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{
  "persistedAt": "2026-04-14T03:49:53.009Z",
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  "meeting": {
    "title": "Housing, Arts and Civil Rights Committee 4/8/2026",
    "date": "2026-04-08",
    "committee": "Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee",
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    "sourceFileName": "2026-04-08_housing-arts-and-civil-rights-committee_x185670.srt",
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    "entryCount": 1316,
    "wordCount": 6782,
    "speakerCount": 2,
    "speakers": [
      "COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER",
      "COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ"
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  "tags": [
    "city:seattle",
    "org:seattle-city-council",
    "meeting:x185670",
    "committee:housing-arts-and-civil-rights-committee",
    "year:2026",
    "month:2026-04",
    "date:2026-04-08"
  ],
  "text": "8, 22026 OF THE HOUSING, ARTS,\nAND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE WILL\nCOME TO ORDER. IT IS 2:04 PM. I\nAM CHAIR OF THE HOUSING, ARTS\nAND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE.\nTHANK YOU. WILL COMMITTEE CLERK\nPLEASE CALL THE ROLL. PRESIDENT\nHOLLINGSWORTH.\nPRESENT.\nCOUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ: COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.\nCOUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nPRESENT.\nCOUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER: COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER.\nHERE.\nTHERE ARE THREE MEMBERS\nPRESENT AN EXCUSE FOR\nCOUNCILMEMBER LIN.\nI KNOW COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ\nWILL JOIN US SHORTLY. IF THERE\nIS NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL\nBE ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION\nTHE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE WILL\nNOW OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC\nCOMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS\nSHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON\nTODAY'S AGENDA WITHIN THE\nPURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE. HOW\nMANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP?\nFOUR IN PERSON SPEAKERS AND\nNO REMOTE SPEAKERS.\nEACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO\nMINUTES AND WE WILL START WITH\nOUR IN PERSON SPEAKER. PLEASE\nREAD THE PUBLIC COMMENT\nINSTRUCTIONS.\nOF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD\nIS UP TO 60 MINUTES. SPEAKERS\nWILL BEGIN, TO BE CALLED IN THE\nORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE\nREGISTERED AND WE WILL BEGIN\nWITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS.\nSPEAKERS WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN\n10 SECONDS ARE LEFT. MICROPHONES\nWILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT AND\nTHERE COMMENTS TO ALLOW US TO\nCALL THE NEXT SPEAKER. PUBLIC\nCOMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN. WE\nWILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST\nSPEAKER ON THE LIST.\nTHE FIRST PERSON IS MALCOLM\nAND THE SECOND IS HUMAN.\nANY MICROPHONE, WHICHEVER\nWORKS FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR\nBEING HERE.\nON BEHALF OF THESPIAN\nPERFORMING ARTS PERSON, I'M\nHERE TO ADVOCATE AND ALSO TO THE\nNEW DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND\nCULTURE, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU\nKNOW THAT THIS CITY, BLEATS A\nNEW DAY A GASHES ATTITUDES\nWOUNDS. THE WOUNDS ARE A LACK OF\nSPACE FOR PERFORMANCE ARTISTS\nSUCH AS FILM, THEATER,\nPERFORMANCE ARTISTS. THEY DON'T\nHAVE ENOUGH REHEARSAL SPACE.\nEVEN AS AN ACTOR THERE IS NO\nPLACE FOR ME TO REHEARSE THE\nSAME WAY PEOPLE PLAY BASKETBALL\nAT GREEN LAKE IN THE GYM. THE\nEQUIVALENCY TO THAT IF YOU GET\nTHAT METAPHOR. IF YOU CHAMPION\nFOR THE MARGINALIZED, FOR THE\nPEOPLE THAT FIGHT FOR\nANTIESTABLISHMENT AND FIGHT FOR\nJUSTICE THROUGH THE ARTS,\nSEATTLE IS NUMBER ONE IN SPORTS,\nTHEY CAN ALSO BE NUMBER ONE IN\nARTS AND FILM AND PERFORMANCE\nARTS IF THEY HAVE THE SPACE TO\nHOME THAT CRAFT. SO, I DID THE\nRESEARCH AT SEATTLE LIBRARY, THE\nONLY HAVE REHEARSAL SPACES , I\nHAVE BEEN REHEARSING ON\nBASKETBALL COURTS BECAUSE THAT\nIS THE ONLY PLACE I REHEARSE MY\nMONOLOGUES BECAUSE AS A MEMBER\nOF THEATER OF PUGET SOUND IT\nCOSTS TOO MUCH TO RENT A ROOM\nTHERE AND SPACE. THEY HAVE OPEN\nSPACES JUST LIKE THEIR OPEN GEMS\nFOR PEOPLE TO PLAY SPORTS HERE,\nAND THERE'S A LOT OF\nINTELLECTUAL PEOPLE HERE THAT\nARE VERY CREATIVE AND WE HAVE A\nLOT OF CREATIVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE\nCOME FROM THIS PLACE, BUT THE\nLAST TIME I CHECKED MY FRIEND\nTOLD ME THAT SEATTLE WAS LIKE\n26th IN THE ACTUAL ARTS IN\nAMERICAN CITIES COMPARED TO NEW\nYORK OR L.A. AND ALLOWED PEOPLE\nCOME THERE AND ARE TENDERED BY\nTHE FACT, LETTING LEADERS KNOW\nTHAT WE DON'T HAVE A SPACE TO\nGO TO , WHETHER IT BE MORE\nVISUAL ARTIST, PERFORMANCE\nARTISTS. BEING ABLE TO ADVOCATE\nFOR FILM HERE, THE MOVIE THAT\nCAME OUT WAS SHOT HERE. JUST\nWANTED TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH.\n[ APPLAUSE ]\nOUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KING\nHIGGINS FOLLOWED BY TIMOTHY.\nCOUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU\nFOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I\nAM THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF\nCOMMUNITY IMPACTED PROGRAMS OF\nFRIENDS A WATERFRONT PARK. I'M\nHERE AS COCHAIR ALONG WITH\nCOCHAIR MEGAN FOR THE ARTS\nCOMMISSION . SO, ON BEHALF OF\nTHE ARTS COMMISSION WE ARE\nPLEASED TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG\nSUPPORT FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF\nAMY AS A DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE\nOF ARTS AND CULTURE. ARE\nLONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIPS\nACROSS OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL\nCOMMITTEES ALONG WITH DEEP\nEXPERIENCE WORKING WITHIN CITY\nGOVERNMENT MAKE HER\nEXCEPTIONALLY PREPARED FOR THIS\nROLE. JUST AS IMPORTANTLY HER\nVALUES ARE FIRMLY ALIGNED AND\nARE BUILDING ON THE PRIORITIES\nOF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND\nCULTURE AND OUR BROADER\nCOMMUNITY OF ORGANIZED AROUND.