Just Economy

On June 13th and 14th our Advocacy and Policy Program Manager, Derek Lum, will be attending the Just Economy Conference. The Just Economy Conference is the premier gathering of people who want to create opportunities for people, and communities, to build wealth in an equitable manner. Conference attendees represent the National Community Reinvestment Coalition and its grassroots members. Attendee’s come from organizations that are working toward a more just and inclusive economy. These can include government, nonprofits, CDA’s, CDFI’s, unions, amongst others. Some topics covered include the racial wealth gap, affordable housing, small business survival, development, displacement, and more.


I-5 Activation Project

We would like to share information that was completed in 2021 with our I-5 Steering Committee on the I-5 Activation Project.


Uncle Bob's Place Invitational Call for Artists

 

Uncle Bob’s Place Invitational Call for Artists: Balcony Railing Panels and Temporary Mural Artwork

Applications Due Monday, November 29, 2021, 11:59 pm Pacific Time

Uncle Bob’s Place Art Committee (UBP-AC) aspires to engage a diverse range of up to 17 artists from a variety of media to conceptualize and create fabrication-ready artwork for 12 residential balconies and 5 mural artworks at Uncle Bob’s Place (UBP).

Introduction, Uncle Bob’s Place

Uncle Bob’s Place is a mixed-use housing project being developed by InterIm CDA (https://interimcda.org/) in Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID). It is named after our beloved and distinguished community leader, Bob Santos (1934–2016), and continues a vision that celebrates an ongoing sense of community, self-determination, stability, and vibrancy. Public Art at UBP will lend a sense of meaning, beauty, and joy; and will uplift the story of Uncle Bob and the importance of community and be an integrated part of the building.

InterIm CDA is grateful to the Bob Santos family for entrusting us with his name and the awesome privilege of honoring and carrying forward his legacy at Uncle Bob’s Place.

Scheduled for completion in early 2023, the building will include:

  • 126 low-income units that provide permanent homes for families with children, elders, and others;
  • A reimagined Bush Garden Restaurant, a cherished legacy business and Uncle Bob’s favorite karaoke bar;
  • The Bob Santos Community Room, a space for organizing, education, events, and more;
  • A residential Community Room

 

Guiding Principles for Public Art at Uncle Bob’s Place

Art at Uncle Bob’s Place will inspire activism and advocacy to preserve and protect the people and culture of the CID community, centered on a social justice narrative. It will stand as a reminder that each of us can make a difference. At its heart, this effort seeks to pay homage to Uncle Bob, the person, by carrying forward both his and the community’s legacy.

  • The power of storytelling, community organizing, and solidarity across ethnicities
  • Person to person relationships as the cornerstone for community organizing
  • The power of solidarity across ethnicities
  • The importance of mentoring future generations of activists
  • How community history lives to inform and inspire today’s actions and provide clarity for envisioning the future
  • Inspire and foster ongoing activism and advocacy for the CID community
  • Maintaining the CID as a home for low income, elderly, immigrants, refugees, workers, and other marginalized groups
  • Recognize the international connections of local social justice struggles
  • Amplifying personal and historic connections to the CID

 

Artists are invited to apply to both (2) projects.

1) Metal Balcony Railing Panel Artwork

Uncle Bob’s Place Art Committee (UBP-AC) aspires to engage a diverse range of up to 12 artists from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, aesthetic direction, and working media to conceptualize and create fabrication-ready artwork for 12 residential balconies at Uncle Bob’s Place (UBP). These balconies will be made of cut aluminum panels, all made in a red color.

Aside from the themes and goals for all the public artwork, specific themes for the balcony railing artwork include:

  • The power of storytelling of the history of the CID
  • Reflect layers of migration, history and diversity of those who inhabit and have inhabited the neighborhood
  • Personal and historic connections to the CID shown through cut metal images
  • The international connections of local social justice struggles
  • Engaging with community, affiliated organizations for inspiration about the artwork

 

THIS PROJECT HAS AN ACCELERATED TIMELINE AND WILL REQUIRE A VERY FAST ENGAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION PROCESS.

 

Project Rendering:

UBP Balcony Scope of Work:

Selected Artists Will:

  • Complete and submit a memorandum of understanding before work begins
  • Research, develop, and present visual concepts related to desired themes of UBP
  • Work in collaborative dialogue with the other selected artists and UBP-AC
  • Work within the technical requirements for cut metal and safety codes
  • Submit fabrication-ready artwork as a two-dimensional black and white drawing/digital file of the correct proportions/scale for each balcony as required by deadlines
  • Provide a final artist statement related to final creation, and optional contact information (web address, social handles, etc) for publicity related to the UBP
  • Be paired with a community organization that was important to Uncle The organization will provide a “creative brief” containing inspirational stories, words, images from which to draw.

