Dear Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, Kenmore Councilman David Baker, King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin, Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez, King County Council Vice President Joe McDermott, WA Transport Minister Roger Millar, Renton City Councillor Ed Prince , Fife Mayor Kim Roscoe, King County Councilman Dave Upthegrove, King County Councilman Peter Von Reichbauer, Tacoma Councilman Kristina Walker and labor liaison Mark Riker:
We write as civil rights advocates for the Asian Pacific Islander community, from Chinese Citizens Coalition in America – Seattle (CACA Seattle), OCA Asia Pacific Advocates Greater Seattle formerly Chinese American Organization (OCA-GS), Japanese American Citizens Coalition, Seattle Chapter (JACL-Seattle) and the Filipino American Political Action Group of Washington (FAPAGOW).
The hateful and frivolous suggestion by Sound Transit staff to let trains pass through our fragile Chinatown-International District (CID) will further damage and destroy our fragile historic neighborhood that has suffered multiple historic races Divestment. The Sound Transit alternative appears to embed implicit, institutional, unconscious bias and purposeful discrimination in complete disregard of your Anti-Racist Organization Policy and Title VI of the Federal Civil Rights Act, as amended.
We are asking the Sound Transit Commission to intervene immediately to 1) remove the disruptive alternatives associated with CID, and 2) conduct a review of how your internal equity system has failed, which allowed these racially harmful alternatives to get to this point .
Maria Batayola will act as a point of contact for our organization.she can be mbjumpstart@msn.com or call 206-293-2951. We look forward to a positive response over the next two weeks.
Sincerely,
Maria Batajola
Cathy Lee
Stanley N. Shikuma
Dr. Connie Sue
FAPAGOW Politics
CACA Seattle
JACL – Seattle
OCA-GS
voice co-chair
Co-President President
