COWLES culture & Community
JOIN THE CULTURE CREW IN 2025
For the past several years, each company within Cowles has brought together its interested employees to understand areas of need, build awareness and develop relevant programs and training in support of diversity, culture and community These teams have moved us forward and helped develop important infrastructure for our overall efforts.
Last year, we introduced four new committees, each with a targeted mission The four pillars are Internal Education, Community Outreach, Communication, and Vendor Development. Each Cowles Company division has the opportunity to be a part of one or more committees based on employee interest
These are implementation teams where volunteers bring ideas and the time, energy and effort it takes to make them reality. We hope you’ll want to be part of making an impact. Please email Michelle Nielsen, michellen@cowlescompany com, if you’re interested in learning more!
ElkSoupproudlyhostedtheNativeAmerican HeritageMonthArtMarketonSaturday, November2,attheMainAtriuminRiverPark SquareindowntownSpokane Thisvibrant eventcelebratedNativeAmericanHeritage MonthbysupportingincredibleNativeartists andfeaturedadiversearrayofartwork, includingpaintings,photography,jewelry, woodcarvings,sculptures,andmore
Participantshadtheopportunityto: �� Discoveruniquehandmadeart �� SupportNativetalentandculture �� ParticipateinaSilentAuction
RiverParkSquarerecentlyhostedavibrantand energeticeventthatshowcasedtherich culturalheritageofHispaniccommunities throughtheuniversallanguageofdance.This eventwasatestamenttothediversity, tradition,andinnovationthatdefineHispanic culture
Theeventfeaturedperformancesbylocal folkloricdancegroups,highlightingthevaried andintricatedancestylesthatoriginatefrom differentregionsofLatinAmerica Mexican Folklorico,acentralfocusofthecelebration, demonstratedthediverseregionaldancesof Mexico,eachwithitsuniquemusic,costumes, andhistoricalsignificance
MANZANITA HOUSE
ManzanitaHousewasbirthedoutofaneedtofillthegapsinservicesfor immigrantsandrefugeesinEasternWashington ManzanitaHouse’s primaryfocushasalwaysbeentoembrace,equip,andempowerthose weservetofeelwelcome,stable,andconnectedtotheircommunity Everyimmigrantdeservestheopportunitytothriveanduniquely contributetoEasternWashington’sburgeoningvibranceanddiversity.
VANESSA BEHAN
Vanessa Behan was founded in 1987 in memory of Vanessa Behan, who tragically died from child abuse injuries at the age of two The cause of death was a ruptured bowel caused by a blow to her abdomen An autopsy revealed that during her short life, Vanessa had suffered many previous injuries, including a fractured arm, head trauma from having her hair pulled and twisted, a fractured skull and cigarette burns
The tragedy of Vanessa’s death outraged and saddened the Spokane community. A handful of people initiated a grassroots effort to create a safe place where parents could bring their children any time, they are having difficulty providing them with safe and nurturing care.
Since then, Vanessa Behan has impacted the lives of more than 103,000 children and their families
Vanessa Behan’s vision is to provide immediate refuge for
ManzanitaHousebringspeopletogether,immigrantsandrefugeesas wellasvolunteersandcommunityleaders,tobuildinclusive communities Theyareproudtoprovidesafeplacesandspaceswhere peoplefeelliketheybelongandparticipateintheirdecisions Congratulations to Spokane Journal of Business reporter, Erica Bullock, for receiving the Value of Justice Award from Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP).
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:
CHRIST KITCHEN
2410 N MONROE ST, SPOKANE
ChristKitchenisatransformativejob-traininginitiativeinSpokane thatempowerswomenfacingpovertythroughmeaningfulwork, support,andcommunity ThisChrist-centered,nondenominational ministrycombinesbusinessandphilanthropytobreakthecycleof povertyforwomenandtheirdependentchildren.
