Duwamish Valley Program Earns North American Recognition in Vancouver
A South Seattle neighborhood initiative has been recognized for its community engagement work in the Duwamish Valley. In October, the Port of Seattle’s Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program collected the Program of the Year award for Respect for Diversity, Inclusion, and Culture at the International Association for Public Participation’s (IAP2) North American Conference in Vancouver, B.C.
Judges pointed to a clear turning point: since the Commission adopted the framework in 2019, the agency has steadily overhauled how it interacts with historically underserved neighborhoods in South Park and Georgetown. Rather than holding standard, top-down public hearings, the initiative relies on community members acting as co-designers. These local residents directly shape strategic priorities, investment decisions, and policy shifts.
Model Pairs Multilingual Outreach with Compensated Community Leadership
The award-winning framework rejects token advisory committees in favor of structural integration. The model pairs multilingual outreach with compensated community leadership, ensuring that residents are paid for their time and expertise.
Those efforts translate into concrete metrics across workforce and small business development, environmental health, and community capacity. Working alongside the Port Community Action Team (PCAT), the agency has institutionalized a collaborative approach that treats neighbors as equal partners.
“Being recognized for the Diversity, Inclusion, and Culture award affirms what we’ve long believed: real public participation starts with deep listening and equitable collaboration,” said Sally del Fierro, Director of Community Engagement at the Port of Seattle. “The Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program prioritizes co-creation with our neighbors and centers those who have too often been left out of decisions shaping their communities. This award belongs to our community partners as much as it does to the Port of Seattle.”
As the program moves forward following its recognition, the structural collaboration between the Port and local neighborhoods remains anchored by active participants like PCAT member Maribel Pastor and Sr. Program Manager for Duwamish Valley Engagement, Charmila Ajmera, who accepted the honor in British Columbia.
