Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5, North Seattle) issued the following statement after the Sound Transit 3 campaign declared victory today: “The passage of ST3 -– which will fully fund a light rail station at NE 130th Street & Interstate 5 — is due in large part to successful advocacy by North Seattleites. Our District 5...
Tag: Juarez
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Mayor Murray, Councilmembers Announce Update to North Precinct Plan
Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Debora Juarez and Lorena González announced that the City will review the proposed new North Precinct facility, citing concerns around equity, cost and community needs. The City will follow a recently-passed Council resolution and conduct a Racial Equity Toolkit review of the proposed precinct, and review key...
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Councilmembers’ Statement on County Allocation of Affordable Housing, Transit-Oriented Development Dollars
Council President Bruce Harrell and Councilmembers M. Lorena González and Debora Juarez, issued the following statement regarding Tuesday’s action by the King County Executive and County Council to issue revenue bonds totaling $87M, which will be backed by future hotel/motel revenues: Council President Bruce Harrell (District 2, South Seattle) said, “I thank the King County...
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Councilmember Juarez Hails Improved ST3 Proposal
Amended Package to Include Full Funding for NE 130th St. Station SEATTLE – Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5, North Seattle) issued the following statement after the completion of today’s Sound Transit Board meeting, during which time City of Seattle representatives presented an amendment to the Sound Transit 3 package which will fully fund the NE...
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Councilmembers to Participate in ‘Workers Voice Summit’ Thursday
Seattle – Councilmembers will participate in a “Workers Voice Summit” this Thursday to hear experiences and policy ideas from workers from a cross section of low-wage jobs in the region. The event, organized by a coalition of organizations representing workers, was developed to provide employees themselves the opportunity to address public officials regarding challenges relating...
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Councilmember Juarez to Celebrate District Office Grand Opening Friday in North Seattle
Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5, North Seattle) will celebrate the grand opening of her in-district office at North Seattle College this Friday, March 4. Councilmember Juarez will welcome North Seattle neighbors to her permanent North-end office (room 1451) and provide light refreshments while chatting with residents about city issues. “District representation means having your Councilmember...
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Mayor & Councilmember Debora Juarez to bring integrated planning approach to Lake City
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2/9/2016
Mayor to bring integrated planning approach to Lake City
SEATTLE - Tomorrow Mayor Ed Murray, along with community advocates and City leaders, will launch the new Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) and debut integrated planning in the Lake City community. OPCD will work across City departments and with the neighborhood to assess needs, prioritize investments, and develop a Shared Vision for Lake City that supports an equitable and vibrant community as Seattle grows.
WHO: Mayor Ed Murray
Councilmember Debora Juarez
Lake City neighborhood advocates
Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole
City Department Directors
WHAT: Launch of OPCD, Shared Vision for Lake City
WHEN 11 a.m., Wed., Feb. 10
WHERE: Site of a future park in Lake City
12510 33rd Ave. NE
Seattle
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Councilmember Juarez Takes Oath of Office, First Enrolled Native American to Serve on Seattle City Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/4/2016
Councilmember Juarez Takes Oath of Office, First Enrolled Native American to Serve on Seattle City Council
SEATTLE - Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5, North Seattle) took her ceremonial oath of office today, becoming the first enrolled Native American to serve on the Seattle City Council. Councilmember Juarez is a member of the Blackfeet Nation. The following are her remarks delivered at the Seattle City Council inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2016:
"As you know, my name is Debora Juarez. I am an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation. The Blackfeet name is ‘Nah Too Yii Mis'Stuckie,' which means ‘Holy Mountain Woman.'
"I am proud to represent the City of Seattle and am equally proud to represent District 5.
"Before I begin I want to honor and thank special people - they know who they are. Because, as we know, and as we learned in Indian Country, you don't get here by yourself. This took me 45 years to get here, and there are good people out there - they know who they are; I can't say every one of their names - but I couldn't have done it without them. I want to give a special thanks to my daughters, Raven and Memphis. Of all people, they've scarified the most. They've watched their mom run out the door many times to a meeting, to court, to special session in Olympia, to litigation in another state, mediation in California, New York - somehow they understood what mom was doing. They were always there when I came home, and they were always there for support, and now they're grown. I'm glad they're out of the house <laughter>, leaving their fish behind (Marshawn, their foster fish).
"Today is historic. It is not historic because I'm Native American, or because I'm Latina. It's historic because I am America. This is democracy. I am a product of 1970s War on Poverty programs, I am a product of affirmative action, I am a product of growing up poor, but knowing that education was the equalizer.
"I'm also the product of having mentors, like Uncle Billy Frank, Ramona Bennett - I could go on and on. Indian women, Indian leaders that have brought me here, and include Roberto Maestas AND Bernie Whitebear and, of course, Larry Gosset. Larry has known me for 25 years.
"Today is also historic because in 2013, the voters spoke very loudly - a mandate, 66 percent, I believe -for the district system. I get to work with 8 esteemed Councilmembers, 6 of which will represent their neighborhoods, their districts, their communities. This is an opportunity to bring all of us closer together, to talk, and to move away from a lighted screen or voicemail. We will be engaged, we will be successful, and I'm proud to be a part of that.
