A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!
by Vee Hua 華婷婷
Supreme Court Rules States Can’t Enforce Anti-Insurrection Law to Keep Former President Trump Off Primary Ballots
On March 4, as was widely expected, all nine U.S. Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled that the state of Colorado did not have the jurisdiction or decision-making power to kick former President Donald Trump off the presidential electoral ballot in November. The ruling follows the Colorado Supreme Court ruling in December 2023 that Trump was constitutionally ineligible to serve as president again due to his violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The case was brought by six Colorado voters who asked for him to be removed from the state ballot, and following Colorado’s decision, Illinois and Maine followed suit to remove him from their ballot.
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states, “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”
Based on its reading of Section 3, the Supreme Court acknowledged that states can “disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office,” but “states have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3.” The rulings in Colorado, Illinois, and Maine will be reversed immediately, to restore Trump to the ballots of all three states.
Though the ruling was unanimous, there was disagreement, because five Supreme Court justices presented a majority opinion that dictated how Congress would be able to enforce Section 3. In a dissenting opinion provided jointly by liberal Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, they wrote that they disagreed that “a disqualification for insurrection can only occur when Congress enacts a particular kind of legislation pursuant to Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. In doing so, the majority shuts the door on other potential means of federal enforcement.”
Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett also issued her own opinion in agreement with the three liberal justices that the ruling should have been more narrow. “[This suit] does not require us to address the complicated question about whether federal legislation is the exclusive vehicle through which Section 3 can be enforced,” she wrote. “The court has settled a politically charged issue in the volatile season of a Presidential election. Particularly in this circumstance, writings on the Court should turn the national temperature down, not up.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling comes short, however, of deciding whether former Trump was involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection — an issue it decided not to address.
The decision comes on the eve of Super Tuesday on March 5, where 15 states and one U.S. territory will hold their presidential primaries.
South Seattle Intersection Renamed After Late Sen. George Fleming
The intersection of 43rd Avenue South and South Othello Street has been renamed Sen. George Fleming Way, after King County’s first African American state senator. Fleming was elected in 1971 as a representative of the 37th District for Southeast Seattle and Rainier Valley. In 1986, he was a prime Senate sponsor to advocate for the creation of the Washington State Housing Trust Fund (HTF), which has invested over $2 million in capital funding since its establishment to build or preserve affordable housing statewide. He also helped establish the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC) in 1983 and the Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises.
Fleming, born in 1938, died in 2021, at the age of 83. That same year, the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) opened George Fleming Place near Othello and 43rd in his honor. LIHI has 106 affordable apartments that serve families with children, veterans, low-wage workers, and individuals living with disabilities, while 10 of those apartments are reserved for Afghan refugees and asylum seekers.
During George Fleming Place’s grand opening, Fleming stated, “I am honored and wish to thank LIHI for naming their new apartment building after me. Setting up the State Housing Trust Fund was a top priority and achievement for me. I am pleased to know that George Fleming Place will continue to serve the 37th District and the community in perpetuity. Affordable housing is closest to my heart. There is no nobler work and there is no clearer sign that a society is working than when our neighbors have a place to call home.”
The resolution for Sen. George Fleming Way, sponsored by District 2 Councilmember Tammy Morales, was passed last week by the Seattle City Council. Present were his daughter, Yemi, and his wife, Tina Fleming, who stated, “George worked hard for the 37th District and the people of Washington State for over 22 years. He loved this community. This honor ensures his legacy will live on in hearts and minds.”
Artist Opportunities via Office of Arts and Culture and Artists of Color Expo & Symposium
Shunpike Accepting Applications for the 2024 Artists of Color Symposium
The 6th Annual Artists of Color Expo & Symposium (ACES), hosted by Shunpike, is inviting artists to exhibit, perform, or share their art, expertise, and passion on Aug. 16 and 17 at KEXP at Seattle Center. Applications are due April 1 at midnight, and all artists will be paid.
ACES is a BIPOC-led, community-curated program featuring art exhibits, live performances, presentations, workshops, film screenings, artist talks, and artist opportunity tables. Categories and compensation include:
Visual Art
2D and 3D works that are freestanding or ready to hang. Artists are also encouraged to submit proposals for participatory workshops or live artwork demonstrations.
- $300 for selected artists
- $500 for those who also host a workshop or demonstration
- Artists will retain 100% of all artwork sales.
Film or Video Art
Works of any duration or genre.
- $300 for selected artists
Performance
Music, dance, theater, or movement pieces between 10 minutes and an hour.
- $500 per selected performance
Seattle Restored Market at ACES
Showcase of products from BIPOC community, with a priority on artists who participate in local production and sustainable packaging, or are alumni of Shunpike’s Seattle Restored program.
- $100 for each selected market artist
- Artists will keep 100% of all sales.
Numerous Grants Available at the City of Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture
The Office of Arts and Culture (ARTS) has a number of grants open for artists and arts organizations at varying amounts and levels. Materials for each opportunity are also available on the ARTS website in Amharic, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
CityArtist
For Seattle-based individual artists or curators to research, develop, and present works; the next grant cycle is focused on dance, music, and theater (including playwriting).
- Up to $8,000 in funding
- Applications are open between March 26 and May 7.
Artists at the Center
A collaboration between ARTS and Seattle Center, which offers music, dance, theater, and multidisciplinary artists the opportunity to conduct year-round pop-up performances at Seattle Center.
- Applications are open between May 21 and July 2.
Civic Poet
A collaboration between ARTS and the Seattle City of Literature, which supports an experienced poet for a two-year residency to serve as the city’s literary ambassador.
- $25,000 in funding
- Applications are open between June 4 and July 16.
Arts in Parks
A partnership between ARTS and Seattle Parks and Recreation, which supports new or established festivals or events that activate parks through arts and culture.
- Up to $7,800 in funding
- Applications are open between Sept. 24 and Nov. 5.
LHPAI Facility Grant
Provides in-kind support for public projects, opportunities, or events hosted at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (LHPAI).
- Rolling deadline
smART Ventures Grant
Offers small-scale support that encourages innovation by individuals, organizations, and communities who may not qualify for other funding programs.
- Between $500 and $1,500 in funding
- Rolling deadline
The Creative Advantage Arts Partner Roster
A list of artists, teaching artists, and community arts and cultural organizations that are approved to partner with Seattle Public Schools.
- Rolling deadline
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a co-chair of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. Learn more about them at linktr.ee/hellomynameisvee.
📸 Featured Image: A panorama of the west facade of the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., at dusk on Oct. 11, 2011. Photo is attributed to Joe Ravi (under a Creative Commons, CC-BY-SA 3.0 license).
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