Who - Ethnic Heritage Council

Who we are

On this page:

What is the Ethnic Heritage Council?
Our Purpose
A Brief History
Officers & Executive Board

What is the Ethnic Heritage Council?

The Ethnic Heritage Council is dedicated to preserving the unique mix of cultural traditions that enrich our Northwest communities.

Since our founding in 1980 as a non-profit organization, EHC has grown in membership from a few individuals to hundreds of ethnic and cultural organizations and individuals.

Member organizations work together to preserve and document ethnic heritage, advance cross-cultural understanding and inform area residents about the ethnic experience in the Northwest through festivals, workshops, meetings and publications.

EHC is well-equipped to meet the challenges presented by our multi-ethnic society; with a Board of Directors comprised of leaders from African-American, Asian-American, European-American, Latin-American and Native American communities, the Council is one of the few organizations which provide a forum for the groups and individuals which make up its membership.

While EHC's events and publications inform us about the unusual mix of ethnic and cultural elements within our society, they are intended, most importantly, to unite us in the knowledge that each one of us has an ethnic heritage.

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Our Purpose

Enhance the success of ethnic organizations,
Advance communication and understanding among ethnic communities,
Facilitate documentation of local ethnic history and cultural heritage,
Be a clearinghouse of information concerning ethnic groups and their activities,
Sponsor and promote educational, cultural, and other exchanges among ethnic organizations and groups and the general public,
Provide support for ethnic non-profit organizations,
Organize ethnic and cultural events for the general public, and
Engage in any other lawful activity as authorized by the Board of Directors.

Referrals and Collaboration
The Ethnic Heritage Council responds to many requests for information concerning ethnic organizations, programs and activities. We receive inquiries from schools, community centers, government, public and private agencies, private citizens and libraries. We also collaborate extensively with the Seattle Center in a variety of events. If you have a question, please contact us here.

The EHC as a Non-Profit Umbrella Organization
We provide valuable assistance and support to young ethnic organizations seeking to establish themselves in the community, obtain grants and acquire tax-exempt status.

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A Brief History

Ethnic Heritage Council of the Pacific Northwest A Brief History

In September 1979 representatives of over forty Puget Sound ethnic communities organized a three-day “Ethnic Heritage Workshop and Festival” at Seattle Center. The group had been meeting for a year to learn from each other and address mutual concerns, such as informing the public about their local histories and cultures. Over 200 people attended the event. It was cosponsored by the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress and Seattle Public Library through a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. Because of the great success of the workshop, the organizers made a permanent commitment to work together by creating a new organization to be called Ethnic Heritage Council of the Pacific Northwest.

Incorporated in January 1980 as a membership-based, educational, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Ethnic Heritage Council is to enhance the success of member organizations; advance communication and understanding among ethnic communities; facilitate documentation of local ethnic history and cultural heritage; be a clearinghouse of information concerning ethnic groups and their activities; sponsor and promote educational, cultural, and other exchanges among ethnic groups; provide support for non-profit organizations, especially in their start-up phase; and organize ethnic and cultural events that inform the general public.

Over the years there have been many Council-produced cultural and ethnic events. “Spirit of ’86,” was a celebration and fundraiser for the Statue of Liberty Restoration Project. The gala banquet/fundraiser was headlined by the Chairman of the national campaign, Lee Iacocca, and raised $25,000 for the Statue of Liberty Fund. Liberty Fair, a multi-ethnic festival was produced for several years in conjunction with the Council’s Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremony. Today the Fourth of July event has been incorporated by Seattle Center into a major, nationally recognized event where every year over 500 people are sworn in as new citizens. Worldfest and other music and dance festivals featured traditional arts and performances in the contemporary marketplace by placing them at major shopping centers--Northgate Shopping Center being the first among them. Today, “Cultural Crossroads,” a fall festival at Bellevue’s Crossroads Shopping Center, features over 50 performance groups, exhibits and booths. It is no wonder that EHC is a leader in employing ethnic performing groups in Washington State.

Ethnic Heritage Council provides an important “umbrella” and co-sponsorship service to groups who are not registered non-profit organizations. In addition, the Council has offered numerous workshops to its diverse membership on such mutual concerns as fundraising, membership development, public relations and youth involvement.

The publications of Ethnic Heritage Council have been essential to carrying out the mission. The first newsletter, Ethnic Connection, was replaced in 1984 by Northwest Ethnic News, a monthly newspaper distributed region-wide. Today the Council publishes the monthly EHC Newsletter and Calendar of Ethnic Events. It is distributed to EHC members, to the King County Library system, throughout Seattle Center, and at all EHC public events. CONTACT: A Directory of Ethnic and Cultural Resources in Washington State was first published in 1981 and contained over 200 entries. The fourth edition will include over 1200 listings of resources across the state. It is a resource used by schools, other organizations, businesses and government and social service agencies, among others.

