January Newsletter
Hello, community!
We are in a new year and there is beauty in starting anew. But if you’re struggling to generate a sense of newness when the horrors we are witnessing are painfully not new, please know you are not alone. I read a poem this week (I turn to poems most often when the days are still short and when the world doesn’t make enough sense) and it was about tending to something, or each other, over many seasons, and the truth we can find in repetition, returning to something over and over again. How we can know and love one another more deeply, in a way that is very powerful and threatens forces of oppression. By tending to one another repeatedly, seeing each other through the daily and yearly struggles, we can find a calm amidst the horrors. And I think there is a sense of renewal in that. Thank you for returning alongside us.
In this newsletter:
Support the General Strike
Restorative Justice Fellowship +Meet the Fellows!
Nashville Circle Keeper Reflection
Giving Tuesday Update
Community Events & Resources
Support the General Strike
Immigrant families continue to be torn apart across the U.S. and locally. Our school communities are also facing increased surveillance and navigating the kidnapping of family members in South Seattle neighborhoods. The violence we are experiencing at a federal level is but an extension of the ongoing persecution of Black, Indigenous, and people of color since the founding of this nation and on a global scale. From Palestine, to Congo, Sudan, Venezuela and Minneapolis, our struggles are interconnected and the reasons to strike are plenty. If you are able we invite you to join the national general strike this coming Friday, January 30th.
Restorative Justice Fellowship
We know the work of building restorative school communities is to be led by many hands and hearts, and this year WA-BLOC is overjoyed to expand our network of RJ practitioners with the Restorative Justice Fellowship Program. The RJ Fellowship intentionally reaches back out to the communities we serve to create a pathway for queer, Black, and Brown college-aged young adults to work alongside RJ Coordinators to explore what Restorative Justice means to them and enact restorative practices in the school setting. Fellows harness their passion for liberatory education, youth mental health, and creative repair work while gaining hands-on experience in partner schools. Our first cohort of Fellows started this month and they’re quickly immersing themselves in partner school communities! You can find Fellows building community, and jumping in to support circles, lunch bunches, and Junior Circle Keeper Academy. We’re so excited to welcome and learn from these Fellows and to witness the restorative practices they’ll be able to contribute to each of their unique communities in and beyond the fellowship. Welcome!
Meet the Fellows:
Fatima Kabba (She/Her):
Fatima Kabba is a proud Gambian community leader and first-generation college student studying Social Work at the University of Washington–Seattle. Born and raised in South Seattle, she carries her community with her in everything she does. Fatima is deeply passionate about youth empowerment, healing-centered engagement, and restorative justice, bringing a warm, grounded, and powerful presence to every space she enters. She leads with purpose, compassion, and a commitment to creating environments where young people feel seen, valued, and uplifted. Known for her inspiring energy and unwavering dedication, Fatima is driven by a vision of breaking cycles, building community, and supporting others in stepping into their full potential.
Rona Eslamy (They/Them)
Rona is from Seattle and a senior at the UW, majoring in Gender, Women, and Sexuality studies, and minoring in Education and Labor studies. During the cold months they enjoy cooking stews, long walks, collaging poems and writing. They hope to learn more about supporting youth in ways that interrupt punitive practices and create liberatory futures, and they’re excited to get to know students and staff through this fellowship and participate in restorative justice practices in community!
Clara Miller (She/Her)
Clara is a native Seattleite who lives with her partner and two cats in Mukilteo. She’s a High School basketball coach and loves working with youth. Her hobbies include playing basketball, thrifting, doing something creative, hosting friends for meals and enjoying a cozy movie night in with her partner and fur babies!
Nashville Circle Keeper Reflection
In October some of the WA-BLOC team traveled to Nashville, TN to participate in The Circle Center’s 9th Annual Circle Keeper Gathering. Last year Anab and Mari attended the gathering and shared reflections through blog posts and newsletter pieces. This time around Lena has put together some thoughts on her experience below!
For the longest time, my experiences in circles have mainly been through the role of a keeper, which meant my heart has held other people and communities as they feel and process. This time around, I could not wait to be HELD myself with basically unlimited time and spaciousness. Four whole days to sit in circle compared to the 2 hour constraints I usually face at school professional development workshops!
