Raw .srt transcript file as collected from the source layer.
1 00:00:01,268 --> 00:00:08,075 ♪♪ 2 00:00:08,075 --> 00:00:14,848 ♪♪ 3 00:00:14,848 --> 00:00:17,050 -Good morning. Good morning, everyone. 4 00:00:17,050 --> 00:00:19,086 -Good morning. -Good. 5 00:00:19,086 --> 00:00:21,255 Thank you all for joining us today. 6 00:00:21,255 --> 00:00:22,990 I want to first start -- 7 00:00:22,990 --> 00:00:26,260 I'm going to start first by thanking Mayor hero, 8 00:00:26,260 --> 00:00:27,895 not just for adjusting my mic, 9 00:00:27,895 --> 00:00:30,697 but for his leadership 10 00:00:30,697 --> 00:00:34,935 and his commitment to Seattle's children and families. 11 00:00:34,935 --> 00:00:36,870 My name is Dwane Chappelle. 12 00:00:36,870 --> 00:00:38,438 I'm the proud Director of the Department of Education 13 00:00:38,438 --> 00:00:40,474 and Early Learning. 14 00:00:40,474 --> 00:00:44,144 I also want to thank the amazing team here at Tiny Tots 15 00:00:44,144 --> 00:00:45,879 for hosting us today. 16 00:00:45,879 --> 00:00:47,648 And let's give them a round of applause. 17 00:00:47,648 --> 00:00:50,984 [ Applause ] 18 00:00:50,984 --> 00:00:54,221 And the Odessa Brown's Children's Clinic, 19 00:00:54,221 --> 00:00:56,123 which is right upstairs. 20 00:00:56,123 --> 00:01:02,996 I also must acknowledge our city staff, our educators, 21 00:01:02,996 --> 00:01:05,299 and community partners, 22 00:01:05,299 --> 00:01:11,171 this moment is possible because of your shared dedication. 23 00:01:11,171 --> 00:01:13,040 Since 2018, 24 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,742 the citizens of Seattle have shown their commitment 25 00:01:15,742 --> 00:01:20,914 to the children of our community by passing the FEPP Levy. 26 00:01:20,914 --> 00:01:23,483 To date, that commitment has helped 27 00:01:23,483 --> 00:01:27,921 more than 70,000 young people across the city. 28 00:01:27,921 --> 00:01:30,824 That's right. 29 00:01:30,824 --> 00:01:34,194 70,000 young people across the city access 30 00:01:34,194 --> 00:01:37,931 high-quality life-shaping opportunities. 31 00:01:37,931 --> 00:01:41,768 Today marks the next step in that commitment 32 00:01:41,768 --> 00:01:45,038 as we launch the next phase of that commitment 33 00:01:45,038 --> 00:01:48,108 with the Every Child Ready initiative. 34 00:01:48,108 --> 00:01:53,146 This is a commitment to ensure every child in Seattle 35 00:01:53,146 --> 00:01:56,650 is ready to start for kindergarten, 36 00:01:56,650 --> 00:02:00,587 every child is ready to start learning in K-12, 37 00:02:00,587 --> 00:02:03,957 and it's also to ensure every start is ready to launch -- 38 00:02:03,957 --> 00:02:09,763 every child is ready to launch into college and careers. 39 00:02:09,763 --> 00:02:12,099 This bold new investment strategy 40 00:02:12,099 --> 00:02:14,768 that reflects what we know to be true, 41 00:02:14,768 --> 00:02:18,739 which is the earliest years of a child's life 42 00:02:18,739 --> 00:02:20,807 are the foundational. 43 00:02:20,807 --> 00:02:24,244 The more we can do to ensure every child is set up 44 00:02:24,244 --> 00:02:27,781 for success before they start school, 45 00:02:27,781 --> 00:02:33,020 the greater the impact we will have on the rest of their life. 46 00:02:33,020 --> 00:02:37,224 Every Child Ready initiative ensures that more families, 47 00:02:37,224 --> 00:02:40,861 especially those who don't qualify for federal 48 00:02:40,861 --> 00:02:44,431 or state funding but still need support, 49 00:02:44,431 --> 00:02:48,802 can access free or affordable childcare and preschool. 50 00:02:48,802 --> 00:02:52,506 That includes extended daycare for working families, 51 00:02:52,506 --> 00:02:55,642 services for children experiencing homelessness, 52 00:02:55,642 --> 00:03:00,747 and culturally responsive early learning rooted in community. 53 00:03:00,747 --> 00:03:03,584 But this initiative is also something bigger, 54 00:03:03,584 --> 00:03:06,653 addressing the entire continuum of support 55 00:03:06,653 --> 00:03:08,488 that spans through a child's 56 00:03:08,488 --> 00:03:13,227 entire educational journey in our community, 57 00:03:13,227 --> 00:03:16,029 from free preschool and childcare 58 00:03:16,029 --> 00:03:19,266 to K-12 enrichment and health supports, 59 00:03:19,266 --> 00:03:24,304 and tuition-free college through the Seattle Promise. 60 00:03:24,304 --> 00:03:26,139 That's right. 61 00:03:26,139 --> 00:03:29,977 Every Child Ready is about creating a strong, 62 00:03:29,977 --> 00:03:32,946 seamless pathway for every child 63 00:03:32,946 --> 00:03:36,183 from cradle to college and career. 64 00:03:36,183 --> 00:03:39,253 Our investments are designed to remove barriers 65 00:03:39,253 --> 00:03:41,722 and advance racial equity, 66 00:03:41,722 --> 00:03:47,227 and surround young people with caring adults and opportunities 67 00:03:47,227 --> 00:03:49,997 that they need to thrive. 68 00:03:49,997 --> 00:03:52,933 The initiative includes renewing the Families, 69 00:03:52,933 --> 00:03:55,536 Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy, 70 00:03:55,536 --> 00:03:58,839 which makes transformational investments 71 00:03:58,839 --> 00:04:01,475 in our youth and families. 72 00:04:01,475 --> 00:04:04,411 We're seeing a real impact from the investment 73 00:04:04,411 --> 00:04:07,447 we've made in our students' lives and learning. 74 00:04:07,447 --> 00:04:09,183 Last year, 75 00:04:09,183 --> 00:04:15,022 we served more than 2,100 children were served 76 00:04:15,022 --> 00:04:17,057 through the Seattle Preschool program 77 00:04:17,057 --> 00:04:20,160 and most of them were children of color. 78 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,964 And nearly two-thirds of the black girls in the program 79 00:04:23,964 --> 00:04:28,202 started Kindergarten Ready fully ready to learn. 80 00:04:28,202 --> 00:04:30,938 [ Applause ] 81 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:40,013 In K-12, over 19,000 students participated in DIL-led -- 82 00:04:40,013 --> 00:04:43,083 in DIL-funded after-school and summer programs, 83 00:04:43,083 --> 00:04:46,587 and students receiving extra academic help 84 00:04:46,587 --> 00:04:50,457 made real progress in math and reading. 85 00:04:50,457 --> 00:04:53,660 And through our Seattle Promise, 86 00:04:53,660 --> 00:04:58,198 1460 Seattle Public School graduates enrolled 87 00:04:58,198 --> 00:05:00,767 in college tuition-free, 88 00:05:00,767 --> 00:05:04,404 and nearly 70% of them were students of color. 89 00:05:04,404 --> 00:05:08,175 We believe in a Seattle where every child is ready, 90 00:05:08,175 --> 00:05:10,978 not just for kindergarten, but for life. 91 00:05:10,978 --> 00:05:16,517 And we invest in families early when we stay with them 92 00:05:16,517 --> 00:05:18,619 through every stage of learning, 93 00:05:18,619 --> 00:05:22,189 we create stronger communities, stronger outcomes, 94 00:05:22,189 --> 00:05:23,924 and a stronger city. 95 00:05:23,924 --> 00:05:26,793 So thank you for being part of this vision, 96 00:05:26,793 --> 00:05:30,697 for continuing to make it real. So with that said, 97 00:05:30,697 --> 00:05:37,571 what I'm going to do is introduce our phenomenal mayor. 98 00:05:37,571 --> 00:05:40,274 But before I call him up, I just want to share, 99 00:05:40,274 --> 00:05:42,109 as a councilmember, 100 00:05:42,109 --> 00:05:44,945 Mayor Bruce Harrell championed the 13th year 101 00:05:44,945 --> 00:05:47,748 Promise scholarship which guaranteed 102 00:05:47,748 --> 00:05:50,217 that every graduate could attend 103 00:05:50,217 --> 00:05:54,955 South Seattle Community College tuition-free in their first year 104 00:05:54,955 --> 00:05:59,793 and inspired the creation of the Seattle Promise Program. 105 00:05:59,793 --> 00:06:03,030 He is a strong advocate for Seattle youth, 106 00:06:03,030 --> 00:06:06,500 creating opportunities for them to thrive. 