December Newsletter

Gratitude, and Commitment

As we close out 2025, I want to thank you for the commitment, energy, and leadership you’ve brought to the WE’RE Coalition. December is a natural moment to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together and to look ahead to what’s next. This edition highlights some of those achievements from the past year, shares an important update on our strategic direction, and previews how we’ll be reconnecting with partners in early 2026.

2025: A Year of Momentum and Impact

This year marked a turning point for the WE’RE Coalition. Together, we strengthened our collective voice and expanded our reach in meaningful ways that included:

• Coalition Engagement: We listened to CEO leaders, added new partners across sectors and deepened collaboration among existing members, reinforcing WE’RE as a trusted convening space.
• Shared Learning and Alignment: Through working groups, briefings, and convening, members exchanged best practices and aligned around common goals to increase impact.
• Operational Strengthening: Behind the scenes, we improved internal coordination, clarified programs, and invested in tools that position the coalition to sustain as a lean resource to support member organizations. See our 2026 and Beyond article for more details on this.

Strategic Plan Refresh: Clarity and Focus

As the coalition evolves, so must our strategy. This fall, we completed a strategic plan refresh to ensure our priorities reflect current realities and emerging opportunities. The refreshed strategy:

• Reaffirms our core mission and values
• Sharpens our focus areas and outcomes
• Clarifies how members can engage, lead, and co-create impact
• Strengthen our approach to partnership, accountability, and sustainability

To learn more, we invite you to join us at a Coalition Re-engagement Roadshow in early 2026.

Roadshows in January–February 2026

To kick off the new year, we are launching WE’RE Coalition Re-engagement Roadshows across January and February 2026. Look for dates and an invitation link in the upcoming January newsletter.

The roadshow is designed to:

• Reconnect with coalition members and partners
• Share highlights from the strategic plan refresh
• Listen to feedback, priorities, and regional perspectives
• Identify opportunities for deeper collaboration in 2026 and beyond

Closing Thoughts

The WE’RE Coalition is well-positioned to lead with clarity, collaboration, and purpose. I’m proud of what we’ve built together, and even more energized by what lies ahead. Thank you for your partnership. Wishing you a restful end to the year and a strong start to 2026.

With appreciation,

Shirline Wilson, Executive Director

For questions, please reach out to Shirline@wearewere.org.

2026 and Beyond: Wins for WE’RE this Year

As we close out another year of collective leadership, we extend our sincere appreciation to every member, partner, and executive champion across the WE’RE coalition. At a time when employers are navigating rapid workforce, leadership, and talent transitions, your participation in the Annual Survey, your candid feedback as CEOs and coalition members, and your cross-sector partnership have helped shape a clearer, data-informed picture of workplace realities across Washington State. This year’s findings reaffirm what we know to be true: progress accelerates when employers listen deeply, act with intention, and work together to build a more equitable and opportunity-rich economy for all Washingtonians.

The Leadership Development Program remained a cornerstone of coalition impact this year. Closely connected to Washington’s business schools, the program continued to grow in enrollment and company participation while strengthening its reputation as one of the state’s premier leadership offerings. In response to participant feedback and employer demand, we are excited to share that we are developing a new strand specifically for emerging professionals. This additional pathway will support early-career talent (2 years of less in the workforce) across member organizations, strengthening leadership pipelines, mentorship, and real-world skill building aligned with WE’RE’s Commitments to Progress.

We also marked a major milestone with the 2025 ERG Summit, which convened leaders from more than 20 companies across Washington State for a high-energy day of learning, connection, and shared leadership. Sessions spanning AI and ERGs, community resilience, and cross-industry collaboration surfaced both challenges and promising practices, reinforcing the role of employee-led initiatives as drivers of innovation, culture, and organizational resilience. In parallel, our summer Mindful Monday series reached professionals statewide with accessible, actionable tools supporting focus, performance, and intentional leadership, furthering our commitment to whole-person development in the workplace.

Together, these initiatives reflect a cohesive strategy: strengthening leadership at every level, supporting inclusive workplace cultures, and aligning employer practices with long-term workforce and economic outcomes. Looking ahead, we are already deep into planning two major convenings in 2026. In March, the Health Equity Symposium will bring together employers, health leaders, and community partners to examine systemic drivers of health inequities, elevate cross-sector solutions, and align around practical strategies that advance both health and economic opportunity. Later in the year, the Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Conference will convene stakeholders from across the state to focus on equitable procurement, inclusive contracting, and expanding opportunities for diverse small businesses—particularly those owned by women, veterans, and people of color. We will also provide several updated playbooks, executive briefs, and guides.

