WA Institute for a Democratic Future – February 14, 2025

Upcoming Events

2025 Olympia Reception: 6 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 17

Join the Class of 2025, alumni, and friends of WAIDF for an Olympia reception at Mercato Ristorante (111 Market St NE, Olympia, WA 98501) next week Monday! 

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Join us on March 13 to support the Class of 2025’s trip to D.C. 

Join the Class of 2025 for a night of fun, competition, and community! Join us for the annual class’ Trivia Night and Silent Auction on Thursday, March 13th at Ozzie’s in Seattle.

Every year, WAIDF fellows take a transformative trip to Washington, D.C., to meet policymakers, build networks, and gain firsthand experience in leadership. Your participation helps make this journey a reality!

Join the Class of 2025 in D.C. in May

If you’d like to join the Class of 2025 on their trip to D.C. for extended learning, please sign up by completing the application and initial monetary commitment below. Applications to join this year’s class are due by February 15, with a nonrefundable deposit due by March 7. Additional details, including the options to join the fellows for programming days and costs (which cover hotel lodging), are available in the link below.

Two members of the cohort, Logan Noel-Endres and Nadia Goforth, volunteered to write up their experiences after each class trip. Their reflections are below:

Last weekend, the WAIDF 2025 class gathered in Snohomish County for a weekend focused on transportation, labor and local government. Councilmembers and Mayors from both Snohomish and King Counties shared their journeys and underscored the need for bold leadership to push through resistance to change. The cohort wrapped up the weekend with a visit to the Port of Seattle to hear from Commissioner Sam Cho.

Alumni Spotlight: Nancy Canales-Montiel, Class of 2024

Something new! In our Alumni Spotlights, you will learn about WAIDF graduates, their stories, successes, and memories of their time in the program. Catch up with them to learn how they impact change across Washington State.

With a passion for civic engagement and a commitment to serving communities, Nancy Canales-Montiel serves as the Executive Director for the Washington Student Association while assisting in curriculum building and teaching at Mi Centro’s civic education program; The Dolores Huerta Institute. Prior to taking on these roles, she served as the Development Coordinator at the Washington State Democratic Party. 

Learn more about her journey and insights as a political consultant focusing on civic education and her advice for those considering the program!