Renton Student Leaders Raise Awareness of Admin Bullying Them, Educators

by Ari Robin McKenna


In a stunning display of intellectual prowess, courage, and unity, five members of Hazen High School’s Associated Student Body (ASB) gave stirring testimony at the Renton School District board meeting Wednesday, in defense of themselves and two educators they say are being bullied by first-year principal Ashley Landes. Despite being told by a district official in the days leading up to the board meeting that they might “lose their voice” if they spoke up in such a way, the students delivered passionate yet measured assessments on their perspective of events. Their testimony from the center of the auditorium earned raucous applause from the sizable crowd while board members and Renton Superintendent Damien Pattenaude looked on from the performance hall stage.

Continue reading Renton Student Leaders Raise Awareness of Admin Bullying Them, Educators

OPINION | Tenants’ Voices Loudly Dissented During City of Seattle Small Landlord Stakeholder Process

by Kate Rubin


Housing is a basic human need and a fundamental right, yet for many renters, the dream of secure, stable, accessible, and affordable housing remains elusive. The imbalance of power between landlords and renters is glaring, and housing injustice disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous communities, with Black women facing greater risk of eviction than any other group. While Seattle and Washington State have taken steps to address this issue, renters and landlords will never have equal power.

Continue reading OPINION | Tenants’ Voices Loudly Dissented During City of Seattle Small Landlord Stakeholder Process

New Moon Movie Night: ‘RRR’ Is a Dance, Camp, Revolution!

by Saira B and NEVE

Welcome to our moon-synced movie review show, hosted by Saira Barbaric and NEVE. This duo of South Seattle creatives make multidisciplinary work together and individually. For this show, they’re ecstatic to join their love of astrology, ritual, and pop culture.

Stream this month’s podcast at the New Moon Movie Review official podcast website


I might have said this before, but I will never turn down a musical. When I heard that RRR was a traditional Tollywood/Bollywood epic action film with elaborate, intricate musical numbers, I hit play without hesitation. The movie was beyond my expectations. The action, the costumes, and (most critical to this season) the romance were layered and extraordinary. Many movies attempt — and some succeed — at capturing how intimacy and connection can look between two adult men. None that I’ve seen hits the mark with as much reverence, playfulness, and historical fiction as RRR.

Continue reading New Moon Movie Night: ‘RRR’ Is a Dance, Camp, Revolution!

Wa Na Wari’s Upcoming Cake Dance Offers a Moment to Dance, Win Cakes, and Celebrate Black Joy

by Shamaar Thomas


The “Cake Walk,” an event fondly remembered from Wa Na Wari’s cofounder Elisheba Johnson’s childhood, is getting a 21st-century makeover. On April 4, the nonprofit Black arts center Wa Na Wari will celebrate its fourth birthday and host its first Cake Dance event at Washington Hall in Seattle. Accompanied by Northwest bakeries, such as Tom Douglas, the cake dance is not only a celebration of Wa Na Wari’s presence in the Central District since 2019, but also a moment to capture Black joy, Johnson says. As a Black artist and curator for Wa Na Wari, Johnson says she is excited to bring back a tradition with a history of growing community ties. In doing so, the event aims to carry out Wa Na Wari’s vision of preserving Black culture and art in Seattle. 

Continue reading Wa Na Wari’s Upcoming Cake Dance Offers a Moment to Dance, Win Cakes, and Celebrate Black Joy

Local and State Legislation Hope to Address Environmental Impacts From Airports

by Agueda Pacheco Flores


A County ordinance and a Washington State House bill could help alleviate the impact of local airports on South End communities. 

Continue reading Local and State Legislation Hope to Address Environmental Impacts From Airports

NEWS GLEAMS | Wage Study Shows Care Industry Workers Underpaid; Metro Seeks Feedback on Bus Routes; ARTS Seeks New Director

A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

curated by Vee Hua 華婷婷


Continue reading NEWS GLEAMS | Wage Study Shows Care Industry Workers Underpaid; Metro Seeks Feedback on Bus Routes; ARTS Seeks New Director

PONGO POETRY | Stay Bright

Pongo Poetry Project’s mission is to engage youth in writing poetry to inspire healing and growth. For over 20 years, Pongo has mentored poetry with youth at the Children & Family Justice Center (CFJC), King County’s juvenile detention facility. Many CFJC residents are Youth of Color who have endured traumatic experiences in the form of abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence. These incidents have been caused and exacerbated by community disinvestment, systemic racism, and other forms of institutional oppression. In collaboration with CFJC staff, Pongo poetry writing offers CFJC youth a vehicle for self-discovery and creative expression that inspires recovery and healing. Through this special bimonthly column in partnership with the South Seattle Emerald, Pongo invites readers to bear witness to the pain, resilience, and creative capacity of youth whose voices and perspectives are too often relegated to the periphery. To partner with Pongo in inspiring healing and relief among youth coping with mental and emotional turmoil, join Pongo’s certification pilot program this spring!


Dear Grandma

by a young person, age 16

Dear Grandma,

I just thought you should know what I am doing now.
I am happy
You are the person who spends a lot of time watching over me
And taking care of me.
I just thought you should know
How I feel about you.
I am appreciative that
You gave us a place to stay
Because we had nowhere else to go.

Continue reading PONGO POETRY | Stay Bright

Need a Ride? Metro Program Will Send You a Minivan for the Price of Bus Fare

by Ben Adlin


Trying to get from one place to another in the South End? A newly refreshed service from King County Metro offers on-demand rides in much of South Seattle and the surrounding region — all for the price of a bus ticket.

Continue reading Need a Ride? Metro Program Will Send You a Minivan for the Price of Bus Fare

Amplifying the Authentic Narratives of South Seattle