“Freedom and liberty still belong to ‘We the People’. That has always been the truth. It is still the truth today.”
— Empowering Washington Freedom Alliance
Holding high the Torch of Liberty in Washington State, our friends at Empowering Washington Freedom Alliance (EWAFA) protect the inherited, generational voice of our Founding Fathers and the Founding Documents of the United States of America. With the enduring Spirit of 1776, they bravely defend basic liberties and make sure government stays within its limited, constitutional framework. “The people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty,” wrote Thomas Jefferson. That’s true because the people help to enforce the proper boundaries of government, and the people of EWAFA show leadership to recapture this American vision for our own day. What a privilege is it to link arms with these grassroots defenders of liberty whose mission is clear:
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We The People: Our 1776 Moment
EWAFA marches in the heritage of our Founding Fathers and our enshrined documents of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Washington State Constitution. In the Evergreen State, those documents and the ideals they champion, powerfully find their “megaphone” in EWAFA. The phrase “We the People” — the first three words of the US Constitution — refers to a grassroots effort to protect ourselves against a meddling, overreaching, heavy-handed effort by policy makers who cross the line in violation of our rights.
To support their “We the People” and grassroots principles, EWAFA members often invoke the opening of the Washington Constitution:
“All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.”
Appealing to our nation’s most important documents, EWAFA states:
“We are guided by the founding principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and we believe that real change happens when citizens stand together. This is our 1776 moment. Throughout American history, ordinary citizens have risen to defend and advance liberty. EWAFA exists to help Washingtonians do the same today — through civic education, community engagement, and holding leaders accountable. Citizens who are ready to move beyond frustration and help reclaim the Republic our Founding Fathers envisioned are invited to join the movement.”
EWAFA exists in part to dovetail the grassroots of “We the People” with God’s authority because “true liberty is freedom under God’s righteous law,” they point out. They aim to make sure that government stays in its proper place as both submissive to God as well as responsible to The People. They also remind us that our ultimate loyalty is to God, not government. As Holy Scripture tells us, government is one authority (e.g., Romans 11), but government is not the highest authority: “Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.'” (Acts of the Apostles 5:29). Or as EWAFA says: “For God and County — Always in that Order.”
Issues & Impact
EWAFA represents some 15,000 citizens. They state: “For too long, politicians and elites have placed their own interests above the good of the people. Through their own ambitions, policies, and actions, they have divided citizens, silenced voices, and steadily attempted to strip ‘We the People’ of the authority that rightly belongs to us.” To empower such American principles and grassroots citizenship, they have hosted more than 50 call-to-action events.
In a practical sense, EWAFA believes in a small, limited government that respects our privacy, our election integrity, our parental rights, and our gun rights, just to name a few.
Of all of EWAFA’s issues, they have a unique call to protect the farmers, the earthly, simple living, and rural communities across our state, often on the eastern side. Since EWAFA’s headquarters are in Spokane Valley, such a connection is natural and logical. Rural people often feel like they are not represented fully in Olympia amidst the dominant presence of greater Seattle — the western side of the state where Big Technology, skyscrapers, a fast-paced life, and heavy traffic often dominate. In contrast, here is one example of how EWAFA advocates for farmers who may be facing dire times:
“Washington agriculture has hit a shocking low: dead last in the nation for farm profitability. According to USDA data, our state now ranks 50th out of 50 in farm profitability – with negative net returns overall. That’s not a typo. While Washington grows some of the best apples, wheat, potatoes, and hops in the world, many of the family farms that produce them are struggling to survive.”
EWAFA’s current outreach is to the youth. They share: “Last night at AMC River Park Square was something special. Young leaders ages 14–24 joined EWAFA for a free Young Washington screening — part of our New Generation Initiative — and the room was full of curiosity, courage, and conversation about the character and leadership that shaped America’s founding.”
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Get Connected
As a new board member, Semi Bird has provided a boost to EWAFA’s stature and popularity. Bird was a popular and passionate candidate for WA Governor in 2024 when he secured the Republican nomination. During the campaign, he invoked many of the themes of EWAFA, and so his fit is seamless to help further the perennial mission.
Throughout world history there is often a clash between “the ruling class” or “the elites” or “The Establishment” — those with access to great power and money — versus “We the People” — those ordinary, common folks who do not have such access, but who often outnumber the elites. The interests of both groups do not always align. EWAFA exists to stand up and to speak out as “the people’s voice”. They know that “power tends to corrupt,” as Lord Acton famously said, and so there needs to be a “check” on such elite power in order to make sure it serves the people, squares with the unchanging moral law, and upholds God’s eternal righteousness.
As they proclaim: EWAFA “empowers citizens to remember their strength and stand together for liberty, truth, and constitutional values across Washington.” EWAFA aims to accomplish such a task; and for such a defense, our Founding Fathers who stood up against abuses of power in their day, would rightfully applaud.
You can follow and support Empowering Washington Freedom Alliance by signing up for their alerts and newsletters (click here), and through their Facebook social media page.
