Latina/o Bar Association of Washington Press Releases & Articles

ACLU's Lawsuit Seeks Meaningful Vote for Latinos

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 21:29:26 GMT

August 22, 2012

Yakima, WA

Contact: Doug Honig, ACLU of WA

Lawsuit Seeks Meaningful Vote for Latinos

in Yakima City Council Elections

In a lawsuit filed under the federal Voting Rights Act, two Yakima citizens today charged that the City of Yakima’s election system unlawfully dilutes the Latino vote and effectively prevents Latinos from meaningful participation in City Council elections.

The suit was brought by Yakima residents Mateo Arteaga, a university administrator, and Rogelio Montes, a student at Yakima Valley College. The ACLU and prominent voting rights expert Joaquin Avila filed the case on behalf of the plaintiffs in U.S. District Court in Eastern Washington. Although Voting Rights Act lawsuits have forced reforms in many cities’ election systems across the country, this case is the first such suit in Washington state.

The seven members of the Yakima City Council are all elected “at-large,” with every voting resident of the city casting their vote for each council member whether they live in the council member’s district or not. This has caused the Latino community’s voting strength to be impermissibly diluted. As a result, although Latino residents comprise 41% of Yakima’s population and more than 22% of its citizen voting-age population, no Latino candidate has ever won an election for a seat on the city council. It has also caused a situation where three of the seven city council members live in the same district, which results in the concerns of the Latino community not being effectively represented in the city council’s decision-making process.

“The Latino community is a significant portion of the city’s population, yet their interests are not adequately represented on the Yakima City Council. All voices of the community need to be represented on the city council,” said ACLU of Washington legal director Sarah Dunne.

The lawsuit says Yakima’s election system violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because it impermissibly dilutes the Latino vote, consistently allows the majority population’s bloc voting to defeat the candidates preferred by Latino voters, and deprives Latinos of an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. The ACLU sent a letter to the Yakima City Council in December 2010, and another on August 13, 2012, pointing out that its election system violated the Voting Rights Act and urging the City of Yakima to adopt a true district-based election system wherein only voters in a particular district vote for the representative of that district. The city council has declined to do so.

The suit seeks a declaration that the at-large method of electing Yakima City Council members violates the Voting Rights Act and to have the court order the City to implement a district-based election system that complies with Section 2 of the Act.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs are ACLU-WA staff attorneys Sarah Dunne and La Rond Baker, Joaquin Avila of the Law Firm of Joaquin Avila, and Laughlin McDonald of the ACLU Voting Rights Project, and ACLU cooperating attorneys Kevin Hamilton and Noah Purcell of the firm Perkins Coie.

Justice Department, City of Seattle Officials to Hold Press Conference Today to Discuss Agreement on Seattle Police Department Reforms

Jennifer Sheffield — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:29:37 GMT

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF SEATTLE OFFICIALS TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY TO DISCUSS AGREEMENT ON SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT REFORMS

SEATTLE – U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief John Diaz, and Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes will hold a press conference TODAY, FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2012, at 3:00 p.m. PDT regarding the agreement on Seattle Police Department reforms.

WHO: U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny A. Durkan

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn

SPD Chief John Diaz

Seattle City Attorney Peter Holmes

WHAT: Press conference regarding the agreement on Seattle Police Department reforms

WHEN: TODAY , JULY 27, 2012, 3:00 p.m. PDT

WHERE: Seattle City Hall, 7^th Floor, Norman B. Rice Conference Room

OPEN PRESS

NOTE: All media must present valid media credentials.

Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Thomas Bates (United States Attorney’s Office) at 206-713-9831 or Aaron Pickus (Mayor’s Office) at 206-233-2650.

The Latina/o Bar Association of Washington (LBAW) Applauds President Obama and His Administration’s Announcement of Immigration Relief for Some DREAMers

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 02:24:16 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2012
Contactlbaw@gmail.com

The Latina/o Bar Association of Washington (LBAW) Applauds President Obama and His Administration’s Announcement of Immigration Relief for Some DREAMers

SEATTLE, Washington. Effective immediately, President Barack Obama’s Administration announced it will grant deferred action and work authorization to youth who meet certain criteria. The eligibility requirements are similar to that of the DREAM Act, a proposed federal legislation first introduced in 2001.

