by Patheresa Wells
Remember when everyone was walking around their neighborhoods during lockdown? Wa Na Wari took the spirit behind the community engagement that comes from strolling through your streets and combined it with its commitment to being a container for Black joy. The 3rd Annual Walk the Block takes place on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 2–6 p.m.
Continue reading Walk the Block Returns for a Third Yearby Jas Keimig
In this land of rivers deep and mountains high, someone who’s simply the best has come to town.
Rolling through Paramount Theatre this month is TINA — The Tina Turner Musical, which tells the story of the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll. The 12-time Tony-nominated jukebox musical written by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins debuted in April 2018 in London’s West End, and now Seattleites can see it for themselves at the Paramount Theatre until Sept.17.
Continue reading ‘TINA – The Tina Turner Musical’ Blasts Onto the Paramount Stageby Jas Keimig
If you’ve taken a walk around the Central District lately, perhaps you’ve noticed some things around the neighborhood that look a little different. On 23rd and East Spring Street, you might have spotted a banner with an image of a disembodied hand holding a brick of chicken bouillon billowing in the wind atop a tall lamp post. From the window of Arte Noir on East Union, maybe you’ve spied a cozy painting in banner form of two Black women and their dog gazing out at you.
Continue reading Public Art Project ‘Femme Noire’ Blossoms in the Central Districtby Patheresa Wells
Over Labor Day weekend, artists of all ages gathered at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute for the 3rd Annual Verbal Oasis Spoken Word Festival. The event combined performances by artists of color with an open mic and included two days of programming focused on developing children’s creativity.
Continue reading Verbal Oasis Spoken Word Festival Showcases Artists of Color With Muezz Infuezzion
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 Clark Children & Family Justice Center (CCFJC), King County’s juvenile detention facility.
Many CCFJC 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 CCFJC staff, Pongo poetry writing offers CCFJC 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 learn more about Pongo’s work of inspiring healing and relief among youth coping with mental and emotional turmoil, register for Speaking Volumes 2023, its fourth annual fall celebration.
by a young person at CCFJC
I am addicted to alcohol.
In my addiction my life is filled with pain and confusion.
In my addiction, I feel better when I’m drinking
because I feel trapped in a box that only alcohol can dissolve.
by Victor Simoes
The stage is set and the red carpet is rolled out for the Third Annual Soul Café Awards. With 21 categories and more than 50 nominees, the award ceremony will take place at Rainier Arts Center on Sept. 9 from 6–10 p.m. The award show honors the very best in the South End performing arts community, from breakthrough artists to seasoned veterans. This event showcases the talent and contributions of community leaders’ achievements, personal accomplishments, influence, creativity, and leadership.
Continue reading Fueling Artistic Growth: The Annual Soul Café Awards Uplifts the South End Artistic Communityby Jenn Ngeth
Ernestine Anderson. Ray Charles. Quincy Jones. These are some of the legendary names of jazz that have hailed from Seattle’s Central District to the global audience. Honoring the CD’s rich history of jazz infused with a strong focus on community outreach, the Jackson Street Jazz Walk (JSJW), a Music For A Cause event, will continue to entertain, educate, and give back to underserved communities. The 10th Annual Jackson Street Jazz Walk will take place in Seattle’s Central District, with one event in Queen Anne, on Sept. 8–10.
Continue reading This Weekend: The 10th Annual Jackson Street Jazz Walk Celebrates Central District Jazz Legendsby Jas Keimig
Last Updated on September 7, 2023, 9:22 pm.
With September comes the grand finale of summer. The days become shorter, temperatures become cooler, and the leaves start to turn yellow. But just because it’s a little darker outside and a little cooler, doesn’t mean we have to stop the fun!
Continue reading Arts in the South End: A September 2023 RoundupPongo 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 children at the Child Study and Treatment Center (CSTC), the only state-run psychiatric hospital for youth in Washington State. Many CSTC youth are coping with severe emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges. Approximately 40% of youth arrive at CSTC having been court ordered to get treatment; however, by the end of their stay, most youth residents become voluntary participants.
Pongo believes there is power in creative expression and articulating one’s pain to an empathetic audience. Through this special monthly 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 in youth coping with mental and emotional turmoil, register for Speaking Volumes 2023, its fourth annual fall celebration.
by a young person at CSTC
My Dad hasn’t answered
My mom’s phone calls
In a while
by Amanda Ong
Just since last year, Yun Theatre has brought together Seattle’s first theatre company specifically built around contemporary performances in Mandarin. With progressive storylines and productions in Mandarin with English subtitles available, Yun Theatre is bringing a new perspective to Chinese American voices and to the Seattle performing scene. Its next show, In Between, comes to Center Theatre at Seattle Center this month.
Continue reading Mandarin Language Yun Theatre Pushes Boundaries on the Stage
