WA Institute for a Democratic Future – December 1, 2025

I want to take a minute to talk about something that feels especially important right now: our Scholarship Fund.

So many people have said lately that they don’t know what they can do, what any of us can do, to make a difference in the face of everything that’s happening. The pace, the harm, the fear so many communities are feeling under the Trump administration— it’s overwhelming.

But supporting the WAIDF Scholarship Fund is one very real, tangible way you can make a difference.

It’s how we empower the very people who are often most targeted by Trump’s words and policies. It’s how we help them gain the skills, relationships, and confidence to lead in this most critical time.

A contribution, whether it’s $5, $25, $250, or $5,000, helps ensure that someone from Yakima, or Spokane, or a rural corner of the state can say “yes” to this program. It also helps offset travel, reduce tuition, and open doors for leaders who might otherwise be shut out.

Every dollar helps us live our values: that leadership shouldn’t depend on your income.

This is how we respond to the enormity of this moment. By helping others rise, by opening doors, by building the next generation of leaders who will protect democracy and fight for justice, in every corner of our state.

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