Ethnic Heritage Council

Time 2020-12-20 16:04:21

Web Name: Ethnic Heritage Council

WebSite: http://www.ethnicheritagecouncil.org

ID:140527

Keywords:

Ethnic,Heritage,Council,

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Home The Next EHC RoundtableSunday, December 6 2-4 pmBring your favorite holiday snacks and drinks to this gathering and enjoy brief presentations on winter celebrations from representatives of seven communities: Afghan, African American, Filipino, Hungarian, Jewish, Norwegian, and Uzbek. We ll give you a chance, too, to tell us something about your own traditions and celebrations.RSVP Now!7th Annual Romanian Film FestivalConducting and Preserving Your Oral History ProjectsUW Libraries archivists and librarians will guide you through an interactive discussion followed by an instruction session on conducting an oral history interview and designing projects around oral histories, including interviewing tips, sample permission forms, and what kinds of digital files to use.They will share links to many exciting projects that are available online.Kent Meridian Senior High Key ClubOral History ProjectMembers will present their experiences in recording their family histories through this special history project. Key Club is an international student-led organization that helps members with opportunities to provide service in their communities, to build character, and to develop the leadership skills needed in the future. Kent Meridian Senior High is part of Pacific Northwest District, Division 32 PNW Kiwanis.http://kmkeyclubroyals.weebly.com/The Ethnic Heritage Council (EHC) is proud to announce this year’s award recipients, to be honored at EHC’s 40 th Anniversary celebration. The special event is rescheduled to Spring 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, date to be determined. The awards program with annual meeting is EHC’s major annual event. The award recipients represent extraordinary achievements and contributions to the region’s cultural and community life.Download full printable press release here.Rita Zawaideh2020 “Spirit of Liberty” AwardEstablished in 1986 and given to a naturalized citizen who has made a significant contribution to his or her ethnic community and ethnic heritage, as well as to the community at large.For decades, Rita Zawaideh has been an advocate and change-maker on behalf of Middle Eastern and North African communities in the United States and around the world. She is a “one-person community information center for the Arab community,” according to the thousands who have benefited from her activism and philanthropy. “The door to Rita’s Fremont office is always open,” says Huda Giddens of Seattle’s Palestinian community, adding that Rita s strength is her ability to see a need and answer it. “She doesn’t leave a stone unturned in search of a solution,” says Giddens. READ MOREBart Brashers2020 Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial AwardEstablished in 1983 for significant contributions to an ethnic community and to the community at large. The award is named for a revered founding member of EHC who exemplified the organization’s missionThe selection of Bart Brashers for the Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial Awardpresented a fascinating opportunity to explore how a person’s daytime occupationmight seem unrelated to the avocation where they spend most of their time afterwork. Bart was brought to our attention because of his extraordinary achievementsin preserving Swedish traditional music and dance. However, an interview of Bartrevealed that what he does as an atmospheric scientist touches all our lives everyday and happens to have a Nordic connection, just as his commitment to culturalpreservation does. READ MORERandal Bays Co-RecipientGordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial AwardEstablished in 1990 for excellence in ethnic performance and leadership in the community in the traditional cultural arts. It is named for a musician and documentarian, who devoted four decades to the study, performance and promotion of Nordic traditional music and dance. The Gordon Ekvall Tracie Music Library is located in the Natinal Nordic Museum.Living among us in Olympia, Washington is a self-taught, Irish style fiddler and guitarist, born in Indiana, who is considered among the best Irish style fiddlers of his generation. His discography is vast, including recordings with Ireland’s top traditional musicians. He has performed throughout Europe, Canada and the U.S. and played for the President of Ireland. This international treasure is Randal Bays, who enriches our lives all year with performances and who provides classes and opportunities for youth to assure that this fine art form will live on. READ MOREEmiko NakamuraCo-RecipientGordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial AwardEvery year in March the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association fills the Event Center of Vasa Park in Bellevue with over 600 guests for Navruz , the Central Asian celebration of the spring equinox. The event is indescribably joyful, with most of the guests newcomers from the diverse nations of Central Asia who have settled in the Northwest since 1990. A huge feast awaits, as the Uzbek Ambassador or another representative from Uzbekistan arrives, along with