On a crisp Saturday morning, Washington politicians and community members gathered inside an auditorium at Highline College in Des Moines for a discussion on the pain points facing the state
The Seattle and Tacoma graduate chapters of the historic Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha held the non-partisan public policy forum with Democratic elected officials and a representative from the Washington Secretary of State’s Office.
Organizers said they reached out to Republican leaders as well.
“We reached out to multiple political officials and their counterparts. Some declined many did not respond, or already had a conflict in their schedule. This is for both majority parties,” said Antaknea Majors, a Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Public Policy Forum Committee Member.
Dr. Rotonya Carr, a member of the Delta Upsilon Omega Chapter of AKA, says the event is important for civic engagement.
“People need to know that the people who we elect and who are working for us on behalf of Washington State, are our leaders. They are accessible to us. They are no different than you or me, but they have a very special job to do. So having events like this that bring them here to our community, where we can engage in direct dialogue, is so critically important. And to have it as a nonpartisan event, also very important,” Carr said.
At the mid-October event, the panel included Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, State Representative Edwin Obras, and voter education specialist from the Washington Secretary of State’s Office Sarah Spikes. State Representative Jamila Taylor served as moderator.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson wasn’t there, but sent a video message, in which he spoke about his efforts to protect Washingtonians’ healthcare after the federal government last year passed H.R. 1, known as the ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’
Ferguson said it cut more than $3 billion from the state’s Medicaid funding for the upcoming biennium.
He said it impacts about 600,000 residents, who are facing the potential loss of their Medicaid benefits through the state’s program.
“In response to all this, what I really consider to be a morally bankrupt policy, I signed an executive order that seeks to do everything we can to keep as many Washingtonians as possible on their health insurance,” Ferguson said.
Washington voter and attendee Kara Sims said healthcare is a major concern as her parents age.
“As a person who's in the sandwich generation, one issue that's really important to me is healthcare. Having a conversation with my mom yesterday and understanding the trade-offs that she's evaluating with regards to Medicaid, it's complicated. And I think about my parents, who are seniors, and for them to navigate this,” Sims said.
Another topic discussed at the forum was the state’s vote by mail system, which has been under attack through Executive Orders from the Trump administration. Washington is one of many states that have gone to court to protect the legal rights of voters.
Brown said his office has sued the President over 80 times in his 22 months as attorney general. Brown said that’s about a suit nearly every week.
“It saddens me a little bit that so much of our work is defending Americans from their President,” Brown said. “Over the course of the past year, we have been defending our state, and our laws, and the United States Constitution against an illegal, unconstitutional, un-American power grab from this President. Starting with an attempt to change the date by which we count ballots.”
State Representatives Taylor and Obras stressed the importance of finding common ground with their constituents.
“There is not a single district in Washington state that is majority Black,” Taylor said. Then, she asked Obras, “So how do you navigate coalitions with folks that may not come from the same ethic community, but they share your values?”
“Sure. I think laying your values on the table is first and foremost,” Obras replied. “Cause what that does, it naturally brings people together. When you are an elected official, there are a lot of opportunities to build those bridges. I can’t say enough - emphasis how important it is to be accessible, do outreach, and engage.”
For West Seattle resident Howard Brantley, affordability is a major issue for his family.
“I have a 29-year-old that lives here, lives in the Seattle area at the same time too. I think my biggest concern is affordability. And that continues to come up, especially here in Washington. With the rising cost of housing, rising cost, again of groceries,” said Brantley.
Spikes shared election reminders and highlighted facts about voting in the state, such as that Washington is among just a few states that produce a voter pamphlet.
She urged voters to use drop boxes instead of the postal service to ensure their ballot arrives in time, due to postmark changes.
“We are in a great position in Washington. I've lived in South Carolina, I've lived in Georgia, and I've lived in Florida,” Brantley said. “And one of the things that Sarah Spikes talked about is having that voter pamphlet. Use that voter pamphlet. Be informed of what's on the ballot, who's on the ballot, and why they're on the ballot before you take that right. Please vote, because this election is so critical.”
To check your voter registration status and track your ballot go to votewa.gov.
