Lavender Rights Project (LRP) “elevates the power, autonomy, and leadership of the Black intersex & gender diverse community through intersectional legal and social services”. Our very own LGBTQ Commissioner, Commissioner Ebo Barton, serves as the Director of Housing Services at LRP! Here is their website.

POCAAN “is committed to providing comprehensive, multicultural awareness and prevention programs aimed at addressing health disparities experienced in marginalized communities”. POCAAN offers educational programs, HIV prevention/awareness, counselling and rehabilitation services and more. Another one of our Commissioners, Commissioner Steven Sawyer, serves as the Executive Director of POCAAN. Learn more on their website.

Kitsap Black Student Union “provides a safe space to celebrate culture, learn and preserve our rich history while empowering youth leadership through mentoring and community service”. Kitsap Black Student Union supports Black youth in Kitsap County through education, research, belonging, and events. Learn more on their website.

Alphabet Alliance of Color “is an organization by and for queer and trans Black, Indigenous and other people of color (QTBIPOC), serving local QTBIPOC in a variety of ways – all grounded in mutual aid, transformative justice and community connection”. Some of their services include the alphabet institute – leadership development, financial support, and member meetings and events. Learn more here.

Pacific Northwest Black Pride “produces events and activities to achieve inclusiveness, equality, respect and awareness in the Pacific Northwest region and beyond”. PNW Black Pride educates, supports, and celebrates the Black LGBTQ population in Washington. Commissioner Steven Sawyer also serves as Executive Director of PNW Black Pride. Learn more on their website.

Seattle Black and Pink “works towards prison abolition through pen pal matching, mail processing, organizing with community partners in advocacy campaigns, and by direct support”. Seattle Black and Pink hosts quarterly letter writing events meets and organizers meet twice monthly. Learn more here.

The Black AIDS Institute, Center for Black Equity, and the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition are all organizations that advocate for Black 2SLGBTQIA people on the national level. We would like to encourage you to support, engage with, and share these state and national organizations with others as we work towards a Washington that is more equitable for everyone.

On Thursday, the National Park Service announced that they would be awarding $1.25 million to different projects in 19 different states in order to identify more national historical sites that more accurately reflect the diverse communities that live in the United States. The Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historical Preservation was awarded $75,000 of this grant for their project to identify and study LGBTQIA+ historic places in Washington state and to write a National Register nomination.

The Washington State LGBTQ Commission would like to thank the Department of Archaeology and Historical Preservation for their work to uncover history about our communities that have been underrecognized and send our congratulations to their agency staff for writing this grant proposal! This money comes from the National Park Service Underrepresented Communities grant program, which has been in place since 2014. Since then, it has provided over $7 million to similar projects. To read more, visit this press release!

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:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=F-LQEU4mCkCLoFfcwSfXLcYM2Kh5n99Bo1xI9rX1_nxURFREVEdZMlBGWU0yMUlXU0s1VE85M1pUWi4u

Email Program Manager Sam Fennell for the Zoom link and location details. 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.

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.