Pride, Progress & Possibility

Welcome to June—the halfway mark of 2025! As summer begins, many activities and events are starting to pop up. But there are two groups in particular that are being honored this month that I’d like to highlight.

• June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and honor the rich contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual individuals. Pride Month in the U.S. commemorates the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots—a pivotal moment in the gay liberation movement.
• June also brings Juneteenth, a federal holiday that recognizes the freedom of formerly enslaved Black people in the U.S. Celebrated on June 19, it marks the day in 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and enforce the Emancipation Proclamation—more than two years after it was issued. Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, thanks in part to the tireless advocacy of Opal Lee, often called the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” Her symbolic annual walk of 2.5 miles represents the time it took for freedom to reach enslaved people in Texas.

Throughout the state will be numerous activities and events to celebrate these two important events. I invite you to learn more about how to participate in some of them to support these communities and be an ally and advocate for their civil and human rights. 

The Aging and Disability Advisory Council ended the month of May with some important activities as well.

On May 16 we met with the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders (MCAAE) to share stories and learn about each other’s journeys to the Pacific Northwest. It was a great discussion and we look forward to working together in the future to achieve our councils’ goals, such as advocacy.

The Washington state legislative session ended on April 27, and the governor signed the budget on May 20. The ADS Advisory Council’s legislative agenda had several big wins and a few disappointments. A big “thank you” goes out to our readers who supported our efforts and called or emailed their elected representatives during the session. Some of the positive results from the session that directly impact older adults include:

• Senior Nutrition: A one-time funding of $27.9M was granted through June 30, 2027 (~$14M/year). Many older adults rely on meals from community dining programs. In some areas there is a wait list due to the demand.
• Health Homes: Funding was maintained for this vital case management program through the end of 2026. Expect next year’s advocacy priorities to include keeping this program operational beyond 2026.
• Care Transitions: Funding was maintained for this program which helps high-risk Medicare beneficiaries transition from the hospital to other settings, resulting in improved health outcomes for patients and healthcare cost-savings.
• Rent Stabilization: House Bill 1217 was signed into law. The bill  includes important protections for renters, such as a statewide limit on annual rent increases. Data shows that an increasing number of older adults are struggling to pay their rent and are becoming homeless. Rent stabilization will help people maintain their housing. 

Unfortunately, funding for several programs was reduced. These programs include: case management; Dementia Catalyst, a program for people with dementia and their caregivers; and a nursing contract which provides RN consultation for case managers. There is always a chance to revisit these issues during the 2026 legislative session, though it is a shorter session with fewer large changes to the budget. We will keep you all posted as we learn more about what will be prioritized in the next session.

Contributor Alex O’Reilly chairs the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services. She welcomes input from readers via email (advisorychair@agewisekingcounty.org).

Mark Your Calendars

Following are upcoming events of interest:

• ADS Advisory Council Meeting: Friday, June 13 (noon–2 p.m.); virtual meeting unless otherwise specified. To receive the meeting link and information, email aginginfo@seattle.gov in advance.
• Civic Coffee: Scam and Fraud Protection: Thursday, June 12 (1 p.m.–2 p.m.) at Asian Counseling & Referral Service Inc., 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle, WA, 98144. Contact agefriendly@seattle.gov for more information.
• Juneteenth: Thursday, June 19