Citizens weigh-in on issues affecting our kids at mayor’s caucus

On Monday evening, May 3, more than 40 people gathered at Ballard High School to talk about violence prevention, improving education — both during and after school — and minority empowerment.

The event was a community caucus, one of 75 put on by Mayor Mike McGinn’s office in partnership with the League of Education Voters around the city since March.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn speaks to caucus participants at Ballard High School during a community caucus Monday evening.

Dawn Bennett and Kerry Cooley-Stroum, community organizers for the League of Education Voters, are heading up the caucuses.

“Disenfranchised communities, communities of color, he (McGinn) wants to hear from all,” said Bennett at the Ballard caucus. “He’s been focused on that and he’s also speaking to the whole. So he’s not taking one away from one and giving to the other.”

Participants of the community caucus at Ballard High School discuss key issues and solutions to issues that Seattle youth and family face today

Joe Olsen, father of a preschooler who attended the Ballard caucus, said: “I thought it was great to find out so many people were thinking the same thing. So many people have the same concerns. From what the facilitator said it’s pretty much the same throughout the city and that’s reassuring.”

Read More