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Rut Perez-Studer announced recently that she will be running for Burien City Council, Position No. 2.
Perez-Studer will be on the ballot for the Primary Election on Aug. 1, 2023, with the top two vote getters moving on to the General Election on Nov. 7, 2023.
As of May 22, 2023, Perez-Studer is running against three other candidates for this seat: Brittany Williams, Linda Akey and incumbent Cydney Moore.
Perez-Studer grew up in Seattle, and says that her parents were passionate about helping refugees and advocating for their rights.
“That’s where my love for community service began,” she said.
She worked as an immigration paralegal on the US-Mexico border, helping women and children in domestic violence situations, and also translated for Latino torture survivors at various conferences.
After that, she went to the University of New Mexico and graduated with a B.A in Political Science with a minor in Latin American Studies. She later went back to college for a second B.A in Architectural Design and worked as a Commercial Architectural Designer for regional hospitals, schools, V.A. hospitals, and clinics.
“I’ve been observing my community for years and quietly doing my part to make it a better place,” Perez-Studer said. “From picking up trash on the streets to supporting local businesses, I’ve always believed in the power of community. But lately, I’ve noticed a lack of trust and cooperation in our city council. That’s why I’m running for Burien City Council Position #2; to rebuild trust, cooperation, and a shared vision. I believe in leadership for all because our 52,000 + residents deserve it.”
Here’s her full announcement:
“Hello my community! I am so excited to share my story with you and inspire you to take the chance to work with me.
“I would like to share a little about myself so you can begin to know me as a member of your community first. In the coming months you will learn more about the values and ideas that I bring to the table through various forms of communication. Allow me to first explain a little about why I am running.
“I’ve been observing my community for years and quietly doing my part to make it a better place. From picking up trash on the streets to supporting local businesses, I’ve always believed in the power of community. But lately, I’ve noticed a lack of trust and cooperation in our city council. That’s why I’m running for Burien City Council Position #2; to rebuild trust, cooperation, and a shared vision. I believe in leadership for all because our 52,000 + residents deserve it.
“Why I’m running is not to push my own agenda. I’m here to represent YOU and work with YOU to make our community the best it can be in our state and country. I want to hear from you – what do you think Burien needs? Let’s work together to make it happen!
“Now, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I grew up in South Seattle (Beacon Hill and Skyway neighborhoods), and my parents were passionate about helping refugees and advocating for their rights. That’s where my love for community service began. Through many sacrifices from my parents and on scholarship I was privileged to go to Holy Names Academy in Capital Hill where I continued to learn service to my community.
“After graduating, before a gap year was a trend and against recommendations from college counselors; I went to Harlingen/Brownsville, Texas (US-Mexico border), to work as an immigration paralegal for a non-profit organization. I went there as an 18 year old, helping women and children in domestic violence situations obtain citizenship under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Later that year, I had the opportunity to go to Washington, DC to work as a translator for Latino torture survivors as an advocate for healing in their survival processes.
“After that year and a few months, I was finally ready for college where I went to the University of New Mexico and graduated with a B.A in Political Science and a minor in Latin American Studies. I worked two part-time jobs to pay for college – UPS at night and on-campus food service in the morning. I later went back to college for a second B.A in Architectural Design and worked as a Commercial Architectural Designer for regional hospitals, schools, V.A. hospitals, and clinics: Designing spaces for people to heal and be safe.
“My passion for environmentally friendly spaces led me to get LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and helped design 7 LEED-certified buildings. I then went to Rotterdam, Netherlands, for an International MBA in Strategy. I returned to the US and worked as a business and operations manager at UPS before moving on to the Port of Seattle, where I am now the Sr. Manager of Fishermen’s Terminal and various other locations in the maritime division.
“Over the past 7 years I have gained knowledge and have advocated to our community about the living wage job opportunities on or near the water (maritime), literally less than 3 miles North of Burien. These careers are a pathway toward building generational wealth that lead to economic stability (for stable housing), safety and a thriving community. There are many such pathways and I look forward to learning about what your path has been or what you want it to be.
“My family and I moved from Skyway to Boulevard Park four years ago. We moved here before the pandemic and our yard was overgrown to the point of effecting the official walkway (where there is no sidewalk) off of Glendale Way. We often watched during the rainy season how our community members walked out into the street to get around mud, vegetation and huge puddles that blocked the walkway. For service to our community it became a priority for us to clean-up at the street level to improve safety. With this work we now see families walking from the bus stops and children riding their bikes safety along the path rain or shine.
“I am beyond excited to connect further with the Burien community during my campaign for Burien City Council Position #2, and long after we secure our WIN! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, ideas, and concerns so we can work together to make a real difference. Let’s show our region what we’re made of!
“My intention for this introduction to me is to know who I am and where I came from. To learn more about my current political priorities for my campaign and how I will work towards Leadership for All please check out my various social media platforms.”
Web Page: https://voterutperezstuder.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rut-Perez-Studer/100092409036654/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RutPS_Burien