107 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:08,869 Working to expand mentorship programs, 108 00:06:08,869 --> 00:06:10,704 youth employment opportunities, 109 00:06:10,704 --> 00:06:14,041 and mental health supports through investments 110 00:06:14,041 --> 00:06:17,377 and the Reach Out initiative. Without further ado, 111 00:06:17,377 --> 00:06:20,414 let's give a warm welcome to Mayor Bruce Harrell. 112 00:06:20,414 --> 00:06:22,850 [ Applause ] 113 00:06:22,850 --> 00:06:25,185 -Thank you, Dwane. 114 00:06:25,185 --> 00:06:27,721 Thank you, Dwane. 115 00:06:27,721 --> 00:06:30,924 So, I'm very excited. 116 00:06:30,924 --> 00:06:34,261 This is my excited face if you haven't seen it before. 117 00:06:34,261 --> 00:06:36,029 It sort of looks like my serious face 118 00:06:36,029 --> 00:06:37,898 but this is my excited face. 119 00:06:37,898 --> 00:06:40,467 I had a chance to talk to a few Cleveland Eagles, 120 00:06:40,467 --> 00:06:44,238 a few Franklin Quakers, a few Rainier Beach Vikings, 121 00:06:44,238 --> 00:06:48,642 20-25 champions, kids going to Stanford and Rutgers. 122 00:06:48,642 --> 00:06:50,277 I read about that. 123 00:06:50,277 --> 00:06:54,448 There's a few Bulldogs roaming around. 124 00:06:54,448 --> 00:06:58,118 But I want to say that yesterday I spent some time 125 00:06:58,118 --> 00:07:01,822 at Denny International School. And these sixth, seventh, 126 00:07:01,822 --> 00:07:06,660 eighth graders were asking me questions about tariffs. 127 00:07:06,660 --> 00:07:08,061 I kid you not. 128 00:07:08,061 --> 00:07:09,730 And I said when I was your age, 129 00:07:09,730 --> 00:07:12,933 I didn't even know what a tariff was. 130 00:07:12,933 --> 00:07:14,868 We are a nation in crisis. 131 00:07:14,868 --> 00:07:16,970 Make no mistake about that. 132 00:07:16,970 --> 00:07:19,039 But what we're doing here in Seattle 133 00:07:19,039 --> 00:07:23,777 with this Levy is life-changing. 134 00:07:23,777 --> 00:07:27,381 It has to be. I'll ground us in a quote. 135 00:07:27,381 --> 00:07:30,551 "Education is the passport to the future. 136 00:07:30,551 --> 00:07:34,688 For tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." 137 00:07:34,688 --> 00:07:37,457 That comes from Malcolm X, a civil rights leader. 138 00:07:37,457 --> 00:07:40,527 So I want to thank a few folks off the bat -- 139 00:07:40,527 --> 00:07:43,463 Let me tighten this up a little bit. 140 00:07:43,463 --> 00:07:44,865 By the way, I'm going to say everything 141 00:07:44,865 --> 00:07:46,333 that Dwayne Chappelle said, 142 00:07:46,333 --> 00:07:47,968 but I'm just going to say it differently so it sounds new. 143 00:07:47,968 --> 00:07:51,572 He didn't leave me much to say in my notes. 144 00:07:53,674 --> 00:07:55,542 Deputy Mayor Tiffany Washington, 145 00:07:55,542 --> 00:07:57,244 your work on this initiative has been a champion 146 00:07:57,244 --> 00:07:59,146 for the kids and families. 147 00:07:59,146 --> 00:08:02,583 I want to thank you for all the work that you've done. 148 00:08:02,583 --> 00:08:05,118 Councilmember Maritza Rivera, who you'll hear from, 149 00:08:05,118 --> 00:08:07,454 her partnership in shaping this Levy package 150 00:08:07,454 --> 00:08:11,425 and her shared focus on childcare access for families, 151 00:08:11,425 --> 00:08:13,794 she is very thorough in what she does. 152 00:08:13,794 --> 00:08:16,029 And when she supports something, you have to earn it. 153 00:08:16,029 --> 00:08:18,198 And that is why she is a strong Councilmember. 154 00:08:18,198 --> 00:08:19,900 Thank you, Councilmember, for your work. 155 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:22,936 [ Applause ] 156 00:08:22,936 --> 00:08:25,639 So, I'd like to sort of describe this package in three buckets, 157 00:08:25,639 --> 00:08:27,307 if you will. 158 00:08:27,307 --> 00:08:31,912 Every Child Ready. Every Child Ready. 159 00:08:31,912 --> 00:08:35,115 I have to -- you know, I have to deviate sometimes. 160 00:08:35,115 --> 00:08:37,150 I see my adopted daughter 161 00:08:37,150 --> 00:08:39,286 who babysat my kids now in a leadership position. 162 00:08:39,286 --> 00:08:41,688 I see my niece out here looking at me, 163 00:08:41,688 --> 00:08:44,224 seeing is my uncle going to mess up on what she says. 164 00:08:44,224 --> 00:08:46,360 This is a community here, 165 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,530 a community of educational warriors. 166 00:08:49,530 --> 00:08:53,867 And, the young folks, it's all about you. 167 00:08:53,867 --> 00:08:57,004 Okay. I'm going to go back to my notes. 168 00:08:57,004 --> 00:08:59,473 You know, many families cannot keep up with the inflation 169 00:08:59,473 --> 00:09:01,875 and the rising cost of childcare and preschool. 170 00:09:01,875 --> 00:09:03,310 So this is a critical moment 171 00:09:03,310 --> 00:09:05,312 for us to invest in health, safety, 172 00:09:05,312 --> 00:09:09,349 and success of Seattle children, our youth, and our families. 173 00:09:09,349 --> 00:09:10,651 I saw those Tiny Tots, 174 00:09:10,651 --> 00:09:12,586 what you're doing here 175 00:09:12,586 --> 00:09:15,055 is nothing short of magic and beauty and brilliance, 176 00:09:15,055 --> 00:09:16,823 and every good thing I could think of, 177 00:09:16,823 --> 00:09:18,458 every adjective I could think of 178 00:09:18,458 --> 00:09:20,460 to describe what you're doing to save 179 00:09:20,460 --> 00:09:24,097 and create optimization in human beings, you are doing here. 180 00:09:24,097 --> 00:09:26,066 So our first sort of bucket if you will 181 00:09:26,066 --> 00:09:30,003 is about what we're doing in our childcare and pre-K work. 182 00:09:30,003 --> 00:09:33,006 Attendance and test scores are lagging after the pandemic. 183 00:09:33,006 --> 00:09:34,842 We have to look at the data. 184 00:09:34,842 --> 00:09:37,211 Now this is a challenge we need to address head-on 185 00:09:37,211 --> 00:09:38,979 with strong academic supports 186 00:09:38,979 --> 00:09:41,815 and creating a healthy school environment. 187 00:09:41,815 --> 00:09:45,786 So not a day goes by, literally, 188 00:09:45,786 --> 00:09:48,055 where I don't have to look at funding issues. 189 00:09:48,055 --> 00:09:49,423 I'm not the only one. 190 00:09:49,423 --> 00:09:51,425 Cities across this nation 191 00:09:51,425 --> 00:09:53,293 are looking at what's coming out of the Trump administration 192 00:09:53,293 --> 00:09:55,529 and looking at the budget woes that we have 193 00:09:55,529 --> 00:09:57,197 and the county has and the state has. 194 00:09:57,197 --> 00:09:59,666 We hear about that every single day. 195 00:09:59,666 --> 00:10:03,103 But this initiative is our collective bold vision makes 196 00:10:03,103 --> 00:10:05,672 Seattle one of the best cities in the country 197 00:10:05,672 --> 00:10:08,509 to start and raise a family. That is in our DNA. 198 00:10:08,509 --> 00:10:10,544 We have to recreate Seattle such 199 00:10:10,544 --> 00:10:14,581 that people will say this is the go-to place to bring families. 200 00:10:14,581 --> 00:10:16,049 You hear that, Dr. Jones? 201 00:10:16,049 --> 00:10:17,751 The go-to place in our Seattle Public Schools. 202 00:10:17,751 --> 00:10:20,988 I am a Seattle Public School graduate. 203 00:10:20,988 --> 00:10:22,356 My mother and father 204 00:10:22,356 --> 00:10:23,490 were Seattle Public Schools graduates. 205 00:10:23,490 --> 00:10:24,725 It's in my DNA. 206 00:10:24,725 --> 00:10:26,126 But when I see these young folks, 207 00:10:26,126 --> 00:10:27,461 this is why we're doing it. 208 00:10:27,461 --> 00:10:29,263 We have to be a city 209 00:10:29,263 --> 00:10:34,501 that accepts the gifts of every young person, 210 00:10:34,501 --> 00:10:37,771 and we have to nurture them to reach their full potential. 211 00:10:37,771 --> 00:10:39,907 And this is regardless as to who they are, 212 00:10:39,907 --> 00:10:41,808 we are a welcoming city. 213 00:10:41,808 --> 00:10:43,343 We welcome your talents. 214 00:10:43,343 --> 00:10:47,648 [ Applause ] 215 00:10:47,648 --> 00:10:49,750 So to achieve this lofty goal, 216 00:10:49,750 --> 00:10:52,419 one that everyone here is committed to, 217 00:10:52,419 --> 00:10:57,424 my proposal is for a six-year $1.3 billion renewal 218 00:10:57,424 --> 00:11:00,427 of the Families, Education, Preschool, Promise. 