Next lunch and learn will expose how disabilities have affected Latinos

February 26, noon to 1 p.m.

Latinos in the U.S. face challenges that are systemic, economic, and social. Imagine how much more challenging your life might be if you also were managing a disability. As we seek to achieve equity for marginalized groups, we sometimes must remind ourselves to be inclusive.

The Latino Leadership Network is teaming up with the Disability Inclusion Network to help us better understand disabilities, how prevalent they are, and to learn how we can be better advocates for them in our jobs.

Coordinated by LLN’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, the Zoom event will feature a panel discussion with people who will share their first hand experiences as well as insights on ways we can all shift how people with disabilities are treated.

Panelists will include:

  • Joslyn Nelson, chair of the Disability Inclusion Network (DIN), a business resource group for state employees. Nelson will discuss how disabilities have impacted Latino communities and provide steps on how we can move forward together as a community.

  • Rene Morales, Executive Assistant at the Department of Veterans Affairs, who will describe his experience living with trigeminal neuralgia, an invisible disability.

  • Flora Estrada, DEI Innovations Manager at the Office of Financial Management. She will share her experience helping loved ones advocate for appropriate care with their disabilities.

You do not need to preregister to participate. Use this link when it's time to join the session on February 26. 

Peel back cultural differences by sharing a personal recipe for Food for Diversity Project

What is that wonderful aroma that wafts through your home when your favorite family dish is being prepared? Is it the warmth of garlic or the brightness of freshly chopped herbs? Would you be willing to share that experience with others?

As part of its Food for Diversity Project the Washington Immigrant Network (WIN) is collecting family and individual recipes that reflect family traditions and/or cultural backgrounds for a Cultural Recipe Book. Recipes may include photos, stories, and graphics. Based on the responses received, the collection may include folk tales, traditions, and other pearls of wisdom from different cultures. WIN believes everyone has a culture to share and everybody benefits from such sharing. The final publication will be shared electronically with all state employees.

Go to the Special Projects section of the WIN website for instructions on how to contribute to the project before March 1.

Latinx New Year's traditions listening session

In January we helped to melt cross-cultural barriers by inviting people to share their cultural new year traditions. If you missed the live session, you can still absorb the learnings and get to know a few members by listening to their stories on LLN's YouTube channel.  

Hear this fun virtual gathering of Latinx cultures. 

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to find out when new videos are posted.

Vaccination and phase finder tool available

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Latino communities particularly hard. To get the vaccine, you may need to use the state Department of Health's Phase Finder tool and Vaccine Locator.  Tutorials about the process and these online tools are available in Spanish and Mexican indigenous languages.

Spanish: https://fb.watch/3jgmio-7zg

Mixteco Bajo: https://fb.watch/3jgkpJNhpi/

Triqui: https://fb.watch/3jgli1ShRL/

Please share these links with others who might benefit from them.

CHA Washington