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Continuing to Support Community with COVID Relief Food Assistance

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In March, Seattle was one of the first cities in the nation to launch an emergency grocery voucher program for families who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial $5 million investment provided vouchers to 6,250 low-income families to help them purchase food, cleaning supplies, and other household goods at any Safeway store in Washington State.

Since March, the number of families served has grown to 8,690 and by September, the City will be serving over 10,000 families with emergency grocery vouchers. Assuming four people per household, that translates to supporting over 40,000 Seattle residents with their monthly grocery needs.

The Office of Sustainability & Environment continues to partner with community-based organizations to distribute the vouchers, with a focus on recently displaced workers who are unable to access other forms of government aid due to structural or institutional barriers, like language barriers, fear of deportation, or experiencing gender-based violence. Partner organizations include: Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS), API Chaya, Casa Latina, Entre Hermanos, Fair Work Center (and their partner organizations), Ingersoll Gender Center, Lake City Collective, Providence Regina House, Refugee Women’s Alliance, United Indians, Villa Comunitaria, and West African Community Council.

Partner organizations are determining voucher recipients based on the lists of clients and households they support in their work.

The partner organizations recently shared some examples of how the emergency voucher program is providing critical support for our residents in need. One comment from a voucher recipient:

“I really needed the extra support and got it from the City program…I appreciate the care the City took to provide these vouchers to my family . My family was impacted when Childhaven closed their doors . My kiddos ate breakfast, lunch, and snack at the facility 5 days a week – such a big hit my budget. Thanks to the City of Seattle for helping so many during uncertain times.”

Households receive $400 a month for their first three months in the program and $180 a month thereafter. Benefits can be used to purchase anything at Safeway stores except for alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, and lottery. Currently, 67% of the participants identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), 8% identify as White, and 25% prefer not to provide race/ethnicity information. Additionally, 48% prefer a language other than English.

Assistance Available for 2020 Environmental Justice Fund Applications

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Each year the Office of Sustainability’s Equity & Environment Initiative (EEI) distributes approximately $250,000 to support the improvement of environmental and health conditions in response to climate change with the goal of advancing environmental justice for communities who experience the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation first and worst.

2020 Environmental Justice Fund application opens August 24th. Wonder if your project qualifies? We’re glad to offer assistance! Fill out this quick survey (optional) and we will get in touch to set up a call. Note that this is not the final application.  

Across the United States, race is the most significant predictor of a person living near contaminated air, water, or soil. It is for this reason that this funding is aimed to support efforts that are led by and benefit the people most affected by environmental and climate issues: Black, Indigenous, People of Color, immigrants, refugees, people with low incomes, youth and elders.  

The links between environmental heath, community health, race and social justice and the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic are stark.  The Office of Sustainability & Environment knows that COVID-19 is impacting our communities in ways that we are just beginning to understand. The 2020 application will be modified to focus specifically on community resilience needs because of impacts by COVID-19 at the nexus of environmental and climate justice.  

Criteria for projects should include community-defined solutions that improve environmental and community health & well-being and respond to impacts of climate change and COVID-19. Projects may be focused on capacity building, ongoing visioning, community education, collaboration or other efforts that address climate preparedness, air quality, food insecurity, green jobs, and other environmental and climate justice issues.   

There is no Environmental Justice Without Racial Justice

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The Office of Sustainability & Environment stands in solidary with the Black community and supports the goals of Black Lives Matter. Our mission is to create policies and programs that decrease racial disparities and propel our city toward a sustainable, equitable, and fossil fuel free future. We cannot achieve this mission without dismantling systemic racism, and specifically anti-Blackness, throughout City government.  

Like climate change, there is no panacea to solve 400 years of oppression against and exploitation of Black people. We are proud of the work we have done as an office since 2015 to advance racial equity through our environmental and sustainability work. While our goal has been to design polices that serve the needs of those who are hardest hit by climate change and environmental pollution, we know we can do more, especially as it pertains to centering the voices and needs of our Black communities. We acknowledge the role city governments have played in perpetuating systemic racism, that we have fallen short of building true racial equity. We commit to using our power and privilege as a City department to dismantle institutional racism and anti-Blackness.

