We're here
to celebrate the oath of office of the city's newest director of Seattle's
Office of Planning and Community Development, Rico Quirindongo
As our city prepares to grow
and change over the next several decades.
Quite candidly, we need the best talent in steering us through this work.
People who not only are bold and visionary, but people
who are the masters at listening and tracking people, understanding
what their pain points might be, what their anxieties could be.
This is a special skill set that not many people are blessed to have.
Rico clearly has demonstrated to our administration, me personally,
that you are a master at those types of incredible interpersonal skills
and substance of abilities as an architect or a planner
to help people find or quite frankly, their own brilliance
and in the conversation without demeaning them or denigrating them.
Your qualifications are rooted in your depth
and breadth of experience in the private, public and academic sectors.
And I'm not even looking at them,
but I see family over there with Don and his wife, and then I see him
over here saying, So you got you got community out here.
I scoped the crowd
and I jokingly say that because I knew in the private sector
that the reputation you developed as a city director of being empathetic,
being caring, being smart,
precedes you in the private sector.
And and that's a lifetime of professional work
that you've done, interfacing with people.
Here's what a few other people have said about you,
that you're a lousy cook. No, I didn't.
I'm just it doesn't say anything about that.
But it says at his core, Rico is a servant leader who uplifts.
Can you cook, by the way? I've just said,
okay.
All right.
Kate had just sort of let that and I don't know why I said that.
It just epiphany here is a servant leader
who uplifts the voices of community to inform Seattle's growth.
He is respected, approachable, a leader with a positive
disposition and strong personal integrity.
He is truly committed to serving Seattle's
culturally diverse communities through reinvesting in neighborhoods
and addressing disproportionate impact from Seattle's history.
He consistently demonstrates selfless selflessness
through his mentorship of both students and his peers, giving him
giving his time, expertise and knowledge.
He is relentless in these pursuits.
The one thing that we're dealing with, particularly
you saw it in the industrial land strategy and our long term
planning that you and your team have led with excellence
is that there
are no right or wrong answers in this kind of work that you do.
People just want that that clarity, that this is the right thing to do.
There's no right or wrong.
This is policy driven.
But you clearly and consistently demonstrate the North Star
and to look at those who are impacted
and to do the research about what's happening
in other cities and other parts of this country that make sense,
That's leadership, quite honestly,
point of personal privilege that I think many of you know.
You've had some personal
health challenges that we've talked about.
And I think
your courage and your commitment and that of your family
being a person of faith myself, that
we all believe in you and we believe that you have so much work
for us to do together that you are consistent and demonstrate
the kind of commitment and courage to help us all get through this with you.
And we're confident that on when this is behind us,
we'll remember this day on 7/11 where we reaffirmed our commitment to you
and the energy that we have to give to you.
And your lovely wife is here with open arms.
We're with you
and this with the council's confirmation.
And I think the other city colleagues here supporting you, all of them
are here for you, not at all here, but I just
you know, I got to have focused
that in all seriousness.
You got warriors and prayers and faith leaders behind you.
And this is a great sort of icing on the cake as you
finish three legs back into what we'll consider normalcy.
We love you, respect you.
And having said that, we're going to go through the formal piece
of this oath of office.
But I want to take
a little personal privilege to say that I admire you and I respect you.
I like him, but I admire
I love you.
Okay. Well, I'll trump that one there.
Okay.
Here we go.
So once again, we're going to go through the four.
I love you.
I'm living in a world where you have to watch.
Every word you say is there's always a camera on.
So I got it. Now, what did I it was that joke bad?
Is that okay? So here's how we it.
So, Shirin, we're going to ask you to come up again,
and the ceremonial pin will be fixed by his wife, Kate Dean.
Come on up.
Repeat after me.
I Rico Quirindongo
Swear or affirm.
Swear.
That I possess all of the qualifications.
That I possess.
All the qualifications.
Prescribed in the Seattle City Charter.
Prescribed in the Seattle City of Seattle.
Charter and the Seattle Municipal Code.
And the Seattle Municipal Code.
For the position of the Director
of the Office of Planning and Community Development
For the position of the Director of the Office of Planning
and Community Development.
That I will support the Constitution of the United States.
