My Voice Matters, and So Does Yours

“It is entirely unacceptable that I should have no voice in the political affairs of my own country, for I am not a ward of America; I am one of the first Americans to arrive on these shores."

-   James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time

Of all the things I dreamed of becoming as a child, I never imagined a career that touched public policy and politics.

I didn’t know or see people in my neighborhood that did that for a living. Sure, I heard enough at family gatherings to know there was something special about a “good government job” but that was about it. And while I had a sense that having a government job could provide a good life for you and your family, I also was painfully aware of the frustrating and, sometimes, demoralizing experiences folks had interfacing with government systems. I knew there was a general distrust of government and a sense that despite who held elected office, the material conditions of our community never really seemed to change.

Fast forward through childhood and I find myself in a career focused on public policy in my early twenties. I was hired at a large social service organization as a government grant writer. They had a government affairs program that was dormant and offered me the opportunity to manage it if I could figure out how.

Well, I did and the rest is history.

I spent nearly a decade as a lobbyist, and it taught me several important lessons. Like, whether we recognize it, the policy decisions that play out in government impact every facet of our lives. While I deeply understand the sentiment that causes some to feel that their voice and vote do not matter, the fact is they do. Because if they did not, we would not experience the level of voter disenfranchisement and suppression that has defined our country since Black people and women were first given the right to cast a ballot.

We matter more than some would want us to know.

Also, public policy comes down to choices and power. Choices made by those in power on what matters or does not. Choices and collective power of everyday people to agree or disagree with the policy decisions that government leaders make.

While I grew up with a certain understanding of why my people did not vote or engage in the civic process, once I got into a political career, I was able to see things more clearly than I did as a child. I had deeper appreciation for the women in my community who were active in the Parent Teacher Association and at school board meetings. I became more in tune to how the neighborhood library doubled as the spot for community meetings hosted by our city council person and the colorfulness that would ensue if city services were not delivered at the level of quality folks felt were due to them as taxpaying citizens.

These residents, my neighbors, were a living embodiment of James Baldwin’s words about the unacceptable nature of excluding our voices from the affairs that govern where and how we live.

And what has resonated deeply with me for much of my career – philanthropy and public policy advocacy can be powerful tools for change.

I believe this even more, as the current chapter of my career allows me to work at the intersection of both. My time in philanthropy in Ohio was an incredible moment to invest in nonprofit organizations across the state who were fighting for a more representative democracy. As the leader of Seattle Foundation, I continue this effort with a talented team and network of community-based organizations that are working to not just bolster the power of voting but to also deepen what it means for us to be engaged and informed of the important issues that impact our communities.

All of this is top of mind for me as I prepare for my first major election as a newish Washingtonian. Voter turnout in 2023 was the lowest on record for a general election in the state’s history. While it was an off-election year, it was still one where many locally elected positions – from school board to city council – were up for consideration. Persons elected to these positions make critical policy decisions about how we address the homelessness crisis, public safety, and much more.

This year, there will be state-wide initiatives on the ballot with huge implications for the resources that flow into our communities to fund important things like education and public transit. It’s the kind of election that will determine the trajectory of our community for years to come. Given this is also a presidential election year, turn out in Washington is expected to be higher.

Even so, I would argue that we all have important work to do in the coming months to be invested in the affairs of our community.

We must make the time and effort to research and understand the issues we will be asked to vote on this spring during the primary and this fall during the general election. KUOW, our local public radio station, and their podcast, Seattle Now, have become important go-to sources for me to learn so much about the key issues in the Seattle region and election matters.

Once we get informed, we must encourage our friends and neighbors to do the same. At this point, I’m sure the people in my life are sick of the many Seattle Now podcast episodes I have shared with them, but what they won’t be able to say is that I didn’t share.

It’s important for us – especially those of us in philanthropy – to invest in the nonprofits doing critical civic engagement work in our communities like the Washington Community Alliance, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, and Washington Bus – organizations we recently featured for their democracy building efforts. These leaders are among many who are working tirelessly to ensure we have access to fair and balanced information so we can make informed decisions on the ballot.

I am grateful for these organizations along with the elders, young people, and organizers who continue to give life to the power that everyday people have. People like my family and neighbors in my hometown. They reflect the voice and value we all hold. They show us what is possible for our democracy. Remember them when you vote this year.