We are City employees, but we are also individuals. We share the outrage and disgust many across our nation are feeling in the wake of murders of Black Americans, and acknowledge the violence specifically perpetrated against Black trans individuals. We cannot and will not remain silent.

To those who are calling for change – We hear you. We stand with you. We believe Black Lives Matter. We know there can be no environmental justice without racial justice. We commit today to develop and share publicly a series of concrete actions OSE will take to break down systemic racism and fight climate change in Seattle. Even though these actions must be guided by an inclusive process that centers Black and Brown voices to achieve greater and more sustained change, we will begin with the following – to be completed within 30 days:

  • Coordinate a fundraising effort to support organizations that are doing critical work in advancing solutions for Black communities, including a voluntary donation effort (financial or in-kind) at OSE and challenging other City departments and external partners to join us
  • Organize a series of days of action or service in support of the Black Lives Matter movement
  • Identify strategies and actions to learn more, center, and dismantle anti-Blackness in OSE’s work

Black liberation is collective liberation, and we’re ready to get to work.  

Environmental Justice Leadership Spotlight: Dennis Comer

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Dennis Comer, a small business owner and former military officer, serves as the Executive Director for the Central Area Collaborative. A founding member of the Central Area Collaborative and Central Area Land Use Review Committee, his work within the community helped facilitate the creation of Central Area Design Guidelines and a Central Area Design Review Board, which he worked as a member of.

What motivates you in your work in the environmental justice sphere?

One of the things that motivates me is, when you’re serving a community that’s disenfranchised, aside from paying rent, food, shelter, and affordable housing, the next piece is health, which is a product of environmental concern. Many times, lower-income neighborhoods are located near landfills, or in areas with industrial pollution. So we wanted to make sure that in the Central Area, there was some organization that was looking at that as a part of the whole environmental justice strategy. The EJC acted as a place to plug in and create a two-way communication channel with these communities in Seattle.

What does environmental leadership look like to you?

To me, it’s maintaining awareness of what’s going on at all levels, from federal, to state, to the local levels; staying engaged in the scientific community to see what’s new and possible, and making sure that you as a leader can serve as a point of contact or guidance for your community members. There are always folks interested in learning more, they just might not know how to access this information. For example, all the buildings folks are talking about LEED certification, while from the community standpoint, they’re saying, “I just need a place to stay.” You have to know how to explain why these environmentally-friendly features are so important, and how they can ultimately benefit a neighborhood.

How has your background prepared you for a leadership role within EJC?

I’m a retired military officer, so leadership’s pretty much second nature. It’s helped me take a neutral stand and make sure that I’m hearing both sides of a situation. On the one side, environmentalists may be saying, “the world is ending tomorrow.” But somebody needs to say, “well let’s balance that because today people need to live.” For a leader, that means approaching issues with patience, the ability to calm folks down, and balancing competing priorities, bridging gaps basically. For the EJC, because of my familiarity with issues in the Central Area like affordability, gentrification, displacement, and senior housing, I’m able to synthesize information and see where we can take advantage of what’s out there, moving the community forward without favoring one side or another.

How do you see your community coming together in response to COVID-19?

The Central Area Collaborative oversees the administration of small business relief funds. When all this started, we knew how it would affect our local businesses. So we took the community funding we had and provided ten immediate $500 grants to several Central Area businesses that we know are hurting. On our website, there’s a video of one of our leadership committee members, Hayward Watson, going to businesses with a check. You can see the excitement; no one just hands out money. While our community is waiting for funding from the national and state level, this was our way of providing a quick band-aid and letting the City know that we can mobilize quickly since we live in these neighborhoods. We’re now looking at doing another round of grants, hopefully up to 40 businesses this time. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s something, and can be used for anything these businesses need in the meantime while waiting for other funds.

What are you looking forward to in your next year working with the EJC?

I am looking forward to exploring how the impacts of COVID-19 have helped or harmed our community’s environmental posture. To find out what lessons are being learned through this pandemic that may help change the way we do business as it relates to the environment and climate justice.

