In a recent feature by The Fig Tree, Spokane Alliance Senior Organizer Laurel Fish reflects on the relationships and persistence that shape our work.

At Spokane Alliance, much of the work happens outside the spotlight. From housing research to years of relationship building with community leaders, change comes through steady, collective effort.

As Laurel shares, institutions and relationships are how we “shelter, nourish and humanize each other.” Telling these stories helps us better understand one another and act together.

Read the full article here

Photo credit: Figtree. Photo beside Linda Lauch shows site near People's Park for the new center's home

Linda Lauch, Executive Director of the American Indian Community Center, spoke with the Figtree about the AICC's forever home project. Spokane Alliance's Truth and Transformation team is working with the AICC to help raise funds for their construction at People's Park, in Spokane. 

Read the story here, at the Figtree.

image credit: Kerra Bower

Kerra Bower's dream is to dismantle the preschool-to-prison pipeline. She discussed the opening of Raze Early Learning and Development Center with the Figtree. 

"Raze will be a safe place for students to explore the beauty of our shared experiences as Americans through the Black American lens," she explained. "We seek to eradicate stereotypes that perpetuate the preschool-to-prison pipeline by centering our program on student identity and uplifting Black history contributions, both locally and nationally."

Raze will also offer wrap around services, leaning into the "it takes a village to raise a child" approach. 

Read more about Kerra's work, her village, and Raze here

Laurel Fish, senior organizer with the Spokane Alliance, knows that many solutions to issues people face are not realized because people lack the social and political will and skills as individuals to enact policy changes on their own.

The Spokane Alliance gathers people in faith communities, labor unions and community organizations like nonprofits and childcare providers to share and listen to each other's stories and concerns—on healthcare, housing, homelessness, childcare and other issues. In the process, they identify common threads for working and acting together so they have an impact.

Read the full article here

By Emry Dinman at the Spokesman-Review

"If approved next week by the City Council, contractors bidding to build Spokane’s city roads, facilities and other public infrastructure projects of at least $5 million may soon have to show that a quarter of the project’s labor will come from underrepresented or impoverished communities living in the city, as well as provide healthcare and other benefits."

read more about the upcoming vote August 25, 2025, and the debate about the ordinance on  here.

KXLY local Interviewed our Senior Organizer, Laurel Fish, and several others about the Public Dollars for Public Benefit Ordinance; an ordinance the Spokane City council is considering. Spokane Alliance is working to help secure this ordinance to ensure fair working conditions and create job opportunities for local workers.

See the entire story here

Spokane City Council could require contractors on major public works projects to sign union agreements and hire economically disadvantaged workers

By Colton Rasanen

at the Inlander 

"Mike Keith has been an ironworker for nearly 20 years. He knew he wanted a satisfying career, so he started his apprenticeship in 2007. With a wife and an infant daughter at home, Keith realized he needed stability for his family, so he joined a union." 

A great in-depth article about the Public Dollars for Public Good campaign, and the people it affects. Read more here.

Mayor Lisa Brown introduced four new initiatives that aim to ease hurdles for developers building affordable housing. 

Partners in affordable housing joined the City of Spokane on Monday, July 7th, to support the proposed initiative designed to streamline building affordable housing, and to celebrate the progress already made.

"The HEART Fund reflect the power of grassroots vision to shape public investment for the common good,"  - Daniel Roberts of SA's HEART team 

Spokane Alliance was honored to be recognized for our HEART campaign by the proposed renaming of the 1590 fund to the Housing Equity and Attainable Residences Trust - the HEART fund. 

More coverage here:

KREM2

KXLY.com

City of Spokane

The Center Square

The Spokesman-Review