Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and newly elected State Representative Jessica Forsythe are headlining the speaking program for our Winter Holiday Party on December 4!
Mayor Wilson has been in office for nearly a year and will speak about this year's victories and what urbanists can look forward to in 2027.
Forsythe unseated Representative Amy Walen to earn the right to represent the 48th Legislative District (encompassing parts of Kirkland, Redmond, and Bellevue). She will discuss the progress being made on urbanist issues on the Eastside and what she hopes to tackle in Olympia.
For our pre-reception, which will run from 6pm to 7pm, we will hear from newly elected State Representative Kelabe Tewolde and newly elected Seattle City Councilmember Nilu Jenks, who will shed some light on what they have cooking in their first year in office. The Urbanist's publishing team will also share some remarks. VIP tickets also cover admission to the main event.
General admission begins at 7pm, with festive beverages and heavy appetizers provided. Swing by for an hour or stay for the evening; the main event speaking program begins at 7:30 pm, headlined by Wilson and Forsythe.
After the speaking program, there will be plenty of time afterward to mingle and enjoy the evening.
Venue space is limited. So, get your tickets while supplies last.
Speaker details:
- Katie Wilson is a longtime Transit Riders Union leader who also wrote occasionally for The Urbanist. She ran for Mayor of Seattle in 2025 with The Urbanist's endorsement and won in an upset of entrenched incumbent Bruce Harrell, which pundits didn't see coming. Wilson has delivered some notable wins for urbanists in her first year, including fixing the city's most beleaguered bus route, getting the Seattle Transit Measure passed, and ramping up the city's homelessness response.
- Jessica Forsythe is a Redmond City Councilmember who just won a state House seat despite millions spent against her. Running an Urbanist-endorsed progressive, Forsythe took down a more conservative-leaning Democrat incumbent: Amy Walen, a car dealer who voted against the millionaires tax. Given the progress Redmond made during her tenure, we look forward to her work at the legislature.
- Kelabe Tewolde is an educator who was just elected State Representative in the 37th Legislative District, taking down long-time incumbent Sharon Tomiko Santos. As a member of the Seattle Planning Commission, he has urbanist chops, winning our endorsement and bringing a welcome addition to the state legislature. The 37th LD spans Southeast Seattle and Renton.
- Nilu Jenks was just elected Seattle's newest City Councilmember, representing the northernmost parts of Seattle (District 5). The Urbanist endorsed her in the 2023 primary, and again in 2026. She has previously worked for FairVote Washington, and has identified safety-focused designs of Aurora Avenue N and Lake City Way being among her top priorities. She will assume office as soon as election results are certified on November 24.
Event Details
- What: The Urbanist's end-of-year celebration and fundraiser, bringing elected officials, transit advocates, housing professionals, and policy nerds together as we celebrate 2026 and cast our eyes towards 2027.
- When: Friday, December 4th
- VIP Reception: 6 pm to 7 pm ($250)
- Main Event: 7 pm to 9:30 pm ($125)
- Where: The Collective, 400 Dexter Ave N, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98109
- Transit: RapidRide C, E, Routes 5, 8, 40, 62
- RSVP: RSVP here.
Doug Trumm
