by Susan Fried
Families who went to Rainier Beach Action Coalition’s Back2School Bash, in its 20th year, found more than just free school supplies — a host of services and vendors, food, and entertainment around supporting and celebrating children and families in Rainier Beach.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Scenes From the Rainier Beach Back2School Bash 2023by Ronnie Estoque
Last Sunday afternoon, Aug. 13, local community members gathered for the Othello Park International Festival. The family-friendly event featured vendors, food, games, art, live music, dancing, and local organizations focused on community outreach.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Othello Park International Festival Celebrates Communityby Susan Fried
A little drizzle didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the thousands of people who showed up for the annual Umoja Fest, Africatown Heritage Festival & Parade on Saturday, Aug. 5. The two-day festival has been a part of Seafair weekend for decades, and there has been an annual parade in the community for 70 years.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Umoja Fest 2023by Susan Fried
Joy, just like the music, reverberated throughout the Garfield High School gym as Bubblin Brown Sugar — the long-standing Seattle high school dance contest — got underway on Saturday, June 17.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Bubblin Brown Sugar 2023by Susan Fried
Despite a typical “Juneuary” day in Seattle, thousands of people attended the Juneteenth Celebration at Jimi Hendrix Park on June 19. The second year since Juneteenth became recognized as a federal holiday, and the first time the event was held without COVID-19 restrictions, brought out lots of people in the mood to celebrate.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Juneteenth 2023 at Jimi Hendrix Parkby Alex Garland
Celebrating 24 years of hip-hop culture, DJs, emcees, footwork, and attitude, the Massive Monkees Day kickoff event on Pier 62 showcased dance moves from over 20 b-boys and b-girls from all over the United States. The Massive Monkees crew formed in 1999 when four young b-boys came together in Beacon Hill. That crew grew, and with it came art, music, dance, and wins at local, national, and international competitions and performances. In 2004, the first Massive Monkees Day was celebrated as then-Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels declared April 26 to be their day, after their first international win. Now, each year, hip-hop and break dancing are shared with a wider audience as people from all over the world visit Seattle and catch slick moves from b-crews.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Massive Monkees Day 2023by Chardonnay Beaver
On Saturday, May 13, Liberated Village held their Arts & Education Festival at Alan T. Sugiyama High School. Free to the community, the festival featured live performances from young Seattle rapper Skye-Dior and DJ Vitamin D, meals from The Original Philly’s (“Philly’s Best”) and Rooted on 23rd, presentations, and outdoor information booths.
Continue reading The Liberated Village Arts & Education Festival Celebrates School Without Wallsby Ronnie Estoque
Last Saturday, April 29, community members unified for the 20th Annual White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival. The event was organized by the Cambodian Cultural Alliance of Washington, and featured live musical performances, delicious traditional cuisine, dancing, vendors, and plenty of smiles and laughter on a day where the sun shone brightly.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | Year of the Rabbit: Celebrating Cambodian New Year in White Centerby Ronnie Estoque
On Saturday, Jan. 14, local community members gathered at the Little Saigon Creative to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tết). The event was organized by Friends of Little Sài Gòn, an organization focused on centering Vietnamese culture and advocacy in the community. Mak Fai Kung Fu performed a lion dance and was followed up by a workshop where event attendees learned how to make bánh tét — a traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year dish made with glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork wrapped in banana leaves. The workshop was led by instruction from Yenvy Pham, co-owner of Hello Em Cafe & Roastery and owner of Phở Bắc Restaurants; Trinh Nguyen, owner of Ba Sa Restaurant; and Theresa Cat Vu, founder and owner of Phở Bắc Restaurants.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | A Celebration of Vietnamese New Year (Tết) at Little Saigon Creativeby Susan Fried
After two years of being unable to use Garfield High School due to pandemic restrictions, the Seattle Martin Luther King Jr. Organizing Coalition took full advantage of access this year. On the 40th anniversary of the MLK March and Rally on Monday, Jan. 16, the coalition hosted a jobs fair, workshops, and a huge rally in the high school gym. The weather turned out to be beautiful for the thousands of people who marched from Garfield, with a brief stop at the King County Juvenile Detention Center, to Jimi Hendrix Park by the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) where another small rally was held.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY | MLK March 2023
