by Beverly Aarons
A 1960s beat poet, a 12-year-old auntie, and an army of activists walk into a room. That’s not the start of a riddle set in 2020 but a sneak peek of films and panels hosted by the Northwest Film Forum (NWFF), a satellite venue for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 28–Feb. 3). NWFF is one of 30 venues hosting hyperlocal film screenings and panels as part of this year’s Sundance Festival.
Continue reading Northwest Film Forum: A Hyperlocal 2021 Sundance Festival Venueby Panadda Mccoy
Twelve years ago, I was under control of my trafficker and had no hope for my future. It began while I was living in Thailand with my son; I had a dream to come to the United States, get a good job, and eventually bring my son with me. Traffickers get you to believe they care for you. They are nice to you and make you believe they are providing for you. It seems very sincere.
I found people who said they would help me and care for me like a family, but I never knew what these people really had in mind. I never once thought I would be trafficked; I didn’t even know what trafficking was. I was promised a way into the United States and a job when I arrived. They were so nice to me, and I was excited. However, after arriving in the U.S., they told me I owed a lot of money to their organization, and in order to pay the money back, I would have to work in the sex industry within a massage parlor. The job never seemed to get smaller. The hours only seemed to get longer. I thought this would never end. When would I see my son again?
Continue reading 12 Years Ago I Was Trafficked — Now, I Have Hopeby Kristina Rivera
Intentionalist is built on one simple idea: where we spend our money matters. We make it easy to find, learn about, and support small businesses and the diverse people behind them through everyday decisions about where we eat, drink, and shop. #SpendLikeItMatters
The pandemic has taken its toll on small businesses everywhere, but minority-owned and Black-owned businesses have been hit the hardest. That’s why Intentionalist is working with The Central Area Collaborative — an organization dedicated to preserving the cultural and economic vitality of the Central District — to support small businesses in the neighborhood.
Throughout the month of February, gift certificates (up to $100) from participating Central District businesses will be 20 percent off, underwritten by the Central Area Collaborative. Intentionalist doesn’t charge commission fees so all gift certificate sales fully benefit local businesses.
Continue reading INTENTIONALIST: Spotlight on the Central Districtby Chetanya Robinson
Senator Bob Hasegawa, who represents Washington’s 11th District (Renton, Tukwila, part of Kent, SoDo, the Industrial District, Georgetown, and South Park), introduced a bill that would create a healthcare trust allowing everyone in the state to access affordable healthcare, vision care, dental, and mental health care.
Hasegawa’s bill, SB 5204, has six co-sponsors so far.
Continue reading Senator Bob Hasegawa Introduces Washington Universal Healthcare Billby Kevin Schofield
This weekend’s long read is a journey into “things that doctors knew but never bothered to tell us.” And specifically about our eyes.
Continue reading Weekend Long Reads: The Eyes Have Itby Andrew Engelson
In an online press conference Friday, Jan. 29, Jeff Duchin, MD, the health officer for Public Health — Seattle & King County said that while COVID-19 cases have declined in King County for the past three weeks, the current level of transmission still represents a “serious health threat.” Duchin said he expects that the more contagious and potentially more lethal B 1.1.7. variant, already discovered in Snohomish County, will be “likely be found in King County any day now.” Reacting to Gov. Inslee’s announcement this week that King County will be allowed to return to Phase 2 of Washington’s Road to Recovery Plan, Duchin acknowledged, “The mixed messaging is very challenging. We’re currently in a decline. And people are feeling good. But I need to remind everyone that we’re still at a high level even though we’ve come down.”
Continue reading King County Public Health Officer Notes ‘Mixed Message’ on Reopening, Spread of New Coronavirus Variantby Chamidae Ford
On a Tuesday evening, people from all over the world gathered in a virtual room to watch a discussion on the new anthology, Disability Visibility: First-Person stories from the Twenty-First Century.
Hosted by the Seattle Public Library, the discussion featured Alice Wong, a disabled activist, media maker and founder of the Disability Visibility Project. She was joined by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha and Elsa Sjunneson, both disabled writers with work featured in the anthology.
Continue reading Disabled Writers Get Powerful, Political, and Personal at SPL Virtual Event for New Anthology ‘Disability Visibility’The South Seattle Emerald asked our photojournalists to pick some of their favorite 2020 photos shot for Emerald stories. From protests to pandemic responses to celebrations-despite-it-all, the images show not only a difficult year but also one filled with resilience, strength, and solidarity. We are proud to call South Seattle our home and grateful to our talented photographers for helping us capture our community’s special history.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY: Best of 2020 — Emerald Photographers Pick Their FavoritesThe Morning Update Show — hosted by Trae Holiday and The Big O (Omari Salisbury) — is the only weekday news and information livestream that delivers culturally relevant content to the Pacific Northwest’s urban audience. Omari and Trae analyze the day’s local and national headlines as well as melanin magic in our community. Watch live every weekday at 11 a.m. on any of the following channels, hosted by Converge Media: YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and whereweconverge.com.
We’ll also post the Morning Update Show here on the Emerald each day after it airs, so you can catch up any time of day while you peruse our latest posts.
#FeelGoodFriday | Biden to open Obamacare Enrollment | Judge makes ruling on lawyers fees in ACLU protest case | Was the Seahawks statement on Wheeler strong enough? | Disproportionate rate of girls of color in detention | Seattle Promise Deadline Approaching | Food Fri-Yay – Taste of the Caribbean | Cicely Tyson – A life well lived
Continue reading The Morning Update Show — 1/29/21by Mark Van Streefkerk
Seattle’s housing crisis disproportionately affects BIPOC communities, and of those groups, queer, transgender, and two spirit (2spirit) people are impacted even more. In response, Queer The Land (QTL) was founded in 2016 as a collective of QT2BIPOC resisting displacement and gentrification. One of their long-term goals was the acquisition of a house, and on Jan. 15 the goal was realized when QTL purchased a three-story house in north Beacon Hill. The home will be a hub for transitional housing, coworking, community spaces, gardening, and other opportunities.
Continue reading Queer The Land’s New Beacon Hill House Will Provide Housing, Healing, and Community for QT2BIPOC
