Katherine Festa said she is so community-involved because she wants to help those who don’t have the power to advocate for themselves — and because that’s what she grew up seeing her parents do.

Festa said she moved to Federal Way in 1994 because Seattle, where she grew up, was too expensive. However, she said she loved Federal Way then, and she still loves it now, so it ended up working out. In addition to loving Federal Way, Festa said she stays involved in multiple volunteer opportunities as a way to give back.

Festa said outside of her job working as a housing coordinator for the King County Department of Community and Human Services, she is part of FUSION’s board, Chief’s Call for the Federal Way Police Department, a Valley Independent non-law enforcement community representative and a precinct coordinator for the 30th District Democrats. She also takes in Basset Hounds whenever needed. Festa said she used to be involved in more volunteer work, but ever since her 10-year-old grandson, Joel, moved in last year, she’s scaled back to spend more time with him.

For all her community involvement in Federal Way, Festa is the Mirror’s Hometown Hero for the month of November.

Festa said a large part of her life is her Native American heritage, being part of the First Nation Haida Raven from the Double Fin Killer Whale Clan. Festa said her tribe is from the Haida Gwaii Islands in Canada. Outside of Federal Way, Festa said she is the chair of the King County Native American Leadership Council.

Festa said that her Native American heritage comes from her mother, who was in a boarding school in Canada, but escaped when she was 11 years old with her mother and moved to Seattle. She said in Seattle, her mother eventually met her father, who is white. That caused him grief due to prejudice, and caused her grief because she was one of the few non-white kids in school, being of mixed race.

Festa said her father was a hard worker who would give back, talk to her about politics, and explain to her why he voted how he did. She said this instilled values in her that she still carries, and now she wants to do the same for her grandson.

“As a Native American, I think it’s important that we have a voice at every table, which is why I’m in so many rooms where I’m the only person of color,” Festa said. “I want to open doors for younger women like me who are Native American, who are mixed, Black and Brown.”

Festa said she wants to advocate for people who aren’t in the room. She said part of the reason she got on the Chief’s Call, which is a group that goes over Federal Way Police Department statistics, is because a Native American man named John T. Williams was shot by a police officer in Seattle.

Regarding what she would like to see change in Federal Way, Festa said she would like to see more Native American art. Additionally, she said she likes the new fence in front of Federal Way High School, which prevents people from jaywalking. Festa said she would also like to see a fence like that on South 320th Street in front of the mall.

Festa said some of her favorite things about Federal Way are Poverty Bay Cafe, JP’s Tavern, Barnes and Noble and Centerstage Theatre.