The Council presents four annual awards to recognize outstanding leadership in the ethnic communities. The “Spirit of Liberty” award is presented to a naturalized citizen who makes significant contributions to his or her ethnic community and to the community at large. The “Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial” award recognizes outstanding support of one’s ethnic community. The “Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial” award is given for excellence in ethnic performing arts, and the “Spirit of America” award honors foreign born and Native American individuals who have committed their lives to service within the multicultural community.

Funding for the work of the Ethnic Heritage Council comes from membership dues, donations, private and public grants, corporate support, product sales, service fees for project or event administration, festival evaluation and consulting fees, and event production.

Our 25th Anniversary and Beyond. To celebrate this important milestone, the Council will present “Telling Our Stories—Ethnic Heritage in Washington State” on March 11, 2006. The full day of workshops will take place at the Port of Seattle Headquarters, Pier 69, and is cosponsored by the Museum of History & Industry. Honorary Chairman for the event is former Washington State governor, Gary Locke. Workshop sessions will help participants begin or continue their efforts to record and share local ethnic history and preserve artifacts and documents. A reception after the conference will honor founders and supporters.

In April, after the conference, EHC will begin a collaborative exhibit project with Humanities Washington that will feature numerous ethnic groups across the state. The exhibit and program will premier at the Museum of History & Industry. EHC also is making plans to begin hosting monthly meetings at various ethnic and cultural halls to support continued contact among the participants in the March conference. In the meantime, the four popular, established events will continue: the February Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, the Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremony, Cultural Crossroads in Bellevue, and Winter Worldfest at Seattle Center. EHC also will continue to act as an important clearinghouse and referral service for individuals, schools, and agencies that wish to make contact with ethnic organizations.

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Ethnic Heritage Council
2006-2007 Officers and Executive Board

President: Burton Bard
Vice President: JoAnne Lee
Secretary: Mark Vohr
Treasurer: Julie Valencia

Board of Directors:

Burton Bard
Sam Kaplan
Karen Kodama
Ick-Whan Lee
JoAnne Lee
Sue McNab
Aleksandra Monk
A.M. Noel
Hezekiah Orji
David Serra
Natacha Sesko
Julie Valencia
Mark Vohr

EHC Staff Members:

Executive Director: Alma Plancich
Assistant Director, Editor: Maria Kesovija
Projects Support Newsletter /Calendar Assistant: Sally Ann Rutledge

The Council has been certified by the U.S. Treasury as a 501-c-3 organization and is registered in the State of Washington

