Come Walk to Keep Our Community Whole on Saturday, March 23^rd at 12Noon to reject the Senate’s proposed All-Cuts budget, and call on our state Senators in the 6^th and 7^th Legislative Districts to raise revenue and reject cuts that hurt real people in our community.  Read more »

 By Michelle Little, Young Activist Leader and PJALS Intern

Being a single mother of three young children, I depend on many programs to care for my family while I am attending college, including Medicaid, food stamps, child care assistance and the Washington State Need Grant for higher education. Continuing cuts to these programs will devastate families such as my own, and many other families who are struggling to stay afloat.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day I had the privilege of speaking at the rally on the capitol steps with 300 people at Washington Community Action Network’s Racial Justice Rally in Olympia. I went with a delegation from the Peace and Justice Action League including my fellow intern Justin Filla. This was the first time I had ever spoken in front of a crowd, and although it was very scary it was also very empowering to be able to tell my story and have the support of so many people who feel the same way I do.

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by Liz Moore, PJALS Director

I hope you will join us on Thursday February 7,  in the Community Building Lobby, 35 W. Main from 5:30-8pm  for our panel discussion of the culture of violence

Like you, my thoughts, heart, and sorrow have been with the families, children, teachers, and entire community of Newtown, CT, in the wake of the devastating tragedy of 28 people, including 20 children, shot and killed in Sandy Hook Elementary School. I have felt the need not to engage with much media coverage of this heartbreaking event, but I do feel the need to share some reflection and thoughts with you here.

This horrible atrocity is part of a pattern of violence in our country. A timeline of most deadly mass shootings from 1989 to the present is a shocking and saddening set of information, showing increasing frequency in more recent years. And at the same time, our federal budget puts 47% of our national budget into past and current Pentagon spending, Read more »

by Lucia Vazquez

Our WA legislature received a D for its voting on racial equity bills for the 2011 and 2012 sessions. The grade came from Washington Community Action Network’s Facing Race: 2012 Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity, which assessed the Washington Legislature’s performance during the 2011 and 2012 regular sessions on issues that affect racial and economic equity. The report was endorsed by 52 organizations across the state, including PJALS. The goal of this report was to educate legislators about the impact their decisions have on communities of color that make up about 30% of Washington residents, but also to spread awareness of advancing racial equity within our state. Read more »

by Shar Lichty

We made history on Nov. 6th, becoming the first state to defend the freedom to marry at the ballot by 53.32% to 46.68%. We were an important part of a historical night for LGBT rights and recognition nationally.

None of this would have been possible without a campaign dedicated to organizing in Eastern Washington. We had significant gains in Eastern WA support from R71 to R74 with the three largest gains being: Garfield County, 5.89% increase; Whitman County, 5.14% increase; and Spokane County, 4.48% increase. The City of Spokane also saw a significant 4.37% increase with the larger gains coming from the more conservative districts: District 1, 3.09% increase and District 3, 6.37% increase.

Spokane played another key role in Approving R74 with 16 faith leaders publicly endorsing the freedom to marry.  Read more »

Standing, from left: Terrie Ashby-Scott (moderator), Ramon Alvarez, Farand Gunnels, Marvo Reguindin, Sandy Williams, Renika Williams. Seated, from left: Rev. Happy Watkins, Lucy Vazquez, OJ Coates

by Lucy Vazquez

As the November election approaches and ballots are being filled out, it’s important to bring up conversations about LGBT communities’ rights and that no one should face discrimination when they hope to marry the person they love.

PJALS teamed up with Why Marriage Matters Washington to organize an event that focused on engaging in the conversation among communities of color about the freedom to marry. The East Central Community Center was filled with love, laughter, tears, and reflection as it became a safe space for a dialogue with great leaders of our communities who shared their personal stories as gay, lesbian, and two spirit people as well as allies showing their support to all loving couples.

This event was so powerful it touched my heart and made me reflect on my life; I didn’t realized how much I could relate to their stories. Read more »

As the November election approaches, this event will lift up the visibility of LGBT people of color and leaders of communities of color who are allies for the freedom to marry. No one should face discrimination when they hope to marry the person they love.

Panelists will include Sandy Williams, Stanley Ruiz, Marvo Reguindin, and Ramon Alvarez sharing their stories as gay, lesbian, and two spirit people of color; and Rev. Happy Watkins, MEChA leader and PJALS intern Lucia Vazquez, and other community leaders speaking as supporters of the freedom to marry for all loving couples. Join us Saturday, October 20, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone.  Read more »

By Sheila Fox, co-chair of the Palestine-Israel Human Rights Committee

What would it be like to live on 6.3 gallons of water a day during these summer months? Many Palestinians know. Wash and drink in solidarity with them and record your experience by joining on to the Thirsting for Justice campaign for a day.

It takes 2.5 gallons or water just to flush the toilet once.   Read more »

By Shar Lichty, Organizer

Last month I attended a brown bag lunch discussion with a staff member from Washington United for Marriage and leaders from the local group working to secure marriage equality at the ballot in November. During introductions we were asked to answer the question, “How will you feel on Nov. 7th if marriage equality fails at the ballot?” This question threw me for a bit of a loop because I honestly had not thought about it. In my mind it was not an option. This question became a dose of reality for me, a wake-up call: We can fail. Read more »