>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE,
THE JUNE 3, 2021 SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL COME
TO ORDER.
IT IS 2:01 P.M.
I'M TAMMY MORALES, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> THAT IS FIVE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, TODAY'S
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO AGENDA -- NO
OBJECTION, TODAY'S AGENDA WILL
BE ADOPTED.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ HAS JOINED US
TODAY.
SHE'S HERE TO DISCUSS A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT SHE HAS IN OUR
COMMITTEE.
AS A REMINDER, THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT IS NOT OFFICIALLY A
MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE, SO SHE
IS HERE TO DISCUSS BUT WILL NOT
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS
BILL.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IS
ONE OF THE NEW RULES THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS IMPLEMENTED AS OF
LAST YEAR.
OKAY, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN
THE REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
I ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE BE
PATIENT AS WE OPERATE THIS
SYSTEM.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS
TO MAKE THIS BETTER, EXCITE DOES
REMAIN OUR STRONG INTENT AS A
COUNCIL TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT
REGULARLY INCLUDED IN OUR
AGENDAS.
BUT AS A COUNCIL WE DO RESERVE
THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIODS AT ANY POINT IF
WE DEEM THAT THE SYSTEM IS BEING
ABUSED OR IS UNSUITABLE FOR
ALLOWING OUR MEETINGS TO BE
CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR
THIS MEETING IS 20 MINUTES.
I THINK WE ONLY HAVE A FEW FOLKS
SIGNED UP, BUT WE WILL SEE HOW
WE GO.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
BUT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, YOU CAN
STILL SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
THE COMMENT PERIOD BY GOING TO
THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE AT
SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS
ALSO INCLUDED IN TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL YOUR NAME, STAFF
WILL UNMUTE THE APPROPRIATE
MICROPHONE AND YOU WILL HEAR AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT OF YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED.
AT THAT TIME, YOU NEED TO PUSH
STAR SIX TO BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA
THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING.
YOU WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN YOU
HAVE TEN SECONDS LEFT, AND ONCE
YOU HEAR THE CHIME PLEASE BEGIN
TO WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS SO THAT
WE CAN ALLOW THE NEXT PERSON TO
SEAK.
IF YOU DON'T END YOUR COMMENTS
AT THE END OF THE ALLOTTED TIME,
YOUR MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
PERSON.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO
FOLLOW THE COMMITTEE AFTER
YOU'VE SPOKEN, WE ASK THAT YOU
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE AND
THAT YOU CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE
MEETING VIA THE SEATTLE CHANNEL
OR OTHER LISTENING OPTIONS ON
THE AGENDA.
OKAY, SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND
OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
FOR NOW.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH AUSTIN
MILLER.
AUSTIN, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
AND GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS, MY
NAME IS AUSTIN MILLER, AND I'M
SPEKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
SEATTLE RESTAURANT ALLIANCE TO
SHARE OUR SUPPORT FOR CB 120092.
WITHOUT THIS, MANY PLATFORMS
LIST RESTAURANTS WITHOUT THEIR
KNOWLEDGE.
CUSTOMERS ASSUME THE RESTAURANTS
HAVE AGREED TO BE LISTED OF AN
DELIVERY PLATFORM AND WILL PLACE
BLAME ON A RESTAURANT FOR ISSUES
THAT ARISE WITH THEIR ORDER.
THIS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THEIR
REPUTATION AND SUCCESS.
BY REQUIRING THAT FOOD DELIVERY
PLATFORMS OPERATING IN SEATTLE
FIRST OBTAIN A WRITTEN AGREEMENT
WITH ANY RESTAURANT PRIOR TO
OFFERING TAKE-OUT OR DELIVERY
SERVICES, THIS LEGISLATION WILL
ENSURE THE BEST CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE WITH ACCURATE
PRICING, MENU OPTIONS AND THE
BEST QUALITY FOOD.
THE SEATTLE RESTAURANT ALLIANCE
WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ FOR HER
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, IOWA AUSTIN.
NEXT WE HAVE MELISSA PURCELL.
MELISSA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
AND GO AHEAD.
>> HI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY NAME IS MELISSA PURCELL.
I'M A PROP MASTER BY TRADE IN
THE FILM AND COMMERCIAL
INDUSTRY.
I'M ALSO THE BUSINESS AGENT OF
ISTAE LOCAL 48.
WE REPRESENT THE FILM MEMBERS
THAT WORK ON FILM, TELEVISION
AND COMMERCIAL CONTENT.
WHICH IN PART IS SUPPOSED TO
HELP THE CITY DETERMINE IF A
FILM COMMISSION WAS NEEDED TO
SUPPORT AND GROW THE FILM
INDUSTRY.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, THE CITY
DIDN'T RECOMMEND THE CREATION OF
THE COMMISSION AND IN APRIL THEY
POSTPONED THAT DECISION.
TODAY WITH COMPLETE DUE RESPECT
THE SEATTLE MUSIC COMMISSIONERS
AND LGBTQ COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE
ABOUT TO BE REINSTATED OR SWORN
IN -- AS RECOMMENDED.
AND AS A COMPROMISE, THE FILM
TASK FORCE WILL ACCEPT THAT A
COMMISSION MAY NOT BE SEATED
UNTIL THE NEXT MURGS BUT THAT
THE LEGISLATION BE CREATED NOW
IN ORDER FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY
TO SEE THAT THE CITY SUPPORTS
THIS NEED, ESPECIALLY AS THE
CITY IS DECIDING HOW TO
REORGANIZE FILM AND MUSIC AND
OTHER CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AND
SET PRIORITIES FOR RECOVERY AND
SUPPORT OF OUR INDUSTRY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MELISSA.
NEXT WE HAVE ABBY.
ABBY, IF YOU'RE WITH US, YOU'LL
NEED TO PUSH STAR SIX SO THAT WE
CAN HEAR YOU.
ABBY, ARE YOU THERE?
I SEE YOU, BUT YOU ARE MUTED AS
FAR AS I CAN TELL.
CAN YOU PUSH STAR SIX?
OKAY.
ABBY, YOU NOW APPEAR UNMUTED BUT
WE STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> OH, HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME
NOW?
>> THERE WE GO.
>> OKAY.
SORRY, I DON'T -- I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHY MY PHONE WAS
DOING THAT.
HELLO, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME
THE TIME TO COMMENT TODAY.
MY NAME IS ABBY, AND I AM A
WRITER AND DIRECTOR IN THE
SEATTLE FILM INDUSTRY.
I'M ALSO A PART OF MULTIPLE
ORGANIZATIONS AND EVENTS THAT
ARE FILM-RELATED HERE IN THE
SEATTLE AREA.
AND I HAVE MY OWN PRODUCTION
COMPANY THAT HELPS TO BRING
DIVERSE VOICES TO FILM AND
TELEVISION.
ALONG WITH MELISSA, I AM A
MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE FILM TASK
FORCE, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO JOIN
EARLY LAST YEAR AMONGST THE
MIDDLE OF THE PROTESTS THAT I
WAS INVOLVED IN.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS
THAT HEARING THE NEWS THAT THE
FILM -- SEATTLE FILM COMMISSION
WASN'T GOING TO BE PROCEEDED BY
THE CITY, IT WAS VERY UPSETTING
TO HEAR THAT.
AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS ANOTHER
SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE AS
PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE TOLD THAT,
YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY AND THE LIKE
IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO OUR
FILM INDUSTRY.
AND THE COMMISSION WAS SUPPOSED
TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS
SOMETHING TO HAPPEN.
WHAT IS UPSETTING IS THAT THE
FACT THAT AMONGST ALL OF THE
POLICY THAT WE PUT TOGETHER WE
WERE POSTPONED, UNSURE WHEN, NOT
GIVEN AN ACTUAL DATE OF WHEN WE
WERE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK OR
EVEN HAVE THE OPTION OF BRINGING
A SEATTLE FILM COMMISSION.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME ALONG
AS A NUMBER OF OTHER FILMMAKERS
IN THIS AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT IS CONSIDERED, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU ALL ARE MAKING YOUR
DECISIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU, ABBY.
I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER FOLKS
SIGNED UP.
JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT.
>> THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT REGISTRANTS.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, SUN.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR LIST OF
SPEAKERS FROM THE GENERAL
PUBLIC.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE FIRST
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEM ONE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, COUNCIL BILL
120092 RELATING TO THE
REGULATION OF FOOD DELIVERY
BUSINESSES AND PLATFORMS, ADDING
A NEW CHAPTER 7.30 TO THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE DO HAVE YOLANDA HERE FROM
CENTRAL STAFF AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ, WHOSE BILL
THIS IS.
SO I WILL PASS THIS TO YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AND LET YOU
INTRODUCE YOUR BILL.
>> SURE.
I'LL MAKE SOME REMARKS AFTER
YOLANDA'S PRESENTATION.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
DEFER MY COMMENTS UNTIL YOLANDA
HAS GONE THROUGH HER
PRESENTATION.
AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO MAKE SOME
COMMENTS BEFORE WE MAKE A
MOTION.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
YOLANDA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> OKAY.
I AM GOING TO LOAD UP THIS
PRESENTATION.
YOLANDA SEATTLE CENTRAL
STAFF, FOR THE RECORD.
CAN YOU SEE THAT OKAY, CHAIR?
>> YES.
>> I'M GOING TO PROVIDE AN
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE
FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS TO
ESTABLISH A WRITTEN AGREEMENT
WITH A RESTAURANT PRIOR TO
OFFERING TAKE-OUT OR DELIVERY
SERVICES FOR THAT RESTAURANT.
