A place where all are welcome, and have the opportunity to thrive
Regions that are more inclusive are proven to be more prosperous. By making it possible for everyone here to contribute their unique talents and participate in our thriving economy, we make our community more vibrant, resilient, and dynamic.
This month's summary shows how we are upholding King County's proud reputation as a place where all have the opportunity to thrive, whether someone came here as an immigrant, served in the armed forces, is a member of the LGBTQ community -- or is "all of the above."
The most urgent need at the moment is in the immigrant and refugee community, where men, women and children -- including those who helped build the prosperity we all enjoy, those who have work visas, and even those who served in the U.S. armed forces -- live in legitimate fear of the federal government. I announced new rapid response services that will provide free legal advice to immigrants and refugees who are threatened with deportation and will help them navigate the path to citizenship.
I proudly stood with our partners at Planned Parenthood to help ensure that women in our community have access to family planning -- including services that cut the teenage birth rate in King County by 55 percent -- regardless of what actions Congress takes.
I was honored to receive a special recognition from the Greater Seattle Business Association for making King County the largest county in the United States to include LGBTQ-owned small businesses in our highly effective supplier diversity program.
All of this is in addition to our ongoing work to help military veterans succeed, connecting them with affordable housing, family-wage jobs, and behavioral health services. The voter-approved Veterans and Human Services Levy is one of many ways we're helping those who served our country -- and their families -- live healthy, productive lives once they return home.
To ensure that people can actually get to all of these opportunities, we are creating an integrated regional transit system that last year set new ridership records at Metro Transit and Sound Transit.
To remain competitive in the 21st-century economy, we need everyone in our region to be healthy and able to contribute to our shared prosperity. Being a welcoming, inclusive community is not only a moral imperative and a fundamental American value -- it's essential to improving our quality of life.
Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to serve.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine
King County Executive
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