219 00:11:00,427 --> 00:11:02,796 It's building on the 35-year legacy 220 00:11:02,796 --> 00:11:05,699 of this transformative investment in Seattle youth 221 00:11:05,699 --> 00:11:07,768 and every one of our kids 222 00:11:07,768 --> 00:11:09,570 and every one of our families are worth every penny of that. 223 00:11:09,570 --> 00:11:10,604 -Yes, they are. 224 00:11:10,604 --> 00:11:12,472 [ Applause ] 225 00:11:14,741 --> 00:11:18,679 -This initiative will represent the largest investment 226 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:20,414 in Seattle children and family 227 00:11:20,414 --> 00:11:23,417 since the Levy was first passed in 1990. 228 00:11:23,417 --> 00:11:25,352 It's bold. 229 00:11:25,352 --> 00:11:27,020 That's how we get down here in Seattle. 230 00:11:27,020 --> 00:11:28,989 -That's right. 231 00:11:28,989 --> 00:11:30,824 -It's a bold commitment to our youth 232 00:11:30,824 --> 00:11:33,260 that we will support them at every stage of life. 233 00:11:33,260 --> 00:11:35,863 The first bucket, Ready to Start. 234 00:11:35,863 --> 00:11:38,432 We'll more than double access to affordable care 235 00:11:38,432 --> 00:11:41,268 by adding 800 new subsidized childcare seats 236 00:11:41,268 --> 00:11:45,138 serving now 1,400 children a year. 237 00:11:45,138 --> 00:11:47,641 [ Applause ] 238 00:11:49,810 --> 00:11:53,547 Tiny Tots shows us when you invest, it works. 239 00:11:53,547 --> 00:11:55,349 We'll expand the nationally-acclaimed 240 00:11:55,349 --> 00:11:58,252 Seattle Preschool program by 600 new seats. 241 00:11:58,252 --> 00:12:06,159 We'll serve 3,100, 3,100 of our youngest learners every here. 242 00:12:06,159 --> 00:12:10,697 And the people doing this work are so precious, so committed. 243 00:12:10,697 --> 00:12:12,900 We will support the childcare workforce 244 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:16,637 by providing direct payments to 5,000 workers 245 00:12:16,637 --> 00:12:18,839 supporting retention in this critical field. 246 00:12:18,839 --> 00:12:21,942 [ Cheers and applause ] 247 00:12:21,942 --> 00:12:24,511 We are messaging to you that we value you, 248 00:12:24,511 --> 00:12:27,314 what you do for our society, and that is important work. 249 00:12:27,314 --> 00:12:31,518 The second phase, if you will, Ready to Learn. 250 00:12:31,518 --> 00:12:33,253 You know, a child cannot learn 251 00:12:33,253 --> 00:12:35,422 when they're experiencing trauma or fear 252 00:12:35,422 --> 00:12:38,058 when they have to look to their left and right every single day, 253 00:12:38,058 --> 00:12:39,927 when they have to figure out a way 254 00:12:39,927 --> 00:12:41,728 to cope with something they've seen or something 255 00:12:41,728 --> 00:12:43,630 they've experienced. 256 00:12:43,630 --> 00:12:46,800 We will establish five new school-based health centers 257 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:51,872 for a total of 34 centers in Seattle schools. 258 00:12:51,872 --> 00:12:54,208 We will expand access to medical, dental, 259 00:12:54,208 --> 00:12:58,278 and mental health services to 51,000 students. 260 00:12:58,278 --> 00:13:00,848 Now, we'll also expand free learning supports 261 00:13:00,848 --> 00:13:03,317 and enrichment programs, including after-school 262 00:13:03,317 --> 00:13:07,421 and summer programming to serve 19,000 youths so they're safe, 263 00:13:07,421 --> 00:13:09,256 healthy, and engaged. 264 00:13:09,256 --> 00:13:11,658 And this learning supports and enhancement program, 265 00:13:11,658 --> 00:13:14,595 I want to get a special shout-out to Allison Shobe. 266 00:13:14,595 --> 00:13:16,730 If I'm saying it right, Shobe. 267 00:13:16,730 --> 00:13:18,265 Alice, where are you, Alice? 268 00:13:18,265 --> 00:13:19,967 Right there, thank you, Alice. 269 00:13:19,967 --> 00:13:23,537 So Amazon and the Right Now Needs Fund 270 00:13:23,537 --> 00:13:25,639 is a big partner in this space. 271 00:13:25,639 --> 00:13:27,941 And so we recognize this is a best practice 272 00:13:27,941 --> 00:13:29,676 and so thank you for your leadership 273 00:13:29,676 --> 00:13:32,279 and thank you for Amazon's participation. 274 00:13:35,048 --> 00:13:39,019 And the last bucket, if you will, will be Ready to Launch. 275 00:13:40,921 --> 00:13:43,657 We do the pre-care. We do the childcare. 276 00:13:43,657 --> 00:13:47,494 We do the nurturing. We do the inspiration. 277 00:13:47,494 --> 00:13:49,129 Our Seattle Promise program 278 00:13:49,129 --> 00:13:51,632 that Dwane Chappelle talked about 279 00:13:51,632 --> 00:13:55,602 will now provide free tuition for up to two years 280 00:13:55,602 --> 00:14:00,207 at Seattle Colleges, now serving 1475 scholars a year. 281 00:14:00,207 --> 00:14:03,010 That's nearly 1,500 lives 282 00:14:03,010 --> 00:14:05,646 that will be permanently positively affected by this. 283 00:14:05,646 --> 00:14:08,682 We'll prepare the next generation of the workforce 284 00:14:08,682 --> 00:14:11,151 with investments in career pathways, 285 00:14:11,151 --> 00:14:14,388 including creating a new path to the trades program 286 00:14:14,388 --> 00:14:16,423 with apprenticeships and skill-building 287 00:14:16,423 --> 00:14:19,059 opportunities for graduates looking to enter skill trades. 288 00:14:19,059 --> 00:14:21,495 Let me explain that a little better than what I just read. 289 00:14:21,495 --> 00:14:23,997 We are a port city. We are a maritime city. 290 00:14:23,997 --> 00:14:25,566 We're also high-tech and biotech. 291 00:14:25,566 --> 00:14:27,768 We have a lot of things going on. 292 00:14:27,768 --> 00:14:29,870 But first and foremost, we've always been a port -- 293 00:14:29,870 --> 00:14:31,805 we're an international city. 294 00:14:31,805 --> 00:14:34,608 Trading partners like in Korea and Japan and Canada, 295 00:14:34,608 --> 00:14:36,977 dare I say, with some of the tariff issues 296 00:14:36,977 --> 00:14:38,679 we're dealing with. 297 00:14:38,679 --> 00:14:42,916 But in this maritime city, there are good union, 298 00:14:42,916 --> 00:14:47,321 well-paying jobs that we want everyone to take part in. 299 00:14:47,321 --> 00:14:51,892 So this program now allows this next generation of workforce, 300 00:14:51,892 --> 00:14:53,894 a workforce to pipe into these jobs. 301 00:14:53,894 --> 00:14:56,797 And we think that could be a very viable route for people 302 00:14:56,797 --> 00:15:01,568 that want an opportunity that they may not ordinarily see. 303 00:15:01,568 --> 00:15:03,737 The last piece of the Ready to Launch bucket, 304 00:15:03,737 --> 00:15:07,808 if you will, is helping Seattle College scholars transfer 305 00:15:07,808 --> 00:15:11,044 to the University of Washington to continue their studies. 306 00:15:11,044 --> 00:15:13,013 We'll have over 100 students 307 00:15:13,013 --> 00:15:16,083 and we'll find out who wants to be a Husky. 308 00:15:16,083 --> 00:15:20,387 A few Huskies out here. All right. 309 00:15:20,387 --> 00:15:23,090 But these three buckets that I describe, 310 00:15:23,090 --> 00:15:25,192 quite honestly, thank you for being here 311 00:15:25,192 --> 00:15:27,694 because we cannot do it without you. 312 00:15:27,694 --> 00:15:32,232 We realize that right now we -- are -- are those fans of mine? 313 00:15:32,232 --> 00:15:35,936 [ Laughter ] 314 00:15:35,936 --> 00:15:40,040 We realize there are -- there's a lot of uncertainty, 315 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,178 sometimes a lot of fear. But we are messaging to everyone 316 00:15:44,178 --> 00:15:47,681 that our kids and our educators and our childcare workers 317 00:15:47,681 --> 00:15:55,489 and our pre-K instruction -- instruction -- instruction. 318 00:15:55,489 --> 00:16:00,327 I'll put it on a -- instruction doers. 319 00:16:00,327 --> 00:16:04,631 Instruction doers. That they really matter. 