Councilmembers to participate in MLK Day Rally, march with minimum wage contingent

Home » Councilmembers to participate in MLK Day Rally, march with minimum wage contingent

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/17/2014

Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Mike O’Brien
Councilmember Kshama Sawant
Councilmember Nick Licata

Councilmembers to participate in MLK Day Rally, march with minimum wage contingent

SEATTLE – Councilmembers Bruce Harrell, Mike O’Brien, and Kshama Sawant will participate in the 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Rally and March this Monday, January 20, and they encourage working people of Seattle to join them.

Councilmember Sawant will be at the 11:00 a.m. rally, to be joined by Councilmembers Harrell and O’Brien for the march to downtown. All three Councilmembers will walk with the $15/hour minimum wage march contingent, with the culminating rally at Westlake Park.

“Income inequality is the defining civil rights issue of our time,” said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. “We must build a pathway of success for all of our people through education and addressing income inequality head on. One of the most immediate, effective actions we can take as law makers to address this struggle is to raise the minimum wage. It is truly inspiring to see the ground swell of support around this issue and I am proud to march to show my support as well.”

“One of the most enduring lessons of Dr. King for me is that the struggle for racial justice is inherently tied to the struggle for economic justice,” said Councilmember Mike O’Brien. “So I am thrilled to be marching on Monday in honor of Dr. King’s legacy and in support of raising the minimum wage here in Seattle,” added O’Brien.

“Dr. King organized for a $2.00/hour minimum wage which, adjusted for inflation, is very close to $15/hour today,” said Councilmember Kshama Sawant. “I will be marching with Councilmembers Harrell, O’Brien and hundreds of others who want to honor the legacy of Dr. King and to show their support for a $15/hour minimum wage,” Sawant added.

“Our democracy is threatened by the growing disparity in wealth. Raising the minimum wage is only the first step in reversing growing inequality, and moving toward the kind of just society Dr. King envisioned,” said Councilmember Nick Licata.

The event is free and open to the public.

WHAT: 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Rally and March

WHEN: Monday, Jan. 20
11:00 a.m. Rally
12:30 p.m. March to Westlake Park

WHERE: Garfield High School
400 23rd Ave., Seattle 98122 (Central Area)

WHO: Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Mike O’Brien
Councilmember Kshama Sawant

[View in Council Newsroom]