The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle’s community assembly participants. Photo courtesy of People’s Economy Lab. People in Seattle experience climate change in different ways. Low-income and communities of color are hit first and worst by flooding and air pollution. Many frontline workers spend long hours in extreme heat and then make several transit connections to get home.
To address these issues head on, we have been supporting new “community assemblies” to lift the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities and frontline workers. These forums bring people together to share their lived experiences with climate change and ideas for solutions.
In 2024, People’s Economy Lab, an economic justice organization, helped us host a series of climate community assemblies. The meetings included union members and workers, community members, and social justice and youth advocates to make decisions, influence government, and shape solutions.
We’re excited to announce a unique report that shares their vision of a just, climate-ready Seattle.
The Partnerships Powering the Work
In 2024, we partnered with Seattle’s Green New Deal Oversight Board, the Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council (MLK Labor), and the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, to pilot community assemblies in Seattle for the first time.
The Urban League’s neighborhood-based assembly focused on climate preparedness for BIPOC and working-class community members. The civil rights organization works to improve the well-being of communities of color through advocacy, programming, and community capacity-building.
MLK Labor, a labor council representing more than 100,000 workers in King County, led a worker-focused assembly. The forum focused on workplace safety, green job standards, and improving public infrastructure to be ready for extreme weather.
What We Heard: Community Priorities
Across both assemblies, community members shared a clear vision for a fair Seattle that is ready for climate impacts. They imagined a future where communities and workers help guide Seattle toward greener, more affordable neighborhoods and a fair economy. Their priorities included:
- Community Leadership: Helping communities lead decisions and have more control.
- Cultural and Social Belonging: Honoring cultural identity and social connection as essential parts of climate resilience and justice.
- Climate-Ready Labor and Workforce Equity: Ensuring frontline workers are protected and prioritized in the shift to a green economy.
- Resilience Infrastructure and Community Protection: Investing in place-based infrastructure and systems that protect communities during extreme weather.
The report presents recommendations for addressing climate change by investing and working with communities, workers, and government. The People’s Economy Lab also shared their community assembly process, community feedback, and collective recommendations on their website last month.
What’s Next
Next, People’s Economy Lab will use the assembly ideas to create real policies through a new project funded supported by Seattle’s Environmental Justice Fund. The EJ Fund invests in a range of community-led programs covering climate change adaptation, education, youth leadership, and more.
And we’re partnering with amazing organizations to host even more community assemblies to shape Seattle’s Climate Action Plan Update. Learn about our most recent assemblies with youth at The Washington Bus and Indigenous leaders with sləp̓iləbəxʷ (Rising Tides) on our blog. Stay tuned for future assembly reports and opportunities to get involved with the Climate Action Plan by subscribing to OSE’s newsletter!
Community assemblies are supported by Seattle’s JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax, a local revenue source that supports Green New Deal initiatives. City departments work with Seattle’s Green New Deal Oversight Board on equitable climate actions in alignment with the Green New Deal and community priorities and needs.