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Celebrating the 100-Year Anniversary of Black History Month
This year marks the 100th anniversary of our nation recognizing the contributions of Black Americans to our country’s history. Black Americans have fiercely and courageously shaped American society through service, leadership, and intellectual power in every enterprise and walk of life.
At a time when many in our community are having our civil rights come under attack, it’s important to recognize that Black Americans have been fighting for these same rights for centuries and continue to fight for the protection of these rights. Their voices remain front and center in the fight for justice for all of us. Black History Month encourages us to learn this history and continue to build a more justice and equitable society.
Health, Housing, and Human Services
As our County- owned hospital, Harborview has a mission of serving those most in need of care in our community, regardless of their ability to pay. This means people who have experienced serious trauma are treated at Harborview the same as all other patients, receiving cutting-edge treatment. Thank to you the frontline workers of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW and Harborview CEO Sommer Kleweno Walley for updating us on the impacts on their ability to deliver care due to the cuts in HR1 aka the Big Bad Bill. It was also enlightening learning more about the need for an updated and improved space for their infusion/neuro treatment, where patients dealing with a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s, get care. There is currently an unacceptable waitlist for care due to space constraints. More to come on how the County plans to partner with Harborview and UW Medical to fill this gap in the near future.
I was invited to Valley Medical Center in Renton late last year to hear about a disturbing situation: patients on Medicaid were being removed from care and unable to book outpatient appointments. Last week at my committee we heard directly from Valley Board of Commissioners President Rick Politan, Executive Director of the Pacific Islander Health Board Lika Smith, a representative from OPEIU local 8--the union of the frontline workers in charge of scheduling--and Emily Brice, Co-ED of NW Health law advocates, who gave voice to the stories of how the appointment restrictions have impacted the community that is supposed to be served by this public district hospital. Thank you also to David Smith and Liz Nolan for joining and representing the hospital’s administration. The members of the HHHS committee were concerned and we asked for a policy that allows for equity and parity, through a first-in-time scheduling policy for example. More to come on this policy too.
The HHHS Committee also hosted a state the council's support for research on use of entheogens for alternative treatments, and requesting de-prioritization of criminal enforcement of certain entheogen-related activities. Existing research shows us that entheogens—such as psilocybin mushrooms—are highly effective when used therapeutically for a range of conditions – like traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, substance use, and major depressive disorder. This motion would not ask the King County Sherrif's Office or the Prosecuting Attorney's Office to change their practices in any of those cases. Instead, the motion is narrowly scoped to the personal use of entheogens for therapeutic uses, which is currently inaccessible for most people due to high costs and legality barriers. Importantly, because this is a motion, it does not have the force of law--it is merely a statement of legislative intent. It requests two independent branches of government put policy in place, which is the extent of our authority. The goal here is not to change current practice at the county, it is to add King County’s support to the state-level conversation to make this type of medicine more accessible and better understood. I plan to get input from my colleagues as I work on a striking amendment to bring this back for further discussion and a vote at our March meeting.
Sound Transit - Rider Experience Committee and Walking Tour
Last Thursday, I joined my first meeting of the Sound Transit Board Rider Experience and Operations Committee. This committee oversees the service side of Sound Transit’s work—things like safety, reliability, maintenance, and upgrades to the system that make it better for riders—and also oversees the budget to operate Sound Transit’s services. We learned from Sound Transit staff about safety upgrades underway in the Rainier Valley, where light rails runs ground-level along the roadway, and heard about renewed efforts under Sound Transit CEO Constantine to keep restrooms and stations clean and accessible.
Following the meeting, I joined members of the Sound Transit team for a tour of the future SODO, Delridge, and West Seattle Junction stations. We talked about how light rail expansion can support labor and commerce, and provide new ways to work for workers in SODO. In Delridge, we were joined by the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund team, who are working to support small businesses impacted by light rail expansion, and we discussed ways to keep storefronts clean and, where possible, occupied, and how to enhance communication with small businesses in the area so that they are able to make the best possible business decisions in the midst of this big project. In West Seattle, we learned of Sound Transit’s efforts to refine the design of the future station, saving dozens of homes in the Junction area. An informative day in D8!
Board of Health - Policy Co-Design to Improve Food Access & Promote Racial Equity
I am honored to have been re-elected as the chair of the Board of Health by my fellow board members--thank you for your continued confidence in me. I would also like to welcome all of the new board members including new Vice Chair Dionne Foster, representing the City of Seattle. This month we had a briefing on an exciting pilot program that brought together community members and Public Health’s policy team to test a new way of creating policy. We learned about the team’s effort to create policies about food access, which community members have named a top priority, through a codesign model. Thank you to Ginna Hernandez Rodriquez and Elizabeth Kimball from Public Health and Barbara Barquero from the UW School of Public Health for their work.
