Dear fellow King County employee,

King County occupies the unceded ancestral lands of the Muckleshoot, Snoqualmie, Puyallup, Tulalip, and Suquamish Tribes, and those Coast Salish individuals who are not enrolled in a federally recognized tribe. It is home to a thriving Native American population from Tribal nations regionally, and across North America, whose rich traditions and ongoing achievements benefit all.

Since 2022, we have officially recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an observed and paid holiday in King County on the second Monday in October, and on Oct. 14 we will show respect for and further our understanding of the heritage, culture, contributions, and resilience of Indigenous people in our region and beyond.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a time for reflection and learning. Today we live on and benefit unjustly from the land that was taken by force and coercion from the Coast Salish people. Additionally, we know that deeply embedded racist policies, practices, and systems still harm Indigenous people today. This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we celebrate Indigenous people, who continue to stand strong and actively fight against racism and other forms of injustice, as they have for generations. We must press ahead with our work of dismantling and removing these systems and barriers so that Indigenous communities, and all people, can thrive.

I want to thank and recognize the members of our employee-led King County Native American Leadership Council for their continued work on behalf of Native American and Alaska Native employees at King County. I am also grateful for the solid government-to-government working relationships we have developed with local Tribes, which are crucial in our work to best serve the Indigenous community, Native American and Alaska Native County employees, and all residents.

Working together we can build a strong future in King County and our region where Native American people are visible, recognized, and thriving.

Sincerely,

Dow Constantine (he/him/his)
King County Executive