FAN staff are excited to welcome you to our annual Spring Summits, scheduled for two Sundays this spring: May 5 and June 9, 3:00-4:30pm. We’ve opted to host these summits online to allow more people to join and to enable advocates from across the state to hear from each other. During this year’s summits, we’ll be able to celebrate legislative wins and hear about stalled legislation and what is needed to move forward next session. FAN staff will share an update on the three ballot initiatives that will have an impact on everything we do this year. And you will have a chance to meet in issue groups to discuss with others what policy changes you would like to see in the future.

Your voices matter to us! Last year, many attendees expressed concerns for young people and mental health—we heard you and worked with NAMI this year to advocate for some important bills that passed!

Register for the May 5 or June 9 session or learn more on our Spring Summit page, and bring your voice and your advocacy to the FAN table!

As we mentioned in our 2024 Legislative Session recap, six initiatives were introduced to the legislature and three were passed during session. The other three will go to the November ballot, and FAN has endorsed a NO vote on all three. There are others in the signature-gathering phase, and we invite you to decline to sign. You’ll be hearing more about all of these in the months ahead, but for now, we want to introduce you to some of the reasons we oppose the three that will be on November’s ballot.

What’s at Stake?

These three ballot initiatives threaten investments in education, childcare, healthy environment and communities, long term care, and more. They seek to reverse decades of work to pass the capital gains tax and make Washington’s tax code more equitable.

NO ON I-2109 – Keep the Capital Gains Tax

If passed this measure would:

• Take away nearly $900 million every year from early learning, K-12 education, and school construction.
• Repeal a modest 7% capital gains tax on Wall Street profits exceeding $250,000 that only applies to the very wealthiest Washingtonians.
• Cut funding for childcare, pre-schools, special education, school food services, and community and technical colleges.
• Put more pressure on the rest of us to make up the difference through property and sales taxes.

Vote NO on I-2109 More information at Invest in Washington Now.

NO ON I-2117 – Protect our communities and the environment

If passed this measure would:

• Strip away investments in every county in Washington that prevent wildfires, protect our air and waterways, and provide good jobs, healthier neighborhoods, and clean transportation for our children.
• Shift the burden of paying for the impacts of pollution onto communities, workers, and families, instead of a fee being paid by big polluting industries. 
• Reduce the incentive for carbon polluters to move toward cleaner energy.

Vote NO on I-2117.  More information at No 2117.

NO ON I-2124 – Keep long term care benefits for all Washingtonians

If passed this measure would:

• Harm people with pre-existing conditions, like cancer or diabetes, by taking away the only long-term care benefit available to them – since they can’t get private long-term care insurance and Medicare doesn't cover long-term care.
• Remove an estimated $8.1 billion from our long-term care benefits program, forcing premium hikes, and quickly bankrupting the program for everyone.
• Take away long-term care benefits from 85% of working Washingtonians.

Vote NO on I-2124. More information at No on 2124.

Faith communities have a long and deep history of support for workers rights, the dignity of work, and labor unions. In all the ways we work for justice and equity for our neighbors, this includes our union siblings. In recent years, the faith community had an important role to play in campaigns to increase the minimum wage, first in SeaTac with our partners at SEIU Local 6, then in the statewide campaign with many community partners. It continues to be critical to ensure workers, many who are immigrants and people of color, have access to good pay, healthcare benefits, and fair treatment. FAN is beginning to reconvene the table for conversation about the ways we can show up for each other and ensure economic justice and well-being for all! If you’re interested in participating, contact Elise DeGooyer or Steve Clagett at fan@fanwa.org.

Summer in the North Cascades wilderness calls! Holden Village is offering some exciting programming this summer, and we are delighted that FAN Policy Engagement Director Kristin Ang and FAN Governing Board Member Rev. Dr. Edward Donalson will be part of the teaching faculty for the week of August 5-8. There will be lots of opportunities to participate in meaningful programs and discussions, as well as enjoy the outdoors and all that Holden has to offer. Register at the Holden site.