\nWE ALSO WANT TO AFFIRM THAT ARTS\nAND CULTURE, OUR CORE SPECIFIC\nINFRASTRUCTURE, THEY ARE THE\nSYSTEMS THROUGH WHICH WE BUILD\nIDENTITY, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY\nAND SHAPE THE FUTURE AS WE WANT\nTO LIVE IN. STRONG LEADERSHIP IN\nTHIS DEPARTMENT ENSURES THAT\nTHIS ESSENTIAL PUBLIC GOOD\nREMAINS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE\nIN OUR CITY. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU.\nOUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TIMOTHY,\nFOLLOWED BY CHRISTINA.\nHELLO, MY NAME IS TIMOTHY,\nTHE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMON\nAREA, A LOCAL ARTS NONPROFIT. I\nAM HERE TO SUPPORT AMY'S\nDIRECTORSHIP AND WANTED TO\nEXPRESS MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR\nTHE WORK IN SEATTLE ,\nHISTORICALLY AND THE ADVOCACY\nFOR ARTS AND CULTURE. I HAVE\nSEEN FIRSTHAND AND CONTINUE TO\nSEE IT OVER THE DAYS AND WEEKS\nIS THIS POSITION HAS UNFOLDED.\nAND THROUGHOUT MY COMMUNITY,\nTHERE IS STRONG RESOUNDING\nSUPPORT FOR THEIR WORK AND FOR\nTHIS POSITION. I WOULD LIKE TO\nREPRESENT MY COMMUNITY AS MUCH\nAS I CAN IN ADVOCATING FOR THIS\nAMAZING LEADER. THANK YOU.\n[ APPLAUSE ]\nTHANK YOU.\nOUR FINAL SPEAKER IS\nCHRISTINA.\nGOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL\nMEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA, I\nWILL BE RETURNING TO THE MUSEUM\nIS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I'M\nHERE TO SHARE MY STRONG SUPPORT\nFOR AMY'S CONFIRMATION. AM\nGENERALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE\nOPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE\nHER IN THIS ROLE. AMY BRINGS A\nRARE COMBINATION OF CLARITY,\nCARE AND ACTION TO HER\nLEADERSHIP FROM HER EXPERIENCE\nWORKING WITH COUNCIL STAFF TO\nSDOT AND ARTS, SHE UNDERSTANDS\nHOW CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS. AND\nMORE PORTLY HOW TO WORK ACROSS\nDEPARTMENT TO GET THINGS THAN.\nJUST AS CRITICAL SHE HAS A\nGENUINE RELATIONSHIP WITH HER\nCOMMUNITIES WITH INDIVIDUAL\nARTISTS, ELDERS, COMMUNITY-BASED\nORGANIZATIONS AND SHE HAS EARNED\nOUR TRUST TO HER COMMITMENT TO\nINVESTING IN THE CULTURAL\nPERMANENCE AND STABILITY OF\nBIPOC NEIGHBORHOODS, MOST AT\nRISK OF AND WITH THE MOST TO\nGAIN FROM VIBRANT INVESTMENT IN\nARTS AND CULTURE. IN MY\nEXPERIENCE SHE LEADS WITH DEEP\nINTEGRITY AND COMMITMENT TO\nCOMMITTEE CENTERED\nDECISION-MAKING. BUILDING TRUST\nAND BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER\nTOWARD SHARED GOALS AND MOVING\nIDEAS INTO ACTION WITH FOCUS,\nACCOUNTABILITY AND HEART. AND AT\nA TIME WHEN THOUGHTFUL\nREADERSHIP MATTERS SO MUCH, AND\nIS OUR CITY STAIRS DOWN A BIG\nDEFICIT AND AS WORKERS AND\nARTISTS FEEL THE PAIN IN OUR\nECONOMY, AND CONFIDENT AMY WILL\nSERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH\nDEDICATION AND VISION, BUT MOST\nIMPORTANTLY THE SPIRIT OF AN\nORGANIZER BECAUSE THIS GIRL\nRIGHT HERE CAN HUSTLE. AND FIND\nRESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY. I THINK\nTHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON\nWHY I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO\nPARTNERING WITH HER THE MOST. GO\nAMY, I HOPE, YET. WE ARE GIVING\nYOU LOVE.\n[ APPLAUSE ]\nTHERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL\nREGISTERED SPEAKERS.\nLIKE YOU SO MUCH, THANK YOU\nTO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS. FOR\nTHE FOLKS WATCHING AT HOME, WE\nHAD FOUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS,\nTHERE PROBABLY 50 FOLKS IN HERE\nINCLUDING FOLKS HOLDING, STICK\nPEOPLE SCIENCE WITH THE INTERIM\nDIRECTOR'S FACE ON THEM. REALLY\nEXCITING ENERGY IN COUNCIL\nCHAMBERS TODAY. I DIDN'T EXPECT\nTO SEE THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.\nIT IS A BOOST TO THE SPIRITS.\nOKAY, WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW\nMOVE ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF\nBUSINESS. WITH THE CLERK PLEASE\nREAD ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD.\nAGENDA ITEM 1, APPOINTMENT\n3471 POINT OF AMY NGUYEN IS THE\nDIRECTOR OF HOUSING, ARTS, AND\nCIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE.\nI LIKE TO INVITE TO THE\nCOMMITTEE INTERIM DIRECTOR AMY\nNGUYEN AS WELL AS DEPUTY MAYOR\nBRIAN. AS THEY ARE GETTING\nSETTLED AT THE TABLE, I WILL\nTAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK ON THIS\nITEM. JUST FIRST IN TERMS OF THE\nPROCESS. I'M REALLY PLEASED TO\nCONSIDER INTERIM DIRECTOR AMY\nNGUYEN FOR THIS ROLE. FOR MY\nCOLLEAGUES, THE APPOINTMENT\nPACKET HAS BEEN CIRCULATED WITH\nCOUNCIL MEMBERS. IS INCLUDED IN\nTHE AGENDA PACKET FOR TODAY'S\nMEETING. TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY\nTO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM INTERIM\nDIRECTOR AMY NGUYEN AND FOR\nCOMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ASK\nQUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. WE PLAN\nTO HOLD A VOTE ON OUR\nAPPOINTMENT IN THE NEXT\nCOMMITTEE MEETING APRIL 22. IN\nMY OFFICE WILL BE SENDING OUT A\nLIST OF QUESTIONS ALONG WITH A\nREQUEST FOR OTHER COUNCIL\nMEMBERS TO SHARE ADDITIONAL\nQUESTIONS FOR INTERIM DIRECTOR\nAMY NGUYEN TO RESPOND TO THOSE\nQUESTIONS IN WRITING PRIOR TO\nTHE BOAT. THE INCREDIBLE FRIENDS\nKNOW WE ARE NOT VOTING TODAY,\nBUT WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS\nDISCUSSION. AND JUST AS A\nREMINDER, THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND\nCULTURE MANAGES THE CITY ARTS\nPROGRAM PROVIDES GRANTS,\nOPERATES EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND\nCULTURAL FACILITIES WHICH ARE\nINCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS WE\nHEARD FROM ONE OF OUR PUBLIC\nCOMMENTERS TODAY. AND STRIVES TO\nMAKE SEATTLE A PLACE WHERE\nEVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO\nENGAGE IN DIVERSE ARTS AND\nCULTURAL EXPERIENCES. I WILL\nSHARE BRIEFLY ABOUT AMY'S\nBACKGROUND ALTHOUGH I KNOW WE\nWILL HEAR MORE. SHE BRINGS OVER\nA DECADE OF PUBLIC SECTOR\nLEADERSHIP WITH DEEP COMMITMENT\nAND EXPERIENCE ACROSS ARTS,\nPLANNING AND COMMUNITY\nDEVELOPMENT. SHE HAS ALREADY\nSERVED THE CITY AND MULTIPLE\nLEADERSHIP ROLES INCLUDING AS\nDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE\nOFFICE OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY\nDEVELOPMENT. INTERIM DEPUTY\nDIRECTOR AND PUBLIC ART DIRECTOR\nAT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND\nCULTURE. MOST RECENTLY SHE LED A\nCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT\nORGANIZATION ADVANCING\nAFFORDABLE ARTIST WORKSPACE,\nHOUSING, CULTURAL\nINFRASTRUCTURE, PUTTING\nLARGE-SCALE MIXED-USE PROJECTS.