Policy Priorities

Our five policy priorities reflect our commitment to investing in our communities and our city. In collaboration with communities, organizations, and policymakers, we will work in service of a future where everyone in Seattle thrives.

Civic Engagement 

We aspire to live in a city where all residents can contribute to City decision-making. We will support community participation and representation in city governance through youth civic engagement, collaborative relationships with commissions, and policy roundtables with local labor unions and businesses.

Criminal Legal System  

We aspire to live in a city where all residents prosper, unencumbered by the criminalization of poverty, public health challenges, and migration status. We will support policies grounded in research and restorative justice, build a publicly accessible database on incarceration in our city, and work in partnership with stakeholders across the city to promote transparency and accountability.

Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity  

We aspire to live in a city free from discrimination. We will support equal access to employment, housing, public accommodations, and contracting through proactive community engagement and policy development, research, and evaluation.

Displacement  

We aspire to live in a city where everyone belongs and has a place to call home. We will support policies designed to welcome newcomers and protect against forced relocation. We will launch a Displaced Community Dialogue series to better understand local needs, cultivate partnerships with service providers, and distill our findings to promote investment in resources that contribute to stability, safety, health, and quality of life.

Inclusive Equity and Justice 

We aspire to live in a city where equity and justice are for all. We recognize that racism is interconnected with gender injustice and social, economic, and political exclusion. The policies, practices, programs, and coalitions that we advance will be guided by our continuous dedication to learning and service.

SOCR staff and commissioners tabling at a community event.

SOCR staff and a member of the LGBTQ Commission share civil rights information and resources at a community event. 

A crowd listens to a young person speak at a voting and civil rights rally.

A crowd listens to a young person speak at a civil and voting rights rally hosted by SOCR and El Centro de la Raza.

There are ways for everyone to participate in civic engagement and civil rights policy development in Seattle. Contact us to learn more.

Civil Rights

Newsletter Updates

Subscribe

Sign up for the latest updates from Civil Rights

The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) works to advance civil rights and end barriers to equity. We enforce laws against illegal discrimination in employment, housing, public places, and contracting within Seattle.