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	About EHC Who we are Who we are On this page: What is the Ethnic Heritage Council? Our Purpose A Brief History Officers & Executive Board
	What is the Ethnic Heritage Council? The Ethnic Heritage Council is dedicated to preserving the unique mix of cultural traditions that enrich our Northwest communities. Since our founding in 1980 as a non-profit organization, EHC has grown in membership from a few individuals to hundreds of ethnic and cultural organizations and individuals. Member organizations work together to preserve and document ethnic heritage, advance cross-cultural understanding and inform area residents about the ethnic experience in the Northwest through festivals, workshops, meetings and publications. EHC is well-equipped to meet the challenges presented by our multi-ethnic society; with a Board of Directors comprised of leaders from African-American, Asian-American, European-American, Latin-American and Native American communities, the Council is one of the few organizations which provide a forum for the groups and individuals which make up its membership. While EHC's events and publications inform us about the unusual mix of ethnic and cultural elements within our society, they are intended, most importantly, to unite us in the knowledge that each one of us has an ethnic heritage. Return to top Our Purpose Enhance the success of ethnic organizations, Advance communication and understanding among ethnic communities, Facilitate documentation of local ethnic history and cultural heritage, Be a clearinghouse of information concerning ethnic groups and their activities, Sponsor and promote educational, cultural, and other exchanges among ethnic organizations and groups and the general public, Provide support for ethnic non-profit organizations, Organize ethnic and cultural events for the general public, and Engage in any other lawful activity as authorized by the Board of Directors. Referrals and Collaboration The Ethnic Heritage Council responds to many requests for information concerning ethnic organizations, programs and activities. We receive inquiries from schools, community centers, government, public and private agencies, private citizens and libraries. We also collaborate extensively with the Seattle Center in a variety of events. If you have a question, please contact us here. The EHC as a Non-Profit Umbrella Organization We provide valuable assistance and support to young ethnic organizations seeking to establish themselves in the community, obtain grants and acquire tax-exempt status. Return to top A Brief History Ethnic Heritage Council of the Pacific Northwest A Brief History In September 1979 representatives of over forty Puget Sound ethnic communities organized a three-day “Ethnic Heritage Workshop and Festival” at Seattle Center. The group had been meeting for a year to learn from each other and address mutual concerns, such as informing the public about their local histories and cultures. Over 200 people attended the event. It was cosponsored by the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress and Seattle Public Library through a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. Because of the great success of the workshop, the organizers made a permanent commitment to work together by creating a new organization to be called Ethnic Heritage Council of the Pacific Northwest. Incorporated in January 1980 as a membership-based, educational, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Ethnic Heritage Council is to enhance the success of member organizations; advance communication and understanding among ethnic communities; facilitate documentation of local ethnic history and cultural heritage; be a clearinghouse of information concerning ethnic groups and their activities; sponsor and promote educational, cultural, and other exchanges among ethnic groups; provide support for non-profit organizations, especially in their start-up phase; and organize ethnic and cultural events that inform the general public. Over the years there have been many Council-produced cultural and ethnic events. “Spirit of ’86,” was a celebration and fundraiser for the Statue of Liberty Restoration Project. The gala banquet/fundraiser was headlined by the Chairman of the national campaign, Lee Iacocca, and raised $25,000 for the Statue of Liberty Fund. Liberty Fair, a multi-ethnic festival was produced for several years in conjunction with the Council’s Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremony. Today the Fourth of July event has been incorporated by Seattle Center into a major, nationally recognized event where every year over 500 people are sworn in as new citizens. Worldfest and other music and dance festivals featured traditional arts and performances in the contemporary marketplace by placing them at major shopping centers--Northgate Shopping Center being the first among them. Today, “Cultural Crossroads,” a fall festival at Bellevue’s Crossroads Shopping Center, features over 50 performance groups, exhibits and booths. It is no wonder that EHC is a leader in employing ethnic performing groups in Washington State. Ethnic Heritage Council provides an important “umbrella” and co-sponsorship service to groups who are not registered non-profit organizations. In addition, the Council has offered numerous workshops to its diverse membership on such mutual concerns as fundraising, membership development, public relations and youth involvement. The publications of Ethnic Heritage Council have been essential to carrying out the mission. The first newsletter, Ethnic Connection, was replaced in 1984 by Northwest Ethnic News, a monthly newspaper distributed region-wide. Today the Council publishes the monthly EHC Newsletter and Calendar of Ethnic Events. It is distributed to EHC members, to the King County Library system, throughout Seattle Center, and at all EHC public events. CONTACT: A Directory of Ethnic and Cultural Resources in Washington State was first published in 1981 and contained over 200 entries. The fourth edition will include over 1200 listings of resources across the state. It is a resource used by schools, other organizations, businesses and government and social service agencies, among others. The Council presents four annual awards to recognize outstanding leadership in the ethnic communities. The “Spirit of Liberty” award is presented to a naturalized citizen who makes significant contributions to his or her ethnic community and to the community at large. The “Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial” award recognizes outstanding support of one’s ethnic community. The “Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial” award is given for excellence in ethnic performing arts, and the “Spirit of America” award honors foreign born and Native American individuals who have committed their lives to service within the multicultural community. Funding for the work of the Ethnic Heritage Council comes from membership dues, donations, private and public grants, corporate support, product sales, service fees for project or event administration, festival evaluation and consulting fees, and event production. Our 25th Anniversary and Beyond. To celebrate this important milestone, the Council will present “Telling Our Stories—Ethnic Heritage in Washington State” on March 11, 2006. The full day of workshops will take place at the Port of Seattle Headquarters, Pier 69, and is cosponsored by the Museum of History & Industry. Honorary Chairman for the event is former Washington State governor, Gary Locke. Workshop sessions will help participants begin or continue their efforts to record and share local ethnic history and preserve artifacts and documents. A reception after the conference will honor founders and supporters. In April, after the conference, EHC will begin a collaborative exhibit project with Humanities Washington that will feature numerous ethnic groups across the state. The exhibit and program will premier at the Museum of History & Industry. EHC also is making plans to begin hosting monthly meetings at various ethnic and cultural halls to support continued contact among the participants in the March conference. In the meantime, the four popular, established events will continue: the February Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, the Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremony, Cultural Crossroads in Bellevue, and Winter Worldfest at Seattle Center. EHC also will continue to act as an important clearinghouse and referral service for individuals, schools, and agencies that wish to make contact with ethnic organizations. Return to top Ethnic Heritage Council 2006-2007 Officers and Executive Board President: Burton Bard Vice President: JoAnne Lee Secretary: Mark Vohr Treasurer: Julie Valencia Board of Directors: Burton Bard Sam Kaplan Karen Kodama Ick-Whan Lee JoAnne Lee Sue McNab Aleksandra Monk A.M. Noel Hezekiah Orji David Serra Natacha Sesko Julie Valencia Mark Vohr EHC Staff Members: Executive Director: Alma Plancich Assistant Director, Editor: Maria Kesovija Projects Support Newsletter /Calendar Assistant: Sally Ann Rutledge The Council has been certified by the U.S. Treasury as a 501-c-3 organization and is registered in the State of Washington Return to top
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