About the Commision

Washington’s Community-Focused Commissions were created at pivotal points in history when grassroots organizers and activists demonstrated to state lawmakers that their policies and programs were failing to meet community needs. For instance, the Commission on Hispanic Affairs was created in 1971 at the height of the Farm Workers movement, the Commission on African American Affairs was founded in 1992 in the wake of the brutal arrest and beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles, CA, and the Women’s Commission was signed into law in 2018 as women across the world bravely shared their stories of sexual assault, harassment, and declared, “Me Too.”

Commissions are unique due to their inclusion of governor-appointed Commissioners. These are volunteers from across the state, devoted to bridging the gap between those who have been historically excluded from state decision-making and the lawmakers and state agencies who can address their needs.

While the Women’s Commission is a cabinet-level agency in the executive branch, it is positioned to hold government and lawmakers accountable to those they serve, both through state government systems and outside of them.

We are advisory agencies with the power to uplift, advocate, and convene. Our Commissions do not have the power to enforce the law or regulate other bodies. While we do not lead policy implementation efforts of other agencies, we can support and engage with them throughout their implementation process.  

As small agencies, Commissions do not provide direct services to the public, such as legal aid or funding. Commissions work with state agencies that do provide direct services to ensure they are created with our communities’ unique needs in mind.