\nIS MY PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE\nTODAY. PRESENTERS, IF YOU COULD\nINTRODUCE YOURSELVES WHEN YOU'RE\nREADY STARTING WITH THE DEPUTY\nMAYOR AND YOU WILL PROVIDE AN\nINTRO TO INTERIM NGUYEN ON\nBEHALF OF THE MAYOR.\nGOOD AFTERNOON, DEPUTY MAYOR,\nCITY OF SEATTLE.\nAMY NGUYEN, SHE/HER PRONOUNS,\nACTING DIRECTOR OF HOUSING,\nARTS, AND CIVIL RIGHTS\nCOMMITTEE.\nTHANK YOU FOR THIS\nOPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. I AM\nMORE THAN PLEASED TO INTRODUCE\nMAYOR WILSON'S NOMINEE TO SERVE\nAS THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF THE\nCITIES OFFICE OF ARTS AND\nCULTURE , AMY NGUYEN. AS YOU CAN\nTELL BY THE CROWD HERE, THERE\nARE A LOT OF FANS OF AMY'S. AND\nWE ARE ONE OF THEM. FOR MANY\nREASONS. AMY BRINGS A POWERFUL\nCOMBINATION OF CREATIVE VISION,\nPUBLIC SECTOR LEADERSHIP, AND\nDEEP COMMUNITY CONNECTION. SHE\nHAS SPENT HER CAREER AT THE\nINTERSECTION OF ARTS, CULTURE\nAND CIVIC LIFE. WORKING TO\nENSURE THAT CREED OF EXPRESSION\nIS NOT ONLY CELEBRATED, BUT\nSUPPORTED AS A CORE PART OF HOW\nCITIES THRIVE. SHE HAS HELPED,\nAS YOU NOTED, MANY KEY\nLEADERSHIP ROLES WITHIN THE CITY\nOF SEATTLE INCLUDING DEPUTY\nDIRECTOR OF OPCD, SHE ALSO\nSERVED AS INTERIM DEPUTY\nDIRECTOR IN PUBLIC DIRECTOR AT\nTHE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.\nMOST RECENTLY SHE BRINGS STRONG\nCOMMUNITY ROOTED EXPERIENCE AS\nEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WATER\nSHOULD. WORKING DIRECTLY WITH\nARTISTS, CULTURAL SPACE AND\nCRATED PRODUCTION IN ONE OF THE\nCITY'S MOST VIBRANT INDUSTRIAL\nARTS COMMITTEES. WHAT STANDS OUT\nMOST IS NOT JUST HER EXPERIENCE\nBUT HER VISION. WHEN WE\nANNOUNCED HER NOMINATION, SHE\nWAS QUOTED, AND THIS REALLY\nSTUCK OUT TO ME, SHE SAID IN HER\nQUOTE, CREATIVITY IS HOW A CITY\nHONORS ITS PAST, FEELS IT'S\nPRESENT, AND IMAGINES A FUTURE.\nTHAT BELIEF IS REFLECTED IN HER\nCOMMITMENT TO ENSURE MORE PEOPLE\nHAVE THE RESOURCES, THE SPACE\nAND FREEDOM TO CREATE. AND THAT\nMEANINGFUL CULTURAL EXPERIENCE\nARE ACCESSIBLE IN EVERY\nNEIGHBORHOOD. THAT VISION ALIGNS\nDIRECTLY WITH MAYOR WILSON'S\nPRIORITIES. WE SEE ARTS AND\nCULTURE AS CENTRAL TO SEATTLE'S\nFUTURE, SUPPORTING PORTABILITY\nAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.\nACTIVATING OUR PUBLIC SPACES.\nSTRENGTHENING THE VIBRANCY OF\nDOWNTOWN AND OR NEIGHBORHOODS.\nTHE ARTS ARE NOT SEPARATE FROM\nOUR BROADER ROLES. THEY ARE KEY\nSTRATEGIES TO ACHIEVING THEM.\nAMY UNDERSTANDS BOTH THE\nOPPORTUNITY AND THE URGENCY OF\nTHIS MOMENT. SHE RECOGNIZES THAT\nARTISTS AND CULTURAL\nORGANIZATIONS ARE STILL\nNAVIGATING RECOVERY WHILE ALSO\nPLAYING AN ESSENTIAL ROLE ON\nBRINGING OUR CITY BACK TO LIFE.\nUNDER HER LEADERSHIP WE ARE MORE\nTHAN CONFIDENT THAT THE OFFICE\nOF ARTS AND CULTURE WILL EXPAND\nACCESS TO CULTURAL SPACE,\nSTRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN\nUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS,\nSUPPORT COULD'VE PLACE MAKING\nTHAT CONTRIBUTES TO NEIGHBORHOOD\nVITALITY. AND AND SHORT\nINVESTMENTS REFLECT FULL\nDIVERSITY OF SEATTLE. JUST AS\nIMPORTANTLY, AMY BRINGS A CLEAR\nNORTH STAR. A FUTURE WHERE\nCREATIVITY IS WITHIN REACH AND\nCLOSE TO HOME FOR EVERY\nSEATTLEITE. AMY IS A\nCOLLABORATIVE LEADER, A TRUSTED\nPARTNER, AND A CHAMPION FOR\nSEATTLE'S ACCRETIVE COMMUNITY.\nI RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR\nSUPPORT FOR CONFIRMATION AND\nLOOK FORWARD TO THIS\nCONVERSATION AND DOING THE WORK\nWE ALL WANT TO DO. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE\nWORDS. AND THANK YOU, CHAIR\nFOSTER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I\nALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND\nTHANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME TODAY\nON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. WORDS\nCANNOT EXPRESS HOW IT MAKES ME\nFEEL SEEN AND VALUED AND JUST,\nTHANK YOU. WE ARE NOT WHO WE ARE\nTHAT THE PEOPLE STAND BEHIND US.\nTHANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO\nCONSIDER FOR DIRECTOR OF ARTS\nAND CULTURE. AS HAS BEEN NOTED,\nI BRING OVER A DECADE OF\nEXPERIENCE LEADING COMPLEX\nPUBLIC SECTOR WORK HERE IN\nSEATTLE. I GOT MY START AT THE\nCITY ON THIS FLOOR AS A\nLEGISLATIVE AIDE. I HAVE\nINNOVATED AND INFLUENCED\nPROGRAMS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, LEAD\nPROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE\nREGULATORY AND ARM OF SEATTLE\nDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,\nAND I AM COMING BACK TO THE\nOFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE FOR\nTHE THIRD TIME. ACROSS THESE\nROLES I HAVE MANAGED LARGE\nPUBLIC BUDGETS, LEAD CROSS\nDEPARTMENT INITIATIVES, AND WORK\nCLOSELY WITH COMMUNITIES TO\nDELIVER EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT\nOUTCOMES. THE APPOINTMENT\nMATERIALS BEFORE YOU ARE PART OF\nMY STORY. BUT IT DOESN'T CAPTURE\nTHE WHY. AND PERHAPS MOST\nIMPORTANT, MY VISION TO ADVANCE\nTHE MANDATE OF THIS OFFICE. MY\nHOME IS SEATTLE. I WAS BORN IN\nWHITE CENTER, WENT TO HIGH\nSCHOOL IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT,\nIN FACT AM JOINED BY SOME OF MY\nHIGH SCHOOL EDUCATORS IN THE\nAUDIENCE NOW FROM NOVA. JUST\nWANTED TO SHUT THAT OUT. AND I\nCAN TELL YOU STORIES OF LOOKING\nOUT ON JACKSON STREET AS A CHILD\nFOR MY GRANDFATHERS, PLAYING\nCARDS AT THE MAGIC DRAGON THE\n23rd DURING LUNCH. WRITING THE\nSEVEN AT NIGHT AFTER SPENDING\nHOURS IN THE DARKROOM. IT\nWASN'T UNTIL I LEFT SEATTLE AND\nMOVED TO NEW YORK CITY TO PURSUE\nMY UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE\nDEGREE IN URBAN STUDIES AND\nPOLICY THAT I TRULY APPRECIATED\nTHE CITY THAT MADE ME. IT IS TO\nLOVE PEOPLE AND PLACE. TO ASK,\nHOW DO WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THE\nGROWING CITY AND IMAGINE THE\nFUTURE OF OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT?