Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

Through our P-Patch Program and Food Equity Fund grant, we work to expand access to healthy food and combat inequities in our food system. We're excited that the updated Food Action Plan focuses on outcomes most important to communities impacted by food system inequities 🍊

The Plan includes 47 actions organized by 8 strategic priorities to develop thriving and sustainable communities across Seattle 🤸 To learn more about Mayor Bruce Harrell and City of Seattle Government’s Food Action Plan visit seattle.gov/food-action-plan.

📷Jenifer Chao, DON Director; Kenya Fredie, P-Patch Program Supervisor; Lisa Chen, Food Equity Fund Supervisor; Bridget Igoe, Food Policy Advisor; City Councilmember Tanya Woo

Volunteers Needed!! Help the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs provide essential support to legal permanent residents seeking U.S. citizenship. They are seeking attorneys, interpreters, and general volunteers for this event.

📝Citizenship Application Workshop
🗺️ Delridge Community Center
📅September 28

Learn more and register to volunteer at:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=RR7meOtrCUCPmTWdi1T0G3xCXpetlxVEmfC1WLyN4n5UODZWWEdaMzdJRkVVTThERFUzRFRKMkdRUi4u

As part of the Swim Seattle Initiative, Seattle Parks and Recreation is partnering with Oshun Swim School to offer trauma-informed and Afro-Indigenous centered swim opportunities to our Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) + Allies community.
These BIPOC + Allies Open Swims are geared towards women and non-binary BIPOC beginner swimmers to practice your skills and improve your water comfort, and for advanced swimmers to have a safer space to swim in community! Please note, allies are welcome to join! Come enjoy music, and the magic of playing in water with community. Open swims are offered monthly for BIPOC+ Allies who are 16+, Saturdays 6-7:30PM at Rainier Beach Community Center & Pool.
The remaining dates in this searies are happening on Saturdays at Rainier Beach Pool from 6-7:30pm on:
September 14
October 5
November 2

As part of the Swim Seattle Initiative, Seattle Parks & Recreation is partnering with Oshun Swim School to offer trauma-informed and Afro-Indigenous centered swim opportunities to our Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) + Allies community.

These BIPOC + Allies Open Swims are geared towards women and non-binary BIPOC beginner swimmers to practice your skills and improve your water comfort, and for advanced swimmers to have a safer space to swim in community! Please note, allies are welcome to join! Come enjoy music, and the magic of playing in water with community. Open swims are offered monthly for BIPOC+ Allies who are 16+, Saturdays 6-7:30PM at Rainier Beach Community Center & Pool.

The remaining dates in this searies are happening on Saturdays at Rainier Beach Pool from 6-7:30pm on:
September 14
October 5
November 2

https://parkways.seattle.gov/2024/04/08/swim-seattle-partners-with-oshun-swim-school/

Check out the Puget Sound Puppetry Festival this weekend, a recipient!

We are pleased to offer “Jawbone Theatre Presents: Beer & Puppet Theater” Saturday, September 14 2024 at . Doors at 10:30p this event is 21+

Join Jawbone Puppet Theater and their ragtag team of misfit puppeteers, esoteric clowns and transcendent underachievers, as they bring you their most inappropriate material, dirtiest puppet shows, and weirdest performance art to close the festivities of the Puget Sound Puppetry Festival!

Fasten your seatbelts and let down your hair, because there’s no turning back once the dice are cast! And don’t forget to grab a drink from the bar, because you never know what you might encounter! There might be a dirty Bible story, or graphic puppet s*x! Maybe a s*xy mule or a pile of s**t! There’s no telling! There might even be some material so heavy and deep and thought provoking that you’ll cry or puke! But above all, there will be lots of laughs! It is our sacred duty to entertain, and if you’re happy, we’re happy! You won’t regret coming to this late-night cabaret!

Following the Henson related book event and conversation with Karen Prell, enjoy a screening of “Televisionary” from The IlJim Henson Legacy on 9/14 at 3:45p.

Approx. 75 mins.

In 2004, the Jim Henson Legacy presented its first screenings, starting with a special weekend event at BAM Cinema entitled “Muppets, Music, and Magic.” This started a successful international screening series. With the opening of the Jim Henson Exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image, the Jim Henson Legacy screenings began a monthly residency at the Museum as “Jim Henson’s World” and have been playing ever since. Originally titled “Muppet History 101,” the program is a chronological journey from Jim Henson’s first show, Sam and Friends, to The Muppet Show, featuring material you won’t see anywhere else, including early TV appearances, commercials, and more.

All ages and open to the public as part of Seattle Community Puppet Day. Tickets for all events at seattlepuppetday.com

When Janet Taggart's daughter Nadia was denied access to public education and healthcare, she took action. She developed a "church basement" school to accommodate the different needs and learning styles of children with disabilities. This school became Northwest Center, a nonprofit organization that continues to provide comprehensive disability services for kids in the Seattle area.