Passover 2024 celebrations for Jewish communities begin at sunset April 22 through April 30. We wish our Jewish siblings a profound and joyous Passover. This is a time of remembering and wrestling with the constant journey from oppression to liberation, in its bitterness and sweetness.

Thursday, April 25, 5:00pm, Evening of Hope Protest, Yakima Convention Center, Yakima. Gather outside the convention center to respond to the decision by the Union Gospel Mission to have Michael Shellenberger, author of San Fransicko, Why Progressives Ruin Cities, speak at their "Evening of Hope '' event. Join to voice an alternative vision, guided by harm reduction, that lifts up and honors the voices of those with lived experience of homelessness.

Friday, April 26, 6:00pm, Common Ground Film Showing and Discussion, in-person, Journey Christian Church, 1933 NE 125th Street, Seattle. Watch the film together about regenerating the world’s soils which have the potential to rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate.

Sunday, April 28, noon-1:15pm, Activating Faith Communities for Climate Justice, in-person and online, First United Methodist Church, Seattle. Watch the film The Letter, beforehand then hear Rev. Jim Antal, author of "Climate Church, Climate World", and a leader of the interfaith climate movement, who will share how congregations around the nation are taking action. Rev. Antal will be joined by Anna Johnson, North America Senior Programs Manager with the Laudato Si’ Movement, who will share how Seattle-area faith communities are engaged in the movement Register here.

Sunday, April 28, 4:00pm, John Lewis: Good Trouble Online Screening Event. Watch the film about legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis’ life, legacy and more than 60 years of extraordinary activism together then hear from a panel of guests including Barbara Arnwine, President & Founder of Transformative Justice Coalition, Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins, Interfaith Alliance Board Member and Cinthia Illan-Vazquez, The Washington Bus Executive Director. Register here.

Wednesday, May 1, 3:00pm, Neustras Raices May Day Rally, in-person, Red Wagon at Riverfront Park, Spokane. Join Nuestra Raices in partnering with Eastern Washington University M.E.Che.A and Peace & Justice Action League of Spokane to advocate for immigrants and farmworker rights in Washington. Find out more here. 

Wednesday, May 1, 5:00pm, Latinos en Spokane May Day March, in-person, Clocktower at Riverfront Park, Spokane. March in Solidarity to celebrate workers, connect collective struggles, and demand our rights to dignified work, fair wages, safety, racial / immigrant justice, 2SLGBTIA+ rights and the right to housing, health, and education to better our lives!  Find out more here.

Saturday, May 4, 9:30-11:00am, "Cast Your Vote Washington," in-person, University Congregational United Church of Christ, Seattle. Join Earth Ministry/WAIPL to learn about Initiative 2117, the effort to repeal the historic Climate Commitment Act and how to take action to keep climate commitments in place. Find out more information and register here.

Sunday, May 5, May 12, and May 19, 11:45-12:45, Living Our Principals: Faith, Facts and Fun! In-person, Orchards United Methodist Church, Vancouver. Join Pastor Rachel Byers as she explores the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church which include Economic Community, Politics and Power and World Community. E-mail the church office for more details.

Sunday, May 5, 2:00-3:00pm, Environmental Awareness Summit: An Earth Day Celebration, in-person, Vancouver United Church of Christ, Vancouver. Join for an afternoon celebration and learning from several guest speakers including Heidi Cody and Don and Alona Steinke. Find out more here. 

Monday, May 6, 7:00pm, The Spokane Community Observance of the Holocaust, in-person, Temple Beth Shalom, Spokane. Learn about young heroes of the holocaust through art, performances from several local community groups and times of remembrance together. Find out more here.

Wednesday, May 8, 7:00-8:00pm, Washington Health Care for All Presents: Transforming Public Will into Political Power, online. Hear from President of Maryland Health Care for All Vincent DeMarco who is a long-time advocate for several public health causes including making prescription drugs more affordable and achieving quality/affordable/equitable health care for all. Register here.

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