History and Background
The Communities of Concern Commission (COC), is a coalition of leaders from Black, Indigenous and communities of color (BIPOC) in urban and rural communities that are disproportionately affected by poverty and have yet to fully benefit from the economic growth that is so apparent in many areas of Washington State.
In 2008 Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, El Centro de la Raza, First Place School, Seattle Indian Health Board and SeaMar Community Health Clinics formed the initial Communities of Concern coalition. The African-American and Latino communities were able to use the $5 million in funding provided in the 2009-2011 biennial budget to begin important projects that would serve their communities. The 2011-2013 session funded $3 million for communities of concern out of the state Housing Trust Fund. First Place built Imani Village, sixteen units to house their formerly homeless students and their families. El Centro de la Raza built Plaza Roberto Maestas, 100 units of affordable housing over childcare space, multi-cultural community center space, office space and retail space. SeaMar Community Health Centers built 35 affordable housing units across from their health clinic in Des Moines. Funding the “Communities of Concern” proviso in the 2009 and 2011 Capital Budgets assured that these projects and others in Communities of Concern were fully developed, and needed housing was built to serve the needs of their communities. $8 million in state investment resulted in almost $70 million in community capital assets.
To increase its impact, in 2017, Communities of Concern organized as a Washington state nonprofit corporation to better facilitate the State’s investments in dedicated funding to COC for the creation of affordable housing and other essential facilities specifically for Black Indigenous People Of Color (BIPOC) communities. The COC developed criteria to evaluate proposed capital projects and identifies and proposes appropriate project funding allocations.
In 2018, the Communities of Concern Commission received $1 million in capital funding from Washington state for project predevelopment by member organizations through an application process designed, reviewed and rated by the Commission. The Commission membership increased to 22 members. To date, 13 projects have been funded with 12 organizations completing their initial predevelopment work. In 2020, the State funded COC for operating and capital budget expenditures in the amount of $500,000. In addition, COC received a $50,000 unrestricted grant from Amazon.
Current Member Organizations: African Community Housing & Development (SeaTac/King County); Asian Pacific Cultural Center (Tacoma); Bethel Christian Church (Seattle); Catholic Community Services of Western WA; Catholic Housing Services of Western WA; Chief Seattle Club (Seattle/King County); Community to Community (Bellingham/Whatcom County); El Centro de la Raza (Seattle); Ethiopian Community in Seattle (Seattle); FilAm Resources for Educational Advancement for Culture & Technology (statewide); First AME Church (Seattle); FAME-Equity Alliance of Washington (Seattle); First AME Housing Association (Seattle); Foundation for Homeless and Poverty Management (Kitsap County); Intramuros Community Development Partners (Seattle/King County); Latino Civic Alliance (statewide); Lummi Stepping Stones (Whatcom County); Native Action Network (statewide); Partners for Rural WA (statewide); SeaMar Community Health Centers (statewide); Seattle Indian Services Commission (Seattle/King County); Survival of American Indians Association (Nisqually); Tibetan Association of Washington (statewide), United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (Seattle); and, the Washington State Catholic Conference (statewide).
We Are Accountable To:
The Communities of Concern Commission represents and works for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian/Pacific Islander community members throughout the state of Washington. We work for immigrants and refugees, rural farm workers, and those living furthest from justice and opportunity. Each organization member brings to our table their constituents, their perspectives, hopes, dreams and concerns. We value and support one another, recognizing the complexities and the differences of each community, yet fully aware we are stronger together than apart. These are the people to whom we are accountable.
Solidarity Statement
We recognize that the Black community is experiencing a perfect storm of pain. While our hearts are broken with the continued killing of Black people, our core is strengthened with the resolve of our Black Community Members to continue fighting for change. We stand with the Black Community to call for change to address the ingrained oppressive and discriminatory policies and practices in all our systems – education, healthcare, economic, housing and criminal justice. We have heard from our Black Community Commission members that the time to change is NOW.
“Adopted by Commission on 6/25/2020”
Our Values
• Racial Justice – we work to dismantle institutional racism and advance racial equity in our communities, institutions and the critical systems that impact BIPOC communities.
• Centering and Honoring Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color – we celebrate the history, spirit and beauty of each member organization. As COC works toward the common good, to strengthen, support and nurture BIPOC communities, it does so by honoring the distinct and indelible expression of each member and the harmony created from all voices.
• Collective Liberation – we recognize our struggles are inter-connected, thus we work in solidarity with our sisters and brothers to free ourselves, our families and our communities from the many expressions of oppression.
• Creating Circles of Belonging – In circles of belonging, all voices matter, are heard and respected. We welcome all people to our circle, especially those who have been othered, kept on the outside of opportunity. And we demand entrance to circles of institutional power, where the Commission’s voice is heard as we represent our communities, where we participate in decision-making, and where we open the doors for others who also seek entrance.
The Mission
To love, serve and lift people most impacted by systemic racism, to support Black, Indigenous and communities of color in creating, sustaining and celebrating self-determination, community-driven development, healthy and vibrant local economies, and intergenerational wealth. We join in our collective path, challenging failed systems and by ensuring access to all tables of power, within governments and, most importantly, in our communities.
The Vision
We envision a state where resilient Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, celebrate each community’s uniqueness, where communities engage in collective liberation, where empowered community members thrive, engage in self-determination, belong to and participate in the Beloved Community.
Terminology
In this Plan, key terms include Strategies, Objectives and Key Results. Each is defined below.
Strategies: Overarching strategies that represent multi-year/longer-term goals to be achieved.
Objectives: Bold “will do” statements that taken together will achieve the broader Strategy under which they are grouped.
Key Results: Ambitious, measurable, time-bound, actions needed to accomplish an objective. In this plan, key results may span a 3-year implementation timeframe.
COC has identified five overarching strategies – some internally facing and others encompassing external or public-facing efforts. The strategies are:
- STRATEGY 1 – Rev Up the Organization – Create and sustain an effective internal structure best suited to accomplish the mission of the organization.
- STRATEGY 2 – Anti-Racist Advocacy – We recognize the devastating impact of racism on BIPOC communities and we commit to examining our own racial biases, our collective role in dismantling institutional and structural racism and advancing racial equity within the Commission, with our community stakeholders and in governmental institutions.
- STRATEGY 3 – Organizing for Change: On behalf of communities across the state, the Commission leverages its collective voice in matters critical to the vitality, economic well-being, health and built environment of BIPOC communities.
- STRATEGY 4 – Communicate Powerfully: The Commission excels at telling its story and those of its members, and using its voice to inform, persuade and agitate for good.
- STRATEGY 5 – Member Support: The Commission supports each member organization by providing economic development and built-environment technical expertise as well as organizational capacity-building assistance.