COUNCIL BILL 120092.
IT WAS DRAFTED UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ AND WILL BE PROVIDING
CONTEXT FOR THIS LEGISLATION,
SUMMARIZE THE COUNCIL BILL AND
DESCRIBE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF
THE PROPOSAL.
ALL OF THIS WAS COVERED IN MY
MEMO THAT IS ALSO ATTACHED TO
THE AGENDA.
SO FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS SUCH
AS GRUBHUB, UBER EATS AND
DOORDASH HAVE STEADILY GROWN IN
POPULARITY WITH THE WIDESPREAD
ADOPTION OF SMARTPHONES IN
RECENT YEARS.
THIS CHART ILLUSTRATES GROWTH OF
ALL FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS IN
THE UNITED STATES.
THE BLUE BARS ARE THE NUMBER OF
USERS IN THE MILLIONS, AND THE
AXIS TO THE LEFT AND THE ORANGE
LINE IS THE YEAR OVER YEAR
GROWTH.
THE AXIS IS ON THE RIGHT.
FOR REFERENCE, AVERAGE ANNUAL
GROWTH WAS ABOUT 10% BETWEEN
2015 AND 2020.
THE SPIKE IN GROWTH BETWEEN 2019
AND 2020 IS DUE TO IMPACTS OF
THE PANDEMIC, WHICH HEIGHTENED
DEMAND FOR THESE SERVICES DUE TO
A VARIETY OF FACTORS, INCLUDING
RESTRICTIONS ON INDOOR DINING TO
HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19, PEOPLE JUST STAYING
HOME BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED
ABOUT BEING POTENTIALLY EXPOSED
TO THE VIRUS AND COMMUNITY
INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO
SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL RESTAURANTS,
EVEN IN A TIME OF CRISIS.
SO COMPETITION BETWEEN FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORMS FOR REVENUE
AND MARKET SHARE HAS RESULTED IN
A NUMBER OF PRACTICES THAT HAVE
CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR RESTAURANTS.
SOME OF THESE INCLUDE CHARGING
DELIVERY COMMISSION FEES THAT
SOMETIMES RANGE AS HIGH AS 30%
OF THE ORDER'S TOTAL.
THIS IS CURRENTLY CAPPED IN
SEATTLE AT 15% TOO TO THE CIVIL
EMERGENCY ORDER THAT WAS PASSED
LAST APRIL.
AND THEN MORE -- AND RECENTLY IN
2019 FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS
BEGAN ADDING RESTAURANTS ON TO
THEIR ONLINE LISTINGS WITHOUT
THESE RESTAURANTS' KNOWLEDGE OR
PERMISSION.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A GENERAL
DESCRIPTION OF TWO KEY TERMS.
THERE ARE PARTNERED RESTAURANTS
VERSUS NONPARTNERED RESTAURANTS.
THE KEY DIFFERENCE HERE THAT
PARTNERED RESTAURANTS HAVE AN
AGREEMENT WITH THE DELIVERY
PLATFORM SO THEIR MENU
INFORMATION IS ACCURATE AND
RESTAURANTS ARE PREPARED TO MEET
CUSTOMER DEMAND AND
EXPECTATIONS.
PARTNERED RESTAURANTS ARE ALSO
RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE
COMMISSION FEE.
FOR NONPARTNERED RESTAURANTS,
THE FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORM'S
PRACTICE OF LISTING THESE
RESTAURANTS WITHOUT THEIR
PERMISSION CAN CAUSE A VARIETY
OF ISSUES.
ONE OF THE CALLERS IN PUBLIC
COMMENT NOTED SOME OF THESE
CHALLENGES.
FOR INSTANCE, THEY MAY BE
OFFERING TAKE-OUT OR DELIVERY
FROM A RESTAURANT THAT DOES NOT
OFFER EITHER OF THESE OPTIONS.
THE MOST FAMOUS CASE BEING
CALIFORNIA THERE WAS A
RESTAURANT THAT WAS ENTIRELY
CLOSED DUE TO COVID THAT FOUND
THEMSELVES ON THESE DELIVERY
PLATFORMS MUCH TO THEIR
SURPRISE.
OR OFFERING DELIVERY FROM
RESTAURANT THAT IS ONLY WANT TO
OFFER TAKE-OUT DIRECTLY TO THEIR
CUSTOMERS TO ENSURE THE QUALITY
OF THE FOOD.
THEY ALSO MAY PROVIDE INACCURATE
MENUS, AS I NOTE ON THE SLIDE.
THE FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS ARE
JUST FULLING INFORMATION FROM
THE INTERNET, WHICH MAY OR MAY
NOT BE CORRECT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, RESTAURANTS
MAY WANT -- MAY NOT HAVE AN ITEM
AVAILABLE OR WANT TO LIMIT WHAT
THEY ARE DELIVERING OR ALLOWING
TO BE DELIVERED.
KIND OF RECOGNIZING THAT ALL
FOOD ITEMS DO NOT TRAVEL WELL,
SUCH AS FRENCH FRIES BEING A
PRIMARY EXAMPLE.
AND LISTING RESTAURANTS THAT DO
NOT HAVE CAPACITY TO MEET
DEMANDS OF BEING LISTED ON A
FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORM.
A SMALL RESTAURANT USED TO
CATERING TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
SUDDENLY GETTING AREAWIDE ACCESS
IS -- CAN BE OVERWHELMING.
SO SOMETIMES THESE RESTAURANTS
WILL ONLY DISCOVER THAT THEY
HAVE BEEN LISTED ON A PLATFORM
WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION WHEN
DELIVERY DRIVERS APPEAR TO TAKE
ORDERS.
ALL OF THESE ISSUES CAN RESULT
IN RESTAURANTS CANCELING ORDERS,
FAILING TO PROVIDE WHAT
CUSTOMERS HAVE ORDERED OR
EXCESSIVELY LONG DELIVERY TIMES.
AGAIN, AS WAS NOTED DURING
PUBLIC COMMENT, CUSTOMERS KIND
OF ASSUME THAT RESTAURANTS ARE
ON THERE WITH THEIR PERMISSION.
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT RESTAURANTS
ARE BEING KIND OF PROACTIVELY
ADDED.
SO THEY NATURALLY BLAME THE
RESTAURANTS IF THERE ARE ISSUES.
AND SO THAT THIS CAN RESULT IN
NEGATIVE REVIEWS WHICH HARMS THE
RESTAURANT'S REPUTATION AND THEN
CAUSE A LOSS OF REVENUE BECAUSE
OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE SEEING THESE
REVIEWS AND MAY AVOID ORDERING
FROM THAT RESTAURANT.
SO TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, THE
CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE
PASSED LEGISLATION LAST FALL
REQUIRING THAT FOOD DELIVERY
PLATFORMS ATTAIN THE PERMISSION
OF RESTAURANTS PRIOR TO LISTING
THEM.
THIS WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY
1st OF THIS YEAR.
OTHER STATES HAVE EXPLORED OTHER
MEASURES BUT NONE HAVE THUS FAR
BECOME LAW.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT
THIS POINT?
SO ON TO A SUMMARY OF COUNCIL
BILL 120092.
THIS IS MODELLED ON THE
CALIFORNIA LAW AND OTHER SIMILAR
PROPOSALS IN OTHER STATES AND
WOULD REQUIRE FOOD DELIVERY
PLATFORMS TO ESTABLISH A WRITTEN
AGREEMENT WITH ANY RESTAURANT
PRIOR TO OFFERING TAKE-OUT OR
DELIVERY FROM THAT RESTAURANT.
ADDITIONALLY, IT WOULD ALLOW
RESTAURANTS TO TERMINATE THESE
AGREEMENTS WITH A WRITTEN
REQUEST, AND THE FOOD DELIVERY
PLATFORMS ARE THEN REQUIRED TO
REMOVE THE RESTAURANT FROM ITS
LISTING WITHIN 72 HOURS OF
RECEIVING SUCH A REQUEST.
IT WOULD ALSO AUTHORIZE THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, ALSO
KNOWN AS FAS, TO IMPOSE A
MAXIMUM FINE OF $250 PER
VIOLATION WITH EACH DAY OF
NONCOMPLIANCE COUNTING AS A
SEPARATE VIOLATION.
THE REVENUES GENERATEDED FROM
THESE PENALTIES WOULD BE USED TO
SUPPORT RESTAURANTS OF FIVE OR
FEWER EMPLOYEES, THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WOULD
PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS IN HOW
THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE USED.
EXCITE WOULD ALSO ALLOW
RESTAURANTS AS INDIVIDUALS OR A
CLASS TO DIRECTLY SUE FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORMS IN COURT FOR
FAILING TO ADHERE TO THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS
LEGISLATION.
ANTICIPATING THAT THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD BE PASSED BY
THE COUNCIL THIS MONTH, THE
EFFECTIVE DATE IS DELAYED TO
SEPTEMBER 15th OF THIS YEAR TO
PROVIDE RESTAURANTS AND FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORMS WITH TIME TO
ESTABLISH AGREEMENTS PRIOR TO
THIS LEGISLATION GOING INTO
EFFECT.
I WILL MOVE THROUGH A FEW SLIDES
OF THE DRIVING POTENTIAL IMPACTS
OF THIS LEGISLATION.
