 Dear Communities,
We’ve come so far since Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, and many cannot help but wonder what he would think if he had lived to see the advances we’ve made towards a more just society. But we still have more work to do to achieve Dr. King’s dream and ensure that every person has equitable opportunities for the American dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We know there are still stark disparities for people of color in the educational system, income, household wealth, home ownership, the criminal justice system, and health outcomes. While all of these challenges impact the families we serve, our work at First Five Years & Beyond focuses on closing the opportunity gap in education so that all young people and their families have the chance to learn, grow, explore, and create a brilliant future for themselves. Our children can achieve anything they set their minds to – all they need is the opportunity and the support of caring adults. We invite you to join us in this important work by taking action this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and throughout the rest of the year. There are many things that you can do to further Dr. King’s legacy, work towards racial justice, and make our community a better place for all, such as mentoring a young person, advocating to local and state legislators for funding and policies that support racial justice, educating yourself on race and social justice issues, and contributing time to organizations fighting for racial equity. Below are some resources to get you started: Take Action
 Want to get involved in meaningful leadership development and advocacy for equitable access to outdoor activities, sports, and physical activity?
The King County Equity Play Coalition (KCPEC) wants your voice to help make play more fun and equitable in Washington State! We are looking to recruit youth ages 13-18 to participate in a Youth Action Team (YAT) that will work to advance diversity, accessibility, and opportunity in youth sports and physical activity so that all youth - particularly youth from historically underserved groups - experience the transformative benefits of play, sports, outdoor recreation and physical activity. KCPEC is a network of 100+ organizations dedicated to challenging and changing systems to shift power and center physical activity as a key part of health and youth development. Members include the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Positive Coaching Alliance, and many more. Compensation A stipend of $16/hour for five hours a month and/or service learning hours Responsibilities: The YAT will be the youth-driven group that will add value to the Coalition by: - Providing unique perspectives as young people to the Coalition’s work - Generating ideas for, providing feedback to, and contributing their time and effort to the Coalition’s strategic initiatives - Supporting the design and execution of the Coalition’s advocacy efforts to ensure youth voices are represented and valued - Collaborating with external youth-focused organizations to plan and execute events/activities Qualifications: Youth ages 13-18. Be part of an organization that is a member of the coalition* Must be able to commit to YAT meeting times Must show willingness and ability to work as a team member Must have the ability to work in a professional environment *If you don't know if your school or organization is a member of the coalition, email us to learn more What we need from you: A completed application 1 sponsor** **Your sponsor is an adult from your organization or school who referred you to apply for YAT and who will support you with your YAT involvement. Application Deadline Deadline is January 14th, 2022 Directions: Option 1: Simply fill out the application and write your response to both Part 1 and Part 2 Option 2: Upload a video of yourself responding to Part 2*** ***Applicants will still need to provide written responses to Part 1, but can respond to Part 2 via video. [email protected]. Representatives of First Five Years & Beyond met with the King County Equity Play Coalition today, learning that they may extend the deadline for applications through the end of January. If the link does not work, we can provide a printed copy of the applications. |