None of this work would be possible without your leadership and your belief in our shared Commitments to Progress. Together, we are fostering equitable workplace cultures, strengthening hiring and advancement practices rooted in merit, expanding pathways to leadership, supporting students and early-career professionals, and advancing inclusive contracting across Washington State. Thank you for your continued partnership and stewardship. We look forward to building on this momentum and shaping what’s next together in 2026.

Supplier Inclusion: Strengthening Local Supply Chains for a Stronger Washington Economy

Port of Seattle’s Equity in Budgeting Playbook: A Model for Values-Driven Budgeting 

As the end of the year approaches, many organizations find themselves closing out budgets, reflecting on lessons learned, and looking ahead to what’s possible in the coming year. It’s an ideal moment to highlight resources that bring equity and intentionality to the center of financial planning: the Port of Seattle’s Equity in Budgeting, 2026 Budgeting Playbook and Supplier Diversity resources inform the budget cycle and reframes budgeting as more than an administrative exercise; it positions the process as an expression of organizational values and commitments. As Bookda Gheisar, the Port’s Senior Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, explains, “Our goal for the Equity In Budgeting Playbook is to infuse and operationalize equity into every step of our budgeting process. The Port of Seattle has a significant budget, and our budget should reflect what we value and our vision for what we want to become. Budgeting is a critical way for us to be accountable to those we serve. Every year when we use this playbook, it is an opportunity for the Port of Seattle to thoughtfully address the needs of our organization, workforce, and the communities we serve, especially those communities that are too often excluded from access and opportunity.” The framing underscores why this work matters, not just for compliance, but as a pathway for authentic accountability and values-driven leadership.

What makes the Playbook particularly compelling is its insistence on an intersectional, data-informed, and accountable budgeting process. Departments are encouraged to apply a racial equity lens to every financial decision, asking how a proposed investment might impact historically excluded communities, including people of color, women of color, individuals with disabilities, and other intersecting identities. This approach is strengthened by the Port’s commitment to using demographic data, community feedback, and equity assessments such as the Port’s Diversity Contracting Report Equity Index, Women of Color Assessment, and Dashboard to guide decision-making and measure progress.

Two standout practices from the Playbook that other employers can learn from include:

Equity Spending Definition & Tracking:
The Port clearly defines “equity spending” to include investments that support structurally excluded communities, programs aligned with equity goals, and staffing that advances equity work internally. By categorizing and tracking these investments, including supplier diversity efforts, community partnerships, and strategies to remove systemic barriers—the Port ensures resources align with its stated values and can demonstrate impact over time. Rich examples and details on supplier diversity efforts can be found through the Port’s Diversity in Contracting program and its 2024 Annual Report.

Inclusive, Participatory Budgeting:
The Playbook emphasizes engaging employees and community stakeholders throughout the budget cycle. This could mean hosting listening sessions, seeking feedback on priorities, or ensuring accessibility needs are addressed early in planning. For smaller employers, even modest steps such as employee surveys or cross-team budget discussions can foster transparency, trust, and alignment. The Port’s recent article Budgeting with Our Values offers further insight into how this philosophy shows up in practice.

As organizations prepare for a new year of commitments and decisions, the Port of Seattle’s resources offer a timely reminder: equity is most powerful when it is operationalized and communicated across groups. By integrating equity into the everyday mechanics of budgeting, the Port sets a model for how employers can steward resources with integrity, intention, and long-term impact. As a coalition of employers committed to meaningful racial equity, WE’RE is proud to share these resources and encourage our members to consider how similar practices can be adapted within their own workplaces. For ongoing updates on the Port’s equity work, visit their Equity in Action newsletter.

Workforce Talent Development: Developing Washington’s Next Generation of Leaders

Washington State Office of Equity Releases 2024–2025 Annual Report

Leadership Insight: When we remove structural barriers and widen pathways, we don’t just expand opportunity, we expand the talent, creativity, and leadership potential of an entire state.

The Washington State Office of Equity has released its fourth Annual Report, marking another significant year in the state’s effort to create a government that works for everyone. Established in 2020 – the first agency of its kind in the nation – the Office continues to advance its mission of ensuring every Washingtonian has equitable access to opportunities, resources, and power. This year’s report reflects a deep commitment not only to equity, but also to accessibility, community voice, and transparent public accountability. Spanning July 2024 through June 2025, the document highlights both the meaningful strides made and the challenges the state continues to navigate.

In her message, Director Megan Matthews, emphasizes the Office’s dedication to progress, even amid budget constraints and shifting federal support. She underscores the agency’s focus on improving customer service, eliminating duplication across government, and partnering directly with communities most affected by inequitable systems. Guided by values such as access, belonging, dignity, justice, and Ubuntu, the Office’s 48-person team continues to anchor its work in the belief that a “Washington for All” is possible when government and community lead together.

