We are thrilled to announce our next guest Washington State Representative Brady Walkinshaw! With immigration in his family background, Brady is a strong supporter of immigration reform. 
Raised in a rural community in the Nooksack Valley in northeast Whatcom County, Brady grew up around many of the challenges and opportunities we face today.
Brady’s mom, Vicky, teaches English Language Learners in Nooksack Valley Schools – the same schools where Brady graduated. She came to the United States from Cuba with her parents, who put their three kids through college working their way up from washing dishes to becoming successful restaurant owners. On his dad’s side, Brady is a fifth generation Washingtonian. His dad, Charlie, is an agricultural educator and was born and raised in the 43rd Legislative District.
After graduating high school, Brady attended Princeton University on a scholarship where he studied public policy. On graduating, he went on to study as a Fulbright Scholar in Honduras. In Honduras, Brady founded Proyecto Villa Nueva, a non-profit that works to foster youth leadership and prevent violence in urban slums. In 2011, the Organization of American State recognized the program for its contributions to building a culture of peace.
Through his career, Brady has focused on promoting economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and human rights. Brady worked as a Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supporting sustainable and productive food systems for the poor in developing countries. He spent time in Washington, D.C. working on interfaith dialogue for environmental and social justice with Georgetown University and the World Bank.
At home, Brady serves as the Vice Chair of the Trust for Public Lands’ Washington State Advisory Board and on the board of Intiman Theatre. As a legislator, Brady is committed to putting his values into practice through policies that support economic opportunity for all, preserve our environment for the future, and invest in the education system we need for our kids to succeed from pre-K thru college.
Brady lives on Capitol Hill with his partner Micah Horwith, a Seattle native and a marine biologist with the State’s Department of Natural Resources.
I met Brady recently and he is delightful! He will be on my talk show “Immigration with Tahmina Watson”at 10 am on January 26th on Desi 1250 AM. You can tune into your radio at 1250 AM or listen online at www.desi1250am.com. Please call into the show if you have questions!