By Hannah Saunders
Today, Jaelynn Scott, executive director of the nationwide Black Trans advocacy organization, Lavender Rights Project, announced her political campaign for the state representative position 2 for the 37th legislative district. Scott plans to use her experience as a nonprofit and community leader, as well as her lived experiences, to work towards housing security, universal healthcare and childcare, and increase public safety.
Scott believes housing is a human right, and if elected, would work to secure state dollars for permanent supportive housing. She hopes to use “the Chief Seattle Club/Lavender Rights Project model as the blueprint for state programs,” according to her campaign website.
The Chief Seattle Club collaboration to house Black gender diverse people in Seattle stems from King County’s Health Through Housing Initiative, which turns former hotels and other buildings into affordable housing. These locations also offer around-the-clock support and services, including case management.
Scott’s campaign website said that she hopes to tax the wealthiest people and corporations in Washington state:
“We cannot fix our housing crisis, displacement, and public safety with our regressive tax code. We are 49th in the country, which means we tax the working and middle class more than 48 other states in the US.”
Investing in existing programs, like the Washington Families Tax Credit, and incorporating reparations are other ways Scott hopes to improve the economy.
“We will stand firm to protect public health funding and ensure unwavering access to reproductive care and gender-affirming care, regardless of federal hostility,” Scott’s website states.
The candidate is also pushing for universal healthcare that covers medical, vision, dental, mental, and reproductive care.
“With forty-three states already offering some form of publicly funded preschool, Washington is falling behind. Free, quality early childhood education gives working parents, especially women of color, freedom in the workplace and gives every child a fair start,” Scott said.
Scott wants to address Seattle’s ongoing safety issues by ensuring behavioral health specialists respond to mental health crisis calls, rather than Seattle police.
“We need legislation that stops police unions from blocking the non-violent, care-based alternatives that keep our communities safer,” her campaign website states.
Placing preventative strategies at the forefront of policing and crime is also a priority, and Scott stated that it reduces costs and crime when compared to mass incarceration.
Shutting down Flock cameras is also of great importance to the candidate.
“Why? Because privacy is the firewall that protects our immigrant and Trans neighbors from federal targeting and ICE, and these intrusive systems violate the civil liberties of every Washingtonian,” Scott stated.
Scott would also like to enact legislation that helps build trust between the community and police, and hold officers accountable for bad behavior.
TtS reached out to Scott for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
UPDATE 3/2 8:30 p.m. In a statement to TtS, Scott said:
“I plan to be forward on our issues and in my work with our community. I know the issues named are the most pressing for us. Surveillance to protect us from coming threats, housing and the Trans refugee crisis, and LGBTQIA People of Color needing protection from police harassment and violence.”
Scott encourages people to reach out about what changes they’d like to see in their communities.
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