-My name is Sofia Aragon,
and I'm the Mayor of the City of Burien.
I'm running for King County Council District 8
because I want all county residents to thrive.
This means making sure King County
is a safe, healthy and inclusive place
where families can call home
for a lifetime and businesses can take root.
Growing up in South Seattle,
my mom single-handedly supported our family of four.
With a union job,
she had a living wage and health care.
My parents moved us to unincorporated King County
for affordable housing.
A safe neighborhood and a good public school was the goal.
Like mom, I became a registered nurse.
One of the best jobs I ever had was working
in a community clinic in the Rainier Valley.
I chose to serve people who often spoke different languages,
were immigrants, low income or struggled with housing.
Nursing taught me how to be an advocate for others.
I decided to step up that skill and become a lawyer
to shape and develop public policy.
In Olympia, I advocated for workplace safety,
health care for all, and getting toxics out of the environment.
Strong public policy creates opportunity.
I want to create conditions
where everyone has a chance to succeed.
As Mayor, I know representation matters.
As a woman of color, an Asian immigrant,
I took a stand on anti-Asian hate.
I support a co-response model for police and fire
so that a mental health crisis is not treated like a crime.
I promote collaboration between the county and cities
in building affordable housing.
I voted for federal ARPA dollars to go towards small businesses,
expanding child care,
and apprenticeships that lead to career,
and I work to promote respectful debate on City Council.
So as King County Councilmember,
I will focus on common sense public safety measures
with adequate police presence,
a healthy environment, and affordable housing for all,
so that all county residents have the opportunity to prosper.