September 2026 Newsletter
Thanks to everyone who came out last Tuesday to tell Federal Way city council NO DATA CENTERS!
In this issue:
- September’s Potluck and Community Action Night Details
- Recurring Protests and Upcoming Actions
- FWI Volunteer Opportunities
- Local Events and Ally Engagement Opportunities
FWI Community Action Night: September 17th, 5:30-8pm
This month is all about the midterms and we’re still trying a potluck before the CAN! All the details below!
- 5pm: Help with set-up!
- 5:30-6:15pm: Potluck! Bring food to share (no alcoholic beverages), board games, and conversation because activism runs on community and joy!
- 6:30pm-8pm: Action and Education
- WA Midterms: We’ve got expert guests in-house to breakdown our ballot initiatives, educate and inform us about super important judges races, and share actions we can take to help secure our midterms. WA ACLU will wrap up our educational time with a Q&A, so bring your questions!
- National Midterms: Vote Forward: Write or take home some post cards to send to swing states voters, who are likely to vote Democrat but are less likely to show up for midterms, to get out the vote. Send a personalized messages with voter information provided by Vote Forward. Send in October ONLY. If you don’t have stamps, we’ll mail them for you!
- Let’s Flip City Council in 2027: More info and Q&A. Sign up for the elections committee before you leave the CAN!
- 8pm-8:30pm: Help with tear down
Bring donations of clothes, canned goods, diapers, formula, or hygiene products for the Wayside UCC community pantry program as a thank you for providing a beautiful space for us to gather in while we also help our neighbors in need.
Free parking! Kids welcome! (Coloring activities available, but please bring additional entertainment if your child needs it. No childcare will be provided.)
Click here for more details on FWI CAN!
Protests and Other Actions
Give Your Input on Federal Way’s Budget!
Federal Way is updating its Biennial Budget for 2027-28. The public is invited to hear about the process during a series of meetings over the coming months. The calendar includes meetings in September, October, and November. Budget presentations and deliberations will take place on the following dates (some are on an as-needed basis): Sept. 15, Sept. 21, Sept. 24, Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Nov. 4, and Nov. 17.
The mayor’s proposed budget will be presented at this Tuesday’s council meeting, 6:30-8:30pm. If anyone wants to read it and share the highlights with us, let us know.!
Location: Attend in person at Federal Way City Hall, 33325 8th Ave. S. or watch live on Zoom, the city’s YouTube channel, or FW Channel 21.
Constitutional Observer Training, Sept. 12th, 3-5pm
Get trained for any situation where you may encounter ICE so you can help yourself and others to stay safe, to exercise your full constitutional rights, and to protect your neighbors. The more of us who are trained, the better. Hosted by South King Indivisible Alliance (SKIA). Sign-up today!
Location: Auburn Library, 1102 Auburn Way S, Auburn, WA 98002
Sunday Corner Protest, Sundays, 12-1pm
Join Federal Way Indivisible in partnership with the Southend Friends for Peace and Justice every Sunday, rain or shine. Bring your own sign or borrow one provided. We’re standing up for peace and democracy. All non-violent humans and their furry companions welcome!
Location: The intersection of S. 320th and Pac Hwy S. by the Commons.
South King Indivisible Alliance Picnic, Sunday, 9/13, 3-6pm
South King Indivisible Alliance presents a fun picnic to network and gather together as a coalition for some fun with like-minded people.Candidates may join as well!
Please bring a side or dessert dish to share.
We will be grilling burgers and hot dogs (with vegetarian and vegan options) and supplying bottled water, soda, plates, utensils & napkins.
Also, note that Kent Parks does NOT allow alcohol, so this will be a dry and family-friendly event.
Location: Lake Meridian Park, 14800 SE 272nd St. Kent, WA 98030
Planned Parenthood Postcards to WA Voters, Sept. 23rd, 5-7:30pm
We’re gathering to write postcards to local voters who may need an extra reminder to fill out and return their ballots. With important ballot measures, Supreme Court races, and Legislative District elections on the ballot this year, every vote matters, and your outreach can help make a real difference.
RSVP and drop in anytime between 5pm to 7:30pm. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or brand new to organizing, this is a fun and easy way to support voter engagement while spending time with like-minded community members.
Donations of postcard stamps are always appreciated.