This article is part of the series: “EJC Spotlight”- highlighting the backgrounds and work of current and former Environmental Justice Committee (EJC) members. Since 2017, the EJC has strived to uplift those most impacted by environmental inequities and center community needs in the City’s environmental efforts while building partnerships between community organizations and local government. This interview series is being conducted by Karen Bosshart, a UW Program on the Environment student and current intern at OSE.

Seattle’s Emergency Food Voucher Program Gets Another Boost

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The City of Seattle will now be able to provide an additional 250 households with emergency grocery vouchers thanks an additional $200,000 contribution from Safeway. Safeway had previously contributed $200,000 which was announced a few weeks ago.

The emergency grocery voucher program provides families $800 in vouchers to purchase food, cleaning supplies, and other household goods at any Safeway store in Washington state. The vouchers are distributed in in two installments of $400 each. These funds will support workers who recently lost their job or experienced a decrease in hours or wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As with previous funding raised for this program, the Safeway donation will go to the United Way of King County to support the Office of Sustainability and Environment’s (OSE) expanded emergency food voucher program. The expanded program is now providing 2050 workers impacted by COVID-19 with vouchers that can immediately be used at any Washington state Safeway store to purchase food and household goods, not including tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets, and fuel. 

OSE is continuing to partner with community-based organizations to distribute the vouchers, focusing on recently displaced workers who are unable to access other forms of government aid due to structural or institutional barriers, like language barriers, fear of deportation, or experiencing gender-based violence. Partner organizations include: Asian Counseling and Referral Services, API Chaya, Casa Latina, Entre Hermanos, Fair Work Center, Ingersoll Gender Center, Lake City Collective, Providence Regina House, Refugee Women’s Alliance, United Indians of All Tribes, Villa Comunitaria, and West African Community Council. Partner organizations are determining voucher recipients based on the lists of clients and households they support in their work.

There are many efforts via the City, state, and nonprofit agencies to help ensure food security and access during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City’s Human Services Department (HSD) put together this interactive Food Resource Map to help residents find available food resources in their neighborhood. In addition, residents can visit the City’s comprehensive COVID-19 resource website for a compilation of food resources and information on how to access those resources.

Recognizing Earth Day This Year

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This month marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Typically, people all over world come together on April 22 in celebration, action, and activism on behalf of improving and protecting our natural resources and making the world a better place. Earth Day will feel very different this year. But the underlying motivation that connects us on Earth Day—improving the lives of people and the planet—is stronger than ever. 

Twenty million people across the globe came together to celebrate the first Earth Day in 1970, the year after we got our first glimpse of our home from outer space. That vision changed the way many people thought about this beautiful planet we all share and launched the beginning of many environmental accomplishments. The Environmental Protection Agency was created later that same year, and Earth Day is also largely credited with marshalling public support for the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws. Another fun fact: Seattle resident Denis Hayes was one of the original founders of Earth Day! You can learn more about the history of Earth Day here.

Earth Day is an excellent example of the power of grassroots support and organizing. As we are now moving into the second month of the COVID-19 response many of us are thinking about what our city will look like when we emerge from this crisis. We have an immense opportunity to tap into the same collective energy and focus that made Earth Day so successful and use it to transform our community for the better. Working together, we can grow and amplify the community support and goodwill that has risen during this crisis while addressing the deep and systemic racial inequities that resulted in so many of our neighbors being so vulnerable at this time.

During this “Earth Month”, we invite all Seattleites to take action to protect and improve our environment. There are countless things you can be doing as an individual or as a family—even during this time of physical isolation—that will have notable impact. We’ll be sharing suggestions throughout this month how we can continue to work together for the good of our community.  

We are also challenging ourselves to think through how we can use this disruption to commit to the systematic change needed in order to reduce the profound racial and environmental inequities that still exist in our communities and invite you to do the same. We welcome your thoughts on how we create a new path forward.

Emergency Food Vouchers to Support Displaced Workers and Those in Need During COVID-19

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The City of Seattle is taking steps to help residents who may be experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The City is contributing $5 million to provide emergency food vouchers to approximately 6,250 families currently participating in city-supported childcare and food assistance programs.

