A recent story highlighting an insider strategy call of Sara Nelson’s campaign made headlines in The Stranger for the incumbent’s cynical comments on the threat of President Donald Trump. But the call highlighted another part of Nelson’s strategy—her plan to try and overcome her 23-point primary election loss by painting her challenger, Dionne Foster as “inexperienced and unqualified.” We’ve seen that strategy play out in debates recently with Nelson claiming Foster would need “training wheels.”
That claim is not only false—it is disrespectful. It is disrespectful for an elected official to dismiss and deny a highly qualified woman of color’s experience, particularly one as deep and substantive as Dionne Foster’s.
As state elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and labor leaders we have worked closely with Foster in different roles she has held fighting for working people in Seattle over the last decade. In every role, Foster brought together workers, funders, and advocates to advance shared priorities.
We are hard pressed to think of someone more qualified to represent our city. Foster has one of the most impressive resumes and experience of any first-time candidate for City Council in years. In her 4 and a half years as the Executive Director of Progress Alliance of Washington, Foster ran a multimillion-dollar nonprofit and led a statewide coalition that defended the capital gains tax, securing millions for childcare and early education.
While working as a senior program officer at the Seattle Foundation, Foster shepherded millions of dollars to groups tackling housing, transportation, racial equity, and homelessness in our region.
As a Senior Policy Advisor at the City of Seattle, Foster led internal and external policies, expanded youth employment opportunities, helped craft the Duwamish Valley Action Plan, and advanced environmental policies and the electrification of the city’s vehicles. She knows City Hall and understands how to analyze transformational public policy. Her decision making is rooted in evidence and genuine community engagement.
That is why Foster has earned the trust of organizations like Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Washington, OneAmerica Votes, and MLK Labor. At a time when Donald Trump threatens to deploy the National Guard to our city, targets LGBTQ people, and uses ICE raids to tear apart immigrant communities, Seattle cannot afford leaders who divide, dismiss, abstain, or look the other way. We need leaders who show up, listen, and fight with and for working people.
Foster’s opponent, City Council President Sara Nelson, has a track record on council of abstaining from critical votes on housing affordability, opposing progressive revenue to pay for down-payment assistance and food programs, and undermining public trust by silencing community leaders during public comment.
We know Dionne. We trust her experience. And we believe she will lead Seattle forward in a just way.
This editorial was co-written by Washington State Senator Emily Alvarado, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of MLK Labor Katie Garrow, South Park Community Leader Paulina López, and LGBTQ Community Leader Jaelynn Scott.
