Lacey to hold forum for immigrant communities

The Lacey Commission on Equity is set to hold a community forum for immigrant communities on Wednesday, November 8, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lacey Timberland Library.

The event aims to foster open dialogues and engage immigrant communities in discussions about their experiences.

The initiative is organized by commissioners Kim Sauer and Makieda Hart in collaboration with two external members: a state civil rights coordinator and a representative from the Thurston County Economic Development Center serving as a BIPOC community coordinator.

"We have pretty good representation," said Sauer during the Commission on Equity meeting on Monday, October 23.

A key highlight of the event is its commitment to ensuring that everyone can effectively participate, regardless of preferred language.

Lacey Assistant City Manager Shannon Kelley-Fong said a flyer has been created in five languages – Spanish, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Korean and Filipino – to make the event accessible to a broader audience.

"We want to make sure that people are able to communicate in their preferred language," said Kelley-Fong.

The forum will utilize a unique format to achieve this goal, explained Sauer. Instead of a single group discussion, equity commissioners, seated at tables with interpreters, will facilitate smaller group discussions.

The discussions will center the immigrant experience and provide a platform for participants to share their stories, challenges, and aspirations.

Commissioner Sauer encourages all commissioners to arrive 30 minutes early for a mini orientation about leading group discussions.

Those planning to attend are encouraged to take a survey to indicate if they require a translator. The survey can be accessed here.

CORRECTION:  A previous version of this story showed Makieda Hart's name in reverse. We regret the error and have corrected it.