By Carolyn Bick

In February 2020, South Seattleite and SEED Seattle’s current Director of Economic Development and Interim Director Lance Randall quietly filed his paperwork for mayoral candidacy. After the Emerald broke the news of his candidacy last autumn, Randall promised his first interview to the Emerald. He recently made good on that promise by giving this reporter their first interview of 2021, in which he discussed his background as the son and grandson of trailblazing Black men in the South, and his vision for a more inclusive city.

Tell me about your background and your childhood. What about your childhood influenced the choices you made and the path on which you now find yourself? Were there any defining moments or turning points where you said, “Ah-ha! I know what I need to do with my life”?

I was born in Macon, Georgia … in 1966, and I am the only male son of five children. I have four sisters and no brothers, which was good, very good. I had a great childhood with my sisters. All of them grew up to be wonderful women, very successful, and their strength, encouragement, and nurturing has been an important part of my development.