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January 23, 2023 Newsletter
Connect with the Commission
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Apply to the LGBTQ Commission Today!
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 Washignton, 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 Washignton 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.
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Save the Date – Townhall on Infertility Bill
 Save the Date Public Townhall on Infertility Bill HB 1151 & SB 5204 Monday - January 30 6:00 - 8:00 PM Link: tinyurl.com/InfertilityBill Physical Location: WA State LGBTQ Commission 905 Plum Street DE Suite 300 Olympia, WA 98501 RSVP: tracey.carlos@lgbtq.wa.gov
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Opportunities for the Community
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Learning Opportunity: Moving from Affirmation to Action: Working with Trans, Non-binary and Gender Nonconforming Individuals
Friday March 17th, 2023
8:30 am - 2:45 pm (Pacific)
Three consecutive workshop sessions with goals to increase affirming providers' capacity to offer gender affirming mental health care. This training requires a basic understanding of gender and will ask participants to further deconstruct the gender binary and explore the influence of Westernization, medicalization and white supremacy in our conceptualization of gender affirming care. Participants will also have the chance to learn more affirming language and practices that can be used in the therapy room.
Priority will be given to clinicians who serve individuals with Apple Health (Medicaid).
$50 Registration Fee
Continuing Education Hours will be offered
Stay tuned for more updates!
Reach out to contactus@sayingitoutloud.org for questions
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Seattle’s LGBTQ Center – Apply for Arts Funding!
The Seattle Office of Arts and Culture and Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center are offering grants of up to $15,000 to foster the growth of QTBIPOC artistic and cultural expression on Capitol Hill. Projects of any size will be considered, and artist groups may use the funds for creative activations like performances, workshops, exhibits, and more. Please apply by February 13, 2023.
Cultural events, experiences, and spaces provide reasons for people to gather, confer identify, and build community which are ever more critically important during the current COVID pandemic and recovery process. This program seeks to support recovery efforts through collaboration, equity, resiliency and safety in alignment with the City of Seattle’s vision of One Seattle.
Apply through Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center if based on Capitol Hill, or see a list of other Lead Organizations in the full guidelines if based in another neighborhood. If you're part of a QTBIPOC artist group, read the full guidelines and then get started on your application at gaycity.org/ArtsApp.
More info: gaycity.org/Neighborhood-Recovery-Program
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Youth Legislative Action Day 2023
The 2023 Action Day is an annual event hosted by the Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council. Action Day will take place in person at 416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW., Olympia, WA on Sunday, January 29th, 2023 from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. We will have three sessions throughout the day for attendees to learn from speakers at the highest levels of government, discuss pressing youth legislation, participate in expert-run workshops, and network with other student leaders. Please complete this form to register for the event. More information will be sent to the email address that is entered. You can find more information about the Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council and Action Day at walyac.org/. If you have any questions or concerns please email adarabdi05@gmail.com
Register to participate through this link.
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 SAVE THE DATE February 14, 3pm * State Reception Room * Legislative Building, Olympia * LOVE, =QUALLY The Journey to Marriage Equality, A Legacy Washington Project, Washington Secretary of State, Legacy Washington https://www.sos.wa.gov/legacy/love-equally.aspx
To learn more go to Legacy Washington
Legislative Session Updates
The LGBTQ Commission identifies legislative priorities annually and works with our Legislative Advisors and other legislators to advance bills that expand the rights of the community.
The current bills being monitored for 2023 so far are:
Legislative Priority:
Affecting the community:
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SB 5008 - Providing parents and legal guardians access to instructional materials.
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SB 5009 - Requiring parental or legal guardian approval before a child participates in comprehensive sexual health education.
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SB 5024 - Establishing parents' bill of rights related to their child's public education.
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SB 5028 - Revising the process for individuals to request name changes.
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SB 5029 - Empowering school district boards of directors.
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SJR 8202 - Amending the Constitution to address reproductive freedom.
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HB 1028 - Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses in the legal system.