The new policy was announced today by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Secretary Napolitano noted the application process is not yet determined, but its implementation is expected within sixty days. For more information, refer to the Department of Homeland Security’s Frequently Asked Questions.

To be eligible, an individual must:

Have come to the United States under the age of sixteen;
Have continuously resided in the United States for at least five years preceding the date of this memorandum and be present in the United States on the date of this memorandum;
Currently be in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development certificate, or are honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;
Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety; and
Not be above the age of thirty.

Today’s announcement comes on the 30^th Anniversary of the Plyler v. Doe decision, granting the right to K-12 education for all children, regardless of their immigration status.

It is estimated that close to one million youth will benefit from this new policy. Although, not a path to citizenship, it is a step in the right direction. We encourage you to continue pushing for comprehensive immigration reform.

The Latina/o Bar Association of Washington applauds the activism of DREAMers and supporters for their local and national efforts in making this day a reality. We celebrate today and we celebrate you!

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LBAW Passes Resolution Opposing Referendum to Roll Back Washington State Bar Association Licensing Fees

Jennifer Sheffield — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:29:58 GMT

Click here to read the resolution.

Jay Inslee, Adam Smith, and Bob Ferguson Endorse the Washington Voting Rights Act

Jennifer Sheffield — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:36:14 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2012
Contact: David Perez, perez.a.david@gmail.com, 206.618.4293

Jay Inslee, Adam Smith, and Bob Ferguson Endorse the Washington Voting Rights Act

OLYMPIA, Washington undefined The Washington Voting Rights Act of 2012 (HB 2612 / SB 6381) received a big boost today with three strong endorsements from Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA 1), Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA 9), and King County Council Member Bob Ferguson.

The Washington Voting Rights Act would provide voters in Washington State with the ability to challenge voting systems that have left entire communities with no voice in our political process. In particular, some at-large electoral systems make it nearly impossible for certain communities to get political representation. Under the Washington Voting Rights Act, voters can challenge these at-large systems when they can prove “racially polarized voting.” The Seattle Times Editorial Board called the remedy of providing for district-based elections “a solid avenue for voter redress.”

“I am proud to support the Washington State Voting Rights Act of 2012. “’One Person, One Vote’ is at the heart of our democracy,” said Congressman Adam Smith in a statement. “This meaningful legislation would insure that racial minorities have the best possible opportunity to be heard and be well represented by their elected officials, just like all other Washingtonians. This is a simple matter of equality that ensures that everyone has the same opportunities guaranteed in the Federal Voting Rights Act. This piece of legislation will help ensure this happens here in Washington State.”

Gubernatorial candidate, Jay Inslee, agrees. “I applaud the efforts of the broad coalition supporting the Washington Voting Rights Act and am proud to support this important legislation. Our democracy is dependent on robust participation of both the electorate and those willing to serve. Any healthy democracy must seek diversity and equitable representation for all. In instances where it is clear that opportunity is being repressed, there must be a process for righting that wrong. That’s why, in 2006, I voted for a 25 year extension of expiring portions of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act and why I support efforts to promote equality and democracy at the local and state level as well–including the Washington Voting Rights Act.”

“I am pleased to support the Washington Voting Rights Act,” said Bob Ferguson, candidate for Attorney General, in a statement. “This legislation will affirm Washington State’s commitment to the principles of democracy, fairness, and equal representation. It will provide a set of tools to help us build an even stronger democracy in Washington State.”

The Washington Voting Rights Act has already passed through committees in both the House and Senate and is currently in the each house’s Rules Committee. The prime sponsor of HB2612 is Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (D-46), while Senator Margarita Prentice (D-11) is the prime sponsor of SB6381.

For more information and to endorse the WA Voting Rights Act, visit fairrepresentationwa.org/wvra. Support for the bill is led by the Fred Korematsu Center for Law & Equality, OneAmerica Votes, and Win-Win Action via United for Fair Representation – a coalition of organizations and community leaders that formed to educate and encourage our communities to participate in the democratic process to achieve fair representation.

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Time for Washington to have a Voting Rights Act

Jennifer Sheffield — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:38:22 GMT

Click here to read an editorial published by the Seattle Times on February 1, 2012, explaining why the time is NOW to pass the Washington Voting Rights Act.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017397755_edit02voting.html

Ethnic Studies Ban in Arizona

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:38:36 GMT

Last week, the Tucson school board outraged the nation when they cancelled its high schools' Mexican American Studies program and forcibly banned a series of books dealing with race. The reason? Apparently teaching respect for other cultures amounts to "racial hatred" and is in violation of Arizona's statewide ban against ethnic studies - passed in conjunction with SB1070.

