Welcome back to the Jason Ranch on AM 7 70 k t th in 94.5 FM in the greater East Side. It's a new year. And a coalition of community groups, they just want to enjoy Seattle parks again. Thousands of local residents have signed on to a petition asking leaders in the area to essentially act, clean up our parks, help out the homeless, return everything so everyone can enjoy the city again. Andrea Suarez is the founder of I Heart Downtown Seattle, and she joins me now. Welcome to the show.

Welcome back to the Jason Ranch on AM 7 70 k t th in 94.5 FM in the greater East Side. It's a new year. And a coalition of community groups, they just want to enjoy Seattle parks again. Thousands of local residents have signed on to a petition asking leaders in the area to essentially act, clean up our parks, help out the homeless, return everything so everyone can enjoy the city again. Andrea Suarez is the founder of I Heart Downtown Seattle, and she joins me now. Welcome to the show.

Thank you, Jason. I'm happy to be here today.

Thank you, Jason. I'm happy to be here today.

So what are you hoping to accomplish? Your one of ah number of groups that are behind this?

So what are you hoping to accomplish? Your one of ah number of groups that are behind this?

Yeah, I started. I hurt downtown Seattle a few months ago with with one goal in mind, and that was just to help pick up the trash. Uh, that inevitably led me down. Uh, too many of our parks, which admittedly, I hadn't realized that gotten, um,

Yeah, I started. I hurt downtown Seattle a few months ago with with one goal in mind, and that was just to help pick up the trash. Uh, that inevitably led me down. Uh, too many of our parks, which admittedly, I hadn't realized that gotten, um,

as bad as they are with respect to trash and needles

as bad as they are with respect to trash and needles

and the

and the

homeless encampments that have taken residency at them

homeless encampments that have taken residency at them

bands.

bands.

It frustrated me that as a taxpayer over the years. You know, I just willingly trusted our government leaders to do the right thing with the money they collect to

It frustrated me that as a taxpayer over the years. You know, I just willingly trusted our government leaders to do the right thing with the money they collect to

eradicate homelessness.

eradicate homelessness.

And it's been five years since a state of emergency was declared by

And it's been five years since a state of emergency was declared by

our mayor Murray at the time. And again, there's just a lot of folks that are democratically voting liberals. I mean, everybody now is waking up saying, Where is our money going? And why is this problem of homelessness worse and worse?

our mayor Murray at the time. And again, there's just a lot of folks that are democratically voting liberals. I mean, everybody now is waking up saying, Where is our money going? And why is this problem of homelessness worse and worse?

Is everybody waking up? Do you actually get the sense that that people are starting to realize that things aren't working?

Is everybody waking up? Do you actually get the sense that that people are starting to realize that things aren't working?

I 100% believe there is a movement happening. My group at I Heart downtown Seattle is a great example of that. I have not previously been very politically involved. I will raise my hand and

I 100% believe there is a movement happening. My group at I Heart downtown Seattle is a great example of that. I have not previously been very politically involved. I will raise my hand and

apologize to your audience

apologize to your audience

that I

that I

have been part of the problem.

have been part of the problem.

Um, I assumed our government was doing the right thing with my tax dollars, and I believe this silver lining of the pandemic Waas. You know a lot of us sitting at home wanting to go out and use our parks going outside and seeing the ruins that our city is in because it's not being camouflaged by tourism.

Um, I assumed our government was doing the right thing with my tax dollars, and I believe this silver lining of the pandemic Waas. You know a lot of us sitting at home wanting to go out and use our parks going outside and seeing the ruins that our city is in because it's not being camouflaged by tourism.

And so that's interesting that that you you did not really see Seattle for what it waas until you were ableto literally see Seattle when it was barren.

And so that's interesting that that you you did not really see Seattle for what it waas until you were ableto literally see Seattle when it was barren.

That's correct.

That's correct.

What? What was the first sort of thought that you had when you saw it?

What? What was the first sort of thought that you had when you saw it?

Well, I remember the day very vividly. I was just walking through downtown, and

Well, I remember the day very vividly. I was just walking through downtown, and

the only folks that were

the only folks that were

visible in society were drug addicts,

visible in society were drug addicts,

drug dealers,

drug dealers,

people mentally ill roaming the streets, unclothed, filthy.

people mentally ill roaming the streets, unclothed, filthy.

The only folks in the parks where people again addicted to drugs, dealing drugs, openly using drugs.

The only folks in the parks where people again addicted to drugs, dealing drugs, openly using drugs.

