September 2025 LGBTQ Commission Newsletter

The Washington State Park's and Recreation Commission cares for Washington's most treasured lands, waters, and historic places. They manage and preserve Washington's State Parks. 

“We are committed to providing safe, inclusive places for all people to be in nature,” Washington State Parks Director Diana Dupuis said. “As the first women Director of State Parks and first out member of the 2LGBTQIA+ community in this role, I’m proud to lead an agency with so many who care as deeply about supporting our communities as stewarding our public lands. Representation matters. When we march and engage with people at Pride, host in-park cultural events, add pronouns in our email signatures and proudly declare that “The Outdoors is for Everyone,” we show visitors – in Washington and beyond – that you are welcome in our parks. We’re saying you can feel safe playing, camping, walking and simply resting out in nature. We hope that message continues to ripple across the landscape to all those who need to hear it.” 

In addition to participating in Pride celebrations around the state, State Parks launched the Everyone Outdoors program in 2024 in collaboration with Department of Natural Resources and Department of Fish and Wildlife to provide free Discover Passes to groups that face barriers to outdoor access.

We recognize that getting people to the parks is only the beginning! Supporting visitors’ experiences at the park and beyond is essential to forging a lifelong connection with nature. To make our parks more accessible and inclusive for all visitors, we partnered with Fridie Outdoors to develop a series of video tutorials to demystify the camping experience and welcome first time and underserved visitors.

Check out a few of our Field Guide resources:

• Washington outdoor passes explained
• Your guide to building a safe campfire
• Who’s who at Washington State Parks
• How to have a great state park visit with dogs
• Where to splurge vs. skimp on gear

“We’re committed to fostering outdoor spaces where all Washingtonians find belonging in fish and wildlife conservation,” said Kelly Susewind, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) director. “As caretaker of 1 million acres of publicly owned land and hundreds of water access areas around the state, WDFW believes the outdoors are for everyone and will continue to champion wild spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and others.”

You can learn more about WDFW's commitment to inclusion and accessibility on their website page on Diversity, Civil Rights, and Accessibility. 

Did you know that Dave Upthegrove, Commissioner of Public Lands, is the first statewide LGBT executive office holder in Washington state? During his remarks at the 2025 pride flag raising at the state capitol, Commissioner Upthegrove had this to say about DNR's work protecting public lands for all people, including 2SLGBTQIA+ Washingtonians:

"We operate with a real simple principle here at DNR, and that is respect. Everyone at the agency deserves respect ... Let's recommit ourselves to a basic value, and that is, that all people, regardless of our differences, have value, have something to contribute, and deserve equal rights and fair treatment."

“I felt super welcome in a space that shows kindness, love, compassion, and understanding. While the statistics reflect queer people as a minority, you really couldn’t tell by attending the Spokane Pride Event! I hope I can impact strangers in a positive way as they have impacted me! Thank you all for the love and support!”  With love from the Coulee Corridor Area, Morgan Rivers, Senior Park Aide at WA State Parks

“Being able to be at our local Pride event and hear firsthand how much it means to the community to see us there reinforced why I started working for State Parks in the first place. For me it is a privilege to, not only spread the message but, be able to demonstrate that the Outdoors are truly for everyone.” - Kelly Mason, Administrative Assistant 2, Salish Foothills at WA State Parks

Given the federal landscape, why is it important to be connected to community?

• "There is absolute safety in the community ... it’s important to be
  around people who reflect back the reality that we are all experiencing right now, and if nothing else, this organization provides an outlet to stay grounded during a time when chaos thrives. It’s important for queer people to be visibly joyful right now, and in this group, that’s a guarantee." - Rainbow Rec Sports member
• "Especially in the given political climate, without community, we have no hope. And we have to find a way to maintain our hope and our joy. So, we find community." - Rainbow Rec Sports member
• Right now, we’re living in a time when queer and trans people are being targeted in legislation, media, and public discourse. It’s exhausting. And
  isolating. But Rainbow Rec reminds us that we’re not alone. Every week, I get to see a community show up for itself... Connection isn’t a luxury; it’s how we survive. And maybe more importantly, it’s how we thrive. When we find each other, we remember what we’re fighting for. We build resilience through relationships. We turn outrage into action, and loneliness into laughter. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that we’ll face it together, with a lot of heart and a whole lot of laughter." - Rainbow Rec Sports founder
• "Given the current federal landscape, staying connected to community is more important than ever—especially for LGBTQ2IA+ individuals and allies. Across the nation, we continue to see policies, rhetoric, and legislation that create fear, division, and real threats to equity and inclusion. In the face of these challenges, being rooted in community gives us strength, resilience, and visibility. For our members, community connection provides a safe space where people can show up authentically, find support, and know they are not alone." - Cheer Tacoma member

Washington is home to vibrant communities and diverse Washingtonians who all have unique talents, skills and experiences. Governor Ferguson 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 Ferguson 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.

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 contact@lgbtq.wa.gov