The Seattle City Council unanimously elected Debora Juarez as council president on Tuesday, making her the first Indigenous council president in Seattle history.
Juarez, a member of the Blackfeet nation, was elected by the nine-member council during their first meeting of 2022.
The council president normally serves a two-year term, setting the body’s agenda, assigning legislation to committees and serving as the primary contact for external agencies.
Juarez has worked in public service for Washington state for more than three decades and in 2015 was elected to represent District 5 of Seattle. At the time, she was the first Native American member of the Seattle City Council.
During her time on the council, Juarez has spearheaded efforts to help the city’s Indigenous community.
She has led efforts to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People epidemic and formed the first Indigenous Advisory Council.
In her new role, Juarez said she seeks to strengthen ties between the city and Indigenous governments.
“During my tenure as City Council President I want to build stronger relationships between the city and Tribal Governments, the original peoples of this land, to generate economic prosperity,” Juarez said, according to a release from the council. “Tribal investment and a strong partnership will help our city and our region continue to grow.”
In addition, Juarez emphasized her focus on restructuring the community safety system, restoring public spaces, providing services to those experiencing homelessness and building affordable housing.