With Latino students in Tucson making up more than half of the student population - educators, parents, and students are fighting back. You can sign this petition to Superintendent John Pedicone and the school board to reverse the decision to ban the books and reinstate the Mexican American Studies program.

http://act.presente.org/sign/ethnicstudies?referring_akid=a2751296.381568.XbyV-H&source=copy_thanks_email

Here are some links about this:

Tucson students confront loss of their Chicano studies class, LA Times, 1/11/12
http://lat.ms/xSgDdi

Tucson says banished books may return to classrooms, Salon.com, 1/18/12
http://bit.ly/z9J4AH

Save Ethnic Studies in Arizona, Facebook Page
http://on.fb.me/ypPLqW

Support Passing the Voting Rights Act

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:53:21 GMT

Now is the time! If you or your organization is interested in helping to pass Washington's Voting Rights Act, please contact LBAW Board Member, David Perez at perez.a.david@gmail.com.

For more information about the Voting Rights Act, please click here.

To view the proposed legislation, please click here.

In Washington State we believe in fairness and equal opportunity. These values form the foundation of any healthy democracy and deserve to be protected in an effort to ensure that our children and communities experience a democracy that embraces the principle of “One Person, One Vote.” Unfortunately, outdated electoral systems have not kept up with the changing demographics of our state or its ideals; instead, they have undercut equal opportunity at the polls and rigged the system. We need the Washington State Voting Rights Act to restore democracy and we need it now.

What is the Washington State Voting Rights Act?

The Washington State Voting Rights Act (WVRA) upholds a fundamental principle of our democracyundefined“One Person, One Vote.” The WVRA provides protected classes of voters in Washington State with access to local legal remedies to challenge electoral systems where it can be proved that at-large voting systems combined with “racially-polarized voting” have left particular communities with no voice in our democracy. If successful, the challenge would result in the creation of a district-based election system.

What is the problem the Washington State Voting Rights Act seeks to address?

Sometimes, numbers don’t lie. This is one of those times. The lack of representation for racial and ethnic minority voters in some areas of the state is staggering, and it is no surprise that this lack of representation corresponds with at-large voting systems. As an example, the combined Latino population for ten counties in Central and Eastern Washington exceeds 33% of the total population; yet Latinos hold only 4% of elected offices (78 out of 1,891; see graph below). In those counties, 92% of the election systems are at-large and only 1% are single-member districts. This lack of representation holds true in other areas of the state and in other ethnic and racial minority communities.

Have other states passed similar state voting rights acts?

Latino population ranges from 55.1% to 14.8% in each county and is 33.1% of total population.

In 2001, after encountering similar data, California passed the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The CVRA has been an unmitigated success in California, increasing the representation of racial and ethnic minority voters in local elected office and providing communities with a voice in democracy for the first time. Not surprisingly, this has corresponded with an increase in civic engagement, from voter registration rates to the number of voters participating in our democracy.

What about the Federal Voting Rights Act?

Unfortunately, the high costs and long waits associated with legal action in federal courts leave Federal Voting Rights Act challenges inaccessible to regular voters. The WVRA provides local remedies by allowing challenges in state court and, with this local control, quicker and less costly decisions.

Restore Health to Our Democracy – Support the Washington State Voting Rights Act

Please click here to see full document.

Total Number of Office-Holders vs. Number of Latino Office-Holders in 10 Heavily Latino Counties

Please click here to see full document.

Election System Used in 10 Heavily Latino Counties

Please click here to see full document.

Total Number of Latino Office-Holders and Their Percent of Total Office-Holders (by county)

County	Total Office-Holders	Latino Office-Holders	% Latino	% Latino Population (2008)
Adams	137	5	3.6%	55.1%
Franklin	110	3	2.7%	49.2%
Yakima	250	40	16.0%	41.4%
Grant	297	13	4.4%	35.7%
Douglas	129	3	2.3%	25.1%
Chelan	182	4	2.2%	23.1%
Walla Walla	139	2	1.4%	18.5%
Benton	137	1	0.7%	16.4%
Okanogan	213	3	1.4%	16.3%
Skagit	297	4	1.3%	14.8%

Data source for 3 charts: Zachary Duffy, “Unequal Opportunity: Latinos and Local Political Representation in Washington State.” (2009).