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HB 1207 - Preventing and responding to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools.
You can find a full list of the bills we are watching in the 2023 session through this link.
The LGBTQ and ally community in Washington has several ways to be involved in advocating for issues that are important to us. Here are some tools you can use:
Washington State LGBTQ Legislative Caucus
Contact Your Legislator
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Find Your Legislator: Enter your address to find your current legislative and congressional district.
- Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000 (TTY for Hearing Impaired 1-800-635-9993). Callers to the Hotline can leave a brief message for their district legislators, Governor or Lt. Governor on issues of concern or on questions they may have about bills or laws. For non-English speaking callers, the Hotline offers interpreter services for many languages.
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E-mail: Click a legislator’s name to go to the e-mail form for that legislator
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Visiting the Legislature: Information about directions, parking, Capitol Campus activities and events, and tours.
Bill Information
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Bill Information: Find out the latest information on a piece of legislation.
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Legislative Process: Learn how a bill becomes a law.
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How to Testify in Committee: Your opportunity to testify comes at the committee hearings. If you cannot appear before a committee, contact your legislator making your position on a bill known.
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TVW: Washington’s public affairs network, providing gavel-to-gavel coverage of Washington State Legislature sessions and coverage of the Washington State Supreme Court and public affairs events.
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 Important Update for Social Equity Cannabis Retail License Applicants: New Instructional Courses and Upcoming Webinar Series Jan. 24 and Jan. 28, 2023
The Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) will soon be opening the application window for a limited number of retail cannabis licenses that have been reserved for social equity purposes.
The LCB has partnered with MakeGreenGo! to provide technical assistance and business education for potential social equity applicants. MakeGreenGo! is a company with experience providing technical assistance to cannabis businesses in several state and local jurisdictions.
New Instructional Courses
New instructional courses have been added to the Technical Assistance Program. Sign up for the free Technical Assistance Program here. The six new videos provide detailed information on the application process, including:
- Social Equity Program Overview
- Social Equity Application Process
- How to Submit an Application
- How to Complete a Social Equity Plan
- Cannabis Laws and Rules
- Cannabis Licensing Overview
Social Equity Program Webinars
Together, LCB and MakeGreenGo! are hosting a series of webinars to help potential applicants learn about the social equity licenses and how to prepare to apply. The webinars are for anyone who is interested in learning more about applying for a social equity cannabis license. Registered attendees will learn:
- How to apply for a license;
- Qualifications for a social equity in cannabis license;
- Documents you will need to gather; and
- Additional information potential applicants will want to know:
The webinar content is pre-recorded, however, registered participants will still be able to ask questions through chat during the live question and answer period. LCB staff will be online to answer your questions.
Please only sign up for one webinar.
Webinar Dates and Times
Jan. 24, 2023 (Tues.)
January 28, 2023 (Sat.)
Webinar Registration
Click here to register to participate in a webinar. A recording of a webinar will also be available on our website, at a later date.
LCB Social Equity in Cannabis Website
As always, the source for the most current information is the Social Equity section of the LCB website. Please visit our website to learn more about social equity in cannabis and to access the training provided to prepare you to apply for a license.
Open Call for LGBTQ+ Visual Artists
Calling all LGBTQIA+ visual artists for Fred Hutch’s Public Art and Community Dialogue Program! Selected artists will create commissioned artwork informed by our Community Dialogues to be displayed across the Fred Hutch Seattle campus and featured in public and community program materials. Selected artists will also receive $5,000 for their commission and participation in the program.
Artists who work in a variety of visual media will be considered. Examples of media include, but are not limited to, traditional art, digital art, collage, graphic art, mixed media and textiles. Fred Hutch employees and staff are not eligible to apply at this time. Deadline for Applications: Friday, February 10
Learn more: fredhutch.org/en/about/about-the-hutch/diversity-equity-inclusion/public-art-and-community-dialogue/artist-call-details.html
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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.
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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.
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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.
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