Progressive activist Nikkita Oliver announces run for Seattle City Council

Seattle activist Nikkita Oliver announced Wednesday that they will be running for city council, as the latest big name to throw their hat into the political ring in 2021.

Oliver will look to fill the vacant at-large Position 9 seat, left open by departing Council President Lorena Gonzalez, who eschewed with reelection to run for mayor.

I am humbled to announce our campaign for SEA City Council Pos. 9. We know the end of oppressive systems is not a simple inevitability. Rather, it is intentional—birthed of our labor & organizing, our continuous & principled struggle together. When we fight, we win. #Nikkita4Nine pic.twitter.com/uVqNrV2IrO

— Nikkita Oliver (they/them) (@NikkitaOliver) March 10, 2021

Oliver has long stood as a prominent voice for Seattle’s progressive political movement. They mounted a run for mayor in 2017, coming in third in the primary behind Jenny Durkan and Cary Moon, garnering over 31,000 votes.

In the years since, Oliver has served as an activist and community organizer, pursuing criminal justice reforms while working in the nonprofit sector.

Trio of candidates for Seattle mayor jump out to early fundraising lead

They currently serve as the co-executive director for Creative Justice, “an arts-based alternative to incarceration and a healing engaged youth-led community-based program.”

Oliver’s campaign for city council is rooted in a series of progressive policies, advocating to end homeless encampment sweeps, terminate the city’s contract with the King County Jail, invest more of SPD’s budget in housing and support systems, and focus on enacting a series of Green New Deal policies.

Six other candidates are running to fill Gonzalez’ at-large seat, although just two have begun to raise money through individual contributions.

That includes Fremont Brewery co-founder Sara Nelson and Gonzalez’ current Chief of Staff Brianna Nelson, who have raised over $56,400 and nearly $24,600 in individual contributions, respectively.

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