Voices in Touch Newsletter: Edition 2

Stay up to date on policy and advocacy topics affecting your work in Olympia, King County, and Seattle.

2024 Brings a New Governor to Washington, and Candidates are Heating Up Their Campaigns. Now is the time to get registered to vote and mail in your ballots!

THE RUNDOWN


In early May, Washington’s three term Governor, Jay Inslee, announced his decision to not seek reelection. The popular Governor’s departure leaves an opportunity for Democrat and Republican candidates alike to share a new vision for the state.

So, Who Is In the Running?

TOP DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES

Bob Ferguson: The current Attorney General, and the early top pick amongst all candidates. Ferguson’s lists numerous priorities in his campaign announcement, including defending civil rights, protecting the environment, and standing up for working families.

Hilary Franz: As current Commissioner of Public Lands, it is no surprise Franz cites climate change as one of her top priorities. She also lists housing, and income inequality as key challenges to tackle.

Mark Mullet: A current State Representative from Issaquah, and previous city council member. Mullet shares education issues, affordable housing, safer neighborhoods, and climate change as his focal points.

TOP REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Dave Reichert: Previous U.S. Representative & King County Sheriff announced his bid for governor in late June. Since he left office, Reichert says he has been frustrated with what he says is the government becoming too powerful. Since he announced his candidacy, Raul Garcia has dropped out of the race and endorsed Reichert. Garcia intends to run for a U.S. Senate seat in 2024.

Semi Bird: Current school board member in Richland (South-Central) WA, who considers himself a “constitutional Christian conservative”. His goal if elected is to hold government officials accountable to the citizens they serve.

Elections will take place in 2024, meaning plenty can change! Now is the perfect time to make sure you're registered to vote and stay informed about candidates messaging.

Find more details on the governor’s race here:
Candidate Profiles | Most Recent Polling

AT A GLANCE

  • Jay Inslee’s time as WA State Governor is coming to an end in 2024.
  • Candidates are ramping up their election campaigns to replace him.
  • Now is a great time to register to vote, and stay updated on the upcoming elections!

Click Here to Register to Vote!Click Here for Voter Information in Somali

ON OUR NEXT EDITION

More details on voting and upcoming King County Elections.


SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!

CLICK HERE to submit your responses to our short questionnaire & let us know what you want to learn about next!


For additional questions and comments, email [email protected].

Download a PDF Version of This Newsletter

What it’s like to spend a day in Voices of Tomorrow’s preschool

In Somali, there is a word that symbolizes hope and prosperity. Saytuun, an evergreen tree that has been cultivated since ancient times, is known for its valuable oil and its ability to survive in harsh environments. The saytuun olive branch is a representation of friendliness and peace. Just like how an olive tree symbolizes hope, so do the students in Voices of Tomorrow’s Saytuun classroom. 

Saytuun is a preschool classroom offered by Voices of Tomorrow (VOT) that fosters a warm and welcoming environment for children. The classroom is decorated with shades of green and brown, reminiscent of the colors of an olive tree. VOT works to cultivate a brighter tomorrow for today’s children through programs that educate elevate and empower the East African community. VOT introduced the first Somali English dual language preschool program in the world, where children are encouraged to explore, learn, and grow in a safe and nurturing environment while embracing diversity and accepting their differences. The Saytuun classroom instills these values in its students, preparing them to become responsible and compassionate individuals in society.

The children in the Saytuun classroom are taught to respect each other and resolve conflicts peacefully. These values are essential for children to learn as they grow and interact with other people in the community. Teacher Sonia Ruiz strives to listen to each child's concerns and needs, allowing them to communicate their likes and dislikes. She wants her students to develop communication skills and become aware of their own emotions so they can learn how to effectively communicate with others. She does this by going above and beyond to make sure that students who need extra support receive proper encouragement and more time to understand a topic in class.  Ruiz also gives her students the option to choose their downtime activity each day, allowing them to build confidence in their own decisions. When a student changes their mind, Ruiz asks what the student dislikes about their current activity and then helps them find an activity that she thinks suits their preferences.

