This week, I was pleased to help lead the King County Council in celebrating Women’s History Month. On Tuesday, we held our annual panel discussion on the theme “Moving Forward Together: Women educating and inspiring generations”, followed by the presentation of a Women’s History Month proclamation at Council.
The panel, a tradition started by former King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, was an uplifting, energizing discussion. Thank you to our panelists: Andrea Anderson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western Washington; Dr. Lauri Conner, Head of Lake Washington Girls Middle School; Laura Clise, CEO and Founder of Intentionalist; and Safiya Karmy-Jones, Assistant Manager at the University of Washington Alene Moris Women’s Center.
It was also wonderful to be joined by Councilmember Kohl-Welles to present the second annual Jeanne Kohl-Welles “Women Uplifting Women” Award to Angie Hinojos, co-founder and Executive Director of Centro Cultural Mexicano.
Thank you to my fellow women councilmembers, Sarah Perry and Teresa Mosqueda, and our Office of Equity and Social Justice for organizing these opportunities for us to come together to celebrate the strength, contributions, and importance of women!
As we celebrate our county's diversity, it's important to recognize the many contributions Black citizens have made to advance racial equality. This weekend, we are proud to honor the Black pilots of WWII on Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day. The Tuskegee Airmen are remembered not only for their contributions to the war effort, but also for their lasting legacy in the fight to end segregation. These brave pilots made an impact for all African Americans by showing the nation how much they were capable of, and their hard work and determination continues to inspire us today.
To celebrate the Tuskegee Airmen and learn more, come to the free Commemoration Day event on Saturday, March 29, 1:00 - 4:00 PM at the Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center (400 23rd Ave, Seattle). The event will feature a keynote speech by Tuskegee Airmen Western Regional President Maryanne Drummond, as well as complimentary lunch, a memorabilia showcase, a raffle, and more.
In King County, we are striving to support our fast-growing population while also preserving our wildlife. I am excited to announce that the King County Wastewater Treatment Division's Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade, which will both expand wastewater infrastructure and improve existing habitats, is set to begin construction next month.
Because of the project's attention to stormwater management, stream flow management during construction, water quality protection, and invasive species management, it has become the nation's first stormwater upgrade project to earn Salmon-Safe certification. One example of an environmentally friendly component of the project is a new pipeline, which will be constructed using a tunneling machine that minimizes above-ground impact. Most of the tunnel will not interfere with the Coal Creek Natural Area, while the segments of the existing pipeline that interfere with the creek will be removed. This pipeline is just one part of the effort to restore the wetlands around Coal Creek, a space that is essential to Bellevue’s wildlife and community.
|
