Politics

Pramila Jayapal: “I Don’t Have A Give Up Bone In My Body”

Editor’s Note: This is the first in our series of interviews with the candidates- 5 Democrats and 1 Republican- who are vying to replace retiring State Senator Adam Kline in the 37th District. The top two candidates chosen in the primary election- held on August 5th- will continue on to the general- which takes place on November 4th. The winner of which will represent the 37th District in the Washington State Senate. The 37th currently comprises almost the entire South Seattle area.

Unifying individuals from all walks of life down a single pathway has been the primary task of Pramila Jayapal since independently venturing to the United States at the age of 16. Whether founding the organization OneAmerica to quell misdirected anger aimed at Arabs, Muslims and South Asians that resulted after 9/11, working at the Center for Community Change to eradicate racial injustice, or serving on Mayor Ed Murray’s committee for Income Inequality to assist in solving the widening wealth divide amongst Seattleites – the author, activist, humanitarian, and Columbia City resident has always sought to build bridges between groups where none previously existed. She hopes this experience will serve her well as she vies for the State Senate position in the 37th District- the most socioeconomically diverse district in the state.

Emerald: You’re known primarily for your activism work, especially on the issue of immigration reform. Why did you decide to step over to the “other side” and seek to become directly involved inside the minutiae of politics by running for State Senator?

Pramila Jayapal: I’ve been an outside activist for twenty years with Social Justice Issues. I guess I’ve realized that the two things I have been working on for the last twenty years – which was, number one, to get elected officials and policy makers to make better policy decisions- and number two, to organize people to believe their voice mattered, so that they could have a seat at the table where decisions are being made.

I felt I could do both those things with the platform of a State Senator. I could also use my organizing ability inside the legislature. So I’m going to continue to do things I’ve been doing, though the platform would be different in some ways, because I’d be able to make that link between grass roots organizing/activism and the political system. Being someone who comes from an organizing background, and somebody who comes from a lot of the communities we’d be representing and having worked on a lot of issues important to them for years -being an immigrant myself- I think I would bring a real important and diverse perspective to the State Legislature, with so many issues that matter so much to our district. I really want to try and make a difference there.

Emerald: Your background paints you as somewhat of a “poster child” for the American Dream. You came to the United States at the age of 16 by yourself, and went on to receive a degree from Georgetown and a Masters from Northwestern, along with having some success in the private sector before turning exclusively to the non-profit world. With many people feeling that the American Dream is in decay, especially many residents in the South Seattle area who point to the lack of quality jobs and opportunity of education in the area, how would you attempt to ensure that the dream remains attainable for everyone irrespective of background?

Jayapal: I think that the reason I’ve spent my life doing the work I’ve been doing is because I feel that everybody should have opportunity. Despite some very difficult circumstances in my life, I feel like I’ve been incredibly privileged to do the things I’ve been able to do, but it shouldn’t be a privileged opportunity, power should be accessible to everybody who wants it, and jobs should be available to people so that they can give their full self to our country and to our community, and so in the state legislature there are a couple of things that I think need improving.

One is our tax system is extremely regressive and we really need to think about reforming it. Everything else we do depends on how we raise more sustainable revenue that’s not on the backs of working and low income people. So, I’m really thinking about not only how we close tax loopholes and corporate exemptions, so that we’re able to support an effective transit package that includes transportation for our district, that creates jobs by investing in infrastructure, that promotes minority and women owned businesses in particular which are really important in this district, and which funds our education system.

To do all of that, we’re going to need to figure out how we can get more revenue, and it can’t be regressive. So I’m interested in going back to a higher income earners tax- which we weren’t able to pass a few years ago – but I do feel like the conversation is different and the opportunity is different, and I really want to think about what it would mean to revamp our tax system in the state so that we have a form of taxation that actually grows with our economy and doesn’t penalize the people who have the least.

Emerald: South Seattle is home of some of the most diverse zip codes in the United States. Your specialty has been steering diverse groups of people together towards common goals. How do you think that experience would assist you in making sure the various viewpoints of those living in South Seattle are fully represented by you as our State Senator?

Jayapal: When we worked on immigration reform, we took positions on a whole host of issues that were civil rights, human rights, and immigrant rights issues. We were one of the first groups to advocate on behalf of marriage equality. I’ve personally been involved in police reform and police accountability for more than ten years, and we took positions on environmental justice issues. So I really see the field as very broad.

To me it’s a very big canvas, and the 37th really exemplifies that canvas, it’s a very diverse district, economically and racially and I want everyone to feel like they have a place in this district. That they have a voice in this district, and I want the people who have kind of dropped out because they felt that they weren’t heard, or weren’t listened to, and don’t want to vote anymore or participate anymore because of that – I want to bring those folks together. And we’ve been able to do it in the past and it’s the reason that we’ve had such a diverse coalition of group support in our efforts. First of all you have to be a friend to have a friend, and so you need to look at a the whole range of issues and remember that people aren’t siloed. You also must be able to continue to see the intersections between all of these issues, and then be able to have a strong, principled stand that does represent everyone.