In partnership with the United Way of King County, the City recently expanded the grocery voucher program to  support workers who have recently lost their jobs or face a significant reduction in hours due to the COVID-19.

See below for answers to frequently asked questions and information about the current and expanded voucher program.

For translated materials, please view:
Spanish / Español
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Korean / 한국어
Somali / af Soomaali
Chinese / 繁體中文
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Tigrinya / ትግርኛ
Oromo / Afaan Oromoo

Who is Eligible to Receive these Vouchers?

The Office of Sustainability and Environment is coordinating directly with other City departments to identify those who may be most in need. In the initial phase of the grocery voucher program, vouchers were sent to people currently enrolled in City-supported childcare and food assistance programs.

The City expanded eligibility in mid-April to include working people who have recently lost their job or experienced a significant reduction in hours due to COVID-19. This expansion is in partnership with community-based organizations and will initially provide 1,000 workers impacted by COVID-19 with vouchers that can immediately be used at any Washington state Safeway store. 

Food emergency vouchers are one of many resources available to support those in need. Please explore other resources across our community during this time of need by visiting the City of Seattle Mayor’s COVID-19 community resources and Public Health Seattle King County emergency resources. 

Eligibility Through City Childcare and Food Assistance Programs:

What if I am not currently enrolled in City-supported child care and food assistance programs?
If you are not currently enrolled in City-supported childcare and food assistance programs and still need support, you can access other food benefits. For example, meals are being served in a daily basis at different public schools and local foodbanks are still serving their constituents in different ways.  For more information on these and other services visit www.seattle.gov/covid-19.

Does SNAP/EBT/Basic Food (food stamp) participation mean I will receive these benefits?
Participating in SNAP (or receiving food stamps) does not mean you will automatically receive Emergency Food Vouchers. Presently, we are serving 6,250 families who are enrolled in some City-supported child care and City-supported food assistance programs. If we get more funding to expand the program more widely, more information will become available at www.seattle.gov/covid-19.

How long will these vouchers be available? 
There will be two mailings of vouchers, with the first batch available for use until April 30, 2020, and the second batch available for use until May 31, 2020. The total amount will be $800 in vouchers over 8 weeks. 

How is this funded? 
The City of Seattle has committed $5 million to support this program, which will provide 8 weeks of groceries for 6,250 families in need. Our goal is to raise an additional $15 million, so that the program can meet the grocery needs of 25,000 families. Assuming 4 people per family, this will provide two months of groceries for 100,000 Seattle residents. 

Displaced Worker Voucher Expansion (updated April 20, 2020):

Who are the community-based organizations partnering on this effort? 
United Way of King County is partnering with local organizations to get vouchers to those who have recently lost their jobs or face a significant reduction in hours due to COVID-19. The following community-based organizations to distribute the vouchers: Asian Counseling and Referral Services, API Chaya, Casa Latina, Entre Hermanos, Fair Work Center, Ingersoll Gender Center, Lake City Collective, Providence Regina House, Refugee Women’s Alliance, United Indians of All Tribes, Villa Comunitaria, and West African Community Council.  

Why were these organizations chosen?  
These organizations have deep ties to the communities they serve. The organizations are focused on distributing the vouchers to recently displaced workers who are unable to access other forms of government aid due to structural or institutional barriers, like language barriers, fear of deportation, or experiencing domestic violence. Due to their longstanding trust and support amongst their community, they can get this support out quickly into the hands of residents who have been unable to access other forms of assistance during this crisis.  

How is this funded? 
The funding is coming from a variety of private sources, allowing us to serve 1,000 impacted and displaced workers who are unable to access traditional government aid at this time. The City will continue to fundraise with the goal of providing 2,000 total recently displaced workers these grocery vouchers. This is in addition the $5 million the City of Seattle committed to help 6,250 families.  

How long will these vouchers be available? 
Each recipient will receive two sets of vouchers, for a total of $800 in vouchers over 8 weeks. Participants will receive their first set of vouchers for use until May 31, 2020, and the second batch available for use until June 30, 2020.  

