Some time ago, Commissioner Matt Landers shared with me a picture Seattle activist Deaunte Damper had posted on social media, which you can see next to this article. This is a picture of members of the Governor’s team, members of the LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, 2SLGBTQIA community leaders from the Puget Sound area. (People from many parts of the state also participated through the phone.) It was one of the meetings where the creation of the WA State LGBTQ Commission was being discussed, and if I remember correctly, this was the meeting right before the Governor started his search for an Executive Director to lead this newly formed agency.

The WA State LGBTQ Commission was made a reality because of the hard and consistent work of hundreds of 2SLGBTQIA leaders throughout the state. For years, grassroots activists and organizations – large and small – serving our community advocated for a formal way to have our voices included in the policymaking process. This image is part of our history as 2SLGBTQIA Washingtonians. It is my hope, as the Commission enters this next chapter, that the work stays grounded in community advocacy and collaboration.

It is also important to point out that this is just a moment in history, it is not our whole history. Since time immemorial, Two-Spirit Indigenous people – and Indigenous people with many other similar expressions of identity – have inhabited these lands that we now occupy. Nowadays, 2SLGBTQIA refugees from other states and countries around the world continue to find affirmation and safety in Washington. 2SLGBTQIA Washingtonians will continue to work collaboratively to ensure our state is safe for all people. It has been my honor to serve our 2SLGBTQIA community, and I trust that we will continue writing history in our state.

Always in solidarity,

On Friday, January 19^th, and Saturday, January 20^th, the Washington State LGBTQ Commission gathered for their first meeting of 2024 at the Commission office in Olympia, Washington. The agenda covered a wide range of topics, from discussion on the current legislative session and advocacy efforts to updates on Commission programs such as the Youth Advisory Council and Comprehensive LGBTQ Survey. Commissioners met with the research team at WSU who are administering our survey and discussed important aspects of this work, such as safety, accessibility, and outreach efforts, so that the team is well-equipped and informed as they begin to develop the survey. Our new Program Manager, Sam Fennell, and our Legislative Advisor, Senator Claire Wilson, led discussion on legislative bills that the LGBTQ Commission is watching this session. Below this article you can find a list of bills that were voted on by Commissioners to be priority bills to follow and more information on our Youth Advisory Council. The Commissioners also held discussion on continuing to support and engage the community during the time of transition until the LGBTQ Commission finds a permanent Executive Director. The Commission is here for you and remains committed to the work we have started in advocating for all 2SLGBTQIA+ Washingtonians.

The Commission would like to sincerely thank the members of the public that came to the meeting and participated in discussions alongside Commissioners. Having input from the public is the best way for us to do our job effectively and to truly understand the struggles the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is facing in Washington. Please continue to speak up and let your voice be heard on the issues that matter to you, we are listening and advocating for you.

The next public meeting of the LGBTQ Commission is scheduled for March 15^th, 2024, in Everett, Washington, from 10AM-5PM. More details regarding this meeting will be announced closer to that date. Stay tuned!

The following bills were voted on during the Saturday portion of the January Public Meeting as priority legislation for the Commission. These directly or indirectly impact the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and the Commission would like to bring your attention to these bills. To learn more about the bill or to voice your opinion on the bill, click the number of the bill and it will lead you to the leg.wa.gov page for that bill. These are not the only bills the Commission is following, however. A full list of these bills and more, including bills we are following that are Anti-2SLGBTQIA+, is available on our website at this link.

HB 1408 Creating an account for the pharmaceutical rebate revenue generated by the purchase of medications for people living with HIV who are enrolled in the early intervention program.

HB 1954 Harmonizing language relating to reproductive health care services and gender-affirming treatment.

HB 1958 Concerning nonconsensual removal of or tampering with a sexually protective device.

HB 2106 Concerning library districts with an annexed city or town.

HJR 4208 Removing gendered terms from the Constitution.

SB 5237 Establishing complaint procedures to address noncompliance with certain state education laws.

SB 5462 Promoting inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public school `

SB 5824 Concerning the dissolution of libraries and library districts.

SB 5983 Allowing medical assistants with telehealth supervision to provide intramuscular injections for syphilis treatment.

SB 6127 Increasing access to human immunodeficiency virus postexposure prophylaxis drugs or therapies

*Bills are ordered numerically, not by order of priority.

The LGBTQ Commission is starting a Youth Advisory Council for the Office of the Governor! This is an amazing opportunity to join the LGBTQ Commission and help the Governor in advancing equity in our state. This is an opportunity to use your ideas, lived experience, and expertise to inform policies that directly impact your peers and some of the most vulnerable members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the state. Council members will be paid by a stipend and since this a new committee, the first members will be a part of shaping the structure of the council. We will be hosting a hybrid Town Hall for youth interested in participating in this council on Saturday, February 17^th, from 1:00PM to 4:00PM. This Town Hall will go over details regarding the council and provide youth with an opportunity to hear from other youth involved in different councils across Washington state.

If you are interested in participating in the Town Hall on February 17th, please sign up using this form and we will send the Zoom link and location details February 10th. This form is to gauge interest and to send the application process to individuals who are interested in being a part of the council.

For questions or accommodations please email samuel.fennell@lgbtq.wa.gov.

The mission of the Washington State LGBTQ Commission is to improve the state’s interface with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, and intersex community, identify the needs of its members, and ensuring that there is an effective means of advocating for LGBTQ equity in all aspects of state government. We accomplish this work by listening and engaging our community throughout the state with the support of 15 members, appointed by the Governor, to serve for a three-year term as Commissioners.

