Rainier Beach - The recent, heartbreaking loss of two young lives near Rainier Beach High School has left the South Seattle community in a state of profound grief and search for answers. As we mourn the teenagers who were killed just steps from their school, we are forced to confront a painful reality: the students have been telling us they were afraid for years.

This Rainier Beach town hall story from January 2023 serves as a chilling foreshadowing of the current tragedy. In it, we see students and graduates sharing their daily anxieties—from the fear of walking to lunch to the necessity of "ducking" if a car speeds by too quickly. As we collectively process this loss, we must move beyond performative talk.

What is being done right now by the City of Seattle, King County, School Board, and our community to ensure our children can walk to a bus stop without fearing for their lives? It is time to listen to the youth who have already provided the roadmap for their own safety.