Seattle public officials. Children are everywhere, intoxicated by music from the loudspeakers. But the highlight is the dance performance program of Emiko Nakamura and her students in stunning multi-colored costumes, most of them created by Emiko, and featuring dances from a part of the world we hardly knew when the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association was established as the first US/USSR sister city in 1973. READ MOREBud Bard2020 Ethnic Heritage Council Leadership and Service AwardEstablished in 2018 to honor those who have made extraordinary contributions to the development of the Ethnic Heritage Council.On May 21, 2019 the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle announced that Burton Bard, Jr. of Seattle would receive the 2019 Spring Decoration from the Government of Japan. The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays was awarded Bud in a ceremony at the Japanese Consulate, “in recognition of his contributions in promoting friendly relations and mutual understanding through facilitating sister city relationships between Japan and the United States.” This coveted recognition by the Japanese nation spoke to the breadth of Bud’s decades-long dedication to the development of intercultural organizations and their important role in our society. There is probably not an international or multi-ethnic organization that Bud has not reached out to over the years. In 1978 he made a commitment to what was to become the Ethnic Heritage Council, a commitment that remains to this day, as EHC celebrates its 40 th anniversary. We are deeply grateful and proud to present Bud with the 2020 Ethnic Heritage Council Leadership and Service Award. READ MOREby Kibibi Monié June 1, 2018View Kibibi s recitation of the poemLike the powerful rumbling feel of a locomotive headed towards freedom.Starting out slow and gathering speed.Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee.Like the sound of a rail road car moving towards EQUALITY.Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee,I love your determination to be free, but why should I take a knee?Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee.I know you ve been dehumanized by a system full of all sorts of lies,with false accusations and out and out humiliations fed to theworld with determinations. To keep us down, face down on and into the ground.Take A Knee, Take A Knee.I stand accused of not setting you free, but I still see no reason to take a knee.Take A knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, TakeA Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee.Free to build and thrive, Take A Knee.Free to be alive, Take A Knee.Free from mis-education, Take A Knee.Free from improper incarceration,All forms of mis-appropriation, including mis-representation.Ongoing hateful discrimination, violence and shameful elimination.Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee.If you stand for peace, love and harmony, Take A Knee.If you think we should all be free of poverty, Take A Knee.If the murder of children in our schools is wrong, Take A Knee.If the killing of black people should not go on, been done for far too long.Take A Knee, Take A Knee, Take A Knee.Make things right and set yourself free.With Liberty and justice for ALL!!Kibibi may be contacted atnublack@isomedia.comKibibi recommends the following book by Claud Anderson, EdDA Black History Reader: 101 Questions You Never Thought to AskEHC’s Sixth Annual Picnic is going VIRTUAL!Featuring Ethnic Comfort Food DemonstrationsRecipes provided!Eva Bertalan Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás) download recipe hereEva Bertalan grew up in southeast Hungary and moved to the U.S. sixteen years ago. She works as Localization Project Manager at a medical company, overseeing translation of the company’s product documentation into 16+ languages. Eva and her Hungarian husband make sure their two daughters retain their heritage language by speaking Hungarian at home and encouraging attendance at language classes. While she appreciates other cuisines, Eva makes sure her family gets to enjoy real Hungarian food. Gulyás (Goulash) is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country. It is a soup more than a stew, prepared from beef, veal, pork, lamb or chicken and vegetables. It is served with small egg noodles, called Nokedli. Eva can be contacted at evabertalan@hotmail.comGeorgia McDade, PhD“Mary’s Instant Shrimp Creole”download recipe hereGeorgia S. McDade, PhD, is a charter member of the African-American Writers’ Alliance (AAWA) and began reading her stories in public in 1991. Her first book, Travel Tips for Dream Trips, features questions and answers about her six-month solo trip around the world. She is author of Outside the Cave, four volumes of poetry; and Observation and Revelations: Stories, Sketches, and Essays. The retired English professor is working on two biographies and journals from her trip around the world. She made her professional introduction to playwriting in Michael B. Maine’s We Out Here ; and the South Seattle Emerald and Leschinews regularly carry her columns.With co-host Jim Cantú, she interviews guests for the show Hearts and Soul on KVRU (105.7) and KBCS (107.3).Georgia was born in Louisiana and has lived in Seattle since 1969. She may be contacted at