Best Starts OST organization tell their stories far and wide

“What’s a constituent?” the boy asks quizzically, after sounding out the word with a staff member sitting at the table with him. “A constituent,” Amir Noir Soulkin enunciates, “is someone who can vote for a legislator because of where they live. You could say you live in Seattle.” The boy nods and returns to the worksheet in front of him, which lays out how to effectively tell a story to elected officials. The kids and staff from East African Community Services, all wearing custom t-shirts that say, “Advocacy Day 2020!” in bold blue letters, are dutifully crafting their talking points in preparation for … [ ]

Program Spotlight—Accelerator YMCA in Kent

The Accelerator YMCA program provides holistic support to young people and their families who have experienced trauma, helping them feel safe, successful, and happy. The Accelerator YMCA program takes place in three King County Housing Authority (KCHA) properties in Kent that include Valli Kee, Cascade Homes, and Birch Creek. The partnership between KCHA and YMCA began back in 2016 and serves 7th- 12th graders. Together, they offer a range of programs from fitness club, book club, leadership groups, and art and cooking activities after school. Accelerator YMCA Kent team members, Rabecca Stewart and Jay Faggins participate in the Housing & … [ ]