Author: Benjamin Peterson (Benjamin Peterson)

Today Trump signed an order to strip federal funding from sanctuary cities, which refuse to check for immigration status or to arrest and detain undocumented immigrants due to their immigration status. As a workers’ representative, as a socialist, as an immigrant woman of color, I stand with all my sisters and brothers in saying we […]

On January 17, 2017, I sent a letter to Washington State House Speaker Frank Chopp and the House Local Government Committee, calling on them to reject HB 1082, an unjust bill that would have prohibited multiplicities from enacting commercial rent control. Cities like Seattle, where small businesses and working families face skyrocketing rents, need to […]

Sisters and brothers, Donald Trump is now Predator in Chief, and head of one of the most dangerous and right wing administrations in US history. In his inauguration speech, a few minutes ago, Trump said that his government will follow the righteous path, that it will be a government for the people. That the forgotten […]

On January 17, 2017, I sent the following letter to House Speaker Frank Chopp and the House Local Government Committee, calling on them to reject HB 1082, an unjust bill that would prohibit commercial rent control. They should instead use their time to finally repeal RCW 35.21.830, the State’s ban on rent control. January 17, 2017 Dear House Speaker […]

On Friday, January 13, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) sent out an email in which they threatened disciplinary action in the form of unexcused absences against students who plan to participate in Inauguration Day walkouts. As I noted yesterday, the letter’s implication that SPS will coordinate with the Seattle Police is highly troubling. I want to thank Neil Fox, parent of […]

Earlier today, Seattle Public Schools’ Office of Public Affairs sent out the following email, in which they threaten disciplinary action in the form of unexcused absences against students who plan to participate in Inauguration Day walkouts. The letter’s implication that Seattle Public Schools will coordinate with the Seattle Police is highly troubling. I stand with the […]

Mass protests during inauguration week are extremely important to send a clear message to Trump that he has no mandate for his bigoted and anti-worker agenda. Join Seattle’s Anti-Trump Resistance! Look below for details on local actions. For a listing of events throughout Washington State, check out this article from The Stand, and check back for more. Thursday, […]

Dear fellow activists, We are at the end of an incredible year of upheavals. A right-wing anti-worker bigot has been elected President. Donald Trump’s cabinet is a who’s who of multi-billionaires with long records of hostility towards workers, the labor movement, women’s rights, and the planet. But this was also the year in which millions […]

On December 12, after nearly a 1/2 year of struggle by Washington CAN and tenants’ rights advocates, the Seattle City Council passed our move-in fees legislation, 8-0! My remarks motivating the council bill below. I am excited to introduce again this ordinance that would limit the exorbitant move-in fees that tenants are expected to pay in […]