Moving Forward with Families
By: Caroline Burney
Assistant Director, Operations & Engagement
Washington families are being squeezed from all sides. Costs for basic necessities keep rising, while federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP are adding pressure on families who are already stretched. When challenges pile up, it’s tempting to search for the next silver bullet program or idea. But the clearest lesson from Forward with Families, a recent forum hosted by Ascend at the Aspen Institute with the Washington Economic Justice Alliance and the Governor’s office, was something more fundamental: People are the how and the why of this work.
Forum discussions pointed to three important shifts that can help us move through this moment.
· Elevate families as the experts they are. Families must navigate multiple complex systems to access basic needs like housing, health care, childcare, and food. When we center the voices of community members, they can show us where programs aren’t working as intended and help us reach better outcomes.
- Restore the relationships that have been broken. Dr. Jessica Ullrich of Washington State University reminded us that “We have a lot of harm still happening, and it’s our job to stop the harm. Our next step is to rebuild, reconnect, restore those connections.” This means reconnecting people to their communities, to their families, and across generations, because when one person heals, the whole community feels it.
- Build stronger relationships inside government. Families shouldn’t have to piece together a system that doesn’t talk to itself. Better coordination across and within agencies comes down to trust between the people doing the work.
Why Washington can lead
For the Washington Economic Justice Alliance, this is a call to keep centering lived expertise as we build a Washington that works for all families. Dr. Lori Pfingst shared that “healthy children need healthy families to thrive – and budgets and policies and programs should reflect that.”
Our vision is wellbeing for all: a Washington where all families have the time, resources, and support to thrive – not just get by; where help is easy to find and use; and where the people closest to the issues help shape the solutions.
The 10-Year Plan to Dismantle Poverty is our roadmap to how we achieve that vision, and we’re refreshing it so that it reflects what families are facing today. Gatherings like Forward with Families keep us moving in alignment with our partners and lived experts every step of the way.
As Secretary Ramirez said, “we have a long, proud history of leading when it matters. This is one of those moments. Let’s move forward not just together, but let’s move Forward with Families.”