This year’s accomplishments demonstrate the breadth and depth of systems change underway. The Office advanced statewide digital equity efforts, expanding the Digital Equity Forum’s membership from 19 to 130 participants and deepening outreach with rural and tribal communities. Significant strides in tribal relations include the completion of a new Tribal Consultation and Interactions Policy and plans for statewide visits with Tribal Nations. The report also highlights enhanced collaboration with community commissions, the release of a Community Engagement Toolkit, strengthened support for diverse small businesses in state contracting, and a growing community compensation program that has engaged more than 2,700 Washington residents over the past three years. New public-facing dashboards on housing, homeownership, and law enforcement demographics reflect a continued investment in data transparency and accountability.

Looking ahead, the Office is preparing its 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, focusing on leading policy and systems transformation that advances equitable outcomes statewide. As Washington continues to confront questions of inclusion, justice, and safety, the Annual Report makes clear that equity is not only a policy goal, it is a commitment to ensuring every resident feels they belong and can thrive.

Peer-to-Peer Insights : Connection as a Catalyst

Join Us for the 2026 Architecture of Health Equity: Narratives, Policies, and Pathways Forward

Across Washington State, conversations about health equity are becoming more urgent, more complex, and more deeply human. The systems meant to keep communities safe and healthy are under strain, and the people most impacted, patients, frontline workers, small business owners, caregivers, and communities of color, continue to raise their voices with clarity and courage. Our Health Equity Summit, titled Architecture of Health Equity: Narratives, Policies, and Pathways Forward, on March 20th, is an invitation to meet this moment with honesty, curiosity, and renewed commitment.

This year’s gathering brings together community leaders, organizations, business partners, and individuals with lived experience to explore one central question: What does it take to create a Washington where everyone has a fair chance at health, safety, and dignity? The agenda reflects that ambition. We’ll open with grounding practices, shared Brave Spaces norms, followed by a keynote that blends lived experience with systemic insight, reminding us that equity isn’t a political stance but a moral through-line.

Throughout the day, participants will engage in meaningful dialogue on the evolving language of equity, the pressures and risks facing practitioners, and how we move from ideology to integrity in the outcomes we pursue. Our storytelling circle will center the narratives of those closest to the work – patients, frontline staff, and community members -offering space for truth-telling, healing, and connection. Afternoon sessions will deepen our look at the forces shaping health equity today, from AI and innovation to Medicaid access, community resilience, business strategy, and emerging technological risks and opportunities.

We will close by gathering our shared commitments, big and small, that carry this work forward into 2026 and beyond. Whether you attend as a learner, a leader, or a partner in progress, your presence strengthens our collective capacity to build systems worthy of the people they serve. We hope you will join us for a day of insight, honesty, and action. Your voice matters, and Washington needs it. Learn more and register here. 

Invitation to Join the Employer Insights Lab for Early Talent Development

We invite you to join the Employer Insights Lab for Early Talent Development, a time-limited, action-focused peer learning cohort for Washington employers, facilitated by Partnership for Learning. Participants will identify shared barriers in work-based learning, exchange practical strategies, and gain early access to emerging solutions that strengthen early talent pathways. Anyone involved in recruiting, supervising, or developing early talent is welcome. To get started, please complete this brief survey.

Resource Hub & Upcoming Events

Recalibrate: Closing the Health Gaps Driving Women Out the Workforce

On January 25, WE’RE and the Seattle Metro Chamber will co-host Recalibrate: Closing the Health Gaps Driving Women Out the Workforce, a FREE virtual fireside chat event designed to help employers better understand how women’s health disparities directly influence workplace culture, retention, and organizational performance. With new research from McKinsey showing that closing the women’s health gap could bring 137 million additional women into the global workforce by 2040, this conversation arrives at a critical moment for Washington employers seeking to strengthen team well-being and long-term stability.

During this 90-minute session starting at 9am, two subject matter experts will share insights on what makes a company an ideal place for women to work, from inclusive benefit structures to everyday cultural practices that build psychological safety. Topics will include reproductive health, heart disease, menopause, endometriosis, breast cancer, and the cumulative career impacts of delayed or inequitable diagnoses. Participants will gain practical tools for supporting women through non-visible health challenges, understanding retention risks, and recognizing the business case for investing in equitable health policies and practices.

The program features moderated fireside chats, audience Q&A, and actionable guidance tailored for small businesses, nonprofits, start-ups, and mid-sized employers. Virtual attendance is free, and we encourage you to register early and share the opportunity with colleagues who are shaping workplace culture or employee support strategies. Together, we can recalibrate how women’s health is understood and valued across Washington’s workplaces and build teams that thrive because their well-being is prioritized.