Seattle LGBTQ Commission

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Seattle LGBTQ Commission

The Seattle LGBTQ Commission advises the Mayor, City Council, and other city departments on matters that affect the LGBTQIA community of Seattle

05/18/2026

Today, the Seattle LGBTQ Commission is publicly announcing our Declaration of Civil Emergency Recommendation Letter calling for a coordinated City response to the growing crisis facing 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, especially transgender and gender-nonconforming people seeking safety and support in Seattle.

Across the country, harmful legislation and increasing hostility have forced many people to leave their homes in search of refuge. Seattle is already seeing the impacts, and our community organizations and support systems are being asked to meet growing and increasingly complex needs.

Our recommendation urges City leaders to explore collaborative emergency response measures focused on:
• Housing stability
• Healthcare access
• Public safety
• Community infrastructure
• Long-term resilience planning

We believe impacted voices, lived experience, and frontline expertise must remain central to any response. The Commission remains committed to working alongside City leaders, providers, and community members to advance practical, compassionate, and community-informed solutions.

Read the full press release and recommendation letter attached.

05/12/2026

The Seattle LGBTQ Commission is grieving the horrific murder of a nineteen-year-old transgender woman near the University of Washington.

We are heartbroken by this tragic loss and invite our community to mourn with us, care for one another, and continue advocating for safety, dignity, and justice for Trans and Q***r people in Seattle and beyond.

We encourage anyone directly impacted by this tragedy to seek support through 2SLGBTQIA+ specific resources such as Peer Seattle, Seattle’s LGBTQ Center, The Trevor Project, or Trans Lifeline.

Read the full statement below.

04/26/2026

To wrap up our celebration of Le***an Visibility Week, we're honoring Storme Webber; writer, artist, educator, and activist.

As a Black, two-spirit, q***r le***an voice, Storme’s work speaks to identity, belonging, ancestry, and liberation. Through poetry, storytelling, and community leadership, she has created space for voices too often pushed to the margins.

“I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”

Visibility is not just about being seen. it is about being known, honored, and remembered.

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04/25/2026

To continue our celebration of Le***an Visibility Week, we’re honoring Council President Joy Hollingsworth, a Seattle leader whose visibility, advocacy, and leadership continue to shape our city.

As the current President of the Seattle City Council, Joy made history as the first Black woman and first Black q***r woman to hold the role, bringing both representation and strong community-centered leadership to City Hall. A fourth-generation Seattleite, her roots in the Central District and deep commitment to local neighborhoods continue to guide her work.

Council President Hollingsworth works closely with the Commission to ensure LGBTQ+ voices are heard at the city level, not just during moments of celebration, but in the policies, decisions, and conversations that shape everyday life in Seattle. Her leadership reflects the belief that representation matters most when it leads to action.

She has consistently emphasized accessibility, transparency, and making sure government works for the people it serves. For LGBTQ+ communities, that kind of leadership creates space for visibility to become lasting change.

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04/24/2026

Next for Le***an Visibility Week, we’re honoring Brandi Carlile, a Washington artist whose voice, advocacy, and leadership have made a lasting impact far beyond music.

Raised in Washington and proudly rooted in the Pacific Northwest, Brandi has become one of the most influential singer-songwriters of her generation. Through powerful storytelling, authenticity, and unapologetic visibility, she has created space for LGBTQ+ representation in country, folk, and mainstream music.

Beyond her Grammy-winning career, Brandi has used her platform to advocate for equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and support for women and marginalized communities in the music industry and beyond. Her work reminds us that visibility is not just about being seen, but that more importantly, it is about creating room for others to be seen too.

Her leadership has helped countless young LGBTQ+ people feel represented, especially in spaces where that visibility has not always existed.

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04/23/2026

We continue Le***an Visibility Week today by honoring Sue Bird; a Seattle legend, basketball icon, and one of the most influential athletes in women’s sports history.

For more than two decades, Sue helped shape Seattle through her leadership on and off the court with the Seattle Storm. A four-time WNBA champion, five-time Olympic gold medalist, and one of the greatest point guards the game has ever seen, she set the standard for excellence, consistency, and leadership.

Beyond basketball, Sue has used her platform to advocate for equality, LGBTQ+ visibility, and the advancement of women in sports. Her presence in Seattle helped make the city a stronger home for women’s athletics and a place where LGBTQ+ representation is visible and celebrated.

She showed generations of young people that leadership can look like authenticity, confidence, and showing up fully as yourself.

This week, we celebrate le***an visibility by honoring leaders like Sue Bird whose impact reaches far beyond the game.

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04/22/2026

Next for Le***an Visibility Week, we’re honoring Sherry Harris, a Seattle trailblazer whose leadership changed LGBTQ+ political history in the United States.

In 1991, Sherry Harris became the first openly Black le***an elected to public office in the country when she won a seat on the Seattle City Council. She was also the first Black woman elected to the Seattle City Council, breaking multiple barriers at once and opening doors for future generations of LGBTQ+ leaders and women of color.

Her election was historic and a powerful statement about representation, visibility, and who belongs in leadership. As a councilmember, she advocated for housing, human services, education, and civil rights while helping strengthen LGBTQ+ political representation in Seattle and beyond.

Sherry often spoke about her “triple minority” perspective as a Black woman and a le***an, and how that shaped her commitment to justice and equality for all communities.

Her legacy reminds us that visibility in leadership matters. When people see themselves reflected in public service, entire communities become stronger.

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04/21/2026

This Le***an Visibility Week, we’re honoring Justice Mary Yu; a trailblazer in law, public service, and LGBTQ+ visibility here in Washington.

As a former Justice on the Washington State Supreme Court, Mary Yu built a legacy rooted in equity, compassion, and justice. She was the first Asian American, first Latin American, and the first openly LGBTQ+ justice to serve on the court, breaking barriers while helping shape a more inclusive legal system for all Washingtonians.

Raised in South Seattle as the daughter of immigrant parents, Justice Yu’s journey reflects deep community roots and a lifelong commitment to service. Her leadership has been defined by advocacy for fairness, access to justice, and representation for communities too often left out of decision-making spaces.

Her visibility matters for us all. Not just because of the barriers she broke, but because of the example she continues to set for future generations.

This week, we celebrate le***an visibility by honoring leaders like Justice Mary Yu whose work reminds us that representation and justice go hand in hand.

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04/20/2026

It’s Le***an Visibility Week, a chance to celebrate the strength, creativity, and leadership of le***ans across history and in our communities today.

Le***an stories have shaped movements, culture, and resistance, even when they weren’t always recognized or recorded.

This week, we’ll be highlighting six le***ans whose impact deserves to be seen and celebrated, a mix of educators, activists, artists, organizers, and historical figures who changed the world in ways big and small.

We’re excited to uplift their stories and shine a light on the legacy and brilliance of le***ans in Seattle and beyond!

Address

810 3rd Avenue, Ste 750
Seattle, WA
98104

Website

http://www.seattle.gov/lgbtq

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