Debora Juarez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Debora Juarez
Juarez in 2016
President of the Seattle City Council
In office January 4, 2022 – January 2, 2024
Preceded by	Lorena González
Succeeded by	Sara Nelson
Member of the Seattle City Council from District 5
Incumbent
Assumed office July 28, 2025
Preceded by	Cathy Moore
In office January 4, 2016 – January 2, 2024
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Cathy Moore
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Seattle, Washington
Education	Western Washington University (BA) Seattle University (JD)
Occupation	Attorney

Debora Juarez is an American lawyer and politician. She was the president of the Seattle City Council, which is like the city's main governing group. She was first chosen in 2015 to represent District 5 in Seattle. Debora Juarez is a member of the Blackfeet Nation, making her the first Native American person ever elected to the Seattle City Council.

Early Life and Education

Debora Juarez is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation. She grew up in Tacoma, Washington, on the Puyallup Reservation. She lived there with her five brothers and sisters. Her mother was Native American, and her father was a Mexican-American who was the first in his family to be born in the U.S.

Juarez was the first person in her family to go to college. She earned her first degree at Western Washington University. Later, she earned a law degree, called a JD, from Seattle University School of Law.

Career as a Lawyer

While she was studying law at night, Juarez started working as a public defender. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford their own legal help. She worked as a public defender for five years.

After that, she worked as a lawyer for the Native American Project. She also served as a temporary judge for the King County Superior Court and the City of Seattle Municipal Court. She was also the executive director of the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs. This was under governors Mike Lowry and Gary Locke.

Serving on the Seattle City Council

Becoming a Council Member

In 2013, voters in Seattle decided to change how their city council worked. Starting in 2015, most council members would represent specific areas, called districts. Debora Juarez decided to run for the District 5 position. This district covers North Seattle.

In the first election round in August 2015, Juarez received the most votes. She got 39.25% of the votes. She then moved on to the final election against Sandy Brown.

A big topic in the election was building more sidewalks in District 5. This area had many streets without sidewalks. Juarez believed that developers should pay fees to help fund sidewalks. She also pushed for more money for sidewalks in the city's budget. In the final election in November, Juarez won with 64% of the votes.

Re-election in 2019

Juarez ran for re-election in 2019. In the August primary election, she again came in first with 45.1% of the votes. She then faced lawyer Ann Davison Sattler in the general election.

During her campaign, Juarez talked about big projects she helped bring to her district. These included a training facility for the National Hockey League team. She also worked on a future light rail station. Juarez and Davison Sattler had different ideas about how to help people experiencing homelessness. Juarez wanted to increase funding and build more affordable housing.

In the general election, Juarez won again. She defeated Davison Sattler with 60.59% of the votes.

Key Achievements as Council Member

Debora Juarez made history as the first Indigenous person to serve on the Seattle City Council. Later, she became the first Indigenous Council President. Her two daughters and a niece swore her into office on January 4, 2016.

As a council member, Juarez focused on her district. She worked hard to bring important projects to the area. One major project was the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. This bridge goes over Interstate 5. She also supported a new police station in her district.

Juarez also worked with Sound Transit to add the Northeast 130th station to the Link light rail system. This station was part of a plan approved by voters in 2016. She also played a big role in the renovation of the Seattle Center Arena. This project aimed to attract a National Hockey League team to Seattle. In September 2018, the council approved the arena renovation.

On December 12, 2022, Juarez announced she would not run for re-election in 2023. However, in July 2025, she was appointed to the District 5 seat again. This was to finish the term of Cathy Moore after Moore resigned.

Personal Life

Debora Juarez lives in the Pinehurst neighborhood of Seattle.

Images for kids

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  Debora Juarez in 2016