On January 19, 2016, representatives of the Mayor’s office came and spoke to Council about their “Encampment Removal Protocols” – a euphemistic expression for escalating sweeps of homeless encampments. The city is demolishing unauthorized encampments, evicting people from the only shelter they can find. Where should these Seattleites go? Shelters are full, and there is a Civil State of Emergency […]
On Friday, November 14th, the Seattle City Council introduced amendments to the Mayor’s 2015-2016 budget. Multiple progressive amendments were passed, including my amendments to raise all City workers to $15/hour next year, fund a year-round women’s homeless shelter, and provide critical services to transitional homeless encampments. However, the positive amendments introduced by the City Council […]
Last Friday, we scored a handful of budget victories that will improve the lives of low wage workers, homeless people, and women in Seattle. Faced with a status quo budget that caters to big business and the super-wealthy, ordinary people had to fight for every dollar. Our victories would not have been possible without the […]
A decade after the City declared its intention to end homelessness, the number of people living without shelter in Seattle continues to grow. Encampments such as Seattle’s Tent Cities are a critical stop-gap measure for those who have been pushed into the streets by rising rents and stagnating wages. But the City government has mostly […]
On November 14th, the City Council Budget Committee discussed and voted on a series of amendments to the Mayor’s proposed 2015-2016 budget. Alongside organizing around the need for a fundamentally different approach to the City budget, I introduced amendments to specifically address income inequality and the needs of the most marginalized and oppressed communities in Seattle. My […]
On the evening of October 30th, labor leaders, community organizers, social service providers, and engaged citizens came together for a People’s Budget Town Hall. Here they shared their concerns about the Mayor’s business as usual budget and began a conversation about what is necessary to make Seattle affordable for all. Below are some excerpts from some of the […]
Come to the City Council Budget Meeting, 8:30 am on Friday, Nov. 14th Dear Sisters and Brothers, On Friday, November 14th, from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon, the Seattle City Council will vote on its amendments to Mayor Murray’s 2015-2016 proposed budget. While waging a broader struggle against a business as usual budget, I am […]
This is the sixth part in our series, “Voices of the People’s Budget.” On the evening of October 30th, labor leaders, community organizers, social service providers, and engaged citizens came together for a People’s Budget Town Hall. Here they shared their concerns about the Mayor’s business as usual budget and began a conversation about what is necessary to make […]
On the evening of October 30th, labor leaders, community organizers, social service providers, and engaged citizens came together for a People’s Budget Town Hall. Here they shared their concerns about the Mayor’s business as usual budget and began a conversation about what is necessary to make Seattle affordable for all. Kshama Sawant’s Opening Remarks at the People’s Budget […]
On June 22, 2014, I released the following statement in solidarity with the work of Occupy CEHKC. Housing is an internationally recognized human right. Yet that principle has gained little traction with local policy makers, where last year at least 57 homeless people died in King County because they lacked safe housing. Tragically, the average lifespan of a […]