March 2023 Newsletter

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View this email in your browser   FOCS Newsletter March 2023 FOCS Office Updates Our Annual Report is here! Learn more about our work, progress, and the vision for FOCS! Inside our 2022 Annual Report you’ll find a letter from our Executive Director, Christine Tang, and newly elected Board President, Kendra Aguilar, colorful photos and quotes from the FOCS families we've served and connected with, a list of all of our 2022 individual donors, funders, and partners, along with our financial report, and so much more! This years report also highlights our Strategic Plan, released in early 2022. Click here to read the full Annual Report and our Strategic Plan at: https://www.focseattle.org/reports Save the Date for FOCS' 10th Anniversary Celebration! Join us as we celebrate A DECADE of connecting parents in the Seattle area to build a loving community of families of color! When: Saturday, June 10, 2023  Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Location: Jefferson Park Community Center, Seattle, WA All are welcome to this in-person and family-friendly event! More details and event registration coming soon.  Contact Sarah Kim Park, FOCS' Development Director, to get more information on becoming a sponsor for this event!  Are you interested in joining FOCS Leadership? Apply to be a Board Member! We are now accepting resumes for FOCS board members!  FOCS is recruiting Board members who understand our FOCS community, are dedicated to promoting women of color leadership, and have a passion for our mission and vision.  If you have leadership skills and can commit 2-4 hours a month to our organization, submit your resume today!  BIPOC parents and individuals from marginalized and intersecting communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Apply Here! FOCS Staff is Making Community Connections! Above: FOCS Executive Director, Christine Tang, Community Engagement and Advocacy Manager Abbie Altamirano, and Events Manager and Program Coordinator, Hafidha Acuay, attend the Children's Alliance event Views over Brews.  Below: FOCS Community Engagement and Advocacy Manager Abbie Altamirano connecting with HyeEun from BIPOC Executive Directors Coalition at the Nonprofit Legislative Reception in Olympia, WA.  Last month, Abbie, our Community Engagement and Advocacy Manager, attended an event organized by Children’s Alliance and heard from Executive Director Dr. Stephan Blanford, who discussed policies under consideration in the Washington state legislature that will impact youth and families. Abbie was also at the Nonprofit Legislative Reception in Olympia to learn more about 2023 legislative session priorities. She connected with other nonprofit leaders and met State Representative Chipalo Street and Governor Jay Inslee FOCS is committed to advocating alongside families on issues that impact us. Reproductive justice, health, and education equity are our top priorities. Are you an organization or community group interested in partnering with FOCS to host or sponsor an event centering on these issues? If so, please reach out to us to discuss collaborating! Collaborate with FOCS Contribute to our Reading List for FOCS families! Are you a FOCS parent interested in finding resources to address Anti-Blackness, learn more about non-binary and Trans parenting, or looking for some new reading material for your socially conscious teen? Check out our FOCS resource page! Do you know of an article, book, or resource that would benefit families of color? Email us and we will add it to our list! FOCS Programs Updates Spring Parent Group Registration is now open! We are offering select FOCS Parent Groups in person within the Seattle area! Join us for the following IN-PERSON groups:  South Seattle Waddlers Tuesdays 9-11 am March 21 – April 18  South Seattle Waddlers Mondays 12:30pm - 2:30 pm April 17 - June 26 The South Seattle Waddlers group is for parents with children 6 months to 3 years old living in South Seattle. Groups will meet in South Seattle. The exact location will be shared during the registration process. Proof of Vaccination is required. Read more about FOCS COVID policy HERE.  VIRTUAL groups are scheduled for:  North Seattle Waddlers Mondays 10am- 12pm April 24 - July 3 Online via Zoom  The North Seattle Waddlers group is for parents with children 6 months to 3 years old living in North Seattle. FOCS Peer-led parent support groups help connect families, increase parenting skills, and provide a space to discuss identity and race. All groups are free to attend for families of color!   Register Here! FOCS Programs Updates FOCS Family Programming Join us for a FREE Online Series Hosted by and for FOCS Parents! FOCS parents will discuss how to create better connections and build more supportive and healthy relationships with their LGBTQ+ children of color.** Supporting our Gender-Diverse Kids of Color Thu. Mar 16 6:00 pm -7:30p We will discuss raising gender-diverse children of color to create better connections and build healthy relationships between caregivers and children. Register at: bit.ly/focsmar23 Raising LGBTQ Kids of Color TBD We’ll hear from LGBTQ adults of color about their childhood experiences and how they wish they had been supported in their development and lives. **This event is free and open to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) parents and caregivers. If you are not a BIPOC parent or caregiver and want to support the facilitators and the work of Families of Color Seattle, send a donation to: https://www.focseattle.org/donate or email us at programs@focseattle.org.  