Lunar New Year 2026 begins on February 17th and is celebrated by millions of people around the world. The holiday marks the start of the lunar calendar and is observed in many countries and communities, including China, Vietnam (where it is known as Tết), Korea (Seollal), Singapore, Malaysia, and across the global Asian diaspora. While traditions vary by culture, Lunar New Year is generally a time for family gatherings, honoring ancestors, sharing meals, and welcoming renewal

DEI Facilitation and Social Status Workshop in 2 Weeks Our DEI Facilitation and Social Status workshop, facilitated by Dr. J.P. Anderson, is in 2 weeks! This workshop is designed to help organizations identify and repair one of the most common pitfalls of DEIB work: status inversions. This shows up when an organization genuinely wants to advance equity but ends up flipping who is seen as credible instead of changing the deeper rules of the game. Rather than separating compet

Our 2026 Cultures Connecting team retreat was held on January 30th, which coincided with the National Day of Strike, at Reclaim Clay Collective. We debated cancelling but decided to move forward as a way to be in community, to replenish our souls through art, and be connected in person. We had fun (and felt challenged) wheel throwing to make bowls under the guidance of our instructor Andrew (featured above). It wasn't easy but they turned out pretty well! Reclaim Clay Collect

Black History Month is celebrated in February to recognize the significant contributions and sacrifices of African Americans that have often been neglected in U.S. history. Officially recognized in 1976, it honors achievements in areas like science, politics, and culture, while encouraging reflection on the ongoing movements for racial equity and social justice. Here are some things you can do to honor this month: Visit & Support the Northwest African American Museum Buy a B

Like all of you, we too are feeling overwhelmed with ICE, Minnesota, and the 8 deaths so far this year of Geraldo Lunas Campos (1/3), Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres (1/5), Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz (1/6), Renee Good (1/7), Parady La (1/9), Victor Manuel Diaz (1/14), Heber Sanchaz Dominguez (1/14), and Alex Pretti (1/24). This is in addition to the 32 deaths last year, not including Keith Porter who was killed on New Year's Eve. You may be feeling rage and grief. Nikita Gill remind

February is Black History Month Black History Month is celebrated in February to recognize the significant contributions and sacrifices of African Americans that have often been neglected in U.S. history. Officially recognized in 1976, it honors achievements in areas like science, politics, and culture, while encouraging reflection on the ongoing movements for racial equity and social justice. Here are some things you can do to honor this month: Visit & Support the Northwest

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is on Monday, January 19th. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (King Center), established by Coretta Scott King in 1968, is a great resource for commemorating this day. They are holding a teach-in for educators which you can register for here , as well other virtual events such as the 2026 Beloved Community Children's Book Reading and MLK Day Service Project . If you're local to the Puget Sound area, here are some

Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network In this issue, we want to highlight the work of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) whose mission is to build collective power for immigrants and refugees across Washington through peaceful, non-violent, community-led action. WAISN works in multiple areas including policy advocacy and grant making & fund development. They also support deportation defense through a hotline, rapid response network, accompaniment for legal

Are you feeling stuck in your DEIBelonging work? Have you lost momentum for change in your organization? One of the most common pitfalls of DEIB work in teams and organizations is falling into the trap of status inversion . Status inversion shows up when an organization genuinely wants to advance equity but ends up flipping who is seen as credible instead of changing the deeper rules of the game. Rather than separating competence and leadership from things like race, gender

New Lunch & Learn: DEI Facilitation and Social Status Are you feeling stuck in your DEIBelonging work? Have you lost momentum for change in your organization? One of the most common pitfalls of DEIB work in teams and organizations is falling into the trap of status inversion . Status inversion shows up when an organization genuinely wants to advance equity but ends up flipping who is seen as credible instead of changing the deeper rules of the game. Rather than separating c

We are deeply troubled by what we are witnessing across our country. The actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the broader systems that enable harm in the name of “security” or “order,” continue to result in profound human suffering—particularly for immigrants, asylum seekers, and families who are already navigating fear, uncertainty, and loss. Behind every policy, every raid, every detention, are real people: parents, children, partners, neighbors—members

Dr. J.P. Anderson, one of Cultures Connecting’s racial equity specialists, recently joined the University of Washington (UW) as a faculty member in the American Ethnic Studies department where he teaches in the Integrated Social Sciences program (ISS). ISS is designed specifically to accommodate students outside of a traditional campus schedule—and for many, it is their only pathway to a bachelor’s degree. The program serves a wide range of nontraditional students includin

Condemn Illegal Military Attacks on Venezuela Rising Majority , a BIPOC led coalition, has a call to action on Google Docs to help you notify your congressional representative to stop the attacks on Venezuela. They provide a template letter and links to find your representative so you can quickly and easily take action. Watch this Video about Fighting Facism The Ripple Effect Institute shared this guide on things you can do to fight fascism as an antidote to despair. They ta

Train the Trainer Virtual Workshop Next Week! Our Train the Trainer workshop will be next week on January 14-16 from 8:30-12:00pm PT / 11:30-3:00pm ET. The skills developed in this three-day intensive are valuable for individuals who want to further equity work in their communities. Organizations committed to instituting systemic change will benefit by sending a small group of employees who become internal trainers that can provide on-going professional development for staff.

We were fortunate to interview representatives from six different organizations making a positive difference during 2025 and look forward to talking to more members of our community. In the meantime, here is a roundup of all the interviews we did. Make Us Visible: Urgent Action Needed to Include AA&NH/PI History in Schools Make Us Visible (MUV) is nationwide effort to get Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AA&NH/PI) history integrated into K-12 curriculum. We

Blackout Spending at Large Corporations Black Voters Matter , among other organizations, are urging people to avoid buying from major corporations between Thanksgiving and December 5th. SURJ is recommending you boycott Home Depot, Target, and Amazon during this period. They recommend that you redirect spending instead to Black-owned and community-rooted small businesses. Sign this Petition and Consider Opting out of Spotify Spotify has been airing ICE recruitment ads using i

Cultures Connecting End of Year Wrap Up for 2025 Can you believe 2025 is already coming to a close? It's been a tumultuous year for many of us as we've experienced attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, harm to our communities, and the dismantling of rights. It's a lot to take in so for our very last newsletter issue for the year (there will only be one in December), we wanted to share how we've been managing through all of this, as well as highlights of 2025

Can you believe 2025 is already coming to a close? It's been a tumultuous year for many of us as we've seen attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, attacks on our communities, and the dismantling of rights. It's a lot to take in so for our very last newsletter issue for the year (there will only be one in December), we wanted to share with you how we've been managing through all of this, as well as sharing some highlights in order to end on a high note. It's i

In the heart of Seattle’s Chinatown–International District, A Resting Place offers something rare—a culturally rooted sanctuary for grief. Founded by community organizer and grief worker Derek Dizon, the center serves as a “grief and loss cultural resource center,” a place where people can connect with others, honor their ancestors, and themselves. For Derek, grief is inseparable from identity. “When we experience loss, whether it’s the death of a loved one, the displacement

In part 4 of Ilsa Govan's conversation with Delbert Richardson of The Unspoken Truths Traveling Museum, Mr. Richardson talks about the different ways he cultivates belonging when engaging with students. This is the final part of this conversation and parts 1-3 can be found below. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3