More Information about the Grocery Vouchers

How do the vouchers work? 
Customers can use these vouchers (up to 20 vouchers in one transaction) just as they would cash at any Washington Safeway store. Customers will present these vouchers to the cashier at check out and need to enter their Safeway Club Card number in order for the voucher discount to be applied to the transaction. Vouchers are not able to be used for transactions in self check-out lanes. No change is given for purchases less than the voucher value. Vouchers are non-transferable and void if copied. Lost or stolen vouchers cannot be replaced. 

What products are covered? 
These vouchers can be used to purchase any item at Safeway except for tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets, gift cards, or fuel.  

Can I contribute to support this program? 
Thank you for wanting to support this program! We are currently working with businesses and the philanthropic community to secure additional funding for this program. The United Way of King County has also set up a Community Relief Fund that will rapidly deploy resources to community-based organizations at the frontlines of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Puget Sound region. This fund can accept donations of any amount.

What if I’ve received vouchers but don’t want them? 
If you believe you’ve received these vouchers in error, or do not want to receive additional vouchers, please email SeaFoodVoucher@seattle.gov or call 206-684-CITY (2489) to opt-out.   

What if I am too sick or need to be quarantined and can’t shop? 
Emergency Food Vouchers can only be used for in-store purchases. If you are an emergency food voucher recipient who is quarantined or unable to get to a grocery store due to COVID-related concerns, please call 206-684-CITY to request grocery delivery services. 

More information about additional community, county, and state resources for residents impacted by COVID-19 is available here: http://www.seattle.gov/covid-19. If you still have questions, please call 206-684-CITY. 

Six Reasons to Make the Switch and Ditch Your Dirty Oil!

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If you are still using oil to heat your home, there has never been a better time to make the switch to the ‘clean heat’ of a heat pump. The City of Seattle is offering a rebate up to $1,500 to switch to an eligible energy-efficient heat pump system! Here are six reasons why now is the best time to make the switch:

  • Heating oil is dirty. Burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change and air pollution. In addition, underground oil tanks leak over time and can contaminate soil and groundwater, contributing to pollution of our water system and the Puget Sound.
  • Heating oil is expensive. Additionally, people who use oil to heat their homes most often have to pay for a full heating season’s worth of oil all at one time. Heat pumps cut your overall heating costs by about 50%!
  • Heat pumps are adaptable to year-round comfort, which includes air-conditioning! Since you need to heat your home in the winter anyway, why not invest in a system that provides air-conditioning too? No more muggy nights this summer!
  • Seattle’s electricity is local and cleanly sourced. Did you know that Seattle City Light provides carbon neutral electricity?
  • The off-season is the best time to install a heat pump. The heating season is the busiest season for contractors – by installing a heat pump in the off-season you have more time to get additional bids and to coordinate your project – plus you’ll be well prepared when next winter arrives.
  • Additional rebates! Once you’ve switched to clean electricity to heat and cool your home, you might be eligible for Seattle City Light’s insulation and window rebates!

For more information about the City of Seattle’s Oil Conversion Rebate Program visit www.NoMoreOilHeat.com or contact Christine Bunch, Christine.bunch@seattle.gov, 206-615-1633

Environmental Justice Leadership Spotlight: Melissa Watkinson

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A citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and descendant of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Melissa Watkinson partnered with the Urban Indian Health Institute during her first year on the Environmental Justice Committee, serving as Co-Chair her following years as a community liaison. She currently works at Washington Sea Grant as a social scientist.

What motivates you in your work in the environmental justice sphere?

I grew up here in Washington State, in both Yakima and Puyallup, and with family who are members of the Upper Skagit Tribe. Marine foods, like salmon and crab, have always been vital to my family when we gather. Over the last decade or so, when we go to harvest these foods, they’ve become harder to obtain. When I moved to Seattle after high school and began building my community in the area, I started learning how other people and communities are affected by environmental injustices. Even when I was living in Seattle, being surrounded by water, accessing the environment and traditional foods was not always easy. Going off this, working on addressing the environmental changes that I have observed affecting my community and the Native community overall became a big motivation to me.

What does environmental leadership look like to you?

