The Public Sector Network held its second Government Innovation Conference in Washington on Thursday, June 8 in Tacoma. This conference brings together public service employees from all jurisdictions – state, county, city, town, and tribal governments – to share strategies for innovation and public service.

LGBTQ Commission Director J. Manny Santiago participated of a panel on data, privacy, and equity. The panelists discussed the importance of collaboration in data collection. They also highlighted the importance of having systems in place that protect the information collected, especially as vulnerable populations share information with government agencies that are bound by the Public Records Act. The panelists also discussed the importance of understanding the equity implications of data collection. Although data is useful to inform some aspects of policymaking, the numbers themselves don’t tell the whole story. Therefore, it is important to keep a balance between collecting raw data and continued engagement with the communities that agencies serve.

The conference was a great opportunity to explore innovative ways to engage constituents, create systems that center the human experience, and support each other in the task of transforming public service agencies to meet the needs of our constituents.

Panels and plenaries from the Government Innovation Conference will be available through the Public Sector Network’s website found here. 

(Conference pictures courtesy of Masozi Nyirenda and Michaela Doelman.)

The WA State LGBTQ Commission has curated a calendar of 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride events throughout the state. You can find events in your area by visiting the Calendar Page on our website here.

If you know of an event that is not yet on our calendar, we have created this form which you can use to let us know about any event your agency or community group is planning for this year. Feel free to share this link with agencies around your area who are planning events to celebrate and honor our community.

Commission staff and LGBTQ Commissioners would be delighted to share with our community at Pride events throughout the season. If you want to extend an invitation to the staff or Commissioners to attend your event in an official capacity, please submit your invitation through the Commission’s “Contact Us” page here.

This guide is intended to support discussions around transitioning in the workplace, but the safety and wellbeing of the employee transitioning should be the center of this process. This document is not all-inclusive nor is it legal advice.  There may be updated resources and changes that should also be consulted when engaging in this process.

When using and distributing this guide center folks with lived experiences and consider the following:

• Distributing to and connecting with affinity groups in your agency
• Building your process before you need it
• Sharing this across your agency, including any supplemental agency specific information your organization has
• Adding to onboarding and regular agency wide updates

Please distribute this document to your entire agency. We encourage everyone to keep this document somewhere that is accessible to all employees. There are people in every agency who can benefit from this information, especially those who may be assumed to not need it.

RAIN will be facilitating training on the content of this guide to support a thorough understanding of all the information. We would love to hear any feedback from employees regarding the guide so that we can continue to improve it.  The RAIN Best Practices subcommittee is also available to provide feedback on policies and procedures at your organization, not just to do with this guide. You can check out RAIN trainings to see what opportunities we have for you coming up.

Transitioning can be one of the most stressful and wonderful time of someone’s life. The goal and intention of this guide is to support anyone on this courageous and beautiful journey.

You can access the toolkit through this link.

In love and solidarity,

The RAIN Best Practices Subcommittee Co-Chairs

Ariel Kay-Barto & Rueben Otero

Marginalized communities often face similar challenges, and it is crucial that we work together to address these challenges and find common solutions. We must recognize that our struggles are interconnected and that by fighting against one form of discrimination, we can make progress in addressing others.

At this event, we'll bring together groups from around the region to connect around this common goal. Guest organizations include: AgePRIDE, Lavender Rights Project, WA State LGBTQ Commission, WA State Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander-American Affairs, Seattle Latino Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and more!

Mix & mingle and make brand new connections as you enjoy some delicious complimentary bites and a beverage.

Thursday, July 27, 2023 4:30pm - 6:30pm

Salesforce Roof Deck

Address: 744 N 34th Street, Seattle 98103

Street parking or the pay lots that surround the building in Fremont.

Access to the roof deck will be through the main front entrance of the building and through the elevators in the Main Lobby.

Gender neutral restrooms available.

For more information and registration, visit this link.

The Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law has put together a guide to help 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride organizations combat armed and paramilitary forces threatening their Pride Month events.

You can access this comprehensive guide through this link: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2023/05/Pride-Guidance-5.17.23.pdf

As violent groups threatened the safety of our communities, this is important information to have at hand and to share with our community.

Washington is home to vibrant communities and diverse Washingtonians who all have unique talents, skills and experiences. Governor Inslee places a high priority on boards, commissions, and agencies that are reflective of the diverse make-up of Washington and that utilize the impressive talent of Washingtonians. We are always seeking skilled and experienced individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in boards and commissions ensuring an effective and representative government.

We are excited to share the highlighted Current and Upcoming Gubernatorial Appointment Opportunities.

As someone with deep roots in your respective communities and organizations, we hope that you will share these opportunities.  Anyone interested in being appointed will need to fill out this Application.  Please explore the Boards and Commissions Profiles if you are interested in learning more about the many opportunities to get involved!

Thank you for your assistance in helping Governor Inslee find well-rounded candidates with significant talent and diverse experiences. Please feel free to reach out to Boards and Commissions staff with any questions you might have.  Thank you for your time.