SENATE RESOLUTION

                             2000-8694

By Senators  Franklin, Eide, Sheldon, B, Snyder, Goings, Winsley, Spanel, Wojahn, Shin, Kohl-Welles, Thibaudeau, Long, Rasmussen, Loveland, Brown, Bauer, Gardner, Sheldon, T, Haugen, Hargrove, Fairley, Fraser, Jacobsen, Costa, McAuliffe, Oke, Hale, Sheahan, and Prentice

     WHEREAS, We celebrate today the all-too-brief life, the courageous accomplishments, and the timeless ideals of the late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.; and

     WHEREAS, An important legacy of his efforts was to show that government, as advocate for the people, has a moral responsibility to act in ways that help to unite our people; and

     WHEREAS, One of the ways we live up to that legacy in Washington is through our commitment to the commissions that serve as liaisons between the majority community and various public and private entities reflecting the minority community; and

     WHEREAS, This day is an opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to the unity of our diverse population by seeking to reassure the Commissions on African-American Affairs, Asian Pacific-American Affairs, and Hispanic Affairs of our support for their work and their continued existence; and

     WHEREAS, The Twenty-first century, a time of technology and a changing workforce, will require us to think in new ways in order to reach out to all of our communities and extend the opportunity of prosperity to each citizen; and

     WHEREAS, In a democratic society, it is incumbent upon legislative bodies to not only voice but to practice inclusiveness; and

     WHEREAS, America is built upon the contributions of all of its people, hailing from many different backgrounds, races, faiths, and ethnicities; and

     WHEREAS, By recognizing all of her contributors equally, and telling their stories, we can face the challenges of the new century as a unified people; and

     WHEREAS, The challenges of the new century require of us unity, not disunity; respect for differences, not disrespect; and that we be problem solvers, not problem makers; and risk takers, not status quo seekers;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the members of the Washington State Senate do hereby recognize the important work done by the Commissions on African-American Affairs, Asian Pacific-American Affairs, and Hispanic Affairs; that those commissions help to illuminate specific barriers faced by communities seeking to enter the mainstream of American life; and that their work plays a major role in helping us to address many public policy issues that might not otherwise be a focus of our attention; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate do hereby immediately transmit copies of this resolution to the Commissions on African-American Affairs, Asian Pacific-American Affairs, and Hispanic Affairs.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2000-8694,

adopted by the Senate January 17, 2000.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate