City of Seattle

“O le ala o le pule, o le tautua”

The path to leadership is through service.

Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, and warm Pacific greetings. My name is Lydia M. Faitalia, though in my community I am also known as Lafaitele or Matamua. My pronouns are she/her, and I proudly identify as Samoan/Tongan (Oceania), born in the diaspora on Turtle Island.

I currently serve as the civic engagement manager for the City of Seattle, which sits on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish People and is named after Chief Sealth. I work within the Department of Neighborhoods (DON), under the leadership of director Quynh Pham.  It is my honor to serve Seattle’s residents, whose population is estimated at 850,000 and projected to reach 1 million by 2030, alongside a dedicated team of eight people specializing in community engagement.

Our civic engagement team manages several impactful programs and commissions, including the peoples’ academy for community engagement, community engagement coordinators, Indigenous advisory council, Seattle renters’ commission, community involvement commission and Seattle youth commission. Our programs offer Seattle residents opportunities to learn how local government operates and influence decisions that impact their lives. Our community engagement coordinators routinely engage with residents, community organizations, and neighborhood groups to directly connect with local government programs and services. And our City boards and commissions provide advocacy and organizing spaces for specific demographic groups to advise local government on issues that impact them.

My approach to building meaningful relationships between government and community is deeply shaped by my lived and professional experience as a Pacific woman servant leader and anchored in the DON’s vision and values. These values emphasize centering race and equity in all decisions and actions, investing in communities’ capacity to create their own solutions, prioritizing those furthest from government and ensuring our work is rooted in trust-based, reciprocal relationships.

Connecting Public Agencies with Community Priorities

Civic engagement helps public agencies better understand community priorities by connecting agencies with the communities they serve. It is a shared commitment, not solely the responsibility of agencies, but also of community members. This partnership honors obligations to both present and future generations. Agencies should prioritize and invest in civic engagement, recognizing its capacity to help them better understand community priorities and enhance health outcomes and overall well-being for city residents.

“Meaningful engagement is rooted in respect, accountability, reciprocity and genuine recognition of community strengths.”

Effective civic engagement begins with trust and transparency. The agency should clearly communicate its ask and intention when approaching or co-creating with the community. For example, when residents participate in decision-making through commissions, advisory councils or community-led programs, agencies gain authentic insights into the lived experiences, needs and aspirations of diverse communities. In return, agencies must close the feedback loop through annual reports, follow-up discussions or similar steps.

Based on my experience as a Pacific woman servant leader and the DON’s vision, intentional civic engagement centers race and equity, prioritizes communities who have been strategically removed by white supremacy beginning with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black communities and grounds efforts in trust-based relationships. By investing in community capacity to identify and advocate for their own priorities, agencies can better understand residents’ concerns and foster shared ownership and accountability for public outcomes.

When done well, civic engagement strengthens the relationship between government and community, leading to meaningful policies and initiatives that improve health outcomes for residents. When these policies and initiatives are thoughtfully implemented, they continue to lay a foundation for the next generation of leaders to make better-informed decisions in partnership with their communities.

Turning Community Input into Better Public Decisions

In my experience as a Pacific woman servant leader, community input is most effective when it is intentional, inclusive and grounded in trust-based relationships. Guided by the DON’s vision, I have observed that authentic engagement requires centering race and equity, prioritizing voices intentionally excluded from government and investing in communities’ capacity to identify and advocate for their own priorities.

When public agencies establish accessible opportunities for resident participation, such as commissions, advisory councils or community-led initiatives, they gain direct insight into the lived experiences, needs and aspirations of diverse populations. This input is most impactful when agencies show openness, listen actively and use these insights to co-create policies and programs that reflect community priorities.

Ultimately, community input has the greatest value when it informs decisions that enhance the well-being of all residents, foster shared ownership and accountability and establish a foundation for future leaders to build on.

Rebuilding Trust in Civic Engagement

Looking ahead, I anticipate significant challenges for civic engagement and public participation, particularly in the context of the current political environment. Limited access to meaningful participation is an increasing concern, as recent federal legislation and executive orders appear likely to disproportionately affect the underserved communities we aim to support. I have also observed a rise in community distrust, driven by incidents such as ICE raids and arrests conducted without due process, the reversal of legislation protecting food safety, public parks and tribal lands, as well as budget reductions for police and fire departments. These developments further undermine public confidence in institutions.

Given these circumstances, I believe there is an urgent need to strengthen the relationship between community members and municipal agencies. Fostering open dialogue, rebuilding trust and promoting collaboration are essential steps to address these barriers and enhance our city. It is critical to ensure that all voices, particularly those frequently marginalized, have genuine opportunities to influence the policies and decisions that shape their lives.

Guidance for a Career in Public Service

I advise professionals beginning a career in public service and community engagement to first become active members of the communities they intend to serve. Take time to learn the history of the land and acknowledge the ancestral homelands on which you work. Prioritize building authentic relationships with Indigenous and tribal communities, as well as with longstanding organizations and residents.

Approach your work with humility, openness and a commitment to deep listening. Build trust before implementing programs or policies and consistently center race and equity in your actions and decisions. Meaningful engagement is rooted in accountability, respect, reciprocity and genuine recognition of community strengths. By grounding your work in these principles, you will be better prepared to serve, advocate and co-create positive change alongside the communities you support.