For more information, please contact:

Toby Guevin, State Policy & Legislative Manager at OneAmerica

D: 206.452.8416 C: 617.755.6207 F: 206.826.0487 E: toby@weareoneamerica.org

The Rise of the Latino Lawyer: New Study Reveals Inspiring Successes, Lingering Obstacles

Jennifer Sheffield — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:39:09 GMT

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/the_rise_of_the_latino_lawyer_new_study_reveals_inspiring_successes/

WA’s First Majority Minority Congressional District Proposed by Majority of Redistricting Commissioners

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:36:47 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13, 2011

WA’s First Majority Minority Congressional District Proposed by Majority of Redistricting Commissioners

OLYMPIA, Washington undefined Advocates for the increased political representation of communities of color were present at the WA Redistricting Commission’s special meeting in Olympia today to witness the release of the commissioners’ proposed congressional and legislative district maps.

Three of four voting commissioners – Tim Ceis, Slade Gordon and Tom Huff – propose the historic creation of WA’s first majority-minority congressional district. In addition, the four commissioners’ maps propose majority minority legislative districts in Central WA and South King County. It is, at present, not clear whether a majority minority district was proposed in the Tacoma area.

“We appreciate that the commissioners drew maps that reflect the hundreds of testimonies given by communities of color across the state. We will continue to monitor the process closely to ensure that the final redistricting maps passed by the Legislature include a majority minority Congressional District in South King County and majority minority legislative districts in South King County, Yakima and Tacoma,” remarks Tom Hilyard of Tacoma Black Collective, a coalition member of United for Fair Representation.

“We are cautiously optimistic”, said Cherry Cayabyab, United for Fair Representation coalition member, “that this is a good starting point for the commission to work with our community. We will continue to shepherd our proposal through this process as it moves forward to completion on January 1st.”

The redistricting commission heard unprecedented testimony from communities of color throughout the state about the need for the new district lines to reflect the growth of communities of color over the last decade. The United for Fair Representation coalition turned out 500 Unity Map supporters to almost all 18 redistricting forums around the state.

Please find more information at www.fairrepresentationwa.org.

Offensive Comments Highligh Need for Real Leadership

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:22:23 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 15, 2011

Contact: Cherry Cayabyab

206.227.1948 / cherry@fairrepresentationwa.org

Offensive Comments Highlight Need for Real Leadership

Recent comments by Kennewick City Council candidate Loren Nichols – and the lack of any public condemnation so far by elected officials in Washington State – serve as a stark reminder that immigrant communities and communities of color need leaders willing to stand up for them.

Mr. Nichols took a volatile political environment around immigration issues to new lows by proposing that undocumented immigrants “be shot at the border” and that “If they value their lives, they would leave.” Meanwhile, the disparity in education, health, and wealth between populations in North and South Seattle continues to widen. And in just the first half of 2011, state legislators across the country have introduced over 1,500 immigration-related bills, many of them inviting racial profiling.

This year’s redistricting process provides an opportunity for communities of color to help create majority-minority electoral districts that will elect leaders who prioritize issues first and foremost on their agendas. Today, the United for Fair Representation (http://fairrepresentationwa.org/) coalition submitted our Unity Maps (http://fairrepresentationwa.org/unity-map/) to the Washington State Redistricting Commission (http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/).The Unity Maps include a new 10th Congressional District in South King County and five legislative districts across the state that are each majority people of color.

“The Member of Congress representing a majority people of color district would have condemned these hateful remarks,” said George Cheung, Director of the Win/Win Network (http://www.winwinnetwork.org/). “The deafening silence from our elected leaders is even more proof that communities of color in Washington need a champion from the 10^th Congressional District.”

“While we hope Mr. Nichols is a fringe candidate, the truth of the matter is that racism continues to run deep and strong in Washington State,” said Fé Lopez, President of the Latino Bar Association of Washington (http://www.lbaw.org/), a member of the United for Fair Representation coalition. “Until we can have the opportunity to elect officials that truly represent our ever growing communities of color, we run the real risk that people like Mr. Nichols will get elected.”