gsmcdade@msn.com .Linda Hormthoum Laotian Egg Rolls download recipe hereLinda Hormthoum arrived in Seattle 15 years ago and brought with her a great joy in cooking her native Laotian dishes. Her dream is to own a food truck for her start-up business, called P J Loydee. Meanwhile, on any given night she might be catering some specialties that a growing number of acquaintances have discovered from her developing menu. Linda works at a bakery part-time, and with her husband is raising three young children, who have taught their parents what it’s like to go to school through Zoom.Conversations with Linda are filled with laughter as she frequently expresses how much she enjoys just about anything that her daily routines ask of her. Linda can be contacted at n.hormthoum@gmail.comMusical interludes on the accordion by John Morovich, 2016 Recipient of EHC’s Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial Award for excellence and leadershipin traditional cultural arts.The Next Ethnic Community Leaders RoundtablePart II of “Preserving and Teaching Heritage Languages”Via Zoom on your phone or computerPART II “Preserving and Teaching Our Heritage Languages”What are the challenges? Has the pandemic impacted your language program?We welcome back to hear more on your programs and needs:Michele Anciaux Aoki International Education and World Languages AdvocateOtilia Baraboi EHC Board Member, Executive Director of the American Romanian Cultural Society, and teacher of the Romanian LanguageEasy Registration Required. Sign up and we’ll notify you how to connect.Example: Here is Otilia Baraboi’s brief PowerPoint on the Romanian classes she has organized and the challenges she has faced.Submit your graphic to us or just send us three or four points that describe your program and challenges so we can put them on the screen.This resource list provided by Michele Anciaux Aoki of Washington State Coalition for International Education“Perhaps as many as one-quarter of nonprofit groups — mostly small and midsize — may fail.” This is the assessment of Frederick S. Lane of the Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Managementin providing this article with checklist in the April 11, 2020 Chronicle of Philanthropy online newsletter. Read it here.Experts at the Center believe that the worst threats of Covid-19 will last many months and that full recovery for charities will take at least five years.Let’s all work together to prove him wrong.Dear Friends of Ethnic Heritage Council:Washington Nonprofits continues to provide counsel and educational opportunities, as we all make program adjustments during this COVID-19 pandemic. Here is recent information, including a reminder about the 2020 Census.Washington Nonprofits is monitoring how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting nonprofits. Visit Coronavirus Response Resources for Nonprofit s blog post for the latest information and to register for upcoming webinars.You can take part at home in Washington Nonprofits not-to-be-missed annual conference!The 2020 Washington State Nonprofit Conference, The Power of Participation will not take place as an in-person event due to COVID-19 precautions; but conference organizers, through extraordinary efforts,will present the entire opportunity remotely May 19-20. The Deep Dive Webinars will be spread over a couple of weeks. Same fees will apply, with special offer if three or more from your organization participate. Postings of the program schedule will start April 1 but you can get preview information athttps://wastatenonprofitconference.org/The Importance of the 2020 Census to Non-Profits and to everyone!Census registration has probably reached you online in recent days. There is a lot at stake: how tax dollars are spent: who gets roads, schools, and services; who is represented in government. Without an accurate count, it will be impossible to create fair maps that truly represent the communities who live there. There are fewer public resources allocated for outreach this time around, so communities need to work together to ensure an accurate count. Washington Nonprofits has a website with information on getting resources and how to help spread the word.https://washingtonnonprofits.org/census/EHC will keep you posted on any further rescheduling of our own programs. Watch for upcoming announcement of the 2020 Ethnic Heritage Council Award Winners.Warmest regards. Stay safe.The EHC Board of DirectorsFree full-day workshop on preserving the cultural and historical record of your ethnic community, organizations, and families.Traditional Croatian lunch available for $15.00 cash donation at the door.rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org for workshop and lunch reservationDownload flyer here for more information.DEADLINE FOR PERFORMANCES PERFORMANCE APPLICATIONS:March 2DEADLINE FOR ARTS SHOWCASE SUBMISSIONS:March 22We fulfill our mission in large part by keeping our events free and open to the public. We receive some grant funds; but we depend on you to help us fill in the rest, so we can afford to continue our programs that bring diverse communities together. Join as individual, family, organization, business or patron.Download a membership formhere and hurry it to us by regular mail or scan it and email it to rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org .You can