Susan Cozzens Friends, The Quaker Voice Board recognizes that we are in extraordinary times. Threats to our community are rising, and we want to respond. The role that Quaker Voice can play is with our state-level decisionmakers. They have an outstanding record of defending everyone who lives here. We want to support them in those efforts. The … Read more
Building relationships with our legislators is at the heart of Quaker legislative advocacy. Quaker Lobby Day is your special chance to do that in Washington state. Whether they agree with us or not, our legislators listen to us as constituents. We speak to them from our hearts. Our legislators understand that we are different from … Read more
Quaker Voice runs on volunteer labor. Our paid legislative advocates just support the heart of our work — citizen engagement. That means there are plenty of ways you can shape the future through volunteer work with Quaker Voice. The three working groups need active participants to help set priorities and track and speak up on … Read more
The Quaker Voice Legislative Fellowship Program encourages the active engagement of fellowship holders in the state legislative process through mentorship, skill development, and partnering with legislative advocates in their work. Participants do not need to be Quakers. The program provides a $500 stipend. The application deadline is November 15. Quaker Voice Legislative Fellows are young … Read more
This year, six initiatives have been certified by the Washington Secretary of State, all aimed at reversing laws passed by the state legislature in recent years. Since Quaker Voice is focused on state decision-making, the fate of these initiatives is well within our scope of action. We are posting to tell you what the Board is planning and to invite your input. The leadership of the majority party in the legislature has decided to hold hearings on three of the six initiatives. …
Chris Ferguson submitted our official testimony to both House and Senate Housing Committees about our support for the rent stabilization legislation. He wrote: “Quaker Voice on Washington Public Policy commends the House Housing Committee for responding to the massive wave of rent increases that has washed over our state in recent years. We thank the authors … Read more
Quaker Voice depends on donations from individuals, churches, and Meetings, to do its work. After many successes in our work during the last legislative session, we are getting ready for the 2024 short session. Read about the challenges coming our way and the priorities the working groups are setting in our Fall Letter.
Friends, The 2024 session of the Washington Legislature has already started. Quaker Lobby Day is happening earlier this year, so that we can maximize our impact. Please join us in Olympia or online on Thursday, January 25, to raise our Quaker voices. Register at this link now so that we can have appointments with your legislators … Read more
The Quaker Voice Board is delighted to announce a new team of Legislative Advocates. Paul Benz, our new Senior Legislative Advocate, has been a long -time social justice leader in Washington state’s religious community. In addition to Quaker Voice, he is working as the lead lobbyist for the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability. He served … Read more
Juneteenth is a celebration of Emancipation, the biggest step Americans have taken away from the horrors of slavery and towards a society with true equality. The Washington legislature took another step, smaller but important, in the 2023 legislative session. They passed HB 1474 and established the Covenant Home Ownership Fund, which will provide down payment … Read more