Dear Help Me Grow Washington Network,
Welcome to our first email newsletter! We are excited to start sharing regular updates on Help Me Grow efforts and to highlight relevant and timely resources. We hope this note finds you and your loved ones safe and well.
We would like to take a moment to pause and acknowledge the realities we face as a country. This moment demands a shift in what we prioritize, the way we behave, how we communicate and how we connect. We are all living in times of uncertainty and loss, and it is clear that Black communities and communities of color are experiencing disproportional loss, with higher rates of severe illness, death, jobs, and as targets of hate crimes and racism. We are also witnessing the strength and resilience of Black leaders and communities organizing for change. It is a call to all of us to stand up for the safety and well-being of all families and children, particularly families of color.
Help Me Grow is an opportunity
–
it offers equitable access to resources for all families. As we continue to design the Help Me Grow Washington system, it is paramount that we take this opportunity to lead with equity and racial justice. Not just as a box to check or template we create, but with authenticity and integrity.
If at any time it feels like we are not building a better system through this work, we must be held accountable. This is our chance, and our responsibility, to build something different. We know many of you have taken great strides to integrate equity into the planning and implementation of resources and supports for families, as well as Help Me Grow system-building. We seek to highlight the great work across our network in this newsletter and on the
HMG WA website
.