Emerald: You’ve worked at city level on police reform, a huge area of concern for South Seattle residents is public safety. The debate over the best solutions on addressing it have been somewhat polarizing, i.e: Should there be more policing? More prisons? Funding for more preventative measures? What would you do at the State Senate level to address these concerns?

Jayapal: I think there’s multiple levels, and I am proud to have co-chaired the police chief search panel, and to have served on Police Accountability and Reform panels that demanded changes in the police department. I do believe that the choice of our current Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole is going to make a huge step forward for public safety in the city.

But at the state level I think a couple of things, what’s that phrase: “A job is the best way to dodge a bullet.” I think that we have to look at this from the criminal justice system and then also from the economic opportunity system and what choices we’re making available. So from the criminal justice system I don’t believe in building new prisons. I believe that we need to invest in prevention, so I’m going to do everything I can at the State level to invest in training, support, and prevention and not in locking people up, because there are lot of young people- particularly young black men- who are in these situations where they’re not offered choices, so I’m going to make sure that we look at different ways to address crime, and to think humanely and holistically about how we put people back on the right track and rehabilitate people.

Secondly, I want to make sure that we are investing in economic opportunities and programs that help people to see what other choices are out there, and third I think that there are some things – and I’m currently looking into it- that the state can do in the capita budget to have a safe streets program, where the state could funnel some dollars into cities that are dealing with violence, and crime, and hotspot areas. Finally on the side, I’m going to be continuing to advocate, though they’re city issues, that the southend of Seattle gets the attention it deserves in regards to safe policing, community policing,and all the things that it should get from the Seattle Police Department.

Emerald: You’ve been a strong advocate of every student having equal access to a good education regardless of where they’re geographically located. With the Washington State Supreme Court finding in 2012 that the state was not living up to its constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education for all students -which came as no surprise to many South Seattle parents and students- what would you do as our State Senator to ensure that our area’s students receive a superior level of schooling than they are currently being given?

Jayapal: I think first of all when you talk about lifting up all students, and we do need to lift up all students, you need to talk about targeting certain issues in the discussion, and those issues remain race and class. In order to get at what the issues are, we need to look at all the ways the education system has institutionalized racism built into it, and then make sure that we’re addressing that as we come up with solutions. I’ve already been working on that through One America. Many years ago, when we established a special policy group that advocated school districts to address issues specifically related to English language learners – that was the group I was advocating for at the time – and we came up with bipartisan solutions, some of which actually got passed in the last legislative session. That helped bilingual students to make it through their pathways.

Some of this comes down to revenue, but we have to make sure that we do reach the Supreme Court’s McCleary standards and fully fund education. Our class sizes are 47th in the country, and that’s unacceptable. We have some of the lowest funding per capita compared to our economic output of any state in the country. We have a lot of things to fix on the funding side. On the accountability side it has to be targeted towards kids of color who need the support, and we may have to be able to desegregate our data and figure out exactly why kids are failing and figure out how teachers can get more support. I’m looking forward to diving into all of that with an eye towards making sure we definitely understand that our kids who need the support are as brilliant as everyone else, but just aren’t currently getting the support that they need.

Emerald: In a race packed with Democrats what, in your opinion, distinguishes you from the rest?

Jayapal: I’d say that everyone who runs gets a huge shout out, because it’s really hard to do! So, I really appreciate all the other people who are running, but I think that I have the track record of having worked on incredibly difficult issues – issues of civil liberties post 9/11, immigration reform, raising the minimum wage, police reform and accountability- where I have actually been in a leadership role. I started, implemented, and drove the policy advocacy, and the community organizing, to get things done and to bring a lot of diverse folks together to be a part of that solution.

So, I think I have that combination of smart policy and analytical skills, as well as organizing skills to help inspire people, and make it known that their voices matter. You can sort of see that from my endorsements list. I think I’ve gotten every single union endorsement so far. I’ve gotten endorsements of women’s rights groups, environmental groups, key leaders and political leaders from the city, state, county and federal levels – from (Washington State) Senator Patty Murray. I don’t have a “give up” bone in my body as someone said. I’m going to fight, that’s one of my favorite phrases. I’m going to fight to make sure that the people in the 37th district, working families, people of color, and immigrants have the opportunity to really live out a life that is abundant in opportunity.

Emerald: If elected, what would you like people to say about you once your term in Olympia had ended?

Jayapal: Well, I have so much I want to accomplish (laughter). If that sentence said something like, “She dramatically changed the tax reform and revenue system in the state so that we could actually fund education, and transportation, and brought everyone around to do it I’d be very happy with that.

Emerald: You’ve lived in Washington D.C, India, Singapore, and Indonesia to name put a few places you’ve called home, but have been a long time resident of South Seattle. What do you love most about this area that distinguishes it from so many other places?

Jayapal: I’ve lived in this district and this area for over 19 years. I made a foray into Wallingford for a year, and nothing against that area, but I couldn’t wait to get back to South Seattle. What I love about the southend is that I find it is full of generosity, abundance, creativity, entrepreneurialism, and principled passion – and I love that.

