SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane’s an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization that’s been active in both the Lilac City and Olympia since 2018, announced Tuesday that it’s transitioning to a shared leadership model.
The new leadership team consists of a Director of Advocacy, Director of Community Care, Director of Community Learning and Director of Operations.
“It means increased collaboration, increased transparency, better communication, more accountability to ourselves and within the organization. Since our founding spectrum has worked to be a decolonized work environment where we share information readily and openly,” Director of Community Learning Vanessa Delgado said.
Through the rest of 2024, Spectrum will assess how to implement the new leadership philosophy into the organization’s mission.
Lacrecia Lu Hill, the Founding Board President of Spectrum Center, celebrated the decision and argued it would help the organization focus on continued growth.
“By embracing a shared leadership model, we allow our directors to bring their unique strengths to the forefront, ensuring that Spectrum’s work continues to have a meaningful and lasting impact,” Hill said.
Washington is in the midst of several prominent LGBTQ+ policy debates in which Spectrum Center has advocated for the queer community. A “Parent’s Bill of Rights” currently under legal scrutiny from the American Civil Liberties Union for allegedly
Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ issues were also a subject in the Ferguson argued that his administration would support the civil rights of queer Washingtonians.
“They have a choice, a governor who supports their right to marry the person they love…I defend that freedom. Dave, you oppose it,” Ferguson said.
Reichert responded by reiterating that and does not recognize transgender people’s gender identities from a religious perspective, but claimed he will not attempt to curtail marriage equality if elected governor.
Delgado emphasized that Spectrum Center will continue to advocate for civil rights protections regardless of the outcome of the gubernatorial race, and said that if Ferguson is elected the center will have opportunities to emphasize the needs of eastern Washington’s queer community.
“I think it’s important that we build relationships and make sure that our governor is aware of the needs of LGBTQ+ people on the eastern side of Washington,” Delgado said.
Regardless of who assumes leadership of the governor’s office or the outcome of the “Parent’s Bill of Rights” lawsuit, Spectrum Center is preparing for the 2025 state legislative session, which will include policy debates relevant to the LGBTQ+ community and
“It’s so important, especially when we know that 40% of unhoused youth are LGBTQIA youth,” Delgado said.
As the center restructures, Delgado encouraged any member of the queer community in Spokane in need of support to reach out to the center, and encouraged the eastern Washington LGBTQ+ community to vote in November.
