I’d like to tell you why I’m voting for Jesse Johnson.

I believe true change is not achieved by visual icons but communities made up of bold individuals who sweat, bleed and exemplify that change. Jesse Johnson, who is seeking votes for City Council Position No. 2, is one of those bold individuals. I am not writing as a simply plea for change but a call for better choices, which is possible and inevitably achievable given the right support.

I have called Federal Way home for over 18 years. I went through its schools; I worked in its shops, and I played in its parks. I can tell you it is not the same as it was in 1999, 2008 or 2016. To say the current system has struggled to keep up with the rising community’s needs within our schools and economic development would be nothing short of an understatement. In the face of its current struggles, the city of Federal Way has the opportunity to choose. We can choose not to succumb to further divisions of class, race and economic status. With a new perspective on City Council, there are extraordinary opportunities to move toward growth. Federal Way can choose to provide a platform for our youth to thrive. Federal Way can choose to give a voice to the disenfranchised. Federal Way can choose to bring new ideas to urban development and actualize those ideas.

The other day, a good friend and fellow Federal Way resident with two small children asked me, “Why do the schools in Federal Way score so low?” I responded, “Why do students of color continue to struggle through our schools?” As Federal Way becomes more beautifully diverse each and every year, I wonder if the city of Federal Way is doing more — more than we did in 1999, more than 2008 and more than 2016. Ultimately, the question we should be asking is: What choices can we make to grow our communities, our neighbors and our city?

Jesse Johnson chose to take action and be the change he desires to see. He continues to be a new voice and bring an innovative perspective to the city of Federal Way. He has chosen to do more by running for City Council.

By voting for Jesse Johnson, I chose to vote for a new voice and a new perspective that can only be achieved when we allow people whose experiences unlike the norm to have a vocal seat at the table. With my vote I chose to take part in building a better, vibrant Federal Way community, which fosters the growth of all of its residents.

I chose to vote for Jesse Johnson for City Council Position No. 2 because I am calling for the city of Federal Way to make better choices.

Gabrielle Prawl, Federal Way