At GiveBig last year, I shared that OneAmerica has given me the gift to re-connect and grow my community in a powerful way. We were in our first weeks of quarantining and it was uncertain how long we would be in a global pandemic for. Especially in this past year, OneAmerica has been my home and space to feel connected with people who share my values and will act on them. 

I am proud to say that OneAmerica has been this kind of home for countless others. I would be honored if you would be willing to give to support our work to ensure a vision where we celebrate multilingualism and language access, undocumented communities are included and centered in policies, and we win a more just federal immigration system that grants citizenship to the 11 million undocumented. When you give, I, and OneAmerica are accountable to you. Organized money means that in times of crisis like the pandemic, we can support and show up in solidarity with organizations that center Black lives and work with coalitions that uplift the needs of the undocumented - individual giving and organizing money means that our communities direct us on the issues that we need to focus on. If financial giving is not accessible to you and you’re interested in talking more about how you can support and work with us, please DM me!

LONGER POST:

This year, I have learned invaluable lessons about what it means to build and show up for one another as a community despite, or in spite of, challenges that we face and continue to face. 

George Floyd and the national protests that his death sparked radicalized so many people, especially youth, where opportunities to learn and act in solidarity were shared on social media. Our youth program seemed to double in size and to expand across Washington State as youth reached out to get involved and our current leaders brought more people in. It is shocking to think that I haven’t met at least half of the youth I work with today in person. I can’t say I miss spending two hours driving around King County every day, but I do miss seeing the faces of our leaders and sharing space (and especially food!) together. But we are making it work. Whereas some had to bus or drive for an hour to meet together, it has been a little more accessible to meet up and organize online. Our youth council and education team became a community space in a time that isolated so many. 

In addition to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others, the Presidential race and the way our government has systematically abandoned people, like the homeless and the undocumented, moved people to take action. Grassroots Policy Project’s training I attended over the Summer illustrated what was happening and what we needed to do, perfectly: we needed to use this crisis as an opportunity to build people power and win. 

The end of May 2020, we began a series of trainings, twice a week, in the evenings, all Summer long to equip people with the skills needed to build power. I have always loved education, and one of my favorite parts of community organizing, is how our people grow as leaders. How we must intentionally invest in one another as leaders. Good organizing is transformational - if you aren’t changing, it isn’t working. I have witnessed my leaders become more confident, use what they have learned from our trainings, and become leaders who have followers. I have invested in my youth and my team, and I have felt deeply invested in turn. To take a risk to do something you have not done before, like all our leaders have done, is uncomfortable, but like microtears when you are building muscle, it means you’re growing. After delivering trainings with our team, I have had the privilege to step into the role of steering our Leadership Development program since the beginning of the New Year. 

This past year, I was trusted to help lead a bill with Open Doors for Multicultural Families and Rep. Tina Orwall, that would help multilingual families access and be a part of their child’s education. Although the bill did not pass, we are crossing our fingers the proviso will make it in the final budget and we will have a little win that will serve as a foundation for policy in the future. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with ODMF, be supported by our amazing staff and lobbyist (@Alex Hur), and to have amazing leaders help carry out this work. 

I guess this is why people don’t write blog posts once a year. I can’t believe all of this happened in a year, and at the same time, I have left out so many wins and other amazing work from the rest of our staff and community. Arleen, our organizing director, conducted our organization’s first Public Meeting where we invited Governor Inslee and Supt. Chris Reykdal and asked for their public commitments to our vision and values. My colleagues, Glicerio & Alizeh are running a badass Federal Immigration Team. In coalition with many others, we have created and won a Washington Immigrant Relief Fund (OKAY @Eli Goss & Alizeh!). We had a fun virtual gala (@Robin and Magaly) and continue to organize money along with organizing ideas and organizing people. We have brought on new staff who I’m excited to meet in person (and match clothes with in the office!). Our community has been through a lot with health, work, families, and they have shown over and over how resilient they are. I am so proud to be a part of this organization and community. They are my people, they are good people, and I feel a great sense of belonging here.I am full of gratitude - thank you to so many who have shown up at virtual town halls or phone banks or sent me DMs of love and support. Big (virtual) hugs until I can squeeze ya (for those who are into hugs!) in person. Love and solidarity until then,

Kaitie