Letter to Council President Lorena González
October 23, 2021
Council President González,
We are writing to ask you to immediately cease broadcast of your factually inaccurate and racially charged advertisement wherein a white woman insinuates that Bruce Harrell, a Black man, is in some way connected to her trauma as a sexual assault victim.
Dangerous racist tropes involving the insinuation of Black men as insensitive to issues of sexual violence remain pervasive in our society. This painful and ugly part of our country’s history continues to this day. For you to perpetuate these race-baiting stereotypes in your campaign is a new low in our civic discourse, and an attempt to erase the decades of advocacy and accomplishments of Bruce Harrell, who has been an unflinching voice for victims of violence and discrimination throughout his career in law and politics.
In fact, in the matter you raise regarding former Mayor Ed Murray, it was then-Council President Harrell who authored a letter, cosigned by several of your colleagues, demanding Mr. Murray immediately “stop referring to the criminal background of his accusers“ to prevent “re-traumatiz[ing] survivors and hinder[ing] the City’s efforts to enact policy to assist people…”
You did not sign that letter.
Instead, you praised your former boss, saying his “collaborative approach and his tireless commitment to public service is to be admired.”
You did not call for Mayor Murray to resign as you claim, and instead suggested he consider stepping down.
You repeatedly claim to speak on behalf of crime victims and communities of color, yet your ad is both hypocritical and deeply cynical. In elevating unrelated issues – including an unsubstantiated claim from a non-profit personnel matter – you are not only bringing trauma to victims of assault and violence but attempting to disparage the reputation and accomplishments of a man of color with stereotypical fear-mongering between African American men and white women.
You are undermining your own purported legacy and credibility, and our community is outraged.
Launching an ad like this, as an “October surprise,” is the kind of dog whistle politics that Seattle must reject. We must also reject politicians who perpetuate ugly stereotypes, resorting to anti-Black attacks for political advantage.
Please remove your commercial. We are better than this. Seattle deserves better. Our African American community deserves better.
Signed,
- Gerald Hankerson, Regional President, NAACP Alaska, Oregon, Washington*
- Carolyn Riley-Payne, President, Seattle-King County NAACP
- Constance Rice, Former Seattle First Lady; Community Volunteer
- Jesse Johnson, State Representative
- David Hackney, State Representative
- Michelle Merriweather, President & CEO, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle*
- Paula Sardinas, Founder & CEO, Purpose Driven Girl; former Washington State Commission on African American Affairs*
- Ollie Garrett, President, Tabor 100*
- Harry Bailey, Former Seattle Police Chief
- Rev. Harriett G. Walden, co-founder Mothers for Police Accountability
- Pastor Harvey Drake, Emerald City Bible Fellowship*
- Rev. Reggie Witherspoon, Mt Calvary Christian Church*
- Rev. James P. Broughton III, Damascus International Fellowship*
- Dawn Mason, former Washington State Senator
- Ed Prince, Renton City Council
- Wyking Garrett
- Jennifer Cobb, Former Seattle Women’s Commissioner
- Elmer Dixon, Co-Founder, Black Panther Party
- Ron Ward, Attorney at Law
- Elma Horton, former Board Member, CAMP
- Clyde Merriwether
- James F. Williams, Attorney
- Doug Baldwin
- Sheri Day
- Patricia Valentine
- Felicia Cross
- Karinda Harris
- Rev. Dr. LaVerne Hall
- Lincoln Beauregard
- Jim Buchanan
- Robert Nellams
- Michael Parham
- Esther Mumford
- Barbara Landers
- Dr. Maxine Mimms
- Josephine Howell
- Jennifer Samuels
- Joy Hollingsworth
- James Bible, Attorney
- Dorothy Hollingsworth
- Pastor Derek Lane
- Habtamu Abdi
Find list of community signers below.
*Organization listed for identifying purposes only.
