As candidates prepare for the next City Council elections, we take notice that there are three African American candidates who are trying to make their voices heard this election. These three candidates have been door-to-door and spoken on topics that have seen hardship due to the current climate of District 3’s community. I was able to connect with all three candidates to get their personal opinions on how they believe they’ll be able to change the community. Joy Hollingsworth, Andrew Ashiofu, and Efrain Hudnell have been working on making sure that people that look like me will be able to feel comfortable and safe in their own neighborhood without it changing into something it’s not.
Joy Hollingsworth was born and raised in the Central District and has been brought up with educators and civil rights leaders. Making her someone definitely qualified for the job. Hollingsworth focuses on making sure that she builds trust and commitment when it comes to building relationships with people in the community. After having a successful basketball career with Seattle Preparatory School and in college with the University of Arizona, Hollingsworth started her path to becoming the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach for Seattle University. Where she ended up taking her skills to the next level by advocating for these women, helping create access and equitable pathways to sports for girls who didn’t have the same opportunities as she did growing up. Hollingsworth used her ways of connecting her spirit of an optimistic outlook to vision, and purpose and driving her goals from a young age. Her ultimate goal? To help our communities be a place of growth, opportunity, and prosperity for everyone who lives in it no matter what part, especially after seeing how local policies have impacted people and the communities that have fallen through the unseen gaps. Hollingsworth expressed to me the next steps she would like to take for our community in making sure that it is the best it can be, “We all deserve a safe and healthy community. Our city is expensive, and only getting more unaffordable for renters, working people, and families looking to purchase a home. Small businesses are the anchors of our community. Communities are stronger when they nurture spaces for youth and families, invest in opportunities for youth to reach their potential, and care for one another.”Proving that it all comes down to the community you chose to build.
Andrew Ashiofu unfortunately was unable to give us a quote but I was able to find some positive and valuable information on what type of candidate he is at the moment. Ashiofu identifies as a pragmatic uniter, meaning that he stands up for what he believe is right. As an openly LGBTQ+ member and HIV positive, he didn’t live the average Nigerian lifestyle, but instead took this to advocate and reason with people who may be dealing with the same hardships as himself. Ashiofu also sits on as the co-chair of the Seattle LGBTQ+ Commission, the Washington State Stonewall Democrats, and a Board Member for People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN). His motto is ‘think globally, and act locally’ focusing on working small to end with big impactive results. Ashiofu’s focus for this election will be Environment, Public Safety, Transportation, and Housing. Touching on mostly everything that will help change our community for the better for everyone, not just the 1%. There will be more to address during this election that Ashiofu will need to touch on but, he seems ready and prepared to hanle whatever comes at him.
Efrain Hudnell had a different story to share about himself. Hudnell was born and raised in Washington DC, but was moved around by his parents. Finding himself spending his teenage years in Oklahoma. It was Hudnell’s sense of connecting with others through all of the moving around with his parents and step-parents that made him ready and confident to go to New Mexico on his own for college. Even though his major was in Music Education, he decided to serve our country and join the army. In 2007, Hudnell followed in his father’s and step-father’s footsteps and joined the Army Reserve. During this time he progressed his education in Government/Political Science, while also serving in the ROTC program and at New Mexico State University. After graduating in 2011 and obtaining his bachelor’s degree, Hudnell was commissioned into the Active Army as an infantry officer and served three years of active duty in Georgia and Louisiana, proving to be worthy of becoming captain. Through Hudnell’s time as captain, he transferred to the Military Intelligence Corps and then stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McCord where he learned and welcomed with open arms the community of the Pacific Northwest. The year 2017 brought big changes for Hudnell, kicking it off with applying to law school and getting accepted while serving overseas in Iraq. Starting law school at Seattle University on an honorable discharge opened many more doors for Hudnell connecting more with the community wanted. Participating in the Mock Trial National Competition during his second year. Moving into third he participated in a youth advocacy clinic, where Hudnell represented a youth accused of a crime. Fast forward to 2020, when everything changed for everyone, Hudnell remained composted. Focusing on post-law school and working on non-profit work such as election reform and transportation advocacy. He was able to reflect on the district court and connect with other students from the University of Washington and Gonzaga to persuade the State Supreme Court to participate in the bar exam, even with the global pandemic trying to prevent them. Continuing to progress in the Prosecuting Attorney’s office, the focus turned to traffic crimes, protecting people from the issues on the road. Hudnel has made it clear to me why he is running for office, “1) the pandemic highlighted the need to completely overhaul our political system as it failed to address the objective needs of people, instead choosing division and corporate bailouts; 2) The murder of George Floyd highlighted built on the previous point as well as the need for a racial reckoning in this country; and 3) January 6th was the canary in the coal mine moment for our democracy, and the need for veterans to be involved in political outcomes, lest the right take advantage of our tendency to want to remain apolitical.” With people trying to bring things “back to normal,” Hudnell is here to help and guide people/the community through the changes we all will in a sense have to go through in order for the Pacific Northwest to not follow the status quo, it’s no longer an option. Hudnell believes it’s time to create a vibrant, climate-resilient Seattle, a place where we can be an example on a continental scale.
As we continue to follow the election and what our three candidates decide to do in order to prove themselves to the community, we will see that tested and put through trials in order for them to provide clarity and start moving progressively forward in our community. Working with the community while serving it, to ensure that we can have a better tomorrow in the Pacific Northwest. I am excited to see what these three candidates can do and stand on for our community to grow and become a safer environment for everyone, not just the 1%. What are some issues that you believe should be addressed first and foremost before getting into something else? Let us know.
