This Week’s Shero

“Every Councilmember faces a choice of who they represent and which world they inhabit,” said Kshama Sawant, who took office earlier this month. “My place is with working people and their struggles. I want to give a voice to workers, trade union members, women, and immigrants. As a Councilmember, I re-commit to a fundamentally different political outlook. In line with the principles of the political party I represent, Socialist Alternative, I pledged to stay accountable to working people by taking only average workers’ wage.”

Kshama Sawant, Seattle’s only socialist councilwoman (shout out to Bernie), will accept only $40,000 of her salary this year, on par with the average “full-time take-home pay of a Seattleite.” She’ll donate the remainder of the $170,000 to social justice causes. Salute! [NBC]