The skills developed in a dual language program get passed onto the next generation. Saytuun trees are equipped to handle harsh environments. VOT’s Saytuun classroom prepares its students to do the same. While the mainstream school system is just now realizing the importance of diversity and inclusion, VOT’s preschool was founded to uplift East African immigrant and refugee children. In the long run, preschool programs like the Saytuun classroom ensure our children will prosper in a world that was not designed for them and without them in mind.


How the Mind, Body, and Culture Program is supporting East African parents to build better parent-child relationships.

Somali parents express their love for their children through actions and gabay (poetry). If they could move mountains for their children, they would. Many Somali parents migrate to western countries with the hope of a better life for their children. However, they often sacrifice their own desires to allow their children to build a beautiful tomorrow. In doing so, they also tend to let their mental health slip through the cracks. This is where Voices of Tomorrow (VOT) comes in with the Mind, Body, and Culture (MBC) program, which is the first and only program of its kind aimed at promoting parent mental health in the East African community because VOT understands the cultural barriers that these parents face when it comes to merging their new world with their already existing one. The program helps parents understand that putting themselves first allows them to become better equipped to take care of their children.

Dahabo Khalid, a mother who has been working with the MBC program for over a year, shares that when she began this program she was always on the go, and rarely took time for herself. She describes how most Somali parents consider attending a wedding or family gathering as taking time for themselves. Now, almost two years later, Khalid makes time for herself weekly with the encouragement of her home visitor. She takes herself to the salon regularly, recently she went to a private steam room with her friend as a mom’s night out event. The MBC program, however, goes deeper than just surface-level aesthetic self-care.

An important skill Khalid learned through this program was understanding ways to grow the bond between her and her daughter. Every week, Sahra Abdullahi, an MBC home visitor, and Khalid work through a parent-child handout. This week, by using a handout focused on encouraging cooperation in everyday moments, Abdullahi was able to help Khalid understand that learning her child’s personality trait is key to a successful parent-child relationship. Sometimes, children are seen as just children, but it is important to really understand your child’s individuality. Learning the things, they like and do not like allows you to communicate with your child the way they need. Khalid learned that treating all children the same way is not effective, and understanding their uniqueness enhances the parent-child relationship.

Another takeaway for Khalid from these handouts was setting clear expectations and flexible limits. This means the child’s age needs to be considered when setting expectations for them and adjusting it accordingly as they grow older. Giving them choices to build their confidence and feel independent is equally important, even at an early age. Many parents view a protest as rebellion, but the home visitor helped Khalid see the world through her child’s eyes. Abdullahi showed Khalid how easy it is to resolve things with children through proper communication.
She used an example of a child who was doing arts and crafts. After a few minutes, the mother saw the child drawing on the wall. Instead of raising her voice, the mother asked her child, “What led you to draw on the wall?” The child answered, “My paper wasn’t big enough.” After analyzing this story, Khalid understood that all actions are not a sign of rebellion; the child saw a blank canvas where she could continue to draw. Abdullahi said, “At the end of the day, it’s important to understand your child is also their own person and they want their ideas to be valued.”
When kids throw tantrums, it is important to have conversations so they can understand you and so you can better understand them. Khalid said the MBC program taught her more than how to be a mother. “I already know how to do that because I'm on my third child,” she said. "What this program has allowed me to do is understand my children better and how to engage with each one of them accordingly.”

The MBC program not only supports parents' mental health and encourages parent-child bonding, but it also assists parents by providing essential materials they need to take care of their children. MBC partners with Eastside Baby Corner (EBC), a non-profit organization that works with local agencies to bring essentials to local children living in poverty and crises, to order free diapers, strollers, car seats, milk, and many other items that would aid the parents in caring for their child. The previous program Khalid was a part of was more child-focused, but when MBC began working with EBC early last year, Khalid was delighted and surprised that her home visitor could provide her with the necessary and practical items she requested. For example, she received a brand-new pink car seat that was a perfect fit for her daughter. The benefits of this program go beyond just Khalid and her household, as it teaches a community how to foster communication with children while not forgetting to take care of themselves.


Voices in Touch Newsletter

Stay up to date on policy and advocacy topics affecting your work in Olympia, King County, and Seattle.

