01-19-2021 ProclamationPROCLAMATION
"Black Lives Matter -A Call to Action"
WHEREAS, The City of Federal Way, Washington, firmly asserts that Black Lives Matter and always have; and
WHEREAS, The people of Federal Way have a proud legacy of using their voices to speak against racism and oppression
dating back to the formation of our state and community; and
WHEREAS, From the early days of our City's history with the formation of the Human Rights Committee, Federal Way
has had and will have a lasting commitment to inclusion and equality; and
WHEREAS, The legacy of the Humans Rights Committee continues today with the Black Lives Matter movement; and
WHEREAS, Black Lives Matter is a movement advocating throughout the country for non-violent protest against
excessive force by police and all racially motivated violence, as well as abuse against African Americans in the form of
institutional, structural, and systemic racism; and
WHEREAS, Black Lives Matter also advocates for the entire community of Color, and other oppressed groups; and
WHEREAS, The City of Federal Way firmly denounces racist acts of oppression, including systemic racism, which has
targeted Black and Indigenous People of Color; and
WHEREAS, The City of Federal Way affirms both our commitment to protect and serve without discrimination everyone
who resides in, works in, or visits our community; and the belief in the dignity, equality, constitutional and civil rights
of all people; and
WHEREAS, We must not just proclaim hollow words, but meet these words as a Call to Action; that
WE WILL commit to and develop equitable policies and practices which will work to dismantle systemic racism and
prejudices in the City of Federal Way; and that
WE WILL support the engagement of historically marginalized communities to identify and develop direct service
programs to address the negative impact inequalities have had on specific populations and programs which will empower
communities to tackle these systemic barriers; and that
WE WILL encourage our legislators to advocate at the state and federal level for the policies and funding opportunities
that directly combat systemic racism.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, the undersigned Mayor of Federal Way, do hereby proclaim that in the spirit of the life and
legacy we celebrate today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, that Black Lives Matter; and I encourage all who read this
proclamation to exercise their patriotic responsibility to strive to challenge racism until it is no more.
SIGNED this 181h Day of January 2021.
Mayor of Federal Way, Washington
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Jim Ferrell