYWIDE
TRANSLATION SERVICES, BUT OUR
TEAM IS REGULARLY MEETING WITH
DEPARTMENTS IN THE TRANSLATION
-- THE TRANSLATORS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY ARE TRAINED UP SO WE
CONDUCT CITYWIDE MONTHLY
TRAININGS COVERING TOPICS LIKE
TRANSLATIONS, INTERPRETATIONS,
PLAIN LANGUAGE IS ANOTHER AREA
THAT WE FOCUS ON. WHAT YOU WILL
SEE IS REALLY JUST LANGUAGE
THAT IS WRITTEN IN VERY COMPLEX
TYPE OF WAYS AND, SO, THAT'S
ANOTHER AREA THAT THE TEAM IS
FOCUSING ON. JUST MAKING SURE
THAT ARE YOU USING
TERMINOLOGIES, LANGUAGE, THAT
CAN TRANSLATE IN DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES VERY CLEARLY AND
SIMPLE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
AND WE DO THINK THAT THE
LANGUAGE ACCESS IS INTEGRAL TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S
COMMITMENT TO RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVES THAT WE
HAVE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> I WILL SAY THAT I KNOW
LANGUAGE ACCESS OVER THE YEARS
HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE
CITY HAS REALLY PUT FOCUS ON
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
WORK. I KNOW A LOT OF THE
DEPARTMENTS REALLY RELY ON YOUR
WORK AND YOUR ASSISTANCE WHEN
THEY'RE DOING LANGUAGE ACCESS
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
YOU ARE DOING THIS WORK WITH
THE DEPARTMENTS. I KNOW THAT WE
PARTNERED WITH YOUR OFFICE WHEN
I WAS IN THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND
CULTURE AND EVEN IN MY OTHER
PREVIOUS ROLES AT THE CITY. SO,
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND I
ALSO APPRECIATE THE ONLINE
TOOLS THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE
BECAUSE I REMEMBER HOW
CHALLENGING IT WAS TO SUPPORT
ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WITH
THIS WORK AND IT IS GREAT THAT
THERE IS NOW AN ONLINE TOOL
THAT YOU CAN HELP DEPARTMENTS
UTILIZE BECAUSE THIS IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT SERVICE TO
PROVIDE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. YES. WORKING
CONSULTATION WITH THOSE
DEPARTMENTS IS IMPORTANT AND
I'M GLAD THAT YOU HAVE
EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE
HOW DOES IT WORK? AND, SO, IT
IS IN CONCERT TOGETHER AND THAT
COLLABORATION -- THE ONLY WAY
TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN
DOING THIS IS BEING ABLE TO
HAVE BOTH THE DEPARTMENTS
WELCOMING OUR SERVICES AND
WORKING IN CONSULTATION WITH
THEM.
>> I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT YOU
WILL WORK REALLY HARD TO BE
AVAILABLE ON DEMAND WHEN
POSSIBLE AS WELL. SO, I KNOW
THE DEPARTMENTS WILL REACH OUT
TO YOU AND EVEN THIS BODY HAS
REACHED OUT TO YOU TO
LAST-MINUTE REQUESTS AND I KNOW
THAT YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN TO
REALLY ACCOMMODATE THOSE SO.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. WHEN I MET
WITH COUNCILMEMBER WOO WE
TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE PROVIDE
TRANSLATION SERVICES DURING
COUNCIL HEARINGS. SO, THAT'S
AN AREA, K.I.N.D. OF, A NEWER
AREA THAT WE ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT. WHAT'S THE BEST
WAYS THAT WE CAN ALSO SUPPORT
MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN
THE CHAMBERS?
>> I WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT
COUNCILMEMBER WOO HAS JOINED US
. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> GREAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL
YOU DO. YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT
A REPORT FROM DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS REGARDING
TRANSLATION REACH. IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT IS ON YOUR
WEBSITE OR WE CAN TAKE A LOOK
AT? OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE
WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST FROM THE
EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE?
