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Meet the Commissioners
How To Become a Commissioner Joshua has been involved with a wide range of activities where his input and decisions were deemed important and he continues to communicate his opinions tactfully to those he works with and contact with youth, departments, supervisors and patients.
NaaSira Adeeba is a native form the great midwestern state of Ohio. NaaSira has resided in Seattle, Washington since July of 1979. As an active community member and parent, NaaSira has contributed time, leadership abilities and talents in the arts of social work. From:1981-1987 as an LRC peer counselor, an organizor and facilitator for the Women Of Color support group, as well as being an employer for Rainier National Bank. Additionally in the areas of Social Work, and, graduate Of Seattle Antioch University, NaaSira has worked with various Seattle nonprofit agencies as a counselor, counselling the homeless, abused youth, mothers, and women leaving abusive partner/relationships. As an original and active member of the 1993 organization, Sistah 2 Sistah, a coalition of POCAAN, NaaSira has served S2S as Co-Chair:1997-2004, and currently enjoys performing and playing the Djemba, with the group, Sista Drums.
Erin Bailey is currently a graduate student at the University of Washington in the Museology program with a research focus on Queer representation in museums. She has been working and interning in museums for over four years, in multiple departments. Her passion for museum inclusion, specifically looking at Queer, stems from her identity as a Queer women and her love for the community. Community is the sustaining element of society and museums have a perfect forum for the community to truly collaborate. Mostly recently she has stepped into the role of curator, organizer and queer activist within museums leading to co-founding the Queering the Museum project. Her future work with Queering the Museum project includes curating a Queer history exhibition at the Museum of History and Industry in 2013.
Nani is probably cooking a feast with fresh herbs as you read this. The heavy perfume of a blooming orchid might mingle with the sharp scent of garlic before it passes through the tangled vines that frame the open window overlooking the bustle of Pike street. Whether fiercely biking up a staggering hill, or brushing through the aisles of a local coop--- Nathan is likely thinking about community organizing and structures of power and privilege along the way. Bravely reconciling a bachelors in Molecular Biology with the current pursuit of a Masters in Public Administration, Nathan applies a rich history of academic and practical experience toward nonprofit leadership, innovation, and LGBTQ empowerment. Nathan is currently a board member of the Pierce County AIDS Foundation, as well as Vice-chair of the United Communities AIDS Network Board. In previous years, Nathan has served a term as a Trustee of the Evergreen State College, as appointed by Governor Chris Gregoire, as well as two consecutive terms as Board President of Stonewall Youth, a thriving Queer Youth empowerment organization that has been transforming lives in Olympia for twenty years. Nathan brings trans identity to the commission, as well as youth, vision, and skill.
Julian Gaspay is a student activist for youth suicide prevention and the newly crowned Mr. Gay WA 2012-2013. Amongst being a student and holding a career in the fashion industry, he spends a great deal of time doing work for the LGBTQ community. He has raised thousands of dollars as well as gathered a great deal of media for LGBTQ issues in the likes of Kiro 7, Komo 4, C89.5 FM, Seattle Gay News, and many more. As he prepares for his upcoming year of reign, he will be kick starting his first project "Let's Make It Better Dialogue Seminar about anti-bullying, trans-awareness, and HIV safety awareness. He hopes to inspire many of the youth to be more proactive in the LGBTQ community.
David W. Howenstine is a lawyer in private practice with the local law firm of Mills Meyers Swartling. As a Seattle native, David grew up in the Roosevelt neighborhood with extended family throughout the greater Seattle area. David graduated from Reed College with a B.A. in English and graduated from the University of Washington School of Law with high honors. During law school, David became increasingly engaged in LGBT civil rights issues: he was elected president of the LGBT student group, Outlaws; worked as an extern for Lambda Legal, contributing to high-profile LGBT impact litigation involving employment and medical discrimination, marriage equality, and harassment of youths and transgendered people; and published a law review article on equal protection principles. After law school, David served for three years as a law clerk for federal judges at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles and the U.S. District Court in Seattle before joining private practice. In his free time, David enjoys novels, trivia nights, exploring local coffee shops and farmers' markets, and spending time with family and friends.
