Organization committed to leading nationwide progressive change at the local level
Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide) has been appointed to serve on the Board of Local Progress, an organization comprised of a national network of progressive elected officials committed to reclaiming the power that cities and counties have, and to advancing a shared vision of economic prosperity, equal justice under law, livable and sustainable communities, and good government that serves the public interest. The appointment was announced by Local Progress Director, Sarah Johnson.
“Over the last two years, thanks to Local Progress, I have had the privilege of meeting and working alongside some of our country’s most passionate local legislators. I am thankful to the Local Progress board for the appointment to join them in 2019,” said González, who serves as chair of Seattle City Council’s Gender Equity, Safe Communities, New Americans and Education Committee. “As a proud champion of public safety, workers rights and immigrant communities, I could not be more excited for the opportunity to represent Seattle’s progressive agenda at the national level.”
González joins 16 other elected and local officials, including representatives from Austin, Philadelphia and New York City.
“Councilmember González’s work in Seattle on issues ranging from economic to racial justice has been inspirational and serves as a model of effective, progressive governance,” said Sarah Johnson, Local Progress Director. “She has already emerged among her peers as a national leader. We are thrilled that she’ll be joining our board.”
“From winning secure scheduling for Seattle’s hourly workers, to advancing community-led police reform and legal defense for immigrant residents, Councilmember González is a proven champion of progressive action and I’m delighted to welcome her to the Local Progress Board,” said Brad Lander, Local Progress Board Chair. “She is a distinguished leader in the Local Progress network and her experience as an attorney and accomplished legislator will be of huge value to the board and her colleagues nationally.”
González will attend the first Local Progress board meeting of the year in Washington, D.C. in January 2019.
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About Councilmember M. Lorena González: As one of two citywide representatives and the first Latinx elected to serve the Seattle City Council, M. Lorena González has over a decade of experience as a civil rights attorney and community advocate. She is a nationally-recognized civil rights leader. Before joining the Council, she was a partner at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender representing people who were victimized by those in authority positions. Born and raised in Washington’s lower Yakima Valley to a Spanish-speaking migrant farmworker family, she moved to Seattle in 2002 to attend Seattle University Law School, where she graduated with honors in 2005. Since moving to Seattle, she has lived in Capitol Hill, First Hill, Ballard, South Park, and White Center. She currently lives in the West Seattle Junction neighborhood (District 1) with her husband, Cameron, and their dog, Hugo.