>> I BELIEVE IT IS A REPORT
THAT I CAN SUBMIT TO YOU GUYS
FOR SURE. I DON'T THINK THEY
ARE -- THE PLANS ARE SO
DIFFERENT AND DEFINITELY
SOMEONE WANTS TO ACCESS IT,
THEY'RE WELCOME TO. BUT I AM
HAPPY TO SUBMIT THAT REPORT
OVER TO YOUR OFFICE FOR YOU TO
REVIEW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE WILL MAKE A
NOTE OF THAT. HERE IS A LITTLE
BIT OF JUST THE NUMBERS. AGAIN,
OF TRANSLATION SERVICES THAT WE
HAVE PROVIDED. 50 TRANSLATORS
THAT WE HAVE ON BOARD, 25
DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE CONDUCTED
12 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. THEY
HAVE RECEIVED THE SMARTCAT
TRAINING. SO, YES, IT IS MAKING
A REALLY GOOD IMPACT . NEXT
SLIDE. AND, SO, WE -- THE
INNOVATION AND PERFORMANCE TEAM
RECEIVED 274 IN LANGUAGE
APPLICATIONS ON THE CIVIC FORM
AND, ALSO, THIS LANGUAGE ACCESS
PROGRAM IS -- OUR PROGRAM IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE ACTUALLY
GIVES CONTACTS AND PEOPLE REACH
OUT ACROSS THE STATE JUST TO
SHARE A STORY , YOU KNOW,
STATES OF HAWAII HAVE INVITED
US TO PRESENTATIONS FOR THEM
AND OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM
HAS WENT AND PROVIDED THEM WITH
SOME TRAINING AND INFORMATION
DURING CONFERENCES THAT THEY
HAVE HELD AND ARE TRANSLATORS,
I WILL SAY, I WISH I COULD HAVE
BROUGHT ONE HERE TODAY BUT THEY
ARE REALLY PROUD OF THIS WORK
WHEN THEY ARE ABLE TO BE ABLE
TO SEE THE MATERIALS THAT THEY
HAVE TRANSLATED AND THEN THAT
BEING USED IN THE PUBLIC AND
HOW IT MAKES A DIRECT IMPACT
FOR THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND, AGAIN, I THINK WE SAW THAT
A LOT DURING COVID-19 WHERE WE
WERE USING TRANSLATORS FOR EVEN
NOT ONLY WRITTEN TRANSLATIONS
BUT VERBAL TRANSLATIONS THAT
WERE DOING VIDEOS AND WORKING
WITH OUR SEATTLE CHANNEL AND
PUBLIC HEALTH TO TRANSLATE
REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR FACES ARE
OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND I WILL
SAY A LOT OF OUR TRANSLATORS
ARE ALSO COMMUNITY LEADERS.
PEOPLE WHO ARE TRUSTED MEMBERS
OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND I THINK
THAT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF
FAITH IN OUR GOVERNMENT
SERVICES. WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE
PEOPLE WHO THEY KNOW AND THEY
TRUST SAYING, DELIVERING A
MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND I THINK THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY SEE
WITH THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE
HAVE WITH OUR TRANSLATION
COMMUNITY.
>> DIRECTOR MOHAMED, CAN YOU
JUST BRIEFLY STATE THE FORM,
WHAT THAT IS.
>> THAT IS A FORM THAT IS USED
ONLINE TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE
TRANSLATION REQUEST AND, SO,
DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THAT AND MAKE A
CONNECTION AND WE CAN SEE IT
AND THEN GO BACK AND SAY, OKAY,
YOU NEED SERVICES. WE WILL
REACH OUT TO THEM.
>> IT CENTRALIZES THE WORK.
>> YES, IT CENTRALIZES THE WORK
FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE. IT'S
A TOOL WE USE TO REACH OUT TO
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND IT'S AN
INQUIRY BOX ALMOST. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> READY TO WORK. READY TO WORK
HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY YEARS.
THIS IS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT
REALLY FOCUSES ON WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, HELPING PEOPLE GET
THE JOBS AND THE TRAININGS THAT
THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE JOB
READY. IT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE
2015 AND YOU SEE PEOPLE WHO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM GO
FROM BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE
EDUCATION IN THE SKILLS THEY
NEED TO THEN LATER ON BEING JOB
READY AND MOVING ON AND GETTING
A JOB IN OUR CITY AND IN 2016,
I WILL SAY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR AND THE NATIONAL
SKILLS COALITION HIGHLIGHTED
THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, READY
TO WORK, AS A NATIONAL BEST
PRACTICE MODEL FOR LEVERAGING
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING
TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT
INTEGRATION IN OUR LABOR FORCE
AND, CURRENTLY, WE PARTNER WITH
SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE
DOING THOSE DIRECT SERVICES AND
THEY HAVE ENGLISH CLASSES THAT
THEY PROVIDE DIGITAL LITERACY