320 00:16:04,631 --> 00:16:06,033 And I bring a little levity to this 321 00:16:06,033 --> 00:16:08,569 because this is us at our best. 322 00:16:08,569 --> 00:16:10,003 We're going to get this across the finish line. 323 00:16:10,003 --> 00:16:11,371 We're going to do it with you. 324 00:16:11,371 --> 00:16:13,340 We're going to advocate loudly for our kids. 325 00:16:13,340 --> 00:16:15,509 We're going to advocate -- there's a future your mayor, 326 00:16:15,509 --> 00:16:20,881 governor, possible president right here to my left. 327 00:16:20,881 --> 00:16:23,350 So I'll hand it over back to Director Chappelle 328 00:16:23,350 --> 00:16:26,119 but I need to thank this educational community here. 329 00:16:26,119 --> 00:16:28,388 Many of you I've known for 20, 30, 40 years, 330 00:16:28,388 --> 00:16:30,490 you're old like me. 331 00:16:30,490 --> 00:16:32,693 We're going to get this past the promise line 332 00:16:32,693 --> 00:16:34,561 because we are on the right side of history 333 00:16:34,561 --> 00:16:35,863 when we do this kind of work. 334 00:16:35,863 --> 00:16:36,964 Thank you very much. 335 00:16:36,964 --> 00:16:41,568 [ Applause ] 336 00:16:41,568 --> 00:16:43,437 -Thank you, Mayor. 337 00:16:43,437 --> 00:16:46,740 Now you all see how fantastic our mayor truly is 338 00:16:46,740 --> 00:16:49,409 and it's been a pleasure working for you, 339 00:16:49,409 --> 00:16:51,612 but also a pleasure for your commitment 340 00:16:51,612 --> 00:16:52,880 of everything you've done. 341 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,781 So thank you, Mayor. 342 00:16:54,781 --> 00:16:57,584 So now what I would like to do is introduce someone 343 00:16:57,584 --> 00:16:59,987 that I've also had the pleasure of working with 344 00:16:59,987 --> 00:17:03,457 for quite some time and it's been very rewarding, 345 00:17:03,457 --> 00:17:05,492 Councilmember Rivera. 346 00:17:05,492 --> 00:17:11,231 She is the chair of the select committee of the FEPP Levy. 347 00:17:11,231 --> 00:17:15,602 She's also a mom of two teenage daughters 348 00:17:15,602 --> 00:17:21,175 and was inspired to take action to become a city leader 349 00:17:21,175 --> 00:17:25,679 after the tragic shooting at Ingraham High School. 350 00:17:25,679 --> 00:17:27,714 Again, as I just mentioned, 351 00:17:27,714 --> 00:17:30,551 I've had the pleasure of working with her for quite some time. 352 00:17:30,551 --> 00:17:33,320 And she has truly been a passionate voice 353 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,089 for more affordable childcare options. 354 00:17:36,089 --> 00:17:37,891 Without further ado, 355 00:17:37,891 --> 00:17:38,992 let's give a round for Councilmember Rivera. 356 00:17:38,992 --> 00:17:43,230 [ Applause ] 357 00:17:43,230 --> 00:17:48,635 -All right. Let's see. I'm not quite as tall as our mayor. 358 00:17:48,635 --> 00:17:50,604 Thank you, Mayor. 359 00:17:50,604 --> 00:17:52,306 See, this is how we help each other. 360 00:17:52,306 --> 00:17:54,842 -Yes, yes. Yes. -Thank you, Mayor. 361 00:17:54,842 --> 00:17:56,977 Thank you, Director Chappelle, and thank you, 362 00:17:56,977 --> 00:17:59,713 Mayor Harrell, for including me here today. 363 00:17:59,713 --> 00:18:01,682 This is an amazing day. 364 00:18:01,682 --> 00:18:04,484 It cannot be more fitting that the sun came out in Seattle 365 00:18:04,484 --> 00:18:08,522 today because this is something to truly get excited 366 00:18:08,522 --> 00:18:10,390 and inspired about. 367 00:18:10,390 --> 00:18:15,662 What more inspiring than looking at these kids here today 368 00:18:15,662 --> 00:18:18,365 and the babies that are here, 369 00:18:18,365 --> 00:18:24,171 and I saw earlier Ms. Hicks in your Tiny Tots Center. 370 00:18:24,171 --> 00:18:27,608 Thank you to all the amazing providers at Tiny Tots 371 00:18:27,608 --> 00:18:31,478 for welcoming us here today. For 35 years, 372 00:18:31,478 --> 00:18:35,883 voters have invested in our children and our families 373 00:18:35,883 --> 00:18:40,387 with the families and education levies in Seattle. 374 00:18:40,387 --> 00:18:44,958 We know that these investments are even more important today 375 00:18:44,958 --> 00:18:47,661 in light of the federal administration's 376 00:18:47,661 --> 00:18:51,598 unconscionable attacks on our working families 377 00:18:51,598 --> 00:18:58,105 and our children. As a city, 378 00:18:58,105 --> 00:19:02,509 we cannot replace every federal program that is being cut 379 00:19:02,509 --> 00:19:04,511 or dismantled, 380 00:19:04,511 --> 00:19:08,749 but here is what we can do with this important levy renewal. 381 00:19:08,749 --> 00:19:13,153 We can build on Seattle's decades-long legacy 382 00:19:13,153 --> 00:19:16,757 of investing in our children's academic futures 383 00:19:16,757 --> 00:19:19,493 by doubling our childcare investment 384 00:19:19,493 --> 00:19:23,997 and increasing enrollment and preschool by 600 slots a year. 385 00:19:23,997 --> 00:19:26,266 This will help our working families 386 00:19:26,266 --> 00:19:28,669 who are struggling to make ends meet, 387 00:19:28,669 --> 00:19:32,472 especially as childcare costs continue to rise. 388 00:19:32,472 --> 00:19:36,043 These high-quality early learning programs will set 389 00:19:36,043 --> 00:19:38,979 children up for a lifetime of success. 390 00:19:38,979 --> 00:19:41,949 This has been very well-researched. 391 00:19:41,949 --> 00:19:45,485 We can help our K-12 students thrive 392 00:19:45,485 --> 00:19:48,856 by giving them the academic and health supports 393 00:19:48,856 --> 00:19:52,025 they need to be successful in school. 394 00:19:52,025 --> 00:19:55,028 This includes significant investments 395 00:19:55,028 --> 00:19:56,396 in mental health care, 396 00:19:56,396 --> 00:20:00,334 both in-person and online, for our kids 397 00:20:00,334 --> 00:20:03,237 who are still grappling with the learning losses 398 00:20:03,237 --> 00:20:06,507 and the social challenges associated with living 399 00:20:06,507 --> 00:20:09,710 through a global pandemic. 400 00:20:09,710 --> 00:20:12,980 We can pave the way to a bright future 401 00:20:12,980 --> 00:20:17,784 by providing universal access to a two-year college degree 402 00:20:17,784 --> 00:20:19,520 or a Path to Trades 403 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,990 with our successful Seattle Promise program. 404 00:20:22,990 --> 00:20:26,560 The Path to Trades is especially meaningful to me. 405 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,596 The daughter of a welder in a factory 406 00:20:29,596 --> 00:20:31,999 whose good union job was the reason 407 00:20:31,999 --> 00:20:37,137 my family could have a roof over our head and food on our table. 408 00:20:37,137 --> 00:20:40,374 I want our Seattle Public School graduates 409 00:20:40,374 --> 00:20:45,279 to have access to post-secondary opportunities of their choice, 410 00:20:45,279 --> 00:20:48,949 whether that's a college degree or a career in the trades 411 00:20:48,949 --> 00:20:51,718 that provides well-paying union jobs. 412 00:20:51,718 --> 00:20:54,888 [ Applause ] 413 00:20:54,888 --> 00:20:59,059 And most importantly, we can work together, 414 00:20:59,059 --> 00:21:03,497 even as this administration is trying to tear us apart. 415 00:21:03,497 --> 00:21:06,466 I want to highlight the partnership and collaboration 416 00:21:06,466 --> 00:21:09,169 that has resulted in this levy proposal. 417 00:21:09,169 --> 00:21:12,005 This truly has been a joint effort. 418 00:21:12,005 --> 00:21:14,107 Mayor Harrell, I want to thank you 419 00:21:14,107 --> 00:21:18,045 for this strong collaboration and for including my priorities 420 00:21:18,045 --> 00:21:21,014 and those of my colleagues in this package. 421 00:21:21,014 --> 00:21:23,817 We know that we serve our children and families 422 00:21:23,817 --> 00:21:30,691 best when we truly engage and collaborate in one Seattle way. 423 00:21:30,691 --> 00:21:32,459 And in particular, 424 00:21:32,459 --> 00:21:34,561 I want to acknowledge Deputy Mayor Washington 425 00:21:34,561 --> 00:21:36,663 for her incredible partnership. 