I love that we have so much racial and economic diversity even though it is disappearing fairly quickly and I want to figure out how we keep that. I love that we seem like the part of town where we’re all interested in other parts of the world and their lifestyles. People really have the ability to be who they are here, and that really compliments the neighborhood. I love the sense of neighborliness that we have in South Seattle, and I really just feel so honored to live in a part of town that is going to be the future of the state and frankly the future of the country.

Community, News

The Movies Come To Skyway

by Marcus Harrison Green

Fans express their affection for the Skyway Outdoor Cinema.
Fans express their affection for the Skyway Outdoor Cinema.

If the image of neighbors camped outside under starlit sky – sprawled over transplanted home furnishings while gorging on popcorn, and participating in a collective chorus of oohs and awes conducted by a recent Hollywood blockbuster – seems a sight capable only in one of the idiosyncratic enclaves belonging to the northern end of our fair city, then you may want to watch your step for stray shards of shattered assumptions, as South Seattle readies for its own brand of outdoor film fun.

Later this summer, the Skyway neighborhood will play host to the community run – and eponymously titled- Skyway Outdoor Cinema (SOC) – a cinema series that will commence August 1st – in the U.S. Bank parking lot behind the 7-Eleven on Renton Avenue and 76th – with a showing of Despicable Me 2, and run three successive Fridays thereafter – finishing up August 22nd with Frozen.

Stewarded for over a decade by the volunteer operated West Hill Community Association (WHCA) – previously known as the West Hill Community Council (WHCC) – SOC was originally founded to provide a free, family oriented event that served as a much needed opportunity for engagement amongst community members.

A series of obstacles, including the lack of a thriving business district from which to draw sponsors, the challenge of uniting a disparate fan base and coordinating extensive fundraising efforts led to a reliance on grant funds to maintain a basic level of operation for the first thirteen seasons of the event.

With King County dissolving Unincorporated Area Councils in 2011 in response to budgetary concerns – resulting in a loss of guaranteed annual funding for the WHCC and a forced reorganization resulting in the newly rebranded WHCA – plus dwindling available grant funds, SOC decided to take a new approach. The new strategy, begun last season, is one that uses design and social media to increase its connection with fans and a more sustainable approach to its operating budget. By harnessing the power of its fans with crowdfunding and making smart purchases that eliminated the need to rent expensive equipment year after year – reducing basic operating costs- the event added a higher level of stability and increased its potential for growth.

Now in its second phase of life, the organizers of the open air cinema have redoubled their efforts in utilizing the event to galvanize the entire West Hill Community – which includes the neighborhoods of Skyway, Lakeridge, Bryn Mawr, Campbell Hill, Earlington, Hilltop, Panorama View, and Skycrest – providing a centralized gathering locale that functions as an incubator of community, and that otherwise wouldn’t exist. Something that – according to locals – has been long overdue in the area.

“I think everyone is really tired of Skyway getting such a bad rap. Most people simply absorb what they hear on the news, but those assumptions really aren’t rooted and fact and experience. I think that not only hurts our image outside of our community, but I think it affects us as neighbors as well. We want to provide a fun, free, safe family environment for people to really learn what their community’s all about – I think we deserve that.” said Devin Chicras, WHCA board member and co-organizer of the cinema – in addition to moonlighting as the event’s Master of Ceremonies, Diligent Custodian, Technical Support, and Amiable Attendant Greeter during its film screenings.

With that goal in mind, organizers have made great strides in improving their marketing efforts to attract a much larger swath of the community. Chicras, along with co-organizer Mary Goebel, have worked hard on implementing the new strategy for SOC, which included heavily promoting the event on social media platforms and improving visitors’ experience at every level from engaging pre-show entertainment to free raffle prizes and keeping all concession items under a dollar.

By all measures, these new efforts appear to be working, as not only did attendance double last year, but the event has also enticed people from as far away as Burien and Des Moines to spend their Friday nights in Skyway.

Not bad for an area whose own residents, not all that long ago, barely wanted to set foot on its pavement. “It’s incredible to see this little parking lot in Skyway fill up with all these folks, having fun, talking to their neighbors, eating popcorn or having Domino’s delivered to them while seated on lawn chairs, detached minivan seats, or sprawled out picnic-style on a blanket. These are the people you see sometimes walking down the street, in the store, waiting at the bus stop. And now they’re here, like one big family. At 10pm behind a 7-Eleven in Skyway. It’s truly surreal, and completely inspiring.” Says Chicras.

Communal appreciation could not have come at a better time, as in the ensuing years since losing the majority of its funding, the event has had to rely more heavily on contributions from those living around the area. A dependency that appears quite secure, as the cinema was recently able to purchase a brand new audiovisual system, directly as a result of local generosity.

Costing a little under $7000, The A/V system – which will allow for a larger film projection, along with improved sound and picture quality more in line with traditional cinematic experiences – seemed out of reach for event organizers, as they received only a $3000 Community Engagement Grant from King County towards its purchase. Unsure of how they would make up the difference Chicras and Goebel turned to the community via a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.