If you agree this ad should be pulled from the air, sign your name below to add it to this letter:
Watch what Seattle’s Black leaders have to say:
Community Signers
- Warren Aakervik
- Devon Abdallah
- Diane Aboulafia
- Dr. Larry A. Adeyemi
- Susan Ahearn
- Alison Aleinikoff
- Solomon Alemayehu
- Doug Alexander
- Yusuf Ali
- Rhoda Altom
- Someireh Amirfaiz
- Scott Anderson, President
- Monique Anello
- Dino Annest
- Joanne Anton
- Jamie Asaka
- Jeannette Asaka-Burgett
- Vicki Asakura
- Kateesha Atterberry, Urban Black
- Alan Axelrod
- Terry Axelrod
- Joseph Ayala
- Cindi Azevedo Laws
- Ted Backmann
- Nancy Backus, Mayor, City of Auburn
- Sean Bagsby, Business Manager, IBEW Local 46
- Brad Bagshaw, Writer, Attorney
- Sally Bagshaw, Senior Fellow, Harvard University
- Doug Baldwin
- Sean Banerjee
- Noel Barnes
- Tony Barstad
- Julie Barwick
- Maria Batayola
- Malik Baz
- Victoria Beach
- Creighton Beckett
- Robert Beckmann
- Carl Behnke
- Renee Bell Clarke
- Clive Bell Clarke
- Shauna Bellamy
- Rick Bellamy
- Shauna Bellamy, Property Manager
- Judy Bendich, Attorney
- Joel Benoliel
- C. Nelson Berry
- Don Berrysmith
- Virginia Bethea
- Keisha Bigby, LICSW
- Judith Billings, Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Everett Billingslea
- Chloe Billingslea
- Lawrence Bizzell, Bizzell and Sons
- Jennifer Blank Hecht
- Erica Bolds-Esters
- Nancy Bolin
- Chris Bown
- Constance Bown
- Monicka Boyd
- Marci Boyd
- Rob Branson
- Tony Bright
- Billy Britt
- Tracy Brown, Director
- Stephen Brown
- Donna Brown
- Ethel Brown
- Adriane Brown
- Anna Brown
- Denise Brown
- Jimm Brown
- Deryl Brown-Archie
- Perry Bryant
- Pamela Buchanan
- Jim Buchanan
- Mark Burchardt
- Claude Burfect, 1st Vice President SKC/NAACP
- Tim Burgess, Former City Council President & Interim Mayor
- Katherine Burk
- Jess Cabodi
- Mark Cairns
- Scott Campbell
- Barbara Candiotti
- Brice Capwell
- Cory Carlson
- Andrew Carrington, Attorney at Law
- Brent Carson
- Susan Cary
- Richard Cassell
- Adrienne Caver-Hall
- Tim Ceis, Former Deputy Mayor
- Ross Chambers
- John Charles
- Mary Charles
- Jill Chelimer
- Deborah Chielens
- Catherine Chohlas
- Loren Chotzen
- Stephanie Cirkovich
- Tim Clancy
- Michelle Clark
- David Clawson, Rehab and Performance Medicine Consulting
- Lori Clifford
- Linda Clifton
- John Co
- Cheryl Cobbs Murphy
- David Cohen
- Brian Cole
- Patricia Collins
- Estrada Colon
- Erin Combs
- Katie Compton
- Erica Conway
- McMillian Cothron
- Juan Cotto
- Nia Cottrell
- Dr. Anne Coughlin
- George Counts
- David Covey, Colonel, USAFR Retired
- Cliff Crandall
- John Creighton, Former Seattle Port Commissioner
- Kevin Cretin, Small Business Owner
- Randolph Cross
- Kevin Daniels
- Debadutta Dash, Co-Chair, WASITRAC
- Carol Daubenmier
- Bryahna Davis
- Deborah Davis, Ph.D.
- Craig Dawson, President
- Sarah J.E. Dean
- David Della, Former Seattle City Councilmember
- Cherlyn Dermody
- Margo Devine
- Linda Di Lello Morton
- Tricia Diamond
- Anthony Dickson, COO
- Ted Dimitriou
- Doug Dixon
- James Doane, Attorney
- Gloria Doolittle
- Rosemary Dotson
- Jane Downey
- Tim Drab
- Darby DuComb
- Luke Ducomb-Festor
- Thomas Duhamel
- Jeffrey Dunaway
- Fax Duncan, Attorney
- John Dunn
- Dorian Dyer
- Mary Eckland
- Joann Een
- Tania Elahee, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager
- Shemayim Elohim
- Adiam Emery
- April Eng
- Margaret Evans
- Hayward Evans, CoConvener MLK Jr. Commemoration Committee
- Michele Evans
- Kristina Evans
- Rebecca Evans
- Suzanne Fairchild
- Douglas Farnell, Former CFO
- Catherine Federman
- Erin Fering
- Yosief Fesseha
- Daniel Fievez
- Bruce Finlayson
- Mindy Fitzgerald
- Kay Fleenor
- Michael Ford
- Steven Fortney
- Catherine Foster
- Teri Franklin
- Julie Fraser
- Roxann Fraser
- Kai Frazier
- Lynn French, MHA, JD, President & CEO, Global Business Development, LLC
- Richard Fuhr
- David Funden
- Joanne Fung
- Geri Gale
- Kristie Gamer
- Ken Gardner
- Jabeadiah Gardner, CEO
- Mara Gearman, Musician
- Amy German
- Dr. John German, Retired SPS Principal
- Russ Geyer
- Cynthia Ghaffari
- Darrell Gibson
- Brian Giddens
- Charles Gill, Retired Deputy Chief, Seattle Fire Department
- Tag Gleason
- Virginia Gleason
- Barbara Glenn
- Regina Glenn
- Carole Glickfeld
- Ryen Godwin
- Dawn Gold
- Ivette Golden
- Ryle Goodrich
- Gael Goodwin
- Larry Gossett, Former King County. Councilmember
- Charlotte Grady
- Megan Graves
- Ethel Green
- Hassan M Guyo, Community activist
- Paulette Guyton
- Carl Haglund
- Theodros Haile
- Julie Hall
- Larry Halvorsen
- Molly Hancock, Community volunteer
- Erna Hankic, Volunteer
- Sierra Hansen
- Lloyd Hara, Former King County Assessor
- Garold Harford
- Michael Harrell, Retired Transit Chief
- Toni Harrell, Retired Seattle Police Capt.
- Laird Harris
- Amani Harris
- John Hart
- Linda J Hartzell
- Patricia Hayes
- Shurvon Haynes, Fine Art Visionary at The Wonderful World of Fine Art
- Ellis Hazard
- Jeff Hedgepeth
- Lowell Henderson, Owner – iPlayPower Smartphone & Tablet Repair
- Anne Hepfer
- Darnell Hibbler
- Duane Hill
- Dr. Tracy Hilliard
- Barney Hilliard
- Sandi Hogben
- Gene Hoglund, Retired 65 year Member, IAM 751
- George Holzapfel
- Jeanne Horan, Retired Community College Instructor
- Theresa R Huey
- Veronica Hughes
- Mike Hughes
- Ryan Hunter
- Chad Hunter
- Lamar Hurd
- William Hurt
- Jon Ima
- Francisco Irigon
- Alan Irvine
- Joyce Irvine
- Tramaine Isabell
- David Isenberg, DDS
- Nancy Ishii Martos
- James Jackson
- Aundrea Jackson
- Mikkell Jackson Roeland
- Karthik Jaganathan
- Lawrence and Janet Jassen
- Gary Johnson
- Cynthia Johnson
- James Johnson
- Patricia Johnson
- Michael Jason Johnson
- Gayle Johnson, Business Owner
- Iskra Johnson
- Anna Johnson
- Jonelle M. C. Johnson, Community Volunteer
- Julie Johnson
- Garylee Johnson, Episcopal Sexton
- Othella Jones
- Harnette Jones
- Marcel Jones
- Herman Jones
- Lynda Jones
- Shirley Jones-Miles
- Leslyn Jones-Petitt
- William Justen
- Mohammed Kadhim
- Craig Kairis
- David Kannas
- Shirlee Katayama
- Ken Katayama
- Sophia Keller
- Sean Kelly
- Joyce Kelly
- Bruce Kelly, Retired Army 1st Sergeant
- Marvena Kemp
- Fred C. Kiga
- Don Kneass
- Elaine Ikoma Ko
- Ruth Korkowski Komedal
- Bruce Kriegman
- Ann Krumboltz
- Scott Kubly
- Amanda Kuhns
- Patty Kunitsugu
- Ruthann Kurose
- Soeun Lang
- Alex Lapp
- Bill Laprade
- Tom Laramee
- Heather Lavin
- Korina Layne-Jones
- Cheryl Layton
- Jerry Lee
- Deborah Sioux Lee, Former Commissioner, WA State Human Rights Commission
- Krus Lee
- Karen Leikin
- Keith Leitich
- Antoinette Leitner
- Pearl Leung
- Willon Lew
- Dr. Alfred Lewis
- William Li
- Judy Lightfoot, Writer, Volunteer
- Robert Lilleness
- Ronald Linde
- Deborah Linkowski
- Lesa Linster
- Phyllis Little, Retired Ecutiive Director POCAAN
- Christina Lockwood
- Jason Lombard
- Ray Lou
- Jason Love
- Brenda Lowe
- Aurelia Lowe
- J.P. Lowe, Seattle citizen
- Kenneth Lyles
- Maria Magdalena
- Barb Maher
- Yvonne Majette
- Ian Malin
- Norma Maloney
- Kirk Manahan
- Juana Mangaoang
- John Marasco
- Vivian Maritz
- Sheryl Marks
- Gillian Marsden
- Donna Marshll
- Paul Martin
- Edwina Martin-Arnold, Mrs.
