April 27, 2026
✦ SHE CREATES LOVE ✦
Women & Girls Weekly Briefing — Washington State & the Pacific Northwest
April 27, 2026, | “Because informed women change the world.”
This week’s briefing is heavy with data and alive with organizing. Washington’s gender wage gap is widening — and the racial breakdown is devastating. A federally backed sexual assault coalition is taking shape. Fifty-five million dollars are flowing into childcare. And May 4–8 brings a National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives that every one of us should know about. Here’s what’s happening across our state.
Economic Equality: The Numbers Don’t Lie
Washington has returned to the second widest gender pay gap in the nation by total dollars lost — behind only Utah. Women in Washington earned a median of $18,545 less than men in 2024, up from $17,400 in 2023. Measured as a ratio, Washington ranks eighth worst nationally, with women earning just 72 cents for every dollar men earn.
The racial disparities are staggering — and growing. The table below, sourced from the Washington State Women’s Commission, shows annual wage gaps compared to white men, along with year-over-year changes:
In northwest Washington — Congressional District 2, including Bellingham — the gap is even steeper. Women there earn just 69 cents on the dollar. Nationally, Black women lost 300,000 jobs in 2025 alone, one of the largest single-year employment losses in decades.
In response, the Washington State Women’s Commission launched “Activate 3.8” — named for the 3.8 million women and girls in our state. The initiative focuses on career exploration for girls, salary negotiation training, public sector retention for Black women, and menopause workplace support.
“Data alone cannot tell us the complete story. We need a deeper look at what’s driving these shifts and what it will take to create lasting, equitable change.”
— Brittany Gregory, Executive Director, Washington State Women’s Commission
Legislation & Policy: 2026 Session Recap
The Washington State Women’s Commission described the 2026 session as “fast-paced” with “meaningful progress.” Several significant bills moved forward this year.
Bills That Passed
• SSB 5917 — Abortion Medication Access: Makes Washington’s existing stockpile of medication abortion more accessible to licensed health professionals statewide.
• HB 1128 — Child Care Workforce Standards Board: Establishes a board to recommend minimum employment standards for childcare workers, including wages, working conditions, and workforce stability.
• SB 6346 — Millionaire’s Tax: New tax on high-income earners to support public services and improve tax equity, with significant early learning investments attached.
• SB 6081 — Privacy Protection: Protects against unauthorized disclosure of sex designation information in government records.
• HB 2242 — Preventive Services Access: Preserves access to preventive health services.
A Bill That Died
• SB 5888 would have removed the Senate confirmation requirement for Women’s Commission members, aligning the Commission with peer agencies. It did not advance this session.
In Oregon
Oregon’s Senate Bill 692, effective January 2026, now requires insurance coverage for doulas, lactation counselors, and lactation educators — including at least 24 hours of care beyond labor and delivery, with no referral or prior authorization required. Oregon is also building a statewide perinatal services access program with culturally specific care.
Maternal & Reproductive Health: Heart, Soul, and Joy
A University of Washington–affiliated program called Heart, Soul, and Joy is reshaping how we think about Black maternal care. Launched during the pandemic, the program provides Black women with at-home blood pressure monitoring kits and holistic wellness tools — including a “Joy Quotient” that tracks daily happiness alongside health metrics.
Black women in the U.S. face maternal mortality rates of 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births — nearly three times the rate for white women. Many of those deaths are preventable and linked to gaps in care, including the fact that Apple Care insurance in Washington did not cover blood pressure cuffs.
“We call it Heart and Soul because we know that people often die because of compromised health around heart wellness, and we wanted to give people the power to be their own monitor.”
— Dr. Rachel R. Chapman, Professor of Anthropology, University of Washington
Black Maternal Health Week, April 11–17, just wrapped its 10th anniversary under the theme “Rooted in Justice & Joy.” Nationally, 49 states have now enacted 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage — a direct result of advocacy and the American Rescue Plan Act.
Gender-Based Violence: Prevention Starts With Community
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the work in Washington is both urgent and expanding.