“We only needed $3975 and ended up getting $4320! We were absolutely blown away by the generosity of our community.” said Chicras. The additional funds will be used to supplement SOC’s already meager budget, as it has never turned a profit, nor sought to – its primary mission remaining to build connections between residents. “We’re doing our best to make sure each and every person feels like being in that parking lot with their neighbors and friends is exactly where they should be on a Friday night in August.”

That is believed to be mission accomplished according to Sherrie Vineyard – who has attended the cinema since its inception.

“It gives (Skyway residents) four Friday nights each summer to really connect with our families and neighbors, and share what we’re about as a community. Last year, they held a raffle for school supply filled backpacks, and I was lucky enough to win one. That backpack went to a little boy who had a mom with no idea of how she was going to get supplies for him. The Skyway Outdoor Cinema does more than impact the lives of the community for four weeks each summer. They impact lives for years to come with their generosity and warm hearts.”

Skyway Outdoor Cinema runs August 1st (Despicable Me 2), 8th (The Lego Movie), 15th (Gravity) and 22nd (Frozen). Pre-show entertainment starts at 8pm, with the film at 9pm. Visit their website (MyWestHill.org/SOC) and Facebook Page (Facebook.com/SkywayOutdoorCinema) for more information.

Additional thanks to Devin Chicras for assisting with this article.

Images Courtesy Skyway Outdoor Movies

Poetry

Sunday Stew: Pondering Sky

by Matt Aspin

The sky
Don’t look like it should

At night the light blocks out the scenes of the fight
Between the dark and light
The wrong and the right
Steals away the wonder and the might

Replaced with safe and secure
Hypnotized sparkling nothing allure of the quick and easy obscure.

So empty
Void of the pure

We need a new goal
The soul

A wonder serene
A new scene with questions that mean
We can still wonder at the sky with a few more secrets to share
Unaware with no care of the here and the there
And the why and the where
And the why out there
And the why do we care?

To wonder
To dare
To question unknown
The point of it all
Still not clear
Back to ponder
All night at the sky with just enough light to wonder

And dream
And to write

Matt Aspin is an amiable gent who has made a second home out of South Seattle ale houses.

Op-Ed

The Next Great American Hero

by Marilyn Watkins

Last week I was in Washington, DC and had a morning free of meetings to wander among the monuments. Families, school kids, and tour groups from across the nation and around the world were there, searching out names on the Vietnam Memorial wall, reading the words of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, snapping selfies in front of the White House with the Washington Monument towering in the background.

It was a good antidote to the cynicism and division that tend to dominate our view of politics today. All those diverse tourists seemed to share a certain excitement and solemnity – a sense of respect for the struggles of the past and hope for the promise of a more just and peaceful future.

Those monuments remind us of the power of America’s founding ideals and that we’ve never fully realized them.  Our Founding Fathers wrote in our nation’s Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal”, yet they enshrined slavery in our Constitution and excluded women, Africans and Native Americans from participation in the new democracy they created.

The words of Lincoln’s second inaugural address are inscribed on the wall by his statue. Near the end of the bloody and destructive Civil War, Lincoln spoke not of blame or revenge, but of shared guilt for the horrors of slavery. He committed to work for reconciliation, and knew it could not come about without attention to justice and individual well being. Lincoln concluded with these words:  “With malice toward none; with charity for all… let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

The memorials to World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War that stretch between the Lincoln and Washington Monuments make clear that lasting peace among nations is far from realized. The Martin Luther King memorial reminds us that a full century after the close of the Civil War, we still needed a Civil Rights Movement and federal intervention to end racial segregation. We’ve come a long way in the 50 years since, but racial equality still has not been achieved.

We live now with continually streaming news reports of legislative and Congressional dysfunction, war, environmental destruction, school shootings, and cultural clashes. No wonder American voters tend to be cynical and apathetic.

A stroll among the monuments to our nation’s history is a good reminder that challenges and divisions are nothing new. We’ve faced seemingly intractable problems before. Sometimes one side is wrong and compromise isn’t possible. Slavery and racial segregation had to end.

Our democracy has never been perfect, but we’ve made progress toward realizing the vision of a nation where all are born with equal opportunity to pursue happiness.

That progress has come not just because we’ve had a few great leaders like Washington, Lincoln, and King. Each of them was supported by a broader movement of ordinary citizens who were willing to stand up and demand change from their government. Washington became our first president on the shoulders of the sons and daughters of liberty. Abolitionists campaigned for decades before Lincoln’s election and the abolition of slavery. King was one leader in the Civil Rights movement, and was reviled, jailed, and assassinated before he was enshrined in granite as a national hero.

Democracy and the promise of America is a work in progress. We can’t just wait for the next hero to come along and solve our problems. We have to do our part to bend the arc of history toward justice. We have to prepare the way for the next hero – and that hero may just be one of us.

Marilyn Watkins is policy director of the Economic Opportunity Institute, a nonpartisan policy center  focused on building and economy that works for everyone.

News

Mayor Announces “Find It, Fix It” Community Walks In South Seattle

In his public safety address to the Seattle City Council last week, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray detailed a series of ‘Find it, Fix it’ Community Walks, focused on several crime hotspots.