“Washington’s gain of a tenth Congressional District is a significant result of the minority population's growth over the last ten years,” added Cherry Cayabyab of United for Fair Representation. “The creation of districts based on these Unity Maps is a step towards achieving fair and proportional representation for communities of color in our state.”

Advocates for majority-minority districts have testified at nearly every one of the 18 public hearings held by the Commission this summer, including a packed hearing last Tuesday in South Seattle.

“People living in South Seattle have more in common with those living in Kent or Federal Way than Lake Washington or North Seattle, making it a viable community of interest,” said OneAmerica (http://weareoneamerica.org/) Policy Director Ada Williams Prince. “This new 10^th Congressional District would provide these communities with the power to influence elected officials to take action in reducing health disparity and support educational equity.”

"People of color majority in political jurisdictions, is an essential evolutionary step in our journey from a segregated and biased society to one which rises up to the vision articulated by Martin Luther King where in the content of ones character is the measure by which one is judged, " remarks Tom Hilyard, Tacoma Black Collective.

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WSBA Diversity News for June 2011

Jennifer Sheffield — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:55:18 GMT

Diversity News June 2011.pdf

June 8 Yakima Redistricting Hearing

Jennifer Sheffield — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:29:57 GMT

REDISTRICTING COMMISSION URGED TO CREATE MAJORITY-MINORITY DISTRICT FOR STATE LEGISLATURE

June 6, 2011

The ACLU of Washington and National Voting Rights Advocacy Initiative are urging the Washington Redistricting Commission to establish a majority-minority state legislative district in Yakima County. In a letter submitted to the commission today, the groups said the district is needed as a matter of democratic governance and in order to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“With changing demographics, Washington has a chance to give voice to people who have been underrepresented in our legislative system. It is vital that the large and growing population of Latinos and other minorities in central Washington have the ability to elect candidates of their choice,” said Sarah Dunne, ACLU of Washington Legal Director. Dunne cosigned the letter along with Joaquin Avila, Director of the National Voting Rights Advocacy Initiative and a professor at Seattle University School of Law. Prof. Avila will testify at the commission’s public hearing in Yakima on Wednesday night, June 8.

The letter says that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act compels the creation of a majority-minority district in Yakima County. Conditions in the county meet a three-factor test established by the U.S. Supreme Court for evaluating claims under Section 2: (1) that the minority groups are “sufficiently large and geographically compact to constitute a majority” in the district, (2) that the groups are “politically cohesive,” and (3) that majority voters’ bloc voting enables them “usually to defeat the minority's preferred candidate.”

Conditions in the region meet the legal standard of showing that “the voting system operates to prevent the minority group from participating equally in the political process and electing representatives of its choice.” Intent to discriminate is not a factor in determining whether a majority-minority district is legally required.

In support of the claim, the groups submitted Declarations from experts who have studied conditions in the region:

A Declaration by Professor Paul Apostolidis, Chair of Political Science at Whitman College, discussing evidence of racially polarized voting in Sunnyside and Wapato, among other places. Prof. Apostolidis also discusses the barriers to political participation faced by Latinos; the educational hurdles they face in Eastern Washington; and the employment, health, and educational disparities between Latinos and whites in Eastern Washington. He concludes that in the Yakima Valley, “racially polarized patterns of voting behavior have helped to produce severe deficits in Latino political representation.”

A Declaration of Professor Frances Contreras, Director of the Higher Education Program at the University of Washington College of Education, describing the persistent educational challenges Latinos face in Washington state, particularly in rural Washington. Latino students do not have comparable access to school resources, programs, or academic support. Prof. Contreras concludes that in rural Washington, “Latinos have historically and continue to experience inequitable access to opportunities to learn.”

A Declaration by Professor Luis Fraga, Associate Vice Provost and Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington, describing the employment, educational, and health disparities for Latinos in Washington state and Yakima County. For example, in Yakima County, the 13.3% unemployment rate for working-age Latinos is far greater than the 7.6% rate for whites. Prof. Fraga notes that, “Latinos have the highest poverty rates in the state,” with approximately 30% living below the poverty line.

“The time has come for the creation of a majority-minority legislative district in Eastern Washington. Such a district will be geographically compact and will fulfill the democratic and legal imperative to create districts allowing full participation for all Washington citizens,” said the ACLU’s Sarah Dunne.