ChristKitchenofferscomprehensivejobtrainingandemployment opportunitiesthroughvariousavenues:
Productionandsaleofgourmetdriedfoodproducts
Cateringservices
Foodtruckoperations
Caféandcoffeehouse
Theseprogramsprovideninedistinctjobtrainingmatrices, enablingwomentodevelopskillsinareassuchasculinaryarts, commercialbaking,customerservice,officeadministration,and horticulture
Duringtheholidayseason,ChristKitchenoperatesapop-up locationatRiverParkSquare,sellingitsselectionofdriedfood products BysupportingChristKitchenthroughpurchasesor volunteering,communitymemberscandirectlycontributeto empoweringwomenandbreakingthecycleofpovertyinSpokane
TOYS FOR TOTS
in 2024 This year, the organization has touched the lives of nearly 10 million children, distributing over 24 million toys across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. The program ' s comprehensive approach extends far beyond holiday gift-giving, with targeted initiatives supporting foster children, Native American
communities, and Title 1 schools through their literacy and youth programs The organization has strategically expanded its reach, focusing on children living at or below the poverty level, ensuring that no child feels forgotten or left behind
HEARTFELT GIVING: THE SALVATION ARMY RED KETTLE
These red kettles serve as a way for the community to contribute to the Salvation Army's efforts in supporting those in need, particularly during the holiday season The donations collected go toward various programs and services aimed at helping families and individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness, and other challenges It’s been a long-standing tradition for The SpokesmanReview and Cowles to support the Red Kettles.
The familiar sound of the bell and the sight of the red kettle serve as reminders of the spirit of giving during the holidays, encouraging people to donate and support their local community. The Salvation Army in Spokane, like in many other places, relies on the generosity of individuals to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those less fortunate during the festive time of the year.
WHERE WE COME FROM KALAE CHOCK
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was created to shine a light on local Cultures and Communities with the hope of fostering better understanding and support
Discussions on “rolling prompter for the hearing impaired” led to a recent story about Ferris High School’s
American Sign Language program. Nonstop Local KHQ employee, Eric Hultz, let us know about his wife’s struggle to watch our newscasts
She is Deaf and cannot follow when the words on the teleprompter do not keep pace with video aired on TV The Deaf and hard of hearing community are also left out during ad-lib moments by news anchors because there is no script written and therefore no closed captioning
It is an area where our newsrooms are continuing to work on solutions including AI and other third-party options. In the meantime, we are focused on more education to make sure the teleprompter does not scroll too quickly and by providing detailed scripting for weather, and any anticipated non-scripted moments
Television is just one example of how the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community experience life differently and are often excluded Other examples can put them in danger For example, their inability to hear fire alarms or verbal warnings of danger These are just a few of the ways they are impacted differently in their experiences in the world