JUST GIVEN THE FACT THAT
CALIFORNIA IS PRECEDENT AT THIS
POINT, WOULD NOTE THAT IN
RESPONSE TO THE CALIFORNIA LAW
GOING INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1st
OF THIS YEAR TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF RESTAURANTS WERE REMOVED FROM
THE DELIVERY PLATFORMS.
THIS IS STATEWIDE.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT SURE HOW
MANY RESTAURANTS IN SEATTLE HAVE
AN AGREEMENT IN PLACE.
WOULD JUST NOTE PRIOR TO THE
CALIFORNIA LAW GOING INTO
EFFECT, ONE REPORT ESTIMATED
THAT ONLY 16% OF THE 700,000
RESTAURANTS LISTED ON POSTMATES
HAD AGREEMENTS IN PLACE WHEN THE
LEGISLATION WAS SIGNED INTO LAW
LAST SEPTEMBER.
GIVEN THAT ONLY TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF RESTAURANTS WERE
REMOVED, IT APPEARS THAT THERE
WERE A NUMBER OF AGREEMENTS THAT
WERE PUT INTO PLACE BETWEEN
SEPTEMBER AND JANUARY 1st.
SO MY BEST GUESS IS THAT PASSAGE
OF THIS LEGISLATION WOULD LIKELY
RESULT IN HUNDREDS OF
RESTAURANTS BEING REMOVED FROM
THE PLATFORMS THAT ARE OPERATING
IN SEATTLE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
I NOTE ON THE SLIDE THAT WE HAVE
ABOUT 4,000 ACTIVE BUSINESS
LICENSES IN SEATTLE FOR
RESTAURANTS, CATERERS AND OTHER
FOOD INDUSTRY BUSINESSES.
SO ROUGH ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY
RESTAURANTS, THERE ARE FEWER
THAN THAT, AND THEN I DID A
QUICK SEARCH ON GRUBHUB THE
OTHER DAY AND IT OFFERED
DELIVERY FROM OVER 4,100
RESTAURANTS IN THE SEATTLE AREA.
I'M NOT SURE HOW EXPANSIVE THAT
IS, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE
OF THE SCALE HERE.
ALSO, THE LEGISLATION WOULD
REQUIRE ANY NONPARTNERED
RESTAURANT THAT WANTS TO
CONTINUE OFFERING TAKE-OUT OR
DELIVERY THROUGH FOOD DELIVERY
PLATFORMS TO ESTABLISH AN
AGREEMENT, WHICH WILL RESULT IN
THE RESTAURANT NOW BEING
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMMISSION
FEE VERSUS THAT BEING PASSED ON
TO THE CUSTOMER.
THIS WILL LOWER COSTS FOR THE
CUSTOMERS BECAUSE NOW IT'S BEING
CHARGED TO THE RESTAURANT AND
THUS POTENTIALLY INCREASED
DEMAND, WHICH MAY HELP TO OFFSET
THE ADDITIONAL COST.
HOWEVER, IT'S LIKELY THAT SOME
RESTAURANTS MAY GO ENTIRELY FOR
THE FINANCIAL IMPACT.
IT'S LIKELY TO BENEFIT
RESTAURANTS, AS THOSE WHO DO NOT
WANT TO BE LISTED ON FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORMS NO LONGER
HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE
CONSEQUENCES THAT WERE DESCRIBED
EARLIER.
IT'S HIGHLY PROBABLE THERE WILL
BE FEWER RESTAURANT OPTIONS TO
CHOOSE FROM FOR CUSTERS WITH
THIS LEGISLATION, BUT CUSTOMERS
SHOULD HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE THEY ARE ONLY ENGAGING
WITH THOSE RESTAURANTS THAT
ACTUALLY WANT TO BE LISTED ON
FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS.
IN TERMS OF RACIAL EQUITY
IMPACTS, THIS DONUT CHART SHOWS
THAT ABOUT 48% OF BUSINESSES IN
THE FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION
SERVICES INDUSTRY IN THE SEATTLE
METROPOLITAN AREA ARE OWNED BY
PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK,
INDIGENOUS OR OTHER PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE LARGEST
SHARE IS ASIAN WHO REPRESENT 41%
OF BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS
INDUSTRY.
GIVEN THAT THIS LEGISLATION IS
INTENDED TO PROTECT THE
INTERESTS OF RESTAURANT OWNERS
AND THEIR CUSTOMERS AND LOOK AT
THESE DEMOGRAPHICS, THIS
PROPOSAL WOULD PROMOTE RACIAL
EQUITY.
ADDITIONALLY, REVENUES FROM
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE
NEW AGREEMENT REQUIREMENT WOULD
BE USED TO SUPPORT RESTAURANTS
WITH FIVE OR FEWER EMPLOYEES ON
GUIDANCE FROM THE ECONOMIC
ELEMENT WHO WOULD BE
PRIORITIZING INVESTING ANY FUNDS
IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER.
ALSO IMPACTED BY THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD BE THOSE WHO
DELIVER THE FOOD TO THE
CUSTOMERS FROM THE RESTAURANTS,
THE DELIVERY DRIVERS.
THESE ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE WHO
WORK FOR UBER UBER INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS, NOT EMPLOYEES OF
THE PLATFORM.
THESE FOLKS MIGHT BE FINDING
JOBS VIA TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
COMPANIES LIKE UBER, GROCERY
DELIVERY SERVICES AND OTHER
SIMILAR GIG WORK.
WE DO NOT HAVE GOOD LOCAL DATA
ON THESE GIG WORKERS.
THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
DESCRIBE THE WORK THEY'RE
ENGAGED IN AS IN-PERSON,
ELECTRONICALLY MEDIATED WORK.
I WILL JUST REFER TO THIS AS GIG
WORK FOR OUR PURPOSES.
AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, GIG
WORKERS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY
BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND
SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY TO BE
HISPANIC OR LATINO.
I WOULD NOTE THAT SOME RECENT
NEWS REPORTS HIGHLIGHTED THAT
DURING THE PANDEMIC MORE WOMEN
HAVE TURNED TO FOOD DELIVERY
WORK AFTER EITHER HAVING LOST
THEIR JOBS OR NEEDING TO QUIT
THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF LOSS OF
CHILD CARE OR THE SHIFT TO
REMOTE SCHOOLING.
THAT FLEXIBILITY HAS KIND OF
BEEN APPEALING TO PEOPLE LOOKING
TO MAKE MONEY BUT ALSO TEACH
THEIR KIDS AT HOME.
SO BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF
RESTAURANTS THE FOOD DELIVERY
PLATFORMS CAN LIST, THIS
LEGISLATION COULD RESULT IN A
DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FOOD
DELIVERY OPPORTUNITIES, THOUGH
IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR HOW GREAT
THIS IMPACT COULD BE.
ASSUMING THE NATIONAL LEVEL OF
RACIAL BREAKDOWN OF THESE
WORKERS APPLIES TO SEATTLE AREA,
JOB LOSSES MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO
AFFECT GIG WORKERS WHO ARE BLACK
OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN,
HISPANIC/LATINO, AND POTENTIALLY
WOMEN.
HOWEVER, THOSE JOBS THAT DO
REMAIN, THE RISK OF CONFLICT
BETWEEN DELIVERY WORKERS AND
RESTAURANTS SHOULD BE DECREASED
AS ANY RESTAURANT LISTED ON
DELIVERY PLATFORMS WOULD BE A
WILLING PARTICIPANT.
AND JUST A QUICK REVIEW OF THE
OTHER IMPACTS.
JUST NOTING THE NEED FOR
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO
RESTAURANT OWNERS TO INCREASE
THE AWARENESS OF ANY REGULATION,
WOULD EXPECT THAT.
THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, PERHAPS OTHERS MAY
NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO
ENGAGE WITH OWNERS AND PROVIDE
TECHNICAL SERVICES TO EXECUTE
AGREEMENTS WITH DELIVERY
PLATFORMS PRIOR TO THAT
SEPTEMBER 1st -- SEPTEMBER 15th
EFFECTIVE DATE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO
LEVY PENALTIES ON ANY FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORM FOUND TO BE IN
VIOLATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE IN
CALIFORNIA, THE PLATFORMS HAVE
BEEN LARGELY COMPLIANT, SO I GO
NOT EXPECT THAT THIS WOULD
CREATE A CAPACITY ISSUE FOR FAS.
BUT ALSO THEN WITH A FEW FINES,
THERE'S LESS REVENUE FROM
PENALTIES, SHOULD THEY BE
COMPLIANT, WHICH WOULD BE THE
GOAL.
AND FINALLY, THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD ESTABLISH A PRIVATE RIGHT
OF ACTION SO THAT RESTAURANTS AS
INDIVIDUALS OR AS A CLASS MAY
SUE FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS FOR
DAMAGES IF THEY FAIL TO COMPLY
WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS
LEGISLATION.
THAT WAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE
LEGISLATION.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS FOR
YOLANDA ABOUT WHAT THIS BILL IS
PROPOSING TO DO?
I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THE REQUIREMENT HERE IS THAT
THERE ARE ALREADY WRITTEN
AGREEMENTS THAT THE VENDORS
HAVE, THE PLATFORMS HAVE, WITH
SOME BUSINESSES.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE NEW
BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE THESE
WRITTEN AGREEMENTS, AND DO WE
HAVE COPIES OF THAT?
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW THE ENFORCEMENT PIECE OF
THIS WOULD WORK.
HOW DO WE KNOW?
>> SO IT WOULD BE
COMPLAINT-BASED, RIGHT.