Material Constraints:

  • Material is perforated/cut metal, coated in a red powder coating
  • UBP-AC will work with one fabricator to maintain production consistency
  • There will be 2 sizes of balcony Though final sizes will be confirmed for selected artists, the approximate sizes are as follows: Street-facing panels will be 3’-6” tall by 7’-10” wide or 7’-0” wide. Side railings will be 3’-6 1/2” tall by 2-1” wide or 1’-6” wide., depending on the location. (Final dimensions subject to change)
  • Maximum opening or negative space in balcony material is 4 inches, per
  • Art is subject to review by the International Special Review District Board (ISRD)

 

Timeline (dates subject to change):

November 29, 2021          Artist applications due

December 6, 2021            Panel selects artists

January 15, 2022               Selected artists submit initial designs March 1, 2022      Final designs due to fabricators

Early Summer 2022          Anticipated balcony installation

 

2) Mural Artworks

A 2-part project to create 1 of 5 images that will make up a large temporary exterior mural and will also be made into an interior artwork for the elevator lobby of each of 5 residential floors. The 2 parts will be created using digital reproductions of the same image, but at differing scales. The temporary large exterior mural will include a combined image of the 5 artists’ work, while each of the elevator lobbies are interior and will include only a single artist’s work, of a much smaller scale. Artists will be selected for one of the 5 opportunities that will include full color images expressing the ideas of justice, equality and cultural diversity, all values very important to Uncle Bob and his lifelong activism.

Artists will be asked to collaborate/coordinate with each other to develop “connections” between the images. These connections might be a visual through line, or where images might connect with adjacent images in some way, to allow the combined temporary mural to have cohesion as a whole, while maintaining the aesthetic personalities of each selected artist and artwork.

The scope of the project is to create artwork of a specific proportion that may be digitally reproduced at 2 different scales, either directly on the computer as a digital file or one that could be scanned or otherwise digitized.

Production of the mural and the work for the residential floors will be undertaken by the project.

 

PROJECT ILLUSTRATION:

The anticipated timeline for project completion is Summer 2022. Because the production lead times are still in flux, schedules might change:

UBP Murals Scope of Work:

Selected Artists Will:

  • Complete and submit a memorandum of understanding before work begins
  • Research, develop, and present visual concepts related to desired themes of UBP
  • Work in collaborative dialogue with the other selected artists and UBP-AC
  • Submit fabrication-ready artwork as a drawing/digital file of the correct proportions/scale as required by deadlines
  • Provide a final artist statement related to final creation, and optional contact information (web address, social handles, etc) for publicity related to the UBP

 

Timelines:

November 29, 2021          Artist applications due

December 6, 2021            Panel selects artists

April 15, 2022                   Selected artists submit initial designs June 1, 2022 Final designs due to fabricators

Late summer 2022            Anticipated installation

BUDGET FOR EACH PROJECT:

Each selected artist will receive $3,000 Artist/Design Fee upon successful completion and delivery of project deliverables.

  • $1,000 artist deposit with a signed contract
  • $1,000 final design to fabricators
  • $1,000 written statements, and public relation things all done

 

How to Apply:

Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/212857326539161 Eligibility:

Artists working in Washington State and Oregon, 18 years and older, are invited to apply.

 

Online Application to include:

  1. Artist contact information with email, phone, and pronouns
  2. Application Please limit your response to approximately 3500 characters or fewer. Please address:
    1. How your creative practice relates to public art themes of Uncle Bob’s
    2. Relevant past community-based work
    3. Your personal involvement and/or connection with the C-ID community and community organizations
    4. Your general approach to this project
    5. Biographic information: briefly describe yourself and your artistic accomplishments
  3. Submit up to 6 images (and no fewer than 4) of relevant work
  4. Image identification list including title, year created, medium, commission amount (if applicable), and brief
  5. Indicate if you are applying for the Balcony project, the Mural or Please indicate whether you are able to meet the fast deadline for the Balcony project.

 

If you are unable to use the application form, please email us (UncleBobsArt@gmail.com) to make arrangements.

 

Selection Criteria:

Artists will be evaluated based on their artistic expression and how their work relates to the themes and focus of art at Uncle Bob’s Place. No previous experience with public art is necessary. UBP-AC will prioritize artists who reflect (through their work or lived experiences) the layered history of diverse peoples who have and continue to inhabit the CID and other historic communities of color in the greater Puget Sound area.

 

Artists must agree to meet all production deadlines.

What to Prepare Before Starting Your Online Application:

Written Material:

  • Write and edit your written statements before starting the online The online application will NOT save working drafts. Note character counts.

