Candidate Profile: Chukundi Salisbury For District 37

SEATTLE — The 2020 election is heating up in Washington and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but voters will also decide the occupants of several state representative and senate seats.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Chukundi Salisbury, a Seattle resident is running for State Representative District 37 Position 2.

Age: 49
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family: Salisbury lives in Rainier Valley with his family: wife Michelle, 21-year-old daughter, Alma, and 14-year-old son, Chukundi Jr.
Occupation: Sustainability and Environmental Manager/ Former Recreation Program Coordinator/ Trails Coordinator, City of Seattle Parks and Recreation, 1997-present
Chief Executive Officer, Seaspot Media Group 1998-present
Additional experience:
Founder/ Executive Director, Service is a Lifestyle
Chair, Seattle Police Departments African American Advisory Council
Member, Silent War Project
Board Member, South East Youth and Family Services
Previous elected experience: Precinct Committee Officer, 37th Legislative District Democrats
Executive Board Member, King County Democrat
Family members in government: No, however, my Mother, Rev. Harriett Walden, did found Mothers for Police Accountability.
Campaign website: www.chukundi.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issue that Washington faces is systematic racism. Well-meaning politicians have come in with the greatest intentions but really failed to deliver on the impact, which has consistently left my community behind. Having politicians who consistently come from the inside can cause a positive feedback loop, where certain ideas that hurt my community gets reinforced. I want to see divestment from our prison and law enforcement systems, more support for Children of Color in our Education system, and make sure we get true representation which can take a critical eye to a lot of these policies.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

While my opponent and I are both progressive Democrats, I have a longer legacy of activism in the district and I believe that I have "the receipts" to match "the rhetoric." I have been fighting for police accountability since 1990. I'm proud to have stood with my mother, Rev. Harriett Walden, when she founded Mothers for Police Accountability. I've worked on the Silence Project for a decade to help reduce Gun Violence. In addition, I founded Urbvote, 100 Black Parents, and the Youth Green Corp -- which is being touted as the model for a local level Green New Deal. When comes to protecting our public schools, fighting for racial justice, or saving our planet, I believe I have the follow-through skills and the real-world experience to actually deliver on these bold ideas. Often with these ideas, however, we see the impact on my community not meet the intent. I think my real world experience and living my whole life in the district gives me a keen eye on public policy and I can see where the real-world implications and unintended consequences will not meet the intent despite the best of intentions.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I believe my extensive community experience demonstrates that I able to handle this job. I have been working on the African-American Parent and Family Engagement through its 100 Black Parents Initiative and Voter Education and Engagement through its Urban Vote Project (URBVOTE). Some of the programs I have activated in the community include The African-American Males Weekend at Camp Orkila “This is Why I Vote” Campaign. I have also revived and produced the much loved Bubblin Brown Sugar, a High School Competition held annually at Garfield High School that brings over visitors from across the region for this legacy event. I am also involved in several other community-based organizations including the Silent War Project which is aimed at breaking the silence around Black on Black Violence. I have served on several volunteer community boards including South East Youth and Family Services where he served as Chairman of the Board and the Seattle Police Departments African American Advisory Council. I also served on the Board of Directors at the YMCA Camping Services Branch. I served as an elected Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) for the 37th Legislative District Democrats and represent the district on the King County Democrat’s Executive Board.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

I want to launch the most ambitious COVID recovery in the country. There a lot of constituent parts to this including rent forgiveness, support to our small businesses, and a Green New Deal for Washington.
I am absolutely opposed to an austerity focused recovery from the COVID-19 Crisis. We saw during the great recession that budget cuts are not the way out of these crises. I am opposed to any cuts that hurt working families in this state. Education funding, social services, and youth development are some of the most important obligations we have. I intend to ensure that our youths' futures are not used to fill short-term budget holes.
We also need to recognize that even prior to this Pandemic a lot of legislators were negligent in funding the programs we need. The years-long failure to fully fund the State Need Grant or Working Families' Tax Credit were persistent problems, even before the COVID-19 crisis. The critical underfunding of these programs for years was a disgrace. Education and support for families are the best public policy tool we have to assure lifelong success and solve our social ills. However, we cannot make short term cuts knowing that our students will pay the price down the road. As the elected representative to Olympia, I will work to assure these are funded and guard against any attempted budget cuts, and work to fully fund this commitment as part of the recovery past the end of the crisis.
I believe that defunding our prison-industrial complex is also an effective area to get money, as it will not only help close the shortfall but also advance equity. And if we need new revenue, it needs to be done with tax equity in mind. Billionaires have made 845 billion in profit during the first six months of this pandemic and Boeing has shown despite billions in tax breaks, they are still leaving. We should implement an income tax on the wealthy and close corporate loopholes and not increase taxes on working families. I believe this money should then be used to help support the working families of this State.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?

