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Morales Vows to Help District 2 “Rewrite Rules Of Power” at Community Swearing-In

by Emerald Staff

Despite warnings of impending snow Monday night, nearly seventy community leaders, activists, voters attended the swearing-in of new District 2 City Council member Tammy Morales, at the Centilia Cultural Center at El Centro de la Raza.  She was sworn in by community members Farhiya Mohamed, Executive Director of the Somali Family Safety Task Force and Andrew Hong, the acting Director for March for Our Lives/Washington. 

Farhiya Mohamed (far left), Executive Director of the Somali Family Safety Task Force, and Andrew Hong, the acting Director for March for Our Lives/Washington swear-in new Seattle District 2 council member Tammy Morales (right) during a community swearing-in ceremony at Centilia Cultural Center at El Centro de la Raz, January 13. (Photo: Susan Fried).

South Shore Elementary School student, six year old Asiyah Mousa pinned Morales with the official Seattle City seal; she had wanted to vote for Morales, years ahead of being of voting age.

Six year old Asiyah Mousa, a South Shore k-8 student, pins District 2 Council Member Tammy Morales with the official Seattle City seal during a community swearing in celebration. (Photo: Susan Fried)

The family oriented event was a celebration complete with a sumptuous Mexican buffet and a variety of Mexican and Tex-Mex music.

Estela Ortega, executive director of El Centro, placed Morales clearly in the tradition of the late Bernie Whitebear, Bob Santos, her husband Roberto Maestas and former King Count Council member Larry Gossett – the Gang of Four Seattle activist leaders for decades.

3 year old Neale chows down on the Mexican inspired cuisine at Tammy Morales community swearing in ceremony on January 13, held at Centilia Cultural Center at El Centro de la Raza. (Photo: Susan Fried)

In her remarks, Morales focused on her commitment to empower the long neglected people of District 2. “I share your sense of urgency to repair the harm that’s been done in our displaced communities, by building power in our community.”

She went on to emphasize that her tenure will not be business as usual. “When our community, this community rewrites the rules of power, when we are the drivers behind developing solutions that we need we can accomplish so much and we are going to rewrite the rules.”