Community members, youth advocates, and grassroots organizers gathered at The McKinney Center for Community and Economic Development in Seattle’s 37th Legislative District for the King County Candidate Forum on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The forum focused on closing the divide between elected officials and local residents, specifically emphasizing the voices of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
Hosted by the Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees, and Communities of Color (CIRCC) in partnership with over a dozen community-based organizations, the event provided a space for residents to engage directly with candidates running for State Senate, State Representative Position 1, and State Representative Position 2 in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
Shift in Focus: Demanding Direct Accountability
Organizers emphasized that the candidate forum was designed to flip the traditional dynamic of political campaigning. Rather than relying on standard political mailers or television advertisements, community leaders pushed candidates to directly address the specific challenges facing their neighborhoods.
"Election season is coming up, and far too often Black and Brown folks have been on the menu," community organizer Deaunte Damper said. "We're tired of that.”
Key priorities raised during the discussions included:
Black Maternal Health & Youth Services: Advocating for dedicated resources for Black maternal care, alongside investments in youth safety and gun violence prevention.
Gentrification & Economic Displacement: Addressing the rapid loss of local economic stability and the closure of historic Black-owned businesses across the Central District and surrounding neighborhoods.
"Over the past four years, we have seen so many Black businesses in the Central District get shut down. And I think that we need to figure out who's going to take the leadership reins in preserving that,” Damper said.
Overdose Prevention Services: Expanding targeted harm reduction programs for marginalized populations.
"There are plenty of Black and Brown and Indigenous community members that are dying of overdose because there aren't any programs that are prioritizing their existence,” Damper said.
Support for Working Artists: Establishing state-level assistance for local creatives facing housing instability.
"There are artists that have built so many different canvases around in this space, but can't pay their rent," Damper said.
Advocates noted that historical state legislative decisions have often led to the underfunding of marginalized communities.
"Most of the time when people have [gone] out there to Olympia, they have either defunded us or didn't advocate for us," Damper said, referring to the Washington State capital. "So, it's really important that we bring people to the table today to say, 'What are you going to do for us?'"
Humanizing Political Engagement and Elevating Youth Voices
Beyond policy discussions, event organizers highlighted the importance of breaking down the barriers that make civic processes feel distant or inaccessible.
Nick Jeffreys, Community Outreach and Engagement Organizer at BWELL Seattle reflected on the value of allowing residents to interact with leaders in person.
"For community members, some of them this is their first time ever getting to see a candidate and talk to a candidate in the flesh, sit there, break bread with them... What this is doing is not just humanizing the candidates, but humanizing the community,” he said.
Youth participation was also a central focus. BWELL intern Jesikah Jowers acknowledged widespread voter cynicism among their peers.
"There's not a lot of people of my age range that feel like this stuff is important or feel like they need to vote or just they feel like it's a waste of their time,” she said, expressing hope that they "can help spread the word to other people and make them want to come.”
Year-Round Organizing and the Imperative to Vote
While the forum offered a direct look at the 37th District slate, speakers reiterated that civic duty extends far beyond casting a ballot on Election Day.
BWELL Executive Director Jackie Vaughn stressed that building sustained political power requires ongoing community organizing and post-election accountability to ensure elected officials fulfill their promises once in office.
Community members relayed an urgent call to action regarding ballot participation.
"Voting shouldn't even be an option... You not voting is you not prioritizing the existence of the community that helped build it,” Damper said.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Make sure you drop your ballot in an official drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
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