SKILL CLASSES. WE ALSO PARTNER
WITH I.T. ON THIS WHERE THEY
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE
COMPUTERS THROUGH SOME OTHER
PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS THAT THEY
HAVE AND, SO, WE ARE ALSO
CONNECTING, NOT JUST HOSTING IN
OUR OFFICE, BUT IT'S GOING
BEYOND WHERE YOU DO SEE US
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
TOUCHING ON DIGITAL EQUITY AS
WELL. SO, THIS IS ANOTHER
PROGRAM THAT IS MAKING DIRECT
IMPACT AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE. AND
THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF
WHERE THE FUNDING ALL COMES
FROM. A LOT OF THE DOLLARS THAT
COMES FROM READY TO WORK IS
ACTUALLY A FEDERALLY FUNDED
PROGRAM. THE CDBG FUND IS WHERE
THE MAJORITY OF THESE DOLLARS
COME FROM. WE DO HAVE AN FTE,
FULL-TIME STAFF PERSON WHO
OVERSEES THIS POSITION AND YOU
CAN, K.I.N.D. OF, SEE A
BREAKDOWN OF THE ORGANIZATIONS
AND THE DIFFERENT FUNDINGS THAT
EACH ONE OF THEM RECEIVES . OUR
MAIN CONTRACTOR IS HOMESITE AND
THEN HOMESITE SUBCONTRACTS WITH
OTHER ORGANIZATION LITERACY
SOURCE BEING ONE OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS. A CRs
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, SOMALI
COMMITTEE -- COMMUNITY SERVICES
OF SEATTLE AND REGARDLESS WE
TRY TO HAVE OUR FULL TIME
PERSON MEET WITH THE
SUBCONTRACTORS AS WELL. THERE
IS THIS CORE HEART MODEL THAT
WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD AND WORK
ON. NEXT SLIDE. SO, READY TO
WORK, AGAIN, IT IS ANOTHER ONE
OF THOSE PROGRAMS WE HAVE
RECEIVED 239 PARTICIPANTS
RECEIVED THE VERSUS -- SERVICES
THROUGH READY TO WORK. IT'S
MODEL IS CASE MANAGEMENT
SERVICES, ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL
RESOURCES, REFERRAL TO DIGITAL
LITERACY, FINANCIAL
CAPABILITIES, AND THOSE
PARTICIPANTS DO RECEIVE ONGOING
SUPPORT, TRAINING, COACHING,
REALLY RESUME BUILDING, THINGS
LIKE THAT TO HELP THEM BE JOB
READY. AND THE SEATTLE TIMES
ACTUALLY HAS A REALLY GREAT
ARTICLE. I THINK THAT THEY
PUBLISHED LAST YEAR ON THIS
PROGRAM THAT REALLY SHARED A
STORY ON A LOCAL PERSON WHO IS
ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE READY TO
WORK PROGRAM AND SUCCESSFULLY
GET A JOB AND SUPPORT. SO, I'M
GOING TO HAVE TO SHARE THAT
WITH YOU ALL. AGAIN, 239
PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED DIRECT
SERVICES IN 2023 AND WE PLACED
OVER A THIRD OF THE
PARTICIPANTS IN A JOB.
>> DIRECTOR MOHAMED, WHAT'S
HAPPENED -- HAPPENS TO THE
OTHER TO THIRD PARTICIPANTS?
WHAT PREVENTS BEING ABLE TO
PLACE MORE FOLKS AND JOBS? IS
IT SOMETHING ADDITIONAL THAT IS
NEEDED OR --
>> YES, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. SOMETIMES PEOPLE
EITHER ARE HAVING CHILDCARE
ISSUES, THAT IS ANOTHER AREA WE
HAVE SEEN CHALLENGES WITH WHERE
THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO START A
JOB RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THEY DO
NOT HAVE THOSE CHILDCARE
SERVICES AND WE HAVE IN THE
PAST ACTUALLY CREATED ONE-TIME
FUNDS FOR PROVIDING CHILDCARE
SERVICES AND, SO, THAT IS ONE
BARRIER TO EMPLOYMENT THAT WE
ARE SEEING REGULARLY FOR PEOPLE
AND TRANSPORTATION COULD BE
ANOTHER REASON. OR PEOPLE NOT
BEING PREPARED OR HAVING -- YOU
KNOW, NEEDING TO TAKE MORE OF
THOSE TRAININGS. BEFORE THEIR
JOB READY. BUT I DO THINK
CHILDCARE IS ONE OF THOSE ONES
THAT IS A HUGE GAP FOR THE
REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE LIKE I'M
JUST NOT READY. SHIRA, I DON'T
KNOW, DO YOU WANT TO ADD MORE
TO THAT?
>> I THINK THAT IS A LOT OF IT.
I CAN SAY QUICKLY WE PROVIDE
THE CLASSES AS A LITERACY
SOURCE. WE TEACH THE CLASSES AT
ALL THE SITES AND THEN WE
PARTNER WITH THE ACR AS AND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE AND THEN WE
HAVE A CASE MANAGER IN LAKE
CITY WHERE OUR OFFICES BUT WE
PROVIDE ALL THE CLASSES BECAUSE
WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL
INSTRUCTORS AND THERE IS A
VARIETY OF BARRIERS. I THINK
YOU'VE LIST A LOT OF IT AND
WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES. THERE IS A
LOT OF TRAUMA OF OUR STUDENTS
COMING FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT TRAUMA
THEY NEED TO WORK ON AND THERE
IS NOT A LOT OF ACCESS FOR
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES,
ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD
USE IT IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE
OTHER THAN ENGLISH. SO, WE
DEFINITELY HAVE HAD THAT AS ONE
OF THE BARRIERS ASIDE FROM
CHILDCARE IS A HUGE ONE.