Mitchell C Hunter, one of few who can claim he's been active in the community as every letter of LGBTQ, comes to the Commission as a recent graduate of Out In Front, an intensive leadership training course for leaders in the LGBTQ community. Mitch is current chair of the Internal Affairs committee, a proud voice for the transgender community with Trans Lives Matter and an active member of the Seattle Men's Chorus.
Bridge Joyce is a Seattle resident and lawyer committed to social and economic justice. Bridge earned a B.A. from Skidmore College and a J.D. from the City University of New York, School of Law. During law school, Bridge interned for the Peter Cicchino Youth Project, providing legal services to homeless and street involved LGBTQ young people, and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, a legal service and advocacy collective working to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. After moving to Seattle from New York, Bridge served for two years on the board of Camp Ten Trees, an LGBTQ and ally youth camp. He also volunteers for the pro bono attorney program at The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, focusing on immigrant visa petitions under the Violence Against Women Act and asylum cases.
Hill is a native of the Chicago-region where he attended Northern Illinois University and received a B.A. double majoring in Political Science and Media Communication, with a minor in Gender Studies. As an undergrad, Hill served as President of his University's LGBTQ student organization, a Representative of the NIU Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and was a panelist on the NIU LGBT Speakers Bureau. In addition to being active on campus, Hill volunteered for Youth Outlook, a safe and supportive resource for LGBTQ adolescents.
Aric grew up in Nebraska and received his B.A. in Religion from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. In 2003 he moved to Seattle to work for Lifelong AIDS Alliance and has since worked for Seattle King County Public Health on a variety of research projects and community outreach testing and screening for HIV/STI. He completed his M.A. in Public Administration from Seattle University in 2009. His current academic work is focused on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity in the context of international human rights with a focus on Africa and the Middle East. Aric is currently coordinating HIV research projects out of the Harborview STD Clinic. One of his objectives for serving as a commissioner is to increase awareness of sexual, racial, gender, and identity diversity within the local community, at the national level, and internationally. In his free time Aric loves exploring music and cinema and is a bookworm.
Mac joined the LGBT commission in 2011, and is proud to be a voice and is proud to be an activist for civil rights and voice to represent the transgendered and gender non-conforming community.
Sabina Neem is a social work clinician and community builder who is committed to social and economic justice; her approach is to engage with challenging systems in order to make change and voice informed praise and criticism. She has extensive experience as an administrator, supervisor, program coordinator, social worker, trainer, researcher, grant writer, and advocate for policy change. She is the Assistant Director at the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Seattle University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of two LGBTQ community-based organization; Zenyu Healing andTrikone Northwest.
I grew up in Olympia, Washington, where I lived for 18 years. I moved to Tacoma, Washington after high school where I earned my bachelor's degree in social work at Pacific Lutheran University. During this time, I began my career protecting vulnerable children with the Division of Child & Family Services for the state. Upon graduation, I moved to Seattle in 2004 where I began working for the YMCA Family Services, where I still work today.
How to Become a CommissionerAnnouncement of VacanciesEach year a percentage of Commissioners' terms come up for renewal and sometimes those seats are vacated. The Seattle LGBT Commission currently has open seats and is actively recruiting for new commissioners. The Commission is especially interested in applicants who are women, transgendered, differently-abled, or of color. The Commission is also interested in working with individuals who have an interest in the following issues: lesbian health, domestic violence, aging, work place acceptance, and youth safety. The Commission is also interested in working with qualified volunteers who have an interest on specific Commission projects. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend at least one Commission meeting. Interested? View the recruitment flyer: Click Click here to view the recruitment flyer in "MS Word" format. You may contact us directly if you would like a paper version of the application sent to you, or if you have other questions. Click To read the "PDF" format application, you need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader software, which may be obtained free on the Internet at the Adobe web site.
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