Welcome our 2022 Fellows!

Welcome our 2022 Fellows!

Eliza (she/they) is from Walla Walla, in Eastern Washington! They currently attend the public Utrecht University in the Netherlands as an international bachelors student. She has found great interest in the differences in policy and activism in the US versus Europe. In the US, she puts energy towards police abolition work, as well as climate activism, queer activism, and more. In Europe, they are very active in Free Palestine solidarity work, as well as Extinction Rebellion, and local anarchist groups. They are over the moon to learn more about Washington campaigns with the talented fellow class this summer. You can find Eliza doing yoga, reading, running, and playing chess. They are also a black belt in Shotokan karate >:( so watch out!

 

 

 

Noah (he/him) grew up in Auburn and studied psychology at Western Washington University. He currently is involved in grassroots organizing efforts with Filipino youth, as well as in various mutual aid projects. Noah dreams of a genuinely democratic Philippines that is freed from US imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism and organizes to see that change happen. He is looking forward to working with other young folks looking to create genuine change and is hoping to pick up new skills to bring back to his organizing spaces. In his free time, Noah likes to read books, watch films, and discuss politics. His love language is getting food and/or boba with his friends.

 

 

 

 

  Hi all, my name is Lizzy (she/they). I’m a recent WWU graduate with a degree in political science. In my free time I enjoy reading, hiking, and creating art. This summer I’m looking forward to learning how to campaign with others that share my desire to make the world a better, more equitable place.

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Corinne Huffman (she/her/hers) I recently graduated from Western Washington University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Communication Studies. I truly love getting young people involved in politics in exciting and creative ways! This summer, I hope to learn about organizing in a new context while getting to know the other fellows. Outside of school and work, I enjoy reading all types of books, cooking random new recipes, and blasting my music, often Taylor Swift, full volume!!

 

 

 

 

hi! I’m Charlie, I’m a genderqueer gardener and undergraduate student designing an interdisciplinary major called Love and Chaos at Fairhaven College at Western Washington. I love clouds and the color blue. I’m interning with the Bus this summer to learn more about how our electoral system work and how young people can build a sustainable and just political future. recently I’ve been working on a project where I interview young people about love and if anyone would like to be interview please feel welcome to reach out! ig: @alittlecloudboy

image description: Charlie is a white transmasc person with square glasses and short hair. They are wearing a green sweatshirt and sitting with their cat Ferb, who is in the middle of a yawn. 

 

 

 

 

I’m Sophia Hernandez and I use she/her pronouns! I am about to enter my second year at the University of Washington – Seattle Campus while majoring in Education, Communities, and Organizations (E.C.O.) and minoring in Public Policy. I am so excited to be apart of the Washington Bus 2022 Summer Fellowship because I have the opportunity to learn about the campaigning process alongside very inspirational and committed people from Washington. I hope to use this experience as an opportunity to get involved in organizing and learn how to advocate for the issues I care about most. In my free time, I love painting, listening to music, and going on picnics with friends and family. <3 Fun Fact: My sun sign is Leo, moon sign is in Sagittarius, and my rising is in Virgo! 🙂

 

 

 

Hi! My name is Sophie and my pronouns are she/her. I like to write poetry, play soccer, go on hikes, make jewelry, and hang out with friends and family. I am passionate about philosophy, mythology/literature, Astronomy, and social justice issues, particularly climate change and institutionalized racism. I want to go into legislation and/or grassroots activism. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Camden (he/they): I recently graduated from Big Picture High School. BP is a school that has real world hands on learning through internships, at BP I lead the restorative justice team who worked on implementing RJ in schools, interned at Colectiva an immigration law firm and co-facilitated the black student union and unidos. I will be attending UW- Seattle as an upcoming freshman hoping to major in social work and minor in labor studies. I’m excited to learn about organizing techniques in non-school setting, being surrounded with likeminded individuals and looking through a race/class narrative and intersectional lens when tackling systematic issues. In my free time I like to hang out with my cat, go to punk shows, watch free movies thanks to my part-time job at amc and attempt to get through my super long to read list