also purchase your membership on line at www.ethnicheritagecouncil.org.Thank you to all who attended our recent bi-monthly gatherings of ethnic community leaders. We look forward to welcoming those who will be coming for the first time for refreshment, getting acquainted and sharing common concerns and interests.2:00 pm: Get acquainted and enjoy refreshments2:30 pm: Presentation by Laura Pierce, Executive Director, Washington NonprofitsWashington Nonprofitsmakes sure nonprofits have what they need to succeed.It provides affordable learning opportunities about all aspects of running a nonprofit organization, opportunities to network and collaborate, and public policy advocacy for nonprofits.Laura will provide an overview of upcoming learning opportunities for your staff and board members, share information about public policy issues and legal changes affecting nonprofits in 2020, and resources for ensuring a complete count during the 2020 Census.3:00 pm: Quick update on 4Culture s Building 4Equity grant application process; break-out groups to brainstorm on what a dream multi-ethnic center might look like and what it might include.RSVP at your earliest convenience torsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.orgor to 206-443-1410. We would be pleased to welcome two persons from your organization.TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING: Some parking is available in the ECS lot.Street parking on Rainier Avenue is an option. Metro Route 7 bus stop is “S. Rose St.,” one block from ECS.HISTORY OF THE ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY IN SEATTLEThe roots of ECS trace back to 1980 when Ethiopians in Seattle gathered to discuss the formation of a local organization focused on preserving culture and enhancing camaraderie. In 1987, the organization incorporated as a non-profit community-based organization designed and led entirely by the Ethiopian community.https://www.ecseattle.org/about-usRENTAL SPACES AT ECS:Rent our large hall, meeting rooms, and/or kitchen for weddings, meetings, graduations, etc. Please fill out an application available online or contact our ECS office for rates and more information: (206) 325-0305. Any extension can help you.Joe Seamons and Ben Hunter give a riveting performance of roots music after accepting the 2019 Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial Award for leadership and excellence in musical performance at EHC’s Annual Meeting Dinner Awards Ceremony in Washington Hall. Nominations are now open for the 2020 Annual Ethnic Heritage Council Awards atwww.ethnicheritagecouncil.org.Deadline is February 15.Three free “We Are History Keepers” workshops in Bellevue, Kent and Seattle, with the next full-day workshop set for March 21 at Slavonian Hall in Tacoma.Three gatherings for ethnic community leaders at Waterfront Space of the future Seattle Waterfront Park, Swedish Club and Russian Community Center. The next gathering will be held January 12 at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle center, with space needs of ethnic communities a continuing major topic of discussion.Annual partnership with the International Children’s Friendship Festival at Seattle Center, completing its tenth year.Annual Meeting Dinner Awards Ceremony at Washington Hall, saluting the Hall’s important place in Seattle’s ethnic history and honoring four award recipients for extraordinary contributions to their own communities and the community at large.Fifth Annual EHC Ethnic Potluck Picnic at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural CenterBooth presence at the annual Kent International FairOnline calendar of events in the ethnic communitiesReferrals upon request for contacts in the region s ethnic communitiesInformation on community workshops and grant opportunities for ethnic organizations forwarded to members, supporters and others on EHC s email listLiability insurance coverage for events of organizations without 501(c)(3) statusNext year marks 40 years of fulfilling our mission of sharing and preserving ethnic heritage to advance mutual understanding.We’ll celebrate with a day of activities open to the public, including an abbreviated “We Are History Keepers” workshop, booths and exhibits, ethnic food offerings, annual awards reception, and youth performance showcase. Details to come.You re Invited!Support EHC With a Membership or RenewalWe fulfill our mission in large part by keeping our events free and open to the public. We receive some grant funds; but we depend on you to help us fill in the rest, so wecan afford to continue our programs that bring diverse communities together. Join as individual, family, organization, business or patron. PresentationandQ ASessionwithEldon Tam. Project Manager4Culture sBuildingforEquityProgramRSVP torsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.orgor 206-443-1410Thank you to all who attended the first in our series of bi-monthly gatherings of ethnic community leaders held on September 15 at the Swedish Club. We look forward to seeing you again on November 3, along with all others who were not able to attend the first get-together.2:00 p.m: Refreshments, featuring Russian desserts prepared by the Sisterhood of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral2:30 pm: Presentation and Q A with Eldon Tam of 4Cultureon what to look