{"id":948,"date":"2017-01-06T09:24:03","date_gmt":"2017-01-06T17:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sdc.wastateleg.org\/saldana\/?p=948"},"modified":"2017-01-06T09:24:03","modified_gmt":"2017-01-06T17:24:03","slug":"saldana-state-senates-only-woman-of-color-sets-big-agenda-for-her-freshman-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/alpha\/2017\/01\/06\/saldana-state-senates-only-woman-of-color-sets-big-agenda-for-her-freshman-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Salda\u00f1a: State Senate\u2019s Only Woman of Color Sets Big Agenda for Her Freshman Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
Guest opinion from Sen. Salda\u00f1a, published in PubliCola.<\/em><\/h5>\n

State Senate\u2019s Only Woman of Color Sets Big Agenda for Her Freshman Year<\/h2>\n

By Rebecca Salda\u00f1a<\/a> <\/span> 12\/30\/2016 at 4:54pm <\/span><\/p>\n

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We asked a handful of local leaders that had big showings in 2016 to reflect on the year ahead.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Not only did Puget Sound Sage\u2019s executive director Rebecca\u00a0Salda\u00f1a win the appointment to the state senate in Southeast Seattle\u2019s majority minority district to replace Pramila Jayapal (Jayapal is going to D.C. to serve in the U.S. house), but Sage itself took center stage this year. <\/em><\/p>\n

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The people of Southeast Seattle\u2019s 37th\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup>legislative district expect\u00a0a lot from this newbie who\u2019s taking outgoing state senator, now U.S. Rep-elect, Pramila Jayapal\u2019s shoes. They want their state senator to stand up for black lives, immigrant rights, a fair economy, a clean environment, housing justice, local labor standards, increased revenue to serve community priorities, and protecting our populations from our president-elect\u2019s hostilities and threatened violence. I\u2019m ready to do that, and I\u2019m going to Olympia to deliver strategic wins for the people of Renton, Skyway (currently unincorporated King County) and Central and South Seattle.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t be easy in a Republican-controlled state senate, but as a woman of color growing up in Seattle, I have lots of experience being in the \u201cminority.\u201d Now, as the newly elected minority whip, and as the only Latina and woman of color, I\u2019m ready to bring the 37th Legislative District\u2019s values of fairness, equity, multiculturalism and mutual respect to the state senate.<\/p>\n

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My to-do list is long, but the issues making their way to the top of the page include:<\/p><\/div>\n

1.<\/strong> Advance our local wins for equitable development and transportation equity.<\/strong> It\u2019s time to build on Jayapal\u2019s past win to secure $3 million for the Economic Opportunity Center, and Puget Sound Sage\u2019s most recent win<\/a><\/strong> to secure a $16 million city investment<\/a><\/strong> toward Equitable Development Initiatives<\/a> in the 37th<\/sup> District.\u00a0 Continuing the last five years of work with a coalition of diverse partners through Puget Sound Sage, we can leverage the wins of Sound Transit 3 to ensure new growth prevents displacement and improves opportunities for housing, high roads employment, and an improved environment for the enjoyment of everyone in Washington State.<\/p>\n