- John Martinsen
- Mark Mason, Chief Executive Officer
- Lynda Matthias
- Tre Maxie
- Peter May
- Trish May
- Volleen McAleer
- Bill McAleer
- John McCoy
- Renee Mccoy
- Bonnie McDonald
- Ronald McGowan
- Keith McIntosh
- Rolston Mckenzie
- Efrem Mehari
- Rosa Melendez, Former U.S. Marshal, Western District of WA
- Gary Melonson
- Richard Merrell
- Nick Metz, Seattle Police Deputy Chief (Retired)
- William Meyers
- Kym Michela
- Karie Migaud
- Nate Miles, Former Chair, Metropolitan Seattle Urban League
- Chris Miles
- Melinda Miller
- Holly Miller
- Andrew Miller
- Gretchen Miller
- Tami Milles
- Colleen Mills
- Rebecca Mitsui
- Lance Miyatovich
- Carol Mizoguchi
- Kibibi Monie’
- Michael Monroe
- Barbara Moore
- Erika Moore Jenkinson
- Dr. Bethanne Moore, M.D.
- Tomio Moriguchi
- Shelley Morrison
- Laura Mortensen
- Shaun Moshay
- Colleen Mounsey
- Paula Mueller
- Misa Murohashi
- James Murphy
- Karen Murray, Attorney
- Janis Murray
- Abdul Nagi
- Ken Nakatsu
- Mamadou Ndiaye
- Michelle Newton
- Dat Nguyen
- Michelle Nguyen
- Dr. Neil Nicholson Dds, Orthodontist
- Patrick Nolan
- George Northcroft
- Robert Nuber
- Jeannie O’Brien
- Maureen O’Brien O’Reilly
- Kate O’Neil
- Michael Oaksmith
- Jeffrey Ochsner
- Rochelle Ogershok
- Chad Olson
- Carol Olwell
- Martin Oppenheimer
- Joanne Orange
- Peter Orange, President Orange Financial
- Virginia Orenstein
- Kevin Orwiler
- Nikolas Palladino, Owner, Phinney Ridge Painting & Home Services
- Stephen Paolini
- Kahu Pere
- Tony Perez, Former Director Seattle Office of Cable Communications
- Sandra Perkins
- Mary Perry, Former Assistant, Seattle City Attorney’s Office
- Laura Peterson
- Gilbert Petitt
- Marcus Petitt
- Philip Petty
- Corina Pfeil, Kenmore Councilmember
- Larry Phillips, Former King County Councilmember
- Deena Pierott, CEO, iUrban Teen and Former Equity Strategic Advisor for the City of Seattle
- Fiore Pignataro, Retired Trial Lawyer
- Marianna Pignataro
- Kim Pipkin
- Lawrence Pitre, President of the Central Area Chamber of Commerce
- Lisa Plymate, MD
- Rhonda Porter
- Darrell Powell, Chief Financial Officer
- Richard Prentke
- James Priour
- Linda Pye
- Dr. Fred Quarnstrom, DDS
- Eric Wolf Rabinowitz
- Michele Radosevich
- John Rahn, President, Perspectives of New Music
- Lance Randall, Small Business Owner
- Jamie Redd
- Robert Redwine, Community Activist
- James Reese, Jr., Student
- Dr. Liz A. Reynolds Thomas, Civic Volunteer
- Pamela Rhodes-Taylor
- Shawn Richard-Davis, Retired City of Seattle Employee
- Dallas Richardson
- Meg Richman, Retired SPS Teacher and Writer
- Paul Riek, President, Uff Da Logistics
- Sluggo Rigor
- Nita Rinehart, Former Senator
- Maria Riojas
- Olivia Riojas
- Leticia Riojas
- Rogelio Riojas
- Daniel Riojas
- Daniel Riojas, RN
- Maritza Rivera
- Loretta Robinett
- Stephanie Robinett
- Joseph Rockne, Attorney
- James Rodgers
- Jeffrey Roh, CEO, IntuitiveX
- Donald Root
- Richard Roper
- Gabriel Rosenshine
- Todd Rosin
- Jim Rowe
- Jennifer Rozler
- Julien Rust, City of Seattle Employee
- Rob Saka, Attorney
- Tunde Salisbury
- Shep Salusky, Psychologist
- Hector Samuels, President, Paint Masters Inc.
