Attorney General Brown statement on SCOTUS order blocking USPS’s unlawful attach on vote-by-mail.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Sep 14 2026

Attorney General Nick Brown released the following statement in response to today’s U.S. Supreme Court denying the federal government’s stay application, leaving a preliminary injunction in place. The injunction blocks the U.S. Postal Service (USPS)’s rule that would have disrupted the states’ vote-by-mail programs and put voters’ rights at risk ahead of the November 3 midterm elections:

“Today’s ruling is a huge win for orderly elections this November.

“State and local elections officials can now focus on what they do best—administering legitimate elections that count every eligible ballot cast. Our office will remain vigilant around any other attempts by this administration to meddle in the current election while we continue the longer court fight against the administration’s illegal attack on mail-in voting.”

The USPS mail ballot rule is enjoined at least through the 2026 election. Brown co-led a coalition of 25 states in filing a lawsuit against the USPS rule in August.

Read the order.

Phyllis Gutierrez Kenny Mixed-Use Affordable Housing Development

Project Update: El Centro de la Raza, in partnership with Edge Developers, is continuing the development of 70 affordable homes at 2538–2544 Beacon Avenue South on Beacon Hill, just steps from the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station and Plaza Roberto Maestas. The seven-story, mixed-use development will provide homes affordable at 30%, 50% and 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), along with more than 3,900 square feet of community space where El Centro de la Raza can expand programs and services. This development represents an important investment in affordable housing and the future of Beacon Hill—advancing our commitment to Building the Beloved Community through greater housing stability, opportunity, and access to community resources.

Learn more: https://www.elcentrodelaraza.org/beacon-avenue-affordable-housing/

Mount Baker Mix-Use Affordable Housing Project Moves Forward

A long-awaited affordable housing project led by El Centro de la Raza and Mercy Housing Northwest is taking shape at the former University of Washington laundry site and an adjacent parking lot near Mount BakerStation, at Rainier Avenue South and Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.

The Mount Baker Mix-Use Affordable Housing Project will bring 239 affordable homes across two buildings, with the majority designed for families and larger households. The development will also include two parks, commercial space, and a new home for the UW Rainier Valley Early Learning Center, providing affordable childcare and preschool for approximately 160 children.

Located just steps from Link light rail, the project is designed to connect affordable housing with transit, community services, early learning and neighborhood amenities.

As El Centro de la Raza Associate Director Miguel Maestas shared with The Seattle Times: “We want to provide affordable housing for families, so they can afford to live in Seattle.”

Construction is now underway, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2028.

We’re proud to help transform this site into a place where families can build stability, opportunity and community—right here in the heart of the Rainier Valley.

▪️Mount Baker Station | Seattle, WA
▪️239 affordable homes
▪️Steps from Link light rail
▪️Two parks + community amenities
▪️Early learning for approximately 160 children

Read the full story in The Seattle Times.
Source: The Seattle Times, August 2026.

El Centro de la Raza joins our community in honoring the life and legacy of Magdaleno “Leno” Rose-Avila, a lifelong advocate for civil and human rights whose unwavering commitment to justice transformed countless lives.

Known simply as “Leno” to friends and colleagues, he dedicated more than five decades to standing alongside immigrants, refugees, farmworkers, incarcerated individuals, youth, and others too often left without a voice. His leadership as Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, his role as the first Director of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and his recognition with the City of Seattle’s Distinguished Citizen Award for Human Rights reflected a lifetime devoted to equity and compassion.

To us, Leno was much more than an accomplished advocate. He was a trusted friend of El Centro de la Raza and a dear friend of the Four Amigos, sharing in the vision that every person deserves dignity, opportunity, and belonging. His wisdom, generosity, and steadfast commitment to social justice strengthened our movement and inspired generations of leaders.

Leno also expressed his advocacy through poetry and writing, reminding us that justice is not only pursued through action, but also through storytelling, culture, and hope.

As we remember Leno, we celebrate a life lived in service to others and reaffirm our commitment to carrying forward the values he embodied. His legacy will continue to guide our work as we strive to build the Beloved Community for all.

