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Phone
(425) 466-4143
Email
riveraforrenton@gmail.com
Town where you live
RENTON
Experience (300 characters max)
Lifelong Renton resident, former social services professional, and Assistant Dean at Seattle U. I led Renton’s minimum wage win, increased human services funding by 65%, and bring lived experience as the first openly queer councilmember and policy expertise as a former case manager and educator.
I prioritize transparency and accessibility through attentively meeting people, attending neighborhood meetings, community events, canvassing, and staying active on social media. I respond directly to resident concerns, have an easy-to-schedule open calendar (Calendly) included in my email signature so anyone can schedule time with me at their convenience. I meet with individuals and groups to stay connected.
Municipal governments play a vital role in addressing environmental issues because local policies directly impact air quality, transportation, land use, and sustainability. Renton must lead with bold, proactive strategies, investing in parks, green spaces, and public transit while ensuring development is climate-resilient and community-informed. I’ve supported updating our Clean Economy Strategy while on council, championed trail activation and park investments, and continue to push for sustainable infrastructure. Renton should also prioritize environmental justice, ensuring communities most impacted by pollution and climate change are at the center of our solutions. From green building codes to stormwater management and electrification, local government must lead by example and partner with residents, workers, and businesses to ensure a healthy, sustainable future for all.
I serve on the Renton City Council, the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the South King County Housing and Homelessness Partners, and Regional Law, Safety, and Justice Committee. My public service includes formerly working in juvenile rehabilitation at Echo Glen Children’s Center, supporting reentry and behavioral health, and served as a social services case manager helping youth reenter school and the workforce. I was also a certified EDI facilitator for the State of Washington. On Council, I was the first to endorse and lead Renton’s minimum wage win, increased our human services budget by 65%, supported renter protections, and advanced co-responder public safety models. I also serve as Assistant Dean and Assistant Teaching Professor at Seattle University. I’m proud to be Renton’s first openly queer Councilmember and bring deep policy knowledge and lived experience to the work of building a more just and inclusive city.
Homelessness is a complex crisis rooted in a lack of affordable housing, behavioral health services, and economic opportunity. Renton must lead with compassion and coordination. That means expanding access to shelter, permanent supportive housing, and wraparound services, especially mental health and addiction support. I am championing the Renton Resource Center, a one-stop hub to connect unhoused residents with housing, workforce, and behavioral health services. We must also ensure regional collaboration with King County and service providers, while rejecting punitive approaches that criminalize poverty. Our response should be trauma-informed, data-driven, and focused on long-term stability because housing is a human right. I believe we must invest in apprenticeship and workforce development opportunities, including employment pipelines.
My vision for Renton is a city where everyone, regardless of income, race, gender, or background, can thrive. That means affordable housing, good union jobs, safe neighborhoods with trusted collaborative public safety with corresponders and alternatives, as well as strong public infrastructure like parks, transit, and internet access. I want Renton to lead in equity, sustainability, and economic justice. I envision a city that supports working families, protects renters, invests in youth and mental health, and plans boldly for the future. Renton should be a place where people not only live, but belong, build, and lead.
