The census is winding down, but WA Census Alliance is just getting started
We came together for a fair census count. We’re not stopping there.
At our country’s founding, only some of us were counted in the promise of America. There’s only one place in the constitution that mentions people of color: the census clause, that stated that Black folks were counted as three-fifths of a person, and Native communities were excluded altogether. Slavery and genocide structured the hierarchy of human value we still see around us today.
That’s why we first came together last year: to ensure that everyone who calls this country home is counted in and no one is counted out. That all of us can secure fair representation in our democracy and an economy that guarantees us a life of dignity.
We built collective power in communities of color across the state. With an unprecedented relational organizing campaign, we talked to tens of thousands of our friends, neighbors, grandparents and followers about the census.
We are 90+ organizations and tribes across all of Washington State, and we’re building on our collective power to fight for electoral justice, immigration justice, and criminal justice reform. We’re going to make WA State a true, representative, multiracial democracy for the first time in history.
See what our coalition is already doing:
Redistricting // After the census, WA will draw new district lines to reflect our communities. We’re organizing to make sure our communities have a say in this critical process. Sign on to our letter to demand representation and racial justice in redistricting, and nominate a leader you trust and build our community shortlist for commission appointments.
Ranked Choice Voting // We’re joining FairVote Washington to bring ranked-choice voting to our state- one of the best ways to ensure Black and Brown communities can elect leaders who reflect the diversity of our state. Sign up for our launch event on Sep 17:
Legislation and Elections // Our member organizations are getting involved in elections and lawmaking through endorsements, candidate support, lobbying, and more. Check out Latinxs for Change, a new organization building Latinx political power in the greater South Sound. Right now, communities of color are 30% of the state, but only 16% of the legislature and only two county-level elected officials in state are nonwhite.
This upcoming election is gonna be critical and we have two of our leaders on the ballot: Sherae Lascelles and T’wina Nobles. Fuel our work in the November election!
Criminal Justice Reform // Black-led orgs that came together through WCA have launched Washington for Black Lives: a new statewide coalition calling for (1) defunding the police (2) demilitarizing law enforcement in our state and (3) investing in Black and Brown communities. Check out WA for Black Lives in the news, and take action with us.
Immigrant Justice // Our members WAISN and OneAmerica fought alongside Washington Dream Coalition to win $40M of COVID relief for undocumented workers from the state. A complete count that brings federal funding to our state shouldn’t exclude the workers who make this state run.
We’re in it for the long haul. Because we know that going back to “normal” after Trump and COVID is not an option: we can do better than the status quo. We’re fighting for a new kind of multiracial democracy, and we have a plan to win.
Stay posted: soon we’ll have a new name, because we’re growing beyond the census. We’re building power together to build a new Washington, for all of us.
