Category Archives: Social Justice

Opinion, Social Justice, Sports

Stand, Kneel, or Sit: What Today’s Seahawk Action Means For Black Lives Matter

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by Marissa Jenae Johnson

It’s the beginning of a new football season for the NFL and, like almost every other facet of American life, the movement for Black lives has left its mark. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines weeks ago when he sat for the national anthem during their pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers. When reporters asked why he chose not to stand for the anthem, Kaepernick said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” Continue reading Stand, Kneel, or Sit: What Today’s Seahawk Action Means For Black Lives Matter →

Events, Politics, Social Justice

Natasha Marin Brings an Army to the Troll Fight

Natasha Marin
Natasha Marin

Unless you have been living under some sort of social media blackout for the past couple of weeks you probably already know about local artist Natasha Marin’s project, “Reparations,” which has been getting a lot of media attention, from The Stranger to the Los Angeles Times, to The Guardian in the UK, and Art Forum.

The project began experimentally, as an event on Facebook, to which Ms. Marin invited people from her wide network of connections. Very quickly the number of people wanting to get involved grew, the project outgrew its medium, and she evolved the concept into a website. The best way to define the project is in its creator’s own words, from the Reparations website: Continue reading Natasha Marin Brings an Army to the Troll Fight →

Opinion, Social Justice

Celebrating Boston School Bus Drivers, a BDS Victory, & Solidarity with Flint

by Susan Koppelman

Congratulations to the Boston School Bus Drivers Union, United Steelworkers (USW) 8751, on their victory against Veolia/Transdev! This past December, after more than two long years of struggle against Veolia and the City of Boston, USW 8751 “Team Solidarity” won an improved contract with great medical and retirement packages incl. $5 copays, retroactive gains paid for the two years they didn’t have a contract, protections on 40 years of collective bargaining gains and the four fired union leaders were reinstated with full seniority and financial restitution! Continue reading Celebrating Boston School Bus Drivers, a BDS Victory, & Solidarity with Flint →

Social Justice

TAF Academy Aims to Better Prepare Black and Latino Students for Math and Science Careers

by Lornet Turnbull

(This article was originally published on YES Magazine)

Artina Daniels has always been a tinkerer, obsessed with discovering how things around her work.

Four years ago, before starting the eighth grade, she asked her parents to help her find a school where she could channel those curiosities.

Continue reading TAF Academy Aims to Better Prepare Black and Latino Students for Math and Science Careers →

Column, Social Justice

Employees Describe Slipping Into Homelessness While Working at REI

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by Kelsey Hamlin

(Updated 7/16/16 3:59pm)

REI is known as a place of good-heartedness and quality, so it might come as a shock to hear that many of its employees are either on food stamps, working multiple jobs, or both.

When it comes down to it, REI may have bucked their principles as a co-op for a large corporate trend: Expansion at the expense of its workers. This came to light at a public forum for REI workplace rights yesterday evening, hosted by Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. Continue reading Employees Describe Slipping Into Homelessness While Working at REI →

Essay, Perspective, Social Justice

Accomplices Versus Allies

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by Reagan Jackson

Living in the self congratulatory liberal bubble of Seattle I find myself surrounded by White allies. Allyship here is a common concept that I used to believe meant being willing to acknowledge and stand up for someone else’s humanity.

 Recently I came across a blog post by Indigenous Action Media that challenged my thinking and introduced me to a concept that I am intimately acquainted with yet didn’t have a name for, the Allyship Industrial Complex. Continue reading Accomplices Versus Allies →

Features, Perspective, Social Justice

Homelessness: A Reality Somehow Dismissed

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by Kelsey Hamlin

Preface: Before I begin this piece, it should be noted that the faces of homelessness are many, and remarkably different. They can range from five months old to 80 years old; they can be completely sober or battling addiction; they can be escaping abuse or unable to pay rent. The ways in which a person becomes homeless vary, and there is no one way to look at homelessness nor cover everybody it impacts. Homelessness is simply too broad, and there are too many who suffer from it.

With that, I present but one story of a homeless, single mother: Ronda Althaus.

“I’m not from here, so it was a lot scarier for me,” Ronda said, recalling her first official night out on the streets of Seattle with no place to stay. Her lips quivered and her voice shook as tears gathered in her eyes. “I felt in danger and at risk. I walked for hours in the rain, left my things. People are looking at you like you don’t belong.” Continue reading Homelessness: A Reality Somehow Dismissed →

Social Justice

Moving Forward: Convening Envisions Ways to Stop Drug-Related Deaths

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by Kelsey Hamlin

“There’s too many people dying,” said Ari Kohn, the director of the Post-Prison Education Program (PPEP).

Over the past couple of years, the Center for Disease Control has noted dramatic increases in deaths caused by overdosing with both illegal and prescribed opioids and heroin. Opioids can include things like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone. More people died from overdoses in 2014 than any year on record for the U.S. Heroin deaths also spiked in 2014 for Seattle specifically. Continue reading Moving Forward: Convening Envisions Ways to Stop Drug-Related Deaths →

News, Social Justice

Before Trans Pride Begins, Trans Victim Speaks Out

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by Kelsey Hamlin

A transitioning person was walking back to their car around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday when they were attacked by a man who began the assault by saying “happy pride.”

The victim was Michael Volz, who had just left a fundraiser event at Capitol Hill’s Neumos meant to support the mass hate crime shooting of a gay nightclub, Pulse, in Orlando. Continue reading Before Trans Pride Begins, Trans Victim Speaks Out →