forward to with King County s new Building for Equity Fund and how it relates to existing 4Culture building and space needs programs.3:30 pm: Choose the topic and speaker for the third gathering on January 12 from among issues and concerns named by participants on September 15. We will ask your ideas for EHC s 40th Anniversary event.RSVP at your earliest convenience to rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org or to 206-443-1410. We would be pleased to welcome two persons from your organization.TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING: On street parking available and from 2-4 p.m. the parking lot of St. Joseph Parish across the street from the Russian Community Center. The #12 Metro Transit bus stop is at the Russian Community Center.Please join us for socializing, refreshment and learning from each other.HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN COMMUNITY CENTERWith the arrival of a large number of Russian immigrants after World War II, an interest in community life was renewed.In 1952 a group of new and longtime immigrants formed a club and, one year later, acquired a temporary hall which served as the Russian Community Center for six years.In 1959 the club obtained the former Roycroft Theater on Seattle s Capitol Hill.The interior was remodeled froma motion picture theater into a ballroom/auditorium with a theater stage.The Center opened to the public on October 29, 1960.Two Balalaika Orchestras were formed at the Russian Community Center as well as a theatrical group which staged countless productions, enhancing the cultural life of the community.In past years, the RCC has been home to a chess club, Russian art gallery, and puppet theater.Promoting Russian Culture has always been of primary importance to the RCC.Over the years the Executive Board and Ladies Auxiliary have organized innumerable social events: concerts by local and visiting performing artists; annual crafts and food bazaars; spring, autumn, and New Year s balls; and children s talent shows.RENTAL SPACES: The RCC has a large ballroom/auditorium and adjoining small ballroom/gallery available for rent. For information and booking 206-232-3877or rent@russiancommunitycenterseattle.orgYou re invited to the next in a series of gatherings of ethnic community leaders for refreshments and sharing information on specific topics. Special guest will beChiekoPhillips, Heritage Lead at 4Culture, who will answer your questions about the Building for Equity Fund described below and other space needs programs. Sunday, November 3, 2019 2-4 pmRussian Community Center704 19th Avenue EastSeattle, WA 98122rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.orgThis new $20 million initiative will support the space needs of small, rural, and POC-led organizations.Is that you? Your insight is critical.Share it in this 10-minute survey that is due October 31.The King County Council passed legislation to approve Building for Equity, a joint initiative between 4Culture, Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council. This $20 million initiative supports the existing needs of building projects within the cultural sector and creates a pathway for 4Culture to evolve its funding practices toward more equitable outcomes. The legislation was passed July 1, 2019.For full press releasehttps://www.4culture.org/press-building-for-equity/To read the September 2019 4Culture newletter with this informationhttps://www.4culture.org/grants-artist-calls/building-for-equity/Sign up to receive 4Culture newsletters on a regular basishttps://www.4culture.org/about-4culture/newsletter/Bring your organization s event and background information for placement on our Ethnic and Community Events information table at the picnic.Spread the word about our picnic!in collaboration with Seattle s Sister City Associationsand Northwest Folk Dancers IncorporatedFriends of Waterfront SeattleGreek-AmericanHistoricalMuseum of Washington StateLabor Archives of Washington, UW Labor History ExhibitNIKKY AfricanaNW African American MuseumNorthwestFolkDancersIncorporatedSeattle-Surabaya (Indonesia) Sister City AssociationWashingtonStateCoalitionofAfrican Community LeadersWorld System Builder Financial Education for allZulaika Educational programs on Arabic culturesRSVP today with your name(s) torsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.orgBring an ethnic or favorite dish or dessert to share!You ll have a chance to tell us about the tradition behind the food you ve brought and your dish may win a prize!We ll have prizes for the Most Interesting Ingredients, Most Flavorful, and the Most Colorful dishes!The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center is located on 20 acres in Seattle s Discovery Park in the Magnolia neighborhood.The address for Discovery Park is:3801 West Government Way, Seattle, 98199. Once inside the park, follow the signs directing to Daybreak Star.To travel by Seattle Metro Bus, take #33 towards Magnolia from 4th and Pike/Pine to the final stop. Follow the signs directing the .4 mile walk to Daybreak Star.Daybreak Star map and directionsThe Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center is the home of United Indians of All Tribes. The building is an impressive example of modern architecture incorporating traditional cedar and many elements of the Northwest