Serving on the Highline School Board has been one of the greatest honors of my life. As a first generation /migr/ from Eritrea, Africa, and as a professional refugee advocate in White Center, my role on the school board was to serve as the link between the many communities of color in the school district, and the school board decision making process.

By appointing me, the school board showed insight, and re-affirmed that the Highline School District values the importance of reaching out to communities of color.

This is why I am so disappointed by the ineffective efforts so far, from the City of Burien, or the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council (UAC), in reaching out to communities of color.

I can assure you, our communities of color have been left out of these annexation discussions so far. The only truly successful outreach effort was done not by Burien, or by the UAC, but by the Making Connections community building effort here in White Center, and it happened only recently.

The results were interesting: 50 percent wanted to annex to Seattle, and 26 percent wanted to annex to Burien. This fact alone helps me understand why the UAC and the Burien city staff have not been more willing to engage our communities. They are afraid that we will think for our selves.

And now, just as we are beginning to engage in this process, the Burien City Council is about to tell us, “Sorry, you won’t have a choice after all, you see, we are afraid of Seattle, so Burien is going to engineer that Burien will be your only choice for annexation.”

After months of positioning, we all know what the North Highline Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Office want. They want Burien, for institutional reasons, and their interests are well represented on the UAC. But, currently, there is no involvement by communities of color, who are one half of the White Center population.

This process is unfair, and really, it is, to me, un-American too.

I am proposing that both Burien and Seattle delay their annexation declarations, and early this year, the communities of color will host an annexation summit. It will include political leaders from Burien, and Seattle, give you a chance to hear what our priorities are for annexation, and an opportunity for both cities to work with us to find a solution that comes closer to meeting the greater good for our families and our communities.

I strongly encourage the Burien City Council to show respect for our communities, by delaying the PAA declaration vote until after we have had a chance to bring both cities together to hear from us.

Mengstab “Mengs” Tzegai

Boulevard Park

Former member,

Highline School Board