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone! My name is May, I go by she/her pronouns, and I am currently a pre-law undergraduate student at the University of Washington. I am double-majoring in Law & Justice and Accounting, and I this summer I hope to learn innovative ways to expand civic engagement amongst marginalized youth. As an advocate for the Democracy Vouchers Program, I am excited to educate myself and others on the benefits of campaign finance reform. In my free time, I love to cook ( subscribe to my mom’s cooking channel, Vietnamese Home Cooking ;D ), play the drums, and read poetry. I am a huge foodie, so exploring cute cafes, exotic restaurants, and tasty food joins is how I relieve stress. I look forward to learning all that I can from this fellowship, and am excited to see my cohort grow alongside me!

 

 

 

 

Hello my name is Adan Jr. Mendoza my pronouns are (he/him). I’m a student at CWU studying economics & political science. One thing I’m curious and want to learn more about is poetry. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with friends, longboarding, fishing and playing Madden. One fun fact about me is that I still die laughing while watching home alone two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My name is Mia Sugui (she/her)! I will be starting my third year at the University of Washington Seattle in the fall studying law, societies, and justice. I would also love to go to law school after graduating to possibly become a public defender or attorney. I’m excited to develop my social justice organizing skills while working with some amazing people and learning more about the campaigns that address important issues. Outside of school and work, I love trying new food spots, watching tv shows/movies, and spending time with friends and family.

 

 

 

 

 

Kaku Cosmos (She/her) attends the University of Washington as an undergraduate double majoring in Psychology and Political Science with a minor in French. She is a summer fellowship intern at the Bus with experience organizing and campaigning with various nonprofit organizations. She has campaigned with organizations on voting, healthcare bills, juvenile justice and housing options. She is excited to be working with an amazing group of people this summer. In her free time, Kaku enjoys singing, hiking, going to the beach, and reading. A fun fact about Kaku is that she played basketball her whole life and she also began programming in high school

Meet Our 2022 Youth Endorsement Leadership League!

Meet Our 2022 Youth Endorsement Leadership League!

We are so excited to welcome our 10 YELLers for the 2022 elections! Keep scrolling to get to know these incredible young people and what they’re most excited about this election season!

Ameera (she/her): I’m excited to gain more knowledge on the legislative process and to collaborate with others.

Angee (she/they): I’m excited to learn about candidates who are committed to social justice and support their campaigns and get local elections on the radar of young people!

Arlette (she/they): I am most excited to get to work alongside candidates that are willing to hold the line for more equitable communities in WA and are willing to co-govern with us!

  Chetan (he/him): I am most excited to elect actual progressive candidates in office! 

Clara (she/her): I’m psyched to spread the word about candidates whose work I really believe in!

Jackie (she/her): I’m most excited to canvass for the candidates we endorse.

Jean (she/her): I am excited to be able to work with other YELLers to go along this journey!

  Jehan (she/her): Very excited to learn and engage in the legislative process!

Jeremey (he/him): I am most excited about the physical campaigning aspect, and going door to door, or doing face to face campaigns.

Saba (she/her): I have been so inspired by my peers on the endorsement team in our work thus far, so I am incredibly excited to keep learning from and with them as we continue.

A Big Bus Farewell to our Washington Bus Education Fund President, Tim Lennon!

A Big Bus Farewell to our Washington Bus Education Fund President, Tim Lennon!

Hey Bus fam! It’s Mehar, the Bus’s newly hired Development Organizer. I had the lovely opportunity to have a conversation with Tim Lennon, our c3 Board President. Tim has been a dynamic organizer in the Bus community since the organization’s beginning in 2008. He will sadly be stepping down from his role in the coming weeks, so I wanted to highlight his experiences at the Bus as well as give a HUGE thank you for all of his work. We are so grateful for the time, energy, and passion that Tim has put into this organization; his efforts to build youth power have been instrumental to our success over the years. Scroll down to read more about Tim’s time here at the Bus!