SO IF A RESTAURANT DOES NOT HAVE
A WRITTEN AGREEMENT, THAT IS
BETWEEN THE RESTAURANT AND THE
DELIVERY PLATFORM TO HAVE THAT
CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT.
BUT SHOULD A RESTAURANT, AFTER
THE SEPTEMBER 15th EFFECTIVE
DATE, SEE ITSELF LISTED ON,
LET'S SAY, ANY OF THE FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORMS, AND THEY DO
NOT HAVE A CONTRACT, WHAT THEY
WOULD DO IS, YOU KNOW, TAKE A
SCREENSHOT, WHATEVER, TIME STAMP
IT AND PROVIDE IT TO FAS, AND
SAY, HEY, THEY ARE NOT ABIDING
BY YOUR REQUIREMENT HERE.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS IN THE
RAISE HAND FUNCTION.
SO COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ,
I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
CHAIR.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU CHAIR MORALES FOR
MAKING TIME IN YOUR BUSY
COMMITTEE SCHEDULE TO ALLOW FOR
US TO CONSIDER THIS IMPORTANT
PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
THE FAIR FOOD DELIVERY BILL OR
COUNCIL BILL 120092 WILL HELP
RESTAURANTS BY ENSURING THE
PRESENCE ON THE DELIVERY
PLATFORM IS IN THEIR HANDS AND
THEY CONTINUE TO OWN THE GUEST
EXPERIENCE FROM BEGINNING TO
END.
THE GUEST EXPERIENCE FOR MANY
RESTAURANTS IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT.
WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT
DURING PUBLIC TESTIMONY THIS
AFTERNOON.
BUT YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS WORK
REALLY HARD TO BUILD AND TO
EXECUTE THAT GUEST EXPERIENCE.
AND WHEN RESTAURANTS ARE
UNWILLING PARTICIPANTS IN THESE
DELIVERY PLATFORMS, IT JUST
CREATES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR
BAD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO
FOR REALLY NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS AS WELL,
WHO ARE SORT OF LEFT IN SORT OF
THIS IN BETWEEN NEGOTIATING ROLE
BETWEEN THE RESTAURANT AND THE
CUSTOMER.
AND WE WANT TO ELIMINATE THAT
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE BOTH FOR THE
DELIVERY DRIVER BUT ALSO FOR THE
CUSTOMER AND ALSO FOR THE
RESTAURANT.
SO IT'S MY HOPE THAT THIS BILL
WILL ALLOW DELIVERY DRIVERS TO
JUST FOCUS ON WHAT THEIR
FUNCTION IS, WHICH IS THE BASIC
DELIVERY OF FOOD.
WHEN A RESTAURANT ISN'T A
WILLING PARTICIPANT AND THERE
MAY BE AN OLD, OUT OF DATE MENU
ONLINE, IT JUST CREATES HAVOC.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD RECENT
EXAMPLES HERE LOCALLY OF THOSE
ISSUES HAPPENING.
EVERYTHING FROM CAFE RACER, WHO
WAS CLOSED DOWN, BUT UBER EATS
TOOK ORDERS FOR MONTHS FOR THAT
CAFE.
THE DELI MADE A VERY PUBLIC
COMMENT RECENTLY SIMILARLY
EXPRESSING MUCH FRUSTRATION WITH
OUT OF ORDER MENUS AND NOT
KNOWING THAT THOSE OUT OF ORDER
-- OUT OF DATE MENUS WERE PLACED
ON A PLATFORM.
AND THEN LARK IS ANOTHER RECENT
EXAMPLE THAT WAS PUBLICLY
WRITTEN ABOUT.
LARK IN THIS INSTANCE DOESN'T
EVEN OFFER DELIVERY OR TAKE-OUT
VIA THE THIRD PARTY DELIVERY
APPS, AND NONETHELESS, THEIR
MENU APPEARED ON A DELIVERY APP,
CREATING, AGAIN, A LOT OF
CONFUSION BOTH FOR THE CUSTOMER
AND THE RESTAURANT AND THE
DELIVERY DRIVER.
SO THIS BILL WILL ADDRESS ALL OF
THOSE PARTICULAR SITUATIONS.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT ALSO TO EMPHASIZE THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS BILL AS IT
RELATES TO THE IMPACT ON DRIVERS
WHO HAVE LITTLE OR NO
PROTECTIONS OR BENEFITS IN THIS
SPACE.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY
IMPORTANT BILL TO MAKE SURE THAT
DRIVERS AREN'T HAVING TO GO
ABOVE AND BEYOND TO AVOID A
NEGATIVE REVIEW ON THEIR
DELIVERY.
FOR ANY OF US WHO HAVE USED A
THIRD PARTY PLATFORM, A LOT OF
TIMES YOU'LL GET A TEXT SURVEY
AND THEY ASK YOU QUESTIONS
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE WITH THE FOOD
DELIVERY DRIVER.
AND YOU KNOW, SORT OF THIS
LEGISLATION ALLOWS FOR, YOU
KNOW, SORT OF MAXIMIZING GOOD
REVIEWS OF THE DELIVERY DRIVER
IF, IN FACT, THE RESTAURANT IS A
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANT AND WE ARE
ALLOWING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
DRIVER TO HAVE TO ALSO ORDER
YOUR FOOD FOR YOU IN ORDER TO
AVOID THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
OF A BAD REVIEW IF YOU AS A
CUSTOMER DON'T GET WHAT YOU
THOUGHT YOU ORDERED FROM THE
RESTAURANT THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU
WERE ABLE TO ORDER FROM.
SO THERE ARE BUSINESSES ACROSS
THE CITY SHARING SIMILAR ISSUES
AND EXPERIENCES WITH THESE
DELIVERY PLATFORMS WITH MY
OFFICE.
SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE BANG BANG
CAFE, SIMPLY SOULFUL AND MANY
OTHERS.
MY OFFICE HAS ENGAGED WITH
WORKING WASHINGTON, TEAMSTERS,
HOSPITALITY GROUPS LIKE SEATTLE
RESTAURANTS UNITED.
WE'VE ENGAGED WITH DELIVERY
PLATFORMS DIRECTLY, AND WE'VE
HEARD DIRECTLY FROM OTHER
RESTAURANTS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE
EXPRESSED REALLY BROAD SUPPORT
FOR THE BILL, WHICH IS
INTENTIONALLY NARROW IN FOCUS TO
ENSURE RESTAURANTS ARE WILLING
PARTICIPANTS IN THE DELIVERY
FOOD BUSINESS THAT IS NOW VERY,
VERY COMMON PLACE.
SO I HOPE THIS BILL WILL HELP
IMPROVE AND STREAMLINE THE
PROCESS OF ORDERING FOR
CUSTOMERS, KEEPING AN UP-TO-DATE
MENU FOR RESTAURANTS, AND IT
WILL ALLOW DRIVERS TO FOCUS ON
PICKUPS AND DELIVERIES.
THIS IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD
PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND EXCITED
ABOUT HAVING IT MOVE FORWARD
THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
LAST I JUST WANT TO THANK MY
SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR AND THE
FABULOUS YOLANDA FROM OUR
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF FOR THEIR
REALLY SOLID POLICY WORK ON THE
FAIR FOOD DELIVERY LEGISLATION.
AND WITH THAT, MADAME CHAIR, I
WOULD URGE MEMBERS OF THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
TO VOTE YES ON THIS BILL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
AND THANK YOU, YOLANDA, FOR
WALKING US THROUGH THAT.
I DO NOT SEE ANY HANDS RAISED
FROM OUR COLLEAGUES, SO WITH
THAT, COLLEAGUES, I MOVE THAT
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE
ON COUNCIL BILL 120092, IS THERE
A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BILL
PASS?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>>?
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
CHAIR MORALES?
>> YES.
>> THAT'S FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> SORRY, COULD YOU -- YES VOTE,
SORRY, I COULDN'T GET TO THE
UNMUTE BUTTON.
>> NO WORRIES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION CARRIES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT THE BILL PASS WILL BE SENT
TO THE JUNE 14th FULL CITY
COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, FOR JOINING US.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE
16 APPOINTMENTS IF YOU'D LIKE.
>> I'M GOING EXCUSE MYSELF AND
GO CONTINUE TO NURSE THIS
TERRIBLE SUMMER HEAD COLD THAT I
HAVE, BUT THANK YOU EVERYBODY
FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
>> SEE YOU LATER OKAY.
VERY
GOOD.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEM TWO
INTO THE AGENDA, TWO THROUGH
SIX.
>> AGENDA ITEMS TWO THROUGH SIX.
APPOINTMENTS 1931 THROUGH 1935,
THE REAPPOINTMENT OF BENJAMIN J.
HUNTER AS MEMBER SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO AUGUST
31, 2021.
THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF JOLEEN
WINTHER HUGHES AS MEMBER SEATTLE
MUSIC COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO
AUGUST 31, 2023 AND THE
REAPPOINTMENTS OF PAULA OLIVIA
NAVA MADRIGAL, JUDI RAFAELA
MARTINEZ AND TERRY MORGAN AS
MEMBERS SEATTLE MUSIC COMMISSION
FOR TERMS TO AUGUST 31, 2024.
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
EXCUSE ME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAME
CLERK.
I WANT TO BRING ON ALEX ROSE
FROM OED AND REESE TANIMURA, THE
CHAIR OF THE SEATTLE MUSIC
COMMISSION.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
BENJAMIN HUNTER IS NOT ACTUALLY
UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
HE IS FINISHING HIS CURRENT
TERM, IS THAT RIGHT, ALEX?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO ASK THE CLERK IF I
NEED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT
SINCE HE IS LISTED AS AN AGENDA
ITEM, AS AN APPOINTMENT ON THE
AGENDA.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THIS
IS GLENDA.
YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO
REMOVE THE ITEM FROM THE AGENDA,
AND THEN WHEN THERE'S A SECOND
YOU CAN JUST --
>> OKAY, VERY GOOD.
THEN I AM GOING TO MOVE THAT WE
REMOVE APPOINTMENT 01932 FROM
THE AGENDA.
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
REMOVE THE ITEM FROM 2 AGENDA.
DO I NEED TO VOTE ON THAT NOW?
FULL --
>> NO, YOU SHOULDN'T NEED A
VOTE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE REMOVED BENJAMIN HUNTER.
SO ALEX, I WILL PASS IT ON TO
YOU FOR THE REMAINDER OF THOSE
APPOINTMENTS.
>> PERFECT.
I'D LOVE IF REESE CAN JUST SHARE
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
COMMISSION, AND THEN WE CAN GO
THROUGH THOSE.
>> PERFECT, THANK YOU.
>> SO, COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME
IS REESE TANIMURA.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER AND
THEY/THEM.
JUST LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE
PAST FEW YEARS, BUT ESPECIALLY
IN THE PAST YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, FOR MANY FOLKS BUT
PARTICULARLY FOR THE ARTS AND
CULTURAL SECTORS AND CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES HAVE HAD A PRETTY
HARD 2020.
THE MUSIC COMMISSION, YOU KNOW,
ALONGSIDE OUR FELLOW BODIES AND
OUR ADJOINED OFFICES HAVE BEEN
REALLY ENGAGED IN ARTIST
ADVOCACY.
WE KNOW THAT OUR ARTISTS WERE
SOME OF THE FIRST TO LOSE THEIR
LIVELIHOODS RIGHT FROM THE
OUTSET OF THE STAY-AT-HOME
ORDERS AND HAVE CONTINUED TO BE
CHALLENGED TO FIND WORK THROUGH
NOW AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, WILL
CONTINUE UNTIL SOME OF THE
VENUES AND THINGS START TO OPEN
UP AGAIN.
SO ADVOCACY BOTH ON THE LEVEL OF
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
WAYS TO GET INTO MORE OF A
DIGITAL REALM AS WELL AS FINDING
WAYS TO BOLSTER OUR SUPPORT FOR
GIG WORKERS.
AND ANOTHER PIECE OF OUR WORK
HAS BEEN LARGELY INVOLVED IN
CULTURAL SPACE AND VENUE RESCUE
AND HOPEFULLY INTERVENTION AND
THE LOSS OF THAT.
WE'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE
WORK ON THE CULTURAL SPACE
AGENCY, PDA AND -- OR CONTINUING
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CONTINUED
LOSSES OR INTERRUPTION OF LOSSES
FOR VENUE SPACES AND CULTURAL
SPACES.
AS YOU KNOW, THAT AS FOLLOWING
DURING THIS TIME THE NEXT
CONCERN WILL BE DISASTER,
DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION.
SO THAT'S VERY ON OUR AWARENESS,
AND WORKED WITH A COUPLE OF YOU
COUNCILMEMBERS ON DIGITAL EQUITY
THIS YEAR FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
AND FOR ARTISTS WHO RELIED
HEAVILY ON -- OR SOMETIMES UP
COULDN'T RELY VERY HEAVILY ON
THE METHOD THAT WE ARE ALL
GATHERING HERE TODAY ON.
SO THOSE ARE SOME BIGGER TOPICS
THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS, YOU
KNOW, PROVIDING WORK FORCE
DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CONTINUE TO BE ON THE FRONT EDGE
OF THE EMERGING ECONOMY AND
INDUSTRIES, THE CREATIVE AND
CULTURAL INDUSTRIES, AND REALLY
WORKING WITH OUR CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND ALL OF OUR
PARTNERS TO LEVERAGE ARTS AND
CULTURE AS ESSENTIAL WORK FORCE
AND ESSENTIAL PARTS OF OUR
ECONOMY AND SOCIETY.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
HEARING OUR REAPPOINTMENTS TODAY
TO GIVE A LITTLE CHANCE TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE AMAZING
FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE
SPENDING, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERING
THEIR TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT
ISSUES FROM THEIR PARTICULAR
PARTS OF THE SECTOR ARE COMING
TO THE FORE IN OUR WORK
WITH YOU ALL TO CREATE GREAT
POLICY AND GREAT, YOU KNOW,
ECONOMIC PLANS MOVING FORWARD,
DEVELOPMENT PLANS, AS WELL AS
JUST HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT
THEY'VE BEEN DOING TO KEEP ARTS,
MUSIC AS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN
ALL LOOK FORWARD TO AND CONVENE
AROUND.
AND THIS TIME IT'S BEEN FAIRLY
ISOLATING IN THE SITUATION.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WE CAN ALL SAY
THAT WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS, YOU
KNOW, THE FULLER RE-OPENING.
SO WITH THAT, ALEX, SHOULD WE
PRESENT OUR --
>> YES, I WOULD LOVE.
TO AND
THANK YOU, REESE, FOR THE
INTRODUCTION.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN THIS WILD TIME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR
HAVING US HERE.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO PRESENT JOLEEN
WINTHER HUGHES.
SHE IS THE FOUNDER AND FEARLESS
LEADER OF HUGHES MEDIA LAW
GROUP, WHICH HAS A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIENTS
ACROSS CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AND
TECHNOLOGY.
SHE HAS A VARIED PERSPECTIVE IN
TERMS OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS
SHE WAS ONCE SENIOR COUNCIL AT
REEL NETWORKS AND ALSO BACK IN
THE '90s WAS BIG IN ARTIST
MANAGEMENT, WHICH WAS AN
EXCITING TIME, AS YOU KNOW, IN
SEATTLE MUSIC.
RECENTLY JOLEEN WAS A SPEAKER AT
OUR MONTHLY MIXER SERIES TO
SHARE HER WISDOM AND ADVICE ON
MUSIC LICENSING, WHICH IS A
SUBJECT THAT MISTFIES SOME OF
THE MOST SEASONED FOLKS IN THE
MUSIC INDUSTRY TO THIS DAY.
SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE HER
BRINGING HER EXPERTISE TO BEAR
IN THOSE SPACES.
AND ALSO FOR THE WAY THAT SHE
HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP THE MUSIC
COMMISSION SPREAD CONNECTIONS
BEYOND JUST MUSIC.
SO THINKING PARTICULARLY ABOUT A
PARTNERSHIP WITH GEEKWIRE THAT
SHE SPEARHEADED A COUPLE YEARS
AGO TO BRING LIVE MUSIC TO THAT
SUMMIT.
>> GREAT.
DO YOU WANT TO JUST GO THROUGH?
YEAH, LET'S JUST GO THROUGH THE
OTHER THREE FOLKS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> SO NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE PAULA MADRIGAL.
SHE IS A CONDUCTOR AND CELLIST
ORIGINALLY FROM MEXICO.
SHE WORKS WITH IMMIGRANT YOUTH
AND, YOU KNOW, INTERGENERATIONAL
COMMUNITIES TO TRAIN THEM, TEACH
THEM CLASSICAL MUSIC AND DIRECTS
ORCHESTRAS, COMMUNITY
ORCHESTRAS.
SHE HAS THE ORGANIZATION
ORCHESTRA NORTHWEST.
HER ORGANIZATION IS OFFERING
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN, LATINX,
INDIGENOUS AND WOMAN CONDUCTORS
FOR THEIR WORK FORCE
DEVELOPMENT.
AND REESE, I'LL PASS IT TO YOU.
>> YEAH, LOVE TO TALK ABOUT
KITTY WOO, AKA JUDI MARTINEZ,
WHO WORKS AT A NONPROFIT THAT
USES HIP HOP AND THE ARTS FOR
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND
EDUCATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE.
AND 06 ZULU IS AN ANCHOR PARTNER
AT WASHINGTON HALL, WHICH IS IN
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND A VERY
HISTORIC AND BEAUTIFUL SPACE
THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES COME
TOGETHER BOTH TO UTILIZE AS A
PERFORMANCE SPACE AND GATHERING
IN EDUCATION.
SO KITTY HAS, YOU KNOW, IN
ADDITION TO THE ZULUS BEING A
WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT AND BEING
VERY INVOLVED IN PRODUCTION,
MUSIC PRODUCTION, VIDEO
PRODUCTION, ALL KINDS OF MEDIA,
KITTY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY
INVOLVED THIS PAST YEAR IN BOTH
THE LOCAL VENUE CONVERSATION
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE
AS A VENUE BUT ALSO IN OUR -- IN
THE RE-OPENING EVERY VENUE
SAFELY COALITION, WHICH IS A
NATIONAL AND GLOBAL COALITION
THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON
UNDERSTANDING THE BEST WAYS TO
UTILIZE SCIENCE AND SAFETY TO
MAKE SURE THAT AS WE BRING LIVE
MUSIC AND LIVE EVENTS BACK
ONLINE THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THE
BEST KNOWLEDGE FROM NOT JUST
WHAT IS HERE LOCALLY BUT FROM,
YOU KNOW, YOUR ENGLAND AND
EUROPE AND FROM AUSTIN AND SOME
OF THE OTHER ANCHOR CITIES IN
THAT GROUP.