“Where We Come From… ” allowed for a very honest perspective from Eric’s wife, who explained how she lost her hearing and how some people around her did adapt, while others did not, with her changing ability to hear She is now a proud member of the Deaf community and using American Sign Language She is also teaching the minority language to hundreds of students at Ferris High School, many of whom can hear and some who cannot Most importantly, she is sharing that being Deaf or hard of hearing is not a disability but rather something of which to be proud
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UPCOMING HOLIDAY DATES
January 20
Martin Luther King Jr Day
January 29
Chinese New Year
February 1-28
Black History Month
February 26
Maha Shivaratri
March 8 International Women’s Day
March 14
Holi
March 5
Ash Wednesday
FeastWorldKitchenisadowntownrestaurantlocated at3rd&Cedar.TheyprovideaspaceforSpokane's immigrantandformerrefugeecommunitiestoshare theirculturethroughexcellentinternationalcuisine Feastfeaturesarotatinggroupofchefentrepreneurs whoshareflavorandculturefromaroundtheworld
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: TRI-CITIES
HOTMESSBURGERS&FRIESOWNERBLAZESATRAIL
CaraNokes,co-ownerofHotMessBurgers&Friesin downtownKennewick,hasbecomeabeaconofinspiration intheTri-Citiescommunity Herjourneyencompassesboth culinarysuccessandpersonalgrowth
FromCulinaryDreamstoFoodTruckFame
Nokes'passionforcookingbeganwhenshewasyoung, inspiredbywatchingJuliaChildwithhergrandmother After culinaryschoolandyearsofrestaurantexperience,she returnedtotheTri-CitiesandeventuallylaunchedHotMess Burgers&Fries
Thefoodtruck,runbyNokes,herwifeAllyson,and businesspartnerBenNichols,hasgainedadevoted followingwithover17,000Facebookfollowers CustomerstravelingfromasfarasTacoma KnownforcreativeofferingsliketheMonsterMess burgerandelotefries
EmbracingAuthenticity
Earlierthisyear,Nokespubliclycameoutastransgender,adecisionthatwasmetwithoverwhelminglocalsupport ThisbravestephastransformedHotMessintoasafespacefortheLGBTQ+communityintheTri-Cities
CommunityImpactandFutureVision
NokesisdeeplyinvolvedinthedowntownKennewickcommunity,helpingtoorganizeeventslikeanightmarket. SheenvisionsexpandingHotMesstocreateopportunitiesforothersintherestaurantindustry "It'sourtimeto shineandtohelptheTri-Citiesmoveintothe21stcentury,"Nokessays,embracingthearea'sgrowingdiversityand potential
WSU TRI-CITIES LANDS $3.1M GRANT TO TRAIN MULTILINGUAL EDUCATORS
WashingtonStateUniversityTri-Citieshasbeenawardeda$3 1millionfederalgranttoincreasethenumberofmultilingual educatorsintheregionandbeyond Thissignificantfundingwillsupportthreeinnovativepathwaysforaspiringeducators:
Grant-FundedPathways
AlternativeRouteProgram:Allowscurrentparaeducatorsinpartnerschooldistrictstoearnabachelor'sdegreein education whilecontinuingtheirwork
TeachingBridgeProgram:Mentorsincomingeducationstudentsandplacestheminpaidsubstituteparaeducatorrolesin localdistricts
DualLanguagePathwayCertificate:Preparesstudentsstatewideforbilingualeducationendorsementthroughonline courses
Foreligiblestudents,thegrantcoversfeesandfulltuitionforAlternativeRouteandTeachingBridgeparticipantsattheTriCitiescampus,andsummertuitionforDualLanguagePathwayCertificatestudentsacrossWashington
AdditionalBenefits
Thegrantwillalsofundteachingacademiesinpartneringdistricts,offeringcollegecredit-bearingclassestohighschool students Researchanddevelopmenteffortstosupportduallanguageprogramminginelementaryschools
AlignmentwithStateandCollegeGoals ThisinitiativealignswiththeWashingtonOfficeofSuperintendentofPublicInstruction'sgoaltoprovideallstudentswith accesstoduallanguageprograms ItalsosupportstheWSUCollegeofEducation'smissiontoexpandaccesstohigher educationandpreparediverseeducationalleaders DeanKarenThomas-Brownemphasizedtheimportanceofcreating multiplepathstohighereducation,statingthatit"meetsourmissionofincreasingaccessandopportunitiesinthefuture The grantteamincludessixWSUfacultyandstaffmembersfromtheTri-CitiesandPullmancampuses,collaboratingwithlocal schooldistrictstodevelopprogramstailoredtotheirneedsforhighlyqualified,culturallyadeptteachers
