HOMELESS DEATHS VIGIL AND CALL TO ACTION

March 9, 2018

From a March 8 email from WHEEL:

"Dear Friends of WHEEL/Women in Black:

From an updated list of homeless deaths from the King County Medical Examiners/Health Care for the Homeless, Women in Black learned of SEVEN outdoor/violent homeless deaths that occurred in February 2018. At noon Wednesday, March 14th we stand outside the Seattle Justice Center (5th/Cherry) to honor and remember:

**Michael A Baker, 69, found dead in a West Seattle parking garage on 2/2; cause pending.

**Maurice McCorkle, 50, died at 7th S/S Andover on 2/9; cause pending.
**Raymond Kores, 57, died in an abandoned building in White Center on 2/10; cause pending.

**Daniel Semingson, 46, found dead by the side of the road in Renton on 2/13; cause pending.

**Enkhtaivan Zagdsuren, 66, died at I-5/S Dearborn of multiple blunt force injuries on 2/17.

**Chad Eugene Jones, 38, died in the 200 block S Washington on 2/19; cause pending.

**Preston Smith, 30, died by suicide in a Shoreline Park (on NW 190th) on 2/26

This vigil will be dedicated to Robert “Bob” Baker II, 51, beloved of SHARE/WHEEL’s St Luke’s Shelter, who died recently.

At least 93 homeless people died outside/by violence in 2017; a shattering record. By our current reckoning, at least 23 have died outside or by violence already this year, which outstrips last year for a heart-and-record-breaking rate of death in our County.

We’re grateful and proud to report that two weeks ago, the Seattle City Council approved $1M in “Restoration Funding” for our WHEEL low-barrier Women’s Shelter, the SHARE/WHEEL Indoor Shelter Network, LIHI’s Urban Rest Stops, and perhaps more. Please THANK the City Council, particularly Council Members Kshama Sawant and Lisa Herbold, for this Restoration Funding.

But, much more needs to be done to restore cut programs, add survival shelter, and perhaps most important, fund and build affordable housing in our gentrifying, divided City.

WHEEL is a member of the Housing for All Coalition ( www.HousingForAllSeattle.org ), and we support passage of a Progressive Revenue source for housing and shelter. Please join us in pressing for a massive investment in Seattle’s affordable housing future. There are two opportunities to learn more and advocate for this, next week:

At 6 PM MONDAY, March 12th at the Bertha Knight Landes Room of City Hall (5th/James), Councilmember Sawant and the Affordable Housing Alliance are sponsoring a meeting about this proposed Progressive Revenue source, the “Employee Hours Tax.”

Then, at 2 PM WEDNESDAY, March 14th, right after our Women in Black Vigil, Councilmember Bagshaw’s Finance Committee (also at City Hall) will be briefed on and discuss the recommendation from the Progressive Revenue Task Force to proceed with an “Employee Hours Tax” on the largest businesses in Seattle. Speak out, and speak up!

Thanks for your solidarity and support!

WHEEL/Women in Black

(206) 956-0334 or [email protected]

Homeless Remembrance Project on Facebook"