At the walks, community residents, police, and city officials will walk together to identify physical disorder and solve it, hence the find it and fix it theme. The primary areas of focus are graffiti removal, street lighting, litter and garbage clean-up, and trimming overgrown bushes and trees.

The first Find It, Fix It Community Walk

Wednesday, July 2, 7 – 9 p.m., 23rd Ave. S and S. Jackson St. (Red Apple Parking Lot)

7 – 7:30 p.m.

Short program featuring Murray, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, City Attorney Pete Holmes, Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole, and department representatives.

7:30 – 8:40 p.m

Walk commences along the following route:

  • Jackson from 23rd to 22nd
  • 22nd from Jackson to Main
  • Jackson from 25th to 26th
  • Stop at Fire Station 6 (405 Martin Luther King Jr Way S)
  • Walk along S King St. to 28th and 29th
  • Return to the Red Apple parking lot

8:40- 9 p.m.

Walk concludes and department representatives are available for follow-up questions

Additional ‘Find it, Fix it’ Community Walks will take place in the upcoming weeks:

  • July 8, 7 – 9 p.m.: Orcas and MLK
  • July 22, 7 – 9 p.m.: Sound Transit tour, between Rainier Beach and Othello Stations
  • July 29, 7 – 9 p.m.: Rainier Ave. and Genesee
  • August 12, 7 – 9 p.m.: Rainier Beach
Arts & Culture

Sunday Stew: Original Works From South Seattle Writers and Poets

Editor’s Note: Sunday Stew is our new, regular feature – showcasing original, short-form fiction and poetry from South Seattle’s stable of talented writers and poets.

The Perfect Pair

Writer’s Preface:  This story relates the tale of a South Seattle area male youth – growing up during the late 90’s- when the most important thing on your mind (besides girls) was a hallowed pair of Air Jordan shoes.

He brings the ball down the court…

The crossover…

The shot…

3…2…1!!!!  The game ending horn sounds!

I awoke from my dream to hit the snooze button on my annoying alarm clock, and wiped the crud out of my eyes.

“Hello world.” I said to myself, as I stared at the collage of Air Jordan posters plastered on my wall. To be like Mike!

My fantasy was cut short as my mom frantically knocked on my door to assure I was awake and getting ready for school. The daily routine of a high school sophomore.

It was Friday, and just so happened to be the same day that the white/red Air Jordan 12’s were released in stores! The Holy Grail of foot wear! Plus, it was pay day!

Shiiiit! My mom thought I was going to class? Yeah right!  I was going to pick up my paltry $160 check from the mall and grab my first pair of Jordans with my own money.

This was an epic moment for a young Jedi in training. This story predates the internet era, so back then there was no way for anyone to know about shoe releases months ahead of time, unlike any present day eight year old who can spell G-O-O-G-L-E, unless you knew an insider who worked at the local Foot Locker. I just so happened to have a cousin who was a wage slave at the one nearest me, and was always my first call before I left home for the day.

Oh yeah, we didn’t have cell phones  back then either… We had these little boxes called pagers. Simple devices that allowed you to leave a number to call back….that’s it! If you were clever you could write simple messages 31707 (spells love upside down) or use codes like 69 and 911 (I’ll leave their respective meanings open to interpretation).

Anyways… I digress. Back to the story.

So I skipped school and rode the bus down to the mall to grab my check from my job at Corn Dog on a Stick. As I entered the food court I saw a guy walking out with the Jordans I wanted! I gave him the nod of respect. A sign of admiration for his shoe game, that only a true sneaker aficionado would understand.

I said wassup to my peeps at work, grabbed my check and headed off to the bank to cash it. It was only about a block from the mall, but it somehow seemed further that day as the sky pummelled me with raindrops.

The five minutes it took to cash my check seeming like an eternity, and as soon as the last greenback was placed into my hand I made a beeline for Foot Locker.

The closer I seemed to get to the store, the warmer the small wad of money in my pocket became. It was almost as if it was being nuked in a microwave.

I actually patted my jeans about 10 times along the journey to make sure the cash was still securely in there.

Just a few more feet and I would be at my destination, then suddenly by pager blared a text from my cousin Rick at the store – 911!

I assumed his boss was  giving him crap about holding my pair. I put some more pep in my step, and made like I was running for the gold in the one hundred meter dash, finally crossing the finish line through the store’s doors. Boom!

I smashed right into Rick. “Wassup cuz?” He asked.

“I just paged you.” he continued as the cash in my pocket had now turned radioactive.

“Man, the GAP has these sick pullover jackets that fit in a pouch for $25. They match the new Jordans perfectly. We should cop some and rock them to school together.”

Rick was towards the end of his lunch break, so if we we’re going to go – to that epitome of 90’s middle class commerce – we had to go then and there- before I had the opportunity to purchase my treasured moccasins.

I was down, even though normally matching fits is a no-no in my book. But, I told myself I’d make an exception this time to floss with my folks.

“Damn, I hope I have enough for both…” I said to myself as we made our way. As I looked at the pullover’s unsympathetic price tag Rick could sense my hesitation. “Come on, you know we’d look fly in them!” I had to inflate my bravado in order to mask my now precarious financial situation. We purchased the jackets. Oh, to be sixteen again…

As we strolled back to the Foot Locker together, I gazed down at Rick’s shoes, so as to visualize myself wearing them. It wouldn’t be much longer!

