October 24, 2022 Newsletter

Connect with the Commission

RAIN Outstanding Agency Awards

The Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network (RAIN) held its annual “Outstanding Agency Awards” on Thursday, October 20^th. This award was created by RAIN to recognize state agencies (or specific programs within the agency) who have created/improved the safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ employees. This award is specifically to recognize the impact on employees and is not a reflection of the services provided by agencies to their constituents (it is our belief if there is a positive impact on employees, service delivery will also be positively impacted).

The three agencies that were recognized this year were:

• Student Services Division at Eastern Washington University
• Economic Service Administration of the Department of Social and Health Services
• Buildings and Grounds Unit of the Department of Enterprise Services

LGBTQ Commissioner Nick Franco (Spokane Co.), Associate Vice President for Student Equity, Belonging, and Voice at Eastern Washington University joined RAIN for the celebration. Commissioner Franco highlighted the great efforts that EWU has done to ensure that LGBTQ employees and students feel safe, empowered, and supported. As an employee of the institution, Commissioner Franco shared how they have felt welcomed and empowered by the university community. They also pointed out that change does not only happen at the policy level but needs to be extended to agency culture and practices, which they have witnessed at Eastern. The WA State LGBTQ Commission celebrates with Commissioner Franco, their colleagues and students, and with the larger Eastern Washington University community for their well deserved recognition. To learn more about the RAIN Outstanding Agency Awards and current and past recipients, please visit their webpage through this link.

Opportunities for the Community

The Washington State Women's Commission is hosting a Young Women's Listening Tour This Fall

About the Tour The Washington State Women's Commission is proud to host several Listening Sessions across the state to hear from young women, primarily ages 16-30, about what issues are most important to them. We are inviting young women across the state of Washington to share their concerns, priorities, insight, and the issues that are most important to them. The Women's Commission will use the information gathered from each Listening Session to create a report which will be shared with the Governor's Office and the Legislature. The Washington State Women's Commission is a non-partisan state government agency with a mission of "improving the life of every woman and girl by ensuring equitable opportunities and removing systemic barriers through engagement, advocacy, and public policy, while being inclusive of our diverse populations. Details of Specific Events

Register

All Listening Sessions are free to attend, and we'll provide lunch (for mid-day sessions) or snacks (for evening sessions). Let us know you'll be attending one of our sessions by registering here.

Spread the Word!

The Women's Commission is committed to hearing from young women with diverse identities & lived experiences. Please consider sharing the opportunity with your network!

Accessibility Requests Or Other Questions?

Please email Leah White at leah.white@wswc.wa.gov.

Oasis Youth Center Leadership Summit 2022

Another great opportunity to be a part of the magic of Oasis is at the Leadership Summit. Whether this is your first time or your 10th, we know you don’t want to miss it. Join us on this multi-day transformational experience that brings queer youth, volunteers, staff, and community leaders together to develop skills and inspire change in our world. Here are some details so you can mark your calendars now. Tuesday, November 15th at Oasis Youth Center Wednesday, November 16th at Oasis Youth Center Thursday, November 17th at Oasis Youth Center Friday, November 18th at Oasis Youth Center Saturday, November 19th at Camp Seymour We will meet for 4 hours Tuesday-Friday and have one workshop, a meal together, and an ending activity each day. Participants must attend 2 workshops or activities to be eligible to join us on Saturday when we go to Camp Seymour for camp activities like ropes courses, archery, and more! Saturday will be a longer day to make sure we can fit in all the fun. Our theme this year is Growing Together in Pride, and we hope you will grow with us! Youth can register here for the retreat. Volunteers can register here.

Join Spectrum Spokane for a night of Indigiqueer joy!

BINGO NIGHT to follow film screening. Badass prizes from R.I.S.E. Indigenous, Spectrum Center, and more. About the Film: "Sean and Adrian, a Two-Spirit couple, are determined to rewrite the rules of Native American culture through their participation in the “Sweetheart Dance.” This celebratory contest is held at powwows across the country, primarily for heterosexual couples … until now." Register to attend through this link.

Black Health & Wellness Survey

The Commission on African American Affairs, in association with Halcyon NW and Equity Leadership Collaborative invite you to participate in a statewide Black Health and Wellness study.

We need your voice and insights on how to improve the quality of life for American Americans in Washington state in the areas of economic stability, wellness, housing, wealth, education, child welfare, environmental and social justice.  

Please complete our 15-minute survey and consider participating in our online focus groups. By sharing your lived experiences with us, we can continue to advocate for change. 

Both the survey and focus groups are designed to protect your privacy. 

Send an email to info@equityleadershipcollaborative.com to participate in a focus group or groups.

Access our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CAAABlackWellnessStudy

GLSEN – Kaleidoscope Book Club for Educators

GLSEN Washington State is starting an intersectionality book club for educators called The Kaleidoscope Book Club. We will have groups for educators in K-12 schools with the books geared toward those student age groups. At the book club meetings, we will discuss the book and also how educators can bring that material into their classrooms or student clubs. We will select books by and/or about LGBTQ+ people-- focusing on representation of people of color and/or disabled people. At the meetings, we will have trained facilitators to lead the discussions and potentially guest speakers as well.  We are excited to begin this project and hope you will register to join us! For more information and registration, please visit this 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.

It is that time of year again. Are you ready to vote?

Need to know what is on your ballot? Read the Voter Guide for 2022

Need to know what is on your ballot? Read the Voter's Guide for 2022. Click the image to go to the link. HTTPS://VOTER.VOTEWA.GOV/GENERICVOTERGUIDE.ASPX?E=877&C=99#/

Need to register to vote? You can do it online until October 31, 2022

Need to register to vote? You can do it online until October 31st. Click the image to go to the link. https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx

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.