Descansa en poder, querido amigo. Your legacy lives on.

The FIFA World Cup is more than a global sporting event—it is an opportunity to invest in our community.

At El Centro de la Raza, our FIFA World Cup Festival & Watch Party was intentionally designed to create economic opportunity while celebrating the rich cultures that make South Seattle thrive. Plaza Roberto Maestas became a vibrant hub where community members, families, and visitors gathered to support local entrepreneurs, connect with one another, and experience the authentic spirit of Beacon Hill.

Through our Business Opportunity Center @EDCLRBOC and #SmallBusinessServices, the festival provided a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, reach new customers, and strengthen their presence in our community. Food cart vendors from our Food Incubator Program served thousands of guests, demonstrating how community events can directly support small business growth and create pathways to long-term economic success.

This is what building the Beloved Community looks like—creating spaces where culture fuels opportunity, local businesses prosper, and neighbors invest in one another. As Seattle welcomed the world during the FIFA World Cup, El Centro de la Raza proudly highlighted the people and small businesses that are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods.

When we celebrate culture, we also strengthen local economies, support entrepreneurs, and create opportunities that extend far beyond a single day.

Together, we’re building a stronger, more equitable future—one community, one small business, and one celebration at a time.

Mil Gracias! El Centro de la Raza’s FIFA World Cup Festival & Watch Party 2026by Volunteer Photographer Emma Gering.

Comcast NBCUniversal and El Centro de la Raza Treated South Seattle Families
to Free “Minions & Monsters” Experience and Movie

Comcast NBCUniversal and El Centro de la Raza (The Center for People of All Races) Treated South Seattle Families to Free “Minions & Monsters” Experience and Movie

Summer fun brought smiles to youth and families from our Youth Services Programs during a special Minions & Monsters experience hosted by our partners at Comcast NBCUniversal.

Families enjoyed interactive Minions-themed activities at the Federal Way Xfinity Store before a complimentary movie screening, creating lasting memories together.

At El Centro, we empower youth to realize their full potential through after-school mentoring and tutoring, summer programs, STEM learning, and parent workshops in partnership with Seattle Public Schools and Federal Way Public Schools.

This event is another example of what strong community partnerships can make possible. Earlier this year, Comcast strengthened its commitment to our community with a $350,000 investment in a new Lift Zone computer lab at our Federal Way campus, expanding access to technology, digital skills training, and educational opportunities for local families.

Thank you, Comcast NBCUniversal, for helping create meaningful experiences that bring our community together and inspire the next generation.

Live DJ Set with @KEXP DJ Albina Cabrera. 

We celebrate a milestone that inspires our entire community.

Congratulations to Diana Ramirez, educator at El Centro de la Raza’s José Martí Child Development Center, on earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from North Seattle College on June 18, 2026.

Through the Early Achievers partnership with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, educators like Diana have access to pathways that strengthen the early learning workforce and expand opportunities for Spanish-speaking educators across Washington State.

To celebrate this incredible achievement, 26 children from our Cedar Crossing program, accompanied by 10 parent chaperones, took their very first field trip—traveling together by Link light rail to cheer on their teacher at graduation. It was a powerful reminder that when children see their educators achieve their dreams, they begin to believe in their own.

As El Centro de la Raza continues expanding our child development centers, we’re committed to investing in the educators who enrich the lives of the next generation every day.

🎓 Congratulations, Diana! Your dedication, perseverance, and leadership will continue to inspire children, families, and future educators for years to come.

On July 9th, 2026 we honor the life and enduring legacy of our co-founder, Roberto Maestas (July 9, 1938 – September 22, 2010), whose vision continues to guide El Centro de la Raza and our mission of building the Beloved Community.

At Plaza Roberto Maestas, our Executive Director, Estela Ortega, joined our José Martí Child Development Center educators, children, and staff in a heartfelt tribute through song, dance, and community—celebrating the values of justice, love, and opportunity that Roberto championed throughout his life.