The Rundown

Restrictions on Family Child Care Centers

Home Owners Association's (HOAs) have been restrictingand suing licensed providers who run family child care centers out of their homes. These centers are an essential part of Washington's mixed delivery education system, and a vital component to East African Immigrant and Refugee business owners and families. This legislative session, House Bill (HB) 1199 was proposed to stop HOAs from imposing restrictions on family child care centers.

Read the complete newsletter by clicking link below.
Download the Newsletter here.

 

For additional questions and comments, email [email protected].

 


Join us at our Voices of Tomorrow Job Fair!

It is important to invest in cultivating a healthy world for tomorrow’s children. One of the best ways to create such a world is to serve these children at the root of their development. We are hiring Early Learning roles to help support Voices of Tomorrow’s preschool! There are many other roles within the agency such as Policy and Advocacy, Health Services, and Operations roles that are also open!

We would like to formally invite you to our VOT’s Job Fair that will be held on April 15th from 2-6pm at Highline College.

Voices of Tomorrow’s Job fair is for all ambitious people who want to advance in their careers, are looking for new job opportunities in Early learning, and many more!
Don’t miss this chance to hear some advice that could change your professional life and take your career to the next level!

Details below:

Career Fair hosted by Voices of Tomorrow
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
2pm – 6pm
Location: Highline Community College
[Building 8 on the bottom floor in room Mt. Constance and Mt. Olympus]
(2400 S. 240th street, Des Moines WA 98198)

For more information, contact:

Nimco Abdirahman
HR Manager

Direct: 206-905-6638 Office: 206-466-1229
Email: [email protected]

free registration

Why the Mind, Body and Culture program is essential to Families residing in King County's East African community. 

We are excited to share some success stories of our families who benefited from the Mind, Body, and Culture (MBC) program, which is specifically designed to support children and families in King County’s East African community. The program integrates mental health and Trauma-informed practices into our existing home visiting services with a focus on pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers. By connecting Mind, Body, and Culture, the program aims to change community attitudes toward mental health.

The MBC is the first of its kind, and its dual Somali-English aspect has been able to bridge the gap for families who may have experienced mental health, education, economic, social/emotional health, and well-being disparities. The MBC home visitors work with parents and caregiver’s biweekly to cover diverse topics that are crucial for the heathy development of their children and the well-being of the family. The program currently supports 60 families and their children.

What sets the MBC apart from other home visiting programs is its emphasis on relationship building. Instead of jumping straight into discussion issues, home visitors focus on building trust and confidence with the families. They convict one-two hour sessions to learn about the family’s assets, strengths, languages, and culture as a unit.

One of our Family members that has received help from the program is Jamila Ali and her daughter. Jamilah had been struggling to ask for help, but with the support of her home visitor, Sahra Abdullahi, she was able to overcome her fears. Sahra reminded her that whoever she asked for help was likely the person who would help her. This advice has stayed with Jamilah ever since, and she feels much more confident about reaching out for support. When she ran out of her daughter’s thyroid medication and she did not have any money, she turned to Sahra for help. Sahra supported her in getting an appointment the next day and provided emotional support throughout the process. Thanks to the dual language aspect of this program, Jamilah was able to express her concerns to Sahra in Somali, and Sahra was able to understand and help her.

Through the program, Jamilah has learned the importance of self-care and goals. She has learned to celebrate herself, appreciate her journey, and plan for tomorrow. Jamilah says, “there are a lot of moms struggling who don't know where to begin or how to ask for help, like me.” She continues to say that “programs like this help moms figure out where to start in their goal, you have someone you can call to help connect you to resources you might not have known existed.”

Goal setting is a core aspect of the MBC program, and it allows the client to break down their main goals into what they want to do and what they need to do. For Jamilah, her main goal was to further her education while being able to take care of her daughter. Sahra worked with her to complete the FAFSA application and find a school that fits her lifestyle and needs. Jamila is now enrolled in Highline College and plans to major in business to open her own store. Jamilah was able to visualize her goals with the home visitor and create a feasible plan to achieve them. She says that she finally sees the progress she has made since starting the program.

The MBC program has been able to support families like Jamilah’s in a holistic way by addressing their mental, physical, and emotional health needs. By providing personalized support, the program has helped families overcome barriers and achieve their goals. It is clear that programs like MBC are essential to East African children and families residing in King County.


