EXCLUSIVE: Washington Dem governor announces DEI conference on 'Embedding Meaningful Access and Inclusion in Everything' for state workers

Washington’s Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson is moving forward with plans for a statewide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Empowerment Conference, despite a recent executive order from President Donald Trump that threatens the future of federal funding to states that continue with the discriminatory practices.

In a video message released this week, Ferguson called on all Washington state employees to “save the date” for the 2025 DEI Empowerment Conference, which will be held virtually on June 4–5 and June 11–12. The event's theme is “Embedding Meaningful Access and Inclusion in Everything.”

“I think it’s fair to say it is more important than ever to reaffirm our commitment as a state to these principles,” Ferguson said. “These values improve our government, make us more responsive to the people, and ensure that we consider the impacts of policies and decisions on every Washingtonian—not just those who can access government or afford lobbyists.”

Ferguson also expressed gratitude to public employees for their dedication during what he called “challenging times,” encouraging widespread participation in the virtual event. Registration for the conference opens May 1, and the event is being run through Washington’s Office of Financial Management.

Sessions at the conference include Psychological Impacts of Having Our World Views Challenged, Embedding Equity in the Data Lifecycle: Strategies for Inclusive and Ethical Data Practices, Affordable Housing Access: A Cornerstone of Equity Work and the New Political Landscape, and Connections: Digital Inclusion in the Workplace.

Supervisors were told to “Look for ways to adjust team schedules and workloads to allow each team member to attend at least one conference session,” including “Cancel or reschedule conflicting meetings.”

Supervisors were also urged to “Use your current communication tools to encourage employee attendance,” “Plan agency-specific reflection sessions for team members to discuss their questions, key takeaways, and “aha” moments from the conference sessions,” and, “Register for several event sessions and share leaders’ schedules with teams to model attendance and show their commitment to equity and learning.”

Last year’s theme was Equity & Belonging Through Disrupting Policy & Practice.

The announcement comes in direct contrast to President Trump’s recent executive order, which mandates the termination of DEI-related programs across federal agencies and institutions that rely on federal funding. The order includes the dismantling of DEI, DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility), and environmental justice efforts, while also mandating a review of employment practices, federal contracts, and performance metrics tied to diversity goals.

Trump’s directive has raised concerns for organizations such as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, whose research depends heavily on federal support. With DEI frameworks integrated into many of their programs, the executive order places their funding at risk, and in response, many have announced the cancellation of their DEI programs.

Companies have been eliminating their DEI programs across the country. Ferguson’s defiant move left many speculating that the governor, who was the Evergreen State’s attorney general and had sued the Trump administration over 50 times during the president’s first term, was daring the White House to take action against Washington.