We all want access to clean air and safe communities for our families to thrive. However, communities of color and low-income communities – especially those in south Seattle and the surrounding communities – disproportionately experience air and water pollution and proximity to hazardous waste. This is what happens when communities of color and low-income communities… Read Full Article >

Mr. Lewis, the civil rights leader who died on July 17, wrote this essay shortly before his death, to be published upon the day of his funeral. While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You… Read Full Article >

A zip code or neighborhood should not determine the educational opportunities or outcomes for kids in our district. Nor should it determine their success or pathways after high school. Smart, equitable investments in K-12 and postsecondary education are more critical than ever. We must learn from our mistakes during the last Great Recession and avoid… Read Full Article >

On Tuesday, May 28, 2020, the video of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for eight minutes and 46 seconds was viewed across America. That image will forever be engrained in the soul of this nation along with the cries of slaves, lynched people, and others who have died at the… Read Full Article >

When you think of nonprofit innovation, technology may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet Byrd Barr Place, a local nonprofit supporting Seattle residents with social services for over 50 years, is leading the way with a new online app—the first of its kind in the country. Byrd Barr Place (BBP) is… Read Full Article >

Rooted Communities: Placemaking, Placekeeping   In Seattle’s Central District, development is driving out Washington’s largest African American Community and reducing opportunities for wealth accumulation and creation among lower and middle classes. Recent development patterns are creating displacement of both land owners and existing tenant residents and businesses, alike. This dispersal impacts the Black community’s political… Read Full Article >