SEATTLE — Seattle native and former KING 5 employee Tanya Woo announced her campaign for Seattle City Council District 2 on Thursday morning.
Woo, who grew up in Beacon Hill and lives in Rainier Beach, said she wants to change "bad city policies" in District 2, which includes Rainier Beach, Beacon Hill, Chinatown International District, SODO and Georgetown.
Councilmember Tammy Morales was elected to the Seattle City Council in 2019 as District 2's representative. Her four-year term ends in December 2024.
Dawn Lucas and Isaiah Willoughby will also be campaigning in the primary election for the District 2 seat.
"I’ve seen how South Seattle has changed and I’ve seen what happens to neighborhoods that don’t have a voice," Woo said in a release. "When we are expected to live with bad city policies. I want to change that and that’s why I'm running for Seattle City Council."
According to a release, Woo's family owns the Louisa Hotel in the Chinatown International District, which provides small business space and workforce housing for people making between 40 and 100% of the area's median income.
Woo leads the Chinatown International District Community Watch, with an emphasis on community-based public safety.
Woo said she has endorsements from local leaders Sen. Bob Hasegawa, Rep. Sharon Tomiko-Santos, Seattle Port Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa, Renton City Councilmember Kim-Khánh Van and Edmonds City Councilmember Will Chen.
“My work against government discrimination in the Chinatown International District has taught me a very important lesson: the only time people in South Seattle are heard is when we make those in positions of power listen,” Woo said in a release. “We are underserved, underfunded, and underrepresented. We need elected leaders who listen to people, not politicians and special interests. If we can solve these problems together, we can make our neighborhoods safer and more affordable for everyone. I’m here to turn our challenges into solutions, and I look forward to working with everyone in District 2 to make this happen.”
Woo's announcement for City Council comes after nearly half of the nine current members have announced they will not seek re-election.
Lisa Herbold (District 1), Kshama Sawant (District 3), Alex Pedersen (District 4) and Debora Juarez (District 5) said they will not run for re-election, leaving at least four vacancies for the City Council.
Woo worked at KING 5 on the assignment desk and as a teleprompter operator for about 10 years before she left the station in early 2017.