Mehar Singh: What originally brought you to the Bus? And how have you evolved alongside us?

Tim Lennon: I first worked with the Bus in 2008 when I worked for a partnering grassroots organizing org putting together lobby days to advocate for change in Olympia. I fell in love with the energy and smarts of the youth then, and I’ve been continuously bowled over by the power of youth advocacy and engagement to make change ever since. I’ve been a volunteer, a donor, led organizational partnerships, and for the last 5 ½ years I’ve been a member of the c3 Board.

Mehar Singh: In your personal opinion, why is it important to contribute to organizations like the Washington Bus?

Tim Lennon: The Bus puts youth in the driver’s seat. Whether it’s through leadership development programs like the Fellowship or internships, through high school and college organizing and voter education efforts, or other programs, the Bus asks youth what changes they want to see and gives them the tools to effectively advocate to make that happen. Donating time or treasure to the Bus is investing in the next generation of local leadership. And the return is almost instant: a better educated youth electorate that votes at higher rates than their peers elsewhere and, critically, knows that the vote is just the beginning of making lasting progressive change. Some of the youth we serve go on to lead their own successful organizing efforts, work for electeds, and even run for office themselves! All of the youth who get on the Bus become more active and engaged members of our community and power progressive change in their hometowns, counties, the state house and beyond.

Mehar Singh: Tell me about one of your favorite memories with the Bus!

Tim Lennon: There are too many great times to recount!! I loved working with the Fellows to encourage voter registration at music festivals and other events. Working on Candidate Survivor events over the years was wild, too. More behind-the-scenes I’m really proud of the work we’ve done on the Board to support the unionization of the staff, and to shift our leadership structure to a Co-ED model that has added stability, diversity, and some amazing talent to the org and really strengthened us in all kinds of ways.

Thank you, Tim, for all of your incredible work! We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Legislative Session 2022 Wrap Up

Winternship Reflections

By Mehar Singh

As a Wintern at the Bus, I had the opportunity to choose bills that I care about to follow this legislative session. I picked HB 2124, extending bargaining rights to legislative workers, because I believe that all workers deserve the right to unionize. Additionally, I have personally worked on several campaigns where I’ve been overworked and mistreated for little to no pay. I also picked SB 5612, giving domestic violence victims the opportunity to speak during trial, because all too often the law sides with the abuser rather than the victim.

In addition to tracking these bills, the other Winterns and I had opportunities to sign in pro/con, submit written testimonies in support or against, and testify live in the legislature for the bills we were tracking. We also shared these opportunities with friends, family, and the broader Bus community to increase participation in the legislative session. I had an incredible experience testifying for HB 2124 in the legislature; I felt like I really made a difference speaking about my personal experiences with campaign work in front of WA State legislators. 

We had two big wins here at the Bus this session; we were able to help pass HB2124, giving legislative workers the option to collectively bargain, and SB 5583, ending prison gerrymandering! Huge kudos to the Bus team and the other Winterns for getting these bills passed- I’m so excited to participate in future legislative sessions moving forward! 

Bus Wins and Legi Awards!

By Jazmine Smith

As Mehar mentioned, we have two big wins to celebrate from this Leg Session: SB 5583, Ending Prison Gerrymandering at all levels, and HB 2124, supporting legislative workers in the fight for collective bargaining rights. These bills survived an arduous process from start to finish of the legislative session that not all of our bills were able to contend with. Our Key Priorities on our agenda included 11 original bills in three core areas: Protect the Vote, College Equity, and Tax the Rich, Fund the People. As the session progressed, we also worked on and supported legislative workers fighting for collective bargaining rights and economic justice. We’re so excited to keep working on these issues next year on a variety of fronts from Democracy Vouchers and campaign finance reform, enhancing automatic and online voter registration,  free community/technical colleges, a Billionaire Wealth Tax, Guaranteed Basic Income and so much more. 

Beyond those key bills, Winterns went above and beyond, tracking and testifying for bills across a wide spectrum of their own interests. 