Nima Ali and Black History Month

As the month of February comes to an end, the significance of Black History Month will continue. It is our job not to constraint such an important topic to just one month. Black history is every day, every month, and more importantly it is present everywhere.

Voices of Tomorrow’s preschool teachers are positively impacting black students in the East African community one classroom at a time. Making early education accessible using a dual language program has helped many teachers at this school to better connect with their students. As well as having teachers that reflect who the students are. Today, we are highlighting a remarkable teacher who has embraced her students and created an impactful and fulfilling learning environment.

Nima Ali is a teacher at Voices of tomorrow’s Bowlake location. Just like many of the students in her classroom, Nima wears a hijab for religious purposes. It is beneficial for a young black Muslim child to see representation of themselves in their teachers. Nima says that “it boosts the academic performance of students of color, including improvement in their development. This allows students to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves as well as in their interaction with others.” Nima completed Early Childhood Education and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Art Degree. For Nima, teaching at a school that offers a dual language program was important, being able to help nurture a child’s native tongue cultivates child to become bilingual-bicultural. “Not only does it help them stay grounded to their roots, but it also gives children a variety of economic, cultural, cognitive, and psychosocial advantages,” says Nima Ali. She spent many years volunteering at local elementary schools, daycares, and community organizations, which shows Nima’s dedication to supporting children. Now, Nima is focused on completing her BA and she is excited to be able to bring her love of art to her students.

It is important for us to acknowledge the importance and benefits of having diverse teachers. When I visited her classroom, I was greeted with many different bright colored hijabs. There was pink, blue, white, and some more variations of pink. The atmosphere of a classroom like this was different, it was wholesome, and it was healing. Many black children don’t feel represented in the world but having classrooms like this where it is tailored to them specifically is amazing. As we reach the end of Black History Month, remembering the past historical events, acknowledging the present change, and working towards a better tomorrow is not just on Black History Month. Black history is every day, every month, and more importantly it is present everywhere even in VOT’s classrooms much like Nima Ali’s.


VOT Takes Steps to Improve Equity in Public Policy

Voices of Tomorrow (VOT) is excited to announce our now fully functioning Policy and Advocacy Department (PAD). Although VOT has been involved in policy and advocacy since its founding, we are now making intentional investments to engage with our governing systems. With a team of three dedicated staff, we are committed to addressing institutional inequities and empowering the communities we serve to use their voice in public spaces. We are excited to see the impact of our investments and look forward to collaborating with others to create positive change.

​The vision for VOT is to elevate our presence as a trusted community partner in the realm of Public Policy throughout the state of Washington. We seek to be fully integrated into decision-making processes at every stage of policy development, rather than being informed about decisions after the fact. To achieve this goal, Our Policy and Advocacy Department is dedicated to understanding the shape of public policy initiatives at the Federal, State, and local levels affecting our work, and the communities we serve. Our purpose is to identify key issues, create alliances, and build support with both the East African Immigrant and Refugee Community, as well as other community partners for critical policy objectives that align with VOT’s mission and vision.

So, What Has the Policy and Advocacy Team Been Up To?
Listening and Learning! The 2023 Washington State Legislature is currently in session. This means your state senators and representatives are drafting new bills, listening to public testimony at hearings, taking meetings with their constituents, and voting on legislation. Actions and decisions made during this time often result in meaningful impacts for residents, therefore VOT hopes to ensure we remain informed on key issues.

In January and early February, our team traveled to the state Capitol to learn and support our allies in this work, including the Washington State Association for HeadStart and ECEAP, and Child Care Resources. We are tracking many of the bills being debated right now that include topics affecting children, childcare providers, and families; and learned a lot about the political process and laws currently being proposed.

Legislation of Interest:
Many bill proposals are being floated through our State Capitol right now. While these may or may not pass, these are the types of proposals Voices of Tomorrow hopes to influence in the future, alongside members of the East African Immigrant and Refugee Community and fellow early learning professionals. Some of the unique bills that we are currently monitoring are:

  • House Bill (HB) 1199 - This bill seeks to ensure that providers can run childcare businesses in their homes without landlords or homeowners’ associations restricting their ability to do so.
  • HB 1511 - This bill intends to expand eligibility for ECEAP and childcare subsidies, like Working Connections Child Care. By removing certain income requirements, the goal is to ensure more families qualify for affordable childcare options.