TRANSPORTATION AND LOCATION. IF
I LIVE IN LAKE CITY AND I JUST
GOT A JOB IN KENT THE AMOUNT OF
HOURS IT TAKES ME TO GET THERE,
I MAY NOT ACTUALLY HAVE THAT
MANY HOURS BECAUSE I NEED TO BE
WITH MY FAMILY OR CHILDCARE OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SOME OF IT
TOO IS ACCESSIBILITY OR I LIVE
IN CANTON NOW HAVE A JOB IN
LAKE CITY IS MORE REALISTIC
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ALSO
COMING OUT, SPREADING OUT WHERE
THEY CAN WORK. SO, YES. I WOULD
SECOND WHAT YOU SAY AND MAY BE
MENTAL HEALTH WOULD BE ANOTHER
BIG ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> AND I KNOW CHILDCARE IS A
NEED JUST ACROSS THE CITY IN
GENERAL. I THINK A LOT OF
PEOPLE WOULD AGREE. I DO KNOW
THAT DEAL HAS CHILDCARE. SO, I
IMAGINE YOU PARTNER WITH THEM
TO TRY TO PARTNER FOLKS UP TO
THE CHILDCARE OPPORTUNITIES
THAT THEY HAVE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. YES, WE TRIED
TO DO THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
CONNECT THOSE DOTS. IT'S A
GREATER NEED THAN THE DOLLARS
THAT ARE EVEN OUT THERE AND I
KNOW THE STATE IS MAKING A
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN
HELPING BUILD MORE CHILDCARE
FACILITIES AND WORKING WITH
PROVIDERS.
>> I THINK BEYOND THE DOLLARS,
THERE IS JUST A LACK OF
AVAILABLE PROVIDERS AND FOLKS
GOING INTO THIS FIELD. SO, LIKE
MANY FIELDS RIGHT NOW, WE ARE
SEEING LOW NUMBERS OF FOLKS
DOING THE WORK. SO, IT JUST
BECOMES CHALLENGING.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
THAT'S RIGHT.
>> ACTUALLY, SORRY, THAT IS ONE
OF THE CAREER PATHS THAT SOME
OF OUR STUDENTS TAKE IS TO GO
TO CHILDCARE AND THEN WE HAVE A
WAY THAT WE CAN CONNECT THEM TO
GETTING TRAINED TO BE CHILDCARE
PROVIDERS AND WE HAVE A GROUP
OF STUDENTS WHO REGULARLY
BECOME CHILDCARE PROVIDERS
WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE THAT IS
ACTUALLY A NEED THEY HAVE AND
WHERE HELPING FILL THAT GAP IN
THE WORKFORCE THAT IS CLEAR
RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT IS TERRIFIC. THANK YOU.
YES. ALL RIGHT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS. THE OTHER THING THAT
I WANTED TO JUST POINT OUT IS
WE DO HAVE A REGIONAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT REPORT THAT IS
EXPECTED TO COME OUT AND MAY BE
NOT THIS MONTH, WE ARE TOWARDS
THE END OF THE REPORT THAT WILL
SPOTLIGHT SOME OF THE GAPS
REGIONALLY AROUND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT TARGETING OUR
IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEE
POPULATIONS. WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE CHALLENGES? AND THEN THEY
WILL HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
IN THEIR AND HOW TO ADDRESS
THAT, WHETHER IT IS LANGUAGE
ACCESS BARRIERS, ACCESS TO
LEGAL SERVICES OR WHATEVER ELSE
IT MAY BE. THERE'S ABOUT MAYBE
45 DIFFERENT FOLKS WHO HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN THIS REPORT. A
LOT OF OUR PROFESSORS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN IT. YOU WILL
SEE OUR LABOR UNION , DIFFERENT
YOU CAN ORGANIZATIONS, THAT
PREDOMINANTLY HAVE IMMIGRANTS
AND REFUGEES SHARING SOME OF
THEIR EXPERIENCES AND WHAT
THEY'RE HEARING. SO, IT IS
HOLISTIC REPORT. IT'S ONE THAT
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF. IT TAKES
ABOUT A YEAR TO DEVELOP THIS
REPORT. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD
TO BEING ABLE TO SUBMIT THAT
THE COUNCIL ONCE IT IS READY
FOR IT BEING PUBLIC.
>> TO HAVE A TIMELINE, DIRECTOR
MOHAMED? MORE OR LESS?
>> WE DO. I DON'T HAVE THE
TIMELINE IN FRONT OF ME BUT I
BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE MONTH
IS WHEN IT SHOULD BE COMING
OUT. SO, SOONER THAN LATER.
>> GREAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO
IT.
>> IS THE GRAPHICS IN THE
PICTURES THAT ARE LIKE -- [
LAUGHTER ]. ALL THE WRITING IS
THERE BUT IT'S A LITTLE
TOUCHES. MAKE IT LOOK GOOD SO
PEOPLE CAN ALSO READ IT. ALL
RIGHT. I WANT TO INVITE
LITERACY SOURCE AGAIN TO SHARE
ANY SUCCESS STORIES ABOUT READY
TO WORK.
