Olympia—Hate crimes in the U.S. are on the rise, and our state is no exception. Alarming data shows that hate crimes in Washington state have reached the highest level in more than two decades. Even then, the true number of these incidents is likely significantly underreported due to distrust in law enforcement, fear of retaliation, inaccurate reporting and language barriers. Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) has introduced legislation that would create a support system for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents. “It takes all of us to fight hate,” said Valdez. “Not only do we need to stand against these hate crimes, we also need to provide support and resources to help the victims in a meaningful way.” SB 5427 would establish ...
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About Javier
Javier Valdez is the proud son and grandson of farmworkers and laborers. A product of public education, Javier holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in public administration from Baruch College, the City University of New York, as a participant in the National Urban Fellows program. Javier has worked for the City of Seattle for over 20 years, where he led Seattle City Light’s women and minority business (WMBE) program, served as a special assistant on WMBE programs in the Seattle Mayor’s Office, and currently as a senior equity and inclusion advisor with the City of Seattle Finance and Administrative Services Department.
Javier is vice chair of the State Government & Elections Committee and also serves on the Law & Justice and Transportation committees.
Read Javier’s full biography here.