 

Photographic Material:

  • Check your digital images for clarity
  • We suggest not submitting more than two images of the same Composite images are not recommended.
  • Label photographic files with your last name and the submission image For example, Santos_1.jpg; Santos_2.png
  • Provide an image identification list including title, year created, medium, commission amount (if applicable), and brief description as a low-resolution

.PDF file.

  • Minimum width of any side is 1000 pixels
  • File size limit is 10 MG per image
  • The committee is not seeking sketches or final design ideas with this We wish to see your overall style and themes.

 

While the call above is our intention for the projects, the Uncle Bob’s Place Art Committee reserves the option to select fewer than the anticipated number of artists or to alter the intended scope of the project.

 

Uncle Bob’s Place Art Committee Members are here to support your successful application submission. Email UncleBobsArt@gmail.com with any questions. Include “Uncle Bob’s Place Balconies” in the subject line.


Domestic Violence Housing First: A Celebration of What We're Learning!

Please watch the recording of the event, Domestic Violence Housing First: A Celebration of What We’re Learning! You can also visit the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s YouTube channel.
InterIm Cda is thankful to have joined the event in April. Thank you to Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation!


InterIm CDA Denounces Anti-Asian Violence

We, at InterIm CDA, are deeply saddened to hear of the horrific events in Atlanta, GA that left 8 people murdered including 6 members of the Asian Pacific Island community. Our deepest condolences to the victims’ families and friends.

As attacks on the API community increase, we need to highlight the depth of white supremacy and racism that humanized the shooter as “having a bad day” while framing the massage parlors as “temptation” to “eliminate”. This sexualization of Asian women is even more abhorrent in the light of the recent Stop AAPI Hate report that more than twice as many women are victims than men. We stand against misogyny and the stigma of earning a living in massage parlors. We respect all forms of work that our community engages in.

We want to lift up the sentiments aptly expressed by our sister organizations:

If you experience or witness a hate crime, please contact our friends at CISC and tell them about it by calling or emailing as follows:

Cantonese-粵語/English: (425) 240-5825

Mandarin-普通话/English: (206) 393-2110

Russian/English: (425) 326-9497

Spanish-Español/English: (425) 598-5436

Vietnamese/English: (206) 235-4372

Email: antihb@cisc-seattle.org

If you are in need of mental health support, please contact ACRS: (206) 695-7600.

We, as a social justice organization, need to support our Brown and Black brothers and sisters. We need to unite the ‘beloved community’ against all forms of violence, white supremacy and xenophobia.

Once again, our deepest condolences to these victims’ families and friends.


InterIm CDA - Uncle Bob's Place Virtual Groundbreaking Event 2/25/2021

Thank you to everyone who spoke at and attended the recent Uncle Bob’s Place Virtual Groundbreaking Event!

Please enjoy the video from the event.


InterIm CDA - Holiday Gift Bags to Residents!

In the beginning of the year, InterIm began grocery deliveries to low-income senior residents and their families once a week to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. It began with a GoFundMe page and weekly volunteers from all over the Seattle area, and then turned into a partnership between InterIm, other non-profit organizations that were also participating in grocery deliveries, and Asian Counseling and Referral Services' food bank.

For the holidays, we decided to get together to offer gift cards to grocery stores Uwajimaya, Safeway, or Viet-Wah, depending on the residents' choice. To go along with the gift cards, we put together a gift bag with freshly baked cookies, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and tea bags.

Enjoy these pictures of some of the InterIm team that put the holiday gift bags together!

Carmen Hom (Employment Navigation Coordinator), Vincent Kwan (Employment Navigation Manager), Derek Lum (Equitable Development Policy Analyst) assembling gift bags for various buildings

Freshly baked cookies with tags that included ingredients!

Tom Im (Deputy Director) on his way to make his delivery

Carol Xie (Resource Development & Marketing Manager) 

Another batch on their way out!

Alec Mac (Employment Navigation Assistant) wheeling boxes of gift bags out

Each bag was hand delivered to each resident - they were pleasantly surprised and thrilled to receive their bags!

Connect with us:
Instagram: @interim_cda; @dannywoogarden
Facebook: @interim_cda; @dannywoogarden

InterIm CDA - Laptops Provided to Low Income and Homeless Communities

Through the King County "Digital Equity for Adults with Barriers to Access and Services" grant, the Employment Navigation team at InterIm was able to secure over 100 laptops to support seniors, limited-English proficient, unemployed, and/or homeless individuals, and an additional 22 hotspots for those that did not have access to internet.