Yakima Herald

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/06/05/public-can-offer-redistricting-comments-at-wednesday-forum

Public can offer redistricting comments at Wednesday forum

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Washington State Redistricting Commission will hold a forum in Yakima on Wednesday as part of its statewide tour to gain public input on the coming changes to the boundaries of legislative and congressional voting districts.

"What we're hearing at the forums will be incredibly important as we move into the process of actually drawing district lines," commission chairwoman Lura Powell said in a news release. "We've had fair attendance so far, but I'm hoping to see even more people turn out in our upcoming forums."

Wednesday's forum in Yakima will be at 6 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center in the Selah room.

The commission describes the forums as an "open house" where people can look at maps that show the state's population changes in each district and talk to map specialists about redistricting.

An overview of the redistricting process begins at 6:30 p.m., and commissioners will hear public comment shortly after.

A Spanish-language interpreter will be present. Anyone who plans to attend a forum and needs auxiliary aids or services, including interpretation for languages other than Spanish, can contact Heather Boe at 360-786-0770, or email heather.boe@redistricting.wa.gov.

Those unable to attend can participate via interactive webcast on the commission's website at www.redistricting.wa.gov by clicking on the "Attend by webcast" link or the "Get Involved" tab. The Yakima forum will also be televised by TVW.

Washington voters established the Washington State Redistricting Commission in 1983 to ensure voting boundaries are established through a fair and bipartisan process. The commission includes two Democrats and two Republicans as voting members and a nonvoting, nonpartisan chair.

WSBA Diversity News - April 2011 Edition

Jennifer Sheffield — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:58:39 GMT

Click here to read the April 2011 edition of "Diversity News" -- a WSBA newsletter.

Coalition of U.S. Senators Seek President Obama's Support In Enacting the Dream Act and Related Measures

Jennifer Sheffield — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:31:54 GMT

Please click on the following link to read the Senators' letter to President Obama: Letter to WH on DREAM Act Kids.pdf

LBAW Newsletter - Spring 2011 edition

Jennifer Sheffield — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:33:05 GMT

Please click on the following link to download the Spring 2011 quarterly newsletter: LBAW April 2011 Newsletter.PDF

Justice Department to Investigate Seattle Police Civil Rights Practices

Jennifer Sheffield — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:02:41 GMT

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014648060_dojinvestigation01m.html

Safety First Coalition Issues Letter Outlining Concerns Over Driver's License Restrictions

Jennifer Sheffield — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:50:46 GMT

The undersigned organizations (including LBAW) have issued a letter outlining their concerns over attempts to restrict access to driver's licenses for undocumented immigrant taxpayers, including SB5407 and HB1577.

Every year for more than a decade, the Washington State legislature and our citizens have rejected efforts to put inflammatory politics above sound policy by restricting or eliminating access to driver's licenses for undocumented immigrant taxpayers. They have done this recognizing that safety is the most important consideration, and changing our sound policies around driver's licenses would harm every level of the economy from the family pocketbook to the state budget while overrunning our roads with unlicensed and uninsured drivers.

To read the Safety First Coalition Letter in full, please click here.

The Safety First Coalition includes the following groups and organizations:

ACLU -WA	Legal Voice
Asian Counseling & Referral Services	Lutheran Public Policy Office
Asian Pacific Cultural Center	Mujeres of the Northwest
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of King Co.	Non-profit Assistance Center
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Pierce Co.	Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Snohomish Co.	OneAmerica
Casa Latina	Pueblo Unido por la Dignidad
Children's Alliance	Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans
El Centro de La Raza	Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Community 2 Community	Statewide Poverty Action Network
The Eastside Latino Leadership Forum	Racial Equity Team
Entre Hermanos	SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
Filipino Community of Seattle	SEIU Local 6
First Place	SEIU775NW
First Thursday Seattle	SEIU925
Forks Human Rights Group	Social Work Immigration Alliance
Fuse Washington	UAW Local 4121
Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest	UFCW Local 21
Minority Executive Director's Coalition	UFCW WA State United Council
Latina/o Law Student Association at Seattle University School of Law	Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Latina/o Bar Association of Washington	Washington Community Action Network!
Latino Civic Alliance	Washington Defender Association
Latino PAC	Washington State Labor Council

