
Inatai hosted Shaping the Future: South Central Washington a week after the November 2024 elections in Pasco. Community leaders from the Yakima Valley to the Columbia River Gorge connected and strategized. Pictured, from left: state representative candidate Chelsea Dimas; state senate candidate Maria Beltran; Sunnyside Councilmember Vicky Frausto; Inatai President & CEO Nichole June Maher; and Inatai Policy & Advocacy Director Nick Allen. Photo: Uly Curry
January is inauguration month, and with the new chapter it ushers in, I find myself reflecting on what it truly means to be a Washingtonian. What does it signify when our state is hailed as “the bluest,” “the most progressive,” or, as some have noted, “the state that moved to the right the least”? That now-familiar map, where Washington stands out as the lightest shade of pink in a sea of red, is both a symbol of distinction and a call to action.
I’ve been asking myself—and leaders from every corner of our state—why this is the case, how we arrived here, and what responsibilities come with such a distinction? What does it mean to come from a state that has charted a different course from so much of the nation? And more importantly, what does this moment demand of us as we move forward?
First things first—we must grapple with an uncomfortable truth: Despite what the pundits say about our state’s progressive reputation, we have a long way to go in building the more equitable and racially just state our communities are dreaming of. Celebrating victories is important, but it’s critical to confront where we still fall short.
At Inatai, we celebrate the wins achieved by communities from Aberdeen to Omak this past election cycle. Decades of organizing and infrastructure building led to voters defeating three out of four statewide ballot measures put forward by a Redmond billionaire that would have deeply undermined our state budget and priorities.
Community power-building in Washington led to the election of the most racially diverse group of legislators, state senators, and U.S. Congressional representatives in its history. Our 12-person congressional delegation now includes eight women, among them two Latinas, one Black woman, and one South Asian woman. At the state level, we made history by electing our first Black attorney general, a groundbreaking leader in the state’s executive office.
All these wins show what makes Washington stand apart: a commitment to community power and collective action.
But being different comes with responsibilities for all of us, too. It is not enough to elect candidates who break barriers. We must move from the era of “firsts” and into a time where it no longer makes headlines when a person of color, a transgender individual, an immigrant, or someone who is working class, has a visible disability, or is younger than the average politician holds office. True progress means fundamentally reshaping how our government works so that it actually works for our communities.
Inatai’s strategies are grounded in this understanding. We know that every corner of Washington—urban, rural, coastal, and inland—holds diverse communities with unique challenges and transformative potential. Over the past six years, I’ve traveled to all 39 counties multiple times, listening to these communities’ hopes and struggles. What I have learned is that while the challenges are great, so too are the opportunities to reimagine and shape a future that works for everyone.
This requires bold action. We must ensure that all communities in Washington have equitable access to federal and state resources. For too long, access to state funds has favored richer organizations with institutional power, perpetuating inequities. People of color-led, small, and rural organizations are disproportionately affected because there is limited access to wealthy donors and big bank accounts. One actionable change Washington state lawmakers can take this legislative session is to evaluate the Department of Commerce funding reimbursement requirement, which unduly burdens under-resourced communities and limits their ability to access critical support.
We must also prioritize protecting access to democracy. The rights of Washingtonians—from voting rights to their immigration status—are under pressure, particularly for communities of color and Tribal communities who face systematic barriers at every turn. Recent redistricting in Central Washington highlighted how the rights of communities of color are often traded away for short-term power grabs. To move forward, lawmakers must listen to grassroots organizations working tirelessly to ensure every vote counts. This includes addressing voter suppression tactics and building systems that strengthen democracy from the ground up.
Finally, Washington must commit to establishing and increasing equitable government policies and practices to ensure reflective leadership and racial justice. At Inatai, we have always supported policies that dismantle systemic inequities, such as affirmative action, which we backed in 2019. The repeal of such policies over the last few decades have had devastating impacts on all communities, and we refused to accept a status quo that equates wealth, whiteness, and insider status with leadership. Instead, we stand with accountable community leaders and organizations demanding that government reflects and serves everyone. We urge the current legislature to prioritize equity and racial justice in every policy they pass.
Washington deserves so much more, and November’s election proves that its people are ready to support community-centered leaders ready to fight for racial justice. When given the opportunity to vote for such representation, they do—and they often win. The task before us is to turn that vision into a reality. Washington may stand apart, but the future we’re striving for can—and should—inspire the nation.


Nichole June Maher
President & CEO