By the Numbers: 

  • Lobby Day / Week of Action 
    • 20 volunteers
    • 4 Days of 5 events
    • 7 lobby meetings that volunteers led and participated in
  • 10 additional lobby meetings over the course of session
  • EveryAction Advocacy Forms: 154 letters sent to legislators by constituents
  • Testimonies: 13 (11 live + 2 written) 
  • Sign-in pros: Over 300 sign in pros over the course of the legislative session 
  • Winterns: 4
  • Total bills tracked by Winterns: 26 

 

Winternship Impact: 

  • “Through the winternship, I learned a lot about the process of creating change through legislation, such as key people to talk to and how I can work with community members (such as volunteers) to garner a larger support network. It also made me more confident to speak on issues I care about. I’m currently in an immigration rights class that is working with the organization La Resistencia to help fight for immigration rights and to abolish ICE. I think I can definitely take some of the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired about creating change and apply it to this movement.” – Mia, 2022 Wintern
  • “I completed this internship with newfound knowledge of the legislative process and knowing the importance of community organizing, and how to do that virtually! Giving my testimony during the bill hearing also taught me to summarize my stance and the most effective way of getting my point across while stressing the importance of the issue. I am excited to pursue future internships since my experience has been so great with the WA Bus. I want to use the same professionalism and compassion expressed by everyone here at future opportunities and throughout my studies. I plan on staying involved by joining local organizing efforts and continuing to educate myself and others on issues that impact our community. ” Ezza, 2022 Wintern
  • “The biggest skills that the winternship gave me were in terms of how to approach something that looks so large and scary like the legislative session. It seemed quite intimidating at first but during the winternship I was able to learn how to approach it step by step. So not only did it prepare me to heckle legislators for many legislative sessions to come, but I also saw how to break it down for someone else who is completely new to taking action with the government and I am excited to introduce my family and friends to ways that they can take action through things like phone banks, email writing, or testifying at a public hearing!” Asma, 2021 Fall Intern and 2022 Wintern
  • “The Winternship has shown me just how easy it is for young people to become involved in political processes- I feel more empowered and prepared to be involved in future legislative sessions. I will carry the confidence and communication skills I learned during the internship with me throughout my future organizing!” Mehar, 2022 Wintern and new Development Organizer 
  • “I keep coming back to the Bus because work is so important, youth engagement is so important, and the Bus makes it so easy to get involved!” -Clara Prizont, 2022 Volunteer
  • “I always look forward to meeting with Washington Bus volunteers, and this year did not disappoint! It was awesome to hear directly from young people about what bills they think I should lead on and where I can be supportive. Thanks for helping me to elevate YOUR voices in the legislative process.” Representative Noel Frame (36-Greenwood)

 

Legi Awards

We also want to give some shout-outs  to some of the AMAZING Legislators from this session! We have folks who championed a whole swath of different bills and issues, some in their first term or even first session! First up, we have MVP for our core issues this Session:

MVP for Protect the Vote: Senator Trudeau (27th-Tacoma)

Freshly appointed Senator Yasmin Trudeau came into this session swinging with two phenomenal Democracy access bills we championed with her– 5583 (Ending Prison Gerrymandering) and 5584 (Ranked Choice Voting Local Options)! It was amazing to get to meet with her and talk about these issues, and see all of the other important issues she was fighting for this year (from expanding healthcare coverage to include donor human milk, to making rent payments more accessible, to allowing minors experiencing homelessness to be able to consent to healthcare). Thank you Senator Trudeau! 

MVP(s) for Tax the Rich, Fund The People: Representatives Frame and Berry (36th-NW Seattle: Queen Anne/Greenwood)

First term Representative Liz Berry and (future Senate hopeful) Representative Frame, both from the 36th,  came out swinging this year as strong champions for our economic justice bucket, Tax the Rich, Fund the People. Representative Frame, a long time champion of progressive revenue, continued to champion her Billionaire Wealth Tax through the Senate with the help of Senator Hunt. While it did make some progress this year with an outstanding hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, we look forward to hopefully working with her next year in the Senate to lock it down! We also had a wonderful time meeting with her and her staff for our Lobby Day! She was a strong champion on the Tax Structure Work Group through the legislative session and the senate companion for her diaper subsidy passed!