Native design.Opening in 1977 after seven years of struggle and development, the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center owes its existence to Native American activists. In 1970, led by Bernie Whitebear, the Indian community and supporters staged a non-violent occupation of a portion of the land by right of discovery for the use of Indian people, after most of the Fort Lawton military base was declared surplus by the U.S. Department of Defense.Daybreak Star serves as an event venue and conference center. It is popular for powwows, weddings and meetings. The center houses a multi-ethnic pre-school, Native Workforce staff, Ina Maka Family Services, Foster Care program, and the Sacred Circle Art Gallery. The center is the nucleus of Native American cultural activity in this region. For more information visit: Daybreak Star CenterThank you to all who attended our annual celebration honoring the 2019 award recipients and saluting historic Washington Hall, the gathering place for so many ethnic groups and performers since its establishment in 1908 by the Danish Brotherhood in America, Lodge No. 29, SeattleEHC photos by Martin Ng. Look for more images soon on our website.Ana Mari Cauce, Ph.D.2019 Spirit of Liberty Award to a naturalized citizen for contributionto his or her ethnic heritage andto the community at large2019 Aspasia Phoutrides PulakisMemorial Award for significant contributions to an ethnic community and the community at largeJoe Seamons Ben Hunter2019 Gordon Ekvall TracieMemorial Award for excellence in ethnic performance and leadership in the community in traditional cultural artsWe also salute Washington Hall, established in 1908 by the Danish Brotherhood of Seattle and later owned by the Sons of Haiti. The hall became an important venue for ethnic communities and other organizations who had not yet built their own halls or churches, and for performers who did not have access to other venues. A rich account of these dozens of ethnic and other organizations has been compiled by Zola Mumford and published by HistoryLink. Look for mention of your community in this splendid history of Washington Hall https://www.historylink.org/File/10790University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce s dedication to inclusion and education may have its roots all the way back to kindergarten. Her family had settled in Miami before the majority of Cuban immigrants arrived in the U.S., so her teacher made Ana Mari cultural liaison, translating for immigrant children and parents. When people applaud her skill in bringing people together, she says it comes in part from helping her parents understand the American culture. Her father had served as minister of education in Cuba, but in America both parents held working class jobs, including work in a shoe factory. President Cauce s Ph.D. in psychology, with a concentration in child clinical and community psychology led to a focus on diversity concerns. She is a professor of Psychology and American Ethnic Studies, with secondary appointments in the Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies and the College of Education. Her research and teaching have prepared her for the cultural divides in the U.S. today, especially as they result in inequities in access to education. Almost a decade before she became president, she was instrumental in launching the Husky Promise, which guarantees full tuition for eligible Washington students who otherwise could not attend college. She meets with students on a regular basis, pointing out to the community at large that higher education credentials are increasingly important for entry into middle class professions. Her parents never returned to Cuba, but Cauce has returned several times, including a trip on the inaugural flight of Alaska Airlines to Havana in 2017. “I feel incredibly fortunate,” she says, “to be able to help build the connections that will surely grow between the city and country of my birth and Seattle and the state of Washington, which is now my home.“Edith Christensen, Ed.D.2019 Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial Award“Edith came in like a storm,” says Eva Bryce, a fellow member of the Northwest Danish Association, describing the impact of Edith Christensen s leadership skills. “In the past eleven years she has served as president, manager, property manager and event coordinator to keep the Danish Community in the Puget Sound Region connected.“ Born in a Danish enclave in Montana and speaking only Danish until school entrance, Edith moved with her family to Seattle as a child. Their first apartment was a block from Washington Hall, where her father continued his membership in the Danish Brotherhood and her mother the Sisterhood. Their deep involvements are the seeds that blossomed as Edith s cultural passion. Originally educated as a pharmacist, Edith founded Evergreen School for Gifted Children in Shoreline in 1963. Bob Fuller, former board member of The Evergreen School calls her a “fiscal conservative,” whose methods put her creativity at full throttle. She started with six students and today Evergreen has more than 470. She took no salary for the first 14 years and was aided in the financial planning by her very committed husband, Frank, a CPA. While teaching and running the school she earned both a master s degree and