A Month of Raising Our Collective Voice
ELEVATE TACOMA
The impact of COVID-19 on students requires immediate action, especially for those furthest from educational justice.
Join us all February as we elevate the voice of our community and advocate for our most marginalized students and their families.
Stabilize K-12 Funding
Holding school districts budgets harmless from the pandemic will prove critical to supporting healthy and equitable learning environments when students return to in-class instruction.
February 1 - 5
Safeguard Funding for Youth Programs
Protecting funding streams for vital youth development programs offered by community-based organizations is essential both to supporting students furthest from opportunity during the COVID crisis and to an equitable post-COVID economic recovery.
February 8 - 12
Implement automatic "opt-in" for College Bound Scholarship
Eliminating unnecessary barriers to receiving the scholarship will put more students experiencing economic barriers on a path to higher education and make the goal of college a reality.
February 15 - 19
Investments in Quality Early Learning
Long-term, sustainable financing of high-quality, community-based child-care and preschool opportunities will help ensure that success for Washington children throughout their educational career – and beyond – is not determined by their zip code, family income, race, or ethnicity.
February 22-26
Participating in a Virtual Legislative Session
All meetings, hearings, and testimonies for the 2021 legislative session will happen virtually. This provides constitutes with more access and opportunity to be heard by their elected officials than ever before. Whether it’s tracking a bill or testifying in front of a committee, we’ve compiled a list of resources to keep you connected and engaged during this unprecedented session.
Social Media Toolkit
You don’t need to have a large following to effectively advocate. Use the graphics provided to help spread awareness on the issues impacting students and families in our community. Remember that the most important content you have to share is your personal story.
- Share / reshare posts across your social media accounts
- Tag your legislators and @GraduateTacoma
- Use #ElevateTacoma to spread the message
Share Your Story
The most impactful way to inform legislators about an issue is to give them an accurate picture of the reality your organization, child(ren), and/or family face every day. Tell us what inspires you to take action in a brief video or written testimony. Use the question prompts from the social media toolkit for guidance.
- Film your video landscape using your camera or smart phone on selfie-mode
- Find somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed. Background noise is easily picked up on video. Please try to keep your video under 2 minutes long.
Upload your story below for us to share or use the form to request support to tell your story.
Take Action
Support SB-5237 / HB-1213 expanding accessible, affordable child care and early childhood development programs.
Send a letter to Pierce County delegation urging them to support SB-5237 / HB-1213. Feel free to customize the letter to personalize your testimony or share a story of why this bill is important to you and/or your organization.
