By King County Council proclamation, it’s Transit Appreciation Week in King County! As someone who has worked to improve our transit system for my entire career as an elected official and who regularly uses public transit for my day-to-day travels, I appreciate how transit connects people to opportunity and to each other. We’re lucky to have an award-winning transit department in King County Metro and that we’re building out a robust regional transit system with Sound Transit.  

Join us in celebrating and thanking our transit employees during Transit Appreciation Week. Here are some things you can do: 

• File a commendation (note the 4-digit coach number, route, and time). 
• As you board or leave a bus, water taxi, light rail, or Access Paratransit, say, “Thank you!” or “I appreciate you!” or “You’re the best!” 
• Post a shout out to Metro employees on social media, tagging @kcmetrobus on Twitter and Instagram, and @KCMetro on Facebook. Use #ThanksMetro 
• Download this sign and wave it at your bus stop or take a photo and post on Metro's Twitter page. 
• Hand out thank you notes! 

On Tuesday I joined my colleagues in proclaiming March as Women’s History Month in King County. Celebrating Women’s History Month gives us an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come on the journey towards equality, celebrate all the incredible things women have achieved, and recommit to overcoming the discrimination and barriers that still hold us back.  

In addition to our Council proclamation, I worked with King County Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and Sarah Perry to organize the 9th Annual King County Council Women’s History Month panel discussion on the theme of “Empowering Women who Power the Economy”. Thank you to our panelists— Ilona Lohrey from the Greater Seattle Business Association, Sharmila Swenson from Symetra, and Lalita Uppala from Indian American Community Services —for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation!