Hundreds Gather to Support Girmay Zahilay and Mental Health Efforts

Reporting by Cesar Canizales

Nearly 900 people gathered in a downtown Seattle ballroom to show their support for King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay and his push to improve mental health access, and to honor King County residents who have worked to improve their communities.

Award-winning musician Macklemore was there to support Zahilay, who is seeking reelection, as were other county and city councilmembers.

Mental health is one of Zahilay’s priorities, and Macklemore delivered a moving and powerful keynote speech, recounting his own battle with addiction and recovery and advocating for urgent behavioral health clinics in the county. 

“When I was 25 years old, I got addicted to prescription pain medication. And I will never forget the day that my dad pulled me aside. He looked me in my eye and said, ‘Ben, are you happy?’ And I barely even recognize the word,” Macklemore said. “But it was in that moment that I surrendered. I had just enough willingness to say, ‘Yes, I will go to rehab.’”

The singer noted the lack of support for urgent mental health in the region.

“We have 2.2 million people living in King County and we have zero walk in urgent care, behavioral health clinics and one of the wealthiest cities in the world, the land of Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Zero in King County,” said Macklemore.

Zahilay urged supporters to vote for Proposition 1, which would raise $1.25 billion dollars through a property tax levy to create crisis care centers in the county.

“On April 25th, we stand to make a generational investment in our behavioral health system, so we can take care of our communities who are living in crisis,” he said.

The first-term councilmember said his mother’s experience —fleeing violence in Ethiopia, arriving in America and working two and three jobs just to try to make ends meet –  shaped his views and inspired his current work for social justice.

“The American Dream tells you if you work hard and follow the rules, you can meet your basic needs and eventually retire with dignity. But that wasn't our experience,” said Zahilay. “My mom worked and worked until she destroyed both of her knees. That's the event from my life that drives me to do what I do. An all-too-common story in King County.”

The annual Hometown Heroes Awards were presented to six people – all women of color -- who have worked to improve the community.

Ricole Jones and Marty Jackson were honored for their work to reduce gun violence in Rainier Beach. 

“This work is not something we started, it’s something we inherited. It’s something we’ve chosen to do, and a lot of time the work has chosen us,” said Jackson.

Shantel Patu received the award for her efforts to help communities in need, particularly in Skyway. Emijah Smith was celebrated for her advocacy benefitting Black people. 

And Ayan Musse was honored for advocating for youth in the area. 

Zahilay also presented a surprise award to KeAnna Pickett, whose husband D’Vonne was murdered last year, for using her voice to reduce violence. 

The councilmember said he worked with a colleague to fund a $100,000 scholarship in her and her husband’s name through the CD Panthers to honor the couple’s legacy.

Macklemore, who also received an award, said the region should be doing more to help communities in need. 

“We have pushed people out. We have gentrified. We have torn down communities for condos. We have forgotten. We have forgotten what it means to be human, to care for those that are still suffering, to help those that need it the most, to prioritize the most marginalized and make sure that families have the barrenness, subsidies to just live and be safe,” Macklemore said.

One of the attendees was moved by Macklemore’s remarks.

“He is so much more than an entertainer. He actually is in the community and working within the black community and I've been known him for, I can say, probably 15 years and his words have action. And I think he moved all of us,” said Letta Mason, a professor at Evergreen State College.

After the event, Zahilay said he was touched by the show of support and Macklemore’s emotional speech. 

“It didn't feel like a stuffy ballroom event to me. It felt like humanity. My keynote speaker, Macklemore, took abstract policy around behavioral health crisis, which is what we're working on. And he turned it into one of the most moving personal stories I've ever heard,” said Zahilay.