Hi, I’m Kim Harless

Rooted in Community, Leading for Change

I’m multi-racial, Indigenous, and Latina, raised here in Vancouver from a young age. At 21, I became a mom juggling food stamps, Pell Grants, and work-study to earn my environmental science degree. Those challenges taught me what it means to fight for your family and your dreams. Through those hard times, I kept my compass and took note of the barriers that kept me from thriving. This lived experience taught me not only about adversity but how public policy meant to help can also hinder or miss the root causes of poverty.

After graduation, I put my degree to work as a Sustainability Intern for Clark County Environmental Services and was later promoted to Operations Specialist doing system planning and contract management for our recycling and waste systems. From there, I served on the 2021 Clark County Charter Review Commission and then ran for City Council to bring that same spirit of equity and collaboration to Vancouver. I now do work for the Native American Youth and Family Center, helping urban Native families reconnect with the land and heal from the legacies of colonization.

When we work together we win together. Here’s some of what has been accomplished on City Council: 

• Climate Action: Leading efforts to prioritize environmental justice, increase community resiliency during climate disasters, and stopping new bulk fossil fuel storage.

• Housing Stability: Championing historic investments in affordable housing, expanding shelter capacity, and advocating for smart, equitable growth.

• Equity and Justice: Spearheading Vancouver’s first equity statement and framing all policy through an intersectional lens, ensuring marginalized voices are heard and compensated.

• Public Safety: Supporting co-response models, trauma-informed care, and greater accountability.

• Progressive Revenue: Raising vital revenue without unduly burdening small businesses and families.