January Members Meeting
WSI HITS THE GROUND RUNNING IN 2026
By Chris Mrak
For 39 seconds, WSI members stood in silence to remember the 39 people killed by ICE/CBP in the last year.
This solemn time at the beginning of our January Members Meeting reminded everyone that we must continue our fight to protect our community and our country.
The Leadership Team assured members that discussions are ongoing to prepare for the potential of an armed federal surge in Seattle. Members were encouraged to use social media to expand the base of active participants in WSI and its ally organizations.
Following members’ input at the December meeting, the Extended Leadership Team met to finalize 2026 priorities to:
Build a West Seattle community that activates civic engagement.
Support voting and fair elections to elect officials who support our values.
Protect and support local immigrant communities.
Champion passage of the Washington Health Trust (WHT) to achieve health care for all.
In addition to activities officially sponsored by WSI, the Leadership Team encouraged individual members to initiate activities. Zoom conferences are available to facilitate initiatives between general meetings.
WSI has earned a reputation as one of the most effective chapters of Indivisible, eliciting a remark from a fellow activist at the recent Cal Anderson rally that WSI “has an activity every five minutes”. For a calendar of upcoming events, see
The main focus of the meeting was a presentation by Tayla, Elizabeth, and Parie of the WSI Healthcare Team explaining how the WHT would work and the process required to pass it in the legislature. If enacted, Washington would be the first state to establish universal, single-payer, comprehensive healthcare for all residents.
The WHT would cover medical, dental, vision, hearing, reproductive health, and prescription drugs with no premiums, copays, deductibles, or middlemen. This effort is especially critical given current federal cuts to Medicaid/ACA premium subsidies that make healthcare too expensive for too many.
The WHT would be funded by a sliding scale employer contribution and capital gains tax. A financial analysis showed that the WHT will be cheaper for employers and individuals than the current private insurance-based system.
The campaign to make WHT law is spearheaded by Whole Washington, a 501(c)(4) political nonprofit that has been working toward its enactment for years. The strategy is to first seek passage in the State Legislature, with bills currently pending in both the House (HB 1445) and Senate (SB 5233). WSI’s Healthcare Team organized to participate in Whole Washington’s rally and lobbying effort at the State Capitol on January 12 – the first day of the legislative session.
Members are encouraged to contact their legislators and register their support for WHT. Members with friends and relatives in Eastern Washington are especially encouraged to urge them to contact their Eastern Washington legislators.
Given the short legislative session this year, passing the bill will be an uphill battle. Whole Washington is preparing a referendum for the 2028 ballot with pledges being solicited from voters to sign the initiative if and when it is activated. [LINK to wholewashington.org]
Other less comprehensive healthcare legislation is currently pending in the legislature with the support of WSI Healthcare Team and Whole Washington. The most significant of these is SB 5955, which would de-privatize the management of Medicaid/AppleCare to cut out the private insurance middleman and save the State considerable money.
For more information the WSI’s Healthcare Team can be contacted at healthcare@westseattleindivisible.com/healthcare. If you are interested in joining the Team, [LINK]
The next General Membership Meeting will be February 8, 2026 from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. at a place yet to be determined since meetings will no longer be held at the Center for Active Living. In honor of Valentine’s Day, there will be a Bake Sale, so come with your sweet tooth.
