WE BUILD POWER

In 2021, we launched with an audacious goal: running 4 initiatives at once. Volunteers collected 36,728 signatures to force change onto the ballot.

WON: Ban on Facial Recognition (Initiative 21-02). We made Bellingham a leader in privacy rights.

WON: No City Funds for Union Busting (Initiative 21-03). A historic win for labor (later repealed by City Council in 2024).

In 2023, we laid the groundwork for Renter Relocation and Hazard Pay, proving that the demand for justice was real.

We rebranded to Community First Whatcom and came back stronger. The voters spoke with overwhelming majorities:

PASSED: Relocation Assistance 2.0 (Initiative 23-02). We secured a safety net for tenants facing displacement.

PASSED: Raise the Wage (Initiative 23-01). We raised the local minimum wage to $2.00 above state mandated minimums, forever.

Today, we are no longer just a Bellingham movement.

FERNDALE: In 2025, we qualified and passed the first-ever community-led ballot initiative in Ferndale to End Junk Fees.

BELLINGHAM: We passed Initiative 25-03, protecting renters from retaliation.