a doctorate in education. Alfred Yi, now enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, credits Edith s teaching and the school for giving him direction early in life. “Coming from a family who speaks Korean in the house and with no experience navigating higher education, Dr. Christensen helped facilitate my learning and growth to become a successful student.” The last two years of their Evergreen experience, seventh and eighth grade students prepare for an overseas trip through language, culture and history sessions, a program begun by Edith and another teacher many years ago. “When Edith sees a problem, she will find a solution, says Sonja Kromann, NWDA board member. “Under Edith s leadership the Danish Association s building stays fully rented. There is a library, a monthly gathering at a Danish café, countless fundraising events from live auctions and aquavit tastings to online fundraising, and special focus on youth with the Dane Camp and a young Danish parents child group. The NWDA has taken on the leadership, administrative, and financial support of two major programs in the Pacific Northwest Danish American community: the Danish American Cultural Retreat now in its 41st year, and the Himmelbjerget Danish Camp for tweens and teens. Both these programs take place at the Menucha Retreat and Conference Center in Corbett, Oregon. Edith s impact in partnership with the Danish Community in the Northwest has indeed been felt far beyond Seattle. Edith can be reached at seattle@nwdanish.orgBen Hunter and Joe Seamons2019 Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial AwardBen Hunter and Joe Seamons of the Ben and Joe Band are researchers and performers of African American folk music and other American roots styles, particularly from the early 1900s, when thousands of immigrants arrived in the Northwest for farming, logging, fishing and coal mining. On May 19 at the Annual Dinner Meeting and Awards Ceremony of the Ethnic Heritage Council, Ben and Joe will perform in Washington Hall, where many ethnic communities of the early 1900s held their events before building their own halls and churches. Hunter, born in the African nation of Lesotho and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, is a classically trained violinist who studied music around the world. Seamons, raised in the backwoods of Northwestern Oregon, plays the banjo and is devoted to Northwest American folk music. He is the executive producer of the new Smithsonian Folkways album, Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie s 26 Northwest Songs. Hunter and Seamons are nationally and internationally acclaimed, winning the International Blues Challenge in 2016. Their local impact is profound. When Ben and Joe invited Sidney Deering of the Radost Folk Ensemble to do a dance workshop, they offered an amount lower than she usually charges. “But when I got to their Hillman City Collaborative space,” says Deering, “and saw what they were doing, I said ‘Keep your money. You guys are saving the world through folklore. ” “Ben and Joe are pillars in the South Seattle community,” says Beth Fortune, Director of Orchestras at Seattle s Washington Middle School and now at Ballard High School. She is also Director of Education for Wintergrass Festival, where Ben and Joe have been instrumental in the teen programming as educators and performers. “They mentor and impact students not only in the learning of music, but also in the making of positive life choices. They open people s eyes to pressing issues involving the underrepresented, says Fortune. Professor Patricia Campbell of the University of Washington Music Department invites Ben and Joe to her classes as artist-teachers. “Their presentations are so impressive,” says Campbell, as they artfully deliver the essence of their accumulated knowledge of music, education, and culture to music students who are preparing for work in schools and the community. Ben and Joe bring the past to life with music and storytelling to show how the past still lives in the present. This mission will live on in their dedication to the restoration and reopening of Black and Tan Hall, an integrated nightclub in Hillman City, where blacks and whites mingled and performed together beginning in the early 1900s. Ben and Joe can be reached at BenandJoeBand@gmail.com .Relive them at EHC s Annual Meeting Dinner Awards CeremonySunday, May 19, 2019 at historic Washington Hall, SeattleIn 1908, the Danish Brotherhood opened the doors of a spare yet proud brick-faced building in Seattle s Central District and named it Washington Hall. Their hope was to provide boarding facilities to newly arrived Danish immigrants, yet they also declared the building a dance hall and performing arts venue for all and opened the doors of the Hall to the whole community. Many ethnic communities held events there before building their own halls and churches.What is your ethnic community s connection to Washington Hall over the years? Do you have special memories as a child? Do you have photos? Please send your memories and copies of photos to us at rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.orgAnd come back to the hall on May 19 for our meeting dinner and awards ceremony in this, EHC s 39th year of bringing people of diverse communities together. Purchase tickets at www.ethnicheritagecouncil.orgWatch