Enterprise Article

Building community resilience through placemaking! Enterprise recently showcased InterIm CDA’s real estate development director Leslie Morishita and a few of our buildings in the CID including Hirabayashi Place and Uncle Bob’s Place: “Housing is fundamental,” Morishita said, “but we also want to take every opportunity to serve this community. We include a focus on art to lift the history and culture of the place and engage the community that’s here.” Check our the full article! Photos by Channing Johnson Photography.


WILD Program

WILD has an after-school program focused on environmental, social justice, community, and leadership building.

 

During winter we will be offering 3 programs to youth: Climate Coding, Seed to Plate, and Culture and Climate. Youth ages 14-18 are eligible to attend and can either get a 100 stipend or twenty service hours for the ten-week program.
We will meet once a week for two hours (Climate Coding/ Seed to Plate) or once a month for 8 hours (Culture and Climate)
Please view the photos for sign-up!


Community-driven victory in the CID

On Saturday, Oct. 15 hundreds gathered in Hing Hay Park to celebrate King County’s announcement the day before that they would not be expanding services at the Salvation Army-operated shelter in SODO.

King County and Seattle opened the shelter two years ago without a word to the community or any kind of engagement or outreach. The community then recently learned the county was planning to expand it into a 5-block, low barrier 500-person ‘mega shelter’ with an RV parking lot, tiny house village, sobering center, and acute behavioral crisis center. Again, there had been no outreach the CID neighborhood about the expansion.

This became an issue of systemic racism the Chinatown-International District has faced time and time again. From I-5 splitting the neighborhood in half, to the construction of the Kingdome to neglect regarding public safety issues (why are the lights still off in the InterIm CDA parking lot under the freeway, Seattle City Light?), this was yet another example of, as InterIm’s statement to Seattle City and Council and King County Council said, “an intentional ploy to keep the poorest people of color down, to concentrate them in one small area away from whiter more affluent areas, and to pit them against each other.”

Initial community notification was started by Tanya Woo, Gary Lee, and Julie Neilson after they learned about it in a Public Safety Council meeting. Tanya then took the lead on uniting the community to push back against the expansion. Elders in the CID joined their efforts and marched in protest and testified at City of Seattle and King County Council Meetings to make their voices and concerns heard. InterIm CDA was the first of several agencies who publicly approved of the pushback and provided financial support of their efforts.

Activists planned a protest and rally to take place in Hing Hay Park on Saturday, Oct. 15. But before they could hold it, on Friday, Oct. 14, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the expansion project was canceled due to our united efforts. What started as a protest turned into a celebration of community activism, community pride, and a reflection of those past and present who have continued to advocate for and protect the CID.

Photos by Randy Wo-Eng


InterIm CDA statement to Seattle City Council and King County Council on SODO shelter location adjacent to Chinatown-ID

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority says it stands for racial equity and social justice, however, their planned homeless megaplex next to the CID looks like an intentional ploy to keep the poorest people of color down, to concentrate them in one small area away from whiter more affluent areas, and to pit them against each other.

Stand up for racial equity and social justice!  Learn more and take action:   https://www.friendsofseattlecid.com/

For InterIm CDA’s letter to the Seattle City Council: To Seattle City Council regarding the planned homeless megaplex next to the CID

For InterIm CDA’s letter to the King County Council: To King County Council regarding the planned homeless megaplex next to the CID

Photos by Eugene Tagawa.

Gathering for march to City Hall - photo by Eugene Tagawa
Marchers approaching City Hall - photo by Eugene Tagawa

Celebrating National Voter Registration Day!

Did you know that tomorrow is National Registration Day? National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday that commemorates our democracy and was first observed in 2012. Approximately 4.7 million citizens end up registering throughout our country on this specific day.For those that are registered to vote, this is the day where you can also update your information regarding to changes in your location, name, or even updating your own voter ballot signature. You can update your address online or by mail until 8 days before an election.

Many organizations and volunteers throughout the country have end up creating awareness for this day and we are in support of this day as well. To our Washingtonians who have not yet registered, feel free to register online, by mail, by print, or in person at your nearest county elections department. Registrations online, by print, or by mail can only be done until 8 days before an election. Be #VoteReady for #NationalVoterRegistrationDay!!Register to vote now:For Washingtonians: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/register.aspxFor non-Washingtonians: https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/register-to-vote/


Soul Healing Festival

InterIm CDA is partnering with The Future Ancient to host the first ever Soul Healing Festival in the Chinatown International District!

20+ cultural artists and groups share their music, song, story and dance, 2 fashion shows, and 2 live bands bless us with their creative talents and beautiful lineages (4-8pm). We also offer free acupuncture, massage, yoga and Qi Gong to the people (1-4pm). After sundown, a movie in the park A Different Mirror: Resilience and Community Building in Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID), in the heart of the CID, Hing Hay Park!

 

1-10pm at Hing Hay Park 423 Maynard Ave S.

4pm live-stream at www.TheFutureAncient.org

@theFutureAncient

 

Here is also the facebook page for the event : https://www.facebook.com/events/1136883250540342


Thank you, Enterprise for sponsoring InterIm CDA's 46th Annual Pig Roast

Thank you to our sponsor Enterprise for making the InterIm CDA 46th Annual Pig Roast a great event!


46th Annual InterIm CDA Pig Roast was a SUCCESS!

The 46th Annual InterIm pig roast was a huge success!
Thank you to all those who came and those who supported us! Special shout out to ICHS Legacy House, Phnom Penh Noodle House, Gourmet Noodle Bowl, Crawfish King, and all the volunteers who helped make it happen, along with all those who came! Keep an eye out for the Pig Roast next year!