Perry Awards Martin Luther King Medal of Distinguished Service to Snoqualmie Tribal Chairman Robert de los Angeles

June 13, 2023

King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay on Tuesday awarded Donnitta Sinclair Martin with the Martin Luther King Medal of Distinguished Service, an award that recognizes individuals whose work has answered the question asked by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “What are you doing for others?”

King County Councilmember Sarah Perry awarded Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Chairman Robert de los Angeles with the Martin Luther King Medal of Distinguished Service last Tuesday, an award that recognizes individuals whose work has answered the question asked by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “What are you doing for others?”

King County Councilmember Sarah Perry awarded Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Chairman Robert de los Angeles with the Martin Luther King Medal of Distinguished Service last Tuesday, an award that recognizes individuals whose work has answered the question asked by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “What are you doing for others?”

Chairman de los Angeles is the elected head of state of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, a sovereign and federally recognized Tribe whose ancestral lands include King County. Under his leadership, the Tribe has successfully reclaimed the land surrounding the Tribe’s most sacred site, Snoqualmie Falls, as well as the 12,000-acre Snoqualmie Tribal Ancestral Forest in the Tolt River watershed.

During Chairman de los Angeles’ years in office as Chairman, the Snoqualmie Tribe also has taken unprecedented leadership roles in broad and diverse political coalitions dedicated to making Washington a better place to live. This has included leading statewide efforts to create increased protections for Tribal sacred sites and cultural resources, banning mechanized mining in Washington’s rivers and coastal waters, passing comprehensive climate change laws, including 2021’s Climate Commitment Act and, more locally, organizing a broad COVID vaccination campaign throughout the Snoqualmie Valley, Issaquah and Sammamish, and collaborating with Eastside Fire & Rescue on securing a new ambulance to serve the communities in Snoqualmie ancestral lands and the greater Snoqualmie Valley community.

“I am proud to accept this award on behalf of the Snoqualmie People, because I am only one member of our Tribe, and every achievement that has occurred during my time has come collectively,” said Chairman de los Angeles. “Snoqualmie people have for generations embodied Dr. King’s values of people working together collectively to do the right thing, and to do it the right way: with love, with compassion, with truth, and without violence.”

"Chairman Bob de los Angeles has been deeply committed to both the members of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and community members throughout the Valley and beyond and he is beloved in our area," Perry said. "Through his leadership and dedication, Chairman de los Angeles has built trust and fostered regional partnerships resulting in significant impacts throughout King County and beyond. For this reason and more Chairman de los Angeles was the clear choice when thinking of an award honoring Dr. King’s legacy and answering the question “What have you done for others?”. It is my honor to have presented him with the District 3 2023 Martin Luther King Distinguished Medal of Service Award.”

Born in Seattle and raised in Woodinville on the family farm with his six brothers and two sisters, he graduated high school in 1971 and by the following year was serving in the U.S. Army. He would serve until 1976, with a year of that served in Korea, before returning to the region and going to work in the steel trades, where he would work for more than 30 years, including nearly two decades as shop superintendent and foreman. He married his wife Debbie in 1977 and together they raised four sons in Monroe, Washington.

Chairman de los Angeles has held many positions within the tribal community, including Councilmember and Vice Chairman, and has worked on a variety of Tribal initiatives and projects. He was recently elected as president of the Snoqualmie Valley Governments Association (SVGA) for the 2023-2024 term.

This marks the eighth year that King County Councilmembers have each selected someone from their district whose work embodies the spirit of King’s question.