Dear EDI Family,
It has been a struggle to determine the tone, purpose, or strategic intent of this statement. This is a follow up to our
colleagues’ open letter and compassionate response from our community partners. We hope this reads as heart felt. We want you to know we hear you, and we will not back down from the work.
To our colleagues, Bo & Ubax. The ripple of your absence was felt deeply by us from the moment the mic dropped. With your verbal confirmations and interim transfer of responsibilities to division and departmental teammates, we are
willingly leaning in and rooting for your wellness. We applaud your unapologetic stance centering your values and the
protection of self. Enough was enough.
To our EDI community and partners in this work. We acknowledge and appreciate your public response in support of
health, the EDI Team, and call to action stated in the open letter.
We will not reiterate the many reasons that have brought us to this point. Though we will state what may not be so
obvious. The EDI Team will continue to move programmatic priorities established by the communities we serve. So
many of you contribute to the depth, functionality, and efficacy of EDI. Through your participation on the EDI Board,
review committees, activism and countless hours organizing to bring the vision of an equitable Seattle to light, one
project, practice shift, and policy win at a time.
The EDI Team through the following, is committed to valuing this moment and change that it will bring at the City level, ripple by ripple:
- Supporting our current EDI Project Sponsors
- Distributing funds for the Land Acquisitions Fund
- Leading the process and distribution of funds for the General EDI RFP, currently accepting applications
- Leading an RFP process and distribution of funds for the Strategic Investment Fund
- Supporting and advocating for the successful roll out of a Community Driven Participatory Budgeting Process
In service,
The EDI Team
Michael Blumson, EDI Fund
David Goldberg, EDI Fund
Giulia Pasciuto, EDI Land Acquisition & Strategic Investment Funds
Sauncha Romey, Indigenous Seattle Intern
Katie Sheehy, Interim Point Person for the EDI Board and Grantees Convening
Patrice Thomas, Interim EDI Division Manager
Andrew Tran, EDI Land Acquisition Fund
Download a signed version of this letter here.