for an announcement soon of the 2019 recipients of the Pulakis and Tracie Memorial Awards, with special recognition of University of Washington PresidentAna Mari Cauce, who will receive EHC s “Spirit of Liberty” Award.Awards will be presented at the May 19 Dinner Awards Ceremony,Washington Hall is a project of Historic Seattleand is managed through a partnership with 206Zulu, Hidmo, and Voices Rising.For more history on Washington Hall, click the link below.The EHC/UW Libraries We Are History Keepers Workshops are featured in the March 2019 issue of Columns, the alumni magazine of the University of Washington.Click on the button to read the article.Thank you to the Columns editors for this opportunity to tell the workshop story and encourage readers to attend future workshops.See also Northwest journalist Knute Berger s article on the November 2017 Kent Workshop in Crosscut. Read it here.Saturday, March 23 – Join the Kent Focus Group to plan the Third Annual Kent We Are History Keepers Fall Workshop.You re invited to join this lively planning session to give us your ideas for this year s workshop to occur in October. The workshop mission is to guide ethnic communities and families in preserving their cultural and historical records as part of Northwest history. Please join us Saturday for this important opportunity to help design the content of the fall workshop.Saturday, March 23, 2019, 10 am NoonKent Historical Museum855 E Smith St, Kent, WA 98030Hosted by the Greater Kent Historical Society and co-sponsored by the Ethnic Heritage Council and University of Washington Libraries. RSVP today to the Kent Historical Museum at 253-854-4330.Sat Sun, April 6-7 – Tenth Anniversary of International Children s Friendship Festival, Seattle Center, Fisher Pavilion, 11 am 6 pm both daysEthnic Heritage Council is a partner with ICFF in bringing this delightful experience of learning through passports to culture tables and live performances. It is for children from 5-15 and is run by children, with a theme of Peace at Home, Peace in the World. A record 43 cultures will be represented on this anniversary year. Food will be available for purchase on site and from a food truck outside. Student Community Service Opportunity: Remember to bring your Community Hours Form for signature by TACAWA as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.Please spread the word by sharing the ICFF social media activities with your friends and families.Click on the links below or visit ICFF s web site http://childrensfest.tacawa.org/Save Sunday, May 19, 4-7 pmfor EHC s Annual Meeting Dinner Awards Ceremony, this year at the historic Washington Hall. Watch for details early next week on registering for the dinner and on the announcement of this year s recipients of the Pulakis and Tracie Memorial Awards. See our website for information on past Annual Award Recipients at www.ethnicheritagecouncil.org.In addition to the Pulakis and Tracie Memorial Awards, EHC will make a special presentation of our Spirit of Liberty Award to University of Washington President, Ana Mari Cauce.If you wish to reserve a place at the dinner before payment ($50.00/person), please send a note to rsvp@ethnicheritagecounciorg . We also invite you to send us your memories of how your organization s history is connected to the history of Washington Hall. Submit those memories and copies of photos to rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org.The Office of the Secretary of State of Washington is sponsoring low-cost learning events across Washington and online this spring, including full day Tools for Running an Effective Nonprofit and other shorter workshops on board development, finances, legal issues and other subjects. Click on the button for full information and take advantage of these excellent opportunities.Give us the basics of your ethnic event: who, what, when, where and why with a link to more information and we ll put it on our events calendar.We fulfill our mission in large part by keeping our events free and open to the public. We receive some grant funds; but we depend on you to help us fill in the rest, so we can afford to continue our programs that bring diverse communities together. You can join as individual, family, organization orbusiness or patron.Download a membership form here and hurry it to us by regular mail or scan it and email it to rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org . You can also purchase your membership on line at www.ethnicheritagecouncil.org . Thank you for your support.ICFF and EHC invite your children to participate inthe 10thAnniversary Celebration of theInternational Children s Friendship Festival, SeattleSaturday and Sunday, April 6-7, 201911:00 am-6:00 pmFisher Pavilion, Seattle CenterICFF website |@ICFFSeattle|FacebookICFF is the premier children s cultural festival in thePacific Northwest. Our mission is to help build a peaceful future where all peoples of the world respect, appreciate, and enjoy the many rich and diverse cultures that make up our global community. The festival motto is Peace at home and peace in the world

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The Ethnic Heritage Council's mission is sharing and preserving ethnic heritage to advance mutual understanding.

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