2024 Elections & Endorsements
Pierce County
WE ARE PROUD TO ENDORSE:
Bio
Born in Kailua, Hawaii, Ryan Mello moved to Tacoma in 1997 to attend the University of Puget Sound where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and government. He fell in love with Tacoma as an AmeriCorps volunteer coordinating the Youth United program at the United Way of Pierce County, producing the first-ever program where high school students earn their varsity letter for exceptional community service. Ryan went on to serve in several career roles to protect our quality of life, working farmlands and rural heritage.
Ryan went on to serve as the Executive Director of the Pierce Conservation District where he led a team across Pierce County in working to improve water quality and habitat function for people, fish and wildlife, increase access to local, healthy food for all and expand sustainable agriculture practices.
Ryan was elected citywide to the Metropolitan Park Board of Commissioners in 2005, and in 2010 made history as the first openly gay man to serve on the Tacoma City Council, serving until 2019.
Ryan also serves on the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation and previously as a founding board member of Equal Rights Washington and the Transportation Choices Coalition Board of Directors.
Currently, Ryan serves as Chair of the Pierce County Council, representing District 4 – and is known as a strong advocate for working families, housing affordability, transportation, and public safety solutions.
Ryan and his partner Sean live in downtown Tacoma. They enjoy hiking, supporting local sports teams and engaging in community service. He is committed to ensuring basic services are delivered effectively, everyone who needs a job has a good paying job with benefits, keeping the South Sound affordable for all income levels, having efficient transportation solutions for our community, and ensuring that our air, land and water is healthy for everyone to enjoy.
Bio
I am Davida Haygood, a passionate educator, community organizer, and activist running for Pierce County Council Position 2. My mission is to champion the needs of all residents, with a special focus on youth, vulnerable populations, and underrepresented groups. Having lived in the district for over a decade, I deeply understand the hopes and fears of our community, and I am committed to addressing the issues that matter most to the people of Pierce County.
As a single parent who has experienced housing insecurity firsthand, I know the struggles that many families in our district face. My journey from welfare to becoming a professor of education has given me a unique perspective on the challenges and aspirations of our community. I believe that by fostering an authentic community, where everyone’s needs are considered and met, we can create a path to community wealth and well-being.
WE ARE PROUD TO ENDORSE BOTH CANDIDATES:
Bio
Rosie is a first-generation Chicana Mexican-American having grown up in the Central Valley of California where her parents were fruit pickers and labored on different farms throughout the state. She’s the first in her generation of family to obtain an education beyond the elementary school level and now joins 7% of the Latine population that holds a master’s degree. She attributes her success to the dedication of after-school and summer youth programs where she was first encouraged to look into a college path as a possibility.
Soon after college and while being employed, Rosie experienced housing instability. She followed all the steps needed to be successful in her transition out of school, but it was evident that the system itself was not prepared for someone in her circumstance. During this time, Rosie worked at a homeless youth organization that focused on wrap-around services such as drop-in, education, case management, transitional housing, and drug rehabilitation. This was part of a coalition of providers that partnered on things such as shelter and intake. Her experience in this world provided invaluable lessons about the importance of systemic interventions and partnership alignment. She earned her masters in organizational systems and has focused her energies on ensuring every new generation of students has a better system in place for their success.