SENATE RESOLUTION
8646
By Senators Saldaña, Hasegawa, Kauffman, Kuderer, and Valdez
1 WHEREAS, Elijah Lee Lewis was a beloved member of the Seattle
2 community, born and raised in the Central District, and a proud
3 alumnus of Rainier Beach High School; and
4 WHEREAS, Elijah dedicated his life to serving his community and
5 empowering those around him, creating spaces for peace, growth, and
6 justice, and was a fierce advocate for social justice, leading
7 movements that challenged systemic racism, gun violence, and
8 inequality; and
9 WHEREAS, Elijah further exemplified his skills in
10 entrepreneurship by owning a local cleaning business and financial
11 group and engaging with events designed to attract further Black
12 business owners and diversify the Seattle economy; and
13 WHEREAS, Through community outreach, Elijah consistently planned
14 events throughout the Central District and Rainier Valley, working
15 with Black vendors, artists, poets, and entertainers; and
16 WHEREAS, Elijah's love of community drove him to stand up tall
17 where adults failed and in 2018, as a senior in high school, he spoke
18 in front of thousands of people at the Seattle March for Our Lives
19 protest to call for change in light of government inaction towards
20 gun violence and the unregulated proliferation of firearms and
21 assault weapons in the United States; and
22 WHEREAS, Elijah was a significant community leader in the Black
23 Lives Matter Protest Movement of 2020, protesting the criminal legal
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 1 system's disproportionate impact on Black and brown Americans
2 and systemic racism within the United States following the death
3 of George Floyd; and
4 WHEREAS, Elijah's dedication to his community and his
5 tireless work to promote social justice made him an inspiration
6 to many making his leadership and activism evident in the
7 student-led movement against gun violence, the Black Lives
8 Matter protests, and his work with the Africatown Community Land
9 Trust; and
10 WHEREAS, Elijah and other community leaders focused on
11 ending gun violence and supporting well-being in Black
12 communities and families globally came together around 17 shared
13 principles called the Covenant with a shared goal of safety,
14 harmony, and peace for all; and
15 WHEREAS, Elijah's tragic death at the hands of gun violence
16 has left a profound void in the hearts of all who knew him,
17 which reminds us of the devastating impacts of gun violence and
18 the urgent need for meaningful action to prevent further loss of
19 life; and
20 WHEREAS, Elijah's death at only 23 years of age is one of
21 too many exemplifying the devastating impacts of gun violence in
22 American culture and the disproportionate racial impacts gun
23 violence has on our society. Black Americans are twice as likely
24 as white Americans to die from gun violence and 14 times more
25 likely than white Americans to be wounded;
26 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State
27 Senate honor Elijah Lee Lewis for his remarkable contributions
28 to our communities and his unwavering commitment to social
29 justice; and
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate
31 acknowledge the devastating impacts of gun violence and
32 recognize the need for meaningful action to prevent further loss
33 of life; and
34 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate
35 urge Washingtonians to commemorate the life and legacy of Elijah
36 Lee Lewis and recognize his immeasurable impact on our
37 communities and continue Elijah's fight for racial equity,
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1 equality, and justice in the state of Washington, the United
2 States, and our shared world.
3 I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate,
4 do hereby certify that this is a true and
5 correct copy of Senate Resolution 8646,
6 adopted by the Senate
7 April 21, 2023
8 SARAH BANNISTER
9 Secretary of the Senate
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