Tag Archives: South Seattle

Features

Teaching Students From His Own South End Neighborhood, a Former PNB Dancer Is Bringing Ballet to the Next Generation

by Megan Burbank

In a low-ceilinged studio at Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Phelps Center in downtown Seattle, two rows of kids from South Seattle’s Maple Elementary stand at a ballet barre on a floor of middle-gray marley. Clad in purple cap-sleeve leotards or white T-shirts and black tights, they move in unison to music played by a pianist in the corner, as former PNB dancer Eric Hipolito Jr. leads them through the first step of every ballet class ever taken: pliés, knee bends that form the basis of numerous steps still to come. As the students move through the static postures that, taken together, form the foundation of classical ballet, Hipolito interjects here and there with jokes, praise, nuggets of guidance: “Make sure there’s space between your fingertips,” he says at one point. At another: “Check if you’re early and check if you’re late.”

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Voices

5 Places in South Seattle President Biden Should Visit

by Emerald Editors

President Biden is visiting Seattle on Earth Day, Friday, April 22, 2022. There are some phenomenal and transformative places to visit in South Seattle, and we want to be sure he knows about them. If you were planning his itinerary, what five places would you want to be sure he visited? What five places would show him the great places sustaining our community? 

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News

After a Disaster, South Seattle Will Be on Its Own — Emergency Hubs Are Here to Help

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by Ben Adlin

After working for more than 30 years for Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods, Ron Angeles understood the importance of community ties. But he worked in West Seattle while living in Rainier Beach, and after retiring, he wanted to get to know his neighbors. 

The first thing that came to mind was the Seattle Police Department’s Block Watch program, under which residents are supposed to alert law enforcement to suspicious activity. “I wanted to do something a little bit more positive,” Angeles said. “Block Watch — you know, crime — it’s kind of negative.”

So he got in touch with Cindi Barker, a West Seattle–based emergency preparedness organizer he knew from his old job, and launched an emergency communications hub instead.

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Community

T’Challaween Parade, Contests, More This Weekend! The Event & How to Enter the Contests

This Saturday, Oct. 30, “T’Challaween — A South End Tribute to Our Heroes” returns for a second year of costumes, candy, contests, and — most importantly — community! 🎃

Learn how to enter the costume and (our inaugural) “Spookiest House” contests. 👻 🏠 🏆

by Emerald Staff

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News

Unemployment Data Shows Unequal Recovery, Galvanizes South End Equity Efforts

by Alexa Peters

Recovery in south King County has not kept up with north King County and preexisting economic disparities between the two regions were exacerbated by the pandemic, a recent Economic Security Department (ESD) report said.

The August ESD report showed evidence of an ongoing economic recovery in King County, including an unemployment rate much lower than in other counties at 4.8%, suggesting that King County’s recovery has been the swiftest in the state. That said, data at the city level shows a different picture.

In January 2020, the highest unemployment rate among Auburn, Kirkland, Redmond, and Renton was 3.4% in Auburn, and the lowest was 2.1% in Redmond.

“While the relative positions of these four communities persisted throughout the pandemic, the gap over time has widened,” said Anneliese Vance-Sherman, regional labor economist for the ESD. “All four communities are worse off today than they were before the pandemic, but it is taking longer for the South End communities to recover.”

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Community

Halloween 2021 in South Seattle: A Ghostly Guide to Local Events

by Emerald Staff

With the spookiest night of the year fast approaching, the South Seattle Emerald has gathered some haunted happenings around the South End here so you, friends, and family can spend a scary (and safe!) Halloween together. From pumpkin hunts to trunk or treats, there’s something here for all the ghosts, goblins, and ghoulies to enjoy all weekend long.

Check back to this post as we continue to add more events that we hear about! If we missed an event and like us to add it, fill out our event form here.

🎃🎃Last updated on Wednesday, Oct. 20.🎃🎃

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Voices

OPINION: Make Public Transit Accessible for All!

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by Anna A, Geyciel Ceja, Sarah Perez, Olivia Hicks, Evalynn Romano, Katherine Hoerster

There’s a charge in the air these days as people return to old rituals and routines. For us, we’re celebrating something simple but essential as Seattle reopens: free ORCA cards. They are our bridge to school, work, health, and freedom. But Seattle’s public transit isn’t accessible for everyone. And it should be. 

We’re youth and adult members of the Participatory Active Transportation for Health in South Seattle (PATHSS) study. Centering often marginalized voices, dozens of youth and adult Beacon Hill community members told us what they need to get around Beacon Hill and beyond. Community wisdom yielded solutions ranging from calming traffic to increasing affordable housing. But one message came through loud and clear: Seattle needs fair, just transit access now. And that means making it free.

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Community

Taste Global, Eat Local: Annual Plate of Nations Food Festival Ends This Weekend

by Nina Dubinsky

Take your taste buds on a world tour without leaving the South End! The 11th annual Plate of Nations, the signature event of South Seattle’s MLK Business Association, is here to expand your palate with dishes from around the world when you visit the 15 participating local restaurants.

The 16-day culinary event, ending Sunday, Sept. 26, gives visitors a chance to taste each eatery’s menu with shareable plates and samplers, priced at $20 and $35 respectively. These special menus are curated so customers can try fan-favorite dishes. Samples include mixed plates with a side of mac salad from Buddha Bruddah, mouth-watering doro wat with house-made injera from Amy’s Merkato, street-style tacos from El Quetzal, freshly fried catfish po’boys from Emerald City Fish & Chips, and authentic Philly cheesesteak from The Original Philly’s. 

“Plate of Nations is a great opportunity to showcase the neighborhood, and hopefully we’ll have a lot of diners from surrounding neighborhoods come,” said Drea Miller, co-owner of Buddha Bruddah. “The event is about representing different cultures — and that’s what our neighborhood is all about.”

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Community

The Morning Update Show — 8/26/21

The 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, Periscope, and whereweconverge.com.

We 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.

Morning Update Show — Thursday, August 26

LIVE — Chris Rhodes | Rainier Valley Corps (RVC) | How to Empower Young Leaders | Multiple Shootings and One Murder in Seattle | What Does “Community” Mean to You?

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Community

Boxing Is for Everybody: Six Boxing Clubs Making a Difference in the South End

by Mark Van Streefkerk

Boxing has a special connection with South End communities, mainly because it’s so much more than just a sport. The Seattle boxing scene serves many different — and overlapping — groups of people: those primarily into fitness, kids seeking an afterschool activity, youth getting away from street-involved life, women, the LGBTQ+ community, families, and elders looking to give back. While boxing gyms were closed for in-person training for much of last year, these beloved cornerstones of South End communities have recently opened back up to full capacity. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to don a pair of boxing gloves and learn how to throw a proper jab, now is a great time to try.

“To me, boxing gyms have been a secular version of churches: a place for people to go and have refuge … and not be judged for anything that you would normally get judged for in the world. You just come here and work,” said coach Tricia Arcaro Turton, founder of Arcaro Boxing in the Central District. 

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