First of all, I’d like to acknowledge my mother who is my inspiration. I’m proud to have stood with my mother when she founded Mothers For Police Accountability, after my brother was brutalized. Where we took on Police Brutality and fought to keep our communities and kids safe. Following my mother's example is a big part of why I've chosen to get involved.
The incarceration rate in Washington is unacceptable! Since 1980 the number of prisoners has increased 337% in Washington. This has largely been built on the back of the BIPOC community, African Americans are just 3.5% of the state’s population but 28% of those serving life without parole. This is why I have made major divestments from our racist prison system a central tenet of our campaign. I also believe eliminating cash bail is a central part of undoing mass incarceration.
I believe our work is not complete by simply addressing mass incarceration in the present. We need to work to undo decades of harm wrought by over-policing and mass incarceration on my community, such as felony disenfranchisement. I want to see SB 6228, which simplifies the process of restoring voting rights to felons, reintroduced and passed next session. I think we need to go beyond this and enfranchise those currently incarcerated for felony convictions. The right to vote should be inseparable from the individual. Electoral issues still affect incarcerated folks and their families, and they should be able to weigh in on them.
Likewise, I believe that we need to pursue a strategy of police obsoletion, replacing many police functions with unarmed professional community-based alternatives specifically trained in de-escalation. We have enjoyed success with community resource officers within the 37th district. I want to be able to use the resources of the state to fund and expand these community-based alternatives. I believe that these community alternatives should be filled with trained social service professionals and will be better equipped to respond to emergencies and provide health and social services.
I have been a leader in reducing the influence of police unions. I have been pushing to remove RCW 41.80.020, which prevents all jurisdictions within our state from implementing accountability policies outside of the scope of bargaining. This law has allowed law enforcement unions to leverage labor rights in a way that does not benefit our communities.

How do you think Washington should address the threat posed by climate change?

I have been a lifelong environmentalist, I have spent 23 years in the Parks Department, and I think few candidates can match my depth of environmental work. The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues that our state faces. What we are finding is that these natural disasters are happening much quicker than they used to. We all saw the fires and smoke that engulfed the west coast just a few weeks ago, and there are now double the usual amount of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic. It is very clear that there is an urgent need to act now, and with DC continually paralyzed we need to take bold action at the state level.
The state has made a number of good steps in the last few years. The 100% Clean Electricity by 2030 bill was a great first step as was the ban on plastic bags. There are a number of bills that we need to get over the finish line next session, the Clean Fuel Standards bill and Clean Air Authority bill.
I think we also need to elevate our climate response to the next level, which is why I am calling for a Green New Deal at the state level. I believe what sets me apart from any other candidate, is I said we needed a green new deal, ten years ago. And I did it ten years ago when I founded the Youth Green Corp. This program helped disadvantaged youth, often from marginalized communities, get experience in the environmental sector. I believe we need to take that approach state wide and center the coronavirus recovery plan around a green new deal and green infrastructure with a strong social and racial equity focus.
I think the challenge to this is going to be implementation, and I believe I have the real world experience to take this idea and get it across the finish line. I believe there is going to be a new normal, and we need to build a greener and better normal.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Youth Development

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My service and career as a contributing member to the community of Seattle and greater King County, specifically the 37th District, spans more than three decades and shows dedicated presence, participation, and duty. I think we need a community member rather than an insider to bring a fresh perspective!