Her seatmate,  Representative Liz Berry came out with a bold plan on the Fund the People end of things by introducing a Guaranteed Basic Income through the Evergreen Basic Income Trust! It was a stretch in a short session but we can do hard things, we’re excited to help bring this back, too, next year! This year, Representative Berry did an amazing job passing bills on environmental protections and gun legislation, including banning  Forever Plastics and High Capacity Magazines. She also banned Ghost Guns and guns in election centers, polling places and school board meetings. 

MVP(s)  for College Equity: Representative Slatter (48th-Bellevue) and Senator Randall (26th- Bremerton)

Thank you to Representative Vandana Slatter for championing 1659 (Higher Education Grants) which powered through session this year and came thiiiiiiiiiis close to passing! She Chairs the College and Workforce Development Committee, so has also helped move other college bills through session. Not only that, but we really appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with her  in our work for Communities for our Colleges! 

Senator Emily Randall also Chairs the Higher Education and Workforce Development committee and has been a champion for students, including  funding scholarships for apprenticeships this year. She also championed a pay transparency bill as well as one that made it illegal to pay people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. We also loved meeting with Senator Randall for our Lobby Day to talk about our excitement for Slatter’s 1659! 

Honorable Mentions for Legislators Leaving

We’re so sad to see that some amazing and strong champions in the legislature will be moving on and wanted to offer a big shout out and our deepest thanks!

Thank you to Representative Kirsten Harris-Talley: we appreciate you trying to resurrect your  local options bill after it died on the senate side this year, we appreciate you making hard votes on police accountability, we appreciate your support of legislative workers rights, we appreciate you meeting with us during our week of action,  and we appreciate you being transparent about everything that went down and why you’re not seeking reelection. 

Thank you Representative Jesse Johnson: we appreciate you joining us for our Lobby Day and and the insight you shared with our young volunteers on the inner workings of the legislature, thank you for speaking up on overwork and burnout, thank you for being a champion on gun safety and violence prevention, and thank you for fighting for youth experiencing homelessness. 

Thank you Senator Mona Das:  we appreciate you being an Affordable housing MVP by fighting for Missing Middle housing near transportation and MFTE conversions, and passing affordable housing incentives. We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us for Lobby Day and talk to young folks about access to college. We thank you for speaking up on how hard it is for people without access to wealth to participate as a legislator. We appreciate 

 

Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to serve, and to represent their communities, and we send you with the warmest wishes on the next part of your journey. 

Bus Throwback with Tiffany Mendoza

Bus Throwback with Tiffany Mendoza

Hi Bus fam! I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Tiffany Mendoza, one of our BFF’s who has been on the Bus since our organization’s inception back in 2008! As a fairly new member of the Bus family, I love getting to know the folks who have contributed to our organization’s amazing journey. Thank you Tiffany for our wonderful conversation, your dedication to The Washington Bus has made a tangible difference in our community and has been personally enlightening to learn about! Scroll down to check out some of our chat’s highlights.

 

Fernando Barceló: I’m curious, what originally brought you to the Bus? And how have you evolved alongside us?

Tiffany Mendoza: I grew up with the Bus in some way: I led a voter registration drive at University of Washington and partnered with the Bus for the first Trick or Vote in 2008! When I returned to the PNW a couple of years later, the Bus was a great tool to connect with volunteer opportunities and meet new people across the sector. I was able to build partnerships with the Bus – collaborating with the fellowship program three different times – and was even part of the board. My relationship with the Bus has evolved over time, but it has always been a place to continue growing community for me.

FB: In your personal opinion, why is it important to contribute to organizations like the Washington Bus? 