426 00:21:36,663 --> 00:21:40,367 [ Applause ] 427 00:21:40,367 --> 00:21:42,736 I look forward to leading this proposal 428 00:21:42,736 --> 00:21:44,171 through the City Council 429 00:21:44,171 --> 00:21:46,206 and working with my colleagues 430 00:21:46,206 --> 00:21:50,110 to put a levy renewal package on the ballot this November 431 00:21:50,110 --> 00:21:52,913 that we can all be proud of. 432 00:21:52,913 --> 00:21:53,947 Thank you. 433 00:21:53,947 --> 00:21:55,983 [ Applause ] 434 00:21:59,820 --> 00:22:03,690 -Thank you, councilmember. 435 00:22:03,690 --> 00:22:05,926 Thank you, councilmember Rivera. 436 00:22:05,926 --> 00:22:09,229 So, next up, what I would like to do, 437 00:22:09,229 --> 00:22:11,098 though, I'm going to read a little bit 438 00:22:11,098 --> 00:22:12,833 about this individual. 439 00:22:12,833 --> 00:22:16,603 Many of you know her from being embedded 440 00:22:16,603 --> 00:22:19,573 in this community for decades. 441 00:22:19,573 --> 00:22:21,375 She is the leader of the community. 442 00:22:21,375 --> 00:22:24,778 But now I'm going to be introducing the CEO 443 00:22:24,778 --> 00:22:28,749 of Tiny Tots, Mrs. Angelia Hicks-Maxie. 444 00:22:28,749 --> 00:22:34,188 Ms. Maxie is the CEO of the Tiny Tots Development Center. 445 00:22:34,188 --> 00:22:37,257 Tiny Tots was founded by her mother, Helen Hicks, 446 00:22:37,257 --> 00:22:44,798 who is on the mural in the hall right out here, in 1969. 447 00:22:44,798 --> 00:22:47,367 Deeply rooted in the family legacy, 448 00:22:47,367 --> 00:22:51,138 Ms. Maxie began working at Tiny Tots as a child 449 00:22:51,138 --> 00:22:54,675 and is now leading it as a CEO. 450 00:22:54,675 --> 00:22:58,245 Tiny Tots is a long partner with the City of Seattle, 451 00:22:58,245 --> 00:23:01,148 both through our preschool program 452 00:23:01,148 --> 00:23:03,250 and our childcare assistance program. 453 00:23:03,250 --> 00:23:05,953 So without further ado, let's give it up for Ms. Maxie. 454 00:23:05,953 --> 00:23:08,722 [ Applause ] 455 00:23:08,722 --> 00:23:11,058 -Thank you so much, Mr. Chappelle, 456 00:23:11,058 --> 00:23:14,461 who has been such a strong advocate for us 457 00:23:14,461 --> 00:23:16,363 in the community. 458 00:23:16,363 --> 00:23:19,633 We would not make it without the partnership of DIL 459 00:23:19,633 --> 00:23:21,635 and we are so pleased. 460 00:23:21,635 --> 00:23:23,804 There's a couple of things I want to just say off of the bat, 461 00:23:23,804 --> 00:23:29,076 which is I am a Rainier Beach graduate, an alumni. 462 00:23:29,076 --> 00:23:32,412 My granddaughter is currently a student there now, 463 00:23:32,412 --> 00:23:34,615 so thank you, Principal Patu. 464 00:23:34,615 --> 00:23:37,885 And she is also a part of the Seattle Promise program. 465 00:23:37,885 --> 00:23:40,120 I really didn't even connect it until you all 466 00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:42,122 started talking about that. 467 00:23:42,122 --> 00:23:44,391 And I said, "Oh yeah, Tamia goes to college right now." 468 00:23:44,391 --> 00:23:45,993 She does. 469 00:23:45,993 --> 00:23:48,996 So, that is what she's doing as well. 470 00:23:48,996 --> 00:23:52,065 I want to also thank the Mayor for his leadership 471 00:23:52,065 --> 00:23:54,268 because the Seattle Preschool Program, 472 00:23:54,268 --> 00:23:56,069 which we are a part of, 473 00:23:56,069 --> 00:23:59,173 not only does it fund a number of the slots 474 00:23:59,173 --> 00:24:02,109 that allows the children to attend here, 475 00:24:02,109 --> 00:24:05,179 but the program also supports our teaching staff. 476 00:24:05,179 --> 00:24:08,215 Our teaching staff are able to go back to school 477 00:24:08,215 --> 00:24:13,220 to get their degrees through this program. 478 00:24:13,220 --> 00:24:15,556 They're able to take time off of work 479 00:24:15,556 --> 00:24:18,825 and the program is able to fund me a substitute 480 00:24:18,825 --> 00:24:21,528 while my staff is getting educated to educate 481 00:24:21,528 --> 00:24:23,530 these little learners. 482 00:24:23,530 --> 00:24:27,901 So it's a full-circle program that works so well for us. 483 00:24:27,901 --> 00:24:31,939 Finally, I want to say that my staff made this for the Mayor. 484 00:24:31,939 --> 00:24:35,309 It says, "Teaching is a walk in the park." 485 00:24:35,309 --> 00:24:37,978 And it's a Jurassic Park theme cup. 486 00:24:37,978 --> 00:24:40,981 "When you have the support from Mayor Bruce Harrell." 487 00:24:40,981 --> 00:24:44,418 [ Cheers and applause ] 488 00:24:44,418 --> 00:24:48,388 We also want to thank him on behalf of all of the employees 489 00:24:48,388 --> 00:24:51,325 because our staff just recently received 490 00:24:51,325 --> 00:24:56,330 Seattle Childcare Retention bonuses. 491 00:24:56,330 --> 00:25:00,667 Teachers work so hard every day what they do. 492 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:02,536 And during the pandemic, 493 00:25:02,536 --> 00:25:05,772 the city recognized that and the Mayor has continued 494 00:25:05,772 --> 00:25:07,875 to keep that program going. 495 00:25:07,875 --> 00:25:11,245 And I thought I heard that it's still going to keep going. 496 00:25:11,245 --> 00:25:13,146 So we're excited about that 497 00:25:13,146 --> 00:25:15,749 because the teachers need to just know a little bit 498 00:25:15,749 --> 00:25:18,685 that the community respects the work that they do. 499 00:25:18,685 --> 00:25:21,154 So, Mayor, we respect you. 500 00:25:21,154 --> 00:25:22,256 Thank you. 501 00:25:22,256 --> 00:25:24,224 [ Applause ] 502 00:25:24,224 --> 00:25:25,392 Thank you. 503 00:25:25,392 --> 00:25:26,894 -All right. 504 00:25:26,894 --> 00:25:28,762 All right, one more time for Ms. Maxie. 505 00:25:28,762 --> 00:25:33,867 Y'all, let's give it up for her. Okay. 506 00:25:33,867 --> 00:25:35,269 So now what I'm going to be doing, 507 00:25:35,269 --> 00:25:38,472 I'm going to introduce Nisreen. 508 00:25:38,472 --> 00:25:42,442 Nisreen is the School-Based Health Program Manager here 509 00:25:42,442 --> 00:25:44,511 at Odessa Brown's Clinic. 510 00:25:44,511 --> 00:25:47,781 And Odessa Brown is a health provider 511 00:25:47,781 --> 00:25:50,117 at three school-based health centers, 512 00:25:50,117 --> 00:25:53,120 which provide critical medical, dental, 513 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:56,223 and mental health services in schools, 514 00:25:56,223 --> 00:25:58,058 reducing barriers to access. 515 00:25:58,058 --> 00:26:00,460 So let's give Ms. Nisreen a round of applause. 516 00:26:00,460 --> 00:26:02,529 [ Applause ] 517 00:26:05,532 --> 00:26:07,134 -Thank you, Mayor Harrell, 518 00:26:07,134 --> 00:26:10,103 and all involved in today's celebration. 519 00:26:10,103 --> 00:26:11,905 My name is Nisreen El-Saadoun, 520 00:26:11,905 --> 00:26:14,741 and I work at Odessa Brown Children's Clinic 521 00:26:14,741 --> 00:26:18,679 as a school-based health program manager. 522 00:26:18,679 --> 00:26:21,648 School-based health care plays a critical role in individual 523 00:26:21,648 --> 00:26:23,483 and community health. 524 00:26:23,483 --> 00:26:26,954 Vaccines, ongoing mental health therapy sessions, 525 00:26:26,954 --> 00:26:28,856 dental care, 526 00:26:28,856 --> 00:26:30,891 and well-child checks can all take place at school 527 00:26:30,891 --> 00:26:34,161 during the day without disruption to a family's 528 00:26:34,161 --> 00:26:36,530 work schedule or a student's attendance. 529 00:26:36,530 --> 00:26:38,599 Odessa Brown Children's Clinic currently operates 530 00:26:38,599 --> 00:26:40,234 three school-based health centers 531 00:26:40,234 --> 00:26:42,169 within the Seattle School District. 532 00:26:42,169 --> 00:26:44,538 This year, more than half of our appointments 533 00:26:44,538 --> 00:26:46,473 were for mental health counseling, 534 00:26:46,473 --> 00:26:49,343 which includes elementary and high school students. 