Phyllis is an accomplished and energetic leader dedicated to advancing community relations with City Government. She has a track record of achieving exceptional results in fostering relationships with policy leaders including City councilmembers on multiple projects in SE Seattle. As an educator and community activist, Phyllis is a seasoned advocate on transportation, ambassador for communities of color, and speaker for communities at large in need of empowerment. She recently was responsible for helping get two transportation initiatives passed in Seattle’s SE district on Martin Luther King Jr Way and Rainier Avenue S. Phyllis also serves as a Vigil and Memorial Ride coordinator with Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, who speaks on behalf of individuals killed or seriously injured in collisions of people riding bicycles. When the tragic hit-and-run accident occurred at Genesee and MLK, critically injuring a seven-year-old girl, Phyllis became the de facto ambassador to the Somali-Oromo community living in Rainier Vista. She spoke directly and visited in person with the family of Zeytuna Edo, spearheading a neighborhood vigil walk that raised awareness regarding the dangers of speeding traffic in areas where the children of this community walk, study and play. She was instrumental in making sure that officials from SDOT, SPD and the Mayor himself were present to speak at a solutions meeting afterward – with interpreters on hand to relay the concerns of the family.
She serves on a myriad of committees and boards: Rainier Riders Cycling Club (Vice President), Black Girls Do Bike (Shero), Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, Let’s Move Seattle Oversight Committee, Rainier Valley Greenways, Safe Route to School (Community Partner), Pronto Cycle Share Equity Advisory Board, Seattle Summer Parkways and acts as a Social Justice reform advocate working with post incarcerated men and women reentering society. She was recently featured on “Meet the Governor, Inside Out/ Saving Pronto, Seattle Speaks: Move Seattle (Seattle Channel 21)”, KUOW Radio, South Sound Emerald, Seattle Bike Life magazine and other various medium.
Her hope as a woman of color, is to: 1) engage more people of color to join the walking and biking movement; 2) reject the status quo and move forward implementation of improved transportation infrastructure and programs for consistently underserved communities; 3) keep improving Seattle’s streets to make ALL streets safe places; and 4) build enduring community relations between city government and low socioeconomic communities of color.