By Irfan Shariff
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
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- Pahaliyah Brown
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- Maya Vengadasalam
Meet Pahaliyah Brown and Maya Vengadasalam. Both are Asian American and both, along with long-time incumbent Pete von Reichbauer, are vying for the District 7 seat on the King County Council. The primary elections on Aug. 5 will select the two top-ranking candidates to move on to the general elections in November.
According to data from the King County Assessor’s office, over 250,000 people live in District 7, of which 17% are Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI). District 7 includes Auburn, Federal Way, parts of Kent and other municipalities, plus unincorporated regions. The median household annual income is 20% less than the whole of King County at $60,610.
Both candidates are pushing for a new voice that represents the changing face of the district. Von Reichbauer has been serving District 7 since 1994. Brown wonders, “Is he serving the community or is the community serving him,” due to the neglect and decline of local infrastructure. Likewise, Vengadasalam advocates for “term limits as a way to renew public trust and create opportunities for emerging voices to serve their communities.”
Neither Brown nor Vengadasalam are strangers to public service and both are champions of transparency and accountability, better housing options, and community-forward governance. While they take similar tones, some key differences emphasize certain programs over others. They focus on the community with grassroots canvassing and attending local events.
Meet Pahaliyah
Brown is of Korean and Black ancestry. These communities are both widely represented in the district. His platform focuses on parks, transit, and hyperlocal community-organizing. “We are not getting our fair share of resources,” he believes.
Brown currently works at the Water and Land Resources Division at the county’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks, where he focuses on salmon habitat restoration.
His history at the department has also brought him visibility into the lack of investment in the area. “I’ve seen our projects in South King County not getting prioritized.” He seeks to create a 30% suballocation of parks funding to be earmarked for District 7, as well as a community-needs tracker and monthly town halls.
“Quite frankly, I’m tired of seeing trash everywhere. I want to get back to the basics of taking pride in our community,” he said. He aims to retrofit parks and transit centers and make nature more accessible to the people of the district.
He is endorsed by two youth organizations, the Knightz Football Academy, where he is an assistant coach, and Unleash the Brilliance.
Meet Maya
Vengadasalam was born in India and moved to the U.S. when she was 11. She’s lived in Kent since 1991. Her background in business administration, senior positions at nonprofits and corporations alike, and her previous elections to the Kent School District Board of Directors inform her position on fiscal responsibility and education. She is a strong advocate of the Best Starts for Kids levy, “which removes barriers to opportunity and helps families thrive.”
She is currently a consultant with the Washington State School Directors’ Association, where she trains elected officials on financial and legal responsibilities. “I bring executive-level insight from nonprofit, for-profit, and public sectors, allowing me to bridge gaps across agencies and communities.”
While she is not taking on public endorsements, “The Stranger” has picked her as their voter choice.
The face of District 7
District 7 has a diverse population. According to Brown, it is one of the most family-driven parts of the region and as affordability waned in the more central part of the area, many families moved down south. “It’s time for our voices to be heard and become part of the decision-making to reflect the uniqueness of who we are.”
Brown is a founding member of the Korean American Baptist Church in Federal Way and has coached youth sports, organized block parties, and has been a youth mentor. “I’ve worked with my hands, with my heart, and with my neighbors to build stronger communities from the ground up.”
Vengadaslam sees the rapid growth of many unincorporated communities that “lack the infrastructure, economic development support, and local governance necessary to keep up with demand.” She advocates for investment in local business, housing, and transit so that “no community is left behind.”
She says the “district faces limited outreach and language access, especially affecting its large senior population” with insufficient housing and transportation. She also sees continued harassment of AAPI students and families due to lack of understanding of different cultures. She noticed this as part of her “experience in family engagement programs and previous school board campaigns.”
Thirty-day plans
The two candidates seek to leverage data to inform decision-making. Both their immediate 30-day plans include starting with the data—empirical, qualitative, and quantitative—to gauge where the district sits and collaborating with the community.
“I plan to get going,” said Brown. “I’m already identifying community leaders. I’m not a politician. I’m a civil servant. I care about my community.” His plan of attack includes goal-setting and question-asking by looking at the data to find out what affects our specific communities. His first line of business is to get more funding from parks.
Similarly, Vengadasalam’s campaign is about listening and learning. “I am ready to
work across differences and deliver meaningful progress.” Her first line of business is to review the county budget’s shortfall of $160 million and see how levies and taxes align with District 7 needs.
The next elected council member for District 7 will serve a three-year term as opposed to the normal four-year term. This is due to an ordinance passed in 2022 that moves certain county elections onto even-numbered years.
To learn more about the candidates, visit: https://www.votepahaliyah.com and https://www.mayaforkingcounty.com.