2023 City of Tacoma flag raise and presentation of the 2021 history making flag by DAPS to Executive Director Oliver Webb.

Advocacy Goals

Create accurate, up-to-date, and effective access to resources and care for Trans and Gender Diverse individuals.

1. Collaborate with local organizations to form lasting partnerships in order to make hand offs of those we serve easier and safer.
2. Work to build a resource database in order to remove barriers to seeking out resources.
3. Follow up with those we serve to make sure needs are being met and they are not falling through the cracks.
4. Work to provide Trans and Gender Diverse individuals with access to services such as HRT supplies and financial aid to assist with transition expenses.

Reduce harm and violence caused by State and Government institutions.

1. Collaborate with local organizations and policy makers to enact change surrounding policies where the Trans and Gender Diverse community is directly harmed.
2. Collaborate with local organizations and policy makers in order to enact change on a local level surrounding the direct treatment of Trans and Gender Diverse individuals who are incarcerated.
3. Collaborate with local organizations in direct action organizing against police brutality.

Rainbow Center Statement

2/9/2024

The Board of Directors, Executive Director, and Voting Members of Diversity Alliance of the Puget Sound (DAPS) stand in solidarity with the former staff who have gone public about the harm done to them during their time at Rainbow Center (RC), we also stand behind the former board members, and community partners who were harmed during this time.

DAPS believes and supports the BIPOC individuals, persons with disabilities, and two-spirit,  transgender, and gender diverse individuals who were harmed by neglectful, bigoted, and ableist behavior, both those who have come forward and those who have not. 

As an organization we chose to leave a 20+ year partnership with the Rainbow Center in April 2023 after the space became unsafe for our members due to: ongoing behaviors by the now former Executive Director and Deputy Director, having our groups canceled without notice, being asked to sign a blank contract that required us to seek money from those we served among other inappropriate asks, as well as, several other harmful and abusive situations arose. After unsuccessfully attempting to meet with RC, and their Board of Directors, several times, we chose to seek partnerships elsewhere. 

We ask for accountability and radical change from the current Board of Directors of the Rainbow Center. DAPS believes that the Rainbow Center must take the necessary steps to make real change within their organization surrounding ableism, transphobia, and various other harms done to the internal and external community in order to begin to heal the broken relationships and lack of support to those they were entrusted in serving. 

As community service organizations we have an obligation to our community, our partners, and each other. When we fail to meet these obligations, it is imperative that we re-evaluate and work to actively make real change. RC must confront these biases, make changes, listen to those they serve, and those they serve with, in order to move forward, harm must be addressed. 

Roe v. Wade Response

On May 2, 2022 a leaked brief from SCOTUS revealed Roe v. Wade was likely to be overturned in the near future, this decision would have catastrophic consequences for the trans and gender diverse community, among other disenfranchised minority populations. While current and historical rhetoric has framed the fight for reproductive rights to be that of cis women, specifically privileged white cis women, the reality is that people with uteruses have varying socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, and genders. The refusal to add the rest of those affected by these laws, or lack thereof, is negligent and abusive. 

The removal of Roe v. Wade would not only have devistating consequences in the way of unsafe abortions and forced pregnancies, but would also create a slippery slope of the removal of other rights. What impact would this have on the ability of trans and gender diverse individuals to transition? Would marriage equality stand? Would discrimination protections stand? What would this mean for those who are disproportionately oppressed within our already marginalized communities? Would  Black trans men and gender diverse individuals see more incarceration or higher death rates? What collateral damage would we see from this decision, and what would the removal of Roe v. Wade allow SCOTUS the societal power to remove next?

The right to one’s body should not be governed, should not be something you are given permission to use, or something that can be revoked. The right to be treated as a human being should not hinge upon the beliefs of 9 people. 

Black Lives Matter

Our rights were fought for by Black Trans Women, our roots are entwined within the Civil Rights movement, to not stand beside our Black siblings would be to turn our backs on our history. What happened to George Floyd is not something new, White Men in power have stood on the necks of Black Men for hundreds of years and yelled from roof tops, but fallen on deaf ears. What happened this summer is we were silent enough to listen for a few moments. The response from Police, was unacceptable and we must continue to hold them accountable for their actions. Continue to speak out, continue to use our privilege, continue to raise our voices up. Until we truly seek out change for our oppressed siblings, change will not come.

Ingersoll Demand for Accountability Statement

The Board of Directors of Diversity Alliance of the Puget Sound (DAPS) stand in solidarity with the Ingersoll Staff and Former Staff Collective. DAPS believes and supports the BIPOC individuals and persons with disabilities harmed by bigoted and abelist behavior; that have come forward and those who have not. We support the demands for accountability and improvement from Ingersoll Gender Center. DAPS believes that Ingersoll must take the necessary steps to make real change within their organization surrounding racism, ableism, misogyny, and sexism. As organizations who serve our community, we must actively confront these biases, make changes, listen to those we serve, and those who serve with us. In order to move forward, harm must be addressed. We support the demand for accountability for the following:

1. Immediate resignation or termination of the Directors as follows:  Karter Booher, Jonathan (Lee) Williams, and Louis Mitchell. 

2. A revised group of board members that uphold our community values. 

3. An issued statement of process of accountability by Ingersoll Gender Center that will address actions to prevent future harm to members and staff. 

Trans in Jail Coalition

After several Trans individuals were arrested this summer and experienced sexual assaults, harassment, misgendering, placed into solitary confinement, and into custody under their deadnames, a coalition was formed to work with DOC to begin to work on the treatment Trans individuals experience while in custody. Through several negotiations we have been able to begin toward more appropriate and safe care while in custody. Negotiations are still underway and the next step is educating the public on this project.