\nAND NOT INVEST IN CULTURE AND\nHOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE\nEVERYDAY. I BELIEVE ARTS AND\nCULTURE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE\nINFRASTRUCTURE. IT IS ARTS\nPROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, TO\nSUPPORT ECONOMIC VITALITY,\nSTRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES, AND\nHELPING PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES\nREFLECTED IN THE CITY. IT IS\nABOUT EMBEDDING WHY AND\nENVISIONING A BETTER FUTURE\nTODAY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO\nCOME. AND WHO BETTER TO BE AT\nTHAT HELM THAT ARTISTS AND\nCREATIVE'S. AT THE SAME TIME, I\nWANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT\nAFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS REMAIN\nREAL CHALLENGES FOR ARTISTS AND\nCULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. PUBLIC\nINVESTMENT FOR ARTS AND CULTURE\nIS NOT PROPORTIONAL TO ECONOMIC\nGENERATION OR ARE CIVIC VALUES.\nYOU CAN LOOK AT DATA FROM THE\nARTS FUND LIVABILITY IMPACT\nSTUDY FOR THE ARTS. THAT PLACE\nIS WASHINGTON STATE, FISCAL YEAR\n2025, AT INVESTING JUST $.87 PER\nCAPITA IN THE ARTS COMPARED TO A\n2.99 NATIONAL AVERAGE. WHILE WE\nHAVE A RELATIVELY STRONG LOCAL\nFUNDING SYSTEM, THE NEEDS\nCONTINUE TO GROW AS ARTISTS ,\nCULTURAL WORKERS, SMALL, MEDIUM\nAND LARGE ARTS CULTURAL\nORGANIZATIONS ARE PINCHED\nFURTHER AND FURTHER. IF\nCONFIRMED, I WILL FOCUS ON\nSTRONG STEWARDSHIP OF PUBLIC\nRESOURCES. TRANSPARENT AND\nEQUITABLE PROGRAM DELIVERY, AND\nENSURE THE OFFICES WORK WREATHS\nREACHES ARTISTS IN EVERY\nNEIGHBORHOOD. WAS THE PORTLY\nIT'S FIGHTING FOR ARTS AND\nCULTURE AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE\nTHE CITY COLORFUL. I AM EXCITED\nTO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD\nTHE DEPARTMENT AND TO PARTNER\nWITH COUNCIL IN ADVANCING THIS\nWORK. THANK YOU AND I LOOK\nFORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.\nI WANTED TO CLAP. I'M NOT\nGOING TO LIE.\n[ APPLAUSE ]\nTHANK YOU. THANK YOU, DEPUTY\nMAYOR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH\nINTERIM DIRECTOR. I REALLY\nAPPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY\nAND I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE THIS\nDISCUSSION WITH COLLEAGUES. I'M\nGOING TO SHARE REALLY BRIEFLY,\nYOU KNOW, THE REASON I'M SO\nEXCITED TO HAVE YOU IN FRONT OF\nUS AS A POTENTIAL APPOINTEE. YOU\nKNOW, THERE ARE THREE THINGS\nTHAT REALLY STRUCK ME. MAYBE\nFOUR. ONE WAS THE FIRST TIME WE\nCONNECTED YOUR ZOOM BACKGROUND,\nINCREDIBLE. SOME FOLKS HERE\nKNOW. AND, AS WE ARE DOING CITY\nBUSINESS AND TALKING ABOUT\nIMPORTANT ARTS AND CULTURAL\nWORK, YOU CAME THROUGH AS WELL\nAS A HUMAN BEING. AND I FEEL\nTHAT TODAY. I WILL SAY I WAS SO\nIMMEDIATELY IMPRESSED BY THE\nFACT THAT YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO\nHAS BOTH A LOT OF HEART WHICH WE\nCAN FEEL, BUT YOU ARE ALSO\nCOMING IN WITH THE DATA, THE\nFACTS, I KNOW IN SOME OF HER\nEARLIEST CONVERSATIONS I HAD\nQUESTIONS FOR YOU AROUND\nINVESTMENT NEEDS AND OUR\nCULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND\nREADINESS TO ENGAGE IN THOSE\nCONVERSATIONS. IN A WAY THAT WAS\nTHOUGHTFUL, CENTER THE PEOPLE\nAND ALSO HAD INFORMATION IT WAS\nIMMEDIATELY IMPRESSIVE. AND I\nALSO FEEL THE GRIT AND\nDETERMINATION , EVEN WHEN WE MET\nON ZOOM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR\nBEING HERE TODAY. AM REALLY\nEXCITED FOR YOU. STEPPING\nFORWARD, AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO\nSERVE. THESE JOBS ARE ABOUT\nPUBLIC SERVICE AND I CAN TELL\nTHAT IN YOUR HEART. ALL RIGHT,\nYOU GOT ME OFF MY TALKING\nPOINTS. WITH THAT, COLLEAGUES, I\nWANT TO TURN TO YOU TO SEE IF\nYOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD\nLIKE TO BRING FOR INTERIM\nNGUYEN. SPENDING TIME ANSWERING\nQUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE TODAY.\nCOLLEAGUES, I WILL TURN TO YOU\nFIRST. I HAVE SOME PREPARED\nQUESTIONS TO GO THROUGH BUT I\nWILL FIRST GIVE FOLKS THE\nOPPORTUNITY TO POSE ANY\nQUESTIONS FOR INTERIM NGUYEN.\nALL RIGHT. FIRST TWO\nCOUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH AND\nTHEN COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.\nI WISH I GOT A PRICE FOR\nPUTTING MY HAND UP FIRST. IT'S\nALWAYS -- YOU NEVER KNOW. I\nREALLY APPRECIATE THE\nOPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MET WITH\nINTERIM NGUYEN. JUST TO KIND OF\nGO OVER SHARED PRIORITIES, GET\nTO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER. I\nREALLY APPRECIATE THAT\nOPPORTUNITY. ONE OF THE\nQUESTIONS I ASKED , AND WOULD\nLOVE FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT TODAY\nIS, SHE TOLD ME TO ASK THE HARD\nQUESTIONS. OKAY? I DON'T THINK\nTHIS ONE IS HARD, BUT I TALK\nABOUT THE 3C'S OF SEATTLE,\nCOMMUNITY, CULTURE AND COMMERCE.\nAND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO EXPAND\nABOUT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AND\nARTS AND WHAT YOU ENVISION AND\nSEE THAT PLAYING INTO SEATTLE\nINTERWOVEN INTO THE COMMERCE\nPIECE. WE KNOW IT IS CULTURE,\nBUT JUST THAT PIECE, THAT SOCIAL\nENTERPRISE, THAT IS MUCH NEEDED.\nABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO\nMUCH, COUNCILMEMBER, FOR THE\nQUESTION. I ASKED YOU TO BRING\nTHE HARD ONES. I AM READY FOR\nIT. BEFORE I JUMP INTO MY ANSWER\nTO THIS, I JUST WANT TO THANK\nYOU, CHAIR, FOR NOW MY ZOOM\nBACKGROUND. I WOULD BE REMISS IF\nI DID NOT, FOR THE PUBLIC KNOW\nTHAT THAT BACKGROUND IS PART OF\nOUR CIVIC COLLECTION FUNDED BY\nTHE 1% FOR THE ARTS. WE HAVE A\nFANTASTIC REGISTRAR THAT MANAGES\nTHE COLLECTION. YOU TOO CAN LOOK\nAT THE MUSEUM AND CHOOSE A\nSELECTION OF YOUR OWN TO MAKE\nYOUR BACKGROUND. WITH THAT,\nCOUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH, IT\nIS SUCH AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.\nTHIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES I AM\nMOST EAGER IN THE NEXT 3.5\nYEARS, IF I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO\nHAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO LEAVE THIS\nOFFICE, I HAVE HEARD THIS AGAIN\nAND AGAIN AND AGAIN FROM\nINDIVIDUAL ARTISTS TO ARTIST\nORGANIZATIONS, TOO OFTEN ARTS\nAND CULTURE AND ECONOMIC\nDEVELOPMENT ARE TREATED AS\nSEPARATE. AND WE HEAR FROM\nINDIVIDUAL ARTISTS THAT THEY ARE\nSMALL BUSINESSES AND WE HEAR\nFROM SMALL BUSINESSES THAT\nCULTURE'S COMPETITIVE EDGE. IT\nIS ABOUT A CONTINUOUSLY\nCOMPETITIVE MARKET AND ARTS AND\nCULTURE IS HOW YOU GET PEOPLE TO\nCOME AND FREQUENT YOUR\nBUSINESSES. IT IS ALSO ABOUT --\nTHERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT\nAPPLICATIONS FOR IT. WHEN I\nTHINK ABOUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE, I\nHAVE A LOT OF DREAMS ON THE\nMACRO BUT I THINK ABOUT WHAT IS\nPOSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR TO\nTHREE YEARS AND THIS OFFICE HAS\nA LOT OF REALLY, TRULY FANTASTIC\nPROGRAMS WITHIN IT. AND IT IS\nTIME TO TURN UP THAT DIAL AND\nPART OF THAT IS REALLY\nPARTNERING STRATEGICALLY WITH\nOUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS. AM VERY\nEXCITED TO WORK MORE CLOSELY\nWITH OUR SEATTLE OFFICE OF\nECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BRING\nAND MARY THAT NEED FOR CREATIVE\nECONOMY TO LIVE AT THE\nINTERSECTION OF MULTIPLE\nDEPARTMENTS. AND OUR SECTOR\nDESERVES THAT. I WANT TO GET\nMORE GRANULAR AND ALSO PLANT\nSOME SEEDS. WE ARE EXCITED TO\nGET TO COMING FORWARD TO THIS\nCOMMITTEE AND THE NEXT MONTH,\nWITH CULTURAL DISTRICT\nLEGISLATION. CULTURAL DISTRICTS\nIS A PROGRAM OF THE CITY THAT IS\nADMINISTERED THROUGH THE OFFICE\nOF ARTS AND CULTURE THAT WAS\nFIRST PASSED IN 2014. IT HASN'T\nHAD THAT INVESTMENT IN, FRANKLY,\nINNOVATION, BUT IT CREATES A\nFANTASTIC ROADMAP FOR US TO LEAD\nINTO CREATIVE PLACE MAKING, BUT\nMORE IMPORTANT, HOW WE CAN\nCREATE MORE INTEGRATION TO YOUR\nLITERACIES, COMMERCE. IT MAY\nSEEM SMALL, BUT I HEAR IT AGAIN\nAND AGAIN, TIME IS MONEY. HOW\nCAN WE HAVE MORE EFFICIENCY\nAROUND CULTURAL BAND-AIDS? I\nALSO WANT TO ASK, LET'S EXAMINE\nOUR FUNDING MECHANISMS. WE KNOW\nSO OFTEN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD\nBUSINESS DISTRICTS, CULTURAL\nDISTRICTS , IT IS UNEQUAL. YOU\nHAVE SOME THAT ARE DOING BETTER\nAND SOME THAT ARE NOT. THIS IS A\nPLACE WHERE THE PUBLIC SECTOR\nDOES NEED TO INTERVENE. WE HAVE\nTHIS OPPORTUNITY TO LINK\nPLANNING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT\nAND ARTS AND CULTURE. I'M\nEXCITED TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT\nCOMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS\nAND ASK THAT QUESTION AROUND,\nCAN WE ACTUALLY CREATE MORE\nBESPOKE ECONOMIC AND CREATIVE\nSTRATEGIES TO ENVISIONING THAT\nFUTURE? WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE\nMISSING FROM THE DANCE BETWEEN\nLIMITED PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND\nWHERE CAN WE ACTUALLY BE MORE\nSTRATEGIC ABOUT THAT SUBSIDY AND\nALSO REMOVE REGULATORY BARRIERS\n-- SORRY, THAT WENT ON A BIT OF\nATTENTION. BUT, COUNCIL MEMBER\nHOLLINGSWORTH, AND VERY EXCITED\nFOR WHAT WE HAVE TEED UP FOR\nTHIS COUNCIL IN THE COMING YEAR\n. AND I WOULD SAY THAT OUR NEWLY\nFORMED CREATIVE PEACEMAKING\nDIVISION IS STEPPING IN THAT\nDIRECTION OF MEETING\nCOMMUNITIES, CREATING THE\nACTIVATION AND THIRD SPACE . IT\nCAN'T HAPPEN IN A VACUUM. IT\nNEEDS TO HAPPEN IN COORDINATION\nWITH ALSO THE SMALL BUSINESSES\nTHAT MAKE OUR SEATTLE VIBRANT.\nAWESOME. CHAIR, IF I MAY\nFOLLOW-UP.\nABSOLUTELY.\nTHANK YOU. I APPRECIATED THAT\nANSWER THAT YOU GAVE YESTERDAY.\nAS WELL. THAT WAS THE ONE THING\nI KIND OF REALLY HONED ON\nBECAUSE , YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY\nCOMMUNITY HAS A BUSINESS\nDISTRICT OR , YOU KNOW, A\nFORMALIZED BUT EVERY\nNEIGHBORHOOD HAS A CULTURAL\nCENTER. AND HAS ALL OF THIS\nVIBRANCY. I REALLY APPRECIATED\nTHAT. AND THEN, ANOTHER THING,\nTHIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A\nQUESTION, BUT IS MORE OF A\nCOMMENT AND OBSERVATION TO WHEN\nI AM LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES AND\nTAKING BEST PRACTICES IN WHAT\nTHEY ARE DOING, AND ONE OF THE\nCITIES I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED\nWITH IS DETROIT. IN THE SENSE\nTHAT, OBVIOUSLY WE THINK OF\nDETROIT AS THIS MUSIC HUB,\nCULTURAL EPICENTER IT HAS THIS\nHISTORICAL -- WITH MOTOWN AND\nALL THESE HISTORICAL FIGURES\nTHAT HAVE COME OUT OF DETROIT.\nBUT, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN\nTHEIR DEVELOPMENT, JUST MOST\nRECENTLY, HAS BEEN INVESTING IN\nARTISTS. LOCAL ARTIST DOING\nMURALS, DOING PAINTINGS AND\nACTIVITIES AND ACTIVATION.\nEVERYWHERE YOU TURN IN DIFFERENT\nNEIGHBORHOODS, IT IS THIS\nACTIVATION OF ART. JUST WANTED\n-- IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.\nIT'S LIKE, HEY, THEY ARE JUST\nINVESTING. AND REALLY, PUTTING A\nLOT OF TIME AND ATTENTION.\nBECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY WANT TO\nACTIVATE SPACES AND MAKE THEM\nACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE AND --\nANYWAY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT\nTHAT. