Dolores Sibonga died on September 16 at the age of 95.
Sibonga made history as the first woman of color to serve on the Seattle City Council and the first Filipino American person to serve as a lawyer in Washington state.
Sibonga had roots in the Chinatown International District (CID). Her parents came from Luzon in the Philippines and ran a Filipino restaurant called the Estigoy Café, where Sibonga first worked, bussing and waiting tables.
As Sibonga described of her upbringing in her memoir: “Filipinos had barbershops, social and fraternal organizations, newspapers, labor unions, business offices, photography studios, restaurants and a variety of stores. Filipinotown was alive.”
Sibonga attended Garfield High School and then earned a degree in journalism from the University of Washington. She embarked on a career as a radio and TV journalist, working at KIRO-TV and KOMO-TV. Later, in 1977, she and her husband Martin Sibonga Sr. published the Filipino Forum newspaper, which covered civil rights activism.
After graduating from the University of Washington’s Law School and passing the bar exam in 1973, Sibonga worked at the Public Defender Association, and then at the nascent King County Council. She later was in charge of the Washington State Human Rights Commission.
Sibonga was appointed to the Seattle City Council in 1978, and won election to the seat the following year. She served on the Council for three terms, and made an unsuccessful bid for Seattle mayor in 1991.
While on the City Council, Sibonga led in establishing Seattle’s first affirmative action ordinance. She also championed economic development, workers’ rights, Seattle parks, and the CID neighborhood.
Sibonga later served on the King County Board of Appeals for 20 years. She created the Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship along with Joan Yoshitomi to provide work opportunities for young people in King County government.
According to Ron Chew, writing in the International Examiner’s cover story in August, Sibonga was a mentor and supporter of Asian American women leaders during her career, including Yoshitomi, Velma Veloria, (the first Asian American woman in the Washington state legislature), judge Vivian Luna, and former Seattle City Councilmember Martha Choe.
It was Chew who encouraged Sibonga to write her memoir. The 70-page book, titled “The Best Adobo in Town: From Café to City Council,” was published by the International Examiner earlier this year. In 2023, the International Examiner recognized Sibonga with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
In August, the Seattle City Council and the King County Council each recognized Dolores’ lifetime contributions in separate proclamations. That same month, she turned 95.
Sibonga is survived by her daughters Theresa Escobar and Randi Maya Sibonga and son-in-law Bart Shilvock; by her son Martin J. Sibonga and daughter-in-law Deborah Sibonga; and her grandchildren Kali Shilvock, Reed Shilvock, and Maya Escobar.
She is preceded in death by Martin Sibonga, Sr., her husband for over 50 years; by Frank Ray, her long-term partner following Martin’s death; and by her parents Mary and Victor Estigoy.
Sibonga’s family is planning a celebration of life for her in the future. Her family encourages those interested in donating in her memory to make a donation to the ACRS Food Bank and the International Examiner.
