The Service we provide and including the frequency
WAMA was established to promote a quality media environment for East Africans to raise community awareness of the needs of children and young people in relation to the media. As non-profit and Advocacy community-based organization providing information, training on the impact of media to youth.
Social media has been increasingly utilized as an effective avenue for individuals to obtain needed social support and health-related information, especially during the on-going global COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, Washington African Media Association (WAMA) used social media channels to support the dissemination of important information from King County and health organizations. Increasingly, in our communities of color, the Internet is proving to be an important vehicle for mobilizing the flow of information to a broader constituency. The activity in this area is too widespread to chart within the limited space here, but these are just a few examples of the web sites, you tube and Facebook making some impact in transforming the shape of information delivery in the Communities of Color in King County media landscape.
WAMA encouraged communities of color to show solidarity, perseverance and ‘social distancing’ and vaccination in the current exceptional situation. WAMA used social media channels in different languages to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We are providing our communities and followers tips and advice on topics such as hygiene, responsible behavior and dealing with risk groups and those who are already suffering from the illness. In addition, we will share information from selected health organizations.
In June, King County Executive Dow Constantine and Public Health Director Patty Hayes declared that racism is a public health crisis and committed to implementing a racially just response to this crisis. This includes sharing power with the community, interrupting business as usual, and replacing it with something better purposeful steps necessary to end racial bias and all its negative impacts.
In the face of the rapid evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, communities of color are in urgent need of frequent updates to diffuse some of the rumors. Hence, valid information from sources delivered through our trusted ethnic media.
The Chair of WAMA Shortly after the first cases of COVID-19 started spreading here, Bereket Kiros joined King County’s Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group (PARCAG). PARCAG is a group formed by government and community-based organizations to address both the COVID-19 pandemic and racism through a government-community partnership.
Every week on Thursday 4 times in a month from 10:30-12 PM attended a meeting to get the latest information to transmit to our marginalize community. We utilize our social media platforms YouTube, Facebook, zoom, and online print depending on the deliverable information once a week at times three to four conducting interviews.
Anti-Asian violence in Washington, State USA |WAMA| – YouTube
Seeing the rise of hate crimes, misogyny, and xenophobia against our Asian American communities, we are reminded of the aphorism, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Attributed to moral philosopher George Santayana, this saying has long been admired as educational rationale for justifying the significance of studying history. However, simply knowing the past can be its own encumbrance if blemished histories persevere.
Over the past year, George Floyd’s death, other recent events of police brutality, and more than 3,800 instances of discrimination against Asian Americans vividly capture the continuation of a long and painful history of anti-Black and anti-Asian American racism within the backdrop of the pandemic (Chow, 2020; Nuyen, 2021). Let the waves of our voice, our action dismantled racism and wash away the pain of injustice and trauma, we can make the changes and promote equity for ourselves and others.
Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants.(Amharic)
https://youtu.be/_RXlL-56E08
Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants. (Tigrinya)
https://youtu.be/3Mb0pVui8nc
Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants.(Somali) City of Seattle Siinaysa
October 15, 2020 to November 5, 2020.
https://youtu.be/4Bjl1ELK1Ns
Census 2020 (Somali) – YouTube
Attachments area
Preview YouTube video Anti-Asian violence in Washington, State USA |WAMA|
Anti-Asian violence in Washington, State USA |WAMA|Preview YouTube video Census 2020 (Somali)Census 2020 (Somali)