I rushed passed girls who seemed to want a little bit more attention from me, at least that’s what Rick told me, as there was one thing, and one thing only, on my mind.

We finally arrived back at his store. The moment was NOW!

Rick went into the back to grab the last pair of white and red Jordan 12’s in size 11. Standing and waiting in the center of the store, it  felt like God had just placed his hand on my shoulder. This moment was priceless for a young buck. It was like being christened a full fledged Spartan warrior after enduring  the rigors of  training since boyhood! Okay,  maybe that is a stretch, but you get the point.

So I broke bread and counted out my remaining cash. The shoes came out to be $138.48…. Ah shit!I bought that jacket. I only had $135!!!!

My heart began beating like a marching band at halftime. What the fu…? How? Why? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

I asked Rick if he had a few bucks I could borrow. “Naw man, I’m broke too. Sorry fam.” I felt like grabbing my face and screaming like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. “Please don’t do this to me God!” I murmured. His hand since removed from my shoulder!

I recounted my money. I was really going to miss out on these Jordans over $3.48!!! I repeat, $3.48!

I skipped school for this shit!  In my moment of panic I lost myself in thought. I forgot where I was and who was around me. At that point it didn’t matter anyway…. Or did it?

Slap. I heard a handshake that awoke me from my moment of insanity to realize Rick is shaking hands with Shane. He’s a Senior and hoop star at my high school. I tried to compose myself, shaking off the tears I was fighting.

“Wassup J? I see you grabbed those new J’s.” Shane says to me. “Actually man, I’m short $3.48.”

He laughs and gives me a $5 bill. The money didn’t even hit my hand before it went into the register.

It felt like ten gorillas who were standing on top of each other had just leaped off my back. Woooo! Shane tells me not to worry about the $5 and gives me a ride home from the mall.

He changed my life with that simple gesture. You never know what you can do to change someone else’s life. It cost him $5 but to me it was priceless. I still remember staking out on Cloud 9 the entire rest of the year! Shout out to Shane! That was the first of many pair I’ve owned, and since then they’ve always been purchased with exact change!

Jerron Craig is a South Seattle native, as well as a husband, father, freelance writer and sneakerhead, who is just trying to use more than 10% of his brain to get paid.

Events

What’s Happening in South Seattle The Weekend of June 27th- June 29th

Events this weekend in the South Seattle area

Friday, June 27th

Community: VFW Meat Raffle from 4 to 7pm @ Skyway VFW Hall 7421 S. 126th St Seattle, WA 98178. More Info: email persimmon1859@gmail.com

Movies: Opening of Belle (Limited Engagement) showtimes 2:00pm, 4:15pm, 7:30pm and 10:00pm @ Ark Lodge Cinemas 4816 Rainier Avenue South Seattle , WA 98118. More Info: http://www.arklodgecinemas.com

Technology: Washington Talking Book and Braille Library Presentation (Teaching those with low vision how to access books and other materials). Class goes from 2:00pm – 3:00 pm @ STAR Center: 2600 South Walker Street, Seattle WA 98144. More Info: email juneelizabeth1@yahoo.com

Music:  Cordaviva  (African Dance) performance begins at 8:30pm @ The Royal Room 5000 Rainier Avenue South Seattle 98118. More Info: http://www.theroyalroomseattle.com

Saturday, June 28th

Community: Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands Work Party from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm @ 5513 S. Cloverdale St.  Seattle, WA. More Info: http://seattletilth.org/about/rainier-beach-urban-farm-wetlands

Toddlers: Tot Gym ( Gym will be filled with lots of toys, along with a few bounce houses for each and every toddler’s enjoyment) from 10:00am to 1:00pm @Rainier Beach Community Center 4600 38th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 More Info: Carl.Bergquist@seatte.gov

Arts: Connect The Dots Art Event starts at 11:00am @ Mt.Baker Light Rail Station Plaza: 2415 S McClellan Street, Seattle WA 98144. More Info: http://www.seedseattle.org

Environment:  Sustainable Seattle presents Let’s Go Beacon! A Green Hood Clean Water Walk.  Walk begins at 11:00 am@ El Centro de la Raza: 2524 16th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144. More Info: email greenhoodcleanwater@gmail.com

Community:  Skyway Community BBQ (Event is free and will also feature a raffle). Goes from 12pm – 6pm @ The Grocery Outlet: 68th Avenue South, Seattle, WA. More Info: Patrick.Lowndes@gmail.com

Movies: Seed Arts Cinema and Jazz Night Cinema presents Lady Be Good, show starts at 7:00pm @ The Rainier Valley Cultural Center: 3515 S Alaska St, Seattle, WA 98118. More Info: http://www.rainiervalleyculturalcenter.org/events/seedarts-cinema-and-jazz-night-school-present-lady-be-good/

Sunday, June 29th

Community: Brunch at the Beachcomber from 10:00am to 12:30pm @ Beachcomber  12623 Renton Ave S Seattle, WA 98178. More Info: (206) 772-5183