535 00:26:49,343 --> 00:26:50,978 Last year, 536 00:26:50,978 --> 00:26:52,412 the 29 different school-based health centers 537 00:26:52,412 --> 00:26:54,147 across Seattle Public Schools 538 00:26:54,147 --> 00:26:56,850 had over 32,000 appointments by students, 539 00:26:56,850 --> 00:26:58,752 with more than half of those visits 540 00:26:58,752 --> 00:27:01,488 also being for mental health therapy sessions. 541 00:27:01,488 --> 00:27:03,123 By reducing stigma 542 00:27:03,123 --> 00:27:04,825 and fostering open communications 543 00:27:04,825 --> 00:27:07,094 about mental health and substance use, 544 00:27:07,094 --> 00:27:09,530 we empower young people to make informed decisions about 545 00:27:09,530 --> 00:27:13,333 their health and well-being with safe, caring adults. 546 00:27:13,333 --> 00:27:16,036 School-based health is not transactional care, 547 00:27:16,036 --> 00:27:18,772 it is community care, it is cultural. 548 00:27:18,772 --> 00:27:21,575 It is relationship building and it involves trust. 549 00:27:21,575 --> 00:27:23,210 I've seen teens swing by their school-based 550 00:27:23,210 --> 00:27:25,145 health center just to say hi. 551 00:27:25,145 --> 00:27:28,148 I've witnessed our staff make sure students 552 00:27:28,148 --> 00:27:32,419 get properly fitted and receive free helmets or life jackets 553 00:27:32,419 --> 00:27:34,221 before summer break. 554 00:27:34,221 --> 00:27:36,123 I've witnessed how quickly 555 00:27:36,123 --> 00:27:37,791 and intentionally school-based health center staff wrap 556 00:27:37,791 --> 00:27:39,826 their care around patients 557 00:27:39,826 --> 00:27:41,862 who are experiencing a crisis to ensure a safety and care 558 00:27:41,862 --> 00:27:43,864 plan are in place. 559 00:27:43,864 --> 00:27:46,867 I've seen multidisciplinary teams find innovative solutions 560 00:27:46,867 --> 00:27:48,502 to support a student's 561 00:27:48,502 --> 00:27:49,903 life-saving medication management 562 00:27:49,903 --> 00:27:51,471 at their school-based health center 563 00:27:51,471 --> 00:27:53,340 after the team learned they could not make it 564 00:27:53,340 --> 00:27:55,676 to their medical appointments outside of school. 565 00:27:55,676 --> 00:27:57,544 School-based health centers celebrate each student's 566 00:27:57,544 --> 00:27:59,479 successes and growth 567 00:27:59,479 --> 00:28:01,782 and aim to address any challenges a student, family, 568 00:28:01,782 --> 00:28:04,384 or school community may be facing holistically, 569 00:28:04,384 --> 00:28:06,620 from in-classroom workshops to one-on-one 570 00:28:06,620 --> 00:28:11,792 patient care to free resources and program connections. 571 00:28:11,792 --> 00:28:13,694 With five new school-based health centers opening 572 00:28:13,694 --> 00:28:15,562 in Seattle, 573 00:28:15,562 --> 00:28:16,730 thousands of kids will have access to the quality care 574 00:28:16,730 --> 00:28:18,298 they deserve, 575 00:28:18,298 --> 00:28:19,900 making our communities healthier and stronger. 576 00:28:19,900 --> 00:28:20,901 Thank you. 577 00:28:20,901 --> 00:28:23,136 [ Cheers and applause ] 578 00:28:26,106 --> 00:28:28,375 -Thank you, Nisreen. 579 00:28:28,375 --> 00:28:33,881 So now what I would like to do is introduce a parent, 580 00:28:33,881 --> 00:28:39,686 or should I say a proud parent, of the Tiny Tots program. 581 00:28:39,686 --> 00:28:42,890 Lauren Bogert has one, 582 00:28:42,890 --> 00:28:47,027 and one child will soon be attending Tiny Tots so, 583 00:28:47,027 --> 00:28:49,563 Ms. Bogert, please come on up say some words. 584 00:28:53,467 --> 00:28:56,270 -Thank you. Hi, my name is Lauren. 585 00:28:56,270 --> 00:29:00,574 This is my newest baby who will soon be a member of Tiny Tots. 586 00:29:00,574 --> 00:29:04,611 I just want to talk about what a wonderful experience I've had 587 00:29:04,611 --> 00:29:08,849 as a parent having my child at Tiny Tots. 588 00:29:08,849 --> 00:29:11,919 This is her very first year of preschool here 589 00:29:11,919 --> 00:29:14,755 and just watching how much she's grown 590 00:29:14,755 --> 00:29:16,823 and developed over the last couple of months 591 00:29:16,823 --> 00:29:18,792 has been amazing. 592 00:29:18,792 --> 00:29:22,596 I mean, educationally, I see her doing so well. 593 00:29:22,596 --> 00:29:25,299 I see her recognizing letters. 594 00:29:25,299 --> 00:29:29,069 I see her like really, really interested in books and reading 595 00:29:29,069 --> 00:29:32,105 and singing songs, and importantly, 596 00:29:32,105 --> 00:29:35,409 like her social development has been incredible. 597 00:29:35,409 --> 00:29:37,144 She was such a shy child, 598 00:29:37,144 --> 00:29:38,545 and now I see her going up to other kids 599 00:29:38,545 --> 00:29:41,648 at the park asking to play. 600 00:29:41,648 --> 00:29:44,151 It's been so critical for her social development 601 00:29:44,151 --> 00:29:47,387 as well as her educational development. 602 00:29:47,387 --> 00:29:49,356 I think the biggest thing I've noticed 603 00:29:49,356 --> 00:29:51,658 is my mother was a public school kindergarten teacher 604 00:29:51,658 --> 00:29:55,262 for nearly 40 years, and she was in town visiting very recently. 605 00:29:55,262 --> 00:29:57,731 And it was just fun to have her kind of interact 606 00:29:57,731 --> 00:30:01,068 with my daughter, and she was telling me things like, wow, 607 00:30:01,068 --> 00:30:02,803 at three and a half, 608 00:30:02,803 --> 00:30:05,138 I'm seeing her more prepared for kindergarten 609 00:30:05,138 --> 00:30:07,975 than some of the kindergarten students I've had in the past. 610 00:30:07,975 --> 00:30:09,810 [ Applause ] 611 00:30:12,379 --> 00:30:15,549 It's just been such a positive experience 612 00:30:15,549 --> 00:30:17,818 and I can say with a lot of confidence 613 00:30:17,818 --> 00:30:22,055 I am not worried about her going to kindergarten at all 614 00:30:22,055 --> 00:30:24,057 and we have a full another year of preschool 615 00:30:24,057 --> 00:30:25,993 so thank you, Tiny Tots. 616 00:30:25,993 --> 00:30:28,295 This has been a wonderful experience. 617 00:30:32,599 --> 00:30:34,201 -Thank you, Lauren. 618 00:30:34,201 --> 00:30:37,738 So next up, I'm going to introduce -- 619 00:30:37,738 --> 00:30:42,009 you heard the Mayor earlier talk about Huskies, future Huskies, 620 00:30:42,009 --> 00:30:48,615 so I am introducing a Husky by way of the Seattle Promise, 621 00:30:48,615 --> 00:30:52,186 by way of Cleveland Eagles High School, 622 00:30:52,186 --> 00:30:54,488 who will be graduating high school -- excuse me -- 623 00:30:54,488 --> 00:30:58,358 who will be graduating in a few weeks. 624 00:30:58,358 --> 00:31:02,296 So her name is Fathima Garcia. 625 00:31:02,296 --> 00:31:05,299 Fathima is a Seattle Promise alumni 626 00:31:05,299 --> 00:31:08,802 and also serves as a Promise Ambassador, 627 00:31:08,802 --> 00:31:11,538 helping more Seattle students realize 628 00:31:11,538 --> 00:31:16,243 that going to college is an option in reach for them. 629 00:31:16,243 --> 00:31:19,513 She also interned at the City of Seattle, 630 00:31:19,513 --> 00:31:22,015 and we are excited to have her speak today 631 00:31:22,015 --> 00:31:23,717 about her experience 632 00:31:23,717 --> 00:31:25,352 as a first-generation college student. 633 00:31:25,352 --> 00:31:26,687 Come on up, Fathima. 634 00:31:26,687 --> 00:31:28,355 Let's give her a round of applause. 635 00:31:28,355 --> 00:31:30,557 [ Applause ] 636 00:31:30,557 --> 00:31:31,758 -Good morning, everyone. 637 00:31:31,758 --> 00:31:33,493 My name is Fatima Garcia. 638 00:31:33,493 --> 00:31:36,029 I'm a senior at the University of Washington. 639 00:31:36,029 --> 00:31:37,731 Yes. 640 00:31:37,731 --> 00:31:39,533 I'm studying Human Resources Management 641 00:31:39,533 --> 00:31:41,301 at the Foster School of Business, 642 00:31:41,301 --> 00:31:45,539 which is really a proud moment in my journey, 643 00:31:45,539 --> 00:31:48,609 but my journey to this moment began at Seattle Central College 644 00:31:48,609 --> 00:31:50,677 where I earned my associate degree in business 645 00:31:50,677 --> 00:31:53,747 as a Seattle Promise Scholar. Just two years ago, 646 00:31:53,747 --> 00:31:55,782 which is crazy, time flies, 647 00:31:55,782 --> 00:31:58,352 I was preparing to wrap up my time at Seattle Central College 648 00:31:58,352 --> 00:32:00,888 and take the next step in my academic journey. 