"When we started a district system, many wondered ‘what will that mean?' Well Indian Country knows what that means - you should live with the people you represent. You should see and be accessible, you should know where the schools are, where the lights are, whether there's potholes, whether there needs to be gutters - that's what we're supposed to do - that's democracy - is representing our people. <applause>
"We represent the great city of Seattle, and I hear we have a good football team. And we honor the legacy and needs of our communities. I'm honored to hold such an important place in history. I want to thank Seattle, I want to thank my supporters, and I want to thank District 5. I believe a sustainable city must be a fair city, a city that brings prompt and humane solutions that address the weakness of the non-empowered and disenfranchised. And I'm proud to work with these people, moving forward, that that's our mandate.
"In conclusion I want to share a story, some insight from another one of my Inspirations. I had the honor of meeting her once, very briefly many years ago.
"Wilma ManKiller, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation - First woman Chief of the Cherokee Nation, elected in 1985, 31 years ago.
"In 1992 Chief Wilma ManKiller was approached by an Elder of the Onieda Nation. And, he shared with her one of the prophecies he had heard: That this was the time of the Woman - a time for women to take on a more important role in society. This anonymous Onieda Man shared it was the "time of the Butterfly."
"She smiled and thought of the recent appointment of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, then Hillary Rodham Clinton's work on health care, and other recent high profile women. She smiled. She thought it about it all day, and kept smiling.
"That is how I feel today. Like Wilma ManKiller, smiling and remembering how her friends described her: a woman who likes to dance along the edge of the room, like a butterfly.
"No fear.
"Thank you."
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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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Councilmembers Inaugurated in First District-Based Representation System Since 1910, Harrell Elected Council President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/4/2016
Councilmembers Inaugurated in First District-Based Representation System Since 1910, Harrell Elected Council President
SEATTLE - All nine Seattle City Councilmembers took their oaths of office in the traditional inauguration ceremony in City Council Chambers today, following their successful victories in last November's election. Newly elected Councilmembers Lorena Gonzalez, Lisa Herbold, Rob Johnson and Debora Juarez joined returning re-elected Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess, Bruce Harrell, Mike O'Brien and Kshama Sawant in taking their seats at the Council dais.
Family, friends, colleagues and community members filled the Seattle City Council chambers to celebrate the new and returning local government leadership. Each elected official was sworn in by someone of their choice and gave brief remarks.
Following their oaths, Councilmembers elected Councilmember Bruce Harrell to the position of Council President. Harrell has served as Seattle City Councilmember since 2008 and most recently chaired the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. The Council President is the presiding officer of the Council, sets the Full Council agenda, assigns legislation to committees and is the primary point of contact for external agencies. When the Mayor is absent from the City or incapacitated, the Council President assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Mayor.
Today's historic oath of office ceremony ushered in first district-based representation system since 1910. Seven of the Councilmembers will now each represent a geographical district, while two Councilmembers will each represent the entire city:
- District 1 (West Seattle, South Park): Councilmember Lisa Herbold
- District 2 (Southeast Seattle): Council President Bruce Harrell
- District 3 (Central Area, Capitol Hill): Councilmember Kshama Sawant
- District 4 (Ravenna, Wallingford): Councilmember Rob Johnson
- District 5 (North Seattle): Councilmember Debora Juarez
- District 6 (Fremont, Ballard): Councilmember Mike O'Brien
- District 7 (Downtown, Magnolia): Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
- At-Large (city-wide): Councilmember Tim Burgess
- At-Large (city-wide): Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez
Click here for an interactive tool to help find which Council district you live in.
Today's inaugural ceremony also marked a series of notable firsts in Seattle local government history:
- First Enrolled Native American Councilmember - Debora Juarez
- First Latina Councilmembers - Lorena Gonzalez and Debora Juarez
- First Japanese American/African American Council President and first African American Council President since Council President Sam Smith in 1986-1989 - Bruce Harrell
- First Female Majority City Council since 1998 - Sally Bagshaw, Lorena Gonzalez Lisa Herbold, Debora Juarez and Kshama Sawant
Councilmembers also took their first votes in their 2016-2017 term and assigned committee chairs. Each Councilmember is responsible for heading a Council committee and managing legislation related to that committee's focus:
- Council President Bruce Harrell, Chair: Education, Equity and Governance
- Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair: Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance
- Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, Chair: Human Services and Public Health
- Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez, Chair: Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans
- Councilmember Lisa Herbold: Chair: Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts
- Councilmember Rob Johnson, Chair: Planning, Land Use and Zoning
- Councilmember Debora Juarez, Chair: Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront
- Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Chair: Sustainability and Transportation
- Councilmember Kshama Sawant, Chair: Energy and Environment
For more information on the 2016-17 committee assignments click here. To sign up to receive forthcoming committee agendas via email, click here.
Today's inauguration ceremony served as an opportunity for the public to witness and participate in their local government. The ceremony was broadcast live on the Seattle Channel and can be viewed beginning tomorrow at http://www.seattlechannel.org/mayor-and-council/city-council/full-council.
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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.