• WSCADV is now Washington’s federally recognized sexual assault coalition as of February 2026, strengthening survivor services statewide.
• The University of Washington’s Take Back the Night event drew students and survivors together at the Intellectual House on April 17, centering the stories of the 13% of sexual assault survivors who experience assault in their first year of college.
• The City of Renton proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, noting that half of all women and one-third of men will experience sexual assault in their lifetime.
The Funding Crisis Is Real
Federal VOCA funding has dropped 76% since 2018 — from $74.7 million to $17.86 million. The Women’s Commission’s safety report found that 79% of survivors rely on advocacy, 65% on civil legal assistance, and 50% on housing and shelter to survive and recover. Without a state investment of $21.3 million in the SFY27 budget, programs will close.
“When funding is unstable, services don’t slowly shrink — they disappear. Survivors encounter closed doors at the most dangerous moments of their lives.”
— Sherrie Tinoco, WSCADV Managing Director of Strategy and Public Policy
MMIWP: National Week of Action Is May 4–8
The 2026 National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives takes place May 4–8, with May 5th as the National Day of Awareness.
In Washington, the MMIWP Task Force — administered by the Attorney General’s Office — released its third annual report in June 2025 and a Missing Indigenous Persons Toolkit for families. On some reservations, Native women face murder rates more than ten times the national average.
Coming this fall: Whatcom County will host its Summit on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People on November 5, 2026, bringing together survivors, families, advocates, and systems leaders.
“The root causes are generational poverty and trauma. It goes back to colonization.”
— A family member of an Indigenous abduction survivor, Whatcom County
Ballot Watch: November 2026
Two Let’s Go Washington ballot initiatives are heading to voters after Democratic leaders declined to hold hearings.
• IL26-638 — Trans Athletes: Would bar transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports and could require medical verification of sex — including blood tests or genital exams for minors. Washington’s current law explicitly prohibits gender identity discrimination.
• IL26-001 — Parental Rights: Would repeal modifications lawmakers made to an earlier initiative around parental notification in schools.
Over 100 supporters rallied in Olympia in February. Opponents including the ACLU, WEA, and Gender Justice League warn the measures endanger LGBTQ+ youth.
Child Care & Education: $55.8 Million Investment
Governor Ferguson announced $55.8 million in Early Learning Facilities grants to 74 providers across 50+ jurisdictions, creating 2,056 new childcare spaces. Combined with the Ballmer Group’s commitment to fund up to 10,000 more Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program slots over the next decade — a potential investment exceeding $1 billion represents a historic moment for Washington families.
However, the Transition to Kindergarten program took a 25% funding cut, leading to approximately 2,000 fewer TTK spots. State Superintendent Chris Reykdal called it “the most ill-advised and damaging cut to education” in his 30 years.
Take Action This Week
1. Share the Pay Gap Data. Post the Washington wage gap numbers on your platforms. Tag @WAWomensComm and use #Activate38. The data is powerful — let people see it.
2. Wear Red on May 5th for the MMIWP National Day of Awareness. Share the Missing Indigenous Persons Toolkit from the WA Attorney General’s MMIWP page with your community.
3. Contact Your State Legislators. Urge them to fund the $21.3M for crime victim services in the SFY27 budget. Programs are closing. Lives depend on this call.
4. Support SAAM. Visit WSCADV.org for their 2026 toolkit: social media graphics, conversation guides, and local program connections. Start one tough conversation this week about consent and respect.
5. Know What’s on the November Ballot. Read up on IL26-638 and IL26-001. Whether you support or oppose, informed voters are powerful voters.
6. Support Black Maternal Health Locally. Look into UW’s Heart, Soul, and Joy program or donate to community organizations providing doula support for Black families in Washington.
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
— Maya Angelou
The data is heavy, loves. The wage gap is widening, the funding is threatened, and the ballot box is about to test our values. But look at what’s also true: coalitions are expanding, maternal care is being reimagined with joy at the center, $55 million is flowing into childcare, and Indigenous communities are organizing a powerful week of action.
We are the 3.8 million. And informed women change the world. 🌙✨
— Dawn, She Creates Love
