In honor of National Welcoming Week coming up (Sept. 16-25), I asked one our state’s most respected leaders to join me on my show to talk about how she has transformed her city into one of the nation’s most welcoming cities ever. I am so thrilled my guest next on 9/20/16 was the Mayor of The City of Kent! The City of Kent of was the second city to incorporate in King County. With 138 languages spoken and a globally reflective community, the City of Kent has done much to grow with its diverse population. From it’s hiring policies to bridging the gap between government and residents-much effort has been dedicated to integrate people from all walks of life and all parts of the world. Mayor Cooke will talk about she has led this community for over 10 years in which diversity has grown significantly yet people from all parts of the globe feel welcome. Mayor Cooke and I talk diversity, immigration, #welcomingweek and much more!Suzette Cooke was elected Mayor of the City of Kent in 2005 and re-elected in both 2009 and 2013. She serves as CEO for over 600 local government employees that cover a population of nearly 125,000 and 34 square miles.During her terms as mayor, Mayor Cooke has chaired the Valley Communications Center Administration Board, the King County Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee, Kent Firemen’s Relief and Pension Fund Board, and the South County Area Transportation Board. She is a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Committee and the Kent Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and was appointed to King County’s Regional Transit Task Force and the Board of Health. Prior to being elected Mayor, she served as Senior Sales Executive for ESP Printing, President/CEO of the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Manager for the City of Burien, and 11 years as Executive Director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Cooke was also elected to the Washington State Legislature in 1992, 1994, and 1996 where she served on the budget, health care and pension policy committees, and chaired the Children and Family Services Committee. Her most notable achievement was reforming Washington State’s welfare system.On a personal note, she has two stepsons who work in medical fields, and two grandchildren. Her mother, Virginia, is a volunteer at the Kent Senior Activity Center. Her love of the outdoors and appreciation for our environment is evident in her passion for fly-fishing and backpacking. She has climbed to the summit of eight of our state’s major peaks. For entertainment, she enjoys attending our local high schools’ theater productions. “They are so professional!”A huge thank you to Mayor Cooke for taking time out of her busy schedule to join me on my radio show “Immigration with Tahmina” on Desi 1250am!