Task Force on Race and the Criminal Justice System Present Their Preliminary Report

Jennifer Sheffield — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:49:17 GMT

Message from the Task Force Co-Chairs

Chief Justice Madsen, Justices of the Washington Supreme Court, Governors of the Washington State Bar Association and the Access to Justice Board, leaders of Washington's Specialty Bar Associations, and the people of the great state of Washington:

We are pleased to present the Preliminary Report on Race and Washington's Criminal Justice System, authored by the Research Working Group of the Task Force on Race and the Criminal Justice System. The Research Working Group's mandate was to investigate disproportionalities in the criminal justice system and, where disproportionalities existed, to investigate possible causes. This fact-based inquiry was designed to serve as a basis for making recommendations for changes to promote fairness, reduce disparity, ensure legitimate public safety objectives, and instill public confidence in our criminal justice system.

The Task Force came into being after a group of us met to discuss remarks on race and crime reportedly made by two sitting justices on the Washington Supreme Court. This first meeting was attended by representatives from the Washington State Bar Association, the Washington State Access to Justice Board, the commissions on Minority and Justice and Gender and Justice, and all three Washington law schools, as well as leaders from nearly all of the state's specialty bar associations, and other leaders from the community and the bar.

We agreed that we shared a commitment to ensure fairness in the criminal justice system. We developed working groups, including the Research Working Group, whose Preliminary Report finds that race and racial bias affect outcomes in the criminal justice system and matter in ways that are not fair, that do not advance legitimate public safety objectives, and that undermine public confidence in our criminal justice system.

All of our working groups Oversight, Community Engagement, Research, Recommendations/Implementation, and Education - are working together to develop solutions. We are fortunate to have the formal participation of a broad range of organizations and institutions, with each week bringing in new participants. A full list of the organizations and institutions on the Task Force appears on the next page. We also have many people who are contributing in an individual capacity, including many judges.

We have come together to offer our time, our energy, our expertise, and our dedication to achieve fairness in our criminal justice system.

Sincerely,

Judge Steven C. Gonzalez, Chair of the Washington State Access to Justice Board

Professor Robert S. Chang, Director, Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality

Co-Chairs, Task Force on Race and the Criminal Justice System

*******

Please click here to download the Preliminary Report.

COMMUNITY GROUPS CONDEMN THE DECISION NOT TO PROSECUTE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICER IAN BIRK

Jennifer Sheffield — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:18:35 GMT

(Seattle, WA, February 16, 2011) The Northwest Indian Bar Association, along with the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, Loren Miller Bar Association and El Centro de la Raza, expressed outrage at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s decision to refuse to file criminal charges against Seattle Police Officer Ian Birk for the August 30, 2010 shooting death of the late John T. Williams, a seventh-generation First Nations woodcarver.

The decision by the King County Prosecutor comes at the same time the Seattle Police Department's Firearms Review Board has found the shooting was not justified. In fact, the Board's four voting members unanimously determined the shooting was "outside of [the department's] policies, tactics and training."

The Prosecuting Attorney based his decision on the Washington law that exempts from criminal liability an officer who uses deadly force "without malice and with a good faith belief that such act is justifiable pursuant to this section.” To have immunity from prosecution under this section, an officer must both have acted without malice and have had a good faith belief that the use of deadly force is justifiable for one of the specific reasons in the law. The only reason for good faith that could possibly apply to this case is that deadly force was necessary.

The Prosecutor was grossly mistaken in finding that an officer armed with a pistol reasonably believed that he must fire at a man with a knife who is 10 feet away and who showed no indication that he planned to use the knife to harm someone. We believe there is evidence to support the filing of a charge of reckless or negligent manslaughter against Officer Birk for the unjustified shooting death of the late John T. Williams. We are greatly disappointed by the Prosecuting Attorney’s decision to the contrary.

The Native American and First Nations community, and the family of the late John T. Williams, have done all that was asked of them, and have been respectful of a process and a system that has not afforded them even a fraction of that respect in return. We will continue to seek justice for the late John T. Williams, even as the King County Prosecutor has denied him that. The King County Prosecutor defends his decision by saying that he is limited by the mandate of the legislature in passing the law that shields police officers for their criminal acts. If that was, in fact, the will of the legislature, it does not reflect the will of the people, and the law should be changed.

Click here for the official press release.