Location: Federal Way Public Library (small meeting room), 34200 1st Way S, Federal Way
No Kings: Vote Early! Oct. 17th, 12-2pm
SAVE THE DATE! No Kings is calling for another national day of action on Oct. 17th. This time, the emphasis is on getting out the vote EARLY! FWI and the Corner People for Peace and Justice will be hosting a non-violent protest at our usual spot, so get your signs ready with encouragements to passersby to vote early, drop off their ballots instead of mailing them, and keep Washington state’s elections free and fair! (Event link coming soon.)
Location: The intersection of S. 320th and Pac Hwy S. by the Commons.
FWI Volunteer Opportunities
FWI Leaders are burning out and need your help to keep going!
We love working to build resilient, progressive community in Federal Way and want to bring you more of the action opportunities you’re craving, but there are only 5 people on the regular leadership team and some are facing burnout. If you’re willing to help us keep FWI going, see below for volunteer opportunities. And if you’ve emailed us, please check your junk mail in case our responses ended up there.
Join FWI Leadership!
Are you organized? Good communicator? Like working behind the scenes? Then we need you! Join FWI’s leadership team and help us coordinate our events and guide the direction of the group. We currently need:
- FWI Board Members
- FWI Treasurer
- A WAND Team Leader/Liaison
Time commitment is up to you, but expect around 10 hours/month.
FWI Team Opportunities!
Don’t have enough time to join the leadership team but still want to help? If you have 1-5 hours/month, we can use you! We need people to help with:
- Elections Committee (all things elections; big focus on flipping city council in 2027)
- Communications (newsletter, social media, etc)
- Tech/Website Team
- CAN Set-up/Tear-down
- Community Building (CAN potlucks, fun activities and gatherings that are not CANs, help connect Federal Way activists with one another)
Email us if you’re interested in learning more!
Community Gardening for Yourself and Your Neighbors!
Join us at the Senior Center Community Garden to help grow food, engage in mutual aid, meet your neighbors, and have fun outside!
When: Mondays and Saturdays, 9am to noon.
Location: 4016 S 352nd St, Auburn, WA 98001
All ages and abilities welcome!
If you can open the garden for additional volunteer windows, please let us know.
Local Events and Ally Engagement Opportunities
Help Federal Way Businesses to Know Their Rights and Protect Employees and Customers if ICE Comes Calling!
With verified sightings of ICE in Federal Way, it’s important now more than ever that we know our rights. Washington Neighborhood Defense (WAND) gives handouts to businesses and houses of worship about their rights regarding immigration laws and what they can and can’t do if ICE comes calling. Only a fraction of the approx. 3,500 businesses in Federal Way have been reached. If you’d like to learn more, check out WAND’s homepage and click on HOW TO GET STARTED.
Rainfest Returns, Saturday Sept. 12th
Rainfest is a free, family-friendly community event that brings fun and learning together in support of a healthy environment! Explore engaging educational activities focused on water quality, pollution prevention, and environmental stewardship in Federal Way.
Come rain or shine, let’s celebrate our environment and learn how we can protect the water that sustains us all!
Want to volunteer? Email Recycle@federalwaywa.gov.
When: 10am-2pm
Location: Steel Lake Park
Wayside UCC
Show our CAN hosts some love every other Friday at 10:00 am, beginning June 12th for clean up! They need folks to help clean up the area under the Sanctuary and help with keeping the grass, weeds and shrubs from getting overgrown. Make sure to bring work gloves! Address: 2000 SW Dash Point Rd
30th Legislative District Democrats
- 30th LD monthly meetings: 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8:30pm. Come interact with your city and state reps at SHAG Celebration Senior Living Apartments Clubhouse (1524 S 328th St. Federal Way, 98003) and get the latest on party action in the 30th.
- Become a member if you want a say in who the 30th endorses in upcoming elections! Getting the (D) in Federal Way and King County usually means a win, so have your say before ballots go out!
City of Federal Way
- Federal Way Public Schools Board Meeting: Tue. Jul 21st, 6pm – 8pm, FWPS Educational Service Center, 33330 8th Avenue S., Federal Way, WA 98003. You don’t need to be a parent to care about students and their civil rights. Support them at school board meetings whenever you can!
- City Council Meetings are usually held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 6:30pm at City Hall (2nd floor) (but not on August 18th, next is September 1st). You can also watch and comment by Zoom. However, August’s first council meeting is moved to the the 2nd Tuesday of the month due to August 4th being National Night Out, and the other meeting is cancelled.
- Take the Diversity Commission’s Community Survey to make sure we’re all represented!