Thread by @TheUrbanAce

Ok thread for Urban Indian and a Green New Deal for Seattle Candidate Forum starts now! #UrbanIndianForum #seattle #climatecrisis

(a thread)

Co hosts with: @kexp Grist @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle and sponsor @mithun_design with many others

This is being live streamed on King5 and can be found on facebook!

#Seattle #UrbanIndianForum

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design A land acknowledge and a song from the Chief Seattle Club to begin. #UrbanIndianForum

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Three 30-minute segments with opening statements and then questions for each candidate. Rebuttals are allowed if a candidate is critiqued/invoked by their opponent. We will start with Districts 1 and 7!

#UrbanIndianForum #seattle

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Opening statements in the perspective of the Urban Indian Experience and a Green New Deal for Seattle.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Herbold talking about her past in environmental work while living in NY and being on the committee of the Seattle Public Utilities group while currently serving.

(less about what she would do and more about what her past is)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Phil Tavel making comments around respectability politics...

Discussing growing up in a home of two scientists and saying that we are in a "damage control mode" in regards to addressing the crisis

- Green Building Standards
- Environmental Fleets
- Higher Recycling Standards

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Phil acknowledging that the Duwamish live in D1.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Andrew: the issues faced by urban indians and the climate crisis are intrinsically linked.

Promoting:
- Blue Carbon Initiative
- New sustainable bldg materials (CLT)
- Community-made decisions
- A Green New Deal for expanding public life

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Jim Pugel (D7)

Acknowledging the link between the degradation of the environment and the Native American experience in the US. Disproportionate impacts that he has experienced firsthand as a former police officer. Working with experts like NOAA, UW, and the Port of Seattle.

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Climate policy Q for Andrew Lewis: expanding the use of CLT in our environment

(for everyone at home, with the new bldg code in 2020, CLT will be allowed to used for higher buildings in the state of Washington. Lewis doesn't have to do anything...)

good for the local economy

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Pugel: priority would be introducing the Green Janitor Program and converting police cars to electric cars. (feels a little greenwashy to me, but still needed I guess)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Herbold about what she has been working on: stormwater infrastructure, electrification for public vehicles including garbage and recycling trucks , and permitting with rideshare to convert those vehicles to electric.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Tavel: wants to fund education programs so that the new green jobs created can be taken by local residents

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Next question: how to address the homelessness experience for Urban Natives.

Herbold first: one thing is increasing funding, a second is to use community preference to encourage right-of-return through non-profit providers.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Tavel: 'We never paid back the Native Americans for the land we took.' (more or less what he said)

Says we need to build housing specifically for the Duwamish community. (lots of applause)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Tavel: As a collective we haven't moved fast enough on homelessness, expedite permitting, use the state provision to convert public land to low-income and affordable housing. Talking about the Opportunity Zone dev happening in Pioneer Square (...)
#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Lewis: before the park and the fort, that land was Coast Salish. That we need to replicate more projects like Fort Lawton across the city to address homelessness for Native pop.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design Erica from @sunrisemvmt asking a Q:

What are you going to do to cut transportation emissions 20% in a year and 20% more every year after that?

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Pugel: Would listen to the experts

Density on routes that are served by public transit (o rly)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Andrew Lewis: we have to defeat Tim Eyman's I-967
(big applause)
we also need the transportation benefit district and to expand it to that last 1/3 of households not currently within frequent transit

(hehehe)
#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Me internally:

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Herbold: (basically Orca For All), also need to more around transit-oriented development with reserved units for very low income households. We need to address that we have pushed people out in getting people to live near their jobs.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Tavel: defeat Tim Eyman's bill, electrify the fleet, move building standards up, talk to UW and experts

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt (y'all this is like lightning rounds)

Next Q from community (and I didn't) United Indians of All Tribes Foundation: it's about the consent decree.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt How would you address bias in the police force?