Janet Taggart: A Key Player in Making Seattle More Welcoming to People with Disabilities - Front Porch By Colin Wilfrid WARNING: This story talks about a disability-accessible school that the person this story focuses on, Janet Taggart, founded. The school’s original name uses ableist language that some readers may find offensive. Just like all mothers across the world, Janet Taggart loved her daug...

Join our team and make community dreams come true with funding and support! We're hiring a Community Grants Manager and we think you should apply. Application closes September 10, 2024.

https://ow.ly/nCxY50T7Xec

"Seniors do daily shopping and socialize in Hing Hay Park and at the Community Center. Kids, often with their grandparents, use both Hing Hay and Donnie Chin International Children’s Park, and teenagers are all over after school at every bubble tea shop. And there are often tourists. To me, this says that many people, from all different walks of life, are comfortable here, and that’s special." There's no question that the Chinatown International District neighborhood is special. In honor of the
Seattle's hosting of the 2024 National APIA Historic Preservation Forum, NW Asian Weekly interviewed MaryKate Ryan of Historic South Downtown to learn more.

Preserving Seattle’s legacy — A focus on historic buildings and community engagement As anticipation builds for the 2024 National APIA Historic Preservation Forum in Seattle (Sept. 12-15), our ongoing series continues to explore the profound significance of historic preservation wi…

Love the history of Pioneer Square? Want to help preserve it? Apply for the Pioneer Square Preservation Board! We are looking to fill three open positions for a property owner, attorney, and at-large community member. Submit an application by Sept. 20!

Learn more: frontporch.seattle.gov/2024/09/03/mayor-harrell-seeks-new-member-for-the-pioneer-square-preservation-board/

Wanna dig deep into Seattle's history while getting your steps? Follow the Wing Luke Museum’s Japanese American Remembrance Trail through Pioneer Square and Chinatown International District--paper copies of the trail can be found at Wing Luke Museum or copy this link and follow the digital tour: https://revisitwa.org/leg/japanese-american-remembrance-trail/
“You can’t fully understand the experience of the incarceration without knowing what was lost,” says Kurt Ikeda, Minidoka National Historic Site's director of interpretation and education in Idaho.

Tour created by Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

10 Seattle-area landmarks reflecting on Japanese incarceration From Seattle to Puyallup, these historic sites help tell the history of our region's Japanese communities — and their World War II inprisonment.

We are really excited and grateful to be hosting guest writer Colin Wilfrid. He is exploring important people in the history of disability activism in Seattle and the movements they led and participated in. Stay tuned for more from him and then here's this article from Hoodline that features him, too! Woot! We are always so proud when our local creatives get lit up like this.

Illustration:

Seattle Celebrates Inclusion: Colin Wilfrid's Role in Advancing Disability Activism History Colin Wilfrid contributes to the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program, advocating for disability activism and inclusivity through research and storytelling.

Mural Fest and Paint Jam! Watch this short to celebrate the creation and unveiling of 40 murals across downtown neighborhoods.

Belltown United
Office of Arts & Culture Seattle

Mayor celebrates Belltown Mural Festival, unveils 40 new works of art | seattlechannel.org Mayor Bruce Harrell joined community members and artists at the Belltown Mural Festival and live community Paint Jam on Saturday to celebrate the unveiling and creation of 40 murals, the majority of which will be completed throughout downtown this summer. The first-ever Belltown Mural Festival is ...

We are excited to collaborate with guest writer, Colin Wilfrid on a project focused on disability activism in Seattle. Colin will be helping us share stories and experiences of the disability community that highlight advocacy efforts for equitable access and disability justice.

Learn more:

Guest writer Colin Wilfrid helps research stories on disability activism in Seattle - Front Porch In 2023, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program received a grant to support work toward building inclusion in our history writing and landmarking process. Historic Preservation staff have been supporting a team of researchers and advisors to gather information on the h...

Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board will consider the nomination of the former Phillis Wheatley YWCA Building as a historic landmark on Wednesday, December 4. The building played a crucial role in Seattle’s African American community and is being consideration due to its historical significance and its legacy in promoting racial equity.

Thanks to The Seattle Medium for the article! Check it out to learn more about the legacy of the Phillis Wheatley YWCA.

Historic Preservation Board To Consider Landmark Nomination For Seattle's Phillis Wheatley YWCA Building Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board considers nomination of the Phillis Wheatley YWCA Building for historical landmark status.

Last week, members of the Indigenous Advisory Council led a panel discussion on local civic engagement at the Native Action Network Native Youth Political Empowerment Summit. The summit included learning and skill-building for nonpartisan civic engagement and was attended by 58 Native young people from across Washington state.

