A RESOLUTION providing an honorary designation of 15th Avenue South from South Nevada Street to South Columbian Way as “Alan Sugiyama Way.”
The Report of the Governance, Equity and Technology Committee Agenda Item one Resolution 318 27 providing an honorary designation of 15th Avenue. South from South Nevada Street to South. Columbian Way as Alan Sega Yama Way, the committee recommends the resolution be. Adopted. Thank you very much. It's absolutely my honor to present the legislation before you. Resolution 31827. And I want to thank all of these community activists and leaders for their heartfelt testimony. A little background about Mr. Sugiyama, who we are honoring today. He was regionally and nationally respected for his integrity, as you heard, his courage and his tireless commitment to our community and in particular to our youth. I was a lifelong resident, a community activist and educator living over 40 years in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. He was a Seattle native, a Garfield High School Bulldog alum, a Seattle Central and YouTube alum. He was founder, as you heard, of the Asian Student Union Unions at Seattle Central College and the University of Washington. He founded the Asian Family Affair newspaper in 1972, and as described in 1989, he was the first Asian-American elected to the Seattle school board, where he served two terms and advocated for equity and fairness and honorably served as the president of the school board from 1990 to 1998. In 1979, as a scribe he founded in this town is the Center for Career Alternatives that an organization provided free education and employment and career training for disadvantaged adults and youths in King and Snohomish counties and served as its director for over 30 years. He had so many accounts, accomplishments and and actually changed lives and successfully turned high risk youth towards high demand occupations. You heard testimony in that regard and did it in an innovative way and certainly always with love in his heart. From a personal note, you know, I know now for decades and decades and what we heard so much about what he did when he was alive and as many people that I've unfortunately lost over the years, I learned about as much about him in his life as I did when he was dealing with battling his illness. Still fought, still courageous, still inspirational, and still funny and loving. And that was an owl that we so loved and so respected. So again, I'd like to thank all of the community members. I actually was given a list of names to to thank, but that's always a dirty, dangerous journey to go down. So I'll just say thank you all that. I have many names and many people who should be thanked. And we'll have a celebration after our legislative hearing this afternoon. Another personal note. When I first decided to run for office, I sat down with Al. And not only was he a friend and a supporter, but he gave me some very significant advice about being of an Asian heritage and sort of the things we learn from our parents and our grandparents about how one conducts himself, how one behaves, how one stay strong. And we talked about that up until his later years. And so he was a friend, a mentor, as many described. And we will miss him and we will continue to honor him because in honoring him, we truly honor the best in ourselves. So thank you very much. Would anyone else like to question. Before I call for the roll call on the. Or rather, the passage of resolution with any one else. Like to say any words. I don't want to deprive you. Councilmember Bagshaw. And thank you to the community for coming today and for really leading this effort. I got to know Al in 2009. It was the first time that we met and he was very helpful, supportive to me when I decided to run for office, and I appreciate it very much. His commitment to youth and the good work and looking for alternatives. He was one of the first people I had talked to about what do we do? How can we bring you that are in our community into a space where they can actually flourish? And avoiding having to get into trouble and get into jail. But to find those options. And I just want you to know how much I deeply respect him and the love that he had for your community. Thank you. Councilman Back show any further comments before we close debate? We're good. Okay. Those in favor of adopting this resolution. Please vote i i those opposed vote no. I can't imagine anyone would be opposed to this. The motion carries a resolution adopted and the chair will gladly sign. Such an item into the record.