Abby Frias (Sustainability & Education Coordinator), Carmen Hom (Employment Navigation Coordinator), Silver Ly (Housing Stability Case Manager), Lizzy Baskerville (Environmental Design & Sustainability Manager), Alec Mac (Employment Navigation Assistant), Vincent Kwan (Employment Navigation Manager), Carol Xie (Resource Development & Marketing Manager), Renae Figuriera (Family Navigator) on the day of laptop delivery

The grant was approved for 21 organizations across the county, including InterIm CDA. The purpose of the grant was to provide individuals and/or families with digital services to "navigate online resources for health, economic, or other basic needs" who would otherwise not have access to them in an effort to help recover from the vast impacts of COVID-19 (King County).

Alec & Vincent organizing laptops to be delivered to residents

On the morning of December 16, 2020, InterIm staff gathered and formed teams of two to deliver laptops to different apartment buildings to residents that were approved to receive one. Upon arrival, the recipients were told in advance of our scheduled arrival time and signed off to confirm receipt of their new device(s), accepting with gratitude.

Vincent, socially distanced, instructing staff on laptop deliveries and assigning everyone to teams of two

Digital Literacy flyers, with both English and Chinese, that were given to the residents to go along with their laptops

Lizzy organizing and prepping the laptops to be delivered to Rex Apartments' residents

Silver and Renae finishing up their deliveries - they even got to support local restaurant, Tai Tung!

Carol and Lizzy preparing for their last delivery of the day.

Alec during the middle of a delivery

We are working hard to provide services and resources for the communities that we serve, especially during these times. We are confident that the laptops and hotspots that were delivered will help their recipients in their journey to finding employment and other resources, which is now more important than ever.

Thank you to all our supporters that continue to support our work!

Connect with us:
Instagram: @interim_cda; @dannywoogarden
Facebook: @interim_cda; @dannywoogarden

InterIm’s Corner: Celebrating 51 years – InterIm CDA 51st annual gala is on Saturday, April 25, 2020

 

On Saturday, April 25, 2020, InterIm CDA will commemorate our 51st Anniversary Gala at the Hilton Embassy Suites in Pioneer Square. We are honored to announce that our Keynote Speaker is newly elected King County Councilmember GIRMAY ZAHILAY! Hear about his incredible journey from a refugee to becoming a County Councilmember at the event. He has been a supporter and advocate for immigrant and refugee rights over the years.

Join us as we honor an extraordinary leader in our community with the Bob Santos Leadership in Sustainability Award. We will have a fabulous Live Auction, a delicious Dessert Dash, and DJ Ryan will play tunes and finish the night at our Party on The Perch!
Purchase tickets for $150 by 3/16 for early bird pricing at InterIm CDA’s website, http://interimicda.org/annual-gala/ Prices increase to $175 starting 3/17.

 


panel-web.jpg

InterIm’s Corner: Celebrating community with InterIm CDA

(L-R) Drag and Drop Creative owner Ryan Catabay; Vanishing Seattle founder Cynthia Brothers, Asian Counseling and Referral Service civic engagement program manager Joseph Lachman; and InterIm CDA, equitable development policy analyst (and facilitator) Derek Lum during the panel discussion, titled “Continuing the Legacy of Activism. Photo by Pinky Gupta.

InterIm CDA hosted the second annual fall dinner ‘Connecting with Community’ on October 12th at Joyale Seafood restaurant.

The evening brought together 150 of InterIm CDA’s friends and supporters and we were honored to have the generation of activists who have dedicated their lives for decades fighting for justice and equity for the community, together with our young and upcoming activists who are engaged in fighting for the community.

The program began with a panel discussion titled ‘Continuing the Legacy of Activism’. A panel of three young activists in Seattle, Drag and Drop, owner Ryan Catabaya, Vanishing Seattle, founder Cynthia Brothers, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, civic engagement program manager, Joseph Lachman, and facilitator InterIm CDA, equitable development policy analyst, Derek Lum.

In another session, titled ‘Thriving through the activism’, the staff of InterIm CDA talked about their experiences while working for the community. The event was concluded with activ-ism stories shared by our long-time activists Francisco Irigon, Sharon Maeda, Matt Chan, Leslie Morishita, and State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos.

State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos at the dinner, appreciates the youthful energy of the InterIm CDA staff. Photo by Pinky Gupta.

The stories of heroic activism undertaken by the leaders present in the room together with stories shared by the younger generation of activists provided an opportunity to all present to be ener-gized, engaged and understand that activism lives on and that InterIm CDA will continue to carry on the legacy of our beloved Uncle Bob.

It was a great night of connecting with old and meeting new friends. InterIm CDA will be hosting the Connecting with Community Dinner on October 15th, 2020.We are excited to once again have the honor of bringing together the activists in the community to continue and advance our fight for justice and equality.

InterIm CDA, real estate development director, Leslie Morishita shared her journey of being an activist. Photo by Pinky Gupta.
Francisco Irigon, shared his stories of activism. Photo by Pinky Gupta.

This content was sponosored by InterIm CDA.