Today, we’re gathered at the with staff from departments across the for the 2024 Race and Social Justice Initiative Summit. The summit brings City employees together for racial equity workshops and mixers to help push for a better, more equitable Seattle. Also, peep DON Director Jenifer Chao speaking on the afternoon panel!

Interested in learning more about how the Neighborhood Matching Fund grant could help your community project? Don't miss the virtual information session tonight from 6-7:30 pm to learn more about the fund, listen to a short presentation about the application process, and ask questions.

For details on the virtual info session visit: www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/community-grants/neighborhood-matching-fund

📷 Barbershop Chat, NMF funded project

"Seattle's arts community is the heart of our economy and cultural identity. The Belltown Mural Festival empowers our artists to enrich communities through their creativity."

Don't miss The Belltown Mural Festival August 13-18! Festivities include: Gallery Events, Outdoor Film Screening, Walking Tours -- and a multi-block Paint Jam and Street Festival in the heart of Belltown. This festival is part of broader effort to re-energize downtown Seattle through public art initiatives.

Learn more! https://www.belltownunited.org/events/belltown-mural-festivala

Don't miss the CID (Chinatown-International District) Block Party on Aug. 17! This gathering is a free, all ages celebration of Asian Pacific American music, arts, food, and culture at the I-5 freeway underpass. https://cidblockparty.com/

🔺Noon kick off with Sea Vinyl Society kick at mam's books
🔺Performances on main stage including Mak Fai, southendsiva, JusMoni, KBOOGIE, XOUL, JoeMari, and Noodles
🔺Vendors, food trucks, and an indoor market at Reclaim Clay
🔺Self-guided neighborhood bar crawl

In our efforts to be a more accountable partner to Tribal Nations and Native communities, we’ve worked across departments to reflect on the commitments made as a result of last year’s historic . Thank you to the Indigenous Advisory Council for your steadfast work advising the City of Seattle Government on policies and issues impacting Indigenous people.

To learn more about our progress, check out the latest report: https://ow.ly/VaWm50SSutT

It's ! We encourage you to take time today to get out and meet your neighbors.

Grab your lawn chairs and start the BBQ, It's Seattle Night Out!

THANK YOU to all of the P-Patch gardeners who put in extra work cultivating the program's Giving Gardens. All donations, large and small, make a difference in connecting those experiencing food insecurity with fresh, organic food grown with love!

Growing for Giving: A mid-season update from P-Patch Giving Gardens across Seattle - Front Porch Serving as both restorative and neighborhood gathering spaces, Seattle’s P-Patch community gardens have strengthened community networks through civic engagement and comradery since their formation in 1973. Giving back to the community through volunteer hours and donations of fresh, organic, and lo...

Want to learn how to navigate City government, influence decision-makers, and build civic capacity? Apply to be part of People's Academy for Community Engagement (PACE)! Our upcoming cohort is a collaboration with Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) and will provide a free, culturally-relevant civic leadership program designed to empower community members as effective activists and leaders. To learn more and apply visit: https://ow.ly/mIcs50SQkrM

Participation Details:
🔸Dates: Tuesdays, September 10 – October 15, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
🔸Stipend: $250 upon completion
🔸Apply by August 23

Learn more about the Food Equity Fund from Program Manager, Lisa Chen, as she talks with KOMO News. We're so proud of the work of this program and especially all the amazing community organizations who feed, educate, and nurture the people of Seattle. Thanks, KOMO News for highlighting this important work!



https://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/community-grants/food-equity-fund

Food Equity Fund on KOMO: Interview with Lisa Chen, Program Manager Lisa Chen shares information about Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' Food Equity Fund with Seattle's KOMO 4 audience.

Before the Americans with Disabilities Act granted people with disabilities greater protection and accessibility, a little-known law set the groundwork. Here from one of the founders of the disability rights movement and a younger activist who is continuing this work. Hear more from KNKX Public Radio in Tacoma!
histories

One Laid Groundwork For The ADA; The Other Grew Up Under Its Promises As the Americans with Disabilities Act turns 30, a founder of the disability rights movement, Judy Heumann, talks to activist Imani Barbarin, born a few months after the landmark law was signed.

It was an honor to visit the Seattle Neighborhood Group IMPACT! Safe Schools Student Leadership Conference, a gathering that fosters youth dialogue on safety and community building. It was inspiring to see students advocating for solutions to enhance mental health and well-being at school.

“Before, I was in the dark as to where to go or what exactly is out there for people who are blind,” he shares. “Thanks to the Lighthouse, I have a chance at a real career,” shares Gregory. Gregory’s journey started with uncertainty. Living with RP, he faced countless challenges throughout his life. As a child, he faced difficulties, like struggling to play baseball and the need for assistance to navigate events, leaving him unsure about what the future held for him. Read "From Vision Problems to Job Success: Gregory Wilson’s Story" from The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. series which highlights community member experiences.

https://lhblind.org/from-vision-problems-to-job-success-gregory-wilsons-story/

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.