Andrew first: big supporter of strong civilian oversight that is independent, commit to inquest factors (I don't know about this)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Pugel (former cop): recruit properly and train properly, he advocated for I-940 on addressing crises, get us into compliance as quickly as possible, toting his endorsement by Equal Rights Washington.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Tavel: make sure accountability is real and meaningful, and for the oversight board to representation of those who are disproportionately affected (basically more black and brown people)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Herbold: there's a lot of work to be done in addition to the oversight board, the consent decree is clear and things like the accountability ordinance is upheld, we also need to get at implicit bias.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Rapid response questions (my fingers!)

median income of Seattle: 93,000

(holy crap.)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt (for everyone at home, my last job not on my own as a licensed professional I made $63,000)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt now we're onto fluff questions

Pugel saying we can't convert our parks into something else. (wonder what he's referring to...)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Now we're going to listen to districts 2, 4, and 5!

shout out to brown nerds!

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Ann Satler from D5 is absent

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Opening statements~

Tammy: three defining challenges of our generation
- racial injustices
- wealth inequality
- climate change

intertwined

(Tammy is saying too many good things for me to get it all, I apologize)

Progressive leaders focused on community cohesion are needed

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Solomon: preserve what we have and make what we have better.

(speaking a lot of platitudes but not a lot of actionable policy points)

Addressing injustices systemically and that it's just us (eh...)
All of us working together in partnership

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Pedersen: (came with a written statement)
green jobs should be great jobs, environmental justice acknowledgement, do the right thing the right way, now going through a list of endorsements

(similar to Solomon, lots of platitudes)
(shout out to Alex for actually showing up!)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Juarez: I have never been to a campaign event that I have never seen my own people, and a trial lawyer in US v. WA.

Before the Green New Deals, we had treaties. 29 tribes of the state with 16 on the coast. Amazing to see HR 109 has the same goals of the treaties in the past.

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Shaun: discussing the expulsion of Natives from the city when it was founded. If we are not actively calling out racism and past injustices, we will only reproduce it. We don't think it's about individual choices, it's going to take big structural change.

#UrbanIndianForum

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt What percentage of the city needs to be rezoned to address the needs for housing and to create TODs?

Pedersen first: touting his history of HUD, chatting about Urban Villages and continuing to concentrate growth there (ugh)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Shaun: talking about how Alex didn't support ST3 and the Move Seattle Levy. He supports comprehensive changes. It's a Seattle form of Jim Crow.

More density and more social and public housing across the entire city.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND #yasss

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Tammy: how to be address our need for housing? We need to build some affordable housing. We need to mitigate for displacement and more investments for permanent supportive housing. Every district needs to be absorbing affordable housing.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND #slay

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Solomon (D2): a place where he and Tammy are in complete agreement and wants to increase MHA from 8-10% to 25%

Juarez (D5): we are trying to right a historical wrong (in regards to density and investments)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Issues around the violence Native women experience in the city. Question: what specific measure would you put forward to help the victims of those crimes and those who have gone missing.

Juarez: we are creating a position within the city that is specifically addressing this.

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Solomon: I would be championing and following the lead of CM Jaurez and working with those who helped put this together. The one thing I've learned is that your story is not being told and so visibility and awareness are key.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Tammy Morales: addressing the issue of white men being able to go on tribal land and commit crimes with the knowledge they can't be tried in tribal courts. Committing to funding and staffing to address these problems.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Shaun: listened to those who have experienced this violence and heard things like expansion of community service officer program

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Pedersen: (he said some things about policing and I wasn't listening)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Community questions: Q - a benefit from the treaties is supposed to be healthcare. Federal Trust Response. 71% of Indians are living in cities.

How can the city address the health and well-being of Native people people?

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Tammy (D2): would make sure data that is being collected is meaningful, as there is currently missing data and invisibility of the community, and ensure community healthcare system needs to be supported more, including funding.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Mark (D2): more resources and ensuring Native people are at the table in decisions around funding.

Pedersen (D4): center the voices of the Native pop., expand unions

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Shaun (going in on Pedersen): wants to create a freelancer's bill of rights, including healthcare. Something we don't talk a lot about mental health of our communities of color and what role housing insecurity plays in that.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Juarez: it isn't just about money, it's about addressing and teaching non-Natives about historical trauma and the role that plays in health issues
(Juarez discussing respectfulness when acknowledging the land)

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Got Green question: how do you plan to follow the lead of frontline communities?