TM:  Building power and change goes beyond any one election cycle – it takes vision and consistency. Oftentimes, progressives say that we need more opportunities for young people, especially from diverse backgrounds, to have a role in our movements for change. The Bus provides the space to build community and collective power to ensure that there is a robust pipeline in Washington’s progressive sphere. 

We have witnessed how much can be accomplished when young people help to drive the agenda, including policy and electoral wins. That doesn’t come from nowhere, it is important permanent infrastructure. The question is will there be investment to ensure that we meet the multifaceted needs of this time. 

FB: What are some of the latest news you have heard about the Bus?

TM:  The Bus has grown up from a scrappy startup organization and with that comes important foundational work. I’ve been proud to see the Bus thoughtfully figure out how to sustain itself and ensure its stability through structures like the new Co-Executive Directors model and by investing in staff.  

This has allowed The Bus to have consistency for its continued success while experimenting with how best to reach out to young people, meet them on their terms, and build power with them across Washington State.

FB: Lastly, could you recount a personal story you have with the Bus?

TM: There are a lot of memories associated with the Bus. From the fun events like Trick or Vote and Candidate Survivor to meeting some of my closest friends through volunteering.  

The summers of 2013 and 2014 hold special memories for me because I got to partner deeply with the Bus fellows. In those summers, we went door to door in impacted neighborhoods, did a phone bank survey of over 3,000 young people of color and held a concert event (Beat the Heat) in Bellevue to hear about the impacts people are feeling from climate change. It was a precursor to incorporating environmental justice in mainstream platforms. The Washington Bus has always been a leader in building progressive change through youth leadership development!

Tiffany Mendoza (right). Trick or Vote: Get out the voter canvass in support of Marriage Equality (Ref 74). Circa 2012. 

Tiffany Mendoza (center). Day of action with Washington Bus Fellows, Washington Environmental Council & Power Past Coal. Doing a door to door survey of precincts near the train rail lines in Kent to hear about the impacts more coal trains would have on overburdened populations. Circa 2013.

Understanding Washington’s New Tax on Capital Gains

By Angee Pogosian, Washington Bus Legislative Intern

Senate Bill 5096, which concerns a tax on capital gains, has been signed into law. I know what you’re thinking, “another tax?” Let me tell you, I’ve got a cracked windshield, a constant burden of not knowing how I’ll pay for college, and a friend who just Venmo requested me $5 for coffee. If any of this resonates with you slightly then rest assured this tax does not impact you financially; in fact it benefits the vast majority of Washingtonians. Before we get into how this can be, let’s go over the bill.

Senate Bill 5096 will impose a 7% tax on excessive capital gains of $250,000 or more. Capital gains are the profits made on the sale of investments such as stocks, bonds, and real estate. For example, say someone bought 150 shares of Amazon stock prior to the pandemic for $270,000 ($1,800 per share). During the pandemic the value per share went up to $3,500. If that person were to sell all their shares of Amazon, they would have a profit (capital gain) of $255,000. Who is able to spare $270,000 to invest to begin with? Not me, and probably not you. Only the wealthiest Washingtonians are able to afford large investments, giving them the opportunity to become richer during a global pandemic. Meanwhile working families across the state struggle to afford basic needs like housing and childcare. We must invest into our communities; we can do so when the rich pay their fair share.

Yes, this tax is fair. Washington State has the most upside down tax code in the nation. Working people pay proportionally more in income tax than their wealthiest counterparts. Gaining upward mobility and building wealth is increasingly challenging for poor people. Financial literacy is generally not taught in our public education system for working to middle class families to benefit from. Wealth is reproduced generationally from knowledge and resources that are passed down. Investing is a privilege which is becoming one of the few ways that wealth can be accumulated at all.

The revenues made from this tax would fund the Washington State Education Trust, childcare, and the Working Families Tax Exemption. When families are able to access quality education, childcare, and their basic needs, they are more likely to progress socio-economically for themselves and their posterity. Investing in our low and middle income communities benefits everyone, as families will have more money to circulate into the local economy and stabilize their lives. We appreciate Representative Frame for sponsoring this bill, and all the young people who worked hard to get it passed.