US Chamber of Connection’s Post

Meet David Pellerin, founding member of the Seattle Welcome Committee. David recently semi-retired after an incredible career at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He now has a lot more time to enjoy all that Seattle has to offer and to help newcomers who move here to live, work, and play. Here is David's advice for newcomers to the Puget Sound. 1. How have you built connection and community in Seattle? My most important connections have been made outside of work, through my personal interests which over the years have included sailing and boatbuilding, hiking and climbing, writing, aviation, home and garden design, and more. I also benefit from being married to someone who has her own personal passions (music and ceramic arts, political activism) and her own network of interesting people who have become an important part of my network. 2. What do you do to help newcomers to Seattle? I love to show visitors and newcomers the hidden sides of Seattle and the surrounding areas, providing a bit of the history of this place and why it might have evolved to be what it is: highly innovative, constantly reinventing itself, but at the same time filled with introspection. Seattle, it seems, has long suffered from imposter syndrome; it is a city with a perpetual identity crisis. To paraphrase the author Jonathan Raban, Seattle is a civil place, but is not overly friendly. It takes work to create and maintain true friendships here. 3. What is one secret to building connection for newcomers? Make time to get out of your work-circle, and to meet people who come from very different backgrounds. Sign up for classes to learn something completely new - ballroom dancing, poetry writing, improv comedy, ceramic arts, rock climbing, sailing or kayaking. Do anything that will get you out of your usual community and give you new perspectives. Does everyone you know play golf or tennis? Be the weird one who takes up orienteering. Join a volunteer group for something you care about - there are many to choose from. Or pick up a sign and be part of a protest; just get out there and do something new and different. 🐻 🤗