Environmental leadership is embodied in a person or group of people who work towards creating space and bringing new voices into policy-making arenas, so that environmental work is not only supporting the dominant culture in a society, but recognizing the reality of environmental racism and that those most impacted need to be able to participate and lead in decision-making.

How has your background prepared you for a leadership role within EJC?

Initially, when I started my education, I focused on international affairs and human rights. After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, my grandmother passed away, and the one thing I remember her telling me regarding my undergrad career was that “our people need help, too.” Although it was difficult to confront the hardships and inequities that some of my family has faced over the years, as a consequence of what I now know is a result of inter-generational trauma, I decided to work with and on behalf of Native peoples. When I went to graduate school, I started working with one of our coastal tribes here in Washington state, focusing on the impacts of climate change affecting that community. Through that process, I learned a lot about how the histories of colonization and settler colonialism have affected tribes’ abilities to cope with environmental changes, including displacement caused by sea level rise, lack of funding and historic assimilation policies affecting the ability to develop infrastructure, or the ability to adapt to the loss of salmon and other traditional foods. This really drove my work in environmental justice, and being active with the Seattle urban Native community, I wanted to be able to bring a Native perspective to the EJC. I don’t believe, nor do I expect, that I represent all people within the community, but I work to ensure that I bring a perspective that reflects other Native voices.

Can you share a highlight from your work with the EJC in the past couple years?

One of the priorities I hoped to address, in addition to elevating voices and priorities of other EJC members, is the recognition of Indigenous peoples in Seattle, along with working to increase access to traditional and first foods. The EJC worked with Carina del Rosario, a Seattle-based visual artist, who developed a community-led project focused on addressing those issues. She worked closely with the Muckleshoot Cultural Committee, who led the Muckleshoot TEKnology Expo back in May. The intention was to bring in City department leaders and the Mayor’s office, along with City Council members to learn about the importance of acknowledging tribes and first food access throughout the Seattle area. It initiated difficult, but critical conversations within the City and the Mayor’s office, and the EJC is continuing its work to learn and acknowledge how to support the multiple Indigenous peoples and area Tribes in environmental justice work in the greater Seattle area.

What are you looking forward to in your next year’s work outside of the EJC?

I am now an alumni member of the EJC, and we are currently wrapping up a recruitment process for new EJC members, so I’m excited about the opportunity to create new space for different voices to be leading on the Committee. This will broaden the collective perspectives of the EJC, ultimately influencing policy within the City of Seattle. As it grows, the EJC continues to deepen its connection across communities of color in Seattle, keeping the momentum that the committee has gathered thus far. I’m excited to see how the EJC’s work will continue to shape city policy in upcoming years!

This article is part of the series: “EJC Spotlight”- highlighting the backgrounds and work of current and former Environmental Justice Committee (EJC) members. Since 2017, the EJC has striven to uplift those most impacted by environmental inequities and center community needs in the City’s environmental efforts while building partnerships between community organizations and local government. This interview series is being conducted by Karen Bosshart, a UW Program on the Environment student and current intern at OSE.

Seeking Youth Climate Leaders!

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If you are a young person who is passionate about working on climate change and climate justice, consider applying for the Mayor’s Youth Climate Council. Applications are now open. Deadline to apply is Thursday, January 30, 4 pm.

Climate change is the single biggest threat to our future, and young people all over the world, including in Seattle, are leading the response. To honor that leadership, the Mayor Durkan is creating an opportunity for young leaders to continue building their own capacity as advocates, shape new ideas for policies and programs to stem the climate crisis, and offer feedback on existing City policies and programs.

The Council will actively collaborate with other City Committees, Boards, and Commissions that are advancing environmental justice and will serve as a model for partnership between young leaders and climate mayors throughout the country. 

Participants will be selected through an application and interview process and will meet 8 times per calendar year. Expected time commitment is approximately 5 hours per month. Members will serve 2-year terms unless they cease to reside within Seattle city limits. Meetings will consist of student-led discussions and speakers on important topics.

More information about the requirements and expectations are detailed in the application form.

The application is online, but you can download a PDF to review the questions beforehand. We can only accept online applications for these positions. For questions, please contact Paul Quinonez-Figueroa, 206.256.6199