By Aaron Allen
The Seattle Medium
Courage is defined loosely as mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty and courage can be displayed under varying circumstances. Lydia Assefa-Dawson Federal Way’s first City councilwoman of African descendant is a prime example of courage.
Born and raised in Wolleta, Ethiopia, Assefa-Dawson’s first bout with courage was as a young child, when she was accidently burned losing both of her legs in the process. From the very beginning Assefa-Dawson had to rely on her courage and determination to adjust to the world without her legs.
“Well the accident happened when I was very young, so this was all I knew,” states Assefa-Dawson. “I don’t necessarily know that it was courage that motivated me, in my humble opinion, as much as learning to adjust was a necessity.”
Coming from rural Ethiopia where medical attention and resources were scarce, the people of her community and the doctors thought it best that her mother stricken with her own illnesses had to give her baby up for the best interest of the child. So Assefa-Dawson began her journey living and existing in missions.
“My mother and father left me at the hospital and went back to their village,” says Assefa-Dawson. “They were encouraged to do so by the doctors.”
“What could they have done?” she questions.
“If they would have kept me, I probably would not have survived and even if I did survive the pain, the infections, what could they have done?” she says. “Because in villages back home it would have been tough on them. So that in itself was an adversity.”
Until the age of eighteen, Assefa-Dawson grew up, on her own with the help of missionaries. During her teenage years, education became Lydia’s conduit to a better life and going to America for that education became her goal.
“I was 18 when I came to the United States and I came to go to college,” say Assefa-Dawson.
Africa in itself is a vast continent so for a young child to navigate the perils Africa has to offer and to find a way out for a better way of life is daunting task for an orphan.
It was a lonely existence particularly because Assefa-Dawson had no family to fall back on. This was particularly challenging for Assefa-Dawson because she was trying to do so during the military uprising in Ethiopia when the military took over leadership from the Monarchy, schools were closed so children venture off to be with family leaving Dawson alone in the missions.
“It was lonely at times especially during that chaos in and around the years 1973, 74, it was really tough as school would sometimes be closed for a week or more,” recalls Assefa-Dawson.
“The school would send children home to go back to their village and there were times I was left all by myself, but I didn’t mind it because I had my books and loved reading,” recalls Assefa-Dawson.
Assefa-Dawson along with a missionary began to tackle the bureaucracy of the Ethiopian embassy as embassy officials tried to hinder her progress and goals to reach America.
After several bouts with the government, she was awarded a study visa and she arrived in the states to attend Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas, which was a far cry from the home that she knew.
“I landed in Kansas where I started my college career graduating four years later in 1983 with a degree in biology from Sterling college,” states Assefa-Dawson.
Upon arriving in the states and completing her degree, Dawson visited Seattle that summer and fell in love. She applied to Seattle Pacific University and began working towards her post graduate studies.
“Seattle Pacific University accepted me for my post graduate studies and after completing that I went on to receive a Master’s in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix,” said Assefa-Dawson.
Long time friend and confidant Chris Owens describes her friend in this way, “Lydia expresses courage through an unrelenting pursuit of success in serving others.”
“She has been an inspiration to many about how to overcome adversity and be the best version of yourself,” Owens continues.
Because of her humility, Assefa-Dawson downplays the idea of courage as much as it was about just surviving.
After she finished her studies Assefa-Dawson jumped into life. She married and had three sons and just when life seemed to have gotten over the bumpy road Assefa-Dawson found herself in a position where she would have to dig deep for that courage again.
Assefa-Dawson’s marriage ended in divorce and she had to find a means to survive. Financial struggles forced her into the streets and as if a full circle was to be completed Assefa-Dawson found herself having to give up her children just as her parents had to give her up.
While she fought to regain her life her children went to live with their father full time.
“I couldn’t do it,” she says. “I could not make ends meet so the kids went to stay with their dad full time. I started staying with friends, sometimes even sleeping in my car and you know that’s rock bottom when you can’t be with your kids.”
In 2016, Assefa-Dawson made a courageous decision and decided that she was going not only going to change her position, but she was going to do what she could to help change the environment of her community and run for public office.
A seat on the Federal Way City Council had become vacant and she was encouraged and selected as interim councilmember. The next year she put her name on the ballot and won the seat becoming Federal Way’s first native African to hold that position.
As a spirited and rebuilt version of herself, Assefa-Dawson became a Board member for Puget Sound Access, a language interpreter for the American Red Cross, Community Relations Board President for Federal Way Detention Center and Washington State Advisory Council on Homelessness and host of other accomplishment. She has been awarded the Presidents Volunteer Service Award, the Advancing Leadership Community Service Award, the Gold Heart Volunteer Award as well as a host of other acclamations.
“Lydia’s compassion towards others seems to permeate in every area of her life and this includes her numerous volunteer activities,” notices her friend Owens.
We all face adversity, challenges in life and all of us as human being possess courage, some exude it and most it takes dire straights for it to reveal itself.
One thing that rings true is that life is not easy and sometimes we have to dig deep just to wake up in the morning and face another day. Then there are those who lives are riddled with struggle and those whose courage must be maintained if survival is to be manifested.
When asked what she would tell someone who may be experiencing rough times Assefa-Dawson gives this advice.
It’s about there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel,” says Assefa-Dawson.
“I have had multiple surgeries growing up,” she states. “Every year I had surgeries and every year I would tell myself I know I will experience severe and excruciating pain for two weeks. But then I’m going to be ok for another ten months, so I look forward to the ten month and I don’t think about the next year even though I know I will have surgery next year, I just don’t think about it.”
Owens agrees.
“I have witnessed times in her life where she has suffered great physical pain due to complication related to her childhood injury and where many would have caved in, Lydia pushed through so courageously and with a sense of humor,” says Owens.
According to Assefa-Dawson, “People tell you there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and usually true, but sometimes it may not be the light that you wanted it to be, but there is still a light at the end of the tunnel, I don’t know why we go through the journeys that we go through, but I really believe you will come out of it and if your open-minded there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
