FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 9, 2024 

MEDIA CONTACT

Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054 

Statement by Council Member Jamika Scott in Support of President Joe Biden’s Demand for an Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza 

TACOMA, Wash. – “I would like to take a moment to commend the people of District 3 who have expressed their solidarity with Palestinian civilians in Gaza and joined in our political dialogue to call for peace. District 3 is a community that is full of energy, creativity, and tenacity. We are home to organizations and community groups that promote inclusion and are working hard to create a healthier, more vibrant, and safer city. Yet, we also know what it feels like to see others sit in silence when we ask for help. Many of us know how it feels to be marginalized, dehumanized, and harmed.  

While adversity has challenged us, it has not hardened our hearts. Instead, it has deepened our empathy. Our community knows that we must always stand together against injustice, no matter where it takes place, or we will never be free of it here in Tacoma. 

Today, I celebrate the humanity of the people of District 3, and all those across Tacoma, who have had the strength speak out on behalf of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza. I also share in your condemnation of the terrorist attacks conducted by Hamas against the Israeli people and applaud your stand against any form of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate. I am moved by your refusal to accept violence against civilians, and I urge you to use that passion to continue working to foster positive change in our own city.  

As the representative for District 3, I proudly declare my commitment to upholding human rights and human dignity for all. I reaffirm my pledge to promote the belief that all lives are precious and that everyone has the right to live in peace and security in Tacoma and beyond. I stand with the residents of District 3 in support of President Biden’s demand for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the protection of humanitarian aid workers, and the provision of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. These demands are long overdue, and I am hopeful that our national leaders will continue to use their diplomatic power to forge a durable peace for Palestinian and Israeli civilians.” 

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