The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast
Executive Director of Wise, Cesilee Coulson, speaks with Katherine Carol about leading with humility on The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast. Click the image to open the podcast in a separate tab!
Employment First in Washington 2018 Report
Washington State has a ‘New Employment Report’ to share! Please take a few minutes to read through the latest news on Competitive Integrated Employment in Washington State.
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Click this link to view the report: https://www.gowise.org/resources/employment-first/washington-state/5968-2/
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
JIM COREY: Did you know that Martin Luther King’s watershed speech “I have the dream” was actually about jobs, and that the 1963 March on Washington was actually known as the “1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”? In almost all of MLK’s major speeches and writings he addresses jobs as one of the major things our society needs to address so that people are able to lift themselves out of poverty. Let me quote, “We call our demonstration a campaign for jobs and income because we feel the economic question is the most crucial that black people and poor people in general are confronting.”
Martian Luther King led the way for Employment for All.
What can we do, almost 60 years later, to make the dream of employment for all possible?
We look forward to this discussion. Thank you very much. Thank you Martin Luther King.
Season’s Greetings from Wise!
From all of us at Wise, wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday filled with warm memories and plenty of good cheer!
2017-18 Annual Report Available Now!
The Wise annual report for 2017-18 is available now, click here!
Each year our staff and associates set out to provide high quality training and technical assistance first within the Pacific Northwest and second to those seeking to improve integrated employment in their locations. You’ll find in the report that during this past year we provided thousands of hours of training and technical assistance across Washington and Oregon.
Along the way we observed several themes of note. National trends continue to lean heavily toward increasing competitive integrated employment service enrollment, delivery and outcomes. Many states are implementing minimum training standards and seeking stateside training and technical assistance services to build employment service capacity. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities continue to seek quality community-based services and supports, yet funding and service capacity lag the demand. The passion and leadership for employment equity continues to grow with veteran and emerging leaders in self advocacy demanding at least minimum wages and jobs that help meet employer needs. For example, from her closing remarks at the 2017 WA State Employment First Forum, Ivanova Smith shares the following:
“When people say some can’t work! Or some can’t live in community or some can’t make minimum wage it hurts all of us. We all can work! We all can benefit from inclusion in community! We need to end systems that allow for oppression based on functioning labels. Even if all a person can do it smile that is enough! They are valued Person. We all are human beings that deserve the dignity of work and community! That is why am for Employment First for all!”
We hope that you enjoy reading our report as much as we enjoyed developing it and delivering the work!
New Staff at Wise…
We are excited to share some changes to our Team at Wise this spring. We have recently welcomed a new program manager, Josie Sparks. Josie brings years of experience in employment and community inclusion program development. In addition, we have added a new position of operations and communications coordinator to the Team. Morgan Cain, currently serving as our accounting and administrative assistant, has been promoted to this new position beginning May 1. We are very much looking forward to the impact Josie and Morgan will make in their new roles at Wise.
Josie Sparks possesses deep experience supporting individuals with and without disabilities in various settings. She bring years of experience leading teams to explore and experience their greatness. Josie has worked with a phenomenal team that played an intricate part in supporting people in both vocational and community settings. She plays a vital role in challenging her team to help people with disabilities achieve personal goals, establishing themselves as contributing members of their communities and finding innovative ways to promote independence. Josie had the pleasure of presenting at the 2017 TASH conference in Atlanta, Georgia where her focus was Community Inclusion and the Pathway to Employment. When she is not working, Josie dedicates her time to her family and competing in Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe racing in the Pacific NW and throughout the United States.
Morgan Cain joined the Wise staff after graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in Psychology. She has always had a passion for social justice, and is excited to be part of a team that is working toward equitable employment for all. She is eager to bring her years of experience in administrative management into the nonprofit sector, and to continue learning the ins and outs of nonprofit management and accounting. When not at work, Morgan enjoys spending time outdoors in the beautiful Seattle area, reading classic novels, and walking her two dogs around Greenlake.