November 28, 2022 Newsletter

Opportunities for the Community

Take the 2022 US Trans Survey!

The U.S. Trans Survey is the largest survey of trans people, by trans people, in the United States. The USTS documents the lives and experiences of trans and nonbinary people ages 16+ in the U.S. and U.S. territories. USTS reports have been a vital resource, including the reports on the experiences of people of color and reports by state. In 2015, nearly 28,000 people took the USTS. A lot has happened since then – and it’s time to conduct the USTS again in 2022. Help us continue to be the largest, most diverse sample across all identities. Please spread the word to ensure that people of color, older people, those who live in rural areas, immigrants, Spanish speakers, those who are HIV+, and others hear about the survey. More than ever, it's important to ensure that trans voices will shape the future. To take the survey in English, please visit this link. Para tomar la encuesta en español, por favor visite este enlace.

Seattle LGBTQ Center – The 19th Annual Stronger Together World AIDS Day Event

December 1, 2022, 4-5pm At The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway 920 East Barbara Bailey Way Seattle Expect speakers, refreshments, and community as we gather in remembrance of those lost to AIDS, celebrate how far we’ve come, and look to a future that’s stronger than HIV. Please save the date and register through this link to receive updates about this event!

World AIDS Day - MPowerment Washington 

Save The Date World AIDS Day Thursday, December 1 Time: 6 to 7:30 pm, Doors open at 5:30 pm Location: Harbor House, Percival Landing, 217 Thurston Ave NW, Olympia Join us as we hold space for those lost to the AIDS crisis in Olympia. Music and light refreshments provided. Mpowerment Washington is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide safer-sex outreach and education to the local GSM community. Check out for website: Mpowerwa.org

World AIDS Day – Interfaith Service

Join African Americans Reach and Teach Health Ministries (AARTH), POCAAN and other local organizations serving the African American and Black communities to honor and remember the lives of those lost to the HIV epidemic. “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility” is the theme for this service, to be held on Thursday, December 1^st starting at 6:00 pm at Plymouth Church in Seattle. Please visit this link for more information and registration.

Interfaith Service World AIDS Day Thursday, December 1, 6:00 PM Educational Vendors | 7:00 PM Service | Plymouth Church | 1217 Sixth Ave | Seattle 98101 | Come let us worship together. Black people accounted for 42% of new HIV diagnoses in the US in 2019 - https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/racialethnic/africanamericans/diagnoses.html - Rev Dr. Leslie Braxton New Beginning Christian Fellowship, Keynote Speaker - Organizers: African Americans Reach & Teach Health Ministry AARTH www.aarth.org, Plymouth Church United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Kelle Brown Sr. Pastor, Liberation United Church of Christ, New Beginnings Christian Fellowship, POCAAN, Unity Fellowship Outreach. For more information contact Dr. Renee McCoy, Reneem@AARTH.org

Remembering, Healing and Action

Join Rainbow Center, Oasis Youth Center, and community leaders as we come together to Remember, Heal and take action in the tragedy of Club Q in Colorado Springs on November 19.

This will be a chance to hear from city leaders and find support from community. There will be mental health services onsite to handle any traumas that may arise.

Light refreshments provided. Free and open to the public.

Date: December 3, 2022

Time: 10am-12pm

Location: Rainbow Center, 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA

Facebook event link

LGBTQ+ Scholarship Programs Accepting Applications

Pride Foundation Scholarships

Pride Foundation’s scholarship program supports LGBTQ+ students who are leaders—in their own lives, in their families, in their home communities, in their fields of study, in their workplaces, or in our movements for justice. 

We prioritize moving resources to LGBTQ+ students who need it most, so we especially focus our funding on those LGBTQ+ student leaders who have some or all of the following experiences and qualities:

• Demonstrate a commitment to advancing justice and the well-being of their communities, past, present, and future
• Have experienced family rejection and/or haven’t been able to access a larger community support system
• Face systemic barriers to educational access, and have been impacted by systemic discrimination and oppression. Specifically:
  • Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color
  • Trans, non-binary, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, and Two Spirit people
  • Immigrants
  • Disabled people/People with Disabilities, including people living with chronic illness, HIV, neurodivergence, and mental health challenges
  • People over 25, as non-traditionally aged students
  • People living rurally
  • People who have experienced or are experiencing housing instability or houselessness
  • People who have experienced or are experiencing poverty
  • Demonstrate financial need and don’t have access to familial or other financial supports
• The priorities above drive the funding for all of our scholarships. While most Pride Foundation Scholarships are open to all students, we also host a number of scholarship funds that have specific criteria, based on students’ majors, backgrounds, where they live, and more. For those scholarships, we will prioritize students who both meet the specific fund criteria and also the broader programmatic priorities above.

For more information visit this link.

GSBA Scholarship Fund

About the Fund

Awarding scholarships to LGBTQ+ and allied students who exhibit leadership potential, demonstrate strong academic abilities, and are actively involved in their schools and community.

Become a Scholar

GSBA awards educational scholarships to LGBTQ+ and cisgender/straight-ally students who are committed to making a difference in the world. Our scholarships range up to $13,000 annually and are meant to provide significant support as you pursue your educational goals.

For more information, visit this link.

Working Families Tax Credit - A New Tax Credit for Washington Workers

Starting in 2023, the Working Families Tax Credit is a new tax refund that helps Washington workers and their families get more money back at tax time. The refund returns a portion of sales tax paid each year and is modeled after the federal Earned Income Tax Credit program. The purpose of the Working Families Tax Credit is to stimulate the local economy, promote racial equity, and support the financial stability and well-being of low-to-moderate income Washington residents and their families. This credit program is managed by the Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR), the state’s tax administration agency. Find out more information about this program by visiting the Working Families Tax Credit page through this link.

Interested in serving on Commissions and Boards?

Monthly Upcoming Appointment Opportunities

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.

Jobs Opportunities for LGBTQ Washingtonians

Check out the list of job opportunities for the community on our Careers Opportunities page by visiting this link.

We are excited to share job postings sent to the LGBTQ Commission. There are three requirements to be included on our page:

• The job needs to be able to be done in Washington State (virtual works)
• The business must have an inclusivity and/or equal opportunity statement
• The job posting must include a salary range.

 Please send any job opportunity to share with the community to our Program Manager, Tracey Carlos (she/her) to tracey.carlos@lgbtq.wa.gov

Have something you want to share in our newsletter?  Please send any submissions to Tracey Carlos, Program Manager, at tracey.carlos@lgbtq.wa.gov  

Deadline for all submissions is Thursdays by 12:00 PM Pacific Time.

Published Monday mornings.