- Jesus Sanchez, Administrator
- Christopher Sanders
- Eric Sano
- Louis Santini
- Hilary Santini
- Albert Sardinas
- Vonda Sargent, Attorney
- Calvin Saunders
- Tom Schmidt
- Peter Schrappen
- Sylvia Schweinberger
- Heidi Seaborn, Poet, Editor, Educator
- Steve Sewell
- Philip Shack
- Arthur Shaw
- C.V. Shaw
- Regina Shelton, Director
- Mardig Sheridan
- Alvin Sherron, Attorney
- Sandy Shettler
- Bill Shinbo
- Robin Sinner
- Marta Sloan
- Dr. James Smith, Former Commissioner, State Commission on African American Affairs
- A. Carl Smith
- Leslie Smith
- Jason Smith
- Linda Smith, Rev.Dr.
- Emijah Smith
- Rev. Dr. Linda Smith
- Karen Smith
- Arthur So
- Connie So, President, OCA Asian Pacific Advocates of Greater Seattle*
- Katie Softli
- Peggy Soong-Yaplee
- Samson Spears
- Norm Spencer
- Robert Spitzer, Attorney at Law
- Jacquelita Spratt
- George Staggers
- Charlotte Starck
- Frank Stauff, President
- Brian Stewart
- Denise Stiffarm
- Annie Stixrood, Retired Librarian
- Vernette Stowers, Former King County Jail Corrections Sergeant
- Joseph Straus, Attorney
- Jon Takemoto
- Brenda Tate
- Alex Tatman
- Donald Taylor
- Marc Taylor
- Lillie Taylor
- Donna Thomas
- Pearl Thomas
- Craig Thompson
- Wendell Thompson
- Workinesh Tianen
- Workinesh Tio
- Diana Toledo
- David Toledo
- Timothy Tomlinson
- Jonathan Tran
- Stephanie Tschida
- James Tune
- Rev. Dr. Homer L Turner, Pastor, Executive Director
- Laura Utler, CTO and Co-Founder UpLift Group; formerly 1st female Technical Fellow Microsoft
- Steven Uyenishi
- Jeffrey Van Cleave
- Chris Van Dyk
- Colin Vandersmith
- Callie Vassall
- Michael Verchot
- Carol Verga
- Wally Walker
- Alexis Wall
- John Wallace
- Robert Walling
- Colleen Walls, Retired School District Administrator
- Chris Warner
- David Warren
- Marques Warren
- Harriet Wasserman
- Janet Way
- Jon Way, DDS, MS
- Thomas Weaver
- Allison Weber
- James Wechsler
- Jan Weldin
- Kathleen West
- Diane Westergaard
- Mary Lou Wickwire
- Tandy Williams
- Richard Williams
- Otis M Williams
- Clarence Williams, President, NW Association of Retired Black Fire Fighters
- Keith Williams
- Daniel Williams
- Elizabeth Williams
- Dennis Williams
- Bertram Williams, Jr., Board of Directors-MLK FAME Community Center
- Karyn Williamson
- Lynne Wilson, Civil Rights Attorney
- Steven Wilson
- Jesse Wineberry, Attorney & former Washington State Representative
- Laura Wold
- Marcia Wold
- Scott Wonder, Attorney
- Ruthie Wrothwell, Retired Teacher
- Terrance Yaplee
- Michael Yasutake
- Arthur Young, Veteran
- Mohammed Zaidan
- Jane Zalutsky
- Alex Zevely
- Caroline Zizza
