PROCLAMATION

OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION

WHEREAS, Blacks In Government (BIG), established in 1993 at the Port of Seattle, is an

Employee Resource Group (ERG) dedicated to equal opportunities and

professional development, and mandated per their charter to promote excellence

through employee advocacy, education and community service; and

WHEREAS, during Black history month and every month of the year, the goals and objectives

of BIG are:

To be an advocate of equal opportunity for blacks in government;

To eliminate practices of racism and racial discrimination against blacks in

government;

To promote professionalism among blacks in government;

To develop and promote programs which will enhance ethnic pride and

educational opportunities for blacks in government;

To establish a mechanism for the gathering and dissemination of information to

blacks in government; and

To provide a non-partisan platform on major issues of local, regional, and national

significance that affect blacks in government; and

WHEREAS, access to quality education translates to opportunities and open doors. It can be

the weight that tips the scales and moves a person or family out of poverty.

Quality education usually means more economic security and better quality of

life; and

WHEREAS, just last week, the Seattle Times published a story about how for the first time

ever, youth of color make up the majority of students in Washington public

schools. Our public schools are changing, and we, as a state, need to change too;

and

WHEREAS, another complex part of this change is that statewide, the percentage of Black

students in our public schools is actually declining. While we may be able to

account for some of this decline due to how demographic data is collected, we

can’t ignore the data about how Black students are treated in public schools –

punished at higher rates and experiencing worse academic outcomes than other

races. How we treat Black students affects how we treat all students; and

WHEREAS, we know that representation has the power to raise up the visibility and the voices

of those who have historically been underrepresented, unseen and silenced; and

WHEREAS, representation on the Commission was reset with the historic election of

Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed as the first Black woman to serve on the

Commission and the first Somali woman elected to public office in Washington

State; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Equity Diversity and Inclusion was established in 2019 to create a

cultural shift at the Port of Seattle by identifying and addressing the root causes

of inequities, and to deepen the Port’s efforts toward equity and anti-racism and

does so in partnership with ERGs like BIG; and

WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle Chapter of BIG aims to lift up the next generation through

providing support and empowering students to pursue higher education through

their BIG scholarship fund and initiatives like “Stuff the Bus,” “Project Prom,”

and their portwide Fall Food, Coat and Toy Drives which collect school supplies

and clothing for local families; and

WHEREAS, BIG and their allies continue to positively impact the community we all call

home.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Port of Seattle Commission hereby honors and recognizes the

contributions of the Port’s Chapter of Blacks In Government; commits to amplifying the BIG

Scholarship Fund to increase the impact of its education grants for college-bound Black students;

and celebrates their many contributions to the Port of Seattle and the broader community.

Proclaimed by the Port of Seattle Commission this 14th day of February, 2023.

Port of Seattle Commission