The Constitution of the State of Washington.
And the Charter and ordinances of the City of Seattle.
And the Charter and the ordinances of the City of Seattle.
And that I will faithfully conduct myself.
And that I will faithfully conduct myself as.
The director of the Office of Planning and Community Development.
As the proud Director of the Office of Planning Experience Development.
Congratulations.
I am not as smooth as AP,
I actually had to write it down.
Thank you, Mayor Harrell, for your leadership
and your vision and your really kind comments to me.
I got all weepy over there.
I appreciate the work I've been able to do with councilmembers
these last couple of years, building a great working relationship.
I want to thank my fellow Cabinet members
and congratulations to you, sir.
Cabinet members who support me and who I get to collaborate
with on the every day.
It's a really wonderful team.
I want to thank my staff where I have their I.
I want to thank my staff who has been amazing in bringing me
into the fold of the Office of Planning Community Development and who really are
like the experts in the work, thought leaders and really invested in community.
And I want to thank my friends and colleagues and thank you
and others who were able to come today,
who've always been here for me.
I want to thank parents who couldn't be here today.
And I especially want to take my wife, Commissioner Kate in Jefferson County
for your strength, your love and steadfast
support of me in hard times and in good times.
I'm we have a lot of work to do at the city
to make for a more equitable landscape
through our comprehensive plan, our one Seattle plan work.
We need to ensure that everyone has a voice, regardless of where they live
in the city, regardless of what, what level of income they make,
regardless of the color of their skin and the nature of their heritage.
We need to ensure that everyone that works in the city of Seattle
can earn a living wage.
We need to ensure that for anyone that chooses to
or wants to live in the city of Seattle,
that they have access to an affordable place to live,
whether they are renting or buying and regardless of their level of income,
we need to right the wrongs of our past, including our history,
our terrible history of redlining, racial covenants and other racial
racist land use policies that were built into the regulatory framework
for who was allowed to acquire property and own a home in the city.
We must support our tribal partners and our urban indigenous organizations
to ensure that the first people of the city
are able to be seen and be celebrated and are able to live in comfort and pride
with the rich cultural traditions
that are so grounded in the care of family, community and place.
We must create opportunities for our bipoc families
and business owners across the city to build generational wealth
through our programs in obesity.
Our One Seattle Plan, the Industrial Maritime Strategy,
our Equitable Development Initiative
to our our stationary
planning, our downtown Seattle area plan work
and through our partnership with community
are our collaborations with our fellow citizens
offices and departments
and our leadership with the Mayor's office.
We're invested in all of these visions
and intended outcomes for all Seattle residents
leading with equity.
We are making certain that whatever policy work
and community investments that we make as a department and as a city,
that we do them in such a way that we are raising all boats,
improving the places that people live, work and play, and that we are giving
voice and power to those that have been traditionally
unseen and under supported.
I am grateful for this job,
for the opportunity to serve this city and my community.
Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you, Rico.
So so in closing and stick around, we have this room
rented for another 20-30 minutes so you don't have to go anywhere.
I want to thank members of my executive team, the deputy mayors that are here.
You didn't have to be here, but you knew the importance,
particularly of these two portfolios which are so significant in our city.
I want to thank other Cabinet members again.
I see you.
I see you supporting your colleagues.
And again, I don't mandate that anyone comes.
But when you do things that you don't have to do because
it's the right thing to do, that's where the magic happens.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that one thing I look for
as a mayor are people that have true lived experiences.
You talk about equity, but my guess would be
that the two of you have experienced exclusion,
disrespect, microaggressions,
all of the things that that occur when
you are trying to find your sea legs in this world as a child.
And now as young men,
because you're young men to me.
And it's that kind of tenacity and commitment and competitiveness
that I think make you great leaders.
And together
we're going to do for and with this city the things that need to be done.
And to the spouses.
Thank you that when they come home
and they're whining about me,
never.
Okay in all situations.
Thank you for being the the great partners that you are.
And I know that
just because it was in my notes, by the way, I knew that in all seriousness,
thank you for being there, their rock. And with that, it's been a great day.
We'll remember this day 7/11 all star
Tuesday we got our two All-Stars.
Thank you very much.