As Roberto often said, inspired by José Martí, “It is for the children that we work, for they are the ones who know how to love, for they are the hope of the world.”

We were also honored to receive a beautiful illustrated portrait of Roberto by artist Jake Prendez, presented to Estela Ortega as a lasting tribute to his extraordinary legacy.

Happy Birthday, Roberto. Your vision lives on through every child, every family, and every community we serve. ❤️💛

We proudly celebrate 127 graduates from El Centro de la Raza’s Youth Services programs across Seattle, Federal Way, Auburn, and King County.

From middle school to high school and beyond, these young leaders have demonstrated resilience, determination, and a commitment to building a better future for themselves and their communities.

Through programs including College GANAS, ELEVAR, Hope for Youth, Roberto Maestas After-School Program, Pa’lante Substance Prevention, Youth J.O.B. Readiness, Eco-Caciques Environmental Justice Program, and Si Se Puede Academy, students gained access to mentoring, tutoring, STEM education, summer programming, workforce development opportunities, and family workshops that support academic success and community engagement.

Our Youth Services curriculum goes beyond the classroom by incorporating social change, leadership development, and community activism—empowering young people to become advocates, innovators, and changemakers.

Congratulations to each and every graduate. Your hard work, perseverance, and dedication inspire us all. The future is bright because of young leaders like you.

¡Felicidades, Class of 2026! 🎓✨

Stand With Life and Against Nuclear Weapons: August 8–9, 2026

As communities around the world prepare to commemorate the 81st anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, organizers are inviting the public to gather on August 8–9, 2026, at Ground Zero in Poulsbo, Washington, for a weekend of education, reflection, and action.

The event, themed “Stand With Life and Against Nuclear Weapons,” will feature an array of activities focused on raising awareness about the ongoing threat of nuclear weapons and advocating for a more peaceful future.

Highlights include a presentation by journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin, creator of the documentary Earth’s Greatest Enemy, as well as opportunities for participants to engage in direct action at Bangor Naval Base for those interested.

Organizers encourage community members, organizations, and advocates for peace and justice to attend and help spread the word about this important gathering.

Event Dates: August 8–9, 2026
Location: Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Poulsbo, WA

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMrR4ztBmaJY27sbPvl07m41m-HKhdVAyPr8uhidPagR6Dog/viewform

Together, we remember the past, honor the lives lost, and reaffirm our commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons.

WAISN: ICE & CBP Funding Comes at the Expense of Healthcare, Housing, and Vital Needs for All Washingtonians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 12, 2026

Contact: waisn@pacificastrategies.com

ICE & CBP Funding Comes at the Expense of Healthcare, Housing, and Vital Needs for All Washingtonians

Washington State – In response to Congress passing a reconciliation package that provides $70 billion to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), for the express purpose of expanding enforcement efforts through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) issued the following statement:

“This latest funding passage means that Congress has now approved an unprecedented total $240 billion for immigration enforcement efforts in less than a year. Decades of evidence illustrate that ICE and CBP operations put lives in jeopardy, and their escalating operations to round up and incarcerate millions of immigrants put all of us in danger. Congress’ choice to expand billions in funding to agencies that surveil and criminalize immigrants, especially transgender, queer, Black, Indigenous, and poor migrants, undoubtedly threatens our families, our freedoms, and our futures. 

“As a network fighting for immigrant justice, our Deportation Defense Hotline has received thousands of alarming reports of family separation here in Washington state, including reports of immigration enforcement agents’ conduct endangering community members and requiring emergency medical attention due to twisted limbs and elevated blood pressure. Family members of injured community members reported witnessing bruising, wounds, and signs of physical abuse of their loved ones after interactions with agents.

“These documented reports in Washington are not isolated: this is a pattern of cruelty from an administration that refuses to recognize the humanity and dignity of the immigrants they target. Communities want leaders focused on lowering the cost of groceries, housing, and healthcare for everyone, regardless of immigration status, not spending billions of taxpayer dollars expanding a detention system notorious for its well-documented abuse, neglect, and inhumane treatment.”

