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Mosqueda awards Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service to Makini Howell

June 2, 2026

King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda on Tuesday awarded Makini Howell with the Martin Luther King Jr. 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?”

Makini Howell is a nationally known and locally renowned vegan chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, food producer, and community advocate celebrated for her plant-based dining and community leadership in Seattle and King County, Washington. She founded Plum Bistro in 2008, a pioneering and beloved vegan fine-dining establishment in Seattle, which served the local community and drew visitors from around the world. Following the closure of Plum Bistro, Howell launched Makini's Tofu, a certified-organic production company offering plain and flavored varieties like ginger-shiitake, distributed through retailers such as PCC Community Markets.

She has authored cookbooks including Makini's Vegan Kitchen and Simple Goodness. Howell is a community leader and has advocated as a small business owner for economic and social justice through progressive revenue, equitable wages and protections for workers, and has been a local and national leader in providing free childcare to employees of Makini’s Tofu.

Howell has been a mainstay in progressive campaigns to raise standards for workers including voice and advocate for economic and social justice, the efforts to create a higher minimum wage and sick/safe leave protections statewide for all workers first in the City of Seattle then across Washington State. She helped pass Paid Family and Medical Leave in Washington State and has consistently supported workers with good living wage jobs and access to childcare.

This marks the 11th year that councilmembers have each selected someone from their district whose work embodies the spirit of King’s question.

Watch the video produced about Howell for the award presentation here.