>> SURE. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO. I
WILL SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE
DIGITAL LITERACY. WE GIVE EVERY
STUDENT A COMPUTER, WHETHER THE
CLASS IS IN PERSON OR ONLINE SO
THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW TO USE
A COMPUTER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
IS A PART OF PRETTY MUCH ANY
JOB YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW. WE DO
THAT WITH ALL OF OUR CLASSES AT
LITERACY SOURCE. EXAMPLE OF
SOME OF THE STUFF WE DO IS THAT
ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS RECENTLY
WAS WORKING ON A CLASS ABOUT
BEING PAID , RIGHT? AND WHAT
ARE YOUR RIGHTS AND STUFF LIKE
THAT ABOUT BEING PAID AND THEY
HAD A DISCUSSION ON MINIMUM
WAGE VERSUS A LIVABLE WAGE
WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT
NECESSARILY THE SAME IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. WAGE THEFT AND
WHAT MAKES A GOOD JOB VERSUS A
BAD JOB AND A LOT OF WHAT THEY
CAME UP WITH IS A GOOD JOB IS
WHEN YOU HAVE BENEFITS AND YOU
GET PAID AND THINGS LIKE THAT
AND A BAD THINGS CAME FROM,
LIKE, A BAD BOSS OR A BAD WORK
CLIMATE OR BAD WORK
ENVIRONMENT. SO, THERE WAS A
GUEST SPEAKER FROM THE FAIR
WORKS CENTER THAT CAME TO TALK
ABOUT WAGE THEFT, BREAKS,
OVERTIME PAY, RETALIATION, THE
LEGAL ASPECTS OF WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO HAVE A JOB THAT A LOT OF OUR
STUDENTS DON'T KNOW AND BEING
THAT AND ALSO JUST WORKING ON
THEIR ENGLISH. WE ARE EXCITED
THAT A STUDENT GOT A JOB AT
COSTCO AS A CASHIER ASSISTANT
BECAUSE THAT IS A LOT OF
LISTENING AND SPEAKING IN
ENGLISH AND SHE APPLIED TO JOBS
IN THE PAST AND NOT GOTTEN THEM
BECAUSE HER ENGLISH LEVEL
WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH AND SHE WAS
REALLY PROUD THAT SHE WAS ABLE
TO GET THE JOB THAT SHE WANTED
BECAUSE SHE WORKED SO HARD ON
HER ENGLISH. AND IN OUR LOWER
LEVEL CLASSES, OUR CLASSES ARE
DIFFERENT LEVELS DEPENDING ON
WHERE STUDENTS ARE AT, WE TRY
TO PLACE THEM WITH PEOPLE AT A
SIMILAR LEVEL. THEY WERE
WORKING ON JUST CALLING THE
DENTIST AND MAKING AN
APPOINTMENT AND USING THE PHONE
AND PRACTICING THAT AND EACH
STUDENT DID THAT IN FRONT OF
THE WHOLE CLASS SO THE CLASS
COULD LISTEN TO THEM AND GIVE
FEEDBACK AS THEY TRIED TO SPELL
THEIR NAME. AS IF THEY WOULD
FOR AN APPOINTMENT WHICH THEY
WOULD ALSO NEED IN THE WORK
ENVIRONMENT. LEARNING THOSE
LIFE SKILLS AND THE STUDENTS
COULD TELL THEM TO SLOW DOWN OR
SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER OR
REQUEST A LETTER OR THINGS LIKE
THAT. SO, FROM THAT BASIC
LEARNING, ONE OF THE STUDENTS
WAS ABLE TO GET A JOB AS A
CAREGIVER AND WAS THRILLED TO
GET EMPLOYED BECAUSE HER
ENGLISH SKILLS IMPROVED AND
BEING IN THE CLASS. IT'S
EXCITING TO WATCH IT GROW. THEY
HAVE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION
WITH YOU BY THE END OF EACH
QUARTER AS THEY DID AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE QUARTER AS
THEY ARE LEARNING MORE LANGUAGE
SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO
NAVIGATE IN THE UNITED STATES
AND IN SEATTLE. AGAIN, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR FIGHTING FOR
THESE PROGRAMS. IT'S GREAT FOR
US AND WE GET TO WATCH HER
STUDENTS GROW ALL THE TIME
BECAUSE OF IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING. I
WILL SAY, PERSONALLY, I HAVE
SEEN THE COMPETENCE THAT COMES
FROM LEARNING ENGLISH AND BEING
ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
COMMUNITY AND IN THE WORKFORCE
. I VOLUNTEERED MANY YEARS AGO
TO TEACH ENGLISH AND IT'S
REALLY REWARDING . I ENCOURAGE
FOLKS, IF YOU HAVE TIME, A LOT
OF THESE CLASSES HAVE BEEN
AFTER HOURS AS WELL. SO, IF YOU
HAVE A JOB DURING THE DAY, YOU
CAN STILL VOLUNTEER AND IT'S
REALLY REWARDING TO SEE AND IT
HELPS FOLKS BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE FULLY AND THE
CONFIDENCE AND THE GRATITUDE IS
OVERWHELMING. SO, IT'S REALLY,
YES, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU DO.