649 00:32:00,888 --> 00:32:03,624 I look back on that time with so much joy and gratitude 650 00:32:03,624 --> 00:32:06,660 because I felt so deeply supported in all aspects, 651 00:32:06,660 --> 00:32:10,297 from my retention specialist to the Seattle Promise team, 652 00:32:10,297 --> 00:32:12,900 and overall the Seattle Promise program. 653 00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:14,768 I'm actually -- this is a fun fact, 654 00:32:14,768 --> 00:32:16,837 the second Seattle Promise student in my family, 655 00:32:16,837 --> 00:32:19,173 I love to say that we're a Promise family. 656 00:32:21,775 --> 00:32:24,378 My older brother Anthony started at South Seattle College 657 00:32:24,378 --> 00:32:26,113 in 2018, 658 00:32:26,113 --> 00:32:27,948 he later graduated from North Seattle College 659 00:32:27,948 --> 00:32:31,718 with a bachelor's degree in international business. 660 00:32:31,718 --> 00:32:33,353 Yes. 661 00:32:33,353 --> 00:32:35,255 As a proud Latina 662 00:32:35,255 --> 00:32:37,457 and a first-generation student raised in South Seattle, 663 00:32:37,457 --> 00:32:39,459 Beacon Hill area, 664 00:32:39,459 --> 00:32:41,662 I've always known that higher education was key not only 665 00:32:41,662 --> 00:32:43,897 to reach my professional goals but also 666 00:32:43,897 --> 00:32:46,834 to accomplish something that my parents didn't have access to. 667 00:32:46,834 --> 00:32:48,902 They grew up in Guatemala and education 668 00:32:48,902 --> 00:32:51,805 was a lot harder to achieve. 669 00:32:51,805 --> 00:32:54,708 I grew up watching my parents working tirelessly 670 00:32:54,708 --> 00:32:58,345 and physically demanding minimum wage jobs in the hotel industry 671 00:32:58,345 --> 00:33:00,814 to support both our family here in the US 672 00:33:00,814 --> 00:33:03,317 but also our relatives in Guatemala. 673 00:33:03,317 --> 00:33:05,052 They often worked seven days a week, 674 00:33:05,052 --> 00:33:06,486 coming home exhausted 675 00:33:06,486 --> 00:33:08,522 but I never saw them complain 676 00:33:08,522 --> 00:33:11,792 and their sacrifices taught me what true resilience looks like. 677 00:33:11,792 --> 00:33:15,829 And how much of a privilege -- thank you. 678 00:33:15,829 --> 00:33:17,564 And how much of a privilege 679 00:33:17,564 --> 00:33:19,733 it is to pursue higher education in this country, 680 00:33:19,733 --> 00:33:23,136 but also in Seattle. Even with that motivation, 681 00:33:23,136 --> 00:33:25,405 the cost of college felt overwhelming. 682 00:33:25,405 --> 00:33:28,175 The last thing I wanted was for my parents to take on debt 683 00:33:28,175 --> 00:33:31,144 or for me to begin adulthood burdened by the cost of college 684 00:33:31,144 --> 00:33:34,114 and the financial stress of paying back student loans. 685 00:33:34,114 --> 00:33:36,083 But Seattle Promise completely changed that 686 00:33:36,083 --> 00:33:38,118 and removed that barrier. 687 00:33:38,118 --> 00:33:41,221 It allowed me to attend college without the weight of tuition, 688 00:33:41,221 --> 00:33:43,891 giving me the freedom to fully focus on my studies 689 00:33:43,891 --> 00:33:45,359 and I worked on the weekends 690 00:33:45,359 --> 00:33:46,727 to be able to save for the education 691 00:33:46,727 --> 00:33:49,229 that I'm finishing up now. 692 00:33:49,229 --> 00:33:51,298 Thank you. 693 00:33:51,298 --> 00:33:54,234 Seattle Promise gave me more than just financial support, 694 00:33:54,234 --> 00:33:56,470 it gave me confidence in the community. 695 00:33:56,470 --> 00:34:00,407 From my first days in college, through transferring to UW, 696 00:34:00,407 --> 00:34:02,876 the program was with me every step of the way, 697 00:34:02,876 --> 00:34:05,312 including through the path to UW program. 698 00:34:05,312 --> 00:34:07,281 When I was thinking about transferring, 699 00:34:07,281 --> 00:34:09,816 I didn't even know that UW Foster was capacity-constrained, 700 00:34:09,816 --> 00:34:12,152 but the team really helped me navigate that 701 00:34:12,152 --> 00:34:14,755 and I'm really glad that students have that bridge 702 00:34:14,755 --> 00:34:16,290 from Seattle Central or Seattle 703 00:34:16,290 --> 00:34:18,091 colleges to the University of Washington 704 00:34:18,091 --> 00:34:20,928 as we know is such a prestigious university. 705 00:34:20,928 --> 00:34:22,729 Now as I prepare to graduate 706 00:34:22,729 --> 00:34:24,231 from the University of Washington, 707 00:34:24,231 --> 00:34:25,399 I can say with pride 708 00:34:25,399 --> 00:34:27,201 that becoming a Seattle Promise student 709 00:34:27,201 --> 00:34:29,436 was one of the best decisions I've ever made 710 00:34:29,436 --> 00:34:31,338 and I think it is the best. 711 00:34:31,338 --> 00:34:33,707 It laid the foundation for everything I've accomplished 712 00:34:33,707 --> 00:34:36,009 and for everything I still hope to achieve. 713 00:34:36,009 --> 00:34:38,011 And I'm so glad that future generations have 714 00:34:38,011 --> 00:34:42,382 the opportunity for accessible education here in Seattle. 715 00:34:42,382 --> 00:34:43,417 Thank you. 716 00:34:43,417 --> 00:34:47,221 [ Applause ] 717 00:34:47,221 --> 00:34:48,522 -Thank you. 718 00:34:48,522 --> 00:34:53,994 So what I'm going to do is close by saying everything 719 00:34:53,994 --> 00:34:57,097 you heard today would not be possible 720 00:34:57,097 --> 00:35:00,267 if we didn't have a strong and amazing mayor. 721 00:35:00,267 --> 00:35:04,872 It wouldn't be possible if we didn't have very supportive 722 00:35:04,872 --> 00:35:07,608 and collaborative council members such as 723 00:35:07,608 --> 00:35:09,610 councilmember Rivera, 724 00:35:09,610 --> 00:35:12,746 but it also wouldn't be possible if we didn't have our community 725 00:35:12,746 --> 00:35:14,648 and an amazing city to make sure 726 00:35:14,648 --> 00:35:17,351 that we're going to support every child 727 00:35:17,351 --> 00:35:20,454 from their beginning of their journey to the end. 728 00:35:20,454 --> 00:35:23,524 So we want to thank you all for being here. 729 00:35:23,524 --> 00:35:26,059 There are snacks and water in the back. 730 00:35:26,059 --> 00:35:28,529 And with that being said, 731 00:35:28,529 --> 00:35:30,264 let's give it all a round of applause, y'all. 732 00:35:30,264 --> 00:35:32,833 [ Applause ] 733 00:35:32,833 --> 00:35:36,537 We're good. Oh, that's right. 734 00:35:36,537 --> 00:35:38,772 And if there's questions, feel free. 735 00:35:38,772 --> 00:35:41,375 Thank you. 736 00:35:41,375 --> 00:35:45,012 Okay. Oh, yes. 737 00:35:45,012 --> 00:35:49,550 -Mayor Harrell, this is a pretty big levy, 738 00:35:49,550 --> 00:35:53,287 it's the third year in a row where we have a pretty big levy. 739 00:35:53,287 --> 00:35:54,521 Considering the budget picture, 740 00:35:54,521 --> 00:35:56,356 is there a concern 741 00:35:56,356 --> 00:35:57,925 that the city budget is becoming too dependent 742 00:35:57,925 --> 00:36:00,661 on these property tax levies? 743 00:36:00,661 --> 00:36:03,997 -So, David, thanks for the question. 744 00:36:03,997 --> 00:36:06,834 There's always a concern when we're going to the public 745 00:36:06,834 --> 00:36:08,936 and asking people to invest. 746 00:36:08,936 --> 00:36:10,337 We're always concerned about this. 747 00:36:10,337 --> 00:36:11,538 And so we try to calibrate. 748 00:36:11,538 --> 00:36:13,307 We try to balance, make the right balance. 749 00:36:13,307 --> 00:36:16,543 And I think what you saw through Fathima's story is, 750 00:36:16,543 --> 00:36:18,512 that's an investment. 751 00:36:18,512 --> 00:36:21,849 Our childcare instruction -- instructors was the word 752 00:36:21,849 --> 00:36:23,584 I was looking for. 753 00:36:23,584 --> 00:36:25,519 You guys didn't bail me out, by the way. 754 00:36:25,519 --> 00:36:27,120 Our instructors, these are investments. 