by Vee Hua 華婷婷
by Mike Davis
The Emerald will be observing a team-wide wellness pause from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2, and most publishing will be on hiatus, with the exceptions of four pieces, of which this is one, wherein editors look back at 2022 and some of the work that made the Emerald shine.
I joined the Emerald in the summer of 2020. With everything in the world falling apart as we collectively experienced the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial awakening in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and having all of our lives abruptly halted as we transitioned into the work-from-home era — I wanted to use my voice to support my community.
My first article covered a Juneteenth Black Wealth marketplace, where people could join a virtual “market” and buy products from Black businesses. From there, my coveraged evolved to articles exploring my reaction to police violence, the complexities of community healing, and local politics.
I became Voices editor at the Emerald in May 2022. In this role, I have had the opportunity to amplify the opinions of community members and invite them to speak on topics that impact our lives. With the Emerald being one of the few publications in Seattle that still has an op-ed section, this role comes with great responsibility. It has been an honor to engage with so many people who have had so much to say about our society and while I am only highlighting three pieces here today, there have been so many powerful articles in this section, and I appreciate everyone who has contributed or read articles in this section.
If you appreciate the work that the Emerald does, please become a Rainmaker — and help us hit our goal of reaching 1,100 recurring contributors who help sustain us on a regular basis throughout each year!
curated by Vee Hua 華婷婷
Hearings continue this week and next around the 2017 death of Charleena Lyles and the Jan. 6 Insurrection. Yesterday, we heard jarring testimonies and revelations from both. Stay tuned for more in-depth South Seattle Emerald coverage of the Charleena Lyles case tomorrow, but in the meantime, we want to hear what you think about the Jan. 6 hearings and how it affects South End communities.
In other news, the Seattle Department of Transportation is adding bus-only lanes on Rainier Avenue South and requests your feedback on transit improvements; Seattle Public Libraries will be limiting their hours for the summer, and Artist Trust is offering emergency funds for artists.
—Vee Hua 華婷婷, interim managing editor for the South Seattle Emerald
Continue reading NEWS GLEAMS: Charleena Lyles Inquest Hearings Continue, SPL Reduces Hours, & Moreby Phil Manzano
King County Elections Director Julie Wise paused, her voice hesitant as she responded to a simple question: Has she been watching the Jan. 6 committee hearings about efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election?
Continue reading When Jan. 6 Hits Home: An Interview With King County Elections Director Julie Wiseby Paul Kiefer
(This article originally appeared on PubliCola and has been reprinted with permission.)
Interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz announced in a blog post on Friday that he has fired officers Alexander Everett and Caitlin Rochelle for violating department policy and federal law by trespassing on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020, while insurrectionists stormed the legislative chambers inside.
Using video evidence provided by the FBI, investigators from Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability (OPA) were able to place Everett and Rochelle at the steps of the Capitol as rioters clashed with police nearby. Though Everett and Rochelle told investigators they didn’t know they were trespassing in a restricted area, neither the OPA nor Diaz were convinced; in his letter on Friday, Diaz wrote that “it is beyond absurd to suggest that they did not know they were in an area where they should not be, amidst what was already a violent, criminal riot.”
Continue reading SPD Chief Fires Two Officers Who Trespassed on Capitol Grounds During Jan. 6 Attackby Paul Kiefer
(This article originally appeared on PubliCola and has been reprinted under an agreement.)
In findings released on Thursday afternoon, Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability ruled that two of the six officers who attended former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 violated department policy and federal law by trespassing on the grounds of the U.S. capitol while insurgents stormed the legislative chambers inside. The officers will now face Interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, who will decide how to discipline the pair for their breach of policy; their supervisors have recommended that Diaz fire both officers.
Continue reading Investigation Implicates 2 Officers in Jan. 6 Riots, Tests Limits of Subpoena Powerby Joy Pearl
(This essay is in response to a prompt asking young people about their feelings living through the COVID-19 pandemic and reckoning with white supremacy after the January 6, 2021 insurrection.)
As I look around at the faces of people who have come into my life recently or a long time ago, I feel at peace. When I think of people who have been there for me at different times in my life — times when I felt like the world was caving in and times I felt on top of the world — I feel supported. My grandma who calls me Sunshine, my godmother Ruth who is the embodiment of tough love, my parents who make sure that I know they are proud of me, my zeiza (grandpa) who always believed in me, and many others. As I look at the room full of people here with me as I write, I love and I am loved. In a world full of hate, I choose love.
I believe in love.
Continue reading OPINION: I Believe in Love
