Accomplishments

Our affiliated advocacy organization Greater Spokane Action worked with the Tenants Union of Washington State, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, other members of the GSA Housing Justice Committee, and GSP network organizations to mobilize support to pass Rent Stabilization during the 2025 State Legislative Session. While there were changes made at the end that we didn’t support, the new law provides predictability and protection from rent gouging for tenants all across Washington.

GSP with other community partners co-hosted a workshop with Dr. Angie Beeman based on her book, Liberal White Supremacy.

GSP again worked closely with the Tenants Union (TU) and other network organizations to create housing justice policies by urging the Spokane City council to pass an ordinance to Extend the Notice Period for Rent Increases, and an ordinance to enforce the Rental Registry and increase landlord compliance.

GSP worked with our members and partners to urge the Spokane Transit Authority (STA) to make bus fares free during the Expo ‘74 celebration, resulting in free fares on weekends. Together we advocated for specific recommendations in the STA Connect Spokane comprehensive plan and the Connect 2035 strategic plan to create equity in our regional transit system.

GSP, with GSA (our affiliated 501 (c)(4) organization), supported the Justice Not Jails Political Action Committee (PAC) and campaign coalition to turn out voters to defeat Measure 1, which would have funded a massive expansion of the Spokane County Jail.

GSP worked closely with the Tenants Union (TU) and other network organizations to urge the Spokane City Council to pass two tenant protection ordinances that took a step towards establishing a foundation of equity in rental housing.

GSP hosted “Why Race Matters” and “Taking Action” workshops for our network members, including one for Spokane City Council. GSP also supported and participated in a panel discussion with Dr. Angie Beeman, author of Liberal White Supremacy.

GSP successfully worked with member organizations to urge city council to reinstate funds for police accountability and the Office of Civil Rights, Equity and Inclusion (OCREI) in the 2023 City of Spokane Budget.

Greater Spokane Action (GSA) is the 501(c)(4) political arm of GSP, reshaping politics by educating, advocating, and mobilizing to establish and strengthen equitable and progressive policies in our community.

Robert Huitt (he/him) joined the GSP Staff team as the first Racial Equity and Network Manager to lead and operationalize racial equity, both internally and externally with network members; coordinate the GSP network to support BIPOC led organizing; and engage GSP members.

The GSP Office of Civil Rights, Equity and Inclusion (OCREI) Workgroup, made up of predominantly BIPOC led organizations, has worked since 2018 to develop a community proposal for our local vision for this Office, and mobilize our community to take action. The Spokane Human Rights Commission passed a resolution in November 2021 calling on the City Council to fund the community proposal for a multifaceted and fully staffed City of Spokane OCREI in the 2022 City of Spokane budget. Thanks to the collective work of this coalition and the strong urging of the community, the City Council on December 13 2021 voted 7-0 to establish an OCREI, and the Council approved the 2022 budget (with a vote of 6-1) to fund three positions to create the Office.

GSP, in partnership with Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, convened a workgroup to develop a coalition proposal for county-wide community districting and mobilize turnout to hearings and generate comments in support of a Community Map for 5 fair, equitable and competitive Spokane County voting districts. Thanks to everyone’s support and action we now have a district-based system for electing our Spokane County Commissioners that ensures a more responsive government that matches growing populations. This is a major victory for more equitable representation in Spokane County.

GSP hosted Western States Center’s AMP - Activists Mobilizing for Power conference in Spokane, bringing together hundreds of leaders in social justice from around the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West to share together in the development of relationships, community, skills, and analysis.

GSP has delivered the Why Race Matters Workshop: History, Systems, and Strategies to more than 100 nonprofit and governmental entities as part of our initiative to build collective understanding and common language around structural and institutional racism.

GSP worked with NDS to mobilize support to pass the Spokane Immigration Ordinance prohibiting ICE & Border Patrol activity in non-public areas of city property.

GSP worked with Smart Justice Spokane (SJS) to pass the Spokane Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance.

GSP helped convene the No Discrimination Spokane (NDS) coalition to defeat Prop-1 – the anti-immigrant profiling initiative.

The GSP Racial Equity Committee was formed to lead GSP’s Racial Equity Initiative to build the understanding and capacity of organizations in using an intersectional racial equity lens to advance racial equity by providing training and support. Our multi-racial team of trainers leads the Why Race Matters Workshop and other curricula in organizations and institutions in our community.

GSP helped win I-1433 to Raise Up Washington by increasing engagement of Eastern Washington organizations.

Helped win Prop. 1 – Yes for Buses by developing a diverse coalition and getting out the vote.

GSP and Smart Justice Spokane (SJS) helped win national support for reducing over-incarceration and racial disparities through the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge Award to Spokane County.

GSP organized a racial equity training for 100 individuals representing over 30 organizations, and organized a train-the-trainer workshop to lead what is now the Why Race Matters Workshop.

GSP and SJS successfully advocated for the Spokane Regional Law and Justice Council to appoint members from communities of color and form a Racial Equity Subcommittee.

GSP worked with Smart Justice Spokane (SJS) to influence the Criminal Justice Commission’s final BluePrint for Reform and the criminal justice reform process.

GSP helped member organizations pass two ballot measures: Police Accountability measure passed with 70% of the vote. Library bond passed with 66% of the vote.

GSP helped win marriage equality by 51% in the City of Spokane by working with a local committee of leaders to turn out voters.

GSP convened Smart Justice Spokane (SJS) to bring the power of over 30 organizations to end mass incarceration and eliminate racial disparities in the Spokane County Jail.

GSP helped pass the City of Spokane’s Complete Streets ordinance.