It's exciting to see so many people out tonight despite the snow, despite the fact that it's flu season.
I'm going to ask people to take their seats as much as they can and quiet down.
There are some more seats, I believe, upstairs as well, but please try to move in and we're going to get started because we have a big night tonight.
My name is Eva and I'm a member of Socialist Alternative.
working on this year's fight to tax Amazon in 2020. And yeah, I think seeing how many people came out tonight, this is really inspiring because it's going to take this kind of fighting spirit to defeat the biggest corporations in our city and win the Amazon tax this year.
So it's a big honor to introduce my co-emcee for the night, who's also going to be our first speaker, Matt Smith.
Matt's a contracted cargo handler at Amazon, and he's been organizing in his workplace, standing up against Amazon's corporate greed.
He helped to organize a big protest a lot of you all were at at the Amazon Spheres back in October against the $1.5 million that Amazon spent to try to buy the elections this year.
So let's give a big welcome to Matt.
Hi, everybody.
I'm here today to join you all in this movement and to speak out as an Amazon worker in support of the Amazon tax, to fund affordable social housing in Seattle.
And Jeff Bezos doesn't want me to be here.
Amazon wants to silence our movement, and they especially want to silence me and my co-workers.
They want to divide us up, they want to pit tech workers against construction workers, against the rest of the working people in Seattle, and they want to tell you that Amazon workers are against the Amazon tax.
But while Amazon and its executives rake in billions in untaxed profits, thousands of my co-workers and I are struggling to pay rent.
So I'm very happy to be here tonight.
Amazon wants to silence us because they know that we have power.
They understand that our interests as workers are different than their interests as bosses and executives who profit from this system.
They know that when we fight, we can win.
And we showed them that in November.
So like I said, I'm very happy to be here tonight and I'm so ready to send Jeff Bezos the message that Amazon workers are going to be a part of this movement with all of you to tax Amazon and make Seattle affordable for working people.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for Matt.
I think it's really inspiring to see that we have Amazon workers on our side helping to lead this fight.
Before we move on, I want to acknowledge that we're here tonight at this meeting on the historic land of the Duwamish Nation, the first people of this region.
I also have to announce that really, unfortunately, Sarah Nelson is ill and she's actually at the hospital right now.
She's really deeply, deeply disappointed that she can't be here with us and not able to rally with us for the Amazon tax, but she's provided us with an audio message that we're going to play right now.
Seattle, I'm so proud of you for what you've done to take on the billionaires and the people who try to buy our democracy.
With the election of Shama, you showed that when we stand together, we win.
And when we fight, we win.
Know that I'm with you today in your vision for what Seattle can become.
And we're inspired all across the country by your action.
Kayla Williams, who is an AFA member and emerging leader, and a leader on our Delta AFA campaign to organize Delta flight attendants, is going to share the words that I had intended to share with you in person.
Know that when she speaks, it's coming directly from my heart.
And we stand with you.
We will always have your backs.
Thank you, and go give them hell.
Great, thank you to Sarah for that message.
And so as she said, in her place, we want to welcome Kayla Williams, who is a flight attendant and a leader in the Association of Flight Attendants, who's going to be administering Shama's oath of office.
So let's give a big, warm welcome to Kayla.
Hey, everybody.
Hey, everybody.
So I am not Sarah Nelson, unfortunately.
But I will do my very best to make her proud and make everyone in this room proud.
My name is Kayla Williams.
I am a flight attendant for United and also the campaign lead for the Delta AFA campaign.
And I have...
I have the honor of doing the oath of office for Councilmember Shama Swant.
This is fantastic, a dream for me.
So could you please raise your right hand?
Repeat after me.
I, Shama Swant, I, Shama Swant, swear or affirm, affirm, that I possess all the qualifications
that I possess all the qualifications prescribed in the Seattle City Charter.
prescribed in the Seattle City Charter, and the Seattle Municipal Code, and the Seattle Municipal Code, for the position of City Council Member, for the position of City Council Member, of the City of Seattle, of the City of Seattle, that I support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Washington, the Constitution of the State of Washington, and the charter and ordinances of the city of Seattle, and that I will faithfully conduct myself as a Seattle City Council member.
I'm not putting it on yet.
Oh, I put it on.
I'm getting used to it.
I'm never going to leave.
I'm never going to leave her.
Good evening, everyone.
I won't be speaking right now except to say thank you all for being here.
We extend our very best wishes for a speedy recovery to Sister Sarah Nelson.
And my incredible gratitude to Sister Kayla, who was here to administer this oath of office.
It is a serious honor to be sworn in by a rank and file worker and union member.