When it comes to clearing and maintaining trails, the bigger your crew the better. And that’s exactly what we had at this year’s annual MLK Lobby Day, organized by Solid Ground’s advocacy partner, the Statewide Poverty Action Network.
More than 200 advocates – the most since before the pandemic – gathered in Olympia, WA to talk face-to-face with lawmakers about their personal experiences with poverty and, most importantly, what they need from their state government.
Advocates from Vancouver to Spokane spent the morning practicing for their conversations with legislators, identifying their personal legislative priorities, and building a cross-state community of advocacy.
Those conversations were guided by a policy agenda developed by Poverty Action advocates after listening to communities experiencing poverty about their most pressing needs.
Poverty Action’s 2025 Policy Agenda, called Clearing the Pathway Out of Poverty, is focused on removing many of the obstacles and hazards that keep people from moving beyond poverty, while also making sure they have the resources and protections they need on their journeys.
Policy priorities include:
- Improving access to poverty-fighting programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC).
- Funding direct cash assistance for low-income families and young people experiencing poverty.
- Protecting consumers from predatory lenders.
The fight for these policies doesn’t end with Lobby Day. This year’s Washington State Legislative Session runs through Sunday, April 27, 2025. All session long, Poverty Action needs your help to move key legislation through the Legislature and onto the Governor’s desk. Find out how you can support this work by signing up for Poverty Action’s Network News email newsletter.
Want to hear some of the stories shared with lawmakers at MLK Lobby Day? Check out The Columbian’s Clearing the pathway out of poverty: Southwest Washington activists lobby in Olympia.
Image at top: Poverty Action team members take a celebratory selfie on MLK Lobby Day 2025 (photo by Neal Simpson).
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