Education advocates are preparing to brave the winter weather Wednesday to ensure voices are heard, calling for legislators to support the basic needs of postsecondary students.

Washington’s Legislative Session began on January 15, and since then, lawmakers have gathered to discuss issues affecting the state, vote on bills, and hear from lobbyists. Tomorrow, United Way of King County volunteers will join legislators in Olympia alongside the Post Secondary Basic Needs Coalition.

Post Secondary Basic Needs lobbyists and our volunteers will advocate for policy reforms that remove barriers to educational completion and expand student access to resources that fulfill their basic needs. By ensuring that students have access to basic needs like food, healthcare, childcare, or housing, advocates are fighting to increase students’ likelihood of finishing educational programs and potentially breaking cycles of poverty. These barriers to education, the Coalition explained, disproportionately impact low-income students, particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color, perpetuating systemic inequities.

“Education is a proven pathway out of poverty, but many students in Washington State struggle to persist or complete educational programs because they cannot meet their basic needs,” states the Coalition. “Now is a more critical time than ever to invest in their success.”

In this week’s episode of Hourglass, United Way of King County’s podcast, host Joe Burris spoke with State Rep. Mari Leavitt (D) about the importance of Lobby Days.

“Lobby days are really critical, and I think some people think, ‘Oh, my voice doesn’t matter,’ but I would say for legislators, those are the days where your voice matters the most,” Leavitt said. “Those are the days where we get to hear from individuals who are impacted.

“I can hear from a lobbyist any day, and they are paid to say a particular thing,” Leavitt continued. “But on lobby days, we get to hear from community members. We get to hear from our neighbors about what is really impacting them.”

United Way of King County has a track record of successfully advocating for things central to our mission, like Breakfast After the Bell and legislation that supports homeownership for people of color. This lobby day, United Way of King County volunteers will rally to ensure representatives like Leavitt understand the financial hardships many students face and the demand for resources like campus food pantries.

To hear more of Leavitt’s interview and to hear from United Way Systems Change and Public Policy Coordinator Nancy Lu, check out Hourglass, available on all streaming platforms.