by Patheresa Wells
Mx. Pucks A’Plenty, known as “The They Them Yas Queen of Burlesque,” ended the debut performance of the Curve Collective Cabaret (C3) by sharing “People of Color, Black folks especially, do the most with the very least all of the time.”
Continue reading Doing the Most: Curve Collective Cabaret Is the Cure for Fatphobia in Burlesque
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 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 among youth coping with mental and emotional turmoil, register for Healing Verses, its National Poetry Month celebration!
by a young person at CSTC
I can be as strong as a mountain
ready to show how much
I’ve grown
my strength
through years
of working
on myself.
by Patheresa Wells
The Seattle Jewish Film Festival (SJFF) celebrates its 27th year this month by screening 18 films from nine countries, all related to the theme “See + Be Seen.” The festival opened March 24, and it includes both virtual and in-person screenings held throughout the city at AMC Pacific Place, the Stroum Jewish Community Center, and the University of Washington. The festival runs through April 10.
Continue reading ‘See + Be Seen’ at the Seattle Jewish Film Festivalby Amanda Ong
South Jackson Street’s King Street Station is an iconic landmark for Seattle history as an entry point for Chinese immigrants and Black migrants in the early 1900s. A bustling transit center today, the station is also a lively arts space and gallery hosted by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture — ARTS at King Street Station. The nickname rings true as a warm invitation to its public arts space and for showing some love to underrepresented artists.
Continue reading Art Exhibit Speaks to Extinction, in Animal Kingdom and Black Americaby Reagan Jackson
It’s been two years since most of us have had movie theater popcorn. That fact, in and of itself, is enough to explain why The Batman made $254 million on its opening weekend. Also — given that we are on the verge of war and in year two of a global pandemic — it’s a great time to watch a superhero movie. However, this was not exactly the movie I think anyone hoped it would be.
Spoiler alert: This review is for people who have already seen the movie, will never see it, or generally don’t mind knowing what happens. I can’t exactly spoil this movie, because there have been so many versions of Batman — from the comic to the cartoon to the TV show to movie after movie (Lego and live-action) — that you probably know the plot from the trailers. From Adam West to Christian Bale, this is a story that has been retold every few years for decades.
Continue reading Nothing New in ‘The Batman,’ but at Least There’s Popcornby Amanda Ong
From now until April 27, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture is accepting applications for the 2023 CityArtist Grant. This year grants are available for performance artists, a category that includes dance/choreography, music/composition, theater, and playwriting.
Continue reading CityArtist Grant Applications Open to Performance Artists Until April 27by Sasha Victor
See me inside your Seattle high-rise condo. Accept it, it’s already begun. Watch dried shit flake off my sneakers as I wipe my shoes on your welcome mat. Take a deep breath to calm your nerves. Smell the urine of Pioneer Square Station on my coat. Notice my jeans covered in park sludge. Feel your heart rate double when I walk past your ivory leather sofa. Blurt out, “Have my chinos.” Take off your pants and hand them to me. Try to remember why you invited me into your home.
Continue reading FICTION: Sit with Me in the Sh*t and Sawdustby Sarah Goh
Newly released on March 18, 2022, Nic Masangkay’s “Mothers” explores the unlearning of possessive love and how to better honor our matriarchs. The song was inspired by 2000s R&B music and was released with a new music video filmed in Washington’s Deception Pass.
“Mothers” is the second single to Masangkay’s larger project, We Came of Age as Love Was Changing, which will be a prose poetry book, music album, and multimedia performance.
Continue reading Nic Masangkay Is Redefining ‘Mothers’ in a New Age of Loveby Ronnie Estoque
The Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, located in White Center, is a multiuse, multicultural, accessible arts gallery grounded in the Chicano and Latino arts traditions. Its March exhibition is called “Ka-Pow: An Artistic Tribute to Comics.” Much of the art showcased includes work from local artists, while other pieces have been sent in from all over the country. All money from art sales goes directly to the artists, says Jake Prendez, owner and codirector at the Gallery.
Continue reading Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery Features Comics Art Show by Chicano ArtistsPongo 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, join its GiveBig campaign today.
by a young person, age 13
Do you know who I am behind my masks?
My first mask is grey.
I use it when I’m bored,
I’m bored all the time,
It’s my most worn mask.
When I wear it, I feel exhausted –
It’s like when the sun is setting but everyone is headed to bed,
But it’s still morning.