755 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:28,856 These kids are investments. 756 00:36:28,856 --> 00:36:31,859 So we think we reached the right amount. 757 00:36:31,859 --> 00:36:33,794 And when I talk about Seattle, 758 00:36:33,794 --> 00:36:36,830 once again, redefining itself as a world-class city, 759 00:36:36,830 --> 00:36:39,366 we think this is a good investment. 760 00:36:39,366 --> 00:36:44,271 And so, again, with the Trump volatility, 761 00:36:44,271 --> 00:36:46,440 we think this is a good investment. 762 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:49,676 So we are going to advocate every chance 763 00:36:49,676 --> 00:36:53,380 we get out there complying with the ethics rules. 764 00:36:53,380 --> 00:36:56,550 When the council gets it, they will evaluate it. 765 00:36:56,550 --> 00:36:59,953 We look forward to that robust process. 766 00:36:59,953 --> 00:37:02,756 And hopefully, the voters will look favorably upon it. 767 00:37:03,924 --> 00:37:07,928 [ Applause ] 768 00:37:07,928 --> 00:37:10,664 And if there aren't any other questions, 769 00:37:10,664 --> 00:37:15,135 I will -- did you have another one, David? 770 00:37:15,135 --> 00:37:16,537 -Can you say anything more 771 00:37:16,537 --> 00:37:18,238 about what your administration is doing 772 00:37:18,238 --> 00:37:20,240 about the sort of negative budget forecast 773 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:22,876 that came in recently, next steps? 774 00:37:22,876 --> 00:37:25,245 -Yeah, so -- and I'll give some context for those 775 00:37:25,245 --> 00:37:27,247 that aren't following it. 776 00:37:27,247 --> 00:37:31,718 So, right now we're projected in a roughly an $8 billion budget, 777 00:37:31,718 --> 00:37:33,453 we're projected to -- 778 00:37:33,453 --> 00:37:36,590 we're looking at maybe $240 million deficit. 779 00:37:36,590 --> 00:37:40,794 We're also looking at what can be from the federal government, 780 00:37:40,794 --> 00:37:44,765 $300, $400, $450 million that could be withheld 781 00:37:44,765 --> 00:37:47,234 because of our values. 782 00:37:47,234 --> 00:37:49,069 We are a welcoming city. 783 00:37:49,069 --> 00:37:51,839 We're also looking at another possibly $700 784 00:37:51,839 --> 00:37:55,309 or $800 million that goes to the county and other organizations 785 00:37:55,309 --> 00:37:58,979 that we are the beneficiary of. So every day we monitor this, 786 00:37:58,979 --> 00:38:00,948 and we're working with our colleagues in Olympia 787 00:38:00,948 --> 00:38:03,617 to understand our plight. 788 00:38:03,617 --> 00:38:08,021 And we also realize the price of a carton of eggs 789 00:38:08,021 --> 00:38:11,158 and a gallon of milk is high. 790 00:38:11,158 --> 00:38:13,727 So we don't make these decisions arbitrarily. 791 00:38:13,727 --> 00:38:16,129 We calibrate and we talk to people. 792 00:38:16,129 --> 00:38:19,600 We talk to communities. 793 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,468 I use the term investments 794 00:38:21,468 --> 00:38:23,170 because that's what we have to do. 795 00:38:23,170 --> 00:38:25,172 We have to invest in these young folks 796 00:38:25,172 --> 00:38:26,907 to make sure we become the city we want. 797 00:38:26,907 --> 00:38:29,209 So we monitor. 798 00:38:29,209 --> 00:38:31,211 We're going through the budget discussions. 799 00:38:31,211 --> 00:38:34,748 Now again, Councilmember Rivera talked about collaboration. 800 00:38:34,748 --> 00:38:37,684 These are tough decisions we have in front of us. 801 00:38:37,684 --> 00:38:41,588 But this decision we believe -- 802 00:38:41,588 --> 00:38:43,590 I got to put a little disclaimer here. 803 00:38:43,590 --> 00:38:46,627 There's some ethics rules on how much I can talk about the levy. 804 00:38:46,627 --> 00:38:48,896 So I have to sort of just be general. 805 00:38:48,896 --> 00:38:50,797 I'm used to being a little punchy. 806 00:38:50,797 --> 00:38:53,033 So we're going to give it to the council. 807 00:38:53,033 --> 00:38:55,002 But we're always concerned about the impacts on everyone. 808 00:38:55,002 --> 00:38:57,704 I'll just put it that way. 809 00:38:57,704 --> 00:38:59,806 I'll give you a third shot too, Dave, if you want. 810 00:38:59,806 --> 00:39:01,475 No. -I mean, sure. 811 00:39:01,475 --> 00:39:03,043 -No, no, I was just joking, be careful, 812 00:39:03,043 --> 00:39:05,045 be careful what you're asked for. 813 00:39:05,045 --> 00:39:07,047 -This is more specific to the levy, which is the safety piece. 814 00:39:07,047 --> 00:39:08,882 Does that include school resource officers 815 00:39:08,882 --> 00:39:10,150 or police officers? 816 00:39:10,150 --> 00:39:12,219 -Good question, David. 817 00:39:12,219 --> 00:39:15,022 We are being very intentional on not saying police officers, 818 00:39:15,022 --> 00:39:17,658 school safety officers, care officers 819 00:39:17,658 --> 00:39:19,426 because we're going to work 820 00:39:19,426 --> 00:39:22,162 with the school district and Dr. Jones on his -- 821 00:39:22,162 --> 00:39:25,332 and congratulations on your departure, 822 00:39:25,332 --> 00:39:31,471 I guess, soon, and your wife's great career. 823 00:39:31,471 --> 00:39:33,607 We're going to work with the students. 824 00:39:33,607 --> 00:39:35,242 We're going to be in the schools and asking, 825 00:39:35,242 --> 00:39:37,311 what does safety look like for you? 826 00:39:37,311 --> 00:39:39,947 Who would you like to talk to? I have talked about, 827 00:39:39,947 --> 00:39:41,682 when I was at Garfield, 828 00:39:41,682 --> 00:39:43,884 my football coach was a police officer, 829 00:39:43,884 --> 00:39:45,919 and I was able to talk to police officers. 830 00:39:45,919 --> 00:39:48,021 We realize the stakes have changed. 831 00:39:48,021 --> 00:39:51,558 So we're going to work with the school district leadership 832 00:39:51,558 --> 00:39:53,527 and the students and the community and the parents 833 00:39:53,527 --> 00:39:55,996 and say, what does this collaboration looks like? 834 00:39:55,996 --> 00:39:57,965 We want these kids to be safe. 835 00:39:57,965 --> 00:40:00,200 We want them to go out and recreate and be safe. 836 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:01,635 We want them to be able to walk home 837 00:40:01,635 --> 00:40:03,003 or catch the bus and be safe. 838 00:40:03,003 --> 00:40:04,738 That's why in our transportation levy, 839 00:40:04,738 --> 00:40:07,674 we put in $9 million for transit safety. 840 00:40:07,674 --> 00:40:09,710 We don't want them to be around the remnants 841 00:40:09,710 --> 00:40:11,211 of fentanyl or opioids, 842 00:40:11,211 --> 00:40:12,980 or anything else like that. 843 00:40:12,980 --> 00:40:16,116 So we're going to work with these students 844 00:40:16,116 --> 00:40:18,952 and let them tell us what safety looks like for them. 845 00:40:18,952 --> 00:40:21,021 I personally do have a strong preference 846 00:40:21,021 --> 00:40:24,391 to develop relationships with my police department. 847 00:40:24,391 --> 00:40:27,327 I want every one of our police officers 848 00:40:27,327 --> 00:40:29,229 be able to look everyone in the eye and say, 849 00:40:29,229 --> 00:40:30,998 "I'm here to protect you. 850 00:40:30,998 --> 00:40:32,866 I'm not here to harm you. I'm here to protect you." 851 00:40:32,866 --> 00:40:35,769 So that's the work we're doing with our police department 852 00:40:35,769 --> 00:40:37,137 and I'm very confident we're going to reach 853 00:40:37,137 --> 00:40:38,705 the right balance. 854 00:40:38,705 --> 00:40:42,509 [ Applause ] 855 00:40:42,509 --> 00:40:46,280 Okay. Everyone have a great -- what is today? 856 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:48,482 Tuesday? Wednesday? 857 00:40:48,482 --> 00:40:50,851 See, all my days just blend together here. 858 00:40:50,851 --> 00:40:52,686 Everyone have a great rest of the Wednesday 859 00:40:52,686 --> 00:40:54,154 and thank all of you community. 860 00:40:54,154 --> 00:40:55,355 Thank you very much.