curated by Emerald Staff
A round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!
NAPCA Launches Anonymous Online Reporting of Anti-Asian Violence Against AAPI Community
On Saturday, Sept. 4, the National Asian Pacific Center of Aging (NAPCA), a national nonprofit that “preserves and promotes the dignity, well-being, and quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and diverse older adults,” launched an online anonymous form to help report incidents of violence against older members of the AAPI community. Their “in-language online report form” will be available in 29 AAPI languages, and the data collected will be used, they say, to gauge incidents of anti-Asian violence nationwide to help inform policy makers and community leaders.
From NAPCA: “According to a nationwide survey of AAPI adults conducted by NAPCA and its community partners (COMPASS Study, March 2021), 3 in 5 surveyed had experienced discrimination during the height of the pandemic. Yet due to factors such as language barriers and a cultural reluctance to report crimes, data on the scope and reach of violence have been inconsistent and imprecise.
“NAPCA has independently tracked 94 reported incidents of violence against AAPI adults ages 50 and older since February 2020, with 16 deaths and three people critically injured. The number of attacks against Asians is widely believed to be underreported due to cultural reluctance with many older adults being limited English proficient and anxious about involving law enforcement.
“With this anonymous in-language form, we are urging community members to come forward and report the violence they have been either victim or witness to, detailing their accounts in order to better grasp what has been unfolding.” Joon Bang, president and CEO of NAPCA
“‘As we compile the data,’ Bang said in a statement, ‘the results will be shared on an ongoing basis with the public to help inform leadership and frame appropriate policies and resolutions. These anti-Asian assaults continue to occur across the country while public concern for elder safety is waning. The violence targeting our AAPI elder community has perpetuated the fear and isolation many have been experiencing over the course of the pandemic. It is taking a substantial physical and mental toll on our older adults and that suffering has been painful to witness. We must do more to protect the most vulnerable.’”
For more information and to report an incidence of violence, please visit NAPCA’s “Report Attacks on AAPI Elders” webform.
Free Services Available to Help South Seattle Businesses Reduce Waste and Lower Garbage Bills
Waste Management’s (WM) Public Education Team is here to help South Seattle businesses rethink their waste! The team is providing free consultations to businesses and property managers through virtual site visits, service level assessments, educational workshops, staff training, and free resources (including indoor bins, posters, and container signage).
To schedule a free digital consultation, please contact WM at recyclenw@wm.com.
From WM: “Your WM team can share customized feedback, whether you’re a café manager starting compost service for the first time, an apartment manager hoping to clean up the recycling, or an office team looking for sustainability initiatives above and beyond recycling. We will work with you to design a plan for sustainable success!”
For more waste and recycling educational resources, check out the following links:
- Where Does It Go Look Up Tool
- Waste Prevention at Home
- Waste Prevention at Work
- Multifamily Properties Collection and Disposal
Priority Hire for W. Seattle Bridge Repair Means Construction Jobs for Community
Seattle’s Priority Hire Program is aimed at expanding access to construction jobs and careers to residents of “economically distressed” neighborhoods by prioritizing hiring hyperlocal for construction work related to public infrastructure in Seattle and King County. As $37.7 million of the estimated $54.8 million total cost of the West Seattle Bridge repairs slated to be completed by mid-2022 have been secured through the federal government, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) had to weigh in on whether or not the Priority Hire Program would be implemented in the massive construction project.
According to the City of Seattle, “About 5,800 construction workers live in the impacted areas and could be among those prioritized for employment on the project” — impacted areas being those affected by the bridge’s already 1.5-year closure and the ripple effects on transit/transportation, the small business economy, and more in surrounding neighborhoods. Now, not only will a large portion of the cost of repairs on the bridge come from the federal government, a portion of those funds will be prioritized to pay workers who live in the community where the project is located.
Learn about public works construction careers in the Apprenticeship Guidebook and more about the Priority Hire Program on the City of Seattle website.
SPL Seeking Community Input for New Chief Librarian
From the Seattle Public Library (SPL): “Koya Partners, the consultant firm hired to lead the search for SPL’s new chief librarian, has developed a short survey to help inform the position profile of the job. The position profile is a recruiting document which helps potential candidates learn more about the position, institution, and community. The position profile will be used to help recruit a pool of local and national candidates for SPL’s board to consider.
“The survey will run through Wednesday, Sept. 17. More information and a link to the survey can be found at https://www.spl.org/ChiefLibrarianSearch. For people who may lack access to computers or the internet or who may need staff assistance or language translation, paper surveys are available at all open Library locations and Library staff are ready to assist. Find a list of open Library locations [and] hours at https://www.spl.org/Hours.
“The Library’s previous chief librarian, Marcellus Turner, took a new position with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library in Charlotte, N.C., at the end of March 2021. Tom Fay, the Library’s director of programs and services, has since served in the role of interim chief librarian.”
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