The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) wants to ensure that the lands they manage are safe and welcoming to all visitors, including people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities. The focus of these listening sessions is on WDFW-managed lands, including boat launches, that provide public access to lakes and rivers.

WDFW has reached out to the LGBTQ Commission to spread the word about their upcoming listening session!

When: May 6th from 4-5 PM

Where: Zoom 

How to sign up: Email Chris Korsmo for the link - chris@copperstrategic.com

*WDFW is especially looking to hear from people in King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan counties.*

Your input will help inform recommendations to ensure everyone feels safe and included and can enjoy our public lands and waters! Participants will receive a $50 gift card. 

Our Youth Advisory Council applications are still open!

The LGBTQ Youth Advisory Council is an amazing opportunity to join the LGBTQ Commission and help the Governor in advancing equity in our state! This is a chance to have your ideas, lived experience, and expertise inform policies that directly impact 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. Appointments will be for a 2-year term. *Applications will be open March 11th, 2024 - May 15th, 2024, with appointments to the council to occur in June 2024 for a 2-year appointment. *

Click here to apply!

Once you have submitted your application, the LGBTQ Commission staff will review your application and reach out regarding further steps. If selected, the next stage of the application process will be an interview.

Reach out to Sam Fennell, LGBTQ Commission Program Manager, with any questions: Samuel.Fennell@lgbtq.wa.gov

To download printable posters for the Youth Advisory Council: General Poster. We appreciate you spreading the word to youth who might be interested!

Pride season is just around the corner! The WA State LGBTQ Commission wants to keep an updated calendar of Pride events throughout the state. We have created this form, which you can use to let us know about any event your agency or community group is planning for Pride this year. You can also use the QR code in the image. Feel free to share this link and QR code with agencies around your area who are planning events to celebrate and honor our community.

The LGBTQ Commission reserves the right to publish the information of the event, and here are some guidelines we will follow in making our decision on what events will be published:

• Events that go against the mission, vision, and values of the LGBTQ Commission will not be publish on the calendar.
• Only community events will be accepted for publication. No commercial events at bars, clubs, restaurants, or paid venues will be accepted for publication. (It’s OK if a community event has an entrance fee.)
• Political, partisan, and religious events will not be accepted for publication.
• Acceptance for publication of an event on the Commission’s calendar does not constitute endorsement, support, or sponsorship of such event on the part of the Commission, its staff, Commissioners, or affiliated agencies.

Are you interested in having a Washington State LGBTQ Commissioner or staff member speak at your pride event this year? State LGBTQ Commissioners are appointed by the Governor to improve the state's interface with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and are responsible for advising the Governor, executive branch agencies, and the legislature on polices related to 2SLGBTQIA+ people. If you would like to have a Commissioner come speak at your pride event please reach out to us through this contact form!

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.

The Center for Civil & Human Rights at Gonzaga University School of Law is pleased to host the first of its kind summit addressing LGBTQ+ rights, issues, and advocacy efforts.

Date: April 19th, 2024 9:00AM-4:30PM

Location: Gonzaga School of Law

• Join a safe space to learn about the legal and systemic barricades facing the LGBTQ+ community and efforts to move this area of law forward.
• Three diverse panels of LGBTQ+ faculty advocates from top tier law schools, practitioners, and keynote speaker Kellye Testy, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
• Attendees also will have the chance to network and earn 5.0 CLE credits focusing on ethics, equity, inclusion, and the mitigation of implicit and explicit bias in the legal profession and practice of law.

For more information on panelists and to register for the summit, click here.

On April 20th from 2pm-7:30pm at the University of Washington Tacoma University YMCA Student Center! 1710 Market St. Tacoma, WA

A huge variety of #LOCAL Community, Gender affirming, and mental resources. Free food!!!! Free raffle items with chances to win BIG prizes. Tarot readings, Legal help, HIV/STD Testing, and a wide array of gender affirming care workshops. Free makeup, tamales, musubi, Elote, and more!!!! Find what helps you feel like you and what feeds your soul. We've got a little bit of everything great at our first Health and Gender Bazaar! 

Open to EEEVVERYONE!!!! Queer youth, questioning youth, allies, parents/guardians, and queer/ally adults.

To sign up in advance for free haircut, basic makeup, or tarot readings, email wayner@oasisyouthcenter.org with your name, and a time will be emailed back to you. Services are from 2:30pm-6pm

P.S. Don’t miss the special (surprise) performance at 6:30

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.

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.