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF\nCOMPLEXITIES THAT GO ON WITH\nIMPLEMENTATION, BUT IT'S JUST A\nSIMPLE INVESTMENT. SO THANK YOU,\nDIRECTOR, I KNOW I HAVE MORE\nQUESTIONS BUT I APPRECIATE YOU\nANSWERING THOSE. THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE\nTHAT. THE QUESTION AND THE\nREFERENCE, I THINK IT'S\nINCREDIBLE IMPORTANT. I'M GLAD\nYOU SHARED THAT WITH US. I AM\nHEADING OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR. INTERIM\nNGUYEN, MY STAFF HAS INFORMED ME\nTHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY THE\nCOOLEST . IN MY MATERIALS FOR\nTODAY. I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT\nON THE RECORD. AND NOTING YOUR\nAPPOINTED PACKET AS WELL,\nATTENDING OF A HIGH SCHOOL,\nLIVING AND WORKING IN NEW\nORLEANS, NEW YORK, AND SERVING\nON LEADERSHIP ROLES FROM\nWATERSHED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,\nARTS, OPCD, SDOT, DEPARTMENT OF\nNEIGHBORHOODS, AND AS A\nLEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT FOR THIS\nBODY, APPARENTLY HAVE ALWAYS\nBEEN COOL. SO REALLY AGAIN,\nEXCITED TO BE DISCUSSING YOUR\nAPPOINTMENT. I AM WONDERING IF\nYOU CAN SPEAK TO HOW OUR\nCULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SHAPED YOU\nGROWING UP AND THE ROLE YOU HOPE\nTHE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE\nCAN PLAY IN ENSURING THAT THE\nNEXT GENERATION OF AMY NGUYEN'S\nCAN MAKE IT HERE.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH,\nCOUNCILMEMBER FOR THE QUESTION.\nGIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO\nUPLIFT AND SHOWCASE SO MANY OF\nTHE PEOPLE, PROGRAMS AND\nINSTITUTIONS THAT MAKE ME WHO I\nAM. I DID THAT PLUG VERY BRIEFLY\nTO MARK PERRY, MY FIRST U.S.\nHISTORY TEACHER, BUT ALSO\nMELISSA PARK IN THE AUDIENCE,\nAND I THINK ABOUT THIS SO MUCH\nCURRENTLY IN THIS TIME WHEN WE\nHAVE SO MUCH HEIGHTENED , REAL\nHEIGHTENED DANGER. AND I THINK\nABOUT IT FROM ALSO THE VANTAGE\nPOINT OF ARTS AND CULTURE IN\nTHAT I WOULDN'T BE WHO I AM\nTODAY WITHOUT YOUTH ARTS\nPROGRAMMING. I WOULDN'T BE WHO\nI AM TODAY WITHOUT EDUCATORS AND\nMENTORS WHO INVESTED IN ME. AND\nTHEY DIDN'T INVEST IN ME IN THE\nTRADITIONAL WAY, IT WAS, HAVING\nTHAT TIME TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO\nWOULD TALK TO ME. WHO WOULD\nEXPOSE ME TO LITERATURE AND ART\n, AND NOT TELL ME, THIS IS THE\nMUSIC YOU SHOULD LISTEN TOO.\nTHIS IS THE MEDIUMS YOU SHOULD\nDO. BUT EXPOSE ME AND THEN PUT\nME ON THE SPOT TO REACT. AND I\nTHINK ABOUT THAT. THAT IS\nDEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING\nSKILLS. AND I FEEL THE PRIDE OF\nTHE TWO MONTHS OF COMING BACK TO\nTHIS OFFICE AND I THINK ABOUT\nPROGRAMS THE CREATIVE ADVANTAGE\nAND A PARTNERSHIP WITH SEATTLE\nPUBLIC SCHOOLS . I REALLY\nBELIEVE THAT IS THE BEST OF US.\nTHAT IS THE BEST OF US IN THIS\nCITY. I THINK ABOUT OUR MENTAL\nHEALTH CRISIS. I THINK ABOUT\nWHAT -- I THINK REGARDLESS BEING\nA YOUNG PERSON IS TERRIBLE, IT .\nBUT HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAT\nIS NOW. AND, THE FEAR THAT WE\nHAVE OF TECHNOLOGY AND A.I.,\nREGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU KIND OF\nSTAND ON THAT, BUT THE NEED FOR\nMORE COLLECTIVE SOCIALIZATION.\nAND THAT IS SO MUCH OF WHAT OUR\nPRACTICE AND INVESTMENT IN\nCULTURE CAN DO. YEAH, I COULD GO\nON AND ON, LIKE I SAID, I LOVE\nPEOPLE. AND PLACE. AND I THINK\nABOUT SO MUCH THE STORIES THAT\nMAKE US WHO WE ARE. IT IS THOSE\nQUIET EVERY DAY RANDOM\nWEDNESDAYS WHEN YOU'RE WALKING\nDOWN CHERRY STREET IN THE SUN\nHITS THAT BRANCH AND YOU SIT\nDOWN AND YOUR WITH YOUR FRIENDS,\nLIKE THAT WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL\nEXPERIENCE. AND IT WAS ALSO A\nPERIOD WHEN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT\nWAS FACING -- IT STILL DOES, WE\nSHOULD'VE MADE THE INVESTMENTS\nIN THE 2000S TO ENSURE THAT THE\nBLACK COMMITTEE WAS NOT\nDISPLACED IN THE CENTRAL\nDISTRICT. AND I ASK MYSELF, WHAT\nIS NOT GOING TO BE HERE TOMORROW\nIF WE DON'T MAKE THE\nINVESTMENTS INTO CULTURE NOW?\nSPOKE BEAUTIFULLY PUT, THANK YOU\nFOR THAT. AND, BUILDING ON THIS\nPOINT, UNDERSTANDING THOUGH, THE\nWORK OF THE CULTURAL ACTION\nPLAN, I AM WONDERING HOW THAT\nPLANNING WORK CAN INFORM AND\nSTRENGTHEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. IN\nSO MANY WAYS ARTS SHOULD NOT BE\nA SEPARATE -- IT TRULY NEEDS TO\nBE INTEGRAL IN THE WORK OF MANY\nIF NOT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. I\nAM WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO\nHOW THE WORK YOU ARE INTENDING\nTO DO UNDER THE CULTURAL ACTION\nPLAN CAN AGAIN INFORM OR\nSTRENGTHEN THE WORK OF OTHER\nDEPARTMENTS.\nABSOLUTELY. I LOVE THIS\nQUESTION, THANK YOU. I'M NOT\nSAYING ANYTHING THAT I THINK IS\nCONTROVERSIAL. WE HAVE WONDERFUL\nLEGACY OF PRODUCING A LOT OF\nREPORTS. I HAD THE HONOR OF\nSERVING ON THE MAYOR'S ARTS\nCULTURE AND CREATIVE ECONOMY\nTRANSITION COMMITTEE. THE\nCONSISTENT AT EVERY SINGLE TOUCH\nPOINT WE HAD, I WOULD SAY, ONE\nTO FIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WOULD\nSAY, CAN YOU JUST ACTUALLY DO\nWHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO\nDO IN THAT 2019 REPORT? COULD\nYOU DO WHAT YOU DID IN THE 2022,\n2023 REPORT? SO, A PART OF THIS\nCOMMITMENT TO REALLY A CULTURAL\nACTION PLAN IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE\nTHAT WE CAN'T KEEP ASKING\nCOMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TELL US THE\nSAME THING. WE NEED TO SHIFT\nINTO ACTION. WE NEED TO SHOW --\nWELL, WE NEED TO MAKE IT\nOPERATIONAL AND LAMENTABLE AND\nIT HAS BEEN TOO MANY YEARS OF\nFRANKLY, STUDYING, I LOVE\nSTUDYING, WHERE WE ARE GOING TO\nSHIFT OUR FOCUS , THERE WILL BE\nCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EMBEDDED\nINTO THIS. TAKING WHAT WE HAVE\nHEARD OVER THE YEARS AND PUTTING\nTHAT INTO, WHAT IS THE\nSTEP-BY-STEP THAT THIS OFFICE\nNEEDS AND WHAT SISTER\nDEPARTMENTS NEED TO BE IN\nALIGNMENT TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE\nHAVE BEEN HEARING CONSISTENTLY.\nAND I DO BELIEVE, JUST TO GIVE\nYOU A TASTE OF SOME OF THAT\nEXCITEMENT, WHAT THAT REALLY\nTRANSLATES TO, IT'S LIKE,\nGREAT, ANOTHER PLAN, WE NEED\nTHAT RIGOR TO HOLD US\nACCOUNTABLE. WHEN I SAY\nOPERATIONALIZE AND IMPLEMENT,\nWHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT\nAT LENGTH, CULTURAL SPACE, THE\nNEED FOR CULTURAL SPACE. WE\nHAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO\nDIVE INTO SO MANY OF THE\nEXISTING PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT\nAUTHORITIES OR PROGRAMS THAT\nINVEST IN CULTURAL SPACE ACROSS\nTHE CITY AND UNITE IT WITH A\nCORD NEEDED STRATEGIC APPROACH.