WA Institute for a Democratic Future – May 26, 2026

In this Issue:

• Thank you for making Campaign & Elections Weekend a Success!
• Save the date – Saturday, June 13 – for Class of 2026 Graduation!
• Our Jobs List-Serv has over 100 subscribers!

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Thank you for making Campaign & Elections Weekend a Success!

This past weekend, the WAIDF network – fellows, alumni, partners, and friends – came together for an incredible Campaign & Elections weekend.

Speakers covered everything from the state of elections, organizational efforts, and the nuts and bolts of running a campaign, to communications and messaging, fundraising, endorsements, mailers, and field efforts. We were honored to share the day and connect with a broader network of folks doing good work in communities across Washington state.  A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for a day of learning.

On Sunday, the Class of 2026 had a full day of learning where they heard from Mark Rupp, Director of External Relations, at The Earth Commons at Georgetown University, who shared his career journey and experience serving Washington State in Washington, D.C. We caught up with Beth Lindsay (Class of 1999) from Invest Washington Now to hear what’s next in the fight for taxing the rich and getting millionaires to pay their fair share. We also heard from Elise Orlick from Fair Vote on proportional representation and their work to create a more representative Democracy.

Fellows ended the day with an insightful and impactful tour of Little Saigon with Vy Nguyen, Class of 2019, and Strategic Advisor at the Port of Seattle, and Huy Pham, Executive Director of APIAHiP and historic preservation advocate for Asian & Pacific Islander American communities. These two Friends of Little Saigon Board Members discussed the history of the neighborhood, the impacts of freeway redlining, and the organizations and communities that make the Little Saigon and Seattle Chinatown-International District thrive.

We look forward to seeing you at the Class of 2026 graduation on June 13!

-Emily

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Save the date – Saturday, June 13 – for Class of 2026 Graduation!

Alongside celebrating the Class of 2026, we will also recognize two inaugural awards: Board Member of the Year, for exceptional contributions by a board member, and Community Partner of the Year, for outstanding support from a community partner.

Shasti Conrad, Chair of the Washington Democratic Party, will deliver this year’s keynote address. Following her, the Class of 2026 speaker will be introduced, whose name is still pending.

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Our Jobs List-Serv has over 100 subscribers!

Since relaunching our WAIDF Jobs List-Serv in February, over 40 job, internship, and fellowship opportunities have been shared with the greater WAIDF network.

Share opportunities ranging from internal roles within your organization to ones that catch your eye, like internships and fellowships, through the WAIDF Jobs List-Serv.

Once signed up, anyone can share the opportunity by emailing jobs@democraticfuture.org. We ask that you include pertinent details (e.g., who the employer/hiring entity is, a link or PDF of the opportunity, and your relationship to the opportunity (if any).

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