By Chris S. Nishiwaki
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Edward Lin grew up in North Carolina’s so-called “Research Triangle.”

Home to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest, the “Research Triangle” is also only 6% Asian. So, when it came time to choose a law school, and a place to settle down and raise his two children, Lin—who is mixed race Taiwanese and white—was drawn to Seattle and its rich Asian and Asian American communities.

Lin currently serves as a Seattle City Assistant Attorney, and is also in the running to fill the currently vacant District 2 seat on the Seattle City Council (SCC). The District 2 seat encompasses the Chinatown-International District (CID), much of South Seattle, and Downtown.

If appointed, Lin would be the only Asian American on the SCC, in a city where the largest community of color is Asians, making up about a quarter of the city’s population. About 32% of the District 2 residents are Asian or Asian American, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Hong Chhuor is the only other Asian American nominee among the SCC’s six finalists. The Chinese Cambodian American Chhuor is a nonprofit executive and small business owner.

Lin has lived on Beacon Hill with his wife for about 20 years. They have raised two children, ages 15 and 20, in Seattle public schools. Lin works as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Seattle’s Contracts and Utilities Division. Previously, he was an attorney at Perkins Coie, one of the largest law firms in the Northwest. He has also clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Zilly and the Washington Education Association.

In his role at the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, he worked with housing and real estate permitting issues. He also has a long history of education and public safety advocacy, experiences he told the Northwest Asian Weekly that he wants to leverage if appointed to the job.

“For me growing up, I never had representation,” Lin recalled of his Southern upbringing. “I had my dad, and that was it. I was a little ashamed of that, growing up.”

“I don’t want anyone to be ashamed of their background,” Lin continued. “I don’t think there’s enough Asian American representation. For me, I feel like I can reach out to a number of communities. I’ve learned to get along with a number of people and communities. I am a good listener. Part of what makes me a good lawyer is that I am a good listener.”

Newly elected District 8 councilmember, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, nominated Lin. 

“We are certainly looking for a partner who can truly represent the critical needs,” Rinck said in her recommendation of Lin at Friday’s special meeting. 

Lin has met with Tanya Woo, who recently completed an appointment to the District 8 at-large seat on the SCC, and subsequently came up short in her bid for a full term in last fall’s election, running against Rinck. Lin also sought advice from community elders, such as Chong Wa Benevolent Association‘s Betty Lau and Mar Properties Managing Partner Sue Mar.  

Woo, who also lost the District 2 City Council Race in 2023 to former incumbent Tammy Morales by a 403-vote margin, did not run to fill the District 2 vacancy. 

Lin said that he is ready to roll up his sleeves and go to work immediately for a city rife with multiple issues and diverse communities.

“District 2 is so diverse, one person is not going to have connections to all communities,” Lin said. “I want to reach out to all communities. My grandparents immigrated to Monterey Park [in California]. I knew how important it was for them to be surrounded by a community and be surrounded by Asian culture. I know how important it is to protect our culture and communities. I want our youth to be proud of their culture.”

Lin said he is prepared to advocate for residents and business owners in the CID, as it prepares to deal with an expanding Light Rail through the neighborhood.

“When you have a good lawyer and access to the right information, you can push an organization for answers,” Lin said. “That’s the perspective that I am bringing. If you build it, once you make the wrong choice, it is difficult to fix it. Let’s get it right the first time.” 

He also wants to prioritize public safety, the unhoused population, and access to mental health services and clinical dependency. 

“As a lawyer, my job is to listen to my clients, to understand their issues, but also to pay attention to the larger context of why and how they want to solve it,” he said. “Not just listen to their issues but also get to know them personally. It has to be a two-way dialogue.”

“I don’t feel like I have any political baggage,” Lin continued. “I think I can come in and be a collaborator immediately.”

Chris can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.

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