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As the largest immigrant justice network in Washington State distributed across 39 counties, WAISN convenes and cultivates a transnational solidarity coalition of over 600 organizations and individuals to protect and advance the power and rights of all immigrant and refugee communities. WAISN’s queer and transimmigrant-led efforts invest in intersectional base building and growing the leadership of forced migrants statewide.

For immediate release 

June 10, 2026

Tacoma Mayor Calls for Sane Nuclear Weapons Policy, Joins Mayors for Peace

Local activists, peace laureates, and physicians gathered at city hall on June 9th, 2026 as Mayor Anders Ibsen proclaimed his support for the international Mayors for Peace network, and urged federal leaders to take action to prevent a new nuclear arms race. 

Speakers included Greater Tacoma Peace Laureates Diane Powers and Sallie Shawl, local physician Dr. Karl Riecken, and Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility program manager Sean Arent. They addressed the end of the NewStart Treaty, the scale of modern nuclear weapons, impacts to local communities like the Marshall Islanders, and the action of the late Tacoma Peace Laureate Father Bill “Bix” Bischel who participated in a non-violent direct action at the Kitsap-Bangor Naval Base in 2012 that put a spotlight on the base’s possession of other a thousand deployed nuclear weapons. 

You can view the mayor’s statement on facebook and instagram. 

This action was made possible thanks to a letter signed by a majority of Tacoma’s Greater Peace Laureates. A similar action was requested of the Tacoma City Council. Activists are encouraged to write to the Tacoma City Council to pass a companion “Back from the Brink” resolution. 

House passes DHS funding bill for additional $70 billion to ICE/CBP

Official Statement from OneAmerica

“With a heavy heart and despite all of our collective efforts, the Republican-led House voted (214-212) to pass the DHS funding bill (aka “Secure America Act”) today to give $70 billion more to the $170 billion from HR1 for immigration enforcement. No additional guardrails or accountability for ICE/CBP were added. All House and Senate Democrats, and the Democratic caucus from Washington state, voted against the bill. Only Rep. Kevin Kiley from California, who left the GOP to be an independent but caucuses with the Republicans, joined the Democrats in voting no. It will now go to the president for signature.

Most alarmingly, as I wrote earlier on, there is $350 million specifically allocated for ICE to target localities that do not coordinate directly with ICE. Washington state falls into a non “qualified cooperating jurisdiction.” 

What we did:

1. We made sure that all Democratic Washington state House and Senate members held strong in voting no on the funding and anti-immigrant amendments.
2. We sent in a letter of (now 50) WA organizations to all Democratic House and Senate members–hopefully this helped our ongoing engagement and helps our Congressional members continue to double down on their fight for our immigrant communities. 
3. We collectively mobilized the public to contact Congress to tell them we want taxpayer dollars spent on making our lives more affordable, healthier, and safer—not on the mass deportation agenda. OneAmerica was able to mobilize 800+ letters in the last few weeks, and I know all of our partners have also worked hard to organize and turn out voices on this too.

What to do next:

1. Thank our Democratic House and Senate members for voting no on this DHS funding bill, and engage with them on other advocacy. Please stay tuned on this front and/or continue to do this advocacy! 
2. Collectively hold accountable all Congressmembers who voted for $70 million additional ICE and CBP funding. We also sent the letter to Rep. Dan Newhouse (R), who unfortunately voted yes on this bill. Rep. Michal Baumgartner (R) also voted yes. 
3. Continue to fight to claw back money in the next Congress, and redirect DHS funding to services that benefit communities across the US.
4. Continue to support WA state and local jurisdiction’s stances on not using our public resources for mass immigration enforcement, such as KWW, and keep fighting for local and state funding for services to support immigrant communities and organizations that serve them.”

Nearly half a million households will benefit from the Working Families Tax Credit expansion funded by the Millionaires Tax

See fact sheet via Washington State Budget and Policy Center

The 2026 supplemental budget brings cuts to childcare, education, healthcare, and more – Budget and Policy Center