Music:  The Alchemy Project Performance starts at 8:00 pm @ The Royal Room 5000 Rainier Avenue South Seattle 981178. More Info: http://www.theroyalroomseattle.com

If you have an event to post, please email events@southseattleemerald.com

Voices

Talk To Wendy: Your Burning Love & Relationship Questions Answered

by Wendy Olsen, MFT

Q: I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a little over 6 months now. Things started out really great with us. I do a lot of marathons, and triathlons, and he was very supportive of me, always coming out to cheer me on no matter the weather. He is very attentive to my needs and is always doing sweet things for me. The thing is, recently there’s been an abrupt change in his behavior. He gets extremely embarrassed, and angry, when I pay for dinner whenever we go out on dates, as I have a better paying job than he does, which is also something he gets angry about. He has started using language such as, “I will allow that,” or “that’s something I will take under advisement,” when I give him my opinion on a decision we should be making together, such as where to go on vacation or to eat. I’ve come to find out that he has a very “traditionalist” view of the male/female relationship, and adamantly believes that I should be “submissive” to him. This is the first time I’ve ever encountered this type of thing in a relationship and I’m not really sure how to broach this with him. I in no way, shape, or form plan on being submissive to him or anyone else. I think he’s awesome and could see us going further together but this is kind of a major hiccup. What do I do?

Wendy Says: All relationships have their challenges.  However, your challenge seems to be in the area of core values. You believe people are equals in a relationship and your boyfriend seems to believe that men rule the roost.  Whether his values are borne out of his insecurity in the wage-earning department or they are values instilled in him from birth, it is going to be his default mode when issues challenging his sense of self arise.  When you see anger regularly in a new relationship, see it as a big red flag.  He may have no idea how often it flares up as it may be a regular occurrence for him.  Trying to fix someone’s issues early on is a major remodel project you need to dust your hands of now.  He may have his great qualities, but they will always take a backseat to his rage.  I would encourage him to do some real work on his anger and attitudes toward women.  I would encourage you to find a partner that has similar values to you and a default mode void of anger.

Q: I’ve been with my boyfriend for over a year now and we were planning on moving in together, however, he recently revealed to me that he had been in sexual relationships with other males in his past. I want to flatly state that I am all for equality for everyone, and I know that in this day and age it shouldn’t bother me, but it does. I just don’t really know what to make of it, as it seems weird to me that he used to date men, and is now dating me. I have enough women to be jealous of without now being jealous of guys too. Maybe I’m overreacting but I just think it opens up Pandora’s Box of things down the road in our relationship. He says that past relationships or all the same, men, women, what difference does it make as he’s with me now. Is it wrong that this is bothering me so much?

Wendy Says: One thing is important to understand:  feelings are not right or wrong, they just ARE.  Feelings don’t think.  Actions can be right or wrong.  Having said that, I think it’s important that you acknowledge how this new information has made you feel.  You feel uncomfortable.  That’s okay.  You have to decide what to do regarding this new information.  Your comment about needing to be jealous of women is a concerning one. Prior to learning that your boyfriend has dated men, did you feel jealous in regards to how he has been around women?  If that’s the case, that’s an entirely different issue.  Security in a relationship is important.  If you trust him completely around women, why not around men?  Perhaps he can help you understand any differences, or lack thereof, in his romantic relationships with men and women.  What you may find is that he is drawn to similar characteristics in people whether they be male or female.  Including his interest in you.  We tend to be drawn to what is familiar to us emotionally (more so than physical characteristics.)  I would encourage to talk with him about your feelings and to learn more about how he has been in relationships historically.  If you notice a pattern of deceit, this relationship is not for you.  On the other hand, if you see that he has been a loyal boyfriend to others, chances are quite good that he’ll be the same with you.

Q: My wife and I got married right out of high school and have been together for almost 10 years, and have one child. I love my family, however, the thought that can’t escape from my head is that I got married too young and that I missed out on some of the best years of my life. Several of my friends, who are now just settling down, were able to experience things that I didn’t because I wed so early, and to be honest I’ve always been a bit envious of them. I’m finding myself starting to really resent my decision that I made as a teenager. Things just feel really suffocating right now. I’m not saying that I want to step out on my wife or get divorced, but I do think I really need to reassess things, and maybe we do need a little “break”. I’m not sure how to even bring the subject up with her or if I’m a bad person for doing so? What do you suggest?