If you are a resident of Washington, over 18 years old, and who identifies within the LGBTQ and Two Spirit community, you qualify to serve as a Commissioner! We are looking for people who understand the challenges facing the LGBTQ in Washington today, who are interested in shaping policy to support LGBTQ Washingtonians, and who can really commit to being present to advocate with and for the community. The WA State LGBTQ Commission offers stipends for qualified, appointed Commissioners according to the “Community Compensation Guidelines” adopted by the Office of Equity and found here. Everyone is welcome to apply, and LGBTQ Washingtonians with expertise or lived experience in these areas are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Rural communities and cities and towns outside of the I-5 corridor
• Older LGBTQ people
• LGBTQ and Two-Spirit members of Tribal Nations
• Disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQ people
• Active military servicepeople, veterans, or spouses
• Small business owners and entrepreneurs
• LGBTQ people of mixed, Desi, Black, Latina/o/x, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander racial and ethnic identities

If you are interested in being considered to serve as an appointed Commissioner, please fill out the application form found on the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions here. You can also nominate others to be considered. If you have applied in the past, were not selected, but want to be considered again, please fill out a new application.

Save The Dates!

The Say It Out Loud (SIOL) Conference began in 2001 to provide space for education, networking, and sharing knowledge to improve care and support for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, families, and our communities. All are welcome. Attendees have included professionals serving all ages and populations, non-profit agencies who serve 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and families, behavioral and mental health, substance use, child welfare, education, criminal justice, etc. Interpreter Services and Captioning Provided.

Dates: May 19 - 20, 2024

Location: Yakima Convention Center - 10 N 8th Street, Yakima, WA 98901

Registration ($100) opens in February!

Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2024 SIOL Conference? Email us at contactus@sayingitoutloud.org

Interested in speaking at this year's conference? Call for Proposals now open!

For more information on call for proposals click here.

The NW Regional Equity Conference keynotes represent intersectional identities and will be covering topics including LGBTQIA+, Immigrant experiences, and Black liberation with a common thread of what it looks like to build towards the future we want while staying grounded in hope. Commissioner Ebo Barton will be attending this conference as a keynote speaker!

The workshops will be covering topics such as academic instruction, student and employee support, equitable policy development and decision making, community care strategies in disrupting harm, cultural competence, identities and intersectionality, and professional development.

This year, Clark College’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI)is partnering with the Southwest Washington Equity Coalition (SWEC) and their Advancing Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (AREDI) learning series. The relationship between Clark College and SWEC has been in existence since SWEC’s formation in 2016.

This partnership represents the generative collaboration and intentional fostering of community that are at the heart of the equity and justice work we care about. As we reach across organizational and systems level walls, we embody the reality of partnership and collaboration within our broader communities, and we engage each other as teachers, students, friends, and partners in this work.

Visit this link if you are interested in registering for the conference.

Contact the conference staff at nwrec@clark.edu if you have questions or need support.

The Washington State Women’s Commission is committed to promoting the economic empowerment and advancement of Washington women in high-paying careers with good benefits, including those where women are historically underrepresented. In implementing this commitment, the Women’s Commission partnered with the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to gather feedback from women across the state on potential perceptions and barriers associated with pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Washington State Patrol is focused on diversifying its future workforce. This survey will help the recruitment and retention of staff in the agency and understand how women-identified persons view careers in law enforcement.  The information gathered from this anonymous survey will be used to develop recruitment strategies that target expanding gender diversity, accessibility, and creating public awareness of family-sustaining wage jobs within Washington State Patrol.

On behalf of the Women’s Commission and the Washington State Patrol, thank you for taking time to complete this anonymous survey. You can find the survey here!

Washington State’s Office of Equity is starting a three- year project with the Centre for Public Impact to reshape Washington State Government to be more relational, collaborative, and fair. We are committed to becoming a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

In January, we will begin the first 3-month phase of the project in collaboration with state leaders and community members to co-develop a shared vision, strategy, and leadership commitments for embedding equity and justice throughout Washington state government.

We need you! We seek 25 Community Members (referred to as "Community Validators") to co-create with. As a Community Validator you will participate in seven, one to one and a half hour virtual meetings between February and April 2024. In doing so you'll be in partnership with Washington State government leaders to grow the vision and strategy of Washington state government. The Centre for Public Impact will work with you and will compensate you for your participation and expertise.

To participate as a community validator you must:

- Live in Washington state

- Not be employed with the State of Washington

If you are interested in participating, please click this link: https://lnkd.in/eK5dWxf4 and add your information to this short form. Someone will then reach out to you.

Questions? Contact Sam Watson Phone: (919) 695-7275 Email: wep@centreforpublicimpact.org

The Department of Health is launching a new online health resource for teens and young adults. 

Teen Health Hub WA (the Hub) is a new webpage on DOH’s website. DOH cocreated it with Washington teens and young adults, including members of DOH’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The Hub features a curated online directory of youth-friendly information and resources on behavioral health, primary care, navigating the health care system, sexual and reproductive health, and teen dating and violence prevention. Teens and young adults, parents and caregivers, and youth-serving professionals can use the new webpage to find easy links to health-related resources that have been vetted by experts at DOH and approved by the YAC.  

Over the next year, DOH will work with the YAC to expand the Hub. This will include adding more high-quality online resources, creating guides on health topics young people want to know about - like how to schedule a doctor's appointment - and developing an inventory of youth-serving resources in the state. DOH will also be adding content in Spanish, soon. 

Check it out at: Teen Health Hub WA | Washington State Department of Health   

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.