SO IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, YOU
KNOW, A MEMBER WHO IS DEEPLY
INVOLVED IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
AND LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
WHO ALSO IS, YOU KNOW, BEING A
LEADER FOR SEATTLE NATIONALLY IN
TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE
AT THE FOREFRONT AND BEING IN
PARTNERSHIP AND COALITION WITH
THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING
AROUND THE NATION.
AND NEXT I WOULD LOVE TO
INTRODUCE TO YOU TERRY MORGAN,
WHO IS -- HE IS JUST A HUGE AND
LONG RESUME AND HISTORY, THE
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF MODERN
ENTERPRISES AND IT'S -- I MEAN,
SOME OF THE THINGS I COULD NAME
THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY MAYBE HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN.
BOREALIS, THE FESTIVAL OF
LIGHTS.
TERRY AND PARTNERS PUT ON THE
NEW YEAR'S SHOW AT THE NEEDLE
THIS YEAR, WHICH WE KNOW IS --
WAS SPECTACULAR AND VIEWED, YOU
KNOW, WORLDWIDE.
IT UTILIZED ALL KINDS OF
FABULOUSLY SPACEY SCIENCE THINGS
IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO CHART
OFF STARS IN ORDER TO CREATE
THOSE FANTASTIC IMAGES THAT WERE
PUT BEHIND THE NEEDLE.
ALSO HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN
REPRESENTING MUSICIANS, LOCAL
MUSICIANS THAT HAVE GONE GLOBAL.
AND SO TERRY ALSO JUST BRINGS A
LOT OF -- A LOT OF BOTH DEEP
CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY IN
HIS WORK WITH THE VOLUNTEER PARK
TRANSFORMATION OF THE, CALL IT
AMPHITHEATER OR THE PERFORMANCE
AREA AT VOLUNTEER PARK.
AND YOU KNOW, ALSO LOOKING AT
DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE
FACILITIES AT SEATTLE CENTER AND
AROUND THE CITY TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE A CITY WITH WORLD
CLASS FACILITIES THAT BOTH CAN
PROVIDE A CHANNEL OF -- A
CHANNEL OF PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR LOCAL
ARTISTS AND ALSO ATTRACT GLOBAL
AND ARTISTS OF NOTE TO OUR CITY
TO PERFORM AND ENGAGE.
SO WITH THIS SLATE OF FABULOUS
REAPPOINTMENTS I ALSO WANTED TO
JUST GIVE A QUICK SHOUT AND
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
ALSO HELPING US TO GET THROUGH
RESEATING.
WE WERE A LITTLE BIT LOW IN OUR
RESEATING OF THE COMMISSION, BUT
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALSO
HELPING US WITH THE NEW
APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE COMING
FORWARD.
I THINK THIS IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT TIME THAT WE HAVE A
FULL STRENGTH, A VOICE AND A
THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP WITH
ENTITIES FROM AROUND OUR
COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
SECTOR RECOVERS WELL.
AND IS BUILT BACK AS BETTER AS
IT CAN BE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AGREE, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE GET THESE COMMISSIONS
SEATED BECAUSE THEY HAVE
IMPORTANT WORK TO DO.
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL
VOLUNTEERS, SO WHEN YOU DON'T
HAVE A FULL COMMISSION, THAT
MEANS THE FOLKS WHO ARE THERE
HAVE THAT MUCH MORE WORK THAT
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET DONE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
BRINGING THESE FOLKS FORWARD.
THANK YOU, REESE, AND ALEX, I
DON'T KNOW IF I'M GETTING
DYSLEXIA OR I'M A CHILD OF THE
'80s, BUT I KEEP WANTING TO SAY
AXLE ROSE, AND I'M SURE YOU HEAR
THAT ALL THE TIME.
ALEX, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I DO WANT TO THANK, I KNOW THEY
AREN'T HERE, BUT TERRY, KITTY
WOO, PAULA AND JOLEEN FOR THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE SERVING
ON THIS COMMISSION.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE?
OKAY.
I AM NOT SEEING ANY.
SO I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF APPOINTMENTS
1931, 1932, 1933, 1934 AND 1935.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR MORALES?
>> YES.
>> OOPS.
DID I JUST VOTE FOR
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, SORRY.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID ME.
>> I WILL TAKE YOUR VOTE NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> SORRY.
>> CHAIR MORALES?
>> YES.
THAT'S FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> TERRIFIC, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THESE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL
BE THAT THE APPOINTMENTS BE
CONFIRMED WILL BE SENT TO THE
JUNE 14th CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALEX AND
REESE.
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, REESE,
AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEMS SEVEN
THROUGH 12 INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEMS 7 THROUGH 12,
APPOINTMENTS 1920 THROUGH 1925.
SEATTLE LGBTQ COMMISSION, THE
APPOINTMENTS OF ANDREW ASHIOFU,
DIONDRA BRASWELL AND RAJA FOUAD
AS MEMBERS FOR TERMS TO OCTOBER
31, 2022 AND THE REAPPOINTMENTS
OF LATOSHA CORRELL, DeAUNTEb
DAMPER AND BYRAM SIMPSON AS
MEMBERS FOR TERMS TO APRIL 30,
2023 FOR BRIEFING DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AGAIN, WE ARE HEARING ABOUT
FOLKS FOR THE LGBTQ COMMISSION,
AND I AM GOING TO ASK JANET
STAFFORD FROM THE OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS TO JOIN US TO SHARE
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE
APPOINTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A QUICK
SHORT BACKGROUND ON THE
COMMISSION, THE LGBTQ COMMISSION
SERVES AS AN ADVISORY COMMISSION
FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE REGARDING CONCERNS WITH
THE LGBTQ COMMISSION, THE
COMMUNITY, AND ANYTHING THAT
ARISES THAT'S RELEVANT WITHIN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
SOME OF THEIR PAST WORK HAS
INCLUDED A VIDEO SERIES
SURROUNDING PRIDE MONTH
CELEBRATION.
THERE'S BEEN A CANDIDATE FORUM
AS WELL AS CONTINUED ADVOCACY
SUPPORT OF THE BLACK LIVES
MATTER MOVEMENT.
I BELIEVE TODAY WE WILL BE
APPOINTING -- REAPPOINTING THREE
COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE BEEN
WITH US.
THE FIRST ONE IS LATOSHA
CORRELL.
SO LATOSHA JUST A LITTLE
BACKGROUND REGARDING LATOSHA.
OVER THE DECADES SHE'S ADVOCATED
FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS.
IN 2016 SHE COFOUNDED MISTRESS
PIECE THEATER, WHICH IS A
LGBTQ-CENTERED COMMUNITY
PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION
FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING WOMEN AND
THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
CURRENTLY SHE IS THE CHAIR OF
THE PEOPLE OF COLOR STAKEHOLDER
COMMITTEE AND HOLDS -- AND
DEFINITELY LOOKS FORWARD TO HER
CONTINUED WORK WITH THE
COMMISSION.
WE ALSO HAVE DeAUNTEb
DeAUNTEb
HAS FOCUSED HIS WORK ON BRINGING
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AND THE LGBTQ
AFFIRMING EDUCATION TO
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
HE STARTED WITH HIS WORK AS A
PEER NAVIGATOR FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
IN 2019 HE MADE HISTORY AS THE
NACCP'S FIRST LGBTQIA CHAIR.
AND THIS WAS THE FIRST IN OVER
110 YEARS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S
TIME.
FROM THERE HE BEGAN AS A
TRANSITIONAL SPECIALIST FOR THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS.
THEN MOVED INTO WORKING AT
RAINIER BEACH HIGH SCHOOL AS A
BLACK STUDENT UNION ADVISOR AND
WAS SUPPORTING GROUPS OF COLOR,
OF YOUNG MEN OF COLOR,
SPECIFICALLY BLACK RECOVERING
OVERCOMING TRAUMA HEALTH AND
AWARENESS GROUPS.
HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS A
CO-CHAIR ON THE LGBTQ
COMMISSION.
AND OUR LAST REAPPOINTMENT IS
BYRAM SIMPSON.
JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BYRAM,
BYRAM CURRENTLY SITS AS ANOTHER
CO-CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION.
OVER THEIR TIME, BYRAM HAS ONLY
BECOME MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT
BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN THE
LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND THE CITY
GOVERNMENT AND ENSURING THE
VOICES OF MOST MARGINALIZED ARE
NOT ONLY BEING HEARD BUT THAT
THEY ARE BEING ELEVATED.
BYRAM IS PROUD OF THE
ACHIEVEMENTS THAT THEY'VE MADE
DURING THE TIME -- DURING THEIR
TIME ON THE COMMISSION AND
MAKING MEETINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE
TO THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO
REMAINING ACCOUNTABLE TO FOLKS.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE CONTINUES TO
FACE AN EMERGENCY CENTERED
AROUND HOUSING, WHICH PRIMARILY
IMPACTS LGBTQ BIPOC INDIVIDUALS.
BYRAM LOOKS FORWARD TO
CONTINUING THIS ADVOCACY IN
REGARDS TO AMPLIFYING THE
VOICES.
AND THEN I BELIEVE OUR CONTINUED
FOCUS ON THE LGBTQ COMMISSION
ARE PRESENT.
CAN THEY SHARE?
>> SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE
NEW APPOINTMENTS ARE ANDREW,
DIONDRA AND RAJA?
>> CORRECT.
>> ANDREW, DO YOU WANT TO START
AND JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHY YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
THIS APPOINTMENT?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL, THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND
EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL.
