Congratulations to Sen. McCoy on his retirement. For 17 years in the Washington State Legislature, he gave a voice to the voiceless in our state Capitol and his legacy will have an impact for years to come. We’ll miss seeing that smile on the Senate floor.
In a letter to his colleagues, McCoy said: “It has been a gift to advocate for marginalized and disenfranchised Washingtonians, to lift up the voices of our sovereign tribal communities, to expand access to – and quality of – education and health care.” #waleg
McCoy may be best known for his years-long fight to make it mandatory for WA schools to educate students about the history and governance of the indigenous nations in Washington. #waleg https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/from-encouraged-to-mandatory-schools-must-teach-native-history-in-washington-0mvhH6X3AEC_WI4h55QUHA
In 2017, he helped lead the fight to expand access to oral health care on tribal lands by employing dental therapists to offer routine access to care where providers are scarce. #waleg https://www.theolympian.com/news/politics-government/article132077209.html
His years of work to close the opportunity gap & bridge the cultural disconnect between educators and students of color will have a lasting impact on students across the state. https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/new-law-means-shorter-expulsions-more-schooling-for-disciplined-students/
Sen. McCoy never stopped trying to educate his colleagues & staff in the Legislature about tribal affairs, always offering new ways to share his deep knowledge and understanding of our state and its 29 federally recognized tribes. Thank you, Sen. McCoy. We’ll miss you. #waleg