Um, I know not everybody that's homeless is a drug user, but particularly in the inner city parks where I had been frequently frequenting the most was Denny Park in particular,

Um, I know not everybody that's homeless is a drug user, but particularly in the inner city parks where I had been frequently frequenting the most was Denny Park in particular,

um, the amount of trash and needles in the park. It's just because society wasn't using the park staying home, doing the right thing. This this happened very, very quickly into our city. So, um,

um, the amount of trash and needles in the park. It's just because society wasn't using the park staying home, doing the right thing. This this happened very, very quickly into our city. So, um,

I will say I was one of the people that that on that very day, where I called my mom, I cried. I said, I guess I'm going to be one of these people that sells my my little condo downtown, and I'm gonna I'm gonna go somewhere else because the city has become unlivable. And a few hours later, I heart downtown Seattle was born and I

I will say I was one of the people that that on that very day, where I called my mom, I cried. I said, I guess I'm going to be one of these people that sells my my little condo downtown, and I'm gonna I'm gonna go somewhere else because the city has become unlivable. And a few hours later, I heart downtown Seattle was born and I

said, No

said, No

way, man, I love this city too much. And that attitude and the attitude that I had prior that everything was just a okay, with our government leaders doing the right thing, spending our money the right way, you know, I will own that is part of the problem, and my movement is toe wake up

way, man, I love this city too much. And that attitude and the attitude that I had prior that everything was just a okay, with our government leaders doing the right thing, spending our money the right way, you know, I will own that is part of the problem, and my movement is toe wake up

and coalesce a group of voters that have been quiet, who haven't been going toe town hall meetings who don't demand accountability from our council members. Um, part of my movement is to engage with council members on a monthly basis. I currently meet with Andrew Lewis Monthly with my next monthly meeting on January 14th.

and coalesce a group of voters that have been quiet, who haven't been going toe town hall meetings who don't demand accountability from our council members. Um, part of my movement is to engage with council members on a monthly basis. I currently meet with Andrew Lewis Monthly with my next monthly meeting on January 14th.

Andrews, come thio two of my litter picks, in fact, um, and he knows that were he calls us agitators, but I would rather be called a disrupter. To be honest, I don't like I don't even really like the word coalition or agitator. All that old language I never understood what it was anyway. I didn't even know who Andrew Lewis was until four months ago. That's how bad the quiet voice has been in Seattle. We're just not pollute. Just make a lot of assumptions. And I know your audience is it that way? And I hope I bring a breath of fresh air and a breath of hope and inspiration to them that their community members like me who want to take Seattle back. I want to help homeless get shelter. And that's what our petitions about.

Andrews, come thio two of my litter picks, in fact, um, and he knows that were he calls us agitators, but I would rather be called a disrupter. To be honest, I don't like I don't even really like the word coalition or agitator. All that old language I never understood what it was anyway. I didn't even know who Andrew Lewis was until four months ago. That's how bad the quiet voice has been in Seattle. We're just not pollute. Just make a lot of assumptions. And I know your audience is it that way? And I hope I bring a breath of fresh air and a breath of hope and inspiration to them that their community members like me who want to take Seattle back. I want to help homeless get shelter. And that's what our petitions about.

Um, if folks wanna sign on to the petition, you could go toe I heart downtown Seattle dot com and get the link there were talking with Andrew Suarez. She's the founder of I Heart Downtown Seattle. Again, the website I heart downtown Seattle dot com. What's always kind of interesting to me is as you're very well, where I've been talking about these issues for years. As you've not seen what I've seen for the last several years, despite living, it sounds like just probably a mile and a half, maybe two miles away from me. I've been talking about this and so is you've not seen it, and I've seen it. What do you think has been the disconnect? And I mean that sincerely. How is it that I've seen what I've seen and you haven't?

Um, if folks wanna sign on to the petition, you could go toe I heart downtown Seattle dot com and get the link there were talking with Andrew Suarez. She's the founder of I Heart Downtown Seattle. Again, the website I heart downtown Seattle dot com. What's always kind of interesting to me is as you're very well, where I've been talking about these issues for years. As you've not seen what I've seen for the last several years, despite living, it sounds like just probably a mile and a half, maybe two miles away from me. I've been talking about this and so is you've not seen it, and I've seen it. What do you think has been the disconnect? And I mean that sincerely. How is it that I've seen what I've seen and you haven't?