What does the Policy & Advocacy Department mean for you?
Voices of Tomorrow recognizes that we cannot do this work alone! For the remainder of the year, we will be actively engaging with members of our community to learn about the most pressing issues affecting them and provide training opportunities for solution-based action. We believe in the power of organizing and collective action, and we hope you’ll join us as we launch our upcoming Advocacy 101 series and Civic Boot Camp seminars. Through these initiatives, we will cover important topics such as Understanding the Political Process, How to Become an Advocate, Voting, and Knowing Your Rights!

We encourage you to keep an eye out for upcoming newsletters, invitations to listening sessions, trainings, and more events that enable you to get involved and make a difference. Together we can make our voices heard and create a positive change in our communities!

Meet our Policy and Advocacy Department | PDF


Adult Education - A Village To Raise A Child And Their Guardians

It takes a village to raise a child, is an ancient proverb.

At Voices of Tomorrow, we also realize it takes a village to empower parents.

Anyone who’s raised children will certainly agree that there is no “manual” or “handbook” for raising children, as every child is different.

And all circumstances in which a child is born, vary from family to family; making parenting an activity where skills are needed, but where do parents go to get prepared?.

Voices of Tomorrow works to empower and prepare King County families to elevate their voices and to forge new ways to engage in what they want and need to support children in their families.

VoT has built a program to help the most vulnerable families in the Greater Seattle region - East African migrants and refugees from Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, or Kenya.

Metro Seattle is home to more than 40,000 people who were originally born in a country in East Africa but have now made Washington State their new home.

Thus VoT has advisors fluent in Somali, Amharic, or Oromo - common languages spoken in East African homes and communities.

As VOT strives to give children roots of community connection and shared language — we firmly believe that providing supports to families and caregivers is critical to turning this idea into action.

VOT views its early learning services as an anchor to the community and while our early learning programs provide valuable support to children, we know that there must be a seamless connection between school and home.

To learn more about our Adult Education services, that include financial literacy training, basic needs support, and other tools to help your family raise strong and happy children, visit our services page here or contact [email protected].


Health Services - Focus on Health, Body & Mind Project

February: Identifying Trauma Reactions To Create A Safe​ Environment For Children​

We often separate mental health from physical health. One might say, “I’m going to the gym to get in shape” or they may also say “I’m going to a therapist to get my head right”. Our brains are part of our bodies, so we’d be wise to realize mental health is physical, and physical health is mental health. The two are linked, and cannot be separated.

A Mind, Body & Culture Home Visiting Program is available for children from birth to 30 months of age. It can be provided on its own or as a complement to other early childcare programs. The program allows parents to choose either virtual or home-based weekly visits to enhance family relationships, basic communication skills, and preparation for school.

Link with Voices of Tomorrow to learn about opportunities for home-based early childcare, preschool programs, parent training, employment, and professional development.

Wellness Education is offered to families, staff, community members, and allied professionals.

Founded in 2012 by two East African professionals who came together to achieve one goal: “Helping today’s children for a better tomorrow.”  VoT takes pride in delivering a wide array of comprehensive services for immigrant and refugee children, families, and in-home early childhood providers in King County.

Unfortunately, our community experiences racism and other oppression due to immigrant status that results in health, education, and financial inequity, and has a negative affect on our mental, emotional, and physical health. But our faith, community, and heritage give us strength to overcome any challenges.

For this month, we are providing resources to identify trauma reactions in children and creating an environment of safety to benefit their mental, emotional, and physical health. To ensure our program meets the needs of the community we serve, VOT relies heavily on support and input from both partners and community members.

VOT has a licensed independent clinical social worker on staff ready to offer behavioral health experience and knowledge to the early childhood/learning programs.​

In-depth staff training is being provided to teach information on compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion resilience. Specialized information is being shared about how trauma appears in early childhood and ways staff can support families to address the problems and recover from critical events common to immigrants and refugees from East African countries who settle in the United States.