Ally Spots Around Town

Walking down Main Street in Ellensburg, the store’s windows fill your peripheral vision. Street lights reflect off the glass and the muffled conversations from inside the nearby restaurants and bars fill the silence of the night. A small rainbow sticker catches your eye and you realize, these stores are allies.

While many associate the term ally with LGBTQIA+ support, ally is a term for more than just the queer community. An ally is an individual who provides assistance and support to any minority group. An ally is someone who fights for more than the majority. How is Ellensburg an ally to their community?

Ellensburg Through the Years

In order to discuss Ellenburg’s efforts toward a diverse environment, it is important to establish the town’s history with diversity.

Ellensburg was once a cherished land for neighboring tribes. According to historians, it was a sacred space to collect the fruits of the basin. Settlers moved onto the land, building the town that now sits before the Kittitas Valley.

With the introduction of the railroad in 1886, the town flourished and the population diversified. The once nearly barren town is now home to roughly 19,596, according to the United States Census Bureau.

The graph above shows the race and origin of Ellensburg’s population. Understanding the people of Ellensburg is crucial to supporting their needs. Establishing, implementing and upholding a diverse and inclusive atmosphere is a big feat, but it is one the city of Ellensburg is willing to take on.

Part of the Conversation

Ellensburg continues to facilitate these important conversations. In 2021, Ellensburg city council approved the formation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (DEI). “The purpose is really to support the city council in creating and celebrating a diverse, equitable and inclusive community that’s welcoming to all residents and visitors,” says Nicole Klauss, Ellensburg’s public information officer and staff member to the commission.

Prior to the formation of the commission, the Ellensburg city council held a series of listening tours around