LUNAR NEW YEAR 2025
JANUARY 29, 2025
ThenextChineseNewYearwillbeginonWednesday,January29,2025,andlastuntilSunday,February16,2026 This festiveperiodwillculminatewiththeLanternFestival,adazzlingdisplayoflightsandlanterns Theyear2025willmark thetransitionfromtheYearoftheDragon,averyluckypowerfulsign,totheYearoftheGreenWoodSnake The snakeisthesixthanimalintheChinesezodiaccycle,anditrepresentswisdom,charm,andelegance
TheChineseNewYearfollowsthetraditionallunisolarChinesecalendar,whichisbasedonthephasesofthemoon andthesolarterms ThedateoftheChineseNewYearvariesfromyeartoyear,butitusuallyfallsbetweenJanuary21, andFebruary20,intheGregoriancalendar TheChineseNewYearmarkstheendofwinterandthebeginningof spring,anditiscelebratedwithvariouscustomsandtraditions,suchasliondances,dragondances,fireworks,family reunions,redenvelopes,andlanterns
LunarNewYearandChineseNewYeararerelatedbutnotthesame LunarNewYearisamoregeneraltermthatrefers tothestartofanewyearonthelunarcalendar,whichisbasedonthecyclesofthemoon ManyAsiancountries celebrateLunarNewYear,buteachhasitsowntraditions,beliefsandnameforthefestival ChineseNewYearisa specifictermthatreferstothenewyeareventwhenChinesecultureandtraditionsarecelebrated.Itisalsocalled SpringFestivalorChunjieinChina.
Vietnam:LunarNewYeariscalledTếtinVietnam Adultsgivesmallredenvelopesfilledwithcash,calledlìxì,to children Certainspecialfoodssuchasbanhchung(savoryricecakes)arepreparedandeaten Peoplealso decoratetheirhomeswithpeachblossoms,kumquattrees,andcolorfullanterns
Korea:LunarNewYeariscalledSeollalinKorea Peopleweartraditionalclothescalledhanbokandperform ancestralritescalledcharye Theyalsoeataspecialsoupcalledtteokguk,madewithslicedricecakesandbeef broth Eatingthissoupisbelievedtoaddoneyeartoyourage
Singapore:LunarNewYearisamajorcelebrationinSingapore,wheremanypeopleareofChinesedescent Peoplecleantheirhouses,exchangegifts,andvisitrelativesandfriends Theyalsoenjoyaspecialdishcalled yusheng,whichisarawfishsaladtossedwithvariousingredients.Thehigheryoutossthesalad,themoreluckyou willhave Thailand:LunarNewYearisnotanofficialholidayinThailand,butitiswidelycelebratedbytheChinese communitythere Peoplewearredclothes,lightfirecrackers,andgiveorangesandangpao(redenvelopes)to theirelders TheyalsovisittemplesandmakeofferingstoBuddhaandtheirancestors
Philippines:LunarNewYearisalsonotanofficialholidayinthePhilippines,butitisrecognizedasaspecialnonworkingday Peoplecelebratebywearingredclothes,eatingnoodlesandtikoy(stickyricecake),andjoining dragonandliondances Theyalsobelievethatcertainactivitiesonthisdaywillaffecttheirluckfortherestofthe year
LookingforwardtotheupcomingChineseNewYearin2025,wecelebratetheYearoftheSnakeandthe4,722years oftheChinesecalendar.Thisisaspecialoccasiontohonortheheritage,reconnectwithlovedones,andembrace newpossibilities Theoriginofthisancientfestivalliesinthelegendofafearsomecreaturethathastobescared awaywithfireandnoise Today,itisajoyouscelebrationofcultureandfamily Ittranscendsboundariesandsignifies transformationandgrowth
JoinRiverParkSquareonSaturday,January25,from1:00-2:30pm foraLunarNewYearcelebration,withperformancesbeginningat 1:30pm.Don’tmissoutonthisvibrantcelebration!
Featuring: DragonDancers
TaiChiperformance
TraditionalChineseDancers
MartialArtsDemonstration
TaikoDrummers
YearoftheSnakeheadbandcrafthostedbyMobius
SampleshostedbyP F Changs
Fortunecookiesamples&ColoringActivityhostedbyPanda Express