\nI HAVE HEARD THIS DURING MY TIME\nWITH OPCD OVER THE EQUITABLE\nELEMENT INITIATIVE. IT'S LIKE,\nGREAT, YOU GAVE US RESOURCES BUT\nCAN YOU TALK TO SDOT AND BECAUSE\nI'M STILL WAITING TWO YEARS FOR\nTHE PERMANENT. THERE'S SO MUCH\nWE CAN DO TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES\nAND THAT IS ABOUT PUBLIC\nSERVANTS ADDING UP AND TALKING\nTO THE PUBLIC SERVANTS. THAT IS\nWHAT I'M EXCITED TO DO.\nREALLY APPRECIATE THAT\nRESPONSE. CHAIR, IF I MAY, I\nHAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FOR\nTODAY. IT KIND OF REFLECTS THE\nPUBLIC COMMENT WE HEARD TODAY,\nJUST HEARING DIRECTLY FROM\nWORKING ARTISTS. I KNOW, IN MY\nWORK, ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS A\nKID'S ARTS TEACHER, CERAMICS\nAND SCULPTURE. MINIMUM WAGE BUT\nONE OF THE COOLEST JOBS I EVER\nHAD. I KNOW THE ARTS FOR ME\nGROWING UP WAS MY SAFE SPACE.\nBUT, IT CAN BE TREMENDOUSLY HARD\nTO MAKE IT AS A WORKING ARTIST\nIN THIS CITY OR SOMEONE WORKING\nWITHIN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY. I\nAM WONDERING, AS A FINAL NOTE,\nWHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR\nWORKING ARTISTS THAT ARE TRAINED\nTO MAKE IT IN THIS CITY THAT IS\nFACING SO MANY OF PORTABILITY\nCHALLENGES?\nI WOULD START BY SAYING\nYOU'RE NOT ALONE. I THINK A BIG\nCHALLENGE WITH AMERICAN CULTURE\nIS , THIS IS THE SUBSET OF\nINDIVIDUALS THAT IF YOU DO NOT\nSUCCEED IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT.\nBUT INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS THAT ARE\nSTRUGGLING AND WORKING, YOU SAID\nIT, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,\nAFFORDABILITY IS MACRO. IT'S\nTHE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO\nDO BETTER, TO SERVE ITS PEOPLE.\nI BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT. I\nTHINK ABOUT HOW OFTEN ARTISTS,\nARTS AND CULTURE, TO YOUR POINT,\nARE SEGMENTED AS AN ISLAND. BUT\nARTISTS ARE ALSO, THEY ARE\nTAXPAYERS. FROM DEBBIE NINE AND\n1099 PERSPECTIVES. BUT THEY ARE\nPARENTS. MOTHERS, CHILDREN, THEY\nFIT SO MANY DIFFERENT\nCROSS-SECTIONS OF WHO WE SERVE.\nAND, I ALSO HEAR THIS QUITE\nOFTEN. WHEN YOU WORK WITHIN THE\nCREATIVE ECONOMY YOU ARE AN\nARTIST AND CULTURAL WORKER, YOU\nTAKE WHICH CAN GET. AND I WANT\nTO PUSH AND SAY, ASK, DEMAND\nMORE OF ME IN THIS POSITION IF\nI'M SO LUCKY, DEMAND MORE OF\nYOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. YOU ARE\nENTITLED TO THAT SERVICE. YOU'RE\nENTITLED TO MATTER. JUST AS WE\nSAY HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT,\nARTS AND CULTURE IS THE WHY, WHY\nDO WE BUILD BUILDINGS IF WE ARE\nNOT THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE\nWHO LIVE IN THEM?\nBEAUTIFULLY PUT. PUTTING THE\nSERVANT AND PUBLIC SERVANT OUT.\nI THANK YOU FOR THOSE ANSWERS TO\nMY QUESTIONS. I'M EXCITED TO\nADVANCE THIS APPOINTMENT. THANK\nYOU, CHAIR.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nRINCK, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH,\nINTERIM NGUYEN. I GET TO ASK A\nFEW MY OWN QUESTIONS. IT IS A\nPLEASURE, IT'S GENERALLY A\nPLEASURE TO GET YOU HERE TO\nREFLECT AND THINK ABOUT THE WAY\nTHAT OUR CITY IS CONNECTED .\nTHAT ARTISTS ARE JUST ARTISTS ,\nTHEIR PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND\nTHEY RIDE THE BUS, ET CETERA. AS\nWELL AS THE CONNECTION TO\nCOMMITTEE. I WANT TO TURN A\nLITTLE MORE INTO DISPLACEMENT. I\nWOULD LOVE IF YOU CAN SHARE WITH\nUS STRATEGIES YOU THINK ARE\nIMPORTANT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT\nPREVENTING DISPLACEMENT OF\nARTISTS AND CULTURAL\nORGANIZATIONS IN THIS MOMENT AS\nA CITY.\nABSOLUTELY. I AM GOING TO TRY\nTO -- THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF\nTHE THINGS I GET MOST PASSIONATE\nABOUT. JEFF FOSTER, I WILL TRY\nTO KEEP IT MORE CONCISE. ARTS\nAND CULTURE, ARTISTS HAVE BEEN\nLEFT OFF OF THE REAL ESTATE\nPRE-DEVELOPMENT CONVERSATIONS.\nIT IS OFTEN ARTISTS ARE BROUGHT\nIN AT THE END. BUT IF WE WERE TO\nADDRESS , TAKE HOUSING\nPORTABILITY , AND CENTER WHAT IT\nIS FOR ARTISTS AND ARTIST\nCOMMUNITIES TO LIVE THERE, THE\nENTIRE PIPELINE WILL LOOK\nDIFFERENT. NOT ONLY, I WOULD\nTAKE THE ARGUMENT OF EVEN THE\nCAPITAL STAFF LOOK DIFFERENTLY\nINTO THE FINAL PRODUCT OF,\nANYWAY, SORRY, I'M GOING TO'S\nTHE CONTRACT. I GET VERY\nPASSIONATE. WHEN I THINK ABOUT\nWHAT THE PUBLIC SECTOR NEEDS TO\nDO ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, WE HAVE\nTO ACT NOW , WE ARE LATE, WE ARE\nBEHIND. WE WILL LOSE THE ARTISTS\nWE HAVE NOW IF WE DON'T INVEST\nIN THE PIPELINE FOR FUTURE\nARTISTS. BUT ALSO, RECOGNIZING\nTHAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN BUILT THE\nECOSYSTEM FOR ARTISTS TO HAVE\nFAMILIES AND THAT COMES DOWN TO\nHOW MUCH WE HAVE DELIVERED ON\nONE BEDROOMS AND TWO BEDROOMS\nAND THEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT\nIS TO CREATE SPACE. HOW LITTLE\nAFFORDABLE STUDIO SPACE THERE\nIS. AND THAT IS BEST REFLECTED\nIN WATERSHED COMMUNITY\nDEVELOPMENT, EQUINOX STUDIOS,\nTHAT FLUCTUATES BETWEEN 1% TO 3%\nVACANCY ON COMMERCIAL STUDIO\nSPACE. THAT IS AMAZING TO HAVE\nTHAT. I LISTEN TO THAT AND I GO,\nWE NEED MORE. THAT LEVEL OF\nVACANCY, ESPECIALLY AT THAT\nRATE, THAT IS A KEY INDICATOR OF\nDEMAND. SORRY, WHAT IS THE FULL\nQUESTION? I WANT TO MAKE SURE --\nYOU ASKED FOR SOLUTIONS. WHAT WE\nCAN DO MORE OF.\nI WAS TEEING YOU UP TO GO\nOFF. LET ME BRING IT BACK. I\nTHINK THE REASON I WANTED TO\nBRING THIS QUESTION, WE'VE HAD\nINTERESTING CONVERSATION\nONE-ON-ONE ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT\nIT IS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE\nPROTECTING AND PAYING ATTENTION\nTO THE NEED IN OUR ART COMMUNITY\nAND IN PARTICULARLY TO MAKE SURE\nOUR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE\nSTABILITY. THAT IS PART OF WHAT\nI HAD IN MIND WAS ASKING THAT\nQUESTION. OFTEN WE ARE THINKING\nABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND WE ARE\nTHINKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE\nAS WE SHOULD AND IS WE WILL\nCONTINUE TOO. IT IS ALSO, I\nBELIEVE, IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE\nWE ARE INVESTING IN PRESERVING\nOUR INSTITUTIONS. I WAS TRYING\nTO TO YOU UP FOR COMMENTS AROUND\nOUR ARTS AND CULTURAL\nINSTITUTIONS AND THE\nPRESERVATION.