Sept 2026 eNews
Join us October 3 for the ACRS Annual Benefit Gala
The 2026 ACRS Annual Benefit Gala is just a few weeks away! Join us Saturday, October 3, at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue for an evening celebrating resilience, possibility and the people who make ACRS’s work possible.
This year’s Gala will feature Karen Narasaki as our featured honoree and speaker, acclaimed author Angela Garbes as emcee, and award-winning poet and spoken word artist Troy Osaki, along with powerful stories of ACRS’s impact and the challenges facing immigrant and refugee communities today.
The Gala comes at a critical moment for our communities. Sweeping policy changes are stripping away essential supports and dismantling systems that immigrant and refugee families rely on, making it more important than ever for our community to come together and stand with those most vulnerable when those systems are no longer there.
Join us October 3 – purchase your tickets today.
Get Vote Ready on National Voter Registration Day on September 15
ACRS’s Civic Engagement team is helping mobilize our community for National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 15, with a voter registration and information event from 12:15–1:30 p.m. in Room 301 at ACRS.
Community members can stop by to check their voter registration status, learn more about ballots and voting resources, ask questions, and pick up free swag and refreshments. There will also be a button-making station and information to help people feel informed, confident and ready to participate.
Stop by, get vote ready and help strengthen civic engagement in our community!
Youth Development Revives Asian Young Men’s Group as AYM High
ACRS Youth Development is bringing back its Asian Young Men’s Group — now called AYM High — creating a culturally grounded space for middle-school young men to build community, explore identity and celebrate AANHPI heritage and brotherhood.
Led by Brian Chan, Youth Development Specialist, the group will bring young people together for games, culturally relevant food and lessons on navigating interpersonal relationships, racial and gender norms, cultural and generational gaps, and multicultural identities. Youth who complete the program can also earn a $200 stipend.
The group has deep roots at ACRS, building on a Southeast Asian Young Men’s program first launched more than two decades ago to support young people from immigrant and refugee families.
Recruitment will begin with students at Aki Kurose Middle School when ACRS Youth Development returns to the schools this fall. While Aki Kurose is being rebuilt, students will temporarily attend classes at the Old Van Asselt campus.
For Brian and the Youth Development team, recruiting a new group each school year is part of the excitement: welcoming a new generation of young people into a space where they can connect with culture, community and one another.
This summer, middle-school youth in ACRS’s Lotus Circle (A&NH/PI Girls’ Group) explored identity, culture and self-expression through an interactive art exhibit featuring ACEO cards, zines and sketchbooks.Over four weeks, participants created four ACEO cards inspired by the themes Who Am I?, My Voice, My Roots and My Journey, using sketches, watercolor, acrylic and other materials to express their stories.
This year’s group included youth with Vietnamese, Cambodian, Cham, Afghan, Lao, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Native Hawaiian, Black and White backgrounds, with several students identifying as multiracial or multiethnic.
Visitors could flip through sketchbooks, read artist statements on the backs of the cards and leave encouraging messages on a tree of encouragement. Through the project, participants had space to reflect on who they are, share their stories and build confidence, connection and community.
ACRS Staff Member Sam Prudente Featured as PACE Community Leader
The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods recently spotlighted ACRS Aging and Adult Services case manager Sam Prudente as part of its Have We Met? series celebrating people helping shape Seattle’s neighborhoods.
Sam participated in the People’s Academy for Community Engagement (PACE) in 2024 through a cohort hosted in partnership with ACRS. The program helped deepen Sam’s understanding of how local government works and build confidence using their voice in civic and community spaces.
Since then, Sam has put those skills into action including serving as an emcee for multiple A&NH/PI candidate forums and helping create opportunities for PACE alumni to stay connected and engaged.
Reflecting on the experience, Sam shared that leadership now means less about being out front and more about creating space for others to grow, participate and use their voices to make meaningful change.
Read Sam’s profile from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
We’re looking for volunteers to help make the 2026 ACRS Annual Benefit Gala on October 3 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue an evening of connection, inspiration and community impact.Our greatest need right now is for recorders and spotters in the ballroom, though several other volunteer roles are available. Even a few hours of your time can help ACRS celebrate resilience, honor community and bring this special evening to life.
See open shifts and sign up at
Celebrating Volunteer of the Month: Isiah Goodspeed
We’re proud to recognize Isiah Goodspeed as ACRS’s August Volunteer of the Month!
Isiah joined ACRS as an SYEP intern during July and August and quickly became an important part of both our kitchen and Seattle Community Farm teams.
At the farm, he helped lead volunteer groups, organize supplies and shared valuable gardening knowledge that helped the team grow more produce.
We’re grateful for the energy, experience and hard work Isiah brought to ACRS this summer. Thank you, Isiah!