WIN THING THAT REALLY PUSHED ME
TO DO SOMETHING IS GROWING UP AS
A NIGERIAN AMERICAN GAY PERSON I
KNEW IT WAS TO BE SHUNNED BY
COMMUNITY BASED ON MY SEXUALITY
AND I ALSO FACE RACISM FROM THE
LGBTQ COMMUNITY BECAUSE I'M
BLACK.
AND HERE IN SEATTLE IT'S
HAPPENED A LOT OF STRUGGLES
BECAUSE PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
THE LIBERTY THAT ABOUNDS, BUT
THERE WAS NO REPRESENTATION I
SEE THAT SPOKE TO PEOPLE LIKE
ME.
THE INTERSECTION NALTY OF BEING
BLACK AND IMMIGRANT AND GAY AT
THE SAME TIME IS DIFFERENT
THINGS.
IT'S NOT ONE SHOE FITS ALL.
AND MY GOAL IS TO BE THE VOICE
OF THE MINORITY LGBTQ IMMIGRANTS
AND REFUGEES, WHICH IS A LOT
HERE IN SEATTLE, BUT BECAUSE
THEY DON'T SEE PEOPLE TO
IDENTIFY WITH, THEY ALWAYS ARE
HIDDEN.
AND ONE OF MY GOALS IS TO REACH
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
RACIAL DISPARITY IN THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY AND LOOK FOR POLICIES
AND PROCEDURE THAT IS WILL MAKE
EVERYONE FEEL VERY INVOLVED.
AND A SPECIAL AREA WOULD BE
HEALTH CARE, ESPECIALLY HIV,
WHICH PREDOMINANTLY BLACK PEOPLE
HAVE LOW ACCESS TO QUALITY HIV
HEALTH CARE.
AND I DO THAT BECAUSE I SIT ON
THE -- GRANTS COUNCIL.
AND I'M VICE CHAIR OF THE KING
COUNTY DEMOCRATS DEI COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANDREW.
DIONDRA?
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> HI.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
DIONDRA, MY PRONOUNS ARE
THEY/THEM.
I WAS INTERESTED IN SERVING
BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO
EXPAND RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY.
SO FOR THE PAST YEAR I'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH THE ALPHABET
ALLIANCE OF COLOR AND OTHER
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS.
MY MAIN FOCUS IS PROVIDING
RESOURCES AND UPLIFTING AND
SUPPORTING SPECIFICALLY BLACK
TRANS PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THEY'RE OFTEN OVERLOOKED
EVERYWHERE, SO AS A BLACK TRANS
PERSON I FIGURED, YEAH, HAVING
THIS OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE PRETTY
AMAZING.
AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO,
YEAH, THE WORK THAT WE CAN DO
TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANK YOU.
AND RAJA, PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY?
YOU ARE MUTED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS RAJA, MY PRONOUNS
ARE THEY/THEM.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK
THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE TIME
TO MEET WITH US TODAY AS WELL AS
THE COMMISSION FOR THE WORK THAT
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SO FAR.
I MOVED TO SEATTLE HERE ABOUT
FIVE YEARS AGO FROM ALABAMA AND
LIVE IN BEACON HILL THIS WHOLE
TIME.
AND HONESTLY LOVE THE CITY.
AND IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING
JOURNEY SO FAR.
MY POLITICAL WORK IN ALABAMA
BROUGHT ME TO SEATTLE ACTUALLY
QUITE A FEW TIMES BEFORE, AND
THAT'S WHEN I FELL IN LOVE WITH
THE CITY AND WANTED TO MOVE
HERE.
MY WORK BEFORE MOVING HERE
CENTERED AROUND BLACK AND YEAR
POLITICS.
THAT WORK INCLUDED FIGHTING FOR
THE LGBTQ RIGHTS IN BOTH CITY
AND COURT SYSTEMS IN ALABAMA FOR
CIVIL AND CIVIC RIGHTS.
I ALSO WORKED IN THE FIGHT TO
IMPLEMENT POLICE CAMERAS.
AND THAT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AS
WELL, AS WELL AS THE FIGHT FOR
$15.
I TOOK SOME TIME OFF TO FOCUS ON
MY COMING OUT AND TRANSITIONING,
BUT I AM READY TO START THE
POLITICAL WORK AGAIN AND START
WORKING FOR MY COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO FOCUS ESPECIALLY ON
FIGHTING FOR TRANS RIGHTS AND
TRANS HEALTH CARE.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY TO
MOVE FORWARD NOT JUST PROVIDING
SAFE SPACES BUT HAVING YEAR AND
TRANS FOLKS BE AN INTEGRAL PART
OF SOCIETY AND HAVING THE SAME
OPPORTUNITIES THAT EVERYBODY
ELSE IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY
ENJOYS.
AS AN IMMIGRANT AND AN ASYLEE, I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE AS WELL
AND FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS OF
THOSE IN DETENTION STILL.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO START
WORKING FOR THE CITY AND
REPRESENTING MY YEAR AND TRANS
FOLKS OF COLOR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL OF
YOU.
AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN
SERVE YOUR COMMUNITIES BETTER
AND REALLY JUST YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO DO THIS AS A VOLUNTEER TO
COME FORWARD AND STEP INTO THIS
ROLE.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR OUR CANDIDATES
HERE?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T USE THE
COMPUTER THINGY.
AS YOU SAW BEFORE, I VOTED FOR
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, I'M STILL
FIGURING -- I'VE GOT THREE
SCREENS GOING, SO I'M TRYING TO
DO THIS RIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, MY COMMENTS ARE
MAINLY TO RAJ, AM I SAYING THAT
CORRECT, RAJA?
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY?
>> YES.
>> FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS
FROM ALABAMA TO BEACON HILL.
WOW.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER MET
ANYONE WHO'S EVER SAID THAT.
SO WELCOME, THANK YOU.
YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT IS
REALLY, REALLY BEEN IMPORTANT US
TO THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON
SINCE 2016, AND THAT IS ON THE
TRANS HEALTH ISSUE AND WORKING
WITH SECRETARY CRIED LER AND
SOME OTHER FOLKS WHEN WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT PARTICULAR STATES
IN COURTS HOLDING UP THE RIGHT
TO WEAPONIZE IT AGAINST
TRANSGENDER FOLKS AND THEIR
HEALTH CARE, AND NOT JUST ABOUT
TRANSITIONING, ABOUT DENTISTS
WHO SAY IT'S AGAINST MY
RELIGION.
WE HAD CASES OUT OF BELLINGHAM,
OLYMPIA.
WE'VE HAD FEDERAL CASES OUT OF
TEXAS AND THE EAST COAST.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT ON
THE TWO-SPEARED NATIVE AMERICAN
SIDE WITH MY FOLKS AND FRIENDS
DOWN IN NEW MEXICO AND MONTANA.
SO THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A
LONG TIME.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY YOU
HAVE THAT EXPERIENC.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU ON THOSE ISSUES.
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU AS WELL ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
I'M GOING TO MUTE MYSELF NOW.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
I DO NOT SEE ANY.
OKAY THEN, COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING
TO MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENTS 1920 THROUGH 1925.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
CONFIRM RECOMMENDATION OF THE
APPOINTMENTS.
CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> I'LL VOTE FOR HER.
>> YES.
>> AND CHAIR MORALES?
>> YES.
>> THAT'S FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU, THE MOTION
CARRIES, AND THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE
APPOINTMENTS BE CONFIRMED WILL
BE SENT TO THE JUNE 14th COUNCIL
MEETING.
AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, YOU
ARE WELCOME TO COME, BUT YOUR
PRESENCE THERE ISN'T REQUIRED.
WE WILL -- I WILL SHARE A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT YOUR APPOINTMENT AND
ABOUT THE COMMITTEE'S
RECOMMENDATION THAT IT ALL PASS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND
CONGRATULATIONS.
ONE QUICK LITTLE STEP TO GO.
OKAY, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEMS 13 THROUGH 17 INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEMS 13 THROUGH 17.
APPOINTMENTS 1926 THROUGH 1930,
SEATTLE DISABILITY COMMISSION.
THE APPOINTMENTS OF HEYIWOT
AMARE, DAWN DAILEY AND TAYLOR
WOODS AS MEMBERS FOR TERMS TO
APRIL 30, 2022, THE APPOINTMENT
OF APRIL SNOW AS MEMBER FOR A
TERM OCTOBER 31, 2021 AND THE
APPOINTMENT OF CHRISTINE LEW AS
MEMBER FOR A TERM TO APRIL 30,
2023 FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU.
YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
JANET, ARE YOU GOING TO DISCUSS
THESE CANDIDATES AS WELL?
>> YEAH.
SO ACTUALLY I BELIEVE EVERYONE
IS HERE EXCEPT --
>> IS EVERYONE HERE?
>> -- FOR MAYBE DAWN DAILEY.
>> OKAY, LET ME CHECK OUT MY
LIST HERE.
OKAY, THEN I WILL JUST CALL ON
EACH PERSON INDIVIDUALLY AND ASK
YOU TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHY YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN SERVING.
AND WE WILL START WITH HEYIWOT.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY?
>> YOU'RE SAYING IT CORRECTLY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME A HEYIWOT.
MY PRONOUN IS SHE/HER, AND I'M
EXCITED TO BE PART OF THE
SEATTLE DISABILITY COMMISSION.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY,
SO, SORRY.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
GO YOU MIND IF I READ JUST A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
BACKGROUND?
