Sharon Maeda
By Staff
Northwest Asian Weekly
Sharon Maeda submitted her application for the Council position vacated by Sally Clark (as of April 13). According to Maeda, “After 47 years of professional life, I have just retired. At the same time, there was never any question that I would continue to work for social justice. And, despite the fact that people I know and respect are also applying, I believe I can bring a unique set of skills and experience to a short term position that requires intense engagement.
Maeda has worked from Matthews Beach and Lake City to the Rainier Valley and White Center, from the U District and Ballard to Mt. Baker, Downtown and West Seattle, and now serves in the Jackson Place neighborhood of the Central Area.
While there are many other issues the City Council must address, the lack of affordable housing is a full blown crisis that Maeda believes needs a continuum of solutions. She also believes that in Seattle, children come first, but safe and stable housing is a key determinant to school success and maintaining a job. She has advocated for, funded, managed and found creative solutions to maintain and expand low income housing for decades before for working for Henry Cisneros at HUD.
Maeda’s resume is impressive. She is currently Executive Director of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 21 and she has served on the General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church, New York, and she has served as a Community Outreach Officer for the U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development in Washington, D.C.
She was a graduate of the University of Washington with a BA, Art Education; MAT program in Filmmaking; and DEd program in Higher Education Administration & Curriculum Development. She also attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business, Boston Advanced Management Seminars (Corporation for Public Broadcasting Scholarship). (end)
John Okamoto will also be another API candidate running for the same seat.
Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.