Don't forget to invite your friends to connect with us! Join our FOCS Facebook Community Page to see updates, pictures, and get notified of future events! FOCS Member Spotlight   An Interview with FOCS Parent Group Participant, Hoyan Wong Listen to Hoyan as she shares her experience participating in a FOCS Parent Group and why FOCS is an important organization.  FOCS Community Partner Spotlight Learn from ​​Self Care Coach, Charissa Pomrehn, owner of Brave Self Care FOCS supports BIPOC-owned businesses! As part of our programming, we regularly contract with BIPOC-owned businesses and community educators to invite them to share their skills and knowledge with our parents and families during our Peer-led Parent Groups and Family Programming activities. As a THANK YOU for showing up for our families, we want to highlight the work of these leaders and educators to encourage you to consider hiring them and continue supporting BIPOC-owned businesses and leaders in the Seattle area! This month we want to highlight one of our guest presenters, Charissa Pomrehn from Brave Self Care. She's a life coach for parents with nonstop responsibilities who just need a break. Charissa helps FOCS parents make time for themselves, do things they love, and handle hard situations with confidence so they can become the kind of parent (and person) they’ve always wanted to be. Learn more about Brave Self Care and find a free guide to drinking your coffee hot at: www.braveselfcare.com Monthly Donors help foster community amongst BIPOC Parents in the Seattle area.  Your donations ensure that we can continue to offer parent groups and family programming free of charge to families of color. FOCS parent groups are supportive and intentional village communities connecting families of color in the Seattle area.  Thank you for supporting BIPOC family connections and community building! Become a Monthly FOCS Donor Resources & Events for FOCS Community Events  Follow FOCS Instagram stories to get information on free and BIPOC-centered family friendly events! Black Diaspora Women's History Month Offerings- Events All Month Long, Loving Room Diaspora Books + Salon, 1400 20th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122. RSVP required for most events.  Community Development Update- March 11th, 6–8 p.m., Black Dot Underground — 1437 S. Jackson St. Free. Registration is required. Come learn about the development happening in the Central District. Hear from the project teams of Midtown Plaza, Yakima Ave, Bryant Manor, Community House, and Promenade 23. Soul Food@Red Lounge- March 12, 7–9:30 p.m. Red Lounge — 1212 E. Jefferson St. Free to attend.  Listen to Makini Magee as Guy Alston holds down the organ backdrop and it’s always a pleasure to add sax, flute & guitar to this mix. Red Lounge/Taste of the Caribbean Restaurant brings the true flavors of Jamaica to Seattle. Come in, have dinner, order a drink or two and sit a spell! All-ages Share Your Story: A Social for Filipinx Professionals- March 13, 6–9 p.m., Filipino Community of Seattle — 5740 MLK Jr Way S., FREE- Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance Advisory Board, Anakbayan Seattle, and the Filipino Community of Seattle presents Share Your Story: A Social for Filipinx Professionals. Seattle has a rich Filipino history and a vibrant Filipino community that continues today. This event is a space that aims to bring together the good work that Filipinx organizations and individuals have been doing and allowing our stories to be shared. Resources for Parents Seattle BIPOC Therapists & Mental Health Resources Global Perinatal Services- Birth Doulas services are free to low-income, immigrant, and refugee families living in King County. Services are available in various languages including Somali, Arabic, Hindi, and more. 4 Tomorrow- Latino and Youth-focused organization offering support & coordination to households in King County. Services include Mental Health Services (Coordination, Referrals, Education, Events & Gap Therapy) as well as Life Services (resource navigation, Financial assistance, Goal Planning, Racism, hate and bias reporting, Systems navigation) and Basic Needs Services (housing stability, basic needs, education, public benefits, immigration, healthcare, life obstacles and more).  UTOPIA WA- basic needs, support groups and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ community Y-WE (Young Women Empowered)- Mentorship-based empowerment programs serving diverse young women ages 13-26 Community Resources Alternatives to calling 911 Seattle Green Book- Seattle’s Black business directory. Free and open to Black-owned and co-owned businesses and people holding space for the Black community around the Puget Sound. Northwest Vipassana Center- Free 10-day Meditation Retreats for individuals. Affinity courses including Black Heritage Course, and Bilingual/Thai and Spanish courses.  COVID & Monkeypox Resources Current COVID Guidance in King County Current Information about Monkeypox Resources for Families Impacted by COVID Eviction Assistance  City, County, State & Federal Resources Small Business Support Free Internet Access and Hotspots  Free and low cost internet access for low-income families More Ways to Stay Connected! Become a Monthly Donor! Host a Race Equity Workshop Join the Facebook Community Group Follow us on Facebook! Find us on Instagram! Stay connected on LinkedIn! Learn more on our Website! Copyright © 2022, Families of Color Seattle, All rights reserved. Our email address is: info@focseattle.org  Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.