South Seattle Emerald
Beginning in November of 2020 I became a contributing writer for the local publication, South Seattle Emerald. As of June 2021, I am a staff writer. The Emerald is a community paper dedicated to elevating the voices of BIPOC people.
HOW MEDICAL RACISM ROBS BLACK FAMILIES OF JOYOUS BIRTH EXPERIENCES
Childbirth is often thought to be the most magical experience one can have. But for Black women, the road to motherhood can often be paved with horror due to the racism they face in the medical field.
Photo by Susan Fried
HISTORIC OVERTIME BILL FOR AGRICULTURE WORKERS PROVIDES A CHANCE AT EQUAL LABOR LAWS
Washington State has the opportunity to become the second state to provide agriculture workers with overtime compensation.
Photo by Alexandria Jonas via Flickr under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0
CLEVELAND HIGH STUDENTS URGE SENATOR PATTY MURRAY TO SUPPORT GOOD JOBS FOR ALL
At Cleveland High School, the Sunrise Hub is working to create sustainable jobs for their future selves and their peers.
Photo by Susan Fried
KING COUNTY METRO UNVEILS NEW BLM BUS FEATURING THE WORK OF LOCAL ARTIST AND METRO EMPLOYEE
Last week King County Metro unveiled its new wrapped bus, coaches, and worksite posters that all feature artwork inspired by Black Lives Matter.
Photo by Susan Fried
KING COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES HOST FORUM ON COVID-19 AND THE LATINO COMMUNITY
On March 15, Shukri Olow and Chris Franco hosted Beyond the Numbers: A Look at COVID-19’s Impact on the Latinx Community. The two-hour-long event featured several guest speakers who unpacked not just the statistics but a variety of factors, including access to health care, location, and age on the effects of COVID-19 on the Latino community. The event also featured live interpretation in Spanish by Maricela Rodriguez.
Photo by Andrew Engelson
TOSH SHARP ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY-FOCUSED CAMPAIGN FOR TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL
Tosh Sharp, a civil service commissioner and Tukwila community leader, recently announced his campaign for Tukwila City Council seat one. He is currently unopposed.
Photo courtesy of Tosh Sharp
Q&A: NIKKITA OLIVER FOCUSES ON MUTUAL AID, COMMUNITY IN CAMPAIGN FOR CITY COUNCIL
Nikkita Oliver has made a name for themselves in Seattle and beyond. The lawyer, artist, professor, and abolitionist is bringing their many skills to the race for Position 9, one of two at-large seats on the Seattle City Council.
Photo by Susan Fried
THE MORNING UPDATE SHOW CELEBRATES ITS ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
March 19 marks the one-year anniversary of the Morning Update Show, a live weekday broadcast from Converge Media that delves into news and current issues impacting Seattle’s Black community. When Omari Salisbury and Trae Holiday first launched the program, they thought it would only last a few months. Initially, it began as a “pop-up show” with the goal of getting COVID-19 information out to the Black community.
Featured image courtesy of Converge Media.
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM DEBUTS NEW JACOB LAWRENCE EXHIBIT: THE AMERICAN STRUGGLE
On March 5 the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) opened its new Jacob Lawrence exhibit, “The American Struggle,” to the public.
“The American Struggle” takes us on a journey through American history, reframing the narratives we have heard for centuries.
Featured image courtesy of Seattle Art Museum.
COUNCILMEMBER ZAHILAY’S WORKSHOP ENCOURAGES BIPOC YOUTH TO RUN FOR OFFICE
On Feb. 20, Girmay Zahilay, the King County Councilmember for District 2, hosted the first installment of his new online series: Build the Bench. The monthly workshop is focused on providing a space for marginalized and underrepresented students and supporting them in eventually running for political office.
Photo by Chamidae Ford
ACADEMY FOR CREATING EXCELLENCE SUPPORTS YOUNG BLACK MEN AND BLACK TEACHERS
On Wednesday evening, Feb. 17, the Academy for Creating Excellence (ACE) hosted their second installment of the Black Educators Cafe, a series dedicated to helping Black people in the education field find community and support.
Featured image courtesy of Willie Seals III.