Recently retired Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu joined us at Council today so that we could recognize her for her many accomplishments and contributions to our county and state. The child of immigrants, Justice Yu received her law degree at the University of Notre Dame. Justice Yu served on the Washinton State Supreme Court for 11 years starting in 2014 after 14 years on the King County Superior Court. Justice Yu has been a fierce advocate for justice, treating everyone with respect and fairness. Please join me in congratulating Justice Mary Yu on a well-earned retirement.
Legislative Advocacy in Olympia
If you are a regular reader of this newsletter (thank you!) you’ve heard about our efforts to shore up against looming cuts to the HUD Continuum of Care federal funding for permanent housing—the bedrock of our homelessness response system that enables our region to provide thousands of homes to those who need them most. I’m working locally with our partners at the City of Seattle, led by Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, KCRHA, and our state partners, led by Representative Nicole Macri and Senator Emily Alvarado, to create contingency plans and allow for more flexibility within existing funding sources to prepare for the potential blow of federal cuts. I had a chance to testify in support of SB 6027, sponsored by Senator Alvarado, in Olympia last week, which would allow counties to use existing funding tools—like the document recording fee—to help address federal funding shortfalls for operations, supportive services, and building maintenance for permanent supportive housing projects. This is a critical piece of the puzzle, along with local contingency funding, as we work to shore up against the federal administration’s cruel conditionalities and cuts to this life-saving funding for housing.
You can watch my testimony at here or click the photo above.
I was in Olympia to join the Latino Civic Alliance for their annual Latino Lobby Day. I’m grateful for the Latino representation within the Washington State Legislature and the community really showing up to have our voices heard.
Additionally, over the course of this legislative session, I've joined with key stakeholders to advocate for legislation that supports childcare, working families and transportation including buses, ferries, light rail, and ways to improve self-determination, like access to our public health clinics.
United Way of King County's Podcast - Hourglass
I sat down with Joe Burris of the United Way of King County for their podcast, Hourglass, to talk about programs helping make life more affordable for King County Residents and what our local government is doing to protect everyone who lives here. Keep a lookout for the episode I'm on coming soon at here. You can also get free tax prep through the United Way here.
Chautaugqua Elementary
 Photo Credit Peter Woodbrook carried in the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
3rd graders at Chautauqua elementary are the next generation of leadership for our community. So glad they let me come and hear from them about ideas to address food insecurity! Thank you to Miss Margie for hosting me and teaching our students about this important topic. My visit was part of the 3rd grade social activism curriculum's 2026 Action Network Speaker Series focused on food insecurity. You can read more about in the Beachcomber here.
Comunidad de Vashon
Comunidad is one of our most trusted partners as we work to make Vashon a welcoming and equitable place. They are a Latino grassroots organization based on Vashon Island who also organize in other areas in King and Pierce Counties. Their works centers on what their name means, Community, and how we all can play a role in building one intentionally. Thank you, Alejandra Tres, for the time and the mate tea!
The Dove Project
It was great to meet with the DOVE Project to learn about how they provide critical support to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. DOVE can give you support, help you maintain safety for your family, identify goals, and help you achieve those goals. Heidi Jackson, the Executive Director, also recently joined the Citizen Advisory Committee of the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight.
JC Graham, President of Vashon Community Council
It was great getting to check in with Vashon-Maury Community Council President JC Graham to talk about concerns of islanders and opportunities to collaborate! The Community Council is focused on helping the people of the Island address Island--issues including things that are happening off-Island. I’m grateful to have such engaged constituents like JC and the members of the Community Council! As a volunteer-run organization, I am glad to see the Community Council back in action and meeting regularly.
Swearing in Commissioners of Vashon Healthcare District
It is always an honor to participate in the swearing-in of Vashon Healthcare District Commissioners. Voted into existence in 2019, the Healthcare District was created to address the lack of access to care on the Island and is stewarded by 5 Commissioners. I conducted the oath of office for Commissioners Tom Langland, Rebecca Chavez and, Ceila Cugguda. Congratulations and Thank you to having me and a special thank you to Tim Johnson and Sarah Howard for their continued working serving the community’s health through the Healthcare District.
Becoming a Man (BAM) - Site Visit at Evergreen High School
Chris in my office visited Evergreen High School, which is undergoing its finishing touches, but looks absolutely incredible. This was a chance for our team to learn more about the Becoming A Man program, or BAM, led by Youth Guidance. BAM is a rigorously studied school-based prevention model focused on supporting young men of color to make good choices and providing early intervention. Students who participate in BAM, which is supported by Best Starts for Kids, are 50% less likely to be arrested for a violent crime, 30% less likely to be arrested overall, 25% more engaged in school as measured through attendance, GPA and persistence, and 19% more likely to graduate high school on time! Thank you to Rico for sharing about this incredible work happening in D8.