>> I TOTALLY AGREE. I SHARED
WITH LITERACY SOURCE WHEN I WAS
A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON ONE OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS I VOLUNTEERED FOR
IN HELPING TEACH SOME OF THOSE
ENGLISH CLASSES, NOT
NECESSARILY TEACH BUT ASSIST
ONE OF THE TEACHERS IN THAT AND
IT IS REALLY REWARDING TO SEE
PEOPLE GROW THEIR ENGLISH AND
BEING ABLE TO THEN FEEL
CONFIDENT APPLYING FOR A JOB. I
ECHO THAT AS WELL.
>> YES. SO, COLLEAGUES, I KNOW
THIS WAS A LONG PRESENTATION.
WE ARE AT THE HOME STRETCH NOW.
WE HAVE ONE MORE PROGRAM
DIRECTOR IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT
BUT I FELT IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT. I INTENTIONALLY HAVE
ONLY HAD ONE DEPARTMENT AT EACH
OF THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
BECAUSE WE HAVE REALLY DUG DEEP
INTO THEIR PROGRAM SO THAT YOU
CAN ALL SEE WHAT THE
DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING. YOU HAVE
THE ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE
DEPARTMENT AND SO, THANK YOU
FOR BEARING WITH US. I KNOW
THESE ARE LONG PRESENTATIONS
BUT THEY -- THE WORK IS SO
IMPORTANT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL TRY
TO MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH THIS
A LITTLE QUICK. THE LAST
PROGRAM I WILL SHARE IN OUR
OFFICE THAT IS HER IMMIGRANT
AND SAFETY ACCESS NETWORK
PROGRAM. THE SLIDE IS A LITTLE
FUNKY. IN 2022, WE DID THAT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH KING COUNTY
AND THE PROGRAM THE IDEA OF THE
PROGRAM WAS TO BE ABLE TO HELP
PROVIDE SUPPORT TO VICTIMS WHO
HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY GUN
VIOLENCE, SUDDEN DEATH, FOLKS
OR LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKERS .
IN THE BEGINNING OF 2023, MAYOR
HAROLD DID SIGN AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER ASKING DEPARTMENTS TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING
TIMELY INFORMATION TO FOLKS OR
IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE OR
SUDDEN DEATHS AND ENSURING THAT
THOSE SERVICES ARE REACHING
THEM IN A TIMELY WAY AND THAT
THEY ARE ALSO RECEIVING
LANGUAGE SERVICES. NEXT SLIDE.
MAYBE THAT WILL CHANGE THE
VIEW. OKAY. IT GOES RIGHT INTO
THE BREAKDOWN. SO, WHAT'S
MISSING IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE
IS THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM LAST
YEAR ROUGHLY SUPPORTED ABOUT
685 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH
WORKSHOP TRAININGS, CLASSES,
CASE MANAGEMENT, AND DIRECT
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND
OUTREACH EFFORTS. AGAIN, THESE
DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE PRETTY
SMALL. ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS
ALREADY HAD EXISTING VICTIM
COMPENSATION SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
SO, I'M SUPPLEMENTING THAT AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ADDING
DOLLARS WHERE THEY CAN MAKE
GREATER REACH AND FOCUS HEAVILY
ON HER IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDING THOSE
NAVIGATION SUPPORT AND EVEN
PEER SUPPORT AND WHAT I WILL
SAY IS THAT A LOT OF THE GUN
VIOLENCE THAT WE SAW IN SEATTLE
IN THE YEAR 2023, ISAN,
MAJORITY OF THE FAMILIES THAT
WERE IMPACTED, WORKERS WERE
ABLE TO DIRECTLY WORK WITH THE
FAMILIES AND PROVIDE THEM WITH
TIMELY SERVICES. NEXT SLIDE.
SO, YES. THIS SHOWS THE
BREAKDOWN . WE ALSO AS PART OF
THE ISAN PROGRAM, I MYSELF,
SOMETIMES ACCOMPANYING THE
MAYOR, I KNOW EVEN THIS YEAR
COUNCILMEMBER ROB WITH THE
SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED AT THE
HIGH SCHOOL OR ACROSS FROM THE
HIGH SCHOOL AT THE COMMUNITY
CENTER, WE ENDED UP GOING
TOGETHER TO GO VISIT THE FAMILY
AND THEY WERE ONE OF THE
FAMILIES WHO DID RECEIVE
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND ACCESS
TO NAVIGATION SUPPORT THROUGH
THE PROGRAM AND THAT FAMILY WAS
AT DUAL LANGUAGE SPEAKERS AND
REALLY BENEFITED THEM HAVING
IMMIGRANT SERVING ORGANIZATIONS
DIRECTLY WORKING WITH THEM.