I think that's a great question. And I'll chuckle because

I think that's a great question. And I'll chuckle because

you assume that I know that you were talking about this for years. But I

you assume that I know that you were talking about this for years. But I

don't. You know,

don't. You know,

I'm not a member of your show. Um, I think a lot of us are in our own silos. Um, I've recently joined a couple of Facebook communities that apparently are considered hate groups. And now I'm a hate group. I was publicly outed by Nicole Simonson yesterday on. Now I'm being called a white supremacist. Um, it's a very ugly, divisive world out there, and people are in their silos, and I'm not saying your audience is that But, um, I I would do the disconnect. Jason, is that

I'm not a member of your show. Um, I think a lot of us are in our own silos. Um, I've recently joined a couple of Facebook communities that apparently are considered hate groups. And now I'm a hate group. I was publicly outed by Nicole Simonson yesterday on. Now I'm being called a white supremacist. Um, it's a very ugly, divisive world out there, and people are in their silos, and I'm not saying your audience is that But, um, I I would do the disconnect. Jason, is that

when somebody would say Seattle looks like because there is that Facebook page out there, too. And I know Richard was part of that documentary a few years ago. Um, I think there's Griff out there that, um,

when somebody would say Seattle looks like because there is that Facebook page out there, too. And I know Richard was part of that documentary a few years ago. Um, I think there's Griff out there that, um,

we're criticizing Seattle in such a way that I just personally took a fence to, And I was like, Don't talk about my city that way. I mean, even when chop happened, I was like, E. I was a little bit like on the It's a Summer of love camp. I had friends that would go up there and say, Oh, you know, they're just growing a garden, you know, let them have their summer of love. And I was like, I walked up there and Okay, everything looks okay. Fine. And very quickly, Um,

we're criticizing Seattle in such a way that I just personally took a fence to, And I was like, Don't talk about my city that way. I mean, even when chop happened, I was like, E. I was a little bit like on the It's a Summer of love camp. I had friends that would go up there and say, Oh, you know, they're just growing a garden, you know, let them have their summer of love. And I was like, I walked up there and Okay, everything looks okay. Fine. And very quickly, Um,

I started

I started

identifying things a little bit differently, and and I think Seattle in general has just woken up and started asking a lot more questions. And I do. I'll say again, I do believe that Pandemic has will have a silver lining and it will be Mark. My words will look back on this in a couple years.

identifying things a little bit differently, and and I think Seattle in general has just woken up and started asking a lot more questions. And I do. I'll say again, I do believe that Pandemic has will have a silver lining and it will be Mark. My words will look back on this in a couple years.

When will save the time Temic saves Seattle.

When will save the time Temic saves Seattle.

That is a rather, uh, interesting take. I mean, we'll see what ends up happening. It's certainly and I've made the point of it is hastened. Ah, lot of where were we were already going. As far as the problems that that Seattle was dealing with, we got there a lot faster than we otherwise would have as a result of Covitz. So I think you're definitely correct in that sense. Whether or not anything changes, I don't know. I'm I'm hoping you're right. I'm hoping that people have sort of seen the light. As you have seen, we'll certainly find out for for more information on this organization again. The website is I heart downtown Seattle dot com. I recommend you check it out. I recommend you signed on to the petition again. I heart downtown Seattle dot com. We've been talking with its founder, Andrea Suarez. Andrew, thank you so much. So much for coming on. I really do appreciate it.

That is a rather, uh, interesting take. I mean, we'll see what ends up happening. It's certainly and I've made the point of it is hastened. Ah, lot of where were we were already going. As far as the problems that that Seattle was dealing with, we got there a lot faster than we otherwise would have as a result of Covitz. So I think you're definitely correct in that sense. Whether or not anything changes, I don't know. I'm I'm hoping you're right. I'm hoping that people have sort of seen the light. As you have seen, we'll certainly find out for for more information on this organization again. The website is I heart downtown Seattle dot com. I recommend you check it out. I recommend you signed on to the petition again. I heart downtown Seattle dot com. We've been talking with its founder, Andrea Suarez. Andrew, thank you so much. So much for coming on. I really do appreciate it.

You're very welcome. Let me know if there's anything else I can answer for your audience.

You're very welcome. Let me know if there's anything else I can answer for your audience.

Absolutely happy

Absolutely happy

toe. Do another one or hit me up on social media.

toe. Do another one or hit me up on social media.

Absolutely again its I heart downtown Seattle dot com You've been listening to the Jason Rancher Thank you so much for tuning in. Really do appreciate it. Don't forget tonight I will be on Fox News at night, and if you want to check out my Fox and friends hit, it's available right now at facebook dot com slash Jason Rants show coming up next. Ben Shapiro

Absolutely again its I heart downtown Seattle dot com You've been listening to the Jason Rancher Thank you so much for tuning in. Really do appreciate it. Don't forget tonight I will be on Fox News at night, and if you want to check out my Fox and friends hit, it's available right now at facebook dot com slash Jason Rants show coming up next. Ben Shapiro