HISTORICAL MEDICAL RACISM AND COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY FOCUS OF “Y’ALL GETTING VACCINATED” EVENT
On Monday evening, Feb. 8, Shukri Olow, a candidate to represent the 5th District for the King County Council, organized an event dedicated to providing the Black community with all the information available about COVID-19 vaccines in an accessible and digestible way.
Photo by Susan Fried
BLACK LIVES MATTER SEATTLE KING COUNTY HOSTS EMERGENCY CALL TO ACTION MEETING TO PUSH FORWARD POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY POLICIES IN WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE
On the evening of Feb. 11, Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County(BLMSKC) called an emergency action meeting online. There are currently seven bills in Olympia that run the risk of dying in committee before they can become law. They represent a future with a less violent and more accountable police force. BLMSKC used the meeting to encourage their supporters to get in contact with their representatives and detailed how they could do so.
Photo by Carolyn Bick
CIERRA SISTERS HOST ANNUAL WORLD CANCER DAY EVENT DEDICATED TO EMBRACING KNOWLEDGE
Bridgette Hempstead, the founder of Cierra Sisters, received her breast cancer diagnosis on her 35th birthday. A diagnosis she had to fight tooth and nail to get.
Photo courtesy of Cierra Sisters
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY BLACK STUDENT UNION BEGINS NEW STUDENT LED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Following the death of George Floyd, Seattle University’s Black Student Union (BSU) gathered to discuss how they could improve the experience of Black students at their college. BSU President Adilia Watson asked her peers what some of the main issues facing Black students at Seattle University are. She hoped the BSU could then use this increased awareness to garner support from people for improving the experience of Black students. Two main concerns raised caught the attention of Watson.
Featured image courtesy of Adilia Watson.
ANASTACIA-RENEÉ’S SOLO EXHIBIT AT THE FRYE EXPLORES GENTRIFICATION OF THE BLACK WOMAN’S BODY
In a riveting new exhibit on the many ways the Black female body is gentrified, Anastacia-Reneé brings us into her character Alice Metropolis’s life as she struggles with breast cancer, white supremacy, redlining, and the gentrification of her neighborhood.
Featured image courtesy of the Frye Art Museum.
DISABLED WRITERS GET POWERFUL, POLITICAL, AND PERSONAL AT SPL VIRTUAL EVENT FOR NEW ANTHOLOGY ‘DISABILITY VISIBILITY’
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.
Featured image courtesy of Seattle Public Library.
THE ANNUAL SEATTLE MLK JR. DAY MARCH ENCOURAGES YOU TO GET INTO SOME GOOD TROUBLE
For the past 38 years, hundreds to thousands of King County residents have arrived at Garfield High School on the third Monday morning in January. Rain or shine, they showed up to march in honor of one of the most important leaders of the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo by Susan Fried
SIEMBRA: CREATING ROOTS, COMMUNITY, AND CELEBRATING SOUTH AMERICAN CUISINE
There is no denying that COVID-19 hit the restaurant industry hard, forcing businesses to lay off countless employees who made their livelihood by serving, cooking, and working in restaurants. Alex Dorros, who co-founded the new South American restaurant Siembra with his mother, Sandra Marulanda, is one of the many who lost their job back in March.
Featured image courtesy of Alex Dorros.
HISTORIC L.E.M.S BOOKSTORE REOPENS
Located on Rainier Avenue South, in the heart of Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood, the historic Life Enrichment Bookstore (L.E.M.S) has officially reopened its doors.
Photo by Susan Fried
OLU PRODUCTIONS IS HELPING SUPPORT YOUNG BLACK VISIONARIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
As the holiday season approaches, many are looking to put their money where it is most needed. One of those places: small, Black-owned businesses.
Photo by Susan Fried
WITH GRAND OPENING, ‘COMMUNION’ USHERS IN COMMUNITY, FAMILY, AND FOOD FOR ALL
On an uncommonly clear and bright Saturday afternoon, a shimmering gold ribbon was cut, marking the opening of Communion Restaurant & Bar.
Photo by Susan Fried
BLACK-OWNED RESTAURANTS CONTINUE TO ADAPT TO EVER-CHANGING DINING RESTRICTIONS
As the pandemic has raged across the globe, there have been glimmers of hope that we may be exiting the worst of it. Unfortunately for Washington business owners, the recent record-breaking spike in COVID-19 cases has led to another round of tightening restrictions by Governor Jay Inslee.
Photo by Susan Fried