Political shake-up in Seattle City Council from Latinos who overcame obstacles

*There’s an election shake-up in Seattle to report. Two Latinas are the first to be elected to the city council, but the effect is wider than that. Latinos are making significant gains in Pacific Northwest elections. VL


seattle-times-logo-squareBy Blanca Torres, Seattle Times

Last week’s election ushered in the first Latino presence on the Seattle City Council signaling progress for women and people of color that is long overdue.

Forget diversity, it’s time to talk about inclusion, says Lorena González, one of the first two Latinas to be elected to the Seattle City Council.

[pullquote]In Yakima, where a federal mandate required the city to adopt district elections, Latina candidates won three City Council seats, including one in a non-Latino majority district.[/pullquote]

Inclusion in politics doesn’t just mean electing more people of color to office. It means opening the gates to anyone who wants a fair shot.

[tweet_dis]For Latinos in Washington, last week’s election marks a historic moment[/tweet_dis], signaling that type of inclusion is happening. Cities such as Seattle, Renton, Yakima and Prosser elected Latino city council members for the first time, demonstrating that the state’s fast-growing Latino population is finally expanding its political influence.

Click HERE to read the full story.


[Photo via Elect Lorena Gonzalez Facebook]

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