Each week on The Newsfeed, host Paris Jackson and a team of veteran journalists dive deep into one topic and provide impactful reporting, interviews and community insights from sources you can trust. Each day this week, this post will be updated with a new story from the team.
Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans Shares Her Vision for the Office
This week, we're taking a look at the historic leadership change inside the Seattle City Attorney’s Office.
Seattle’s new City Attorney, Erika Evans, is the first Black person and African American woman to lead the office. She now manages a staff of about 200 that includes about 130 attorneys.
We sat down with her to discuss her vision for the office.
She says her priorities include reimagining Community Court, fighting back against federal overreach, and at the top of the list: public safety.
“When I think of Seattle, this is my home. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I want Seattle to be a place that feels safe,” Evans said.
Evans most recently was a federal prosecutor, and before that, worked under former City Attorney Pete Holmes. Now, she’s taking over as the city’s top lawyer, as the city navigates an opioid and homelessness crisis.
“Another big thing is making sure our communities can thrive. I want to see Little Saigon being a place that's thriving. We see what's currently happening in our streets right now, and some of the failed policies that have really displaced folks and caused areas that are not, you know, doing good in public safety and in our communities,” Evans said.
We asked about how she plans to build trust with the community, Evans says it is to be in community.
“That has been something that has always been at the forefront of everything I do... making sure that we ensure our office is accessible and that we are setting good examples of what you know, a Seattle we believe, should be and look like is important,” Evans said.
All this week, we’ll bring you more from our one-on-one with Evans.
