Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is set to headline the speaking program at The Urbanist's Winter Holiday Party on December 4, sharing the stage with newly elected State Representative Jessica Forsythe. The event will unfold at The Collective at 400 Dexter Ave N, Suite 100, in Seattle.
According to The Urbanist, Wilson and Forsythe are on the speaking lineup. Forsythe represents Washington's 48th Legislative District, which includes parts of Kirkland, Redmond, and Bellevue, after unseating Representative Amy Walen, per the same report.
A Pre-Reception Packed With Fresh Faces
Before the main event, a pre-reception running from 6 to 7 p.m. will feature newly elected State Representative Kelabe Tewolde and newly elected Seattle City Councilmember Nilu Jenks, the outlet's report notes. Tewolde was elected to represent the 37th Legislative District, which spans southeast Seattle and Renton, defeating longtime incumbent Sharon Tomiko Santos. The Urbanist's publishing team is also slated to share remarks during the pre-reception.
Jenks was elected to represent District 5 on the Seattle City Council and is expected to assume office once election results are certified on November 24, per the organization's reporting. The Urbanist reported separately that Jenks won her council seat after opening a 17-point election-night lead over Julie Kang.
Ticket Tiers and Event Logistics
General admission opens at 7 p.m., with the main-event speaking program beginning at 7:30 p.m.; the main event runs from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. VIP tickets are also available.
The Urbanist, a nonprofit registered as a 501(c)(4) entity and founded in 2014, is based in Seattle with a mission to inform and influence the public and leaders toward people-centered communities in the Puget Sound region. The organization has described its holiday gathering as bringing together elected officials, transit advocates, housing professionals, and policy-minded attendees for an end-of-year celebration and fundraiser.
Wilson's Path From Transit Advocate to Mayor's Office
Wilson is a longtime Transit Riders Union leader who occasionally wrote for The Urbanist before entering electoral politics. She ran for mayor of Seattle in 2025 with the organization's endorsement and won, defeating incumbent Bruce Harrell. Since taking office, Wilson has helped pass the Seattle transit measure, worked to fix what the outlet called the city's most beleaguered bus route, and ramped up Seattle's homelessness response, according to The Urbanist's reporting.
Forsythe's victory over Walen followed a tight primary contest and a close general election. Only 17 votes separated the two candidates in the primary, and on election night Forsythe held a 1,051-vote lead over the incumbent, with more than 25,000 votes counted in the district at that point, according to Bellevue Beacon. The outlet reported the race drew nearly $2 million in outside spending from political committees. Outside spending included money to support Forsythe and oppose Walen, a car dealer and former Democratic incumbent who had voted against the millionaires tax.