Seattle Free Clinic Coming Up - Volunteers Needed!
Thousands of people in our community can’t access or afford the care they need but you can help change that. Join Seattle/King County Clinic, the region’s largest volunteer-driven free health clinic, happening April 23–26, 2026 at Seattle Center. Use your skills to make a lasting impact while connecting with others who care about community health. Sign up for a volunteer role today at: https://seattlecenter.org/volunteers
If you are interested in applying for a Councilmanic Grant for 2027 please email Chris.Lampkin@kingcounty.gov with a short paragraph of the project you would like funding for including the dollar amount and location of where the work will be done.
RFP for Human Services Workforce Stabilization – Apply by February 19!
Funds may be used to support staff across an organization who work in King County through related expenses including, but not limited to: Increased wages, improved benefits, reduced cost of living subsidies, such as housing, education, childcare or health insurance offsets, hiring bonuses, retention bonuses or professional development and other training to improve service quality and staff wellness.
This procurement is open to organizations with current DCHS awards that extend to at least December 31, 2026. Full eligibility requirements are detailed in the RFP. Applications due: by 2pm PT, February 19, 2026 Apply Here
Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Mini-Grants
Through this investment, VSHSL seeks to strengthen organizational capacity and improve the performance of programs, services, and internal processes within small to midsize organizations that hold an active VSHSL contract and provide human services in King County. Up to $1,421,000 in VSHSL funds for the investment period: June 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026 with an application deadline of March 20, 2026 by 4 p.m. Apply here
Seeking new members to serve on the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy Advisory Board
The VSHSL Advisory Board is an important component of the community partnership necessary to administer the levy. The board oversees the distribution of VSHSL proceeds and advises King County on matters that uniquely affect each of the VSHSL’s priority populations, veterans, seniors, and resilient communities.
Established in 2018 by King County Ordinance 18792, the board consists of 30 seats organized in three 10-member committees. Each committee represents a VSHSL priority population. The committees allow for groups of King County residents with specialized experience and expertise to exercise focused oversight of the VSHSL’s investments for veterans, seniors, and resilient communities.
VSHSL Advisory Board vacancies
The VSHSL Advisory Board currently has vacancies available for the following positions:
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Representing King County Council District 2
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Representing King County Council District 3
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Representing King County Council District 8
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Representing King County Council District 9
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Representing the City of Seattle
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Representing King County Council District 3
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Representing King County Council District 4
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Representing King County Council District 8
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Representing the City of Seattle
The Resilient Communities Committee:
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Representing King County Council District 2
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Representing King County Council District 4
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Representing King County Council District 9
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Representing the City of Seattle
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Representing the Sound Cities Association
Tukwila Children’s Foundation Basic Needs Fundraiser
Tukwila Children's Foundation is holding a fundraiser to help meet the unmet needs of Tukwila's children. TCF is a volunteer led organization focusing on supporting the young people in Tukwila and District 8. You can find out more by clicking the picture above.
Free Youth Soccer Clinic with West Seattle Rhodies FC and Junction FC During Mid-Winter Break
You’re invited to a FREE Winter Break Youth Soccer Clinic, hosted by West Seattle Junction FC & Rhodies FC, in partnership with King County and the Northwest Soccer Foundation.
This clinic is open to youth of all skill levels and is designed to celebrate community, teamwork, and access to the game we love.
Event Details
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Date: Thursday and Friday, Feb 19th & 20th
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Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
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Location: Walt Hundley Park, West Seattle
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Cost: Free
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Who: Youth players (all experience levels welcome) ages 8-15yrs
Participants will enjoy age-appropriate soccer activities led by experienced coaches in a fun, supportive environment under the direction of Junction & Rhodies FC coaching staff.
Pre-registration is required. Please register using the link below.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Black History Celebration Concert
Black History Month is a time to celebrate the incredible contributions to the creative cultural of Black Americans to the rich tapestry of our arts and musical traditions.
Seattle Museum Month
Do you know anyone staying at a Downtown Seattle hotel this month? They have half-off admission to museums around D8 as part of Seattle Museum Month. See them all at seattlemuseummonth.com.
 Thank you for signing up for the #TeresaTuesday Newsletter. We will send you regular updates every other week. If you’d like to reach out or have an issue we can help with, please reach out anytime.
Thank you for allowing us to represent you on the King County Council!
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