July 2020
The Equity and Inclusion Working Group’s first meeting is held via Zoom, amid tension and divisiveness in the community and the United States over the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, and the presidential election. The first meeting was organized by Our Valley Our Future’s ‘One Community’ Working Group, which had recently published a “Regional Thinking, Inclusion and Collaboration” report.
August 2020
The Equity and Inclusion Working Group begins holding internal learning sessions led by Karen Francis-McWhite. The first session is on “difficult conversations.”
November 2020: The Working Group conducts a community needs assessment, surveying 30 public and nonprofit organizations to get a better idea of who is doing DEI work in the region and at what level. The Working Group concludes it is time to begin formalizing itself, with the goal to eventually become a nonprofit organization.
November 2020
The Working Group conducts a community needs assessment, surveying 30 public and nonprofit organizations to get a better idea of who is doing DEI work in the region and at what level. The Working Group concludes it is time to begin formalizing itself, with the goal to eventually become a nonprofit organization.
January 2021
The Working Group transitions into an organization, the NCW Equity Alliance, and chooses its founding board: Teresa Bendito, Karen Francis-McWhite, Ellora La Shier, Clare Morrison, Bindu Nayak, Edgar Salamanca, Penny Tobiska, Karina Vega-Villa, Pat Whitfield, Bob Bugert (ex-officio member), Laura Merrill (ex-officio), and Sasha Sleiman (ex-officio). Edgar Salamanca and Penny Tobiska are chosen to serve as co-chairs. The new organization decides to focus on education, advocacy and reconciliation as its three pillars. It develops vision and mission statements.
March 2021
The NCW Equity Alliance Board interviews the leaders of 25 local organizations to get a deeper understanding of DEI work in the region. The interviews reveal that many of the region’s larger organizations are conducting DEI work internally, but smaller organizations either lack DEI expertise internally or cannot afford to hire someone from the outside. Some organizations are seeking a more diverse board of their own, but they are not sure how to go about making that happen. Even the larger organizations that utilize consultants would like access to a local educational resource.
May 2021
The NCW Equity Alliance signs a fiscal agent agreement with OVOF.
June 2001
A retreat is held by the NCW Equity Alliance at Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee. Board members develop action steps for the organization’s 2021-22 Work Plan.
August 2021
The NCW Equity Alliance is awarded a three-year, $150,000 grant from Group Health Foundation for capacity building and educational programming. The NCW Equity Alliance receives a $5,000 grant from Confluence Health.
September 2021
A nine-month learning series, “Learning to People Better, Together,” kicks off with a virtual dinner attended by 50 people. A total of 27 nonprofit organizations from across five Central Washington counties register for the learning series. The Community Foundation, Icicle Fund and North Central Accountable Community of Health provide $25,000 and technical assistance for the series.
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- First MeetingJuly 2020
The Equity and Inclusion Working Group’s first meeting is held via Zoom, amid tension and divisiveness in the community and the United States over the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, and the presidential election. The first meeting was organized by Our Valley Our Future’s ‘One Community’ Working Group, which had recently published a “Regional Thinking, Inclusion and Collaboration” report.
- Learning SessionsAugust 2020
The Equity and Inclusion Working Group begins holding internal learning sessions led by Karen Francis-McWhite. The first session is on “difficult conversations.”
- Needs AssessmentNovember 2020
The Working Group conducts a community needs assessment, surveying 30 public and nonprofit organizations to get a better idea of who is doing DEI work in the region and at what level. The Working Group concludes it is time to begin formalizing itself, with the goal to eventually become a nonprofit organization.
- The New OrganizationJanuary 2021
The Working Group transitions into an organization, the NCW Equity Alliance, and chooses its founding board: Teresa Bendito, Karen Francis-McWhite, Ellora La Shier, Clare Morrison, Bindu Nayak, Edgar Salamanca, Penny Tobiska, Karina Vega-Villa, Pat Whitfield, Bob Bugert (ex-officio member), Laura Merrill (ex-officio), and Sasha Sleiman (ex-officio). Edgar Salamanca and Penny Tobiska are chosen to serve as co-chairs. The new organization decides to focus on education, advocacy and reconciliation as its three pillars. It develops vision and mission statements.
- A Deeper UnderstandingMarch 2021
The NCW Equity Alliance Board interviews the leaders of 25 local organizations to get a deeper understanding of DEI work in the region. The interviews reveal that many of the region’s larger organizations are conducting DEI work internally, but smaller organizations either lack DEI expertise internally or cannot afford to hire someone from the outside. Some organizations are seeking a more diverse board of their own, but they are not sure how to go about making that happen. Even the larger organizations that utilize consultants would like access to a local educational resource.
- Our Fiscal AgentMay 2021
The NCW Equity Alliance signs a fiscal agent agreement with Our Valley Our Future.
- Board RetreatJune 2021
A retreat is held by the NCW Equity Alliance at Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee. Board members develop action steps for the organization’s 2021-22 Work Plan.
- Grant AwardAugust 2021
The NCW Equity Alliance is awarded a three-year, $150,000 grant from Group Health Foundation for capacity building and educational programming. The NCW Equity Alliance receives a $5,000 grant from Confluence Health.
- Learning SeriesSeptember 2021
A nine-month learning series, “Learning to People Better, Together,” kicks off with a virtual dinner attended by 50 people. A total of 27 nonprofit organizations from across five Central Washington counties register for the learning series. The Community Foundation, Icicle Fund and North Central Accountable Community of Health provide $25,000 and technical assistance for the series.
- Hired Executive DirectorOctober 2022
The NCW Equity Alliance hired Oscar Licon-Eusebio as its first executive director.