NEXT SLIDE. YES, AND THIS JUST
TALKS ABOUT IN 2024 , '25, WE
DO HAVE NEW CONTRACTS AND NOW
WE ARE GOING FROM A PILOT
PROGRAM TO MORE OF A PERMANENT
TYPE OF PROGRAM. THERE'S THREE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE
PARTNERING WITH FOR THE 2024
CONTRACTS AND WE ARE GOING TO
FOCUS HEAVILY ON THOSE DIRECT
CASH ASSISTANCE SERVICES. THE
WASHINGTON STATE HAS A VICTIM
COMPENSATION FUND AND ISAN IS
MODELED AFTER THAT FIND THAT
THEY HAVE. WHAT WE SEE HAPPEN
IN THE STATE IS THERE IS A LOT
OF FORMS THAT YOU HAVE TO FILL
OUT. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE HEAR FROM THE CITY OF
SEATTLE RESIDENTS IS IT TAKES A
LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS
THOSE SERVICES. WE DID WORK
WITH THE SEATTLE PROSECUTORS --
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
TO HELP DEVELOP OUR CRITERIA IS
FOR THIS PROGRAM TO SIMPLIFY IT
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THE
SERVICES A LOT QUICKER THEN
GOING THROUGH LONG APPLICATION
PROCESS TO JUST GET ACCESS TO
THESE DOLLARS.
>> I THINK YOU MET THE -- MEANT
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
NOT THE CITY PROSECUTORS.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND THEN
HERE IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE
DOLLARS AND WHAT SOME OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE USING
THOSE DOLLARS FOUR. AS YOU CAN
SEE, MOST OF THE FUNDS ARE
GOING TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE
FAMILIES AND THERE IS NOT A LOT
FOR OVERHEAD COSTS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT. AND THEN, JUST AN
OVERVIEW OF THE QUALIFICATIONS
. WE WILL HAVE REPORTING THAT
WE WILL RECEIVE FROM THE
ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE KEPT IT
AT ABOUT $3000 IN CASH
ASSISTANCE PER INCIDENT FOR
THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE
IMPACTED. THERE IS AN INCOME
REQUIREMENT AND, AGAIN, IT IS
MODELED AFTER THE STATES
PROGRAM AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN, THIS TALKS ABOUT THE
ISAN PROGRAM CONTINUES TO HELP
ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE ISSUES,
UNEXPECTED DEATH. IT IS NOT A
PREVENTION PROGRAM. IT IS A
SUPPORT PROGRAM. SO, REALLY,
WHEN INCIDENTS HAPPEN IS WHEN
WE TRY TO STEP IN AND HELP
THESE FAMILIES BEING ABLE TO
HELP BURY THEIR CHILDREN AT
TIMES . THERE IS WAGE LOSS,
MEDICAL EXPENSES AND, AGAIN,
THESE ARE LOW INCOME FAMILIES
OR LIMITED INCOME SPEAKERS WHO
MOST OF THE TIME GET ACCESS TO
THESE FUNDS. AND THEN THIS IS
JUST THE BREAKDOWN OF SPD'S
DATA ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
GROUPS WHO ARE CALLING IN FOR
WHETHER IT IS LANGUAGE
SERVICES, FATAL SHOOTINGS, JUST
SOME DATA THAT WE RECEIVED FROM
SPD THAT INFORMED THE WAY THAT
WE WERE DEVELOPING THIS PROGRAM
AND THERE IS SOME DATA. THE
DATA IS NOT DESEGREGATED REALLY
WELL. A LOT OF THE TIMES BLACK
IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE EAST
AFRICAN, SOMALI, ETHIOPIAN,
IT'S REALLY HARD TO IDENTIFY
IF THEY NEEDED A LANGUAGE
SERVICE AND, OF COURSE, WE
DON'T ASK CITIZENSHIP
QUESTIONS IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE BUT THE LANGUAGE
SERVICES THAT THEY RECEIVE
SOMETIMES HELPS INFORM WHAT
POPULATIONS ARE BEING IMPACTED
THE MOST IN THESE AREAS AND WE
DO SEE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
I THINK IT WAS THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE THAT
PROVIDED US WITH DATA THAT SAID
THE SECOND MOST ARRESTED GROUP
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE -- IN
THE COUNTY, ARE ACTUALLY BLACK
IMMIGRANTS AND A LOT OF THOSE
FOLKS MIGHT BE SECOND-GENERATIO
N IMMIGRANTS BUT THEIR PARENTS
MOST LIKELY ARE LIMITED ENGLISH
SPEAKERS AND KNEE SERVICES. --
NEED HIS SERVICES LIKE ISAN.