>> WAIT, WHAT AGAIN?
>> I SAID GO YOU MIND IF I SHARE
JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
BACKGROUND?
>> YES.
>> SO IN PART BECAUSE YOU WANT
TO SEE PEOPLE THE SAME COLOR AS
YOU IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP
AND TO SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DISABILITIES IN POSITIONS OF
LEADERSHIP.
AND BECAUSE YOU ARE -- YOU WILL
BE 23, VERY YOUNG FOR JOINING --
>> I'M ALREADY 23.
>> YOU'RE ALREADY 23.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY.
SO STILL LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO
BE A LEADER AND DEVELOPING YOUR
OWN LEADERSHIP STYLE.
SO THESE EXPERIENCES ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT TO SHARE ON THIS
COMMISSION AND REALLY GLAD TO
HAVE YOU HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU TOO.
>> OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE DAWN
DAILEY.
I DAWN?
IS THAT WHO YOU SAID IS NOT
HERE?
>> YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE
NOT ATTENDING.
AM I -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
PROTOCOL IS IF THEY'RE NOT --
>> IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT TO
SHARE ABOUT DAWN, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO DAWN DAILEY.
DAWN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SINCE
2019.
DURING THIS TIME, THEY'VE WORKED
IN DIFFERENT FIELDS, INCLUDING
PUBLIC -- SUPPORTING PUBLIC AND
YOUTH PROGRAMS, ENGAGING WITH
FAMILY SUPPORT AS FAMILIES AND
INDIVIDUALS COME THROUGH THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
THEY'RE CREATED VIRTUAL
CURRICULUMS AND WORKING
SPECIFICALLY IN THE DISABILITY
OPPORTUNITIES, INFORMATION AND
TECHNOLOGY CENTER.
THEY ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO CONTINUING SOME WORK ON THE
DISABILITY COMMISSION AND YEAH.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, JANET.
LET'S SEE.
NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTINE LEW.
WELCOME, CHRISTINE.
>> HEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HELLO, MY NAME'S CHRISTINE LEW.
I HAVE SHE/HER PRONOUNCES.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN WESTERN
WASHINGTON.
I'VE LIVED IN SEATTLE FOR THE
PAST FOUR YEARS AS A STUDENT AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY AND
DISABILITY STUDIES.
I'M ABOUT TO GRADUATE NEXT WEEK
ACTUALLY.
I AM YEAR AND DISABLED
IDENTIFYING.
ALSO CODA, WHICH IS CHILD OF
DEAF ADULTS, BOTH OF MY PARENTS
ARE DEAF.
I GREW UP IN AND OUT OF THE DEAF
COMMUNITY AND DEAF CULTURE.
AND I HAVE AMERICAN SIGN
LANGUAGE AS MY FIRST LANGUAGE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST
FOUR YEARS AS A DISABILITY
JUSTICE ADVOCATE THROUGH UW
STUDENT GOVERNMENT AS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE STUDENT
DISABILITY COMMISSION.
I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING WITH A
BUNCH OF DIFFERENT DEAF
ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS KING COUNTY
FOR A WHILE.
AND JUST REALLY EXCITED TO
CONTINUE THIS WORK THROUGH THE
SEATTLE DISABILITY COMMISSION.
AND PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN
IDENTIFYING AND REALLY TACKLING
BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES IN EDUCATION AND
EMPLOYMENT.
AND SEEING PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AS REALLY AMAZING
SOURCES OF INNOVATION AND
CREATIVITY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRISTINE.
REALLY EXCITING TO HEAR ABOUT
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
EXPERIENCES THAT YOU WILL ALL BE
BRINGING HERE.
SO NEXT WE HAVE APRIL SNOW.
I KNOW I SAW APRIL HERE.
>> YEAH, I'M HERE.
>> THERE YOU ARE.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, APRIL.
>> I, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M APRIL
SNOW.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER/HERS.
I HAVE WORKED IN THE NONPROFIT
SECTOR -- WELL, OKAY, MY
DISABILITY SHOWED UP AROUND THE
SAME TIME I STARTED WORKING IN
THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, AND IT'S
BEEN ALMOST 20 YEARS.
AND I -- CHANGE IS IMPORTANT.
AND SOCIAL SERVICES ARE
IMPORTANT TO ME.
FOR THE LONGEST TIME I WAS OKAY
BEING A DATABASE NERD.
I WAS OKAY BEHIND THE SCENES.
AS I'VE GROWN, I WANT TO BE PART
OF THE ADVOCACY AND MAKING
CHANGE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS ACTUALLY
WAS -- I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THE SEATTLE DISABILITY
COMMISSION UNTIL ONE OF MY
COWORKERS SENT IT TO ME AND SAID
YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR THIS.
AND SO NOW I'M REALLY EXCITED TO
BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT AND
ENABLE SOME CHANGE.
HOPEFULLY.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH, APRIL.
AND FINALLY WE HAVE TAYLOR
WOODS.
TAYLOR.
THERE YOU ARE.
>> HEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING US TODAY.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
HAVING US TODAY.
IT'S A REALLY EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS TAYLOR WOODS.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER.
I AM FROM CENTRAL WASHINGTON.
I WENT TO SCHOOL AT CENTRAL
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY WHERE
THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A
NONPROFIT DEGREE.
SO I MADE MY OWN, AND I STUDIED
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES WITH
BUSINESS ADMIN AND NONPROFIT
MANAGEMENT.
ONCE I GRADUATED I CAME OVER
HERE TO WORK, AND I STARTED OUT
IN LYNNWOOD AND THEN MOVED TO
SEATTLE.
RIGHT NOW I WORK AT SEATTLE
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
I'VE DONE THAT FOR ALMOST SIX
YEARS.
I HAVE STARTED SERVING THE FRONT
LINES WORKING IN PATIENT
SCHEDULING AND PATIENT RECEPTION
AND MEETING PATIENTS AT THE
FRONT DOOR AND GETTING THEM
SECURED FOR THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
AND NOW I WORK IN A PROGRAM
COORDINATION ROLE WHERE I'M MORE
ON THE DOCTOR AND CAREGIVER
SIDE, WHERE I'M MAKING SURE THE
DOCTORS HAVE EVERYTHING THEY
NEED AND THE CLINICAL STAFF HAVE
EVERYTHING THEY NEED IN ORDER TO
SERVE THE PATIENTS.
SO MY HISTORY AND MY LOVE HAS
ALWAYS BEEN IN HEALTH CARE AND
HEALTH CARE ACCESS TO DISABLED
PEOPLE AND DISABLED CHILDREN.
THAT'S REALLY MY PASSION, AND
IT'S WHAT I WANT TO WORK IN THE
REST OF MY LIFE.
OUTSIDE OF WORK I HAVE DONE A
LOT OF DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERING
GIGS.
I JUST FINISHED A YEAR WITH THE
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF SEATTLE WHERE I
SERVED ON THEIR DIVERSITY,
EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY
COMMITTEE.
AND I ALSO HAVE DONE DIFFERENT
STINTS WITH SPARROW CLUBS OF
WASHINGTON, RONALD McDONALD
HOUSE, MAKE A WISH, ET CETERA.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TRY TO
BRING ALL OF THAT EXPERIENCE TO
THE SEATTLE DISABILITY
COMMISSION AND SEE WHAT I CAN
OFFER AND SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO
HELP MAKE CHANGE.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING
WHAT WORK WE CAN DO IN THE
INTERSECTIONALTY OF BUSINESS
WHEN IT COMES TO THE RACISM,
SEXISM, ET CETERA IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND SEEING WHAT WE AS
A COMMITTEE CAN DO TO ADDRESS
THAT ON A SYSTEMIC LEVEL.
VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU
TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, TAYLOR.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING JUST TO
HEAR, YOU KNOW, THE EXPERIENCES
THAT YOU ARE BRINGING, THE
PASSIONS THAT YOU ARE ALL
BRINGING TO WHY YOU WANT TO DO
THIS WORK, AND THE FOLKS ON THE
LGBTQ COMMISSION WHO ARE
SIMILARLY INTERESTED IN MAKING
SURE THAT THERE IS NOT JUST
ACCESS TO THE THINGS THAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENT DOES AND OFFERS TO
OUR COMMUNITY BUT
REPRESENTATION.
THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW,
OUR LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY
LOOK LIKE OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL OF
YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND BEING
WILLING TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE.
AND BEING WILLING TO HELP GUIDE
US AS WE'RE MAKING POLICY
DECISIONS AND BUDGET DECISIONS
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DIVERSITY
OF OUR COMMUNITY IS REFLECTED IN
THE WORK THAT WE DO.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR OUR
CANDIDATES HERE?
I DO NOT SEE ANY.
SO I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
APPOINTMENTS.
I LOST MY NUMBERS HERE.
RECOMMENDS CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENTS 1926 THROUGH 1930.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> YES.
>> AND CHAIR MORALES?
>> YES.
>> THAT'S FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> FANTASTIC.
THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
APPOINTMENTS BE CONFIRMED WILL
BE SENT TO THE JUNE 14th CITY
COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU ONCE YOUR APPOINTMENTS ARE
CONFIRMED.
OKAY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE
TODAY?
I DON'T SEE ANY.
OKAY, IN THAT CASE, THIS
CONCLUDES THE JUNE 3, 2021
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
THANKS, EVERYBODY, FOR JOINING
US TODAY, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.