Shaun: there are forms of inequity and environmental racism happening that needs to be addressed and make sure those groups are at the table

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Juarez (D5): through a racial and social justice lens (lots of good things)

Pedersen (D4): talking about the board created through the Green New Deal and need for that board to hold candidates accountable (basically telling black and brown people to do the work?)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Solomon (D2): (tldr listen)

Tammy (D2): that's what i've been doing, working on a common anti-displacement strategy for the city, running to make sure that frontline communities has a voice at the city. Who has land matters and we cannot continue the Urban VIllage strategy.

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt fluff questions~

(gonna take a minibreak)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt tough final question! natural gas ban for all new construction:

Shaun: yes
Juarez: needs data
Alex: needs data
Solomon: needs data
Tammy: yes, it needs some work but yes

(#SeattleProcess)
#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Opening statements for D3 and D6-

Egan: climate crisis is the defining moment of our time. His experience living in SE Alaska and interacting with Native pops, have to act with urgency and a just transition. Big items are buildings and transportation.

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Sawant: discussing her work around Indigenous Peoples' Day and other achievements

800-lb gorrilla - what's at stake, who gets to run Seattle? The biggest challenges to climate change are big oil and big business.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Heidi: discussing her family and their experiences of climate grief. Asking for Zero Waste, Universal transit is needed, and previous actions while on the council.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Dan Strauss: sustainable and equitable community, centering the conversations around black/brown people, (he is reeling off lots of good things and I can't catch it all), we don't need to wait for fed govt to act on things our indigenous pops have been telling us for decades

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt What steps have / will you take to engage Native populations?

Kshama: talking about her work in partnering with the indigenous community and allowing them to lead on things like IP Day. Emphasizing grassroots.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Egan: we have to build capacity within those communities to be able to work. Not just a space at the table but the "whole damn table."

(my mind below)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Heidi: the people within those communities know what they need most and best so we need to take a backseat to them. Important to empower them.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Dan: says the Chief Seattle Club has the best relocation policy in the city and it's important to follow and learn how to be the best ally for those groups.

(pretty much everyone except Kshama got a lukewarm clap)
#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Q: what are your plans to get us to decarbonize by 2030?

Egan: two biggest areas are around transportation and buildings, city fleet and TNC electrified by 2025 and the remainder of the fleet by 2030. (basically just relying solely on electrification.) On housing, green bldg

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Kshama: we need:

- free transit
- green building
- green energy retrofitting
- publicly owned and affordable social housing
- AND progressive taxing to pay for it

Kshama is DRAGGGING Egan right now.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Strauss: it's all about big, bold solutions.
- connected bus-only lane system
- green building, including solar readiness
- moving away from fossil fuels
- getting the natural gas ban in place while protecting union jobs

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Heidi:
- biggest thing is no on I-976
- universal transit (I think that means free)
- electrify transit
- more ped and bike infrastructure
- look at congestion pricing

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Which revenue raising element would you use to pay for the shift to carbon neutrality that we need to do

(D6)
Heidi: congestion pricing
Dan: yes to that, open to all revenue sources and we need to shift away from relying on property and sales tax

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt (D3)
Kshama: need to build a movement around things like the HEAD Tax, high earners income tax , is our city council willing to push for progressive revenue source

Egan: we won't get it from working and middle income earners talking about living in the CD and seeing displacement

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt (Egan just basically said he's a gentrifier without saying that he's a gentrifier)

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Kshama touting projects like the Liberty Bank Building as a way of both providing housing and incorporate Native art.

Heidi saying the building that Chief Seattle Club is making is important. Dan agreeing and saying it's about inspired Native art versus Native inspired.

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Egan saying to provide more opportunities for Native art to happen.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt fluff question~

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt Do you support Indigenous permaculture projects?

Everyone saying absolutely, Kshama making a point of noting who owns the land is key to even having this conversation.

#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND

@kexp @350_Seattle @gotgreenseattle @mithun_design @sunrisemvmt And we're done!

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#UrbanIndianForum #Seattle #GND