Hello Bremerton Housing Authority staff, residents, program participants, our agency partners, and the Bremerton and Kitsap Community. I am three weeks into my role as the Executive Director of the Bremerton Housing Authority and am learning exciting things about our work and our service. In the coming months, I will be sharing more about this work and the vision the staff and I are working on together for our future goals and ambitions to provide safe and affordable housing in our community. This month, I want to highlight and celebrate Black History Month.

Black History Month provides a dedicated time to acknowledge, remember, and celebrate the vast contributions of Black people. These contributions make our country a better, stronger, and more equitable place to live.

African Americans have served in virtually every aspect of our society including the arts, sciences, technology, education, government, and human services to name a few. As you all know, we have our first African American person serving in the 2^nd highest office in our nation and our first woman Vice President. We honor the hard-fought achievements of the Black community and we thank them for the advancements and innovations they have brought to our nation. Their achievements and work toward goodness and fairness reminds me that we are all one humankind not to be separated by the color of our skin but to be united by the love for one another that flows through our hearts.

BHA has engaged in honest conversation about racism and inequities that continue to harm the Black community. We will be examining our policies and practices through an equity lens. I am encouraged that upon my arrival, staff and the Board expressed diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as a priority. Those initiatives will start with education which will lead to action. The BHA values are:

• Responsibility
• Compassion
• Self-Discipline
• Honesty
• Respect
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Professionalism
• Diversity
• Success

These values cannot be fully realized if racism in any form exists in our agency so we must ensure that it does not. Our Housing Authority has a servant leadership opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our local Black community as an employer, a thought partner, and a housing provider. Today and every day we celebrate Black History. I am honored to be a part of this agency and this community. Looking forward to great and equitable things to come for all.

Thanks, Jill.

Click here for BHA Vision, Mission and Statement of Values.