Seattle Channel Video

HistoryLink hosts the book launch of Jim Ellis' memoir "A Will to Serve: Stories of Patience, Persistence and Friends Made Along the Way." James R. Ellis never held public office and never headed a major corporation. Yet, as a citizen activist for more than half a century, he left a bigger footprint on Seattle and King County than perhaps any other single individual. His vision drove major projects that are now fixtures in our lives. From the establishment of King County Metro, to the clean-up of Lake Washington and the success of other voter-mandated Forward Thrust initiatives he inspired, Ellis was about acting on a civic vision. That inspiration helped create the Mountain to Sound Greenway and the Washington State Convention Center. He brought leaders together across political divides and found consensus. 

Speakers:
C.R. Douglas, Moderator
Sally Jewell, Former Secretary of the Interior
Gary Locke, Former Washington Governor and US Ambassador to China
Eric Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of Citizen University
Girmay Zahilay, King County Councilmember