\nTHANK YOU. I REALLY\nAPPRECIATE THAT. I WENT OFF THE\nRAILS. I REALIZE THAT. ONE OF\nTHE -- I AM GOING TO GO INTO ONE\nOF THE VERY MANY FANTASTIC\nPROGRAMS THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND\nCULTURE HAS. BUT MORE TO\nDEMONSTRATE THE NEEDS COMPONENT.\nWE IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM CALLED\nTHE CULTURAL FACILITIES FUND.\nAND THIS PROGRAM HAS, IN THE\nPREVIOUS CYCLE, WE WERE ABLE TO\nGRANT $400,000, THAT IS NOTHING\n, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS\nAND ACTUALLY WE ARE ABLE TO\nCALCULATE WHAT THE CAPITAL NEEDS\nWERE FOR IT, IT WAS UPWARDS OF\n$90 MILLION. $400,000 TO THE $90\nMILLION NEEDS OF IT, WE NEED TO\nDO MORE. WE NEED TO INVEST MORE.\nTHE RECOGNITION THAT WE HAVE\nLIMITED PUBLIC DOLLARS PUSHES ME\nTO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS WITHIN\nOUR EXISTING TOOLKIT THAT WE CAN\nLEVERAGE AND HAVE BETTER\nINTEGRATION WITH? AND, ALSO\nTHINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE\nMARRIAGE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND\nPRIVATE WITHIN OUR CONTROL? ONE\nOF THE THINGS I'M INTERESTED IN\nBUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS\nIS SEEING HOW WE CAN HAVE ARTS\nAND CULTURE BE POSITIONED TO BE\nBETTER PARTNERS WITHIN EXISTING\nCAPITAL DEPARTMENTS. THAT MEANS\nWITH THE PASSAGE OF THE SEATTLE\nTRANSPORTATION LEVY, THERE IS SO\nMUCH EXCITEMENT THAT WAS\nEMBEDDED WITHIN SEATTLE\nTRANSPORTATION PLAN AROUND\nPEOPLE STREETS. AROUND WAYS OF\nACTIVATION THAT IS A PERFECT\nMARRIAGE FOR US IN THE OFFICE OF\nARTS AND CULTURE TO BE\nDELIVERING FOR CULTURAL\nINSTITUTIONS AND ADVOCATING FOR\nTHEM TO GET THE INVESTMENTS THEY\nNEED IN CAPITAL OUTSIDE OF THE\nFACILITIES. WE HAVE A FIGHT IN\nFRONT OF US TO ENSURE THAT THE\nPUBLIC SECTOR IS PLAYING ITS\nROLE AND ALSO STABILIZING THE\nENVIRONMENT FOR ARTS AND\nCULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH. MY FINAL\nQUESTION, I AM OBVIOUSLY PART OF\nTHE ROLE FOR THE ARTS AND\nCULTURE DIRECTOR IS TO HAVE A\nVISION, IS TO BE ABLE TO\nCOLLABORATE AND WORK ACROSS\nDEPARTMENTS . IT HAS BEEN A\nPLEASURE TO HEAR YOU SPEAK ABOUT\nTHAT TODAY. I WANT TO ASK YOU TO\nCLOSE UP BY SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR\nROLE AS LEADER OF THE STAFF\nTEAM. WE KNOW THE CITY IS MADE\nUP OF INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE WHO ARE\nWORKING REALLY HARD, WHETHER\nTHAT IS ARE GRANTS MANAGERS, OUR\nFACILITIES FOLKS, KINGSTREE,\nWHETHER THAT IS ANY OF THE OTHER\nFABULOUS FOLKS IN THE OFFICE OF\nARTS AND CULTURE. AND I WOULD\nLIKE TO ASK YOU TO SPEAK BRIEFLY\nTO HOW YOU THINK ABOUT ENSURING\nSUCCESS OF YOUR TEAM FROM A\nMANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE.\nABSOLUTELY. I THINK ABOUT --\nTHIS WILL BE MY FIRST TIME IN A\nQUOTE\" NUMBER ONE ROLE. AND I AM\nPROUD TO HAVE STARTED AND\nPROGRESSIVELY BEEN ABLE TO MOVE\nUP IN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE\nROLE IN FOR TO BE. I SAY THAT TO\nPUT INTO PERSPECTIVE THAT WE ARE\nNOTHING WITHOUT OUR STAFF. OUR\nSTAFF ARE THE ONES THAT ARE\nGETTING THE WORK DONE. IT IS THE\nSTAFF THAT ARE THE HEART OF OUR\nCITY. PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE NOT\nJUST PUBLIC SERVANTS. THEY ARE\nTHE ONES THAT, I AM PROUD OF\nTHIS OFFICE BECAUSE SO MANY OF\nOUR STAFF ARE ARTISTS\nTHEMSELVES. AND A BIG PART OF MY\nLEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES COME FROM\nA PLACE OF KNOWING THAT , AND\nTHIS GOES BACK TO MY FEELINGS ON\nAMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM, I\nBELIEVE IN THE COLLECTIVE AND I\nBELIEVE IN INCREASING THE\nKNOWLEDGE OF OUR STAFF TO MOVE\nTHIS FORWARD . TO MOVE THIS WORK\nFORWARD, BECAUSE OUR SECTOR\nNEEDS IT. AND HOW DOES THAT SHOW\nUP IN PRACTICE? THIS OFFICE HAS\nGONE THROUGH SO MUCH INNOVATION\nAND CHANGE. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE\nTHE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR AND THE\nSTAFF FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME,\nENERGY THEY PUT INTO DEVELOPING\nA STRATEGIC PLAN THAT FOCUSED\nREALLY INTERNALLY AND IS ALSO\nAVAILABLE ONLINE IF YOU WANT TO\nREAD IT, -- AND FOR ME COMING IN\nAS A LEADER HERE IT'S IMPORTANT\nFOR ME TO NOT BE AN AGENT OF\nCHAOS. WE NEED TO CREATE MORE\nSTABILITY, RESILIENCY, SO THAT\nIS MY PRIORITY WITHIN THIS YEAR.\nSTABILITY AND RESILIENCY.\nTRUSTING MY STAFF. BECAUSE THEY\nKNOW BETTER FROM PUBLIC ART TO\nCREATIVE PLACE MAKING,\nPARTNERSHIPS AND GRANTS. AND\nALSO BEING STRATEGIC ABOUT WHERE\nMY TIME IS INVESTED. I SEE MY\nMANDATE AS , I NEED TO OPEN THE\nDOORS SO THAT WE ARE AT THE\nTABLES WE HAVE BEEN MISSING\nBEFORE.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU\nFOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.\nI'M JUST GOING TO CHECK THAT\nTHERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS\nFROM COLLEAGUES. AND, SEEING\nNONE, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU\nFOR THE TIME AND THANK YOU FOR\nYOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC\nSERVICE. MY OFFICE, JUST TO\nREDIRECT, WE WILL HANDLE A\nREQUEST TO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO\nSUBMIT QUESTIONS TO INTERIM\nNGUYEN AND WE PLAN TO HOLD AT\nOUR NEXT COMMITTEE HEARING. WITH\nTHAT, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US\nTODAY. COLLEAGUES, IS THERE ANY\nFURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE\nTHE COMMITTEE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING\nNONE, THIS CONCLUDES THE APRIL\n8, 22026 OF THE HOUSING, ARTS,\nAND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE. OUR\nNEXT SCHEDULED MEETING IS APRIL\n22. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR."
}