Wendy Says: Marrying young and starting a family does present it’s own challenges.   Many people question their choices to do so later on when the pressures of family life seem particularly difficult.  On the other hand, being single can suck too.  It’s not all the fun and games it’s cracked up to be.  If one choice were clearly better over the other then everyone would make the same choice.  The question you need to ask yourself is:  what do I want?  If your answer is:  to run around with whomever I want doing whatever I want to do for an undetermined amount of time, perhaps you need to think more about the question.  You mentioned envying your friends’ freedom as single people.  Understandably, a lack of obligation as to where you’ll spend your weekends or evenings after work would be nice sometimes.  Is that an arrangement you and your wife can make for each other?  In other words, would it be okay for each of you to carve out some free time for yourselves to be with friends or have some alone time?  Do you think that would help alleviate some of the resentment you’re feeling?  Would that give you a bit of the break you referenced earlier?  One person can not meet all of our needs.  We need family, friends, colleagues, etc. to give us balance and support.  In fact, the better network we have the more we appreciate our partners.  In terms of how to bring it up to your wife, you just need to talk with her about the pressures you feel having so much responsibility so young.  Tell her how you feel about wishing you had fewer obligations at such a young age.  Ask her how she feels about all of her responsibilities at a young age.  You can’t go back in time and change things, obviously.  You have responsibilities now.  You’ve put a lot of time and effort into your life and family and that is extremely valuable.  Don’t discount what you have built in your life.  Work with your wife to give yourselves some personal perks that might help you appreciate what you have and help to abate the resentment.

Wendy Olsen is a Marriage & Family Therapist, specializing in Sex Therapy. You can find more of her advice at http://www.talk2wendyolsen.com

Commentary, Politics

Analysis of Seattle City Council’s Approval of Mount Baker Rezone

2 Comments

by Young Han

Council Vote

Yesterday, the Seattle City Council voted to approve the Mount Baker rezone by an 8-1 vote, with Councilman Bruce Harrell in opposition (http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=2021450). The legislation allows for greater urban density, a wider range of commercial uses, and tighter design standards around the Mount Baker Link Light Rail station.

The rezone’s intended effect is to transform an area currently dominated by strip malls and parking lots into a pedestrian-friendly hub of commercial and residential activity. Spurred by a neighborhood planning process that began in 1999 and a design framework developed 10 years later (http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cityplanning/completeprojectslist/northrainier/documents/default.htm), the rezone is a culmination of nearly 15 years of consideration. It also represents the city’s commitment to fostering growth in areas now served by investments in Link Light Rail. This is a major win for the future of Rainier Valley.

The Future/Back to the Future

Speaking of the future, two other developments stood out at this meeting. The first is Councilwoman Sally Bagshaw’s enthusiasm for further positive changes that can be made to the area, now that the rezone issue has been decided. She cited the original Olmstead Brothers’ plan for Seattle parks (http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/olmsted.htm) and her interest in “reclaiming North Rainier’s Olmstead parks and boulevards.” The Olmsteads’ 1903 plan initially called for 20 contiguous miles of parks and green space throughout our city. While the city built out much of this plan in its early years, including space along Lake Washington Blvd and in the heart of Mount Baker, it breaks down into a sea of congestion and concrete along Rainier Ave S. Many area residents have called for the beautification of this area by bringing more of the Olmstead Brothers’ original vision into fruition and making concurrent traffic changes at the intersection of Rainier Ave S and Martin Luther King. They may have an ally in Councilwoman Bagshaw.

Opposing Views

The second thing that stood out at this meeting are the opposing votes by the two Councilmembers who reside in Southeast Seattle, Sally Clark and Bruce Harrell. With district-based elections starting next year, both Councilmembers will be up for re-election. Harrell has already registered to run for the district-based seat, Position 2, while Sally Clark is running citywide, for Position 9. Even while withholding all opinions about districting, which I mildly supported/still loosely support, it is nonetheless interesting to note.

Sally Clark voted in support of the rezone, along with seven other Councilmembers, while Bruce Harrell voted against it. In opposing the legislation, Harrell echoed the opponents of the rezone in saying that it shouldn’t occur until the city can identify developers who have an intention to build. “There are no pending development projects contingent upon this planned rezone… It would seem to me that this is when you start talking to the developer community,” he said. Later he also claimed that, he had not heard a single comment in support of a 125 foot height allowance for a parcel currently occupied by Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Both claims came across as strange.As Clark herself pointed out earlier in the meeting, by the time a developer has intentions for an area or a particular parcel, the city is already behind the curve. “The city will not act fast enough in order to change the land use map to make sure the neighborhood gets what it has been asking for.” This seems prima facie evident considering the duration of the current process. The Mount Baker rezone, from the time the city released the 2009 Design Framework, has taken five years to approve. This is just for theoretical development. Perhaps, as Harrell says, the city can wait until developers draw up specific plans. The question is, then what? There is no reason to believe the process will be any less drawn-out or contentious in the future. Furthermore there is a question of whether the city wants to get into the business of micromanaging future development. This is a recipe for years of added uncertainty and chaos, not greater democratic participation.

Harrell’s claim that he has not heard any support for raising the height allowance for the Lowe’s parcel is also confounding, given that he attended the same Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee meeting that many of my neighbors and I did. Some of us, myself included, spoke directly about this issue. Either way, Harrell will find political support among the vocal opponents of the rezone should he run again next year. This may be exactly the point. He appears to have taken a less reasoned policy stance to gain well-organized political backing. Clark took a simultaneously more principled and practical position by recognizing long-standing planning principles and supporting means to ends on which most Valley residents can agree: we needs smarter growth and more jobs. For that she should be commended.

Young Han is a Columbia City resident interested in economic history and the economics of technological change as well as an advocate for cooperative development, and expanding economic democracy

Amplifying the Authentic Narratives of South Seattle