Civil rights orgs push for reinvigorating King County Civil Rights Commission, community engagement

The following is public comment submitted on May 22, 2024 to the King County Council regarding the proposed Civil and Human Rights Commission Ordinance.

Hon. Law & Justice Committee Chair Jorge Baron, Vice Chair Claudia Balducci, CM Rod Dembowski, and CM Reagan Dunn,

Thank you for the opportunity to give public comment on the proposed King County Civil and Human Rights Commission Ordinance.

We strongly advocate for the unanimous passage of the proposed ordinance.

We are civil rights organizations advocating for Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander human and civil rights, namely:

Filipino American Political Action of Washington
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates for Greater Seattle.
Asian Pacific Directors Coalition, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition for King County

It’s time that the Ordinance 1) reinvigorate the non-functioning King County Civil Rights Commission that dwindled down to 2 Commissioners, 2) strengthen its responsibility to engage with community to learn of its human/civil rights difficulties and needed support, and 3) articulate how it works with other commissions in King County.

This Commission is very important community engagement forum for our beloved ANHPI communities and others, to articulate our civil and human rights challenges and our needs as we continue to ask for unanswered requests for data disaggregation for focused intervention, and service provider and communications cross-cultural and language competency. Our ANHPI issues are getting worse with the current American divide. We have been increasingly subjected to hate crimes, targeted racist violence, harmful stereotypes, human trafficking, and continuous under investment and under service.

We appreciate King County’s rapid response to the COVID pandemic and declaration of “Racism is a public health crisis.” The Civil Rights Commission has long been neglected. It’s time to do the right thing and unanimously passage this proposed ordinance out of your committee.

We are also going to send a copy of this public comment to the King County Budget Committee for proper funding. Justice delayed is justice denied. Justice underfunded is justice denied.

Thank you.

Respectfully,
Filipino American Political Action Group of WA Political Voice Chair Maria Batayola
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates of Greater Seattle Pres. Connie So
Asian Pacific Directors Coalition Co-Chair Michael Itti

C: King County Budget & Fiscal Management Committee Chair Girmay Zahilay,
VC Rod Dembowski, CM Claudia Balducci, CM George Baron, CM Teresa Mosqueda, and
CM Sarah Perry