My colleagues who were able to participate in this gathering last year shared that the experience was transformative to who they were as keepers, practitioners, and humans. They shared that they learned to truly embody what it means to “sit in your own chair/process.” I wondered what that would mean or look like for me: would I come out of this stronger in my convictions and ability to speak my mind? I wanted to see who I could become!
Walking into the space on the first day was an interesting experience: folks immediately swarmed each other with hugs. Everyone was excited to reconnect and see each other again. It felt like I was at a family reunion, but I did not know anyone there and needed to make my rounds to ask about the family lore. I bet that once I sat in circle, I would understand what I had missed out on last year.
But I left this first day even more confused about everything - my understanding of circle process, my feelings, my responsibility as a participant.
Giving Tuesday Update
Wow, we are in awe at your generosity! Last November we put out the call to our community to help us raise $15,000 for Youth-led Restorative Practices by the end of the year and you went above and beyond.
Together, we raised $16,462! In terms of day to day impact this translates to 628 hours of hands-on mentorship for our Restorative Justice Fellows, AND 50 youth trained in Junior Circle Keeper Academy!
Thank you to each of you who shared our campaign with your friends and family. Welcome to those of you who donated for the first time. Special shout out to those of you who affirm your commitment to our youth month to month and year after year. Your unwavering generosity helps sustain us, especially during times of uncertainty.
Thank you ALL for co-conspiring with us to build up youth leadership across Seattle Public Schools. We are so grateful for each of you.
We are looking forward to serving our school communities the remainder of this school year and beyond.
Community Events & Resources
Know Your Rights - At Schools + Colleges | Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Know Your Rights Resources (Flyers + Webinar) HERE
Know Your Rights at Schools & Colleges Webinar (English + Spanish) HERE
What to know if immigration enforcement comes to campus | Scholarfund WA
Protections for Immigrant Students in Washington’s K–12 Public Schools | WA Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction [OSPI]
Also available for download in Russian, Spanish & Ukrainian HERE
Keep Washington Working, Guidance, Model policies, and Best Practices for Public Schools:
Washington State Office of the Attorney General (AGO) Guidance Concerning Immigration Enforcement
Information specific to K–12 schools is on pages 32–37.
AFL-CIO | Know Your Rights flyers
Available in Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese & Spanish | HERE
House Our Neighbors Learning Session | Social Justice Fund & House Our Neighbors
Wednesday, January 28 | 6:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. MT
SJF is excited to partner with @houseourneighbors for the first political education session of the 2026 Tenant & Housing Justice Giving Project Their presentation will help us start building an understanding of what our current housing system looks like, how we got here, what the root causes of housing inequality are, and what new realities and futures organizers on the ground are fighting for. Interested in joining us? We have a limited number of spots available for people outside of the Giving Project cohort! DM us to register HERE.
Melodies of the Diaspora | Events by Elevate
Opening Reception - Sunday, February 1 | 3–6 PM | Former Bellevue Arts Museum
This exhibition is a visual and cultural offering rooted in legacy, movement, memory, and sound honoring where we’ve been while holding space for where we’re going.
Complimentary light bites, beverages, live performances, and reflections from community leaders. A family-friendly invitation to gather, reflect, and celebrate Black history through the arts.
Rapid Response Training | Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network
Friday February 6th | 6PM PST
Learn how to be a part of a Rapid Response network made up of everyday people across the state who work locally to safely and peacefully build trust, uplift immigrant leadership, and support families impacted by detentions in Washington State.
Register HERE.
Celebrating Food & Community: A Benefit for Rainier Valley Food Bank | Hugo House
Saturday, February 7th, from 6:30–8:30pm | Hugo House, Lapis Theater
Save the date! The evening will feature poetry readings from @claudiacastroluna, performances by the @bushwickbookclub band, and remarks from our Executive Director, Gloria. This free, ticketed fundraiser supports our Room for All Capital Campaign, helping ensure neighbors continue to receive nourishing food and community care.
We’d love to see you there. RSVP to join us HERE
Youth Network Wellness Summit 2026 | WA Youth Network
Muckleshoot Community Center | April 16th, 2026 | 9AM–4PM
Join us for a full day of workshops, creativity, connection, and wellness practices designed for youth and young adults ages 14–35. From interactive healing spaces to innovative peer-led conversations, this summit is all about showing up as you are and growing together. Pre-register HERE