THIS HIGHLIGHTS BEFORE HE PUT
THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER WE DID DO
A LOT OF LISTENING SESSIONS. IT
WAS REALLY INFORMED BY THE
COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE ARE
HEARING FROM THEM. NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN, THE ONE TIME -- I
DON'T KNOW WHY THIS SLIDE
LOOKS LIKE THIS, I BELIEVE THIS
IS -- MAY BE NEXT SLIDE? OH, I
SEE IT HERE. SO, OKAY. WE ALSO
HAVE A ONE TIME VICTIM
COMPENSATION FUND. WE RECEIVED
HUNDRED $50,000 LAST YEAR TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE ONE-TIME
SERVICES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS
WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY HATE
CRIMES AND IT WAS AROUND THE
TIME THAT WE SAW THE
VANDALIZATION AT THE WING LUKE
MUSEUM. SO, THESE DOLLARS WILL
GO TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE
IMPACTED BY HATE CRIMES. IF
THEY REPORT THOSE CRIMES
AGAINST THEMSELVES, THERE IS
DATA TO PROVE IT, AND THEIR LOW
INCOME AS WELL, THEY WILL BE
ABLE TO RECEIVE DOLLARS TO BE
ABLE TO HELP EITHER WITH
VANDALIZATION. SOME PEOPLE NEED
ASSISTANCE WITH THEY MIGHT NOT
HAVE WORKED THAT MONTH OR
NEEDED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. SO,
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS
THIS FUND TO BE ABLE TO HELP
THEMSELVES THROUGH IT. AND
THEN, THAT'S -- SO, THOSE OF
THE TWO VICTIM COMPENSATION
PROGRAMS. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
A LITTLE BIT AND I WILL GO
THROUGH QUICKLY WITH OUR NEWLY
ARRIVING MIGRANT POPULATION, I
THINK THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE
ARE PARTNERING A LOT CLOSER
HAVING A CONTRACT RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
RIGHT NOW AS WELL AS THE STATE
TO HELP SUPPORT NEWLY ARRIVING
MIGRANTS AND THE CITY WILL HAVE
ACCESS TO REIMBURSEMENTS. THE
FOCUS IS REALLY MAKING SURE WE
HAVE A STATEWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE
PUT IN PLACE TO SERVE OUR
MIGRANT POPULATION THAT IS
ARRIVING AND THE EMERGENCY
RESPONSE WE CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH HST AND OEM MEETING WITH
THEM WHEN WE SEE ENCAMPMENTS AT
OUR PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT
TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY. SO,
THAT WORK CONTINUES. NEXT
SLIDE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THAT WAS A
LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE
CHAIRED AND I DO WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR
MOHAMED. THANK YOU, ALL, FOR
BEING HERE. LIKE I SAID, IT WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR THE
SUCCESS STORIES BECAUSE THE
WORK THAT YOU DO HAS MEANINGFUL
IMPACT AND IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AND, COLLEAGUES, DOES ANYONE
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> YEAH. OH. SORRY. I LOOKED
THROUGH AND I DID NOT SEE YOUR
HAND , COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE?
>> NO PROBLEM. YES, I JUST
REALLY WANTED THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO THANK YOU FOR SUCH AN
IN-DEPTH PRESENTATION BUT MORE
IMPORTANT LEAD TO JUST THANK
YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK
THAT YOUR OFFICE DOES. IT HAS
SO MUCH IMPACT AND IT IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE REALLY
PROVIDING THOSE KINDS OF
SUPPORT SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO
HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED TO GET
HERE AND WANT TO BE PRODUCTIVE
PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO,
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. THANKS FOR
VALUING THIS WORK AND ALLOWING
US TO HAVE THE TIME TODAY TO
PRESENT TO YOU ALL. WE COULD
NOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT THE
SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL AND THE
MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND
YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORE -- MOORE. AND THANK YOU,
DIRECTOR MOHAMED. I'LL SAY
BEFORE -- I SAID IT BEFORE AND
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. YOU ALL DO
A LOT WITH A LITTLE. WHAT I
SUPER APPRECIATE ABOUT YOU
WHICH I'VE ALSO SAID AND I
WILL SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE
RECORD IS THAT YOU DO SO MUCH
TO PARTNER WITH OUR COUNTY
PARTNERS AND WITH THE STATE TO
REALLY HELP FOLKS IN SEATTLE
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
SUPPORTS AT THE STATE AND
FEDERAL LEVEL AND WE DON'T
ALWAYS GET THAT SUPPORT IF WE
ARE NOT ACTIVE AND I SEE YOU
OUT THERE YOU ARE NONSTOP. I
WISH I COULD BOTTLE YOUR
ENERGY. SO, I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR TENACITY AND YOUR ABILITY
TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT
THE REGION AND AT THE STATE AND
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO MAKE
SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE
ABLE TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE
ROBUST SERVICES IN SEATTLE.
THIS IS A REALLY HUGE NEED AND
I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU DO.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANKS. IT'S BEEN NONSTOP.
IN TWO WEEKS I WILL STOP. FOR
LITTLE BIT AT LEAST.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ALL, FOR BEING
HERE.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> ALL RIGHT. COLLEAGUES, DOES
ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,
THIS CONCLUDES THE JUNE 13th,
2024 MEETING OF THE LIBRARIES,
EDUCATION AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE. OUR NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR
THURSDAY, JUNE 27th, 2024 AND
9:30 A.M. IF THERE IS NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING
WILL ADJOURN. LET ME